I'm at the Presidential Candidate Forum sponsored by Iowans for Tax Relief and Iowa Christian Alliance at the Hy-Vee Center in Des Moines. Candidates speaking include former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, and California Congressman Duncan Hunter.

Go read the whole live-blogging below the fold.

4:43 pm: Well, there are about 10 minutes left of questions, but Chase Martyn of Iowa Independent just called me and it's time to go see Ron Paul. I'll have some thoughts on the forum up in the next day or two. Hope you had as much fun as I did.   

4:37 pm: talking about immigration. applause. Says he stopped illegal immigration in San Diego with a fence. "As president of the United States, I will finish [building] the fence in six months." Says he will pardon two state troopers in jail who wounded/killed? someone while on the job. Praised humanitarian effort after tsunami. Wow, now, he's criticizing other countries for criticizing the U.S. "We fed you when you were hungry…" "I will never apologize for the United States of America, ladies and gentleman." Part of the American character is because we value life." Appointing judges. Basically said he has a litmus test on abortion. "Families lift our country up… faith in God, raising the next generations of Americans." Nice applause, some standing.

4:25 pm: Last candidate–Duncan Hunter up at the podium. The crowd is still mostly all here still. He thanks them for waiting. Starts out with border control, national security… Called America's midwestern manufacturing base the "arsenal of democracy." I guess it sounds prettier than military-industrial complex.

"The reason those jobs are leaving our shores is because China is cheating on trade… devaluing their currency by 40 percent… undercut the other guy's product. … "Americans are losing their jobs and businesses are going under." Says he's introduced a bill to "keep China on the straight and narrow" applause. Opposes taxes on exports. "Take taxes off America's manufacturers. And one way to do that is with the Fair Tax." applause.

Now talking about soldiers in Iraq. "They're bound together and they're bound for us. … spreading freedom around the world. … we failed" to do so in Vietnam. His son is serving in Iraq. Says there are two foreign policy examples to remember: Bay of Pigs and El Salvador. It's weird that he's talking about the Bay of Pigs, isn't it? He's been talking about it for several minutes. Now he's talking about the Communists in El Salvador–but mostly because it allows him to mention Ronald Reagan. "There were left-wingers going crazy." "The path that I'll follow is the path that Ronald Reagn followed, of true strength." In Iran, they're trying to make nukes, he says."As president of the United States, I will never allow Iran to have any nuclear device."

4:17 pm: More on immigration. You can tell he cares about this issue a lot, his voice is rising. He says the national guard needs to "defend our borders, not someone else's." A whiff of anti-Iraq rhetoric…

Now he's talking about embryonic stem cell research. He's against it, obviously. He's still talking and all of a sudden the mic went off. I guess that was all his time. He looked confused at first, then realized what had happened and walked off. The crowd laughed a little bit but gave him a pretty large standing ovation.

4:13 pm: Tancredo said he supports the Fair Tax, wants to cut taxes. Go to his website, he says. Now on to gay marriage. "The state has a responsiblity to affirm the concept of marriage–marriage between a man and a woman, and I should say, one man and one woman. There are strange new things with the lexicon of marriage. What would we do with four men and six women? It's turned this thing into some bizarre discussion." applause. Bizarre indeed.

4:06 pm: He is really revved up. "To give voice to American conservatives in this country." Freedom, security. "The good fight is always worth fighting." Islamic extremism, Europe won't help us. "The largest mosque in the world is being built in London." America is the last best hope for Western civilization. … This is our culture, fight for it. This is our flag, pick it up. This is our country, take it back." Huge standing ovation. lots of whistling, too.

4:02 pm: Says we need to enforce the laws and deport them all. "Enforce the law. …we're becoming a cultural and linguistic Tower of Babel." Mentions that he "got in trouble" for saying Miami has gotten to look like a third-world country. He's getting a lot of applause for his talk on immigration.

3:51 pm: Tancredo up now. He likes the format of the debate. beyond 30 second sound bites.

"There serveral of us who have been designated by the media as second tier canadidtes." Why? "To a large extent, it's money." Conan O'Brien anecdote. He didn't raise money, he raised children. "He's suggesting that there's something far more important to have money than children. Well I don't believe it. Then Corporate America has won and the good people of America have lost. … I have a constiuency in every state. It's a constituency that I don't have to buy. … This nation is truly at risk."

