This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7118287.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Republicans hold YouTube debate | Republicans hold YouTube debate |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| US Republican presidential candidates Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney clashed on immigration during a debate using questions submitted by the public. | |
| After Mr Romney accused Mr Giuliani of being soft on illegal immigrants, Mr Giuliani suggested his rival had employed them at his mansion. | After Mr Romney accused Mr Giuliani of being soft on illegal immigrants, Mr Giuliani suggested his rival had employed them at his mansion. |
| Eight candidates answered questions sent by people via video-sharing website YouTube and broadcast by CNN. | Eight candidates answered questions sent by people via video-sharing website YouTube and broadcast by CNN. |
| The clash came 35 days before the first votes are cast in the nominating races. | The clash came 35 days before the first votes are cast in the nominating races. |
| While Mr Giuliani leads in national polls at present, he trails Mr Romney in Iowa and in New Hampshire, which host respectively the first caucus and the first primary. | While Mr Giuliani leads in national polls at present, he trails Mr Romney in Iowa and in New Hampshire, which host respectively the first caucus and the first primary. |
| Sanctuary claims | Sanctuary claims |
| Illegal immigration is a hot topic for Republican voters, many of whom want tighter controls, and the candidates were forced to confront it straight away. | Illegal immigration is a hot topic for Republican voters, many of whom want tighter controls, and the candidates were forced to confront it straight away. |
| Mr Romney provoked Mr Giuliani's wrath when he suggested Mr Giuliani had created a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants as mayor of New York. | Mr Romney provoked Mr Giuliani's wrath when he suggested Mr Giuliani had created a "sanctuary city" for illegal immigrants as mayor of New York. |
| That kind of isolationism, sir, is what caused World War Two Sen John McCain responds to anti-Iraq war candidate Ron Paul | That kind of isolationism, sir, is what caused World War Two Sen John McCain responds to anti-Iraq war candidate Ron Paul |
| Mr Giuliani then accused Mr Romney of employing illegal immigrants at his mansion - creating a "sanctuary mansion". | Mr Giuliani then accused Mr Romney of employing illegal immigrants at his mansion - creating a "sanctuary mansion". |
| Mr Romney - who hired landscapers at his Massachusetts home who turned out to be in the country illegally - retorted that it would "not be American" to check the papers of contractors simply because they had a "funny accent". | Mr Romney - who hired landscapers at his Massachusetts home who turned out to be in the country illegally - retorted that it would "not be American" to check the papers of contractors simply because they had a "funny accent". |
| The candidates faced public questions on topics including abortion, gun control, gays in the military, and God. | The candidates faced public questions on topics including abortion, gun control, gays in the military, and God. |
| Innovatively, the politicians took questions from YouTube users | Innovatively, the politicians took questions from YouTube users |
| Sen John McCain, chief proponent of the recent troop "surge" in Iraq, took on Ron Paul, whose libertarian outlook and opposition to the Iraq war has won him a significant following on the internet and campaign pledges of millions of dollars. | Sen John McCain, chief proponent of the recent troop "surge" in Iraq, took on Ron Paul, whose libertarian outlook and opposition to the Iraq war has won him a significant following on the internet and campaign pledges of millions of dollars. |
| Sen McCain accused Mr Paul of promoting the "kind of isolationism... [that] caused World War II". | Sen McCain accused Mr Paul of promoting the "kind of isolationism... [that] caused World War II". |
| Mr Paul hit back, asking: "The real question you have to ask is why do I get the most [campaign] money from active-duty officers and military personnel?" | Mr Paul hit back, asking: "The real question you have to ask is why do I get the most [campaign] money from active-duty officers and military personnel?" |
| Race to the right | Race to the right |
| For several candidates an evident concern was to burnish their right-wing credentials. | For several candidates an evident concern was to burnish their right-wing credentials. |
| Fred Thompson used video clips of two rivals to question their right-wing leanings, while Mr Romney conceded he had been "wrong" when he previously held a pro-choice stance on abortion. | Fred Thompson used video clips of two rivals to question their right-wing leanings, while Mr Romney conceded he had been "wrong" when he previously held a pro-choice stance on abortion. |
| The BBC's Jane Little, who watched the debate, says the main laugh of the night was won by Mike Huckabee, former Baptist minister and governor of Arkansas. | The BBC's Jane Little, who watched the debate, says the main laugh of the night was won by Mike Huckabee, former Baptist minister and governor of Arkansas. |
| He side-stepped a question on the death penalty - "What would Jesus do?" - by replying: "Jesus was too smart to run for public office". | He side-stepped a question on the death penalty - "What would Jesus do?" - by replying: "Jesus was too smart to run for public office". |