The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
36°F
Current Conditions
Fog
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

Edwards raps Clinton over Iraq war vote

Democratic presidential candidates, from left, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards appear Wednesday in Carson City, Nev. (Associated Press photos / The Spokesman-Review)
Beth Fouhy Associated Press
Democratic presidential candidates, from left, former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Connecticut Sen. Christopher Dodd and former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards appear Wednesday in Carson City, Nev. (Associated Press photos / The Spokesman-Review)

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Former Sen. John Edwards jabbed gently at Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday in the first all-candidates forum of the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, saying her refusal to disavow a 2002 vote on Iraq was “between her and her conscience.”

“It’s not for me to judge,” said Edwards, who – like Clinton – voted in 2002 to authorize the invasion of Iraq, but unlike her, has since apologized for his vote.

The event format did not permit Clinton to respond to Edwards’ swipe, which stood out on an afternoon in which Democrats launched serial attacks on President Bush’s war policies.

“The worst we can do is tear each other down,” said New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who called on his Democratic rivals to sign a pledge to avoid negative campaigning and concentrate their energy on taking the White House away from the Republicans next year.

Among Democratic presidential contenders, only Barack Obama skipped the event, which was hosted by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Union. The Illinois senator campaigned in Iowa instead.

The convergence of so many candidates underscored Nevada’s newfound importance in the 2008 nominating campaign. The state will hold caucuses Jan. 19, five days after the lead-off Iowa caucuses and presumably only a few days before New Hampshire’s first-in-the-nation primary.

In their time on stage, several of the candidates made an explicit pitch for the votes of union members, stressing their backing for legislation designed to make it easier to join unions, for example.

Edwards, Clinton and others drew cheers when they voiced support for universal health coverage, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich, of Ohio, vowed to pull the United States out of NAFTA soon after taking office in the White House.

But the Iraq war overshadowed all else at the two-hour event, Democrat after Democrat vying to show their eagerness to end U.S. participation in a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of more than 3,100 U.S. troops.

“Sign me up. No negatives,” Sen. Joe Biden, of Delaware, said just after Richardson made his appeal. Moments later, though, he spoke dismissively of congressional efforts merely to stop Bush’s plan to deploy additional troops. “Don’t talk about capping and all that. Do something,” he said.

The event occurred on a day in which aides to Obama and Clinton clashed over remarks made by DreamWorks founder David Geffen, a one-time supporter of President Clinton who has lined up behind the Illinois senator in 2008.

The Hollywood mogul was quoted in the New York Times as saying while “everybody in politics lies,” the former president and former first lady “do it with such ease, it’s troubling.” Aides to the New York senator promptly called on Obama to give back a campaign donation from Geffen.

Clinton sidestepped a question of whether Obama should denounce Geffen’s remarks. “I sure don’t want Democrats or supporters of Democrats to be engaging in the politics of personal destruction,” she told moderator George Stephanopoulos.