Candidates' fault lines on issues emerge

Democrats and Republicans also sharply disagree on whether gays and lesbians should be allowed to serve openly in the military. Last week all eight Democrats favored revoking the current "don't ask, don't tell" approach. Clinton, whose husband installed the policy, quoted the late Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona: "You don't have to be straight to shoot straight." The 10 Republicans who took the stage Tuesday were unanimously opposed.

Another fault line has emerged over making English the nation's official language. Apart from former Sen. Mike Gravel of Alaska, all the Democrats on stage were opposed.

"The issue is not whether or not future generations of immigrants are going to learn English," Obama said. "The question is: How can we come up with both a legal, sensible immigration policy? And when we get distracted by those kinds of questions, I think we do a disservice to the American people."

Among Republicans, Sen. John McCain of Arizona was the only candidate to share those reservations. "I think it's fine," he said of establishing English as the official language. But he noted that the government has treaties with the Navajo tribe "where we respect their sovereignty and they use their native language in their deliberations. It's not a big deal."

As those comments suggest, there are a few issues that don't fall neatly along partisan lines. Clinton, Obama and Edwards would close the U.S. detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a stance shared by McCain.

But Romney flatly rejects the notion: "My view is we ought to double Guantanamo," he said at last month's GOP debate in South Carolina.

The biggest issue facing the candidates, Iraq, is also the least predictable. Democrats are opposed to the war, offering different exit plans. Leading Republicans call Iraq a vital front in the fight against terrorism.

No one knows what the conditions will be a few months from now, much less in November 2008, and no issue will probably do more to shape the political environment.

"If we're still in Iraq, it's going to be a real problem for the Republicans," pollster Kohut said. "If we pull out and the place is falling apart worse than it is now, that may take some of the Democrats' advantage away."

mark.barabak@latimes.com

michael.finnegan@latimes.com

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Where the top contenders stand

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HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON