Transcript
ROBERT SIEGEL, host: The Republicans who would like to unseat President Obama used this Labor Day to talk conservative fundamentals in South Carolina. Tea Party favorite Senator Jim DeMint hosted five of the GOP candidates for president at a forum in Columbia, but the new frontrunner in the crowded Republican field didn't make the event. NPR's Debbie Elliott has been following the forum today, and she joins us now. Debbie, this could have been our first chance to see the two top candidates in the polls side by side. Mitt Romney was there. But it turned out that Texas Governor Rick Perry didn't make it. What happened?
