Bush mentioned only once during debate

May 4, 2007
Bush mentioned only once during debate

SIMI VALLEY – The 10 Republican presidential candidates eagerly embraced the legacy of Ronald Reagan yesterday while barely acknowledging the current occupant of the White House.

In fact, President Bush's name was mentioned only once by one candidate during a 90-minute, nationally televised debate at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

The debate marked the first time the Republican White House hopefuls appeared together, and there was broad agreement about continuing the present policy in Iraq for now. But some of the candidates offered pointed criticism about how the war has been waged.