Democrats face off in TV debate

The debate was a test for the candidates

Democratic contenders for the US presidency have held their last debate before the party's next week's key primary election in New Hampshire.

The televised event was dominated by questions on Iraq, national security and the economy.

Senator John Kerry emerged as the frontrunner after his surprise win in the Iowa caucuses last week.

The New Hampshire vote will help decide who will challenge President George Bush in the November election.

Other candidates taking part in the discussion included the former frontrunner, Howard Dean, Senators John Edwards and Joe Lieberman, retired general Wesley Clark, Representative Dennis Kucinich and civil rights leader Al Sharpton.

Nobody stood out. Nobody faltered. This was a good night for Democrats Donna Brazile Democratic strategist A painfully polite debate

The BBC's Ian Pannell in Washington says this was a fairly lacklustre debate - with the candidates seeking to avoid any major mistakes ahead of Tuesday's vote.

Massachusetts Senator John Kerry highlighted his service in Vietnam to boost his standing on national security issues.

He said US troops in Iraq were overextended. He added that if he were elected, he would work to bring more foreign partners into Iraq.

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean had been leading the polls in New Hampshire for weeks - but after coming a poor third in Iowa, and criticism about his style, his standing has slipped.

Despite adopting a more conciliatory tone, he was often forced to defend his position on a range of issues - notably his staunch opposition to the war in Iraq.

Support

Mr Sharpton said the US should focus on humanitarian - rather than military - assistance to emerging countries.

However Senator Lieberman - who has supported the Iraq war - vowed to extend his "unwavering support" to US troops in Iraq.

Mr Clark accused the Bush administration of not doing enough to keep the US safe from terrorist threats.

The candidates also criticised President Bush's economic policies, notably his tax cuts.

Our correspondent says it is hard to see which of the candidates will have improved their chances after this event.

"Nobody stood out. Nobody faltered. This was a good night for Democrats," Donna Brazile, a strategist who helped run Al Gore's 2000 campaign, told the Associated Press news agency.