http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20040715/ap_on_el_pr/edwards&cid=694&ncid=1473DES MOINES, Iowa - Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards (news - web sites) assailed President Bush (news - web sites) for lacking the courage of British Prime Minister Tony Blair (news - web sites), who on Wednesday took full responsibility for the intelligence failures that led both nations into war in Iraq.
Embarking on his first solo campaign as John Kerry (news - web sites)'s running mate, Edwards kicked it off in Iowa, the state that salvaged his political aspirations with a strong second-place finish in the presidential caucuses seven months ago.
"I love Iowa. I'm so happy to be back here," Edwards told about a thousand cheering Kerry-Edwards supporters on the grounds of the state Capitol. "The time I spent in Iowa was so important to where I am today."
Domestic issues would seem a natural topic for a Democratic candidate campaigning in the heartland, but the campaign decided that Edwards would focus on national security and lead the Democratic voices comparing Bush to Blair.
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