First in the Nation: The New Hampshire Debates (Republicans)
Wednesday Jan. 26, 2000 at WMUR-TV's studio in Manchester, NH.  7:00-8:30 p.m. (EST). 
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The Questions

Each candidate fields a different question and follow-up
Brown to Bauer: "...Here in New Hampshire, 73 percent of uninsured families have at least one family member who is working full time, yet they cannot afford coverage for their families, which would cost anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000 a year.  What do you propose to help these families?"

Follow-up: "...Long-term care often forces patients into poverty.  So what do you specifically propose on long-term care that would help these patients and their families?"
Shaw to Bush: "...if you could write a two-sentence amendment to the United States Constitution on abortion, what would it be?"
Follow-up: "So will the Republican Party platform plank on abortion be your bible?
Brown to Keyes: "...you advocate a national sales tax to replace the federal income tax.  Let's assume for a moment that Congress doesn't pass your national sales tax plan.  What then?  What would be your fall-back position on taxes?
Follow-up: "Can you offer us some more specifics on you national sales tax proposal?  Is it a tax on goods and services, and what percentage would you put on that tax?"
Shaw to McCain: "...you have an ad running here in New Hampshire underscoring your service in uniform.  But one of the implications is that Bush, Forbes, Keyes and Bauer would be lesser leaders.  Is that fair?
Follow-up: "Is not having served in the military a handicap?"
Brown to Forbes: "India's nuclear testing in 1998 prompted the United States to impose economic sanctions...  Is it time to lift those economic sanctions and resume two-way trade with India...?"
Follow-up: "You've indicated you don't think economic sanctions work in cases such as this.  But since that is what we've imposed against India, would you then advocate lifting those economic sanctions at this point in time?"
Question for all candidates (30 second responses)
Shaw: "According to population experts, within years whites will no longer be the racial majority in the United States of America.  Should our national dialogue drop the words minority, majority?"

Candidates question each other, order of asking determined by draw
[Note: The candidates' questions to each other tended to be quite long-winded and are pared down considerably below].
Keyes to McCain: "I heard today that you had been asked a question about what you would say if your daughter was ever in a position where she might need an abortion.  And you said at first that, as I understand it, that the choice would be up to her and then you'd have a family conference...  Isn't it God's choice that protects the life of that child in the womb?

Follow-up: "...How can we trust you to move forward and defend our position on this issue?"
Forbes to Bush: "...Texas has 36,000 more employees that the State of New York does...spending has gone up 36 percent...6 out of 10 Texans did not get a tax cut in this last round...on education you've dumbed down the standards...  What can you tell the people of New Hampshire and of America that you won't do in Washington what you've done in Texas?"
Follow-up: "...how are you going to improve education nationally when in Texas it's gone down?  And in terms of tax cuts, yours is a tax cut that only Clinton and Gore could love when most people don't get it."
McCain to Bauer:  The United States Supreme Court issued a decision day before yesterday concerning campaign finance reform.  It was a marvelous decision...  I'd like your views on that very important Supreme Court decision.
Follow-up: "...don't you think we as candidates ought to say we'll have nothing to do with that corruption of our system?"
Bush to Keyes: (Jokingly "To Alan Keyes, what's it like to be in a mosh pit?)  "I know you and the rest of us hear concerns about health care all over New Hampshire.  What is your view?  Give us your principles on health care for America."
Follow-up: "Do you agree with me that it seems like the administration kind of loves to dangle Medicare reform, kind of get people talking about it and then turn the tables for political reasons?"
Bauer to Forbes: "...about China.  Steve you've had about four different positions on this during the campaign...  Will you repeal Most Favored Nation status for China?
Follow-up: "...You refuse to answer a simple question.  Will you repeal most favored nation status for China or not?"
Question for all candidates (30 second responses)
Brown: "...Is it an appropriate use of government funds to hand out computers and provide Internet access to those who can't afford it?  And if not, why not?

Each candidate fields a different question and follow-up
Shaw to McCain: "..What do you say to critics who say your tax plan looks too much like President Clinton's?"

