Democrats Descend On Iowa

For Presidential Hopefuls, A Mandatory Stop On The Road To The Caucuses Early Next Year

(CBS/AP)  Six Democratic presidential candidates took aim at President Bush as they made their case Sunday to thousands of activists scattered across an Iowa field.

"Everybody is sick and tired of being sick and tired of George Bush," said Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. "All you have to do is take a look at the president pretending that going around in circles was making progress. If that doesn't get you ready to get rid of George Bush I don't know what will."

The six candidates paraded after each other in a carnival-like atmosphere in a field about 20 miles south of Des Moines. An estimated 12,000 activists streamed in for Iowa Sen. Tom Harkin's annual steak fry, shelling out $30 each in a fundraiser for a veteran Democrat senator who doesn't face serious opposition in next year's election.

The presence of every serious Democratic contender demonstrates just how much Iowa's first-in-the-nation caucus next January is dominating the current contest, reports CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield.

John Edwards and Hillary Rodham Clinton joined with Harkin to grill some steaks before a giant bank of television cameras. "I've done this before," Edwards said as he flipped a steak.

Clinton, the New York senator, called on Bush to bring the troops home from Iraq, declaring, "The era of cowboy diplomacy is over."

"They deserve to come home because there is no military solution," said Clinton. "Unfortunately, both the Iraqi government and the Bush administration have failed."

Delaware Sen. Joseph Biden, who heads the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said: "George Bush made it clear - he will not end the war in Iraq. If there was ever any doubt, now there is none. One of us on this stage will have to stop the war he started."

Obama said he would not vote for any war-funding measure that doesn't include a timeline for bringing troops home.

"We must recognize that until we end the divisive politics this war has spawned, we will be unable to build a consensus here at home to accomplish all the goals we share," Obama said.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said: "I would end the war in Iraq and I would bring all the troops out of Iraq. No residual forces. My position is clear: we bring the troops out within six to eight months. The war cannot end with leaving troops behind."

A few other issues popped up during the event. Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd pointed to his call for expanded health coverage. "It is shameful that today, 50 million people in America have no health care," he said. That will change and must change if we care about the future of our country."

Clinton is scheduled to announce her plan for universal health care on Monday. Edwards, the former North Carolina senator, took at shot at her refusal to give up campaign money from health interest groups. "If they get a seat at the table, they'll eat all the food and there will be nothing left for the rest of America," he said.

Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel are also running for the Democratic nomination, but they were not invited to Sunday's event because they have no campaign operation in Iowa.

Whoever wins or loses next year, the Iowa economy is one sure winner, adds Greenfield. Between advertising, travel and lodging expenses, and logistics, the Hawkeye state will be $200 million richer by January.

[jack3213]

I like that statement " Don''t let the door hit you on the way out" and I am referring to the DEM DUMMIES who don''t kow their a-- from their elbow. I''m afraid for the public who cannot understand the differance bewteen reality and delusion, Doesn''t anyone remember the 90''s?! The empty promises, the higher taxes, the lies and deception, and a president who showed no respect for his wife, the same one running for office today! Oh please, how disgraceful at best..at worst we have liberals who will blame Bush long after he has left when they don''t have their " Free health insurance and they pay more taxes" Unf*n believeable

[Krazcarl]

vetern71 little pts take some deep breaths with your head between your knees looking at you a**

[Krazcarl]

Sgtroids...Your getting way to sick take some meds if you don''t have any get some your a sure canadite.9

[Krazcarl]

Can I have a primary that means little or nothing except for future donations and to weed out the weakest in my back yard I could use 200 million?

[SIDNEYWILLIAMSMD]

What poor grasp of geo-political and military positions. Sad, that the democratic party of FDR/Truman/Jackson/Jefferson has become the party of isolation, retreat, surrender, and appeasment. Jefferson would not submit to islamoterrorism and went to the shores of tripoli in a 4 year bloody, and costly war to prevail. Jackson stood up to unbelievably strong British Army units in New Orleans. FDR stood up to Tojo, Hitler, and Mussolini. Truman stood up to Stalin, saved Berlin and Greece. So sad that the democrat party has deteriorated to a ragtag group of undisciplined whiners.

