Cordial Dems Focus on Economy

The Democratic presidential hopefuls focused on the economy and the need for change today in the last of the Iowa debates, CNN reports. The debate remained relatively cordial, with the candidates agreeing on the need to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and big corporations. "We are not going to be able to dig ourselves out" of Bush's deficits in the next year or two," Barack Obama said when asked about balancing the budget.

Hillary Clinton said Iowans live in constant fear of economic pitfalls. "They are one pink slip, one missed mortgage payment, one medical diagnosis away from falling through," she said, explaining why she wanted to roll back the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy. “I want to keep the middle-class tax cuts," she said. Chris Dodd said America needs to end the "shrillness" of its political discourse.  (More Hillary Clinton stories.)