OLUMBIA, S.C. - Texas Governor George W. Bush repeatedly went on the attack last night against his chief rival in this vital primary state, accusing Arizona Senator John McCain of supporting big government and a Democratic version of campaign finance overhaul.
McCain, a POW in Vietnam who has said he would quit the race if he loses in this state with its large population of veterans, responded during a nationally televised Republican presidential debate by ridiculing Bush's support for the way political parties accept unregulated ''soft money.''
''I've always felt what is best for the country is best for the party,'' McCain said, turning to Bush before an audience of 3,000 Republicans attending the debate, which was held in conjunction with the state GOP's Silver Elephant fund-raising dinner. ''You are defending an illegal system.''
Bush, eager to deliver a knockout blow to the Arizonan here, came prepared with an attack against McCain on the party's core issue: tax cuts. Bush said that under his plan, a couple earning $42,000 per year would get an $1,852 tax break. He said they would get only a $200 reduction under McCain's plan.
''Under my idea,'' the budget surplus ''goes into people's pockets,'' Bush said.
But McCain disagreed, saying, ''It's fiscally irresponsible to promise a huge tax cut that is based on a surplus that we might not have.''
For the second straight night, Bush and McCain dominated the debate of the six GOP candidates. But unlike in New Hampshire, where McCain is statistically tied with Bush in some polls, the Texas governor has been far ahead here. The four other candidates - publisher Steve Forbes, former Reagan aide Gary Bauer, talk show host Alan Keyes, and Utah Senator Orrin Hatch - also threw their share of barbs, but mostly at Democrats.
McCain, viewing South Carolina as an early must-win state, has tailored his pitch to the state's many veterans, Northerners who settled here, and native Southerners who will determine the outcome. He talked about his best-selling book, ''Faith of My Fathers,'' which recounts his POW experience, and joked about how he volunteered for duty aboard an aircraft carrier.
When Bush, in perhaps the most unexpected moment of the evening, was asked to describe the biggest mistake of his adult life, he turned it into a joke.
''I was managing general partner of the mighty Texas Rangers. I signed off on that wonderful transaction: Sammy Sosa for Harold Baines,'' Bush said, referring to the team's trade of the future superstar home-run hitter for a veteran designated hitter.
McCain, in contrast, said his biggest mistake was his participation in the ''Keating Five'' scandal in which he met with regulators on behalf of a contributor.
That general issue of intervening with regulators continued to dog McCain. Debate moderator Brian Williams, the MSNBC-TV anchor, asked McCain about a report that he wrote a letter on behalf of phone company Ameritech, which wanted government permission to merge with the SBC phone company.
Earlier this week, The Globe reported that McCain wrote to the Federal Communications Commission seeking a prompt decision on a television license that was sought by a campaign contributor who also allowed the McCain campaign to use a corporate jet. In both cases, McCain said he was only asking a government agency to take action and did not request a specific action.
''Whenever a constituent of mine or a citizen ... can't get an answer,'' McCain said, ''I believe that people like me should weigh in.''
After the debate, McCain said he plans today to release all letters he has written to government agencies on similar matters.
South Carolina is arguably the most important primary after New Hampshire, which votes on Feb. 1. The Republican primary is held here Feb. 19, providing an 18-day focus on South Carolina, with only some distraction for the Delaware vote on the same day.
Last night's debate was far different from the one held Thursday in Durham, N.H. The partisan crowd here stomped and hollered and booed at various questions, applauded their favorites and hooted others. Some questions were posed by members of the audience, and others were delivered via e-mail.
In one of the liveliest parts of the evening, Bush declined to be drawn into a question of whether he is personally offended by the Confederate flag that flies above the statehouse here.
''You are trying to get me to express the will of the people of South Carolina,'' Bush said, refusing to reveal his personal view. ''I believe the people of South Carolina can figure out what to do with this flag issue. I don't believe it's the role of someone from outside South Carolina to come into this state and tell them what to do with their flag.''
Williams persisted, asking, ''As an American citizen, do you have a visceral reaction to seeing the Confederate flag?''
As the sound of hundreds of booing Republicans filled the room, Bush turned to Williams and said, ''Sorry. As an American, I trust the decision to the people of South Carolina,'' Bush said.
The debate also included these highlights:
Bush, pressed by Bauer about whether he would try to regain US control of the Panama Canal, said he would ''liberate'' it if he was convinced Panama was not allowing commerce to pass through. But Bush remained vague on such a possibility, saying, ''We'll see.''
McCain, asked by Keyes whether he would reinstitute the ban on gays in the military, said: ''I will not, Alan.'' McCain said the current ''don't ask, don't tell'' policy is a good one, but he called it ''disgraceful'' that Democratic candidates Al Gore and Bill Bradley said Wednesday they want a chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff who backs having gays serve openly in the armed forces.
''We should as Americans reject such a thing because of the harmful effects it will have on the military of the United States of America,'' McCain said.
Bauer, asked what he would do if his daughter was raped and sought an abortion, responded: ''I would explain she couldn't make right the terrible thing that happened to her by taking the life of an unborn child.''
The Republican candidates, who gave varied responses about the value of affirmative action, generally agreed that anything resembling racial quotas should not be allowed.
Forbes called on Gore to fire his campaign manager, Donna Brazile, who said in an interview Wednesday, ''The Republicans bring out Colin Powell and J.C. Watts because they have no program, no policy. ... They'd rather take pictures with black children than feed them.''
Forbes said Brazile's comments were ''very racist.'' Gore yesterday said he called Powell to express his respect for the former Joint Chiefs chairman, and said Brazile will continue as campaign manager.