"Our army, the army against amnesty took on Corporate America, took on the White House, and took on rhe forces of Kennedy-McCain and we beat them." applause. "For every one of you who wrote something, the system actually works." "I don'tneed millions of dollars in order to create an image as an insurgent." Bemoans "hyphenated conservatives" – neo, paleo, compassionate. "The latest nonsense is "commonsense conservative" as if those things were not synonomous. As of today, everyone is some kind of conservative who havent been hyphenated. What i want to know is this, when is conservativsm alone not enough?" Doesn't want to "qualify our commitment to limited government, as best as I can tell, every effort to hyphenate conservatives have led to both disastrous politics and policy. no child left behind, medicare, open borders, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi."

3:42 pm: At the end of his speech, basically said, "OK, I'm ready to answer these six questions now." But the idea, as this thing was billed, was that the candidate would answer those questions in their speech. He just finished answering those questions, slightly dodging the economic questions, saying that he would need to look more closely at the particulars before committing to something that could block him in. Cool response. He answered all of the Christian questions as you'd expect. 

3:13 pm: Romney at the podium, applause, scattered people standing. He brought his wife and one of his sons, Josh, on stage. Now they're gone. Weird stunt. Says Josh is visiting every county. "I am committed to the Iowa process… the people of Iowa are really doing a service for the people of America." Thanks!

"This is a critical eleciton that we face. … We face extraordinary challenges as a nation. We're spending too much money in Washington. We're spending too much money on oil from other countries. We could be ener
gy independent, we must be energy independent." education, health care, immigration. "They worked out their grand compromise, but thet were out of touch with the American people and thankfully it got defeated." applause.

Competing more with Asia which is different from Europe because Europeans are like us. Um, racist? "Raise the bar in order to compete effectivly. … attack on civilization by violent Jihadists, the collapse of moderate Islamic states, install caliphs, collapse of the United States of America, the collapse of the West."

"At a time like this, it is essential that Washington must act. But Washington is broken… incapable of taking advantages. It's essental that we have new leadership in Washington. I haven't spent my life in politics." corporations, Olympics. "Then I became a democrat. [I know it was just a slip, but really, does this guy need any more charges of flip-flopping?] I became the governor of the most Democratic state in America. My senators are Kerry and Kennedy." Asks to trade. "In a setting like that I was able to balance the budget in four years. … Make major changes to improve our state. I know how to change things and Washington needs change." applause. "Democrats … would turn the source of our strength … Ronald Reagan said 'It's not that liberals are ignorant, it's just waht they know is wrong.'" applause. "They're just plain wrong. Government is not the souce of our strength. The American people are our source of strength."

Talking about culture, American values. Now talking about Ronald Reagan: his three stools of strong military, economy, family. troops line gets applause. Going through each one. Need to build up army. Build economy, cut taxes. Says Hillary Clinton gave a speech that would "Get her elected president of France, not the president of the United States."

Family. attacks Massachusetts for Supreme Court allowing same sex marriage. "I believe every child needs a mom and a dad. … we need to protect the sanctity of marriage. … we're either going to take a sharp leftr turn reprsented by Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama or John Edwards." They want to raise taxes, weaken family values. "They want to take us where Europe went." Reagan, principled conservative. "I'm optimistic about our future. I'm excited…" strengthen our military, strengthen our economy, and strengthen our family. I know it's very popular these days to criticize President Bush," but after 9/11 he protected us. "And he has appointed two great justices." big applause. "It is essential that we have a Republican president who is pro-life, pro-family, pro-strong economy…. " need judges that don;'t legislate from bench, applause. more Iowa love: "There's something about the values of the heartland." Ends with childhood story about being a boyscout and loving the American Flag. Applause, none standing.

3:07 pm: "I believe all human life is sacred from the very beginning to the very end. I am pro-life the whole life. … We have to fight for life." applause. "I would appoint judges who are strict constructionists, who wouldn't try to rewrite it." big applause. Roberts and Alito. "Look what these two men have meant. They have meant that partial birth abortion is illegal in America today." applause. Asks for help in the Straw Poll. Has brown wristbands. "God bless you all." a mild standing ovation–not as big as Huckabee's. 

2:49 pm: "I support marraige as the union between a man and a woman, period." applause. "I believe we need a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman… get it out of the courts." Talks about other countries redefining marriage. more children are born out of wedlock there. "a vast social experiment to redefine marriage… harfmul to the future of this country. I oppose same sex marriage and civil unions. I've been consistent on this issue. …harmful for us as a nation." been married for 25 years. "We need to talk about how to strengthen marriage in America." applause.

"We need to secure the border. I support builidng the fence and funding the fence. We need to do this. I have voted that way, I will continue to vote that way, and I will sign it into law and I dont think it's enough to build the fence. We need interior enforcement." employee-based system. Hmm, I wonder if he convinced anybody that he's not a flip-flopper on immigration.

