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Republicans, Paul Clash Over
Iraq War
AP
Thursday September 6, 2007
Republican presidential contenders voiced support for the Iraq
war Wednesday night despite a warning from anti-war candidate
Ron Paul that they risk dragging the party down to defeat in 2008.
"Even if we lose elections, we should not lose our honor,"
shot back former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, "and that is
more important than the Republican Party."
Huckabee was in the majority, Paul very much in the minority
on a University of New Hampshire debate stage when it came to
the war. The politically unpopular conflict has emerged as the
dominant issue of the 2008 race for the White House.
The issue flared near the end of a 90-minute encounter in which
all eight men on stage welcomed former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson
to the race with barbed humor and pointed advice.
"This is a nomination you have to earn," said former
New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. "Nobody's going to give it
to you. Nobody's going to grant it to you."
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The debate unfolded several days before Gen. David Petraeus is
scheduled to deliver an assessment of President Bush's wintertime
decision to commit 30,000 additional combat troops to the war.
Sen. John McCain, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Giuliani
all stressed support for the war, at times even competing to show
their commitment.
"The surge is apparently working," said Romney, referring
to the increase in troops.
That brought an instant rebuke from McCain, who said, "The
surge is working, sir, no, not apparently. It's working."
Alone among the contenders, Paul, a veteran Texas congressman
with a libertarian streak, made the case for withdrawing troops.
That drew a sharp challenge from Chris Wallace, one of the debate
questioners, who asked whether the United States should take its
marching orders from al-Qaida.
"No! We should take our marching orders from our Constitution,"
Paul shouted back, pointing his pen at Wallace for emphasis. "We
should not go to war without a declaration" by Congress.
Occasionally interrupted by applause, Paul doggedly stuck to
his point. "We have lost over 5,000 Americans over there
in Afghanistan, in Iraq and plus the civilians killed," he
said during his exchange with Huckabee.
"How long — what do we have to pay to save face? That's
all we're doing, is saving face. It's time we came home,"
Paul said.
There was no debating whether it was important to cut taxes and
spending, although McCain and Giuliani defended their refusal
to sign a pledge not to raise taxes.
"I stand on my record and my record is 24 years of opposing
tax increases," said McCain.
Giuliani said he had a strong record of cutting New York City
taxes. "I only think a man or woman running for president
ought to take one pledge and that is a pledge to uphold the United
States Constitution.
The debate ranged over familiar issues, and each of the men on
stage looked for moments to appeal to their target constituents.
Huckabee, eager to win the support of social conservatives, said
he supports a "human life amendment" to outlaw abortion.
By contrast, Giuliani supports abortion rights and Romney favors
allowing states to decide on their own whether to permit or ban
them.
Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and Rep. Duncan Hunter of California
called for the resignation of Sen. Larry Craig, the Idaho Republican
who pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct in an airport men's room
in an undercover police operation.
"It's important that the party stand for family values,"
said Brownback, although as recently as last week, he pointedly
avoided recommending that Craig step down.
Brownback also drew boos from the audience when he called for
passage of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. "I
understand there is a divided audience," he said.
Giuliani responded to questions about his personal life by confessing
to imperfections.
"I'm running as a human being who has been very successful
as a leader," he said.
Giuliani's son has said he didn't speak to his father for some
time. Giuliani and their mother, Donna Hanover, had a nasty and
public divorce while Giuliani was New York's mayor, and he has
since remarried.
The debate occurred roughly four months before New Hampshire
holds the first primary of the 2008 race.
Thompson clearly hoped to upstage the event — airing the
first advertisement of the campaign on Fox News during a commercial
break, and formally announcing his candidacy on NBC's "The
Tonight Show with Jay Leno" after the debate.
He was not disappointed. Brit Hume, the debate moderator, opened
up by asking each of the eight candidates to respond to the newcomer's
presence.
"I was scheduled to be on Jay Leno tonight, but I gave up
my spot to somebody else because I'd rather be here in New Hampshire,"
joked Huckabee.
"Why the hurry? Why not take some more time off?" Romney
said humorously.
The war was a recurrent theme for the debate, in which New Hampshire
voters outside the hall were allowed to pose questions to the
candidates.
One man, Mark Riss, chastised Romney for comparing the service
of men who have fought in Iraq with his own sons' support for
his campaign.
"I know you apologized a couple of days later ... but it
was wrong sir, and you never should have said it," Riss said.
"Well, there is no comparison, of course," Romney agreed.
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INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
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