Live Blogging of MSNBC Republican Debate 9ET

Aidan's liveblog of the debate

8:56: The candidates are entering the stage now and meeting Tim Russert

and Brian Williams, who will be moderating and asking questions in tonights debate.
Huckabee and Romney are wearing blue ties, McCain and Guiliani are wearing red ties.

9:00: Debate begins!
9:04: Romney gets the first question and steals some of Huckabee's economic lines, doesn't work as well with him though. Romney said "net-net" in his answer, which comes across very bad with a lot of people (sounds too smug). I know that because a couple of people mentioned that to me after he said it in the last debate.
9:08: McCain and Guiliani both got a question about the economy, and they didn't attack each other.
9:11: Huckabee gets his first question about whether he trusts "Romney on taxes". He answered it well, but sounded like he has some voice problems right now.

9:13: ATTACK ALERT: Romney attacks McCain for "not supporting the Bush tax cuts before now". I guess Romney's never changed his mind on anything before.....
9:17: Ron Paul gets a question about the economy.
9:19: Guiliani gets a question about investments and talks about Sadi Arabia.
9:21: Huckabee has not got a question for awhile.....around 12 minutes......McCain gives reasons why to re-elect Republicans in Nov. 2008, after they've left the country in such a mess.

9:23: Huckabee gets the same question that McCain got. He said that "the mess in Washington can't be blamed on him since he was not in Washington". He also got a good 'see I told you so' in about the economy.

9:26: Yup, Romney just said, "when Republicans act like Democrats, thats not good"....maybe he should apologize for his tenure as Mass. governor. Remember, Romney is the candidate of change, ever since it become popular after Iowa.

9:30: First Iraq question goes to McCain. He answers it well with his usual stump speech on 'the surge'.
9:31: Romney gets another question....why is he getting so much time????
Romney tries to make a funny, but it really didn't work.
9:35: So far not really any sparks.....Ron Paul gets some applause when he says the war was a bad idea (what else do they think he's going to say)
9:37: Huckabee gets a good answer on the Iraq War. Romney says that the war was "mismanaged", is that an attack on Bush??? How dare he...(sarcasm)...
9:38: NBC goes to a break. Russert's microphone was on when they went to the break and you could hear him talking to Williams.
9:40: The candidates will ask each other questions in the next segment of the debate.
9:43: Romney asks a question about China trade to Guiliani.
9:46: McCain ask Huckabee about the FairTax.....nice question...
9:47: Huckabee gives a very good answer on how the FairTax encourages productivity and doesn't hurt the poor.

9:49: Huckabee answers a follow up question on the FairTax.
9:50: Paul asks McCain a civil question about the economy (good job Paul)
Huckabee had a super funny line in the FairTax question.

9:52: Huckabee asks a question on the 2d Amendment. Romney ends up saying that he supports the 2d Amendment, but then says he supports all of these gun control bills......a very Romney answer.
9:55: Guliani asks a question about a national catastrophe fund, and takes some shots at McCain when he asks the question.
9:57: After Romney answered the question, McCain got to respond to Guiliani's soft attack.
10:02: McCain and Guiliani answer questions about global warming. They both say that the United States needs to take action.
10:03: MSNBC goes to a break.
10:06: WILLIAMS: "What happened to your campaign, Mr. Guiliani?" Guiliani then says he thinks he'll have the same fate as the New York Giants (who are going to the Super Bowl).....
10:09: McCain gets ask a question by MSNBC Brian Williams about his conservativism.
10:10: Romney says that "Clinton is so out of step with the American people", so is Romney...
10:12: Romney will not tell how much money he's put in the race....Romney is getting way to much time.....
10:15: Romney gets ANOTHER question about Mormonism......the media loves to talk about this....Huckabee has more bias against him because of his faith then Romney does about his.
10:16: Ron Paul answers a question.......
10:17: Huckabee answers a question about social security....and had a funny line about Romney and his inheritance (even though I think it may have come off the wrong way).
10:22: Guiliani is asked about why he is airing ad's in Spanish, when he supports a English only policy.
10:23: Guiliani is asked about wet foot, dry foot.......
10:26: Huckabee gets a question about McCain age...and has a good response.
10:28: Guiliani takes a shot at The New York Times, which will endorse McCain tomorrow's.
10:31: Romney says that he is not a flip-flopper......
10:32: Huckabee gets a question about his faith.....and answers it well.
10:35: Debate's over. The spin begins.