Do the Republicans running for president believe every word of the Holy Bible?

That issue was the focus of a portion of tonight's CNN/You Tube debate, as a questioner brought it to the forefront.

Republican candidates square off in CNN/YouTube Debate in St. Petersburg, Fla.

"How you answer this question will tell us everything we need to know about you," said Joseph Dearing from Dallas, Texas. As he held a Holy Bible up to the camera, he asked, "Do you believe every word of this Book?"

"The reality is, I believe it, but I don't believe it necessarily literally true in every single respect," said former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who is Catholic. "I think there are parts of the Bible that are interpretive; I think there are parts of the Bible that are allegorical; I think there are parts of the Bible that are meant to be interpreted in a modern context."

"I don't believe every single thing in the literal sense of Jonah being in the belly of the whale," he added.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, a Mormon, drew applause when he said "the Bible is the Word of God, absolutely."

"Does that mean you believe every word?" asked moderator Anderson Cooper.

"Yeah, I believe it's the Word of God," Romney said. "I might interpret the Word differently than you interpret the Word, but I read the Bible and I believe the Bible is the Word of God. I don't disagree with the Bible. I try and live by it."

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The only other candidate presented with the question was former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a Baptist minister.

"It's the Word of revelation to us from God Himself," Huckabee said. "The fact is when people ask if you believe all of it, you either believe it or you don't believe it."

"As the only person here probably on this stage with a theology degree, there are parts of it I don't fully comprehend and understand, but I'm not supposed to. Because the Bible is the revelation of an infinite God, and no finite person is ever gonna fully understand it. If they do, their God is too small."

When asked what would Jesus do concerning the death penalty, Huckabee quipped, "Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office, Anderson. That's what Jesus would do."

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