Dems Pal Around in Iowa

In a more-amiable-than-usual war of words, the Democrats debated this morning in Iowa, the locale of the pivotal first primary. Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards dominated the 90-minute discussion moderated by ex-Bill Clinton aide George Stephanopolous, the Washington Post's Chris Cillizza reports, playing it safe as the lower-tier contenders circled.

"You don't have to be against anybody," Clinton said. "You can choose who you are for." Edwards said the differences between the Dems were negligible compared to their Republican rivals, who resemble "George Bush on steroids." Bill Richardson stressed his intention to pull all troops out of Iraq by the end of this year, successfully separating himself from the pack. (More Barack Obama stories.)