Straw polls bolster Hunter's confidence

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) hopes to emerge as the authentic conservative in the GOP presidential field by presenting himself as strong on national security and focusing on two issues his fellow candidates spend little time talking about: cracking down on China for devaluing its currency and building a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico.

"What we're going to do is carry this message: strong national defense, enforceable borders and a two-way street on trade," Hunter said in an interview with The Politico.

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Excerpts from Hunter interview

California Rep. Duncan Hunter was interviewed this week by Politico reporters as part of a series of sessions with the 10 candidates who are taking part in the first GOP presidential debate on Thursday. Some excerpts:

WHY HE'S RUNNING

I want to lead this nation and serve the American people and help to lead in a new era of security and economic growth. And I think that the next five to 10 years of our nation's history will be years where the focus will be on national security -- with Iran walking down the path to develop nuclear weapons, with North Korea already having some … and with the emergence of communist China as a new military superpower, stepping in the shoes of the Soviet Union.

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Edwards: Democrats 'stand firm' on Iraq

WASHINGTON, May 6 (UPI) -- Former senator and Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards said Democrats should not negotiate with President George W. Bush on an Iraq funding bill.

The North Carolina Democrat and 2004 vice presidential candidate said Democrats should not back down and, in a television commercial that began airing last week, urged Congress to keep sending the same bill to the White House

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McCain Derides Idea Of Repealing War Support

RENO, Nev., May 5 -- Republican Sen. John McCain criticized Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's move to repeal congressional authorization for the Iraq war, saying it's "the worst possible idea that anybody could have."

Speaking to reporters after a town-hall meeting Saturday in Reno, McCain (Ariz.) said the new war strategy announced by President Bush in January is beginning to show "some success" and should be given a chance to succeed.

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Romney Reaches to the Christian Right

VIRGINIA BEACH, May 5 -- Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) did not discuss his Mormon faith as he continued his outreach Saturday to conservative Christians in a graduation speech at Regent University, the school founded by televangelist Pat Robertson.

Instead, Romney, who is intensely courting this key segment of the Republican base in hopes of winning the party's 2008 presidential nomination, expounded on conservative themes such as the importance of child-rearing and marriage and the presence of evil in the world.

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Can Giuliani overcome abortion stand?

WASHINGTON - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani may be able to overcome his support for abortion rights with primary voters who oppose abortion, GOP lawmakers said Sunday.

"I think it's an uphill fight on that issue," House Minority Leader John Boehner , R-Ohio, said. "But I think a lot of Republican voters see Rudy Giuliani as competent and able to do the job."

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Clinton won't set early fund restriction

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa - Presidential candidates won't be damaged by initially backing the war in Iraq because President is being held responsible for what went wrong, Sen. Hillary Rodham said Sunday.

She declined to say what restrictions should be included in new stopgap legislation to pay for the troops, but made clear she supports providing the money needed.

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