9:01: And that's a wrap for the debate. The initial Twitter response is that Bachmann stood out, and she certainly made headlines by announcing she was running for president.

8:59: Bachmann dodges question about which of the other candidates she'd pick as VP. "Maybe we'll have to have an American Idol contest," she says.

8:57: When asked about Sarah Palin vs. VP Joe Biden, Pawlenty says Palin is a "remarkable leader." " She would have been as strong a president as Joe Biden," he says.

8:48: Bachmann hits President Obama and sweeps up any anti-French votes. On why the U.S. has been going after the wrong policies in Libya, she says: "All we have to know is the president deferred leadership to France.

8:43: Romney gets asked to "take the lead" on Afghanistan and says troops should come home as soon as possible. Next up is Ron Paul, which makes Romney look more and more like the front-runner here.

8:39: Pawlenty's non-political question: Coke or Pepsi? He quickly says "Coke."

8:32: Pawlenty says Supreme Court is the reason for birthright citizenship. He says he'd appoint "solidly, reliable conservative judges."

8:27: Bachmann gets asked by audience member about Pawlenty's record on opposing abortion except in cases of incest or when mother's health is at risk. She doesn't mention Pawlenty but says those cases are the "tinest fraction."

8:19: Bachmann asked whether she'd try to repeal same-sex marriage laws in states if she were president. "I don't see that it's the role of the president to go into states and interfere."

8:07: Pawlenty gets some loud applause when he says that faith is part of the founding of the country, after being asked a question about separation of church and state.

8:05: Bachmann gets a question on how much she would cut to raise the debt ceiling. Responds by quoting someone "far more eloquent than I," she says, about not raising it -- then-Senator Obama.

8:03: Pawlenty and Bachmann have faded to the background the last ten minutes or so. King tried to get to her, but the next question went back to Herman Cain.

7:53: Bachmann has sent a release to supporters, asking for donations and declaring: "I'm in." She says she's created her presidential campaign committee.

7:46: Pawlenty and Gingrich get into one of the first candidate back-and-forths of the night. When asked about space program and government, Pawlenty says he wouldn't end it, after Gingrich had talked about a private space program doing better. Gingrich replies Pawlenty "mischaracterized" what he was trying to say.

7:43: Bachmann says she fought behind closed doors "against my own party" on the TARP bailout. She's playing up her Tea Party roots there showing she's willing to take on establishment Republicans.

7:38: Back from break, Bachmann gets her non-political question: Elvis or Johnny Cash? She says that's tough, and goes with both. "I've got Christmas with Elvis on my iPod," she says.

7:31: Pawlenty gets a softball from the crowd: "Where do you stand on federal right-to-work legislation?" He says government has no business telling you what group you should belong to or not.

7:29: Bachmann says that she wants to repeal the Environmental Protection Agency. "It should really be renamed the job killing agency of America."

7:23: Bachmann is asked about the divisiveness of the Tea Party, and says that it's a wide swath of "disaffected Democrats and independents." She ends with a stump speech line that Obama will be a one-term president, which draws some cheers.

7:18: Pawlenty had said that he was not going to bring up "Obamneycare," a phrase he used yesterday. But John King just asked Romney about it anyway. He then asked Pawlenty, "Why Obamneycare?" Pawlenty didn't address the issue at first, but King pressed him, and Pawlenty said he was quoting President Obama. "I just cited President Obama's own words," Pawlenty said.

7:13: On Bachmann's first question, she announces she's filed papers to seek the office of the presidency. There goes the last shred of doubt that she's running.

7:11: Pawlenty gets asked if it's realistic to expect 5 percent growth, and he responds it's "hogwash" not to expect otherwise. Mitt Romney gets the same question and says Pawlenty has the "right instincts" that President Obama is slowing the economy. Both went over on the 30-second time limit.

7:07: King gives Rick Santorum a chance to take a whack at Pawlenty's 5 percent plan. Santorum says he's not going to comment on 5 percent vs. 4 percent.

7:05: Introductions from each of the candidates finish. Now John King is reading off the rules.

Welcome to Hot Dish's live-blog of the first 2012 presidential debate that will feature both Tim Pawlenty and Michele Bachmann. Stay tuned for constant updates.