GOP candidates spar over immigration issue

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Eight Republican presidential contenders clashed Wednesday over immigration, interrogation techniques for prisoners and the Iraq war in a sharp-elbowed debate filled with pointed and personal attacks.

The debate started out with several big bangs as candidates tackled the sensitive issue of immigration in a state where, as of 2006, 19% of the population is foreign born, according to the Census. Mitt Romney, the former governor of Massachusetts, accused Rudy Giuliani of operating a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants when he was mayor of New York City.

Giuliani retorted that Romney had a "sanctuary mansion" — a reference to reports that contractors working on Romney's home employed illegal immigrants. "Kind of offensive" was what Romney said of Giuliani's attack. "Holier than thou" was how Giuliani described Romney's position on the immigration issue.

The sizzling exchange was typical of the aggressive energy that marked a debate in which, as Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., noted before it began, a number of candidates were seeking a breakthrough.

Former senator Fred Thompson used the 30-second video that his campaign submitted to attack two rivals, Romney and Mike Huckabee. Sen. John McCain attacked Rep. Ron Paul for backing a pullout from Iraq — "That kind of isolationism is what got us involved in World War II," McCain told the Texas lawmaker — and Romney for refusing to rule out the use of "waterboarding" in the interrogations of terror suspects.

"I'm astonished … that anyone could believe it's not torture," said McCain, who was tortured as a prisoner of war in Vietnam.

Sponsored by CNN and YouTube, the debate featured some unorthodox questions, including several by cartoon characters, submitted by voters via YouTube's online video uploading service. But the colorful questions, which drew much attention prior to the debate, were overshadowed by the often hostile interplay among the candidates.

The debate came at a crucial time and in a crucial state.