GOP debaters take jabs at Clinton, laud tax cuts

BOCA RATON, Fla. - Republican presidential contenders depicted Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton as weak on Iraq and certain to raise taxes Thursday night, setting aside their own campaign debate squabbles long enough to agree that she is unworthy of the White House.

"She is so out of step with the American people," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, joined by Sen. John McCain and Rudy Giuliani in criticizing the former first lady.

The chorus of criticism came in an MSNBC debate that otherwise was notable for its civility as a crucial GOP primary looms in Florida next week.

McCain had kind words for Giuliani's stewardship as mayor of New York City after the Sept. 11 attacks. And Mike Huckabee said of McCain's fitness for office at age 71: "Of all the things we can pick on Senator McCain for, that ain't one of them."

Putting economy on center stage
The Republicans strove to present their credentials as advocates of tax cuts, particularly to head off the threat of recession. They generally agreed that the newly minted, bipartisan economic stimulus package was a good start.

"Well, there's a great deal that is effective in his plan. I just wish that it went further," said Romney. He said that he preferred a permanent tax cut for people on the lower end of the income spectrum.

Giuliani concurred, saying: "We should be very aggressive."

"I will vote for it," said McCain, the only contender on stage with a Senate seat. He quickly added he wants the tax cuts Bush won from Congress in 2001 and 2003 to be made permanent.

In recent days, the GOP presidential hopefuls had outlined stimulus packages of their own, most of which relied to a far greater degree on permanent tax cuts than the agreement between President Bush and Democratic leaders announced earlier Thursday in Washington.

About two-thirds of the tax relief would be delivered in rebate checks to 117 million families beginning in May. Individual taxpayers would get up to $600 in rebates, working couples $1,200 and those with children an additional $300 per child under the agreement.

Businesses would get $50 billion in incentives to invest in new plants and equipment.

Florida's big role in campaign
For McCain and Romney, Thursday’s debate at Florida Atlantic University presented a chance to step out smartly in the struggle for victory in next week’s Florida primary. McCain got a boost when the New York Times endorsed him Thursday night. On the Democrats' side, the Times endorsed Clinton.

Video   Strength of GOP tested Jan. 24: NBC’s Chris Matthews and David Gregory discuss Mitt Romney's focus in the debate on defeating ‘the Clinton machine’ in November. MSNBC

For Giuliani and Huckabee, it represented perhaps a last, best hope to shake up a statewide — and national — campaign that appears to be slowly leaving them behind.

Rep. Ron Paul, a libertarian-leaning Texan with a vocal following, also had a spot on the stage for the prime-time debate.

Florida is the first big state to vote in the nominating campaign, the first winner-take-all contest in terms of delegates and the final election before a virtual national primary on Feb. 5.

NBC's Brian Williams, the debate moderator, pointed out that in recent years, no Republican has won the party's presidential nomination without first winning the Florida primary. Polls suggested Romney and McCain were co-frontrunners in the state. Giuliani and Huckabee were well behind.

Blunt questions, criticism of Clintons
The 90-minute debate featured a series of remarkably blunt questions to the five candidates on stage.

Asked about polls that showed him dropping dramatically in voters' esteem, Giuliani drew a laugh.

"This has become a very competitive race," he said, adding that he expected to come from behind much like the New York Giants did in reaching the Super Bowl. "When Mitt Romney asked me a question, he asked me a very nice question, so I think I lulled him into a false sense of security."

McCain was asked about his mother's statement that he lacked support from certain elements of the Republican Party. He claimed he had won the Republican vote in the New Hampshire and South Carolina primaries, then pivoted to add that he won the support of independents as well.

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