September 4, 2003
Democratic Candidates Tackle Iraq, Economy in First Debate
Update: Eight of the nine Democratic candidates for president stood united Thursday night in denouncing the president's policies on Iraq and the economy, but differed over trade pacts and health care plans in the first official debate of the 2004 campaign.

September 5, 2003
Analysts Assess Debate, Week's Events
Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the first Democratic presidential debate.

Howard Dean

John Edwards

Richard Gephardt

Dean on Foreign Policy:
Dean says the president has failed to make a case for going to war with Iraq. -- 2/25/03

Dean on Health Care:
Dean proposes providing near universal health care coverage. -- 5/22/03

Edwards on Intelligence:
Senators Edwards and Saxby Chambliss discuss pre-9/11 intelligence. -- 5/16/2002

Edwards on Health Care:
Edward's health plan would require offer health insurance for every American child. -- 7/30/03

Gephardt on Foreign Policy:
Gephardt says the U.S. should disarm Iraq with military force, if necessary. -- 2/24/03

Gephardt on Health Care:
Gephardt provides insurance to employed Americans and would repeal the president's tax cuts to pay for it. -- 5/21/03

Bob Graham

John Kerry

Dennis Kucinich

Graham on Foreign Policy:
Senators Graham and Richard Shelby discuss the inquiry into pre-9/11 intelligence. -- 7/24/03

Graham on Health Care:
Graham calls for an incremental approach to getting health coverage to the nation's uninsured. -- 6/16/03

Kerry on Terrorism:
In September 2001 Kerry and others discuss what the war on terror will look like. -- 9/24/2001

Kerry on Health Care:
Under Kerry's plan, the federal government pays the costs of insuring poor children if states expand their coverage for working-poor adults. -- 7/02/03

Kucinich on Foreign Policy
In February, Kucinich says the president has not made the case for war with Iraq. -- 2/27/03

Kucinich on Health Care:
Kucinich's plan for universal health care would be a government-run program that eliminates private health insurers. -- 5/29/03

Joe Lieberman

Carol Moseley-Braun

Al Sharpton

Lieberman on Foreign Policy:
Lieberman says in February he would seek a second resolution in the U.N. before going to war with Iraq. -- 2/26/03

Lieberman on Health Care:
Lieberman proposes the creation of a center for developing cures for chronic diseases and spending $150 billion over ten years to fund research. -- 6/11/03

Moseley-Braun on Foreign Policy:
In March Moseley-Braun says the U.S. should work with the U.N. to disarm Iraq. -- 3/03/03

Moseley-Braun on Health Care:
Moseley-Braun says she will work toward a variation of a single-payer health care plan that would provide affordable universal medical care for Americans. -- 6/09/03

Sharpton on Foreign Policy:
In March Sharpton says the president has been inconsistent in his case for war in Iraq. -- 3/04/03

Sharpton on Health Care:
Sharpton supports a constitutional amendment that would guarantee health care for all Americans. -- 7/01/03

The 108th Congress:
Crisis & Conflicts
A look at how the current Congress prepared to meet the challenges of war, a struggling economy, new leaders, and the 2004 presidential campaign.

The Race Without Al Gore
Experts analyze Al Gore's decision not to seek the presidency in 2004 and discuss what his decision will mean for the campaign. -- 12/16/03

Shields & Brooks
Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks discuss the crop of Democratic presidential candidates, next year's presidential election and former Vice President Al Gore's recent criticism of President Bush. -- 8/08/03