BUSH, CHALLENGERS MIX IT UP AT FORUM.

Byline: Frank Bruni The New York Times

In the most spirited Republican debate so far, Gov. George W. Bush of Texas and Sen. John McCain of Arizona sparred over McCain's advocacy for overhauling the nation's campaign finance laws, with Bush declining McCain's offer that the two take a joint pledge against accepting largely unregulated corporate contributions called soft money.

McCain, who has emerged as the most potent challenger to Bush for the Republican presidential nomination, told Bush that special interests are stealing the federal government and ``you and I can stop that tonight.''

``We can commit, as nominees of the party, that we'll have nothing to do with soft money,'' McCain said.

Bush answered that such a repudiation of soft money would amount to ``unilateral disarmament,'' giving an advantage to Democrats who benefit from donations from labor unions.

``Our Republican Party and conservative values don't have a chance'' without soft money, Bush said.

The exchange underscored McCain's efforts to portray himself as an insurgent outsider and Bush as the candidate anointed by the Establishment, and it was one of many instances Monday night when Bush's challengers sought to put him on the defensive or pin him down in an uncomfortable way.

Gary Bauer, a religious conservative, also invited Bush to take a vow: to promise that if he became the Republican nominee, he would choose a running mate opposed to legal abortion. Bush did not do so, saying it would be presumptuous for someone who has not yet won the nomination to be choosing a vice presidential candidate. Instead, he said, voters could rest assured that he would choose a vice presidential candidate qualified to become president if necessary.

Bush, whose lackluster performances in previous debates came under intense scrutiny and criticism, was more assertive and aggressive this time around, his voice more forceful and his bearing more confident.

In fact, many of the candidates shed some of the tact and restraint that had characterized two forums earlier this month. The dialogue sometimes became pungent and occasionally hilarious as the subjects ranged far and wide, from gun control and health care to the vanishing of the family farm and America's trading relationship with China.

Bauer and Bush in particular quarreled over Bush's support of China's entry into the World Trade Organization.

``I will stop allowing China to play us for suckers,'' Bauer said. ``They dump their goods here, and Iowa farmers are selling less to China now than they did 10 years ago.''

Bush said the best way to change that is to make trade with China even freer. A place in the trade organization would make China more amenable to fair trade agreements, he said.

``Opening up Chinese markets is good for Iowa farmers, yes, sir,'' Bush said.

``They haven't kept their agreements for 20 years,'' Bauer said.

The candidates began mixing it up when McCain was asked about his push to reduce pork-barrel spending and, unprompted, brought up his opposition to federal subsidies for ethanol, a corn-based fuel.

Support for ethanol subsidies is a litmus test for candidates in Iowa, but McCain, apparently seeking to bolster his case that he is willing to oppose special interests, flatly said he would cut the program.

``I'm here to tell you the things you don't want to hear as well as what you do want to hear,'' McCain said. ``And everybody here on this stage, if it wasn't for the fact that Iowa is the first caucus state, would share my view that we don't need ethanol subsidies.''

In one of the first freewheeling moments in the series of Republican debates, the other candidates jumped on McCain's statements and, to cheers from the audience in the studio, pledged their backing for ethanol.

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo: (color) Texas Gov. George W. Bush, left, and Sen. John McCain of Arizona talk after a forum Monday for GOP presidential hopefuls.

Eric Draper/Associated Press