San Francisco Chronicle: Democrats grapple for spotlight in Carson City, Nevada, in first face-off

[DeepModem Mom]

Dems grapple for spotlight in first face-off
Carla Marinucci, Chronicle Political Writer
Thursday, February 22, 2007

Carson City, Nev. -- A posse of Democratic presidential hopefuls rode into town Wednesday, elbowing for media attention and taking potshots in front of and behind the cameras as though the election -- still 620 days away -- were right on top of them.

The forum for candidates was planned as a prelude -- a very, very early prelude -- to the early Nevada Democratic caucuses scheduled for January.

But it generated plenty of excitement in one of the smaller state capitals in the nation, population 57,000.

Campaign banners and signs went up all around town, and candidates went to work, pressing the flesh and posing for photos in the local community center where union members came to watch the proceedings.

New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton raced from local cafes to union meetings, and candidates like Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico stopped to visit with hundreds of locals who waited at an overflow site provided by the local newspaper.

Clinton was the marquee player among the eight contenders, who answered questions at the American Federation of State and County Municipal Employees endorsement forum, led by ABC-TV moderator George Stephanopoulos. Joining her and Richardson were former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, Iowa Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama was noticeably absent, and though he said he had previous engagements in Iowa, some critics and disappointed audience members hinted that his absence suggested that Obama, basking in the heady glow of media attention, might not be ready to talk the details of public policy....

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2007/02/22/MNGC2O92BV1.DTL

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LAT: Iraq dominates first Democratic forum
Candidates differ over a pace of withdrawal as Sen. Clinton draws fire for refusing to apologize for her 2002 war vote.
By Mark Z. Barabak, Times Staff Writer
February 22, 2007

CARSON CITY, NEV. — Democrats divided over Iraq and the pace of a U.S. pullout as the West on Wednesday hosted the first major candidate exchange of the 2008 presidential campaign.

The locale, with the snowy Sierra as a backdrop, was intended to steer the discussion toward regional issues, such as water and land use. But it was the war that dominated nearly two hours of talk by the Democratic hopefuls.

The candidates' determination to air their differences — despite a cumbersome format and their repeated calls for a positive campaign — underscored the unusually early and intense nature of the race.

The sharpest split involved how best to exit Iraq. While Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina discussed a phased pullout, former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack drew cheers from the audience by calling for Congress to immediately cut off funds.

The war must "be ended now," he said. "Not six days from now. Not six months from now. Not six years from now."

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware offered his rejoinder later. "Everybody wants to get out," he said. "What next?"...

http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-na-forum22feb22,1,2690517.story