Debates grow fierce as hopefuls spar over records, likability
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Presidential candidates in both parties, facing a critical and increasingly competitive Tuesday primary here, got personal and sometimes nasty with each other last night in separate prime-time debates, arguing fiercely about who has the better record and who is more likable.
Senator Hillary Clinton of New York slammed her chief rival and colleague, Senator Barack Obama of Illinois, for changing his positions on issues related to Iraq and healthcare. Republicans ganged up mercilessly against Mitt Romney, accusing the former Massachusetts governor of flip-flopping and running misleading attack ads against his opponents.
And both sets of candidates debated whether their opponents were likable enough to get elected.
"Well, that hurts my feelings. But I'll try to go on," Clinton said, jokingly but with a hint of vulnerability, as the moderator at the debate at St. Anselm College asked her whether voters liked her enough to vote for her. "He's very likable - I'll agree with that," Clinton said of Obama, who won Iowa's caucuses Thursday night, while Clinton placed third. "I don't think I'm that bad," she added.
But later, Clinton argued that her experience trumped Obama's message of hope and reconciliation and former North Carolina senator John Edwards's forceful promises to take on special interest groups in Washington and to fight for the middle class.
"Words are not actions," she said. "As beautifully presented and passionately felt as they are, they are not actions."
Sensing a weakness in the campaign of Mitt Romney, who lost the Iowa caucuses to former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee, GOP contenders repeatedly slammed the former Massachusetts governor.
"Governor Romney, we disagree on a lot of issues, but you are the candidate of change," Senator John McCain of Arizona said, referring to Romney's position changes on matters including abortion and gay rights. The other Republican contenders, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, former Tennessee senator Fred Thompson, and Representative Ron Paul of Texas, laughed.
A stunned-looking Romney appeared to lose his characteristic composure then set his jaw firmly. "The personal barbs are interesting, but unnecessary," Romney replied.
Several candidates criticized Huckabee on foreign policy, which they view as a weak spot on his resume. Huckabee wrote an article in the fall calling President Bush's foreign policy a "bunker mentality" approach, angering establishment GOP figures.
But with Huckabee ranking lower in the polls in New Hampshire, GOP contenders focused on Romney, who once enjoyed a strong lead in his neighboring state. McCain has surged here in the polls, and both McCain and Huckabee hope they deliver a crippling blow to Romney's campaign Tuesday.
Huckabee - whose likability and promise to run a positive campaign have fueled his popularity among voters - largely stayed out of the verbal warfare. But he apparently could not resist one hit at Romney.
Romney, on the defense over his position on the increase of US troops in Iraq, became testy with Huckabee, saying, "don't try to characterize my position." Huckabee shot back "Which one?"
With his well-organized and well-funded campaign, Romney just two months ago appeared poised to carry the early primary and caucus states, making him a formidable contender for the GOP nomination. But he unleashed a series of negative ads against Huckabee in Iowa and against McCain in New Hampshire, and last night Romney's opponents did little to mask their distaste for their weakened rival.
McCain was especially harsh as he defended his immigration record against Romney's criticism, which the Arizona senator said dramatically misrepresented his views. Romney accused McCain of favoring "amnesty" for undocumented immigrants, tapping a weak spot for McCain among GOP voters angry about foreigners who enter the United States illegally.
"You can spend your whole fortune on attack ads, but it still won't be true," McCain said.
McCain said Romney once described McCain's immigration plan as "reasonable," which Romney vehemently disputed.
Democrats were less personal in their verbal volleying, but used their last debate before the New Hampshire primary to present themselves as the most competent and electable candidate.
Clinton, seeming frustrated at Obama's success in convincing Iowa voters he is the agent of change, said she had the long record to prove her commitment to it. "Making change is not about what you believe. It's not about a speech you make. It's about working hard," Clinton said.
Edwards presented himself and Obama as victims of negative comments by Clinton, adding, "I didn't hear these kinds of attacks from Senator Clinton when she was ahead. Now that she's not, we hear them."
Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico, a former diplomat, appealed to his opponents to focus their criticisms on Republicans and not on one another.
"I've been in hostage negotiations that are a lot more civil than this," Richardson said. 