By TIMOTHY J. BURGER DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU

WASHINGTON - Republicans blasted Sen. Hillary Clinton yesterday for suggesting President Bush wants regime change in Iraq to settle his father's old score with Saddam Hussein.

White House spokesman Ken Lisaius said simply that Bush is targeting the Iraqi dictator only because of "the threat posed by weapons of mass destruction in the possession of Saddam Hussein. ... The President has been amazingly clear with the American people and the world."

The Republican National Committee, however, had much harsher words for New York's junior senator.

Voting to use force

"A cheap, political potshot," RNC spokesman Kevin Sheridan said.

"Unless she's impugning her own vote [authorizing Bush to use military force if necessary], that argument doesn't hold water," Sheridan said. "He's settling a score for the American people to rid the world of terrorism wherever it rears its head."

The White House and the GOP were responding to comments that Clinton (D-N.Y.) made on MSNBC's "Hardball" Wednesday night.

"It is clear that a lot of people in this administration have some old scores to settle," Clinton said.

She appeared to be referring to the 1991 Gulf War in which President George Bush evicted Saddam from Kuwait but left him standing. Saddam later tried to assassinate the former President when Bush visited Kuwait.

"There are old scores to settle, Mrs. Clinton - about a million people who have died at the hands of the Butcher of Baghdad," said Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.).

"This isn't a back-alley fight between two kids. This is for real, and there isn't time for a listening tour to make up your mind on where to stand," Foley said in a jab at Clinton for her pre-campaign exploratory travels throughout New York State.

Clinton, who voted to authorize the use of force against Saddam, agreed repeatedly with Bush on the threat that Saddam poses but said he appears too eager for military action.

"Carrying a big stick is one thing, but to talk all the time like you are inviting war, that you're anxious to go to war, I think does a great disservice to our nation, and I just don't agree with that approach," she said.

Last night, Clinton spokeswoman Philippe Reines said, "Sen. Clinton gave a full and a reasoned analysis of why she supports the administration on the war, and it is unfortunate that the RNC is treating it as a political issue."

-- Anonymous, November 22, 2002