US Republicans hammer Democrats on Iraq
MANCHESTER - US Republican presidential hopefuls hammered Democrats on Iraq Tuesday and began to split with beleaguered President George W. Bush, in their third 2008 campaign debate.
Ten candidates vying for the party's presidential nomination also turned on one another over illegal immigration, as they crammed onto the same stage in New Hampshire as their Democratic rivals two nights earlier.
The debate was the latest step in the gruelling campaign running up to caucus and primary contests early next year for both party nominations.
It was notable for one man who was not there -- screen actor and ex-senator Fred Thompson, expected to leap into the top-tier of the field when he formally enters the race within weeks.
Leading candidates Senator John McCain, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and the ex-mayor of New York Rudolph Giuliani avoided major gaffes, and none of the long-shot contenders appeared to break out.
"The Democrats are in denial," said Giuliani, adding that the US decision to invade Iraq in 2003 was "absolutely the right thing to do."
"It's unthinkable to leave Saddam Hussein in charge of Iraq and be able to fight the war on terror."
McCain took direct aim at Democratic front-runner Hillary Clinton, who like her party rivals has vowed to end the war if she is elected president.
"When Senator Clinton says this is Mr. Bush's war, that this is President Bush's war -- when President Clinton was in power, I didn't say that Bosnia, our intervention there was President Clinton's war."
"When we intervened in Kosovo, I didn't say it was President Clinton's war."
Romney condemned Democratic Senate Majority leader Harry Reid for his comment last month that "the war in Iraq is lost."
"Harry Reid was wrong. We did not lose the war in Iraq. And that's not the sort of thing you say when you have men and women in harm's way," Romney said.
There were also signs Republican candidates were beginning to edge away from Bush, and his bottom-rung approval ratings, on Iraq, and other issues.
"We did, however, not do a great job after we knocked down Saddam Hussein and won the war to take him down and his military," said Romney.
"I think we made mistakes following the conduct or the collapse of Saddam's government."
McCain went further, saying the problem in Iraq was "the mismanagement of the conflict."
Longshot candidate congressman Tom Tancredo accused Bush of presiding over a new era of bloated and profligate government in Washington.
"The president ran as a conservative and governed as a liberal," he said.
As his future rivals wrapped up their debate, Thompson appeared live on Fox News channel, and played to the hawkish conservative grass-roots, agreeing with the decision to topple Saddam.
"Going in there and deposing him was a good thing," said Thompson.
Thompson, the six-foot-six (1.98-metre) star of television show "Law & Order" is likely to appeal to core conservatives on issues like terrorism, gun control and social issues.
Giuliani was involved in a moment of rare humor in the debate, as he defended his liberal social record, lightning flashed outside the ice arena hosting the debate -- sparking jokes about divine intervention.
There were fiery exchanges as candidates sparred on a new bill in Congress on immigration which would grant a course to citizenship for up to 12 million illegal workers and has infuriated conservatives.
Giuliani branded the plan "a typical Washington mess" but McCain defended his role in working with senators across political divides on the measure.
"What we have done is what you expect us to do, my friends, and that's come together .... and sit down and figure out an approach to this problem," McCain said.
As well as Tancredo, other long-shot candidates were former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, congressman Duncan Hunter, congressman Ron Paul, former Virginia governor Jim Gilmore, Senator Sam Brownback and former Wisconsin governor Tommy Thompson.
While national polls have Giuliani in the lead, his advantage has eroded in recent weeks. Romney meanwhile has shot into the lead in some polls in Iowa, home of the first nominating caucus next January, and McCain has been running strongly in New Hampshire.
06/06/2007 02:19 GMT
