"Face the Nation" transcript: November 13, 2011

GOVERNOR HALEY BARBOUR: We'll see. I mean, he's a-- he obviously is right to be self-deprecating about it, to make fun of himself for making a mistake. Americans appreciate that, that you can admit you're wrong and--- and-- make-- make light of yourself. Well, how he comes back remains to be seen. You know, Bob, we do have the-- the habit this election year in the Republican side for thinking that whatever happened in the last seven days means we know what's going to happen in the next seven weeks, that it will show us that path. That hasn't been the case. I don't expect it to be the case. And so we'll just have to see if Rick Perry's strategy now-- some people are saying he's going to focus totally on Iowa. If he does, you know, does he get it back going there? He's-- he's-- he's a guy with a really good record as governor, who has stumbled. We'll see.

BOB SCHIEFFER: Gov-- Senator Graham, what-- what's your-- what's your take-away here just on Rick Perry and where he is now?

SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: He did better last night. I think it was a reassuring debate. I thought he was very good on foreign policy. Time and money. He's got time and he's got money. And if you've got time and money, anything can happen in politics. He's got a good record to sell being a Texas governor. He needs more good debates. But Newt was gone just a couple of months ago. So I've been with McCain where he was out, sixth in a fifth person race. And you never know what's going to happen. He's got time and money and talent. So I think he can come back.

BOB SCHIEFFER: Governor O'Malley, I suppose you have some thoughts on what you hope happens here. What-- what is your take-away from these debates so far from the Democratic side?

GOVERNOR MARTIN O'MALLEY: Well, I thought one of the more jarring things, I mean for all of the humor and the self-deprecating back and forth that you just saw on that clip. What was really disturbing is how little serious thought many of these Republican candidates who hold themselves out as the commander-in-chief that would be responsible for managing this big, complex organization, how little thought they've given to what it is they would actually do. That's what I took away from the debate so far. There's been no new ideas about job creation, no new ideas about growing our middle class, no new ideas about reinvesting in this great idea of America. And until that happens, you're going to see a very fluid field over there. And that's why you see the rise of people like Herman Cain as a protest vote because no one on their side yet is offering any new ideas or real solutions.

BOB SCHIEFFER: I have to say that on one point that Governor O'Malley makes here, nobody seems to be creating much excitement, including Mitt Romney, who seems to be sort of stuck just below twenty percent in the polls. Governor Barbour, what do you think? Who's up, who's down right now? And-- and where does that race go from here?

GOVERNOR HALEY BARBOUR: Well, Bob, as I've told you before, this reminds me of a lot of past Democratic presidential contests like Jimmy Carter in '76, Bill Clinton in '92, where there is not really a front-runner. Mitt Romney is the best known of our candidates. He's not a true front-runner. And what we see people doing more than I've ever seen in my life, is instead of saying which one agrees with me most, which one do I like the most, they're saying, which one's got the best chance to beat Obama. That's what matters to me. It looks like a lot of--

BOB SCHIEFFER (overlapping): Well, who-- who do you think has the best chance?

GOVERNOR HALEY BARBOUR: --voters are going to set Romney-- I've got to say, it looks like a lot of people kind of set Romney to the side and say I know a lot about him. I want to learn some more about these others. And that's why we're kind of going through Cinderella trying on the slipper. And it looks like maybe Newt's time's next and we'll go along. Then after we've gone through that cycle, people will seriously focus on, is it really Romney who is the most electable or is there somebody else that's come out that I think has the best chance to beat Obama?

BOB SCHIEFFER: All right.

GOVERNOR HALEY BARBOUR: If this election is about President Obama's policies and his record, whoever we nominate will get elected.

BOB SCHIEFFER: All right. I want to ask you, Senator Graham, in about thirty seconds, where--- what's your take-away from this? Where do you think this goes?

SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: Last night Ronald Reagan would have loved this debate. Six months ago, I was really worried that our party was drifting. Last night was a hawkish debate that talked about listening to commanders and not basing decisions in Iraq and Afghanistan, on polls. This President has rejected solid military commander advice to help his own re-election. I think we're going to win because the policies that he enacted-- President Obama enacted in his first two years have damned this economy for now and in the future. So we need a solid person on the economy, someone who will say I will listen to the generals, not make poll-driven decisions.

BOB SCHIEFFER: All right.

SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM: He's going to be a one-term President if we get a solid nominee.

BOB SCHIEFFER: All right. I want to thank all of you. We are trying to have at least one candidate on every week. And Jon Huntsman joins us today from Spartanburg.