Democrats Call A Truce In 2008 Campaign Fight: Final debate in Iowa

[DeepModem Mom]

Source: NYT/Reuters

By REUTERS
Published: December 13, 2007

JOHNSTON, Iowa (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and the other Democratic presidential contenders called a brief truce to their campaign-trail battles on Thursday in a polite Iowa debate that focused on the economy and featured few disagreements. In the final debate before Iowa opens the race for the White House in three weeks, the low-key event gave the Democrats a last chance to make their case to voters, touting plans to ease the financial burden of Americans and change the nature of Washington.

Clinton and Obama, who with former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards are locked in a tight battle atop Iowa polls, called a temporary halt in their heated campaign battle about their relative experience, judgment and electability.

Most of the Democrats said they could begin to balance the budget by ending the war in Iraq and ending the tax cuts for the most wealthy Americans. "It's important that we recognize how people feel in Iowa and across America. They feel as though they're standing on a trap door. They are one pink slip, one missed mortgage payment, one medical diagnosis away from falling through," said Clinton, a New York senator and former first lady whose lead in national polls over Obama has dwindled in recent weeks.

Obama, an Illinois senator, said he could begin to balance the budget but it would take longer than the first year or two of his administration. "People are working harder for less and they're seeing costs from everything from college education to health care to gas at the pump go up," Obama said.

Edwards said ending the tax breaks for the most wealthy Americans and ending the influence of special interests in Washington would aid the economy. "The truth of the matter is that the tax policy in America has been established by big corporations and the wealthiest Americans. That's why we have tax breaks for the top 1 percent and 2 percent," he said....

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-usa-politics-democrats.html