GOP Candidates Debate Iraq as Thompson Enters Race

JUDY WOODRUFF:

At the start of last night's Republican presidential debate in Durham, New Hampshire, it seemed the event would be as much about the candidate who wasn't there as it was about the eight who were. Moderator Brit Hume of FOX News immediately asked what the candidates thought of former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson's entry into the race.

BRIT HUME, FOX News Anchor:

Polls have him in second or third place, depending on whether you're looking at national polls or some of the early state polls. So the question is, who has made the smart moves here, you guys, who are here and have been out on the trail all this time, or Senator Thompson?

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Most of the candidates dealt playfully with the question.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN (R), Arizona: Well, I think that's a decision that Fred should make. Maybe we're up past his bedtime, but the point is…

FORMER GOV. MITT ROMNEY (R), Massachusetts: The only question I have for Senator Thompson is: Why the hurry? Why not take some more time off?

RUDY GIULIANI (R), Former Mayor of New York: I like Fred a lot. I think Fred is a really, really good man. I think he's done a pretty good job of playing my part on "Law and Order." I personally prefer the real thing.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

The laughter soon came to an end, as the candidates delved into more serious matters, such as the war in Iraq. Texas Congressman Ron Paul and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee became locked in the most fiery exchange of the evening. Paul said it was time American citizens stopped bearing the burden for the Bush administration's mistakes in Iraq.

REP. RON PAUL (R), Texas: The American people didn't go in. A few people advising this administration, a small number of people called the neoconservatives, hijacked our foreign policy. They're responsible, not the American people. They're not responsible; we shouldn't punish them.

FORMER GOV. MIKE HUCKABEE (R), Arkansas: Congressman, we are one nation. We can't be divided. We have to be one nation under God. That means, if we make a mistake, we make it as a single country, the United States of America, not the divided states of America.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and Arizona Senator John McCain also sparred on Iraq over the effectiveness of the troop surge.

MITT ROMNEY:

… that the surge is apparently working. We're going to get a full report on that from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker very soon. If the surge is working, then we're going to be able to start bringing back our troops levels, slowly but surely, and play more of a support role over time.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

McCain seized on the lack of certainty in Romney's statement.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN:

Governor, the surge is working. The surge is working, sir.

MITT ROMNEY:

That's just what I said.

SEN. JOHN MCCAIN:

It is working. No, not "apparently." It's working. It's working because we've got a great general, we've got a good strategy. Anbar province, things have improved.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

California Congressman Duncan Hunter also touted the military surge.

REP. DUNCAN HUNTER (R), California: In Anbar province, we were having 1,350 attacks a month last October. By the blood, sweat and tears of the U.S. Marines out there, we pulled it down 80 percent. They've pulled down civilian casualties 74 percent.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Kansas Senator Sam Brownback agreed, but argued the political surge has fallen short.

SEN. SAM BROWNBACK (R), Kansas: We don't have a political solution on the ground that works in Iraq. I think we need to recognize that reality. We ought to now push for establishment of a Sunni state in the west, still one country, still one country, but separate states. That's a political solution that you can take advantage of what the military has done on the ground; that's what we need to do to move forward now.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

The 90-minute debate also touched on illegal immigration. Mitt Romney stepped up his attacks on Rudy Giuliani, accusing the former New York City mayor of being too welcoming of illegal immigrants.

MITT ROMNEY:

This is a place where Mayor Giuliani and I just simply disagree. I think we should reduce federal funding to cities that call themselves sanctuary cities. I think saying, as he did, "If you happen to be an undocumented alien, we want you in New York, we'll protect you in New York," I think that contributed to 3 million illegals in this country becoming 12 million illegals coming into this country.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Giuliani tried to deflect the criticism, noting he had to deal with immigration as part of a larger fight against crime while mayor.

RUDY GIULIANI:

The problem that I had was, I had 400,000 illegal immigrants roughly in New York City, and I had a city that was the crime capital of America. I had to do something intelligent with them. I didn't have the luxury of, you know, political rhetoric. I had the safety and security of the people of New York City on my shoulders.

So what I did was, I said — and I think this a sensible policy — "if you are an illegal immigrant in New York City, and a crime is committed against you, I want you to report that," because, lo and behold, the next time a crime is committed, it could be against a citizen or a legal immigrant. My programs and policies led to a city that was the safest large city in the country, so they must have been sensible policies.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, who has made cracking down on illegal immigration the centerpiece of his campaign, accused the other candidates of using the issue for political gain.

REP. TOM TANCREDO (R), Colorado: When the wind is blowing in one direction, and that is, you know, "We're not going to say anything about illegal immigration, we will be silent on the issue," but when it sounds like the people are getting uptight about this and we can make hay out of it, we're all going to be the strongest supporters of secure borders that you ever saw in your life.

JAY LENO, Host, "The Tonight Show": Please welcome Fred Thompson.