Bush, McCain Give and Take Debate Barbs

Less than four weeks before the hotly contested New Hampshire primary, Republican front-runners George W. Bush and John McCain lashed out at each other over tax policy and campaign finance Thursday night in a debate that forced them to defend their credentials as conservatives and reformers.

The debate highlighted two plot lines in the GOP primary: the increasingly combative race between Bush and McCain and the also-rans’ increasingly urgent efforts to make themselves heard. In their feistiest meeting yet, the six Republican candidates for the presidential nomination clashed over everything from Jesus to homosexuality to the edgy rock group Nine Inch Nails.

Texas Gov. Bush, who is running neck-and-neck with McCain here, was targeted for his gargantuan campaign bankroll and grilled over his conservative bona fides and his five-year, $483-billion tax cut plan.

He vowed, in an echo of his former-president father, that he would not raise taxes. “This is not only no new taxes,” he promised, “this is tax cuts so help me God.”

McCain, the Arizona senator who has made campaign finance reform a personal crusade, had to defend his own record in light of a recent letter he wrote to the Federal Communications Commission on behalf of a major contributor.

He was asked whether he exhibited poor judgment in writing the letter. Before defending himself, he sidestepped the question and responded that “the reason I’ve worked so hard for campaign finance reform is because all this money washing around Washington and all these uncontrolled contributions taint all of us.”

The debate, held at the University of New Hampshire here, was the seventh joint Republican forum this primary season and the fourth in which Bush participated.

The six Republican candidates--publisher Steve Forbes, conservative activist Gary Bauer, Sen. Orrin G. Hatch of Utah and former ambassador Alan Keyes in addition to Bush and McCain--will debate again today in South Carolina and Monday in Michigan.

Bush was criticized in his first two outings for being stiff and inarticulate. His performance Thursday showed continued comfort, humor and poise.

He was asked at one point about his personal religious beliefs, specifically, whether he would take an expression like “What would Jesus do?” into the Oval Office. He quipped, “I would take an expression into the Oval Office of ‘Dear God, help me.’ ”

Bauer responded: “So would we, governor.” Bush shot back with a smile, “Now, that wasn’t very Christian of you.”

Although occasionally testy, McCain, too, showed flashes of humor, even as he defended his actions as chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee in writing to the FCC on behalf of contributor Paxson Communications, the nation’s largest owner of independent television stations.

Bush was given the opportunity to light into McCain over the letter but let McCain off the hook.

Instead, Bush went after McCain’s cornerstone issue: campaign finance reform. What ensued was a long, scrappy and occasionally funny exchange that trampled any semblance of decorum.

“My objection with John is not how he is conducting himself as chairman of the Commerce Committee. My objection is he is proposing a campaign funding reform that will hurt Republicans and hurt the conservative cause,” Bush said.

McCain of course, had to respond and respond, cut off by Bush, ignoring moderator Tim Russert and concluding, “I don’t think you have an idea of how important campaign finance reform is to restore the confidence of young Americans in their government. . . . I don’t believe you have a good idea, otherwise you’d get on board, as most Americans want us to.”

On the campaign trail all week, Bush and McCain sparred over tax policies; the debate was no exception. McCain was asked whether he would consider raising the eligibility age and premiums for Social Security. He responded with a flat no and then took a dig at Bush’s tax cut plan, saying it would sop up the entire federal budget surplus.

Instead, McCain said he would put 63% of the projected surplus into shoring up Social Security and would pay down the national debt.

Bush fought back, saying McCain betrayed “a Washington mind set.” He said that, to prevent Congress from spending the entire surplus, the money should be returned to the taxpayers.

And then came the kindergarten interlude. McCain said Bush’s plan does suggest giving the whole surplus back. Bush: “No, it doesn’t.” McCain: “Yes, it does.” Audience: Laughter. Bush, smiling: “No, it doesn’t. Yes, it does. No, it doesn’t.”

Bauer raised the issue of who’s the true conservative in the race, in a direct challenge to Bush. “You’ve rejected fundamental tax reform,” he told the front-runner. “You won’t agree to a pro-life running mate. . . . Why should GOP voters and conservatives believe that you will seriously defend our values?”

Bush responded with what he described as his “record of accomplishment,” including tax cuts, welfare reform and tort reform.

Bauer responded: “You’ve left off every values issue at stake: the sanctity of life, maintaining marriage as being between a man and a woman, preserving religious liberty.”

“Come on down and let me show you what I’ve done,” Bush countered. “I’m against same-sex marriage. I’m the only person on this stage who signed a parental notification law [for minors seeking abortion]. I’ve got a good record Gary.”

Keyes rued the decline of values, criticizing McCain for once saying he liked Nine Inch Nails, a rock group whose lyrics are laced with profanities. “Yes, I was trying to be amusing and entertaining, and it was a poor choice,” McCain said.

Like the Democrats the night before, the Republicans also skirmished over whether gays should serve in the military. Bill Bradley and Al Gore both agreed Wednesday their nominees to the Joint Chiefs of Staff would have to subscribe to their belief that gays should serve openly.

McCain and Bush both said they would support the current “Don’t ask, don’t tell policy.” Bauer described the Democrats’ declarations as “one of the most idiotic answers I’ve ever heard” and Forbes concurred that the military “is not the agency for social experimentation.” Keyes went even further, saying he would “return to a ban on gays in the military.”

Bush was asked if he would appoint an openly gay person to a senior position and sounded the most moderate note: “It depends upon what their politics are.”

*

CALIFORNIA PUSH

The Gore campaign plans to open an office in L.A. A27

* ANGRY REACTION

Powell warns Gore not to play “race card” in campaign. A28