Republican Field Running to Reagan and Away From Bush

May 4, 2007 — -- Thursday night was the first time the 10 Republican presidential candidates were on stage together, each desperately trying to separate themselves from the pack and each trying to avoid a major meltdown.

At times, it seemed like they weren't just running for president. They seemed to be running to be former President Reagan.

The candidates took a minute to pose for a picture with Nancy Reagan, then for the next 90 minutes of the MSNBC debate, it was a Ronald Reagan lovefest.

"Reagan was a president of strength," said former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

Tommy Thompson, the former governor of Wisconsin, said, "Ronald Reagan had an optimism and a belief that America could be stronger and better tomorrow than it is today."

And former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani had this to say about the late president: "They looked in Ronald Reagan's eyes, and two minutes later they released the hostages."

Vows to Hunt Down Bin Laden

Meanwhile, the current president was mentioned by name just once. While most of the candidates support the war in Iraq, they hammered the administration on how the war had been handled.

"The war was terribly mismanaged," said Arizona Sen. John McCain.

"We gave them a limited number of troops and a budget, and said, 'You have to do it with this.' I think that's something now we understand was a mistake," said former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Foreign policy strength was a major theme. Two of the GOP front-runners McCain and Romney tried to one-up each other with their passion to hunt down Osama bin Laden.

"It is more than Osama bin Laden, but he is going to pay and he is going to die," Romney said.

McCain was even more dramatic. "We will track him down. We will capture him. We will bring him to justice, and I will follow him to the gates of hell," he said.

Giuliani Struggles With Abortion Question

Giuliani, the only major abortion-rights supporter, struggled to answer whether he would celebrate overturning Roe vs. Wade, the Supreme Court decision that made abortion legal.

"It would be OK," Giuliani said. "It would be OK to repeal. It would be also OK if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent and I think a judge has to make that decision."

The biggest laugh of the night came from Huckabee. He was asked whether he would change the Constitution to allow the Austrian-born Arnold Schwarzenegger, who was in the audience, to run for president.

"After I have served eight years as president, I'd be happy to change the Constitution for Gov. Schwarzenegger," he said to laughs.

One man who did not participate in Thursday night's debate but is very much a presence in this race is former senator and current star of "Law and Order" Fred Thompson.

Thompson hasn't declared his intention to run but is giving a major speech in California tonight.