October 28, 1999
Web posted at: 11:52 p.m. EDT (0352 GMT)

HANOVER, New Hampshire (CNN) -- Knowing that the man they wished to address was not attending, the pack of GOP presidential hopefuls used Thursday night's nationally televised town meeting as a forum to reiterate their familiar campaign themes of campaign finance and education reform and the flat tax.

Steve Forbes

"This is a delightful evening, because when I ran nearly four years ago, virtually every Republican denounced the idea of a flat tax, so education works," publisher Steve Forbes said after all of his competitors, Arizona Sen. John McCain, conservative activist Gary Bauer, talk-show host Alan Keyes and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, voiced support for the a flat tax.

Texas Gov. George W. Bush declined to attend the candidate forum, citing a prior family commitment. And although the other candidates went more than 40 minutes without mentioning him, it was clear Bush, who controls a substantial advantage in both local and national polls as well as fund-raising, was the opponent they all wanted to take on.

"Like you, I share the frustration that Governor Bush is not here tonight," said Forbes, whose personal fortune makes him the only candidate who currently can match Bush's $60-million-plus war chest. "Perhaps in the future, if we call a forum like this a fund-raiser, he might show up."

"How are we going to deal with a lack of voter participation if we have a lack of candidate participation?" Bauer, who also criticized Bush several times during the forum, asked after the event.

McCain refused to call Bush's absence an insult to New Hampshire, but he did predict after the forum that Bush would show up to future debates "particularly because we are moving up so fast in the polls."

Gary Bauer

Bush explained his absence to New Hampshire voters in an interview broadcast Thursday night on WMUR, saying he skipped the event because his wife was being honored by her alma mater in Texas, and that he was "taking nothing for granted." (236k wav file)

The town meeting may have been most important for McCain and Forbes, now considered Bush's strongest challengers.

"It was very clear that there was only one candidate who came across as presidential," Greg Stevens, McCain's media consultant, said after the debate.

McCain appeared comfortable in the setting. At one point, after being asked a question about the controversial subject of medical marijuana, he joked: "That is an excellent question I would prefer to duck."

McCain also returned to a familiar theme of campaign finance reform, taking on his colleagues in the Congress more than his competitors on the stage.

"I'm for reform. I'm for reform of education, reform of the military, reform of the tax code. My dear friends, that's not possible. That's not possible when average Americans are no longer represented in Washington, D.C.," McCain pleaded. (144k wav file) "I will fight to the last breath I draw to eliminate the influence of special interests ... I will not rest until I give the government back to you." (140k wav file)

Forbes was also questioned about campaign finance reform and the perception that the GOP nomination is being "auctioned off" to the highest bidder.

Sen. John McCain

"The lobbyists have made their choice. They're not backing me because I'm independent," Forbes responded. (144k wav file)

Hatch promptly went after Forbes' riches. "I think if people want to talk about campaign finance reform, then they ought to live their own rules. They ought to set an example," Hatch said, adding if he wins the presidency, "you'll have somebody who is beholden only to the people." (376k wav file)

McCain, trying to stake out a moderate ground in the primaries, was asked about the Republican Party's position on abortion rights.

"Both pro-life and pro-choice people believe very strongly that we need to eliminate abortion ... And my party, which is proud of its pro-life position and I am proud of it, should send the word: We want you in our party. We can have respectful disagreements on specific issues and we can work together on this one," McCain said. (236k wav file)

With Bauer, Keyes, Hatch and Forbes espousing smaller government and moral leadership, most of the forum focused on questions of concern to conservatives.

Bauer's strongest moment of the evening may have come as he discussed illegal immigrants. "We allow countless people to butt into the front of the line, to pour across our borders, and have as their first act upon entering our country the violation of our laws," he said. The United States needed "secure borders" to address that problem, he said.

Sen. Orrin Hatch

Hatch sometimes appeared to play the role of the courtroom lawyer he once was, striding back and forth across the auditorium stage when asked about gun owners' rights. As his voice approached a shout, he said he was "a strong supporter of Second Amendment rights" and said the Clinton Administration needed to enforce current gun laws instead of seeking many additional regulations.

And Keyes talked about what he saw as a government out of control. For example, when asked about the federally funded Americorps public service program -- a favorite of President Bill Clinton's -- Keyes said: "I am a great believer in volunteerism in this country but I think it's time we understood that it should be just that."

The format of the event was identical to one held Wednesday night at the same site, featuring the two major Democratic presidential candidates -- former Sen. Bill Bradley and Vice President Al Gore. But the three additional candidates on stage meant each Republican spent less time in the spotlight than the Democrats.

Alan Keyes

The only discord in the first 30 minutes came when an unidentified woman interrupted the proceedings to demand a cut in military spending to benefit health care and education. Moderators swiftly regained control of the proceedings.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Thursday, October 28, 1999

• Bush's shadow looms as at GOP candidate forum in New Hampshire
• Clinton doubts he's 'a drag on the Gore campaign'
• Bill Press analysis: Bradley edges Gore
• Tucker Carlson analysis: Bradley picks the wrong heroes
• Justice Department asks for rehearing on medical marijuana
• Smith drops out of presidential race
• Gingrich signs on as commentator for Fox News Channel
• Stalemate could lead to 'recess' appointment
• Glickman says he will propose changes to farm policy
• House approves budget cuts and social spending, Clinton veto next
• Huang gets immunity in GOP probe of Democratic fund raising

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