DES MOINES — Texas Gov. George W. Bush may not be the only presidential candidate unable to name world leaders.

The GOP front-runner failed a pop-quiz concerning world leaders administered by a Boston reporter Friday, and Gary Bauer, Republican presidential candidate, said the test was unfair and that the interviewer “missed the point.”

Bauer was addressing a group of about 70 members of the Federation of College Republicans in Des Moines Saturday, and when asked similar questions about foreign leaders, Bauer said he didn’t know either.

“But I can tell you what our foreign policy should look like,” Bauer said. “Ronald Reagan could not have answered any of those questions.”

Steve Forbes also addressed Bush’s blunder at his campaign fund-raiser in Des Moines Saturday night.

“I’m afraid if he was asked who was going to be president in January of 2001, he’d flunk that ,too,” Forbes said to the crowd of about 500.

Bauer and Forbes both took stabs at other opponents throughout their speeches.

Bauer mentioned the fact that both Forbes and Bush have millions of dollars to spend on campaigning. Forbes is the multi-millionaire owner of Forbes magazine, and Bush has set fund-raising records in his presidential campaign, raising more than $30 million.

“I think they feel money is a substitute,” he said. “I don’t think the election is for sale.”

Forbes, who also ran for president in the 1996 election, said Washington politicians believe the “whole world revolves around them.”

Both candidates addressed similar ideas, including the theme of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and a pro-life stance on abortion.

However, Forbes and Bauer have different ideas on Social Security.

Forbes said his idea is to have people invest in their own Social Security accounts rather than the current system where today’s workers pay for today’s retirees. Forbes said his system would allow “freedom for young people to choose where Social Security money is invested.”

Bauer said this policy would mean young people would be funding their own retirement as well as that of current retirees.

“For nearly a generation, you’re going to get hit twice,” he said.

Forbes and Bauer have continued to campaign vigorously despite recent campaign drop-outs from former Red Cross President Elizabeth Dole, former U.S. Vice President Dan Quayle and former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander.

Now the race for the Republican nomination is down to Bauer, Forbes, Arizona Sen. John McCain, Alan Keyes, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch and Bush.

Both Forbes and Bauer have agreed to participate in the debates to be held in Des Moines on Dec. 13. Despite a Jan. 15 caucus date set by Louisiana, Forbes said he considers Iowa to be the first-in-the-nation caucus.

“On Jan. 24, the eyes of the nation will be on Iowa,” he said.