MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) – Barack Obama has Oprah Winfrey lighting up his campaign, Mike Huckabee has Chuck Norris’ fists of fury backing him up. If little-known presidential hopeful Cornelius O’Connor had his pick of celebrity endorsements, he’d want down-on-her-luck pop princess Britney Spears stumping by his side.

“All Britney Spears has to do is drive her car down the street and she can take World War III off the front page. Britney Spears definitely,” he said.

O’Connor’s comment, made Thursday during a debate of lesser-known New Hampshire presidential primary candidates, was in the spirit of the lighthearted question about celebrity endorsements. But it also reflected the acknowledged reality of the these outsider candidates who have been running their long-shot campaigns far away from the spotlight.

Four Democrats, six Republicans and one Republican running for vice president met for the forum sponsored by the New Hampshire Political Library. Broadcast live to 35,000 local households, it was perhaps the biggest chance for these lesser-knowns to get in front of voters in the first primary state.

Compared to other states, it’s relatively cheap and easy to get on the ballot for the New Hampshire primary. Candidates must meet basic requirements to be president, fill out a one-page form and pay a $1,000 filing fee. This year 21 Republicans and 21 Democrats are on the primary ballot for president; two Democrats and one Republican are running for vice president.

Democrats, debating first, came dressed for the snowstorm raging outside. New Yorker Henry Hewes faced his opponents wearing a bulky beige sweater. Next to him, Caroline Killeen, blue oxford shirt tucked into black bibbed snowpants, said she’d pick Dennis Kucinich as vice president and adopt Huckabee’s Fair Tax plan for a national sales tax if elected.

Republicans, all in dark suits, more closely resembled their big-name counterparts, even if their views sometimes didn’t. Asked about taxes and spending, Albert Howard, a chauffeur from Ann Arbor, Mich., said in his first 100 days he would eliminate the IRS, income tax and all sales taxes, “and I would replace it with nothing,” he said.

“Government needs to become accountable, stop printing money like Doritos,” he said.

O’Connor, of Palm Beach Fla., made a statement placing him far off the usual Republican platform: “We need to raise the tax on wealthy Americans right through the ceiling.”

State Sen. Jack Barnes, a conservative Republican running for vice president, had the most far-reaching spending proposal of the night, declaring a $100 billion domestic spending package – $2 billion per state – to build roads, schools and eliminate hunger in America.

Panelists’ questions to candidates touched popular topics: immigration, education, taxes, the environment and judicial nominees. They also asked about favorite dead presidents and fantasy celebrity endorsements.

Asked about global warming, Hugh Cort, a pro-life psychiatrist from Alabama, Ala., expressed doubt that humans were to blame.

“That is simply the sun going through one of its more intense phases,” he said. “Mars has polar ice caps just like we do and their ice caps are shrinking just like ours have been shrinking, and guess what, there are no cars on Mars.”

James Creighton Mitchell, Jr., a Navy veteran from Lindenhurst, Ill., said he’d look to merit badges, not legal decisions, when it came to judicial nominees.

“I’d take a look at someone who was a Boy Scout,” said Creighton. His answer was interrupted by the rasping snores of an audience member – an aide to Cort who had fallen asleep on one of the studio’s folding chairs.

On immigration, Richard Caligiuri, a Pennsylvania Democrat supporting Republican Ron Paul, said the question of immigration reform should be put to the American people to decide. But he had a few thoughts on who should be allowed in.

“I don’t know who talked us into your tired your poor, your wretched … I say give us your rich your smart your good looking tall blonde women.”

Asked to name the dead president they most admired, most Republicans chose George Washington.

“He set the course for this country that we’re still sailing on and we’re grateful for that,” said H. Neal “Cap” Fendig, who said he sold his tour business in Georgia to run for president.

“I don’t think George Washington would agree with NAFTA, I don’t think George Washington would not (not) block the border,” said Daniel Gilbert, of Arden, N.C.

Howard agreed on Washington and added Abraham Lincoln to his list.

“Both men, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, were men of prayer. I’m attracted to the power of prayer,” he said. “I believe that if Abraham Lincoln or George Washington were looking back right now that they would say that 9/11 was an inside job.”

AP-ES-12-13-07 2137EST