Republican candidates criticize Bush’s policies

By Glen Johnson \nThe Associated Press\nMANCHESTER, N.H. – President Bush drew sporadic, startling criticism Tuesday night from Republican White House hopefuls unhappy with his handling of the Iraq war, his diplomatic style and his approach to immigration.\n“I would certainly not send him to the United Nations” to represent the United States, said Tommy Thompson, the former Wisconsin governor and one-time member of Bush’s Cabinet, midway through a spirited campaign debate.\nArizona Sen. John McCain criticized the administration for its handling of the Iraq War, and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney said, “I think we were underprepared and underplanned for what came after we knocked down Saddam Hussein.”\nRep. Duncan Hunter of California said the current administration “has the slows” when it comes to building a security fence along the border with Mexico.\nRep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado recalled that White House aide Karl Rove had once told him “never darken the door of the White House.” The congressman said he’d tell George W. Bush the same thing.\nThe criticism of Bush was more in keeping of the type of rhetoric that could be expected when Democratic presidential contenders debate.\nIts prominence at the GOP event, while Bush was traveling overseas, was a reflection of his poor poll ratings and the need of even members of his own party to campaign on platforms of change.\nThe Republicans sprinkled the criticism of Bush throughout a two-hour debate that ranged over topics from war to immigration legislation pending in Congress to religion. The debate was the third of the accelerated primary campaign.\nNone of the 10 men on the debate stage raised their hand in agreement when moderator Wolf Blitzer of CNN asked if anyone favored allowing gays to serve openly in the military.\nBoth Hunter and Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas said they would pardon Vice President Dick Cheney’s former aide Lewis “Scooter” Libby, sentenced to 30 months in prison earlier in the day for lying and obstructing a CIA leak investigation.\nFormer New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, a former prosecutor, said the sentence was excessive and therefore “argues in favor of a pardon.”\nGiuliani had the central role in an unscripted moment of humor. \nAsked about a Rhode Island Catholic bishop who criticized him for supporting abortion rights, Giuliani began to respond when a lightning strike briefly interfered with the debate hall sound system.\n“Look, for someone who went to parochial schools all his life, this is a very frightening thing that’s happening right now,” he said to laughter.