Santorum Attempts to Keep Debate On Course: 'Focus on the Issues!

Thursday's CNN debate was heated right out of the gate. Following an extended back and forth between Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich over each candidate's baggage connected to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Rick Santorum jumped in to encourage that the debate discussion shift back to real issues and away from the bludgeoning contest between the former Speaker and former Massachusetts governor. The Florida crowd seemed to agree:

The Associated Press on the early Romney and Gingrich attacks:

"Rivals Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney are trading barbs over their income from mortgage firms Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

In Thursday's debate in Florida, Gingrich criticized Romney's investment in mutual funds that included the lenders, as well as Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs.

Gingrich says Romney is profiting from home foreclosures that plague Florida, and he's asking how much of Romney's personal fortune came from those foreclosures.

Romney defends the investments, saying his blind trust handles his finances and that Gingrich himself owns mutual funds that also invest in the quasi-government lenders.

Romney also is criticizing Gingrich for his paychecks as a consultant to the lender that some blame for the housing crisis."