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Alan Khazei answers a question during a debate as Attorney General Martha Coakley looks on in Boston, Tuesday.

BOSTON - Democrat Alan Khazei on Tuesday turned an environmental forum into platform to criticize two leading U.S. Senate rivals for their connections to lobbyists and other special interests, but he quickly staged a pragmatic retreat himself.

The City Year co-founder vowed at early afternoon to never meet with a lobbyist - even one from the Sierra Club - if he is elected to replace the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy.

Yet late in the day, he issued a statement saying he made a mistake: while he would meet with lobbyists, he would never accept a campaign contribution from them.

"The issue for me is not the meetings as much as, are you taking their money? And then, who will you ultimately be accountable to, the lobbyists or the citizens of Massachusetts?" Khazei said.

The reversal underscored the difficulty of living up to such a lofty code of professional conduct, the point that had been made during the forum by rivals Martha Coakley and Michael Capuano. They both accept campaign donations from lobbyists and political action committees but note they are legal and disclosed along federal guidelines.

Khazei targeted Coakley in his answer to one question, turning to the front-runner - as she sat beside him - and asking whether she would side with oil companies or the public on the climate change bill now being debated in Congress.

"As attorney general, I've always disclosed where my money comes from, and I've always made my decisions based on the merits of the issues," she said.

Later, after Khazei persisted, Capuano swung to Coakley's defense. The six-term congressman, who casts himself as the political pragmatist in the race, asked whether Khazei's ban would include a meeting with the Sierra Club's lobbyist.

"Yes," Khazei said.

"Fair enough," replied a smiling Capuano.

At another point in the debate, Khazei said he would vote for the climate change bill, even if it included subsidies for the nuclear power and offshore oil industries.

"If Sen. (John) Kerry and Sen. (Harry) Reid and President (Barack) Obama say, #This is the best we can do,' I will vote for it," Khazei said.

When Coakley and Capuano said they opposed the subsidies but would have to see the contents of the final bill, Khazei lashed out at Coakley.

"But people have to decide how they're going to vote for us now," he said.

Capuano jumped in and said, "So, You're telling me you'd vote for any bill - any bill - that the president tells you to vote for, doesn't matter what it is?"

Khazei replied, "I have free will, but we need to get climate change done."

The fourth Democrat seeking the nomination, Boston Celtics co-owner Stephen Pagliuca, said he would not vote for the bill with those two subsidies in it.

Two Republicans also are seeking the seat: state Sen. Scott Brown of Wrentham and Duxbury attorney Jack E. Robinson.

The party primaries are Dec. 8. The special election is Jan. 19.

Kennedy died Aug. 25 of brain cancer.