GOP debaters take jabs at Clinton, laud tax cuts

"They know I'll put my country ahead of my party every time," he added, attempting to portray himself as more electable than his rivals in the general election.

It wasn't the only moment where the focus turned away from the battle for the Republican presidential nomination, and toward the general election campaign with the Democrats.

Romney had a quick reply when asked how he would run against the team of Clinton and her husband, the former president.

"The idea of Bill Clinton back in the White House with nothing to do is something I can’t imagine," Romney said. He said that Hillary Clinton would run on her merits but said that she was out of step with most Americans.

After saying Clinton wanted to retreat from Iraq, raise taxes and win government-run health care, Romney added, "She is exactly what's wrong in Washington. I said before, 'Washington is broken.'"

McCain said the war was worth the cost in American lives because "we got rid of Saddam Hussein. He said we will be able to eventually draw down in Iraq, but not now. He said the U.S. should not "wave the white flag" as Sen. Clinton would do.

Giuliani said of the former first lady, "she used to be in favor of the war. Now she's against it."

The barrage of criticism was the equivalent of the flip side of Monday's Democratic debate, when McCain's name came up several times as though he would be the Republican nominee, the man to be beaten in the fall.

Clinton's campaign issued a statement after the debate, saying:

"Senator Clinton looks forward to debating the eventual Republican nominee, making her case for bringing the troops home quickly and responsibly and detailing her solutions for jumpstarting the economy and reversing the Bush policies."

For and against the Iraq conflict
On other topics, the candidates were asked whether the war in Iraq was worth the cost in money and lives.

Video   Losing his liberal appeal? Jan. 24: Hardball’s Chris Matthews talks to Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani about his failed affair with the New York left. MSNBC

Giuliani pointed out that his support for the war had never wavered. "I was for it when six out of 10 (Americans) were for it, I’m for it when six out of 10 are against it," he said.

A contrary note came from Paul, a Texas congressmen: "We should never be a country that starts a war."

In the portion of the debate in which candidates quizzed each other, McCain noted that Huckabee is a proponent of the "fair tax" — essentially a national sales tax to replace the current income tax system — and asked how the former Arkansas governor answered criticisms that it would hit low-income people harder. 

"The reason that it's getting resonance is that people would love to see the IRS abolished," Huckabee said. He said that the poor would come out best of all because of a rebate feature. "It untaxes the poor, untaxes the elderly." Furthermore, he said underground elements of the economy — such as drug dealers — would now pay taxes under the system.

Taking on Social Security
On a subject of particular note in Florida, home of many retirees, the candidates were asked what they would do to save Social Security.

Paul advocated radical change. "Let the young people get out because they’re going to be paying all these years" with no return, he said, referring to projections that with fewer people paying in and more baby boomers retiring, the system could face bankruptcy.

Huckabee again raised the fair tax as a solution, saying it would even out revenues because Social Security payments would come out of the general fund.

Asked by Tim Russert of NBC News whether he would raise taxes to save Social Security as former President Ronald Reagan did in 1983, Romney said, "No, I don’t want to raise taxes."

"It has a double whammy" on Americans, he said. "Not only are you taking money out their pocketbooks, you're slowing down the economy."

There were several almost collegial moments in the debate. McCain took a moment to praise Giuliani's handling of New York City's response to the terrorist attacks.

"I happen to have gone to New York City after 9/11," McCain said. "And I'm proud of the way he led this country and united it following 9/11."

And Huckabee responded to a question from a member of the audience about whether McCain would be able to withstand the demands of the presidency if he were to take office at age 72.

"I don't think that Senator McCain lacks the rigor and the capacity to be president," Huckabee said. "If you look at his mother and see her strength at 95, of all the things we can pick on Senator McCain for, that ain't one of them. There may be some other things I can pick on Senator McCain about, but not that."

Picking the president: The candidates Click to visit that candidate's MSNBC page or click the XML symbol for an RSS feed. John McCain                Barack Obama

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