Democrats spar on economy

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic presidential contenders sparredlast night in a nationally televised debate over health care andeconomic decline in the United States, restoring both rhetoricalfireworks and substantive debate to a contest that has beenovershadowed of late by Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton's personalhistory.

The two-hour debate started quietly enough, with all fivecandidatesagreeing that Republican administrations of the last 12years have not done enough to bolster US competitiveness, financeHead Start programs and aid the middle class. So predictable was theexchange that former Gov. Jerry Brown of California finally groused,"What has been said makes a lot of sense and I think isunexceptional."

Clinton and Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska repeated their calls formiddle-class tax cuts, while Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa called for a"new New Deal" and promised to raise the federal contribution toeducation until no public school classroom had more than 20 pupilsper teacher.

Former Sen. Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts lectured the othersfor "pandering" to voters by offering what he called empty andpainless solutions, while Brown continued his offensive againstgovernment-as-usual and pushed for a "radical" new flat tax of 13percent.

Tsongas was assertive throughout the evening, portraying himselfas the only candidate willing to tell hard truths rather than playingthe role of a "Santa Claus" who promises something for nothing.

The congenial atmosphere changed when the debate turned touniversal health care. First Harkin charged Kerrey's plan tonationalize the system would inevitably lead to higher taxes andasked, "What will we get we don't get now?"

"I know this thing cold," Kerrey said. "We will get thecertainty of knowing care is there." Then Clinton seemed to waffleand Kerrey confronted him: "Pick which one you like! You can't likethem all. . . . You're trying to have it both ways."

Clinton seemed intent on avoiding attacks on his opponents;indeed, he frequently noted his agreement with his rival's variousproposals before answering the moderators' questions. He did not lieback, however, when Harkin cited economic statistics placing Arkansaslow in the nation. Clinton shot back about the people who compiledthe report: "They were just dumb, they didn't understand ourbudgeting system."

Clinton, who has been ahead in polls of New Hamsphire voters,did not get off easy last night. Kerrey and Harkin used theopportunity to fault him as a slick politician lacking a core ofconvictions, whose performance in office left his state an economicbackwater.

And, at the end of the free-for-all, Brown said theunsubstantiated stories of infidelity that have dogged Clinton are a"character issue." Kerrey quickly rose to his leading rival'sdefense, interjecting: "No, it's not."

Clinton, for his part, responded, "I'm glad to be attacked by myopponents again; this is kind of fun."

Although the candidates spent much of the evening mixing it up,each also presented emotional appeals for voters to choose him overhis rivals. They told some of their personal histories, particularlywhen asked about the role of character in the campaign.

Aside from using the character question to attack Clinton, Brownused his four years of training for the priesthood to emphasize theimportance of character. Kerrey recounted how the amputation of partof his leg had changed his life, Clinton talked of the need forintegrity and Harkin spoke of his faith in God and country.

Tsongas used the chance to make a pitch for his party. Althoughthey may disagree with each other on some points, he said, all theDemocrats "have character" while President Bush has traded hisprinciples for political gain.

The debate appeared to reflect another change in the dynamics ofthe race, as several of his rivals took shots at Tsongas, whose callfor economic patriotism seem to have served him well. Tsongas placessecond in most public opinion surveys in the Granite State.

In the last televised debate from New Hampshire, Tsongas noted,he had been almost patronized by the others and praised for hiseconomic proposals. Since then, he said, "I've moved up in the pollsand now I am Darth Vader."

Throughout the debate, a fiesty Kerrey sought chances toconfront Clinton as a candidate who craves to be all things to allvoters. "You're saying yes to a lot of people," Kerrey told Clintonas the candidates discussed their economic programs.

Along with Brown, Clinton retorted by charging the two senatorswith conspiring in a "midnight" Senate vote that raised their pay."It doesn't take any courage to put more money in your pocket," Brownsaid.

With less than three weeks left before the pivotal New Hampshireprimary, both Kerrey and Harkin, who have been lagging in the polls,made strong, assertive presentations of their views to try to changethat.

Kerrey, who has been criticized for focusing heavily on hishealth care proposal, sought to broaden his message. And he tried toportray himself as the would-be leader ready to make tough choices.

"It sort of looked like all hat and no cowboy to me," he said incharacterizing President Bush's State of the Union address. Thequestioners were public television's Robert McNeil and Jim Lehrer,who sat with the candidates around a nine-sided table.

"I hear fear in the president's voice that if he told us thetruth we'd be upset," Kerrey continued. Saying that the nation needsa specific industrial policy, he added: "I'm not providing a freelunch for anybody. It's tough to make controversial decisions."

Harkin also was aggressive. He took shots, particularly atClinton and Tsongas. Both men, he said, were just offering avariation of Reaganomics with their proposals to cut some capitalgains taxes.

Clinton and Tsongas want to cut the tax in specificcircumstances, which they say would stimulate business growth, butthey oppose Bush's across-the-board reduction, which all theDemocrats argue would disproportionately benefit the wealthy.

"We are not the problem," Harkin said, asserting that hedisagreed with Tsongas on the need for US companies to improve theircompetitiveness. Harkin repeated his long-held position that moremoney should be invested in this country, particularly forimprovement of the infrastructure. "The problem," he said, "is weneed new leaders."

Clinton made his stab at differing with Tsongas by saying hedisagreed with his notion that the Cold War was over and the Japaneseand Europeans won. "We ought to celebrate winning the Cold War,"Clinton said.

He went on to explain details of his economic proposals and saidthe nation needs a strategy if it is to compete. He blasted Bush,who he said "does not recognize the magnitude of the problem."

