It was a kinder, gentler GOP debate Thursday night.

Unlike prior gatherings, in which John McCain and Mike Huckabee attacked Mitt Romney like a tag-team and Romney slapped back at them, the five major Republican candidates for president largely avoided disparaging each other during a debate in Boca Raton, Fla.

Compared to the personal and political attacks during Monday night's Democratic debate, this felt like an afternoon of tea with the queen.

The candidates largely agreed that the economic stimulus plan agreed to by Congressional leaders and President Bush Thursday is a good thing but each _ with the exception of Rep. Ron Paul -- said it did not go far enough.

Romney, the former Massachusetts governor, and McCain, the Arizona senator, took soft jabs at each other over their respective record on taxes but passed on opportunities to throw large rhetorical punches.

And former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who now find themselves far behind Romney and McCain in most polls, effectively gushed over the front-runners.

McCain returned the favor, defending Giuliani after NBC's Brian Williams read unflattering passages from a New York Times editorial about the former mayor.

"I happen to know Rudy Giuliani," McCain said. "I happen to know he's an American hero. I'm proud of the way he led this country and united it after 9/11."

Asked by Tim Russert if Romney can be trusted to not raise taxes, given his record of raising fees as governor, Huckabee deferred.

"It's more, do the voters trust him," Huckabee said. "And do they trust me?"

Giuliani, during a discussion of making permanent the 2001 Bush tax cuts, praised McCain for his promises to do exactly that.

During a session in which the candidates were instructed to direct questions to each other, they tossed one softball after another.

Romney asked Giuliani how he would protect the nation from competition from China. McCain asked Huckabee about his "fair tax" proposal and "how do you account for the resonance this proposal has gotten throughout the nation?"

Even Paul, the cantankerous Texan who has thrown wrenches in past GOP debates with his virulent anti-war views, asked McCain a question about one of President Bush's economic working groups.

Huckabee distanced himself from a suggestion by tough-guy actor Chuck Norris, his most prominent supporter, that McCain is too old to be president. McCain responded that he'll send Sylvester Stallone, who earned fame in the "Rocky" films, to go after Norris.

And Giuliani, answering a question from Brian Williams about his tanking poll numbers and back-of-the-pack finishes in early states, said he plans to have a similar fate as the New York Giants football team, which advanced to the Super Bowl winning three straight games as the underdog.

Giuliani added that "when Mitt asked me a question, notice he asked me a very nice question. We're going to come from behind, we're going to win here in Florida."

The debate presented an opportunity for Romney and McCain to separate themselves from the GOP field and each other Thursday.

The debate represented the last stand for Giuliani, who trails McCain and Romney badly in Florida in four separate polls conducted this week.

Giuliani, having been lapped by his competitors in early-voting states, has staked campaign on winning Tuesday's primary in Florida, the first big state to vote in the presidential campaign and the last GOP election before Feb. 5, when 20 states will vote.

After abandoning a string of earlier states, Giuliani has spent two weeks campaigning in Florida, a state that amounts to a virtual must-win territory for him.

Also included in the debate was Paul, who to date has won more delegates than Giuliani.

Huckabee, who won Iowa's caucuses Jan. 3, placed second to McCain in South Carolina but has only campaigned sporadically in Florida. His campaign schedule Thursday consisted of the debate and a five-mile run in Fort Lauderdale.

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