GRAND OLD DEBATE

	December 7 , 1999
	Spencer Michels reports on last night's Republican presidential primary debate in Arizona.

SPENCER MICHELS: The format last night at the Orpheum Theater in Phoenix was different from previous debates. For the first time, Republican presidential hopefuls had the chance to quiz each other. Former Reagan administration official Gary Bauer challenged front runner Texas Governor George Bush with a foreign policy question. GARY BAUER: Governor, I worked for Ronald Reagan for eight years, and he never gave the soviet union most-favored nation status. He always insisted on progress on human rights and national security. Our new challenge is China. They persecute their people, arrest those who practice their religion, forcible abortions, et cetera. And yet you've embraced the policy of Clinton and Gore. You want to give them most- favored nation status and membership in the World Trade Organization. Why not follow a Reagan policy instead of a Clintonian policy? GEORGE W. BUSH: Well, I appreciate that, but you know how to insult a guy for following the policies of Clinton-Gore. They believe what is called a strategic partnership. I believe in redefining the relationship to one of competitor. But I believe competitors can find common ground. I think it's our nation's best interest to open up Chinese markets to Arizona farm products, to Iowa farm products, to high-tech manufactured goods. It's in our best interest to sell to the Chinese. SPENCER MICHELS: In the second round of questions, it was magazine publisher Steve Forbes' turn, and he asked Bush about oil. STEVE FORBES: Right now, OPEC is putting the squeeze on. Oil prices have almost tripled in recent months. Again, what would you do now to get that price down now, not a few years from now? GEORGE W. BUSH: What... STEVE FORBES: Also too, how low would you get the price to go? GEORGE W. BUSH: First of all, governors don't control the price of oil, at least in America, as you know. I did something in Texas that will have a near-immediate effect, and that's decontrolled our electricity system, to invite a different type of demand into the equation in Texas. In the words you're focusing on, the supply side. I think we need to wean ourselves off of foreign oil and rely upon other products. And in my state of Texas, we're doing that. We've got a huge demand for natural gas, which as you know, is immune from OPEC and immune from overseas pricing controls. SPENCER MICHELS: Senator John McCain, whose home state is Arizona, joined the debate via satellite from Boston. He had campaign events scheduled in New Hampshire this week where polls show him running neck and neck with bush. McCain said he and the governor have different views on cutting taxes. GEORGE W. BUSH: One of the things, John, that I've suggested is we allow non- itemizers to deduct charitable contributions off their income tax returns. Do you agree with that? And, well, I'd like your comments on that idea. JOHN McCAIN: Sure I agree with that. And I also agree with many of the other tax breaks incentives that you have proposed, and I think they're important. Yours and mine are somewhat similar. But there's a big difference. I do not envision surpluses forever. Harry Truman used to say that he wanted a one-armed economist because they always say on the one hand and on the other hand. And the fact is that I don't know that we're going to have surpluses forever. I hope that you would look at this issue of cutting the heavy burden taxes of the American family. SPENCER MICHELS: Utah Senator Orrin Hatch asked former diplomat Alan Keyes which reform complain plan he supported. ALAN KEYES: Well, I actually think that all these approaches are wrong because they are based on a premise that I think is unconstitutional. If we have the right of free association, then I think we have the right to associate our money with the causes we believe in any amount that we think is necessary to get those causes to work. GEORGE W. BUSH: Amen. ALAN KEYES: (Applause) For government to step in and for these politicians to be dictating what we could do, I think we ought to abandon it. SPENCER MICHELS: Then Hatch got a question on education from Bush. GEORGE W. BUSH: One of the things I found in my state, particularly when I focused on education, is that when I announced we were going to abolish a social portion in Texas schools, which is a system of such low hopes and low expectations that minority parents said. Thank you governor. Thank you. Do you have any comments on it? ORRIN HATCH: Well, I think minority parents owe you, and I think republicans owe you. You've been a great governor. My only problem with you, governor, is that you have only had four, going into your fifth year of governorship in a constitutionally weak governorship. And frankly I really believe that you need more experience before you become President of the United States. That's why I'm thinking of you as a vice presidential candidate. (Laughter) Because if you had... Because if you had... Just think... Just think. (Laughter) Ronald Reagan picked your father because he had foreign policy experience. They've got it all wrong. I should be President, you should have eight years with me, and boy you will make a heck of a president after eight years, I'll tell you. SPENCER MICHELS: (Applause) The Republican candidates are scheduled to debate again on Monday in Des Moines, Iowa.

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