Screenshot of the CNN debate. Left to right: Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney and Ron Paul.

Gingrich questioned Romney about his overseas bank accounts. Romney responded that he has a trustee for investments and he pays taxes on his overseas accounts.

After the tension subsided, the Republican presidential candidates moved on to discuss taxes.

Ron Paul said taxing the rich is not a solution and he sympathizes with the 99 Percent organization.

“Wall Street isn’t getting poorer…The solution isn’t to tax the wealthy,” Paul said. “There’s a big difference between those who earn money and those who rip us off.”

Moderator Wolf Blitzer asked Paul if he would be ready to release his medical records -if elected, he would be the oldest U.S. president. Paul said he would.

“But there are laws against age discrimination so if you push this too much, you better be careful,” Paul joked.

Responding to a question from the audience, the candidates gave predictions of what they would do with the nation’s space program. It was a topic they agreed on.

Rick Santorum said “we need to bring good minds from the private sector” to NASA. And that making big promises for aeronautics would be good for votes but not responsible.

Paul said he would put priority on issues like healthcare rather than the space program.

Gingrich agreed with Paul and Santorum that members of the private sector should be moved into the nation’s aeronautics programs. 

“I want to see us move from one launch occasionally to six or seven a day,” Gingrich said.

An audience member moved the candidates into the topic of healthcare.

Gingrich, Santorum and Romney said that Obamacare needs to be repealed.
 
Romney agreed, saying that his administration would allow individuals to own their own insurance and get the same discounted treatment that companies receive.

He said America needs to get people back to work and he knows what it would take.

Santorum responded by agreeing with Gingrich and Romney, but said they “weren’t always saying what they’re saying.” Santorum said the two had healthcare plans similar to Obamacare which needs to be repealed.

Santorum said Gingrich advocated that each person enters into a private contract, which politicians now say is radically unconstitutional. He also pointed to Romney’s plan as too costly and government-run.

“In Gov. Romney’s state, one in four don’t get the care they need because of the high cost,” Santorum said. “You have the card, you’re covered, but you can’t get the care.”
 
Gingrich said he didn’t advocate federal mandates and that people could opt out of it.

Romney and Santorum then debated between themselves over Romney’s healthcare plan in Massachusetts.

“Our system has a lot of flaws, it has a lot of benefits and we consider it very different from Obamacare,” Romney said. “As president, I will work from day one to repeal Obamacare. It’s bad medicine”

Santorum then said that Romney called for government-run, top-down medicine, and that it works. Romney shook his head, verbally disagreeing while Santorum continued.

In response, Romney said he doesn’t favor top-down, government-run healthcare. Massachusetts residents chose whichever plan they wanted and those who chose not to purchase healthcare, “you have to pay for the cost of the government picking up your bill.”

“We said no more free riders, either get the insurance or help pay for your care,” Romney said.

Santorum asked directly, “Does everyone in Massachusetts have a requirement to buy healthcare?”

Romney said citizens had to choose to get insurance or pay for their care. Santorum then called the latter option a fine.

Blitzer asked Paul what he thought of his fellow candidates’ plans.

“I think they’re all wrong,” Paul laughed. “This is a typical result of when you get government involved. The government isn’t our solution, so I’m not too happy with this type of debate with one trying to blame the other.”

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Reach senior news editor Agnus Dei Farrant here.