Obama vows moral high ground for Dems, U.S.

IOWA | Stakes high as hopefuls vie at key party dinner

DES MOINES -- Once again, it was the dueling themes of political experience from Hillary Clinton and the promise of hope for the future from Barack Obama that were offered as carrots to Iowans who are getting ready to vote in the first Democratic caucuses Jan. 3.

Sen. Obama (D-Ill.) and Sen. Clinton (D-N.Y.) and four other Democratic presidential wannabes were speaking at the Iowa State Jefferson-Jackson dinner, a high-powered fundraiser that can -- in these 52 days before the caucuses -- add luster or mar a candidate's chances in the Hawkeye State.

Four years ago, Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) gained stature after this dinner. Right now, Obama, Clinton and former Sen. John Edwards (D-N.C.) are neck-and-neck in the Iowa polls. Using a new theme, "turn up the heat," Clinton said she's not "interested in attacking my opponents, I'm interested in attacking the problems of America."

"We should be turning up the heat on the Republicans," she said, adding, "they deserve all the heat we can give them."

She said that "after seven years of George Bush, seven years of incompetence, cronyism, years of a government by the few, of the few, for the few," that Americans need a president who has the experience to meet the challenges the country faces.

Obama said he wants to lead the Democrats and the country to a higher moral purpose and clean up the corruption and wastefulness in Washington.

He said President Bush "promised a more ethical and more efficient government and instead we have a town called Washington that is more corrupt and more wasteful than it was before."

Obama said the Democrats must regain hold of power in Washington but the presidential nominee should not be someone focused just on power.

"This party -- of Jefferson and Jackson, of Roosevelt and Kennedy -- has made the most difference in people's lives when we've led, not by polls, but by principle," he said.

"I am running for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States because that's the party America needs us to be right now."

At the dinner, Edwards saved his punches for Hillary and attacked the Republicans. He said when he looks at the Republicans who are running for the White House, "what I see is George Bush on steroids -- more war, more division, more tax cuts for the rich."

It is time for Democrats "to stand up with backbone and strength" and take on the Republicans and the "corruption" in Washington, he said.

He argued the great moral question is will we leave our children better off than we were? "It is time for Americans to be patriotic about something other than war," said Edwards. "It is time for America to reclaim our democracy for our children, for our grandchildren."

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson told the audience -- alluding to the jousting between the Democratic candidates -- that "it is critically important that Democrats not beat each other down.

"I believe it's OK to point out policy differences on Iraq, on Iran, on education and health care, but it's important that we realize the American people, the voters of Iowa want a positive campaign."

About 9,000 activists turned up for the dinner. Together, Clinton and Obama had the support of two-thirds of the audience.

But Obama's followers were the most uproarious. They wore red T-shirts that read: "I'm fired up" on the front and "He's ready to go" on the back. It was a reference to the inspirational chant Obama uses at the end of his stump speeches.

By far, the funniest speech of the evening was that of Sen. Joe Biden (D-Del.) who recalled a line he had used in the last Democratic debate in Philadelphia saying that every sentence uttered by Republican presidential candidate Rudy

Giuliani, former mayor of New York, "has a noun, a verb and a 9/11" in it.

Biden said that since evangelical leader Pat Robertson's endorsement of Giuliani, there is now also an "amen" in the former mayor's sentences.

"Isn't it amazing how the Republicans get converted?" Biden joked.