Rudy: Why the heck haven’t we built a new nuclear power plant in 30 years? France is 80 percent nuclear power plants, we’re 20 percent.

Brownback: Need more electric cars.

Tancredo: Absolutely explore off Florida coast. I say, if you won’t allow exploration off your coast, you can’t use it… Our oil dollars flow to countries that want to kill us.

McCain: I would hope oil companies would use profits to further the cause of alternative energy, nuclear power. I wouldn’t drill off the coast of Florida unless the people of Florida wanted to.

Huckabee: I think ethanol and biofuels are going to be vital.

As we head into the second hour, it feels like the debate is losing some of its energy…

Thompson: Ultimately, the free market will decide, but we’ve got to make use of everything that’s available to us. Most economic downturns have been preceded by a spike in oil prices.

Romney: I believe in domestic support for our agriculture industry.

Ron Paul: We work with a currency that is non-functional… You can’t have a strong economy if you’re spending all of your money overseas.

It is nice to have a candidate who spits on ethanol subsidies.

Huckabee: A lot of what has to happen is restoring the resilience and optimism of this country. Total overhaul of our tax system.

McCain: Americans have lost faith in the competence in our government. If we want comprehensive immigration reform, we have to secure the border. We need to fight wasteful spending.

Romney: Don’t go out with a message of doom and gloom. This country has everything it needs to succeed at home and the world… I know how to get a health care plan implemented. Says he can’t wait to debate Hillary Clinton because he’s done it, she’s only talked about it.

Thompson: Congress approval is at 11 percent. I don’t think anybody believes anything coming out of Washington anymore.

Giuliani: Energy independence wouldn’t just help us, but we could sell that to India and China. Hillary Clinton wants to put a lid on our goals. Whacks away at Hillary’s bonds. “I challenged her on it.” Today she’s going to give $1,000 to everybody to set up a 401(k). This one costs $5 billion more than the last one!

Tancredo: Standing for principle is a great thing. Too bad we didn’t do that when we were in the majority. Stop pandering!

Thompson: Our children and grandchildren won’t have it [Social Security]. We’re eating our seed corn. We’re pitting one generation against the next. We need less spending on the discretionary side. We need to help people put something aside to save for their own retirement.

Index benefits for inflation.

Asked about unions, Huckabee hits CEO salaries. Laments jobs that used to pay $70,000 now paying $15,000.

McCain laments that unions can be monopolies, says Arizona is a right-to-work state. Americans should never be forced to join a union.

Romney: When it comes to unions, there are some good ones, and some not-so-good… Says the carpenters are a good union, but says he won’t mention the bad ones.

Matthews cuts off Romney when he’s beginning to tell a story about his dad. First moment Matthews really irked me.

Thompson: I have been a Screen Actors Guild union member for quite some time. Do not believe a worker should have to join a union to work. Don’t think they should spend their members’ money on political donations they don’t agree with.

Tom Tancredo gets a bit of a laugh when in an answer about unions and the civil service says, “need I say it, illegal immigration.”

McCain to Maria Bartiromo: “Over here in the cheap seats, we don’t hear you as well.”

A darn good line: “I have a glass of ethanol every day before breakfast, but I still don’t think we should subsidize it.”

Thompson’s entire answer, when asked, “Should the government step in if workers walk out on Chrysler?”

“No.”

Later, he adds, the government ought to have a good reason if it’s going to step in.

Huckabee: Says the S-CHIP battle includes political posturing. Says he’s not certain vetoing is the right way to fight on that issue. He has a moment of tentativeness to his answer, his first stumble in a long time.

Thompson, on the need for a strong dollar: The whole world has to know we are good on our obligations.

Brownback: Asked on who his top economic advisor, says “the former Federal Reserve Chairman” (Greenspan, I presume? Oddly, didn’t mention his name) and then says he would want an amalgamation. then he adds Phil Gramm.

I thought this question would have more on housing and mortgage, but McCain brings it up in his answer if whether the Federal Reserve cut rates enough.