apnews.myway.com/article/20040112/D8011T080.html
DES MOINES, Iowa AP - Under fire in a campaign debate, Howard Dean conceded grudgingly Sunday night that he never named a black or Latino to his cabinet during nearly 12 years as governor of Vermont. If you want to lecture people on race, you ought to have the background and track record to do that, Al Sharpton snapped at the Democratic presidential front-runner in an emotionally charged exchange in the final debate before next weeks kick-off Iowa caucuses. I will take a backseat to no one in my commitment to civil rights in the United States of America, Dean said moments later, eager to have the last word. Dean, leading in the polls in Iowa as well as nationwide, also drew criticism from Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio for saying he could balance the budget without cutting Pentagon spending. Dick Gephardt of Missouri challenged him about whether he could cut payroll taxes without harming Social Security.
Dean, who has pledged to repeal the tax cuts Bush has won from Congress, said he could. We will not touch Social Security, he added, saying he had in mind an income tax credit that would help offset payroll taxes. The first priority is to balance the budget, he said - something he has previously pledged to do by midway through a second term in office. The debate unfolded a little more than a week before Iowans begin the selection of national convention delegates who will pick an opponent for President Bush. John Edwards of North Carolina, reflecting the feeling of all the contenders who have spent more than a year traversing the state and visiting all 99 of its counties. Recent polling shows Dean and Gephardt in a close race in the state, with Sen. The outcome will begin the winnowing process in the race for the nomination. Dean hopes for a victory to validate his claim as campaign front-runner. Kerry and Edwards hope for strong finishes to sustain their campaigns in New Hampshire, whose primary follows Iowa by eight days.
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