Democratic vice presidential nominee John Edwards made the rounds on Sunday political talk shows, arguing that the Bush administration had mishandled the Iraq war and failed to build a proper international coalition before the invasion. Edwards acknowledged his own Senate vote to authorize military force but insisted Congress never approved the approach the White House ultimately took.
The appearances came as both presidential campaigns continued feuding over Iraq in the days following the second presidential debate. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice pushed back, arguing the invasion was justified regardless of weapons stockpiles because Saddam Hussein retained the intent and means to pursue them.
The sparring was fueled by a lengthy report from chief US weapons inspector Charles Duelfer, which concluded that Saddam had dismantled most chemical and biological weapons after 1991 and that his nuclear program had severely deteriorated.
President George W. Bush and Democratic nominee John Kerry were each laying low ahead of their third and final debate, scheduled for Wednesday in Arizona. An ABC News poll of 2,030 adults taken 6-9 October gave Bush 50 percent to Kerry's 46, with a margin of error of 2.5 points.
Election officials across the country