Analysis: Thompson Sticks to the Script

Republican presidential hopeful former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., speaks during the GOP Presidential candidates debate at Ford Community and Performing Arts Center Tuesday, Oct. 9, 2007, in Dearborn, Mich. (AP Photo/Carlos Osorio) (Carlos Osorio - AP)

DEARBORN, Mich. -- Fred Thompson remembered his lines in his first stage performance.

The newcomer to the Republican presidential field neither stood out nor fouled up Tuesday in his inaugural debate of the 2008 White House race. He held his own but hardly came off as the Ronald Reagan-like savior of the GOP that backers have built him up to be.

Squabbling between GOP rivals Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani over taxes and spending took some of the focus _ and heat _ off Thompson while overshadowing John McCain and the other five Republicans on stage. Thompson was literally stuck between Romney and Giuliani as they sparred.

"I've enjoyed watching these fellas. I gotta admit it was getting a little boring without me, but I'm glad to be here now," the former Tennessee senator said _ and by the end of the two hours, once he got comfortable, it showed.

Overall, the sixth major debate of the GOP nomination fight didn't change the wide-open nature of the race.

It's still dominated by the four strongest contenders _ Giuliani, Romney, Thompson and McCain _ while a fifth, Mike Huckabee, underscored the widely held notion that he is the underdog most likely to break out of the pack. Three months before voting begins, the front-runner mantel is up for grabs.

The debate, held in a manufacturing and automotive state suffering the highest unemployment rate in the country, was heavy on economic issues.

In the most heated exchange, Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and Giuliani, the ex-mayor of New York, squared off over tax cuts and spending restraint. Each claimed greater commitment than the other in an argument that reflected a quickening pace as the 2008 caucuses and primaries drew closer. Giuliani leads in national polls, but Romney has an edge in the leadoff caucus state of Iowa.

"I cut taxes 23 times. I believe in tax cuts," Giuliani said.

Initially, Romney conceded that, but quickly criticized his rival for once filing a court challenge to a law that gave President Clinton the right to veto spending items line by line. "I'm in favor of the line-item veto," he said, adding he exercised it 844 times while governor of Massachusetts.

Giuliani said spending fell in New York while he was mayor, and rose in Massachusetts while Romney was governor. "I led, he lagged," Giuliani said.

"It's baloney," retorted Romney. "I did not increase taxes in Massachusetts. I lowered taxes."

That spat left Thompson and the other contenders as bystanders for several minutes.

The debate was an important test of Thompson's maturity as a candidate and he was looking to counter the perception that he's unprepared to be president.

"I don't think his performance was especially bad, but it wasn't especially great either," said Costas Panagopoulos, a political science professor at Fordham University. "He certainly didn't make the kind of impression that set him apart from any of the other candidates. He did very little to change the dynamics of the race."

Over the past month, Thompson has struggled to answer questions on a range of topics, from the Terri Schiavo right-to-life case to oil drilling in the Florida Everglades.

No gaffes surfaced in the debate. He did, however, low-ball the Democratic-controlled Congress' job approval rating at 11 percent. A recent Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed it at 22 percent.

And while Thompson pointed out that he belonged to the Screen Actors Guild, he missed the opportunity to say that Reagan was in the same union. In fact, Reagan served as SAG president from 1947-1952 and 1959-1960.

Thompson managed to avoid a potential trouble spot when MSNBC moderator Chris Matthews asked him to name the prime minister of Canada. "Harper," Thompson said confidently. "Prime Minister (Stephen) Harper."

A late entry to the race, Thompson also good-naturedly handled the ribbing he took for waiting until now to participate in debates.

"This is a lot like 'Law & Order,' senator. It has a huge cast, the series seems to go on forever, and Fred Thompson shows up at the end," Romney quipped to laughter.

Thompson nodded and smiled _ then shot back slyly: "Not bad, not bad. And to think I thought I was going to be the best actor on the stage."

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EDITOR'S NOTE _ Liz Sidoti covers presidential politics for The Associated Press.