DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Rep. Dick Gephardt and Democratic rival Howard Dean intensified their war of words on Monday, attacking each others' records in the latest in a series of Democratic debates.
Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts quickly joined the fray, joining Gephardt in assailing Dean's intentions concerning health care issues.
Gephardt accused the former Vermont governor of resorting to cuts in services for the poor and disabled to try to balance his state's budget.
"He cut funding for the blind and disabled," Gephardt said. He said that Dean cut services for the "most vulnerable" of Vermonters.
Dean, who polls show is the front-runner for the Democratic nomination, snapped back that he believed "Gephardt is a good guy but his research folks need a little help."
He denied Gephardt's charge that he had cut the state's Medicaid program.
Kerry, who along with Sen. John Edwards participated via a television satellite link sponsored by cable channel MSNBC, also sought to engage Dean directly.
He asked him repeatedly whether, if elected, he would act to "slow the rate of growth of Medicare."
"I'd like to slow the pace of this debate," a visibly aggravated Dean responded. After repeatedly dodging the question, he declared, "We will not cut Medicare in order to balance the budget."
The sharp exchanges came after the debate began with rare agreement of the eight presidential hopefuls participating in the forum: opposition to the GOP-crafted $400 billion Medicare prescription drug bill moving through Congress.
Kerry and Edwards could not make the debate in person because the Senate was in series of votes on the Medicare bill.
Sen. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut did not participate in a state that he has decided to bypass. |
