Iraq Dominates Dems' Presidential Debate

(CBS/AP)  Democratic presidential hopefuls flashed their anti-war credentials and heaped criticism on President Bush's Iraq policy in an early first debate of the 2008 campaign.

"The first day I would get us out of Iraq by diplomacy," said New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, one of eight rivals on the debate stage Thursday night.

"If this president does not get us out of Iraq, when I am president, I will," pledged Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York.

But Clinton found herself on the receiving end of criticism moments later when former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards said she or anyone else who voted to authorize the war should "search their conscience."

Edwards, in the Senate at the time, also cast his vote for the invasion, but he has since apologized for it.

Of the eight foes participating in the debate at South Carolina State University, four voted earlier in the day to support legislation that cleared Congress and requires the beginning of a troop withdrawal by Oct. 1. The legislation sets a goal of a complete withdrawal by April 1, 2008.

"We are one signature away from ending this war," said Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois. He said if Mr. Bush won't change his mind about vetoing the bill, Democrats need to work on rounding up enough Republican votes to override him.

In addition to Obama and Clinton, Sens. Joe Biden of Delaware and Chris Dodd of Connecticut also cast votes earlier in the day in favor of the legislation.

Former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel and Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio also participated in the debate.

Mr. Bush is barred by the Constitution from running for re-election next fall, and the result is an extraordinarily early start to the campaign to succeed him.

The state in which the debate was held — South Carolina — has only been carried by one Democrat since 1960. African-Americans make up 29.9 percent of the state's population, reports CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield.

In '04, nearly half the Democratic vote was black, Greenfield reports, which is why Democrats put this primary close to the starting line.

The debate — nine months before the kickoff Iowa caucuses — was 90 minutes long without opening or closing statements from the candidates. Instead, each of the eight fielded questions in turn.

That made for a rapid-fire debate but prevented follow-up questions when any of the eight sidestepped — as when Clinton and Biden avoided answering when asked whether they agreed with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's assessment that the Iraq war is lost.

While Iraq dominated the debate's early moments, Edwards was asked about having paid for a $400 (euro294) haircut from campaign donations rather than from his own wallet.

"That was a mistake, which we remedied," he said. A wealthy former trial lawyer, he recalled once having gone to dinner at a restaurant as a young child and having to leave because his father could not afford the prices.

"I've not forgotten where I came from," he said.

Five of the eight — Gravel, Biden, Dodd, Kucinich and Richardson — raised their hands when moderator Brian Williams of NBC News asked whether they had ever had a gun in their home.

• 1
• 2
• Next Page »

[richard mr]

I must be the only one that sees that the King has no clothes? We guaranteed the terrorist would follow us home, when we invaded Iraq and murdered a half million people that was a self fulfilling prophecy. We you give a press conference and tell the terrorist to bring it on? We you fabricate the reasons for going to war and kill three thousand American soldiers? And you cannot come to grips with the reality that you might have made a mistake. During the Democratic presidential debate the statement that the war was lost when we invaded Iraq was the truth, and the rest of the world knew it 4 years ago. But I am not here to tell you what you already know, the media never asked the right questions during the debate why not ask Mrs. Clinton how would she like some government agency coming into her home every other day when she's not there. Looking in her bedroom drawers, looking on her computer looking at all heard documents and mail. She voted for the Patriot act without even reading it, presidential candidate John Edwards ask him how would he like his phone being tapped and his neighbors pretending to be surveillance officers following him 24 hours a day. I think the country would like to know their answers, but these laws are not written for them. Only for innocent Americans like us who have to put up with this insanity every day look at the reality on my website www.itsavideoworld.com

[freedomisnot]

We the people of the right minded have joined together to buy you and all like minded first class airline tickets to go to Bagdad to negotiate with the well intended militias ,insurgents and any terrorists. Harry and Nancy have agreed to give you full support to negotiate a truce with all of the above. However, should things get nasty they will deny the credibilty of your mission and retract all support ( sound familar ). Should your headless bodies not be recovered under such circumstances you will be presumed dead and no longer a potential voter. Harry and Nancy promise to launch a full criminal investigation of any potential misconduct by alleged terrorists by the FBI should the evidence be sufficent to warrent the initiation of talks with the alledged host country were the alledged potential misconduct took place provided they are willing to jointly investigate those alledged potential misconducts with the appoval of the UN. Good luck on your mission of peace with Islamic Extremists.

[homespunlady]

George Custer, er Bush has foolishly led his party into a valley they can't seem to escape from and he foolishly refuses to listen even now.
His "uniting" certainly wasn't in his favor and it looks like even the Dems have united AGAINST him.

[pianoman42]

Please would CBS report and comment on remarks recently made by Lieutenant-Colonel Paul Yingling on the Iraq war.

[sandy19731]

I would say he didntinhale for about five minutes.

[huskerarmy]

What is the point in continuously reminding us that Obama has a "muslim" name? Would one of you neo-cons please answer this question?

[bigsk8fan]

Here is another good headline, "More American Soldiers Died Today in George Bush's Illegal War of Aggression in Iraq".

And when he leaves office, "George Bush added to list of defendants, including Donald Rumsfeld, in War Crimes Against Humanity."

And today's headline, "Democrats Not the Same Bush RubberStamp that Republican Lacky Congressmen Are."

Ironically, the war against the Taliban is the only legitimate use of force by Bush. Too bad he went too far and added the illegal war in Iraq. He might actually have kept the support of the American people, and world opinion. The Taliban actually protected Al Qaeda who was responsible for 9/11. No Iraqis were involved.

[jjp735i]

There was not really anything new here.
Even the questions seem to the the same and the answers are never a direct truth. Just the same old spin.

[gunownerdan]

One thing is for sure, in politics the best prostitute will get the most money and once again we will get the best president big money can buy!

[nonameabc]

Probably DEM should more working closer instead of "civil war", by knowing what the real goal... kick REP out of the HOUSE.