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GOP candidates attack Bush, Clinton at debate

TEMPE - In a one-hour debate last night at Grady Gammage Auditorium, four of the Republican candidates explained their views on a number of issues while taking time to bash the Clinton administration, as well as their missing Republican counterpart, Texas Gov. George W. Bush.

Even the audience took part in poking fun at Bush's absence. After the candidates were introduced, one audience member shouted out, "Where's Bush?"

Both the audience and the candidates took pleasure in this and many other references to Bush's decision not to take part in the presidential debates.

According to a published report from Mike Hull, Bush's executive campaign director, the Republican front-runner was absent due to0 the tragedy earlier this week at Texas A&M University.

"Gov. Bush will be participating in three debates during the first half of December, including one in Arizona, Dec. 6," Hull said. "Tonight, he is in Bryan, Texas, attending a memorial service for the 12 students tragically killed in an accident at Texas A&M University this week. The comments made by other candidates disparaging Gov. Bush's absence tonight were out-of-line and uncalled for."

Moderators Robert Novak, a CNN correspondent, and John Hook, a local Phoenix television anchorman, concluded the debate by asking the candidates what they would say to Bush if he was present.

"This election isn't about talking to G.W. Bush," said former U.S. diplomat Alan Keyes. "He isn't talking to anybody else."

Steve Forbes, who won the Arizona Presidential Primary in 1996, also took time to add into the fun.

"There's more to life than fundraisers," he said. "When you advance a question to Gov. Bush, you rarely get an answer, or it's something off a TelePrompTer."

The event, sponsored by the Arizona Student Association and the Associated Students of Arizona State University, brought together Forbes, Keyes and Arizona Sen. John McCain and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch.

In addition to criticizing Bush, candidates also attacked President Bill Clinton and his administration.

All four candidates said the Clinton administration was lacking in both a moral fiber as well as strong international responsibility.

"This administration has been very promiscuous about making promises," Forbes said, punning on the Clinton incumbency and bringing the audience to laughter.

McCain, complaining about Clinton's Social Security plan and the administration's surplus spending, gave his opinion about how the program should be handled.

"Take 62 percent of the surplus and put it into Social Security to make it solvent," he said. "We have to keep Congress' hands off it."

The candidates also attacked Clinton's international policy, especially when related to financial aid to Russia.

"The Clinton-Gore administration has taken a typically weak, wimpy approach to Russia," McCain said. "We need to say 'not a penny more in aid, and don't knock on our door.'"

Hatch, a Utah senator since 1976, said the United States needs to implement a new international policy that differs from that of the Clinton administration.

"We need to stop being a global 911 call," he said. "We have to stop worrying about peripheral interests."

He also said he recognizes the other outside influences that are a danger to the United States.

"We have 50 poisonous snakes out there building nuclear, biological and chemical weapons," he said.

Hatch also denounced McCain's platform, which calls for campaign reform and his attempt to pass a bill that would have ended the use of "soft money" to fund candidate campaigns.

"If that bill passed, our party would be dead," he said. "We need disclosure, disclosure, disclosure."

While all the candidates were given 60 seconds to answer each question, it was Keyes who created the largest stir. The crowd frequently applauded his emotionally packed statements, which often times strayed from the actual question.

He said that the Clinton administration is responsible for the "greatest moral crisis this world has ever seen."

On three occasions, he referred to his pro-life stance and strong religious beliefs.

Some University of Arizona students said this helped him make a name for himself as a presidential candidate.

"I think Alan Keyes stepped up and got many people excited," said Cisco Aguilar, Associated Students of the University of Arizona president.

Others were astonished by all four candidates' negative opinions of Bush.

Kelly Dalton, a UA liaison for ASA, said while she expected some backlash, there was much more than she anticipated.

"I think that Bush will gradually see the need to appear at events like these," she said. "I was amazed at all the negative comments made about him not being here."

Aguilar also said the debate lacked complete mention of important questions relating to school issues.

"I was kind of concerned that education never came up as an issue, K-12, high school or higher ed.," he said. "It was never even brought up."