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GOP candidates, sans Bush, prepare for forum
October 27, 1999 HANOVER, New Hampshire (CNN) -- In an event perhaps most notable for the absence of the front-runner, Republican presidential candidates assemble here Thursday night for a town hall forum nearly identical to that held Wednesday by the Democratic hopefuls. Texas Gov. George W. Bush, leading in all major polls in both New Hampshire and nationwide, will skip the event. His wife is being honored by her college in Texas, and his absence means the trailing Republicans will lack their most likely target. But the other five major GOP candidates will attend, and will try to squeeze their answers into the same hour given just two Democratic candidates Wednesday night. Television station WMUR in Manchester, New Hampshire, which is co-sponsoring the forum with CNN, plans to air a live satellite interview with Bush from Texas before the town hall, so he can explain to the voters why he's not there. "He wants to explain to the people of New Hampshire why he isn't going to be there and to answer questions that might have been asked at the debate," Bush spokeswoman Mindy Tucker said Wednesday. Bush is scheduled to attend a GOP debate in New Hampshire on Dec. 2. Some of Bush's rivals branded his absence from last Friday's debate as an "insult" to the people of New Hampshire, and the criticism continued Wednesday. "Not only is George Bush skipping a debate for the second consecutive time but he's thumbing his nose at the people of New Hampshire," said Dan Schnur, spokesman for Sen. John McCain of Arizona. The forum may be most important for McCain and publisher Steve Forbes, now considered Bush's strongest challengers. Thursday's forum offers McCain an opportunity to showcase an independent streak from GOP orthodoxy. Forbes, meanwhile, is likely to attempt to establish his conservative bona fides. The forum also may serve as a chance for the other GOP candidates -- Gary Bauer, Alan Keyes and Orrin Hatch -- to break out of the pack. CNN's Bill Schneider and The Associated Press contributed to this report. |
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MORE STORIES:Wednesday, October 27, 1999
• GOP candidates, sans Bush, prepare for forum • Bradley, Gore offer subtle differences • Des Moines Register: Forbes objects to content of Bush campaign ads • McCain television ads to begin Friday in New Hampshire • Fords receive congressional gold medal • House tries to limit Oregon's assisted suicide law • Clinton announces larger-than-expected surplus • Four former first ladies make rare joint appearance • Ventura pushes for single-house legislature in Minnesota • Congress votes to rename building for Eisenhower • California voters get crack at ATM fees • Helms has congresswomen removed from hearing • Republicans unmoved by White House revival of Social Security plan • Florida state senator gets two years for plea in Medicare case • Former mayor convicted of indecent exposure • Clinton signs law establishing 911 nationwide, promoting locators • Lawmakers negotiating multimillion-dollar purchase of King papers • Clinton library raising money in secret • House passes bill to protect domain names | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