Follow-up: "But if this budget surplus...is less.  If it's less, what do you do?"
Brown to Forbes: "...If you are elected president would you encourage continued funding for Mars exploration?"
Follow-up: "...how aggressive America would, America's space program would be in the 21st century if you should become president?"
Shaw to Bauer: "...six loyal and capable Republicans dropped out of this race for your party's nomination.  A prime reason, the front-loaded campaign calendar, not to mention money.  Is it time to change the process?"
Follow-up: "If it becomes clear that you would not win your party's presidential nomination, when would you drop out?"
Brown to Bush: "...Yesterday Energy Secretary Bill Richardson said he would not tap U.S. strategic petroleum reserves in order to drive down prices, saying those reserves are for emergencies.  But given the shortages that exist, do you consider this an appropriate time to tap those reserves?"
Follow-up: "...what pressures should be brought on OPEC nations to lift those production curves?"
Shaw to Keyes: "...what is your position on the death penalty?"
Follow-up: "...what should be the minimum, the minimum death penalty age for young felons convicted of deadly crime?"
Question for all candidates (30 second responses)
Shaw: Should it be a felony for the president to lie to the American people?

Candidates question each other, order of asking determined by draw
McCain to Bush: "...Tell me, what corporate loopholes would you close and what spending cuts would you make?"

Follow-up: "...Tell me, is there any military programs that you would reduce spending on?
Bush to McCain: "Education has been a top priority of mine.  And I've laid out a comprehensive plan to reform our schools...  But two people have openly criticized this plan: you and the Vice President.  Why don't you think...that high expectations will work?  Why don't you think this plan will work?
Follow-up: "So you support continuing spending federal money on Title I, without any measurement...  You support the current system?"
[Bush 30 seconds to respond to attack]

Keyes to Forbes: "Would you join me in a pledge, because of that assault on the Constitution which it represents, to withdraw this nation from this unrepresentative body, the World Trade Organization, and re-establish the sovereignty of the American people in their international economic affairs?"

Follow-up: "...Will you withdraw us from this unrepresentative body?"
Forbes to Bauer: "Do you believe, as I do, that this administration is pushing them [Israel and Syria] to make a premature agreement that could hurt the sovereignty and hurt the security of Israel...?  And, if they do push them into an agreement, would you go along with using tens of billions of taxpayers' dollars to finance an agreement with Syria and Israel?"
Follow-up: "...we should demand that Syria withdraw its strategic alliance with North Korea and Iran in developing missile technology.  Would you join with me in making that minimal demand of Syria?
Bauer to Keyes: "...I was a little surprised this week to see you fall into a mosh pit while a band called the Machine Rages On, or Rage Against the Machine played.  That band is anti-family, it's pro-cop killer and it's pro-terrorist...  Don't you think you owe an apology to parents and policemen on that one?"
Follow-up: "...Do you think that's consistent with the dignity of the presidency?"
[McCain 30 seconds to respond to attack]

Question for all candidates (30 second responses)
Brown: "..The Commission for Presidential Debates has issued its criteria for determining which  candidates will be admitted to the nationally televised debates this fall...  Some feel that [the] 15-percent rule has the potential to exclude independent candidates, specifically the Reform Party nominee.  Do you think that's fair?"

Each candidate fields a different question and follow-up
Brown to Bush: "...the federal sentencing guidelines which are applied for all federal convictions have been criticized by many federal judges for being too inflexible...  Should we restore greater discretion to the judiciary in deciding the appropriate sentence in each case?"

Follow-up: "Under the guidelines that exist, though, many nonviolent first-time offenders are incarcerated.  Is that necessary or appropriate?
Shaw to Keyes: "...in the interest of human rights, should the United States government fully open to the world its files on Gen. Augusto Pinochet, the former dictator of Chile?
Follow-up: "Should the United States be culpable in the disappearance of thousands of Chileans under the Pinochet regime?"
Brown to McCain: "Is this Court's ruling seen as a stepping stone, in your eyes, to further campaign finance reform?"
Follow-up: "...by and large the Republican establishment opposes the campaign finance reforms that you propose.  Why is that?
[Bush 30 seconds to respond to attack]
[McCain 30 seconds to respond to attack]

Shaw to Forbes: "If local and network television were to grant presidential candidates five minutes, five minutes of free air time, collectively in prime time, nightly, would you forego using 30-second ads?"

Follow-up: "...At one point you said, 'you broke the rules here.'  Were you referring to the way this debate is being conducted?"
Brown to Bauer: "You have said that you would require a litmus test for your Supreme Court nominees on the issue of abortion...  How far would you take that litmus test?  Would you also require it for your secretary of education?  Your secretary of state?  Your secretary of defense and others?"
Follow-up: "...since you have criticized Governor Bush about his stance on abortion, are you willing to state right now that you would not consider him for a post in your administration?"
[Back and forth between Bauer and Bush]

Closing Statements (30 seconds each)
Forbes...McCain...Keyes...Bush...Bauer

Copyright 1999, 2000  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action.