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They Came, They Sparred And Now Florida Republicans Get To Choose

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 30, 2007

Florida's most important issues got short shrift during Wednesday night's CNN/YouTube presidential debate in St. Petersburg, but with the Iowa caucuses just five weeks away, the showdown better clarified the differences between the Republican frontrunners.

It was a good night for U.S. Sen. John McCain and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who rose above the political posturing and appeared as men of character and substance.

But it was a flawed night for the other candidates and for the novel debate format.

McCain scored points for his confident stands on the surge in Iraq and for cutting Congressional spending. He didn't equivocate in calling water-boarding a form of torture: "If we're going to get the high ground in this world and we're going to be the America that we have cherished and loved for more than 200 years, we're not going to torture people."

Neither would he agree to a no-new-taxes pledge, which has become a flawed litmus test for conservative politicians. No Republican candidate wants to raise taxes, but there may be times when certain revenue streams - such as fees - need tweaking. Yet only McCain and Fred Thompson had the courage to reject a blanket pledge. It was a defining moment in which both showed they are their own men.

Huckabee, whose growing popularity is boosted by religious conservatives, was thoughtful and not divisive in discussing religion. He campaigns as a pro-life Republican, but delicately explained his support for the death penalty as a deterrent and punishment for the most heinous crimes.

He even got a laugh when asked what Jesus would do about the death penalty. "Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office," he quipped.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani came off as bickering and defensive and, in Romney's case, wishy-washy.

When pressed, Romney gave an unsatisfying, shorthand response to his changed positions on abortion and gays in the military. And he deferred in discussing water-boarding, an issue on which he should have a firm opinion by now. Remember, it was a lack of clarity in the rules that led to the abuses at Abu Ghraib prison and the damage to America's credibility.

Voters want to know what Romney thinks, not whom he would consult at some later date.

Romney and Giuliani started the evening with a shrill exchange on immigration, and never seemed to rise above it. For all their words about whether New York was a "sanctuary" city or whether Romney allowed illegal immigrants to work at his home, neither man said a word about how he planned to comprehensively reform immigration.

Fred Thompson showed he can throw a punch, too, offering up a video that featured Huckabee talking about taxes he could support and a young Romney talking about his support for abortion rights. But Thompson failed to rise above and make the case for why he is the best candidate.

The evening was a wash for the others - Duncan Hunter, Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul - who did or said nothing that would dissuade their die-hard supporters, nor win over anyone else.

This was the second test of the YouTube format, which wasted time on a guy displaying the Confederate flag and a guitar player with a pithy song. But CNN correspondent Anderson Cooper mostly stayed out of the way, allowing the candidates to debate each other, not him.

One startling question about gays in the military quickly lost credibility Thursday when it was reported that the former brigadier general behind it serves on a steering committee for Hillary Clinton's campaign.

And the woman who asked the candidates about abortion later appeared in a YouTube video wearing a John Edwards '08 T-shirt.

Equally frustrating was CNN/YouTube's rejection of a question from Florida Gov. Charlie Crist about the creation of a national catastrophe fund.

Organizers said they wanted questions from those who don't have access to the candidates. Fair enough - but why did they then include a question from conservative activist Grover Norquist, who wields considerable influence as anyone in Washington?

Blunders and blustering aside, the debate served its purpose well. Republican voters have a better sense of where these would-be presidents stand.

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