[sjc_1]

"..wasting money to promote a lie..."

Is that Bush''s lie on WMD and the mushroom cloud that will end up costing us more than $1 trillion bofore this nightmare of deception is over?

I have known the Democrats to talk about a better future and deliver on it. Everyone is MUCH better off with a Democratic President and the economic data shows that.

As Harry Truman once said "if you want to live like a Republican, vote for a Democrat".

Prosperity for all is the phrase that we Democrats use and not just more excessive wealth for the already wealthy in this country.

[starleo146]

apologize for the over publish report had trouble all morning

[starleo146]

The bill, H.R. 811, or the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007, would regulate electronic voting systems for the first time by imposing new security, vote verification and audit requirements for their use. The bill would not ban paperless voting machines as many election integrity activists have wanted, but require a paper printout of each vote cast to be reviewed by voters before being electronically counted.

Whether the "direct recording electronic" (DRE) voting systems and that paper trail can be trusted has been a focus of debate surrounding the bill since it was introduced last winter. However as H.R. 811 has moved through committees, there have been recent developments outside Washington that bolster critics who say DRE systems are too insecure and unreliable for use in elections.

[starleo146]

The bill, H.R. 811, or the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007, would regulate electronic voting systems for the first time by imposing new security, vote verification and audit requirements for their use. The bill would not ban paperless voting machines as many election integrity activists have wanted, but require a paper printout of each vote cast to be reviewed by voters before being electronically counted.

Whether the "direct recording electronic" (DRE) voting systems and that paper trail can be trusted has been a focus of debate surrounding the bill since it was introduced last winter. However as H.R. 811 has moved through committees, there have been recent developments outside Washington that bolster critics who say DRE systems are too insecure and unreliable for use in elections.

[starleo146]

The bill, H.R. 811, or the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007, would regulate electronic voting systems for the first time by imposing new security, vote verification and audit requirements for their use. The bill would not ban paperless voting machines as many election integrity activists have wanted, but require a paper printout of each vote cast to be reviewed by voters before being electronically counted.

Whether the "direct recording electronic" (DRE) voting systems and that paper trail can be trusted has been a focus of debate surrounding the bill since it was introduced last winter. However as H.R. 811 has moved through committees, there have been recent developments outside Washington that bolster critics who say DRE systems are too insecure and unreliable for use in elections.

[starleo146]

The bill, H.R. 811, or the Voter Confidence and Increased Accessibility Act of 2007, would regulate electronic voting systems for the first time by imposing new security, vote verification and audit requirements for their use. The bill would not ban paperless voting machines as many election integrity activists have wanted, but require a paper printout of each vote cast to be reviewed by voters before being electronically counted.

Whether the "direct recording electronic" (DRE) voting systems and that paper trail can be trusted has been a focus of debate surrounding the bill since it was introduced last winter. However as H.R. 811 has moved through committees, there have been recent developments outside Washington that bolster critics who say DRE systems are too insecure and unreliable for use in elections.

[pwrslm]

You cant get good fruit from a bad tree, and the DNC is about as rotten as they get.

Wake up folks, these critics that claim to be worthy of your vote dont have any real answers to the problems in this nation. This is nothing but a horse race for power, a junket of gamblers wasting money to promote a lie.

[glossypan]

The Democratic Party with a plentitude of vibrant candidates working for the good of our republic. The Reublican Party in shambles, sold to the highest bidders and trying to remember where it left its pants. Karl Rove may have been right that our country will lapse into one party rule. That is not good. Republicans!!! Sweep out the trash and give the American electorate decent honorable candidates who will work for freedom and democracy.

[meboard]

I hate to say it, but I agree with you SgtRDS...they''re just that low enough to try it. The only way "w" has managed to keep from line of fire is that Cheney as Pres would be a move in the wrong direction.

[sgtrds]

Whoever wins the democratic nomination for president I only hope has extra security, because if it looks like they''re going to win the White House then you can be certain that Di*ck Cheney will try to have them killed. There is too much money and power at stake for the Neoconservatives to allow a democrat back into power. Cheney really is evil enough and insane enough to try to have the Democratic nominee assassinated.