"I wasn't particularly surprised by the approach of any of the candidates," McCotter said. "I think that the litmus test that was put forward was actually failed by the field."

"In a country in a war and a recession, the real choices are between bankruptcy and prosperity. They are between insecurity and security. They are not between Elvis and Johnny Cash. And I think that some of the Republicans should have pointed that out at the time."

"Again, this is Mr. King's job. And it's also the job of the candidates not to play small-ball Beltway politics or try to be liked. It is to point out continually the questions and the crises that face the United States."