The U.S. economy dominated the opening minutes of Thursday night's Fox News/Google debate, with the GOP candidates attacking President Obama's record and offering their own plans to jumpstart a stalled economy.

Texas Gov. Rick Perry and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said they would get the federal government off the back of small businesses and individuals.

"President Obama has done everything wrong," Romney said. "I happen to believe to create jobs, it helps to have had a job. And I have."

Seven other challengers participated in the debate:.Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum, businessman Herman Cain, former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.

The Fox News/Google debate, hosted in conjunction with the Republican Party of Florida, enabled the viewing public for the first time to weigh in with votes on questions they wanted asked. More than 18,000 questions and 100,000 voters were submitted via text and videos to the YouTube.com/FoxNews website.

Fox News' Bret Baier moderated, joined by Fox News anchors Megyn Kelly and Chris Wallace as panelists.

Cain, who has been a consistently strong debater, promoted his 9-9-9 tax plan and attacked Romney's plan, saying it is hooked to the old tax code.

"That dog won't hunt," Cain said to cheers.