Republican 2012 presidential hopefuls' responses to Washington’s last-ditch debt ceiling deal run the gamut. Frontrunner Mitt Romney said he opposed the deal because it “opens the door to higher taxes and puts defense cuts on the table.” Earlier, Tea Party-aligned Rep. Michelle Bachmann signaled her discontent over the cuts not being large enough. “Someone has to say no,” she said. But Jon Huntsman, Obama’s former ambassador to China, said he supported the $2.1 trillion deficit-cutting measure because it “provides the only avenue to avoid default,” the National Journal reported. NBC News’ First Read blog reported Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum declined to pin down their positions, while Tim Pawlenty called the deal "nothing to celebrate."
