Gingrich Gambles on Immigration; GOP Candidates Come out Swinging on Airport Security; Political Analysts Review GOP National Security Debate
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: Newt Gingrich takes a huge gamble on immigration, separating himself from the GOP pack at this week's presidential debate. And all of the candidates came out swinging at the TSA. How do they propose securing U.S. airports? Plus, one of the view gaffs of the debate involving Herman Cain and me, the little guy. We want to welcome our viewers in the United States and around the world. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in "The Situation Room." It was the 11th major face-off among the candidates but this week's CNN Republican Presidential Debate focused in on national security. I moderated the contest at historic Constitution Hall right here in Washington, D.C. And among the many noteworthy exchanges was this one, in which Newt Gingrich, a front-runner right now, advocated what many conservatives clearly don't like -- amnesty.</s>NEWT GINGRICH, (R), FORMER SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I think that we ought to have an H-1 visa that goes with every graduate degree in math, science and engineering so that people say here.</s>REP. MICHELLE BACHMANN, (R), MINNESOTA & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: I don't think we should make 11 million workers who are here illegally legal.</s>MITT ROMNEY, (R), FORMER MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Amnesty is a magnet. When we have had in the past programs that have said that if people that came illegally can stay legally for the rest of their life, that encourages more people to come here illegally. The right course for our immigration system is to say we welcome people who want to come here legally. We're going to have a system that makes that easier and more transparent. But to make sure we're able to bring in the best and brightest -- and by the way, I agree with the speaker in terms of -- I would staple a green card to the diploma to anybody that has a math, science, masters, PhD. We want those brains in the country. But in order to bring people legally we have to stop illegal immigration.</s>RICK PERRY, (R), GOVERNOR OF TEXAS & PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The real issue is securing that border. This conversation is not ever going to end until we get the border secure.</s>BLITZER: The Republican candidates revealing their divisions over illegal immigration. Let's take a closer look. Joining us, our CNN chief political analyst, Gloria Borger; and our senior political analyst, Ron Brownstein. I thought it took guts for Newt Gingrich, with a Republican group, with Republican caucuses and primaries only weeks away, to take a stand like that in favor of allowing some millions of illegal immigrations to say in the United States legally.</s>GLORIA BORGER, CNN CHIEF POLITICAL ANALYST: He used the word humane and said serious people do not want to deport 12 million people who have been in this country for some time. Immigration, the question of immigration has been the quick sand for Republican political candidates. You saw it with Governor Perry, who called his colleagues heartless if they didn't agree with him on his version of the Dream Act.</s>BLITZER: And it hurt him.</s>BORGER: And it hurt him. I think Newt Gingrich -- I don't know if you agree -- was a little more artful. He didn't call his colleagues heartless but said it's humane to let people to stay here. How affects him in a state like Iowa remains to be seen.</s>RON BROWNSTEIN, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL ANALYST: The big gamble for Gingrich in the primary, a big gamble for Mitt Romney in the way that he responded, further digging in if he gets to the general election. Gingrich last night reminded me of George W. Bush as a candidate in 2000. I remember one town hall meeting in South Carolina where he talked about moms and dads that come across the border to make a better life for their kids. Very different language than they hear now from Republican candidates. There is a question, the rise -- Gingrich's rise has primarily been fueled by Tea Party activists. That's where he's gained the most in the polls. These are voters who are unhappy with the pace of racial change in the country and also, in many cases, concerned about illegal immigration. There's a risk there. Romney took a risk too in terms of, if he gets a nomination, his ability to harvest economic discontent among Hispanics, which is real.</s>BORGER: Yes. And Michele Bachmann went after Newt Gingrich immediately saying it was amnesty, clearly trying to get his voters back. When I asked Newt Gingrich after the debate about whether this has hurt the Republican Party with his panic voters, he said, absolutely, but with all immigrants not just Hispanics. This is a problem the Republican Party has.</s>BLITZER: It is clear to me, in a general election, what Newt Gingrich is saying, that you point out, that can help him.</s>BROWNSTEIN: Yes.</s>BORGER: Sure.</s>BLITZER: In a Republican contest, it probably won't necessary help him. Is it too far fetched to think, given the polls where he stands right now, Newt Gingrich, he's already looking ahead beyond the Republican contests?</s>BORGER: Maybe, but probably not. I don't think so.</s>BORGER: I don't think so.</s>BROWNSTEIN: This is classic, Newt.</s>BORGER: Yes.</s>BROWNSTEIN: One thing that's interesting about the debate, Wolf, is I think Americans today saw the Newt Gingrich we both covered in the '80s and '90s who was almost imperial in intellectual self-confidence and radiated the sense that he was the one who had the long-term vision. I see myself as transformative figure, he said back then. That's the moment when he in most in that expansive mode that he is the most likely to say something that is not pre programmed that can be rhetorically flamboyant. But I think he did a much better job, as you suggesting, of explaining his position than Rick Perry did. The "National Review" editorialized in favor of him after the debate. Even if you polled Republicans, most would say it's unrealistic to deport 12 million people and you have to make some decisions.</s>BLITZER: I was surprised how tough and hard Mitt Romney came down on him, saying this is a magnet.</s>BORGER: Sure --</s>BLITZER: You're going to just further encourage illegal immigration. You have to get rid of these so-called --</s>BORGER: Mitt Romney has to try to run to the right of Newt Gingrich. It is the conservatives that are most skeptical about Mitt Romney. Any time he has an opportunity to run to the right of Newt, he will do it, and to the right of Rick Perry. The interesting thing is Perry couldn't take on Newt Gingrich. Newt Gingrich is Newt Gingrich. He'll surprise you and you never know which Newt Gingrich is going to show up. Will it be the intellectual Newt Gingrich with lots of ideas, kind of unafraid, or will it be the sour, nastier Newt Gingrich that is not likeable. I think the first Newt Gingrich was at your debate last night.</s>BLITZER: Certainly, he surprised all of us, given where he was over the summer. Everyone though his campaign, as it was beginning, was already over. All of a sudden, new polls show he's right in the thick of things.</s>BROWNSTEIN: It's testament of the power of these debates --</s>BLITZER: Yes --</s>BROWNSTEIN: -- and the way it's changing the way you run for president.</s>BROWNSTEIN: -- overwhelming everything else.</s>BLITZER: We'll see if this last debate winds up helping or hurting them. Guys, don't go too far away. We have lots to discuss. And the candidates were united in slamming the TSA. Some calling for profiling of Muslims? Also, a sharp clash over the U.S. military position in Afghanistan.