GOP Race Livens Up With NH Debate, Thompson on Leno

By Anastacia Mott Austin

As eight Republican candidates for President debated in New Hampshire, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson chose to appear on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" instead to announce his candidacy for President.

While the candidates poked fun at Thompson for missing the debate ("Maybe we’re up past his bedtime," quipped Senator John McCain), Thompson was equally light-hearted. "For those who talk about that New Hampshire situation," he said to Leno, referring to the debates, "I’m certainly not disrespecting them, but it’s a lot more difficult to get on ‘The Tonight Show’ than it is to get into a presidential debate."

Thompson also endured teasing for his late entry into the GOP presidential race. "If you can’t get your message out in a few months, you’re probably not ever going to get it out," he told Leno, in response to the criticism.

All kidding aside, the Republican candidates had at times sharply divided opinions about the Iraq war. Senator Ron Paul (R-Texas) was vocal about his opposition to The United States’ involvement in Iraq. "Going into Iraq and Afghanistan and threatening Iran is the worst thing we can do for our national security. I am less safe, the American people are less safe for this. It’s the policy that’s wrong," said Paul.

Senator McCain (R-Arizona) disagreed. "The Maliki government is not doing the things we want it to do, the police are not functioning the way we want them to do, but we are succeeding…the great debate is going to be whether we set a date for withdrawal, which will be a date for surrender, or whether we will let this surge continue and succeed," said McCain, adding, "I want our troops home with honor. Otherwise, we will face catastrophe and genocide in the area."

Senators Huckabee and Paul then engaged in a heated discussion about the war, with Huckabee stating that the United States has a responsibility to follow through with what was started, and to do any less would be to dishonor the troops.

Paul responded with, "The American people didn’t go in. A few people advising the administration, a small number of people called the neoconservatives hijacked our foreign policy. They’re responsible, not the American people."

Huckabee responded, "We can’t be divided. We have to be one nation, under God. That means if we make a mistake, we make it as a single country, the United States of American, not the divided states of America."

Paul retorted, "No, when we make a mistake…it is the obligation of the people, through their representatives, to correct the mistake, not to continue the mistake."

"And that’s what we do on the floor of the Senate," responded Huckabee.

The candidates also discussed immigration, gun control laws, abortion, and gay marriage.

For his part, Thompson told Jay Leno that he finds the political debate forum problematic. "The segments now…you’ve got 10 guys, if everybody shows up, you know, with 30-, 40-second sound bytes. It’s not designed to enlighten the American people."

Fergus Cullen, the chairman of the New Hampshire Republican Party, told reporters that by missing the debate, Thompson slighted New Hampshire Republicans. "I just think he’s sending the wrong message to New Hampshire voters," said Cullen to the press.

Added Mike Huckabee to the debate crowd, "I was scheduled to be on Jay Leno tonight, but I gave up my slot for somebody else because I’d rather be in New Hampshire with these fine people," he told the crowd.