REPUBLICAN presidential hopeful Fred Thompson has cast aside his southern gentleman demeanour with an attack-dog performance in a South Carolina TV debate, accusing rival Mike Huckabee of being soft on illegal immigration and of promoting a "blame America" foreign policy. In a calculated attempt to deal himself back into the presidential race by showing more toughness, the former Tennessee senator-turned Hollywood actor also accused Mr Huckabee of being a liberal on economic issues and an opponent of the individual and states' rights espoused by former president Ronald Reagan. The tirade from the once "sleeping bear" of the Republican race came...