Democrats spar on economy

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic presidential contenders sparredlast night in a nationally televised debate over health care andeconomic decline in the United States, restoring both rhetoricalfireworks and substantive debate to a contest that has beenovershadowed of late by Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton's personalhistory.

The two-hour debate started quietly enough, with all fivecandidatesagreeing that Republican administrations of the last 12years have not done enough to bolster US competitiveness, financeHead Start programs and aid the middle class. So predictable was theexchange that former Gov. Jerry Brown of California finally groused,"What has been said makes a lot of sense and I think isunexceptional."

Clinton and Sen. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska repeated their calls formiddle-class tax cuts, while Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa called for a"new New Deal" and promised to raise the federal contribution toeducation until no public school classroom had more than 20 pupilsper teacher.

Former Sen. Paul Tsongas of Massachusetts lectured the othersfor "pandering" to voters by offering what he called empty andpainless solutions, while Brown continued his offensive againstgovernment-as-usual and pushed for a "radical" new flat tax of 13percent.

Tsongas was assertive throughout the evening, portraying himselfas the only candidate willing to tell hard truths rather than playingthe role of a "Santa Claus" who promises something for nothing.

The congenial atmosphere changed when the debate turned touniversal health care. First Harkin charged Kerrey's plan tonationalize the system would inevitably lead to higher taxes andasked, "What will we get we don't get now?"

"I know this thing cold," Kerrey said. "We will get thecertainty of knowing care is there." Then Clinton seemed to waffleand Kerrey confronted him: "Pick which one you like! You can't likethem all. . . . You're trying to have it both ways."

Clinton seemed intent on avoiding attacks on his opponents;indeed, he frequently noted his agreement with his rival's variousproposals before answering the moderators' questions. He did not lieback, however, when Harkin cited economic statistics placing Arkansaslow in the nation. Clinton shot back about the people who compiledthe report: "They were just dumb, they didn't understand ourbudgeting system."

Clinton, who has been ahead in polls of New Hamsphire voters,did not get off easy last night. Kerrey and Harkin used theopportunity to fault him as a slick politician lacking a core ofconvictions, whose performance in office left his state an economicbackwater.

And, at the end of the free-for-all, Brown said theunsubstantiated stories of infidelity that have dogged Clinton are a"character issue." Kerrey quickly rose to his leading rival'sdefense, interjecting: "No, it's not."

Clinton, for his part, responded, "I'm glad to be attacked by myopponents again; this is kind of fun."

Although the candidates spent much of the evening mixing it up,each also presented emotional appeals for voters to choose him overhis rivals. They told some of their personal histories, particularlywhen asked about the role of character in the campaign.

Aside from using the character question to attack Clinton, Brownused his four years of training for the priesthood to emphasize theimportance of character. Kerrey recounted how the amputation of partof his leg had changed his life, Clinton talked of the need forintegrity and Harkin spoke of his faith in God and country.

Tsongas used the chance to make a pitch for his party. Althoughthey may disagree with each other on some points, he said, all theDemocrats "have character" while President Bush has traded hisprinciples for political gain.

The debate appeared to reflect another change in the dynamics ofthe race, as several of his rivals took shots at Tsongas, whose callfor economic patriotism seem to have served him well. Tsongas placessecond in most public opinion surveys in the Granite State.

In the last televised debate from New Hampshire, Tsongas noted,he had been almost patronized by the others and praised for hiseconomic proposals. Since then, he said, "I've moved up in the pollsand now I am Darth Vader."

Throughout the debate, a fiesty Kerrey sought chances toconfront Clinton as a candidate who craves to be all things to allvoters. "You're saying yes to a lot of people," Kerrey told Clintonas the candidates discussed their economic programs.

Along with Brown, Clinton retorted by charging the two senatorswith conspiring in a "midnight" Senate vote that raised their pay."It doesn't take any courage to put more money in your pocket," Brownsaid.

With less than three weeks left before the pivotal New Hampshireprimary, both Kerrey and Harkin, who have been lagging in the polls,made strong, assertive presentations of their views to try to changethat.

Kerrey, who has been criticized for focusing heavily on hishealth care proposal, sought to broaden his message. And he tried toportray himself as the would-be leader ready to make tough choices.

"It sort of looked like all hat and no cowboy to me," he said incharacterizing President Bush's State of the Union address. Thequestioners were public television's Robert McNeil and Jim Lehrer,who sat with the candidates around a nine-sided table.

"I hear fear in the president's voice that if he told us thetruth we'd be upset," Kerrey continued. Saying that the nation needsa specific industrial policy, he added: "I'm not providing a freelunch for anybody. It's tough to make controversial decisions."

Harkin also was aggressive. He took shots, particularly atClinton and Tsongas. Both men, he said, were just offering avariation of Reaganomics with their proposals to cut some capitalgains taxes.

Clinton and Tsongas want to cut the tax in specificcircumstances, which they say would stimulate business growth, butthey oppose Bush's across-the-board reduction, which all theDemocrats argue would disproportionately benefit the wealthy.

"We are not the problem," Harkin said, asserting that hedisagreed with Tsongas on the need for US companies to improve theircompetitiveness. Harkin repeated his long-held position that moremoney should be invested in this country, particularly forimprovement of the infrastructure. "The problem," he said, "is weneed new leaders."

Clinton made his stab at differing with Tsongas by saying hedisagreed with his notion that the Cold War was over and the Japaneseand Europeans won. "We ought to celebrate winning the Cold War,"Clinton said.

He went on to explain details of his economic proposals and saidthe nation needs a strategy if it is to compete. He blasted Bush,who he said "does not recognize the magnitude of the problem."