Presidential Debate

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Competing in New Hampshire, the top four Democrats were trying to set themselves apart.

During a debate in Manchester sponsored by ABC, Hillary Rodham Clinton accused campaign front-runner Barack Obama of changing his positions on health care and "a number of issues."

"You said you would vote against the Patriot Act. You came to Senate, you voted for it. You said you would vote against the Iraq war, you came to the Senate and voted for" funding, Cliton said.

"I think we should get into examining everybody's record," she said.

But Obama said he has been "entirely consistent" and that he and Clinton have a "philosophical disagreement."

"I didn't hear these kind of attacks from Sen. Clinton when she was ahead," he said. "Now that she's not we hear them."

Clinton, who finished third in Iowa, immediately made clear she intended to run a more aggressive campaign in New Hampshire when she said Obama's record requires more scrutiny. Former Senator John
Edwards described Clinton as a defender of the status quo.

Meanwhile, Republicans also squared off in a 90-minute debate held before Democrats took the stage.

Senator John McCain said he alone among
Republican presidential contenders criticized President Bush's initial policy in the war on Iraq.

But McCain and all but one of the other participants said they now support the administration's overall war on terror. Texas Republican Congressman Ron Paul is running an anti-war platform.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney also went after opponents aggressively, clashing with Mike Huckabee on foreign policy and with McCain on immigration.

"It's not amnesty," McCain shot back after Romney criticized his plan for overhauling the immigration system. "My friend, you can spend your whole fortune on these attack ads, but it still won't be true."

Earlier, Romney criticized Huckabee for having written that the Bush administration was guilty of an "arrogant bunker mentality" on foreign policy.

"Did you read the article before you commented on it," asked Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor.

"I read the article, the whole article," retorted Romney.

The event was part of a rare debate doubleheader, Republicans first, Democrats second, in the same hall at Saint Anselm College. Intermission brought White House hopefuls from both parties onto the stage at the same time, an unusual occurrence that left McCain chatting with Democratic hopeful Clinton.

A poll three days ahead of the New Hampshire
primary showed movement in both parties.

On the Democratic side, Obama was even with Clinton at 33 percent. John Edwards is next at 20 percent followed by Bill Richardson at 4 percent.

The CNN/WMUR-TV poll released just ahead of Saturday night's debates had McCain topping Romney by 6 percent, followed by Rudy Giuliani and Huckabee.