Democrats meet for first major debate

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Democrats who want to replace President Bush brushed aside their own differences on Thursday and roundly condemned Bush's handling of the economy and Iraq.

"This president is a miserable failure," said former House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt of Missouri, repeating the line twice and blaming Bush for the loss of American jobs and prestige.

While the first major debate of the 2004 race came with former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's rivals seeking to slow the momentum he has built in a summer surge, the contenders spent most of their time assailing the president's policies.

They welcomed Bush's decision to finally seek U.N. help in stabilizing postwar Iraq, but argued that he should have done it earlier and suggested his delay has jeopardized U.S. relations around the world.

Now Bush must "go back to the very people he humiliated," said Dean, who by the luck of the draw got the first question at a televised debate among eight of the nine Democrats seeking the party's presidential nomination.

Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts said that "the swagger of a president who says 'bring 'em on' does not bring our troops peace or safety." Added Gephardt: "We have a president who has broken up alliances that Democratic and Republican presidents have put together over 70 years."

Sharing a University of New Mexico stage with Dean, Kerry and Gephardt were Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, John Edwards of North Carolina, Bob Graham of Florida, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun.

Al Sharpton was delayed in New York by poor weather and could not participate in the debate.

The candidates joined in criticizing Bush's tax cuts and suggested that his policies had help eliminate U.S. jobs.

Edwards also suggested that Bush's attempts to woo Hispanic voters was shallow.

"The president goes around the country speaking Spanish. The only Spanish he speaks when it comes to jobs is hasta la vista," Edwards said, borrowing a line made famous by actor and California GOP gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The eight candidates stood at individual podiums arranged in a semicircle on the stage. All eight wore dark suits; all the men but Dean wore red ties. He preferred blue.

Braun, the only woman candidate, reminded the audience that Osama bin Laden, architect of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the United States, remained at large. "We haven't been looking for him because we got off on the wrong track (in Iraq)," she said.

Lieberman, who like Gephardt was an early supporter of the war with Iraq, said he would send more U.S. troops to help safeguard those there now and to help stabilize the country.

Graham, the only senator seeking the nomination who voted against the Iraq war resolution last fall, said he voted that way because "I thought it was the wrong war against the wrong enemy."

Despite his consistent opposition to the war, Graham said he would support the administration's request for an estimated $60 billion to $70 billion to help cover continuing costs.

"We have an obligation to support those troops," Graham said.

While Dean's rivals have targeted him as the campaign's apparent front-runner, the debate got off on a cordial note, with the contenders reserving most of their fire for Bush's handling of both foreign policy and the economy.

The candidates did air some differences on trade and on tax policies.

Gephardt, who counts organized labor as a crucial constituency, continued his attack on his rivals for supporting free-trade pacts.

The candidates sparred briefly over whether their respected positions on trade agreements would protect workers rights and environmental standards.

Several of the Democratic contenders advocate rolling back Bush tax cuts, but Lieberman said he disagreed "with Governor Dean and others" who advocate undoing the full Bush tax plan to pay for other priorities, including universal health care coverage. Gephardt has also called for such a repeal.

Lieberman said that only cuts benefiting upper-income taxpayers be repealed and suggested the health insurance plans advocated by Dean and Gephardt were too expensive.

"Why would we want to keep anything of the Bush tax plan?" asked Gephardt in response. "It's a miserable failure."

The gathering was broadcast live on public television with a Spanish translation available and will be aired Saturday on Univision, the nation's largest Spanish-language network, in a nod to the rising influence of Hispanic voters. New Mexico has a large Hispanic population -- about 42 percent -- and a Hispanic governor, Democrat Bill Richardson.

Richardson, in his opening remarks, challenged "Hispanics across the country to mobilize and energize our communities for next year's election."

Among the issues put to the contenders were proposals to overhaul immigration laws, particularly to allow the estimated 3 million undocumented immigrants from Mexico to remain in the United States. Relaxing current law drew broad support from the Democratic rivals.

"This country is a melting pot, a fabric," Gephardt said. "Immigration for me is not just another issue. It's me, it's my family," said Lieberman, noting that his ancestors, like those of most Americans, had come from overseas.

"He (Bush) has used 9-11 as an excuse for not doing what he promised to do in reforming immigration laws," Lieberman added.

Hispanics, who number 38.8 million according to the latest census, represent about 7 percent of the voting population nationwide. In 2000, about 7.5 million Hispanics were registered to vote.

The event was moderated by PBS correspondent Ray Suarez and Univision anchor Maria Elena Salinas.