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NEW YORK, NY October 23, 2006 —Questions about whether Hillary Clinton will run for President continued to dominate two debates this weekend between Clinton and her Republican challenger John Spencer. WNYC's Beth Fertig has more.

REPORTER: In both debates, Hillary Clinton continued to say that for now at least, she's running only for Senate. In yesterday's debate on WABC television, reporter Dave Evans gave the question about her presidential ambitions one more try.

CLINTON: I can't make a decision now, I have made no decision but if that concerns any voter they should factor that in. REPORTER: Are you saying don't vote for you if that's a concern? CLINTON: No, I think they should vote for me.

REPORTER: When Clinton gave a similar answer during Friday's debate in Rochester, it was the verbal equivalent of waving a red flag in front of a bull. Republican John Spencer repeatedly said he was the only candidate interested in running for a full term to the U.S. Senate. But yesterday the former Yonkers mayor lightened his tone.

SPENCER: Senator Clinton would make a tremendous candidate for President of the United States. But not at the expense of New Yorkers.

REPORTER: It wasn't an endorsement by any means. Spencer went on to claim Clinton hadn't fulfilled her promise to bring more jobs to New York. But he was obviously taking a softer approach. When asked about a Time Magazine headline saying people either love Clinton or hate her, Spencer deplored the use of the word hate. Instead, the Vietnam veteran spent yesterday's debate disagreeing with Clinton's policies, especially on Iraq.

SPENCER: I didn't vote to go to war, I'm still trying to figure out senator Clinton's position she voted to go to war then she said the war is not going well, I don't like the war, and then she voted to withdraw the troops but she doesn't want a timetable.

REPORTER: But Clinton blamed President Bush for misleading Congress and the nation when asked if she regretted voting to authorize the war in Iraq.

CLINTON: So I regret the way the president used authority but I take responsibility for my vote, I wish the president would take responsibility for his actions.

REPORTER: The two candidates also clashed on abortion rights, tax cuts and foreign policy. Spencer claimed North Korea's nuclear proliferation began under the former Clinton administration while Senator Clinton blamed the Bush administration. And Spencer said securing the nation's borders should take priority over immigration reform, while Clinton called for swifter reforms to help states pay the cost of immigration and to legalize those in the shadows.