GOP debate signals race to the right

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ORLANDO, Fla. — The top four Republican presidential hopefuls squared off in the party's eighth debate last night — three of them refused to attack their opponents' conservative credentials, but Fred Thompson was not so deferential.

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"We got an hour and a half, maybe they can work on it," the former U.S. senator from Tennessee said after Mitt Romney, Rudolph W. Giuliani and Sen. John McCain dodged a question about who on stage was the most conservative.

Just minutes into the debate, Mr. Thompson took a swipe at Mr. Giuliani, saying the former New York City mayor supported federal funding for abortion, gun control and creating havens for illegal aliens.

"He sides with Hillary Clinton on each of those issues," he said.

With that, the attempt by the three other candidates to adhere to Ronald Reagan"s 11th commandment — "Thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican" — was quickly jettisoned.

Mr. McCain was first out, taking a swipe at Mr. Romney, the former Massachusetts governor.

"You've just spent the last year trying to fool people about your record. I don"t want you to start fooling them about mine," he said, waving his hand at Mr. Romney. "I stand on my record of a conservative."

Mr. Giuliani fired back at Mr. Thompson, saying: "Fred has problems, too" — abandoning his diplomatic stance after answering the debate"s first question — whether he was more conservative than Mr. Thompson — by saying "I can"t comment on Fred."

The former New York mayor charged that Mr. Thompson was the "single biggest obstacle" in the Senate to legislation limiting the ability of individuals filing lawsuits to recover unlimited damages.

"He stood with the Democrats over and over again" on the issue, he said.