An October 10 Washington Post article by staff writers Michael D. Shear and Dan Balz about the October 9 Republican presidential debate reported that former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani “accused” Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) of “being weak because she did not answer a question at a Democratic debate about the use of military action to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear capability.” The article then quoted Giuliani saying, “Well, you've got to answer the question. The answer is: Yes, we would. Iran is a greater danger than Iraq.” In fact, when asked by moderator Tim Russert during the September 26 Democratic presidential debate whether she would “make a promise as a potential commander in chief that you will not allow Iran to become a nuclear power and will use any means to stop it,” Clinton said: “Well, what I have said is that I will do everything I can to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.”

During the October 9 Republican debate, Giuliani said: “At the last Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton was asked by Tim Russert whether she agreed with my position on Iran.” He continued: “But on Iran -- on Iran, what she said was, she was asked would you take a strong position that Iran will not be allowed to become nuclear and that we would use a military option, if we had to. And she didn't answer the question.” But during the September 26 Democratic debate, Russert quoted Giuliani discussing Iran and then asked Clinton if she would “use any means to stop” Iran from becoming a nuclear power. Clinton answered that she would “do everything I can to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power.”

From the October 9 debate:

GIULIANI: Now, you asked me about Hillary Clinton. At the last Democratic debate, Hillary Clinton was asked by Tim Russert whether she agreed with my position on Iran. I like that form of debate, by the way. Any time you want to do it that way, ask her if she agrees with my other positions as well.

But on Iran -- on Iran, what she said was, she was asked would you take a strong position that Iran will not be allowed to become nuclear and that we would use a military option, if we had to. And she didn't answer the question.

Well, you've got to answer the question. The answer is: Yes, we would. Iran is a greater danger than Iraq. Iraq cannot be seen in a vacuum. And we have to be willing to use a military option to stop Iran from becoming nuclear.

If we're willing to do it, we have a much better chance of having sanctions for it.

CHRIS MATTHEWS (moderator): Thank you, Mayor.

From the September 26 debate:

RUSSERT: You will all be running against a Republican opponent, perhaps Rudy Giuliani. This is what he said.

“Iran is not going to be allowed to build a nuclear power. If they get to a point where they're going to become a nuclear power, we will prevent them, we will set them back eight to 10 years. That is not said as a threat. That should be said as a promise.”

Would you make a promise as a potential commander in chief that you will not allow Iran to become a nuclear power and will use any means to stop it?

CLINTON: Well, what I have said is that I will do everything I can to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear power, including the use of diplomacy, the use of economic sanctions, opening up direct talks. We haven't even tried. That's what is so discouraging about this.

So then you have the Republican candidates on the other side jumping to the kind of statements that you just read to us.

We need a concerted, comprehensive strategy to deal with Iran.

We haven't had it; we need it, and I will provide it.

From the October 10 Washington Post article:

Clinton (N.Y.), the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, became a frequent target throughout the debate, as the leading Republicans competed to demonstrate their readiness to challenge her in a general-election contest.

Giuliani accused Clinton of being weak because she did not answer a question at a Democratic debate about the use of military action to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear capability. “Well, you've got to answer the question. The answer is yes, we would. Iran is a greater danger than Iraq.”