Republican presidential hopefuls debated the issues during a CNBC sponsored event in Michigan on Wednesday night.
Amongst the highlights-- a remark by Mitt Romney, a co-founder of Bain Capital, who said Europe can take care of it's own financial crisis.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR MITT ROMNEY SAYING:
"Well Europe is able to take care of their own problems. We don't want to step in and try and bail out their banks and bail out their governments they have the capacity to deal with that themselves."
Former pizza executive Herman Cain, who's embroiled in sexual assault allegations from a former colleague, was certain the issue didn't matter to the American public.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BUSINESSMAN HERMAN CAIN SAYING:
"They don't care about character assassination, they care about leadership and getting the economy growing and all the others problems we face."
In previous debates, Texas Governor Rick Perry has given lackluster performances-- and Wednesday was no different.
Perry said if elected, he'd trim government waste by eliminating three agencies-- unfortunately, he could only remember the names of two.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) TEXAS GOVERNOR RICK PERRY SAYING:
"The third agency of government I would do away with the Education, the uhhh, Commerce and let's see. I can't. The third one I can't. Sorry. Oops."
After watching Perry's meltdown, a former deputy press secretary for President George W. Bush, tweeted, "Perry can end his campaign right now."
Julie Noce, Reuters