Candidates Spar at Economic Debate

Presidential candidate Fred Thompson's debate debut was overshadowed yesterday by leading candidates Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney. Held in Dearborn, Michigan, the debate was dedicated solely to discussing economic issues-- including taxes and spending.

Governor Romney and Mayor Giuliani criticized each other's records while in office on the issue of tax cuts, claiming that the other's statistics were distorted. The biggest clash came on the issue of the presidential line-item veto, which was found unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in the 1990s. The line-item veto, which Mr. Romney favors, would allow a president to veto only a portion of a spending bill, while approving the remaining facets of the bill. Mayor Giuliani is adamantly against the use of the line-item veto and cited the Supreme Court's rejection of it during the debate.

Though the line-item veto could be useful in cutting prok barrel spending, SCOTUS has already ruled on the matter. To re-examine the issue, and go back on their ruling, could potentially give any president too much power.

Now that we've seen Thompson in a public forum debate his rival GOP candidates, does he have staying power?

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