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• Jul 15, 2007 6:05 pm US/Central
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  Dems Compete For Party Nomination in Chicago

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Dems Compete For Party Nomination in Chicago

Democratic Forum Has Candidates Speaking About America's Safety And Soldiers In Iraq

 SLIDESHOW: Week In Photos

CHICAGO (CBS) ― The top Democrats competing for the party nomination in 2008 are in Chicago Sunday taking part in a forum and taking shots at each other. CBS 2's political editor Mike Flannery reports.

The toughest verbal jab was aimed at Hillary Clinton, by a candidate who once served her husband's White House administration.

Bill Richardson was ambassador to the United Nations for President Bill Clinton. He called former First Lady Hillary Clinton a "very distinguished candidate" at a forum for five Democrats hosted by trial lawyers. But Richardson slammed the New York senator for having said in the past that America is safer because of things George Bush did after Sept. 11.

"I do disagree with Sen. Clinton," said New Mexico governor Richardson. "I don't believe America's safer today. And there's an intelligence report that confirms that, that says since 9/11 Al Qaeda has regrouped, gotten stronger. I don't believe President Bush has made this country safer."

While Sen. Clinton did not respond to Richardson directly, she ripped the Bush Administration in the toughest terms.

"The repair that will have to be done for the damage that the president and vice-president have done literally from one end of the globe to another will be very difficult," said Hillary Clinton. "But we can do this. We can start by bringing our troops home from Iraq."

All five Democratic presidential candidates at the forum, including Barack Obama, John Richards and Joseph Biden, vowed to end the war in Iraq. Clinton cautioned that it can't be done overnight.

"It has to be done in a careful and a thoughtful and a deliberative manner, because it is dangerous to withdraw troops and equipment," she said.

"The next President is going to have to end this god-awful debacle in Iraq without mortgaging our future in the region for a generation or more," said Biden.

"End the War in Iraq," said Edwards. "The first day I'm President, I will close Guantanamo, which is an embarrassment for this country."

Before heading to the forum, presidential hopeful Barack Obama went to the pulpit. The Illinois senator spent his morning at Vernon Park Church of God on the south side. He addressed the 32 Chicago Public School children killed this school year, as well as the growing problem of gun violence.

Obama said it will take a group effort to win the war against illegal guns.

"I want to be a partner with parents, grandparents, elected officials, pastors and everyone here in the city and in the state that are sick and tired of seeing our young people gunned down," Obama said.

One of those children was 13-year-old Schanna Gayden who was gunned down at a park near her home in June. Her grandmother was in the audience Sunday. She echoed Obama's call to get more involved.

"Check the people your child is friends with," said Joyce Mitchell. "If you got an older man 20-or 30-years-old with your 17-year-old son -- 'Houston we have a problem.'"

Two men have been arrested and charged with her murder.

(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)