The following are stories and questions about them. Each story is followed by a question and answer to a given question.

Story: (CNN) -- President Barack Obama told a Labor Day crowd in Detroit that he's prepared to fight for a new job growth plan, defend organized labor and take steps to "restore the middle class in America," while five Republican candidates hoping to defeat him next year all called for repealing the major legislation passed so far in Obama's presidency. 

The Republican presidential candidates participating in the Palmetto Freedom Forum in Columbia, South Carolina, which was televised on CNN, were unified in advocating the end of the health care reform law and the Wall Street reform measure passed by a Democratic-led Congress. 

They also all expressed strong anti-abortion views and their belief in marriage being between a man and a woman at the event set up by Sen. Jim DeMint, a leading tea party conservative. 

Meanwhile, in the early primary states of New Hampshire and South Carolina, other Republican presidential contenders ripped Obama's handling of the economy and pledged to take an economically battered America in a new direction marked by less spending and fewer regulations. 

The sharply differing visions raised new questions about the ability of top Democrats and Republicans to tackle pressing budgetary and other issues while positioning themselves for what promises to be a bitterly contested campaign next year. 

In a speech that likely previewed his scheduled address Thursday to a joint session of Congress to present a jobs plan, Obama directly challenged Republicans, whom he has accused of obstructing progress in order to score political points. 

"These are tough times for working Americans," Obama told the union-dominated crowd at a rally that included a warm-up from Aretha Franklin. "The time for Washington games is over. The time for action is now." 

Question: what did the Republican candidates participate in?
Answer:the Palmetto Freedom Forum

Question: where was that held?
Answer:Columbia, South Carolina

Question: who did Obama accuse of obstructing progress?
Answer:Republicans

Question: what was Obama prepared to defend?
Answer:organized labor

Question: how many republican candidates were there?
Answer:five

Question: what were they advocating for?
Answer:the end of the health care reform law

Question: who was Obama addressing in the beginning of the article?
Answer:a crowd in Detroit

Question: was it a holiday?
Answer:yes

Question: which holiday?
Answer:Labor Day

Question: which senator was mentioned?
Answer:Sen. Jim DeMint

Question: what group does he lead?
Answer:tea party

Question: which states have early primaries?
Answer:New Hampshire and South Carolina

Question: who ripped Obama's handling of the economy?
Answer:other Republican presidential contenders

Question: what did they pledge?
Answer:spend and regulate less

Question: how did characterize the American economy?
Answer:
economically battered