Duncan Hunter, Republican presidential candidate, managed to squeeze in a shot at Mitt Romney, a rival in the nomination process:

REP. HUNTER: …But one thing that’s extremely important that Governor Romney didn’t touch on is this: we also, in being conservative, having a conservative leader — part of that means not sending technology to our adversaries. And that’s going to be the big threat of this next 15, 20 years.

Governor Romney’s corporation that he founded, the Bain Capital Corporation –

MS. WASHBURN (editor of the Des Moines Register and debate moderator): Thank you.

REP. HUNTER: — has joined up with a — with a Chinese corporation to — to buy an American defense contractor.

MS. WASHBURN: Thank you.

REP. HUNTER: I think that is a mistake, and that’s a defense contractor that did business with Saddam Hussein and with the Taliban.

MS. WASHBURN: Thank you, Congressman.

REP. HUNTER: So that, I think, is a very important part of conservative leadership.

MS. WASHBURN: Thank you, Congressman.

REP. HUNTER: And thank you.

Hunter is, of course, referring to the ongoing saga of Bain Capital’s acquisition of 3Com. Huawei, the Chinese telecoms equipment company, is the defense contractor in question. They’re due to receive a 17% stake in 3Com if the acquisition is approved by Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Ms. Washburn squelched any discussion off the topics she asked about, so Romney had no opportunity to respond. Not that he would want to, he’s been studiously silent about this from the beginning.

The Iowa caucuses will be held January 3.

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