"We're a great nation and we're a great nation in trial." Wants to end deaths by cancer in 10 yeares, get energy security, biodeisel, "depend more on the midwest than on the middle east." Good line. "We've got to be stronger in our families, central challenge in our time is against Islamic fascism, regardless of what happens in Iraq … doesn't go away. We have to have the figt to fight this fight. … We've been under attack for 20 years and then 9/11 happened." character, culture, family.

"I will begin each day as president on my knees asking God to bless America. This is a nation that was built on faith, we need to invite it in. … the motto of our nation is 'in God we trust'. We are a faith based nation and I would start my first day in office doing something that Abraham Lincoln called us to do, ask the country to pray together. This isn't unusual, it's not something that is breaking down the boundaries of church and state. The faith of our fathers was strong." Mentions Washington, Lincoln, Martin Luther King. "Faith is a good thing. It's not a bad thing it should be encouraged and uplifted, a pillar in society, not run out of the public square." nice applause.

One good stunt: he held up the tax code in book form–it's thick–and says it's well, bad.

2:40 pm: Brownback up now. Has music as he comes on. I think he's the first one to do that. Says it's his 26th trip to Iowa. Grew up around farms in Kansas. His dad's complaining because he needs rain. "That's where I learned my basic values." He calls them "Sunday School values: faith family, freedom, hard work, doing what's right." Made a joke about Kansas and Iowa football. "I'm a recovering lawyer … Congress in the Revolution, Senate in '96."

I'm not going to skip Iowa, I'm going to fully participate in the straw poll in Iowa. applause. … "No. 1, yes, no tax increases. … We need to cut spending, period." applause. "I would veto any tax increases. … We don't need more taxes, we're taxed enough." He started off slow but he's revving up. Never voted for taxes, never will. "A different taxation system. … I'm pro-growth… power of the United States. … I think we need to do more than just cut taxes. I will fight to see that the current taxes that are cut come back into the system."

Question No. 2, we've got to get our spending under control. Republicans were fired because we didn't stick with our principles and one of the core princiles is spending. When we lost sight of that, we got fired. I don't think the Demorcrats were hired, we got fired. Yes I would veto anything that… we spend nearly 2.9 trillion dollars for the federal government, that's enough money to spend. … I've long been an advocate of changing the system." … He just said "Deal or No Deal" about something…

2:29 pm: "There's a reason that four out of the last f
ive presidents have been governors." Better than being a legislator. Now getting asked a question about immigration. "I'm convinced that the single most important thing … is to build a physical border that is just [like] a border as have at our airports or in a major city. I would absolutelty insist on that. The American people won't accept any thing else. I dont resent the faact that people want to come to my country." America is great, etc. "I'm glad I live in this country and get on our knees and thank God every day that I live in this country. … I'm mad at the federal government that sat on its hands for almost twenty years and that now people are furious and angry." applause.

Made a joke about needing money. Ends with story about teacher in Arkansas and veterans, it's somewhat moving… don't forget how we got our freedom." standing ovation by nearly everybody. He certainly wowed them.

2:24 pm: Talks about the need for a Federal Marriage Amendment. Argues with people that say 'we shouldn't tinker with the Constitution'. "It was designed to be changed, that's the genius of it." Amendments gave women the right to vote, free press, etc. "Our constitution was designed to be changed. Maybe we need to clarify what marriage is once and for all. I've never understood why people say it's ok to amend the Bible but not the Constitution. " Huge, HUGE applause. 

2:01 pm: Huckabee takes the floor to lots of applause, some hooting.

"Any one of us on the stage today would be better than any of the Democrats." Unity, nice. some applause.

Talking about being a Republican in a Democratic state. Arkansas? Yeah, I guess so. Nice anecdote about not being recognized as Lt. Gov. This is a very different approach than Thompson took. Thompson went right into the policy, trying to be THE conservative. Huckabee seems very at ease. Has the crowd laughing. Now, he's talking about the forum–likes the format (20 minutes for candidates, 10 minutes for clarification questions). "This country and its next president face extraordinary problems and pressures. But it also faces some extraordinary pressures and problems from within."

"You and I both want a president who undestands that the president of the United States not only must be able to lead this country within the context of the world but must also [have] strong and capable leadership that touches you every single day, the tax system." Says he signed a pledge (Grover's?) "But I dont think that's enough. I want to be the president of the United States that nails the 'going out of business' sign on the Internal Revenue Service." huge applause. Everybody hates the IRS. "I want April 15 to ve just another beautiful spring day in America. Pass the Fair Tax … Revive the American ecnomy like nothing else will," even for poor people. "I grew up there. … My dad worked with his hands." Wants a tax system that is "flatter fairer, finite, family friendly. Fair tax does that." Nice alliteration.

