VP Dick Cheney: 8% Sen. John Edwards: 90%* Draw 1% _____________________________________
Cheney, Edwards square off in VP debateBy TOM RAUM
Associated Press
CLEVELAND -- Sen. John Edwards accused the Bush administration tonight of bungling the war in Iraq and presiding over a historic loss of jobs. "Your facts are just wrong," Vice President Dick Cheney shot back in crackling campaign debate.
In a clash at close quarters, the Democratic vice presidential candidate accused Cheney of "not being straight" with the public about a war that has claimed more than 1,000 American lives. He said casualties are rising monthly and the United States is bearing 90 percent of the cost of the conflict as well as suffering 90 percent of the dead and wounded.
Cheney challenged that, saying the Iraqi security forces had taken nearly half of the casualties. "For you to demean their sacrifice is beyond the pale," he said to Edwards, seated practically at his elbow.
"Oh, I'm not," the North Carolina senator protested before the vice president cut him off.
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