Iraq dominates third GOP debate

Harsh words for Bush
But the jabs at the Republican president — traveling overseas — was a reflection of his poor poll ratings and the need of even members of his own party to campaign on platforms of change.

McCain has long criticized Bush for fumbling the aftermath of Saddam’s fall, and Romney has recently begun to make some of the same criticisms.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee added his voice to those criticizing the war effort. He added that the Bush administration “lost credibility” with its response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Thompson’s answer was perhaps the most startling, coming from a man who had once served in the president’s Cabinet as secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Bush’s support for the pending immigration legislation was the source of Tancredo’s criticism, and the issue figured prominently in the debate.

McCain, alone among the contenders on the St. Anselm College debate stage, supports the measure, and he sought to fend off criticism from some of his rivals.

“We cannot have 12 million people washing around America illegally, my friends,” he said.

But Giuliani said the legislation was flawed, “a typical Washington mess.”

He said it lacks a uniform method of identification for immigrants in the United States, and overall, “it is quite possible it will make things worse.”

Romney passed up a chance to criticize McCain, who has accused the former Massachusetts governor of a flip-flop on immigration.

“I’m not going to make this a matter of personal politics,” he said. He went on to criticize a feature of the legislation that gives the estimated 12 million immigrants currently in the country illegally a permanent visa while they wait to have their status changed.

“It’s simply not fair to say those people get put ahead in the line of all the people who’ve been waiting legally to come to this country,” he said.

Picking the president — the candidates Click a name below to visit that candidate’s MSNBC page • Joe Biden                 • Sam Brownback     • Hillary Clinton          • Chris Dodd • John Edwards         • Rudy Giuliani           • Mike Gravel              • Duncan Hunter • Mike Huckabee        • Dennis Kucinich     • John McCain           • Barack Obama • Ron Paul                    • Bill Richardson      • Mitt Romney            • Tom Tancredo • Fred Thompson To subscribe to a candidate page RSS feed, click here.

MORE FROM THE DEBATES

The debates Section Front

Final debate a lagging indicator of reality McCain goes on attack in final debate Analysis: McCain puts Obama on the defensive Fact check: Candidates again twist truth 'Plumber' says he has no plumbing license Fineman: McCain stock souring in New York? Can John McCain still win? Newsweek: Don't buy the "comeback" script Dan Rather has no kind words for the debates Schieffer to moderate last debate The debates Section Front   Add The debates headlines to your news reader: