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Politics

All trying not to be Bush

Criticism of the administration runs through a debate by Republican presidential candidates.

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published June 6, 2007

MANCHESTER, N.H. - President Bush drew sporadic, startling criticism Tuesday night from Republican White House hopefuls unhappy with his handling of the Iraq war, his diplomatic style and his approach to immigration.

"I would certainly not send him to the United Nations" to represent the United States, said Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor and one-time member of Bush's Cabinet, midway through a spirited campaign debate at St. Anselm College.

Arizona Sen. John McCain criticized the administration for its handling of the Iraq war, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said, "I think we were underprepared and underplanned for what came after we knocked down Saddam Hussein."

Rep. Duncan Hunter of California said the current administration "has the slows" when it comes to building a security fence along the border with Mexico.

Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado recalled that White House aide Karl Rove had once told him "never darken the door of the White House." The congressman said he'd tell George W. Bush the same thing.

The criticism of Bush was more in keeping with the type of rhetoric that could be expected when Democratic presidential contenders debate. Its prominence at the GOP event - while Bush was traveling overseas - was a reflection of his poor poll ratings and the need of even members of his own party to campaign on platforms of change.

The Republicans sprinkled the criticism of Bush throughout a two-hour debate that ranged over topics from war to immigration legislation pending in Congress to religion. The debate was the third of the accelerated primary campaign.

None of the 10 men on the debate stage raised their hand in agreement when moderator Wolf Blitzer of CNN asked if anyone favored allowing gays to serve openly in the military.

Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Hunter both said they would pardon Vice President Dick Cheney's former aide Lewis I. "Scooter" Libby, sentenced to 30 months in prison earlier in the day for lying and obstructing a CIA leak investigation.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a former prosecutor, said the sentence was excessive, which "argues in favor of a pardon."

Much of the debate focused on Iraq. McCain and Brownback both admitted they voted to authorize the U.S. military invasion of Iraq without reading the formal, nearly 90-page National Intelligence Estimate in advance.

The confession drew a jab from former Gov. Jim Gilmore of Virginia. Members of Congress "ought to read at least that kind of material, " he said.

Hunter said he had. He was the only member of Congress on the debate stage to make the claim. Both McCain and Brownback said they had received numerous briefings on the situation in Iraq before they cast their votes in 2002.

The candidates also waged verbal combat in the congressional battle over a proposed immigration overhaul, with McCain, an author of a pending compromise plan, defending the controversial proposals and demanding that his competitors offer "a better idea."

McCain found himself at odds with Giuliani and Romney, who each criticized the Senate plan as woefully lacking in tough border security and immigration enforcement measures.

"It's a typical Washington mess, " Giuliani said, in an exchange that marked his first heated face-off with his past political ally, McCain.

Information from the New York Times was used in this report.

List of Republican candidates:

Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.

Tommy Thompson, former Health and Human Services secretary

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan.

Mitt Romney, former Mass- achusetts governor

Rudy Giuliani, former New York City mayor

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor

Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif.

Jim Gilmore, former Virginia governor

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas

[Last modified June 6, 2007, 00:44:57]