Bush-bashing Dominates Republican Debate

Republican candidates in the 2008 presidential race today sharply criticized George Bush for being a vote-loser, during a live televised debate.

During the two-hour debate in Manchester, New Hampshire, the third since the campaign began, the candidates were asked what job they would give Mr Bush.

"I would certainly not send him to the United Nations" to represent the US, Tommy Thompson, one of the candidates, said.

The president also faced criticism over his handling of the Iraq war and illegal immigration, the hottest issue in the US after Iraq.

The first debate was notable for the reluctance of the candidates to mention Mr Bush in contrast with repeated references to Ronald Reagan, one of the most popular presidents among the Republican grassroots. But the candidates in the debate today went from ignoring him to outright criticism.

Mitt Romney, a former Massachusetts governor and one of the front-runners, took a swipe at Mr Bush's handling of the war. "I think we were underprepared and underplanned for what came after we knocked down Saddam Hussein," he said.

Duncan Hunter, a California Congressman, accused the administration of having "the slows" when it comes to building a security fence along the border with Mexico.

Another Congressman, Tom Tancredo of Colorado, replying to the question about giving Mr Bush a job, recalled that the White House aide, Karl Rove, had once told him to "never darken the door of the White House". He said he would tell Mr Bush the same thing.

The debate was held against the backdrop of a lightning storm. But the candidates opted against stormy debate, avoiding the kind of personalized jibes seen in the Democratic debate on Sunday.

In a debate from which no clear winner emerged, the issue on which the candidates were most divided was illegal immigration. Senator John McCain, of Arizona, an early frontrunner whose campaign is struggling, did relatively well, though his position on illegal immigration will not go down well with parts of the Republican party.

He expressed support for proposed legislation that combines tougher security along the Mexican border with paving the way for the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the US to stay. The law is backed by many Democratic and Republican congressmen and also by Mr Bush.

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor, was critical of the proposed legislation. He dismissed it as "a typical Washington mess. Everyone compromises".

Mr Romney also criticized the proposed law, saying it would reward those who had broken the law and was not fair to the millions who wanted to come to the US legally.

Differences between the candidates on other issues were less sharp, particularly on foreign policy. Most supported keeping on the table not only the option of a military strike against Iran, but the use of tactical nuclear weapons.

On Iraq, Mr McCain and another senator, Sam Brownback, opened themselves up to criticism by admitting they had voted to authorize the Iraq invasion without reading the National Intelligence Estimate, which offered an assessment of the risks.

Jim Gilmore, a former Virginia governor and candidate, said members of Congress "ought to read at least that kind of material".

Although the divisions between the Republicans were not sharp, other than on immigration, a huge gap is opening up between them and the Democrats on the war and social issues, such as gays in the military.

One of the few moments that produced laughter was when Mr Giuliani was asked about criticism by a Catholic bishop over his support for abortion. His microphone interrupted by a series of buzzes from the lightening storm, Mr Giuliani suggested intervention by a higher authority.

Another of the candidates, the former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, was asked about a statement in an earlier debate in California in which he revealed he did not believe in evolution.

He replied that God created the world, "whether God did it in six days or whether he did it in six days that represented periods of time." People who want to believe they are "descendants of a primate," that's fine.