"You mean, when I'm elected," said Texas Governor George W. Bush, at the end of yesterday's New Hampshire Presidential Candidates Youth Forum, 'correcting' the moderator's "if" and demonstrating his confidence in the upcoming New Hampshire primary.
Bush, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, Arizona Sen. John McCain, and Steve Forbes, all vying for the Republican Party nomination for President, fielded questions from high school and college students from around the northeast at St. Anselm's College in Manchester yesterday.
Approximately 300 students, including a contingent from Dartmouth, showed up at the forum moderated by John Milewski, host of the public affairs program "Close Up on C-Span," to see the candidates.
The forum, which was originally intended to host candidates from both major parties, was reduced from a two-day event to only about three hours of questions and answers.
All of the candidates answered questions separately, each receiving 30 minutes on stage. The only questions that all candidates answered were on why they were running for President and how they believed young people could be encouraged to vote.
Bush, surprisingly confident considering recent polls showing McCain ahead in New Hampshire, was the last candidate to field questions from the audience. He was introduced by Kelly Grieco '01 and a student from another college.
"I want the American dream to touch every willing heart," Bush said in his opening statement. "I want to make sure every child is educated, and no child is left behind."
Like the other candidates, Bush responded to questions on such large issues as education but also answered more focused queries on the Human Genome Project, public service and illegal immigrants.
On the Genome Project, Bush admitted that he doesn't have specific plans but is wary of the ethics involved though he is a supporter of the research.
"I worry about cloning. I worry about people taking the place of God," Bush said.
On immigrants, Bush said, "I think legal immigrants are good for America," but stressed the need to enforce the nation's borders.
However, he said, "Family values do not stop at the Rio Grande River." He said he believes it is important for the U.S. to promote free trade with Mexico and the rest of the Western hemisphere in the long run.
The issue that seemed most difficult for Bush, both during the forum and in a press conference after, was gun control.
Many students wanted to know why in Bush's home state of Texas, it is legal to carry a concealed weapon in light of the many school shootings across the nation. Bush did not address violence in schools directly.
"I'm committed to keeping guns out of the hands of people who shouldn't have them," Bush said. He said he is a supporter of pre-purchase background checks for gun buyers.
McCain, who the polls have shown will most likely be one of the top two vote-getters in the NH primary, was introduced by Bob Gienko '01 and a student from another college.
"I want to give you the government back," McCain said, on why he wants to be President. He said he believes that the U.S. government has gotten out of touch with the 18-24 age group.
Collin O'Mara '01, head of the Dartmouth McCain campaign, attended the forum and said, "The questions that were asked of him and the answers he gave reflected the way most students feel, not just the students that were in the audience. I think he had the best grasp of what students want to see in a leader."
McCain entertained questions on the environment, the Panama Canal, the poor, college costs, nuclear testing, gay marriage and foreign policy.
He touted his own achievements in his home state of Arizona with regards to the environment, noting that he has been called the "best friend of the Grand Canyon."
McCain also emphasized his dedication to school choice, referring to "wonderful" charter schools in Arizona, and the censoring of Internet usage in libraries and schools. "We ought to know what [our children our watching]," he said.
He responded to a difficult question about the environment by honestly acknowledging that he didn't have "a good answer right now." He alluded to wanting to strengthen the military, as the other three candidates also did, mentioning China's emergence as a world power as a primary reason for this.
He said his campaign will cost approximately $20 million, while Bush will spend $74 million.
"You are no longer represented in Washington," McCain told the crowd in his final remarks, "I'm going to break the Iron Triangle."
President and CEO of Forbes, Inc., Steve Forbes opened his session by saying that "we can't have politics as usual," stressing his position as an outsider.
Forbes followed the conservative platforms on most of the issues including the environment, the National Endowment for the Arts and gun control.
He spent the majority of his half hour discussing his flat tax position and his commitment to Social Security. On a gun control question asked by Brian Wilson '01, Forbes said he wants to enforce the "20,000 laws already on the books" instead of creating new laws.
He essentially avoided a question on comprehensive sex education in schools by stating his position on education in general as a proponent of school choice and mentioning the importance of "parents, not politics" in education.
Hatch was the first to greet the crowd. He answered questions about his positions on military defense strength, abortion, gun control, same-sex marriage and health care. On all of the issues, Hatch stuck to his conservative roots.
When asked about the recent Vermont Supreme Court ruling that stopped just short of allowing same-sex couples to marry, Hatch, a Mormon, said that he was against the legalization of gay marriage but not against joint rights for gay couples.
Hatch was asked if he would join seven senior citizens on their trip to Canada to buy prescription drugs because of their increasing difficulty to pay the rising costs in the United Sates. In response, Hatch said that he doesn't "need to go there to know there's a problem."
"You're looking at somebody who isn't just making a promise, you're looking at somebody who has done something," Hatch said.
Moderator Milewski asked all of the candidates, if nominated by their party, would they participate in a youth-oriented debate with the Democratic nominee. Forbes, McCain and Hatch all agreed. Bush said he "will give it serious consideration."
The forum will be aired in its entirety on C-Span on a date to be announced in the near future. Alan Keyes and Gary Bauer did not participate in the forum.
