MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) -- Publisher Steve Forbes today raised anew questions about George W. Bush's youth after the Texas governor zinged him in a debate Thursday night about a 1977 article the publisher wrote about Social Security.
"At least you knew what I was doing in my youth," Forbes told reporters. "I was writing magazine columns. Others haven't been forthcoming about what they were doing."During the debate among the six GOP presidential contenders, Forbes criticized Bush for considering raising the Social Security retirement age. Bush, in a rare slam against one of his opponents, countered by reading a 22-year-old quote from a Forbes magazine in which the now-publisher suggested the same thing.
Bush, who was 31 years old and working in an entry-level oil industry job in 1977, has refused to directly answer questions about whether he has used illegal drugs, except to say he has not since 1974. He has said, however, that, "I did some irresponsible things when I was young and irresponsible."
This morning, Forbes mocked Bush's answer and suggested he should be more forthcoming. "Some candidates haven't been willing to answer certain questions about what they were doing," he said.
During the debate, the Republicans haggled over taxes, abortion, Social Security and their qualifications for the White House in a contentious debate with Bush on the defensive.
Bush, avoiding any major gaffes in his first face-to-face meeting with his pursuers, stressed his record as a two-term Texas governor. "I know how to lead," he said.
It was the first of three debates this month, perhaps the best chance for the field to chip away at Bush's lead. Arizona Sen. John McCain has closed the gap in some polls in this first-in-the-nation primary state, but trails far behind Bush in other states.
McCain questioned Bush's $483 billion tax-cut plan, but otherwise avoided the criticism leveled at Bush throughout the 90-minute forum. The Vietnam War hero courted voters with witty one-liners and a pledge to clean up the nation's political system.
"I am prepared to be the president of the United States," he said.
Interviewed today on ABC's "Good Morning America," McCain said of Bush: "I think he did a fine job" but ruled out a Bush-McCain ticket. "Under no circumstance would I want to be vice president of the United States," McCain said.
The GOP presidential field -- Bush, McCain, Forbes, Sen. Orrin Hatch, Gary Bauer and Alan Keyes, stood behind identical lecterns in the WMUR television studio here. The Granite State casts the first ballots of the presidential primary season on Feb. 1, and the forum, televised nationally by Fox News, marked a quickening of the campaign.
Under the evening's format, two reporters questioned the candidates. The subjects ranged from Social Security, abortion and foreign policy to a question to Bush about Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein and his weapons stockpile.
Bush said he would "take out the weapons of mass destruction."
Less than a minute into the debate, Bauer challenged Bush to join him in pledging that his vice presidential candidate "will be pro-life. Mine will be. I hope tonight that Governor Bush will clarify and finally agree ... that his will be," the former White House aide said.
Keyes, Forbes, Bauer and Hatch criticized the tax-cut plan Bush announced this week, but Bush had a ready rejoinder. "Well, for some it's not enough. And for some my tax cut is too big. Which leads me to believe I may be doing something just right," he said.
Forbes accused Bush of ducking three previous debates. "I'm glad everyone is here, including Governor Bush, who is no longer AWOL," he said. Bush hadn't planned to debate until next year, but his campaign reversed course after McCain began to chew up his lead in the polls in New Hampshire.
Several of the contenders and their aides trooped to a room full of reporters after the debate to offer their own post-mortems. The Forbes campaign used the opportunity to brandish an editorial endorsement published today in The Union Leader, a conservative newspaper that has figured prominently in previous campaigns.
The paper, while conceding that he is "not charismatic," said Forbes is "one tough customer, who can be the strong, principled leader America needs."