Front-Runners Call for More Tax Cuts in Stimulus Plan Republicans Candidates Applaud Economic Stimul

Jan 25, 07:37 AM

By David Espo

The Associated Press

BOCA RATON, Fla.

Leading Republican presidential contenders agreed in a campaign debate Thursday night that the newly minted bipartisan economic stimulus package marks a good start but does not do enough to cut taxes.

"It's something I support and I look forward to taking it further," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, who backs permanent tax cuts along with the rebates that are at the heart of the bipartisan agreement between President Bush and House leaders.

"I will vote for it," said Sen. John McCain, the only contender on stage with a Senate seat. He quickly added he wants the tax cuts Bush won from Congress in 2001 and 2003 to be made permanent.

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani responded along similar lines in the opening moments of a debate five days before the pivotal Florida presidential primary.

"I think this package for what it does is OK and I would support it, but I think it does not go far enough," Giuliani said. "We should be very aggressive."

The economy has become the most important issue in the campaign, particularly with fears of a recession rising.

In recent days, the GOP presidential candidates had outlined stimulus packages of their own, most of which relied to a far greater degree on permanent tax cuts than the agreement between Bush and Democratic leaders announced earlier Thursday in Washington.

Romney and McCain are front-runners in the polls in Florida, a state where Giuliani has devoted nearly his entire campaign effort for the past two weeks. The three men shared the debate stage with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee and Rep. Ron Paul, the libertarian-leaning Texas congressman.

The primary offers the winner 57 Republican National Convention delegates. It is the first big state to vote in the nominating campaign, the first winner-take-all contest in terms of delegates, and the final election before a virtual national primary on Feb. 5.

NBC's Brian Williams, moderator of the 90-minute event, pointed out that in recent years, no Republican has won the party's presidential nomination without first winning the Florida primary.

The first hour of the 90- minute debate was dominated by the economy, although there were numerous unflattering references to Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, locked in a battle for the Democratic presidential nomination with Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.

McCain, Romney and Giuliani all criticized her, with Romney saying credit for recent improvements in Iraqi security goes "not to General Hillary Clinton," but to Gen. David Petraeus and Bush.

It was the flip side of last week's Democratic debate, when McCain's name came up several times as though he would be the Republican nominee, the adversary to be beaten in the fall.

Romney and McCain have sparred in recent days over the economy and tax cuts - and Romney didn't miss an early chance to poke at his rival.

"Senator McCain voted against them," he said of the Bush tax cuts. "He now says they should be made permanent."

Romney didn't say so, but he initially sidestepped questions about the tax cuts when he was governor. He told reporters earlier that it wasn't often his habit to comment on federal legislation while he was governor.

Huckabee offered qualified support for the stimulus package, saying he was concerned the Bush tax rebates would be financed by borrowing from foreign lenders such as China, and that consumers would then turn around and spend the money on Chinese products.

"I have to wonder whose economy is going to be stimulated the most by the package," the former Arkansas governor said.

Primaries

The Florida presidential primary will take place Tuesday, with 57 Republican National Convention delegates at stake. It is the final election before Super Tuesday on Feb. 5. Virginia's primaries are scheduled for Feb. 12.

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