"I'm tired of seeing jobs go to China never to return, tired of seeing jobs go to Mexico not to come back."

"Marriage means one thing and only one thing, one man, one woman. We need to affirm that that's what marriage means. It's easier to change the constituton than to change the word of Almighty God."

"One of the defining issues, truly defining issues, is how we believe regarding the sanctity of human life. I did not become pro-life because of politics. I got into politics becauase of my deep convictions regarding pro-life. What separates us as a civiliastion and culture, is a society that celebrates and elevates human life. … "We are a prol-life culture, we are pro-life nation, hether it's the life of a teenage or the life of an elderly person, we value life."

War with Jihadists. "Where we elevate and celebrate life, they elevate and celebrate death." suicide bombers. "We should never ever create a life just for the purpose of research. As president I would never sign and yes I would veto a bill for creating life for the sole prupse of destroying it." big applause

Thinks Hillary Clinton will be nominee. Ready to take her down (especially on the issue of education).

Rails against immigration bill. I missed the quotes trying to correct typos. Ends with praising the troops. Andrews asking more questions now.

1:55 pm: Thompson getting a little frustrated with "clarification questions." Says he's vetoed 1400 bills, wants to move on. Now talking about immigration. "Protect the borders, improve the food safety, and improve the military." Walks off stage to a fair amount of applause. 

1:49 pm: Talking about vetoing. He likes to do it. Prosperity continues with tax cuts. Scheffler now talking. "I'm against the destruction of embryos," Thompson said (applause). Adult stem cells, not embryonic. Important! "I'm passionately committed to doing the research without the destruction of embryos." 

1:27 pm: Tommy Thompson takes the floor.

"No tax increase! I will lower taxes. I lowered taxes in Wisconsin more than all of the candidates together. I will lower the budget."

"I believe that marriage should be between a husband and wife (applause) … secure borders! the first day in office, (applause) … fair tax, i will sign it as soon as it reaches my desk (applause) … We have only one language–the English language (loud applause)."

Now talking about his biography. Small town, "I'm the only farmer in the room. … I don't have as much money as the other candidates, but I have loyalty to your state." Looking forward to Ames Straw Poll.

He's telling an anecdote now. I'm not sure about what. He's in a Wal-Mart in Iowa City at 2 am buying toilet paper?

Was a state legislator, then became governor. "I want to lower your taxes and I want to be your governor." And he won (in a Democratic state). From what I've read, he actually was a half-decent governor–but he was first elected in um, 1987, so maybe he should have run for president back then…

"I am a reliable conservative." I think we'll be hearing that a lot today.

"First thingIi would do is talk to the Iraqi government and decide whether, we've been there 4 years, let that government vote and tell us whether they want us there and how they're going to help us win that war. If they don't want us there, we should redeploy our forces." Wow, other than Ron Paul, that's the closest thing I've heard from a GOP presidential hopeful talking about ending the war.

"So ladies and gentlemen, I come to you… No one has spent more time in Iowa… I am the true Republican, the true fiscal conservative, and I would love to… I am married to the same woman for 38 years. We have 3 children and 5 grandchildren." Now touching story about children and grandchild. "I held that baby and I looked at it and I said this is life and it reinforced all of my Christian beliefs. The right to life is the way to go. (applause) I have been right to life … I didn't become right to life on the way to Des Moines. (applause)

Also talking about readiness of National Guard, seems like a critique on Bush. Ends with football analogy, Midwestern bond between Iowa and Wisconsin. "If you want to make sure that Hillary Clinton is not elected next year, you better support Tommy Thomspon." Getting pretty revved up, ends with Irish saying… "May God hold you in the palm of your hands." Pretty good applause. Now he's being que
stioned by Andrews. "Clarification questions"

1:17 pm: Scheffler talking now. Talking about ICA. "If there is no moral order, there can be no political order," he said. "One nation under God." He said ICA is not tied to any political party. Um, right.

1:14 pm: Stanley: "The decision on which candidates were invited were made very carefully on objective criteria." When I came in, Ron Paul supporters were marching around the Hy-Vee Center with signs. I'm going to try to get to his counter-debate later if I can.

Stanley said the candidates were mailed the questions two weeks ago to give them ample time to prepare… They never called it a debate. 

1:03 pm: They're starting on time! One thing conservatives can do right. Started with a prayer, now pledge of allegience led by Steve Scheffler, president of the Iowa Christian Alliance. Next David M. Stanley, chairman of Iowans for Tax Relief, who is co-sponsoring the event with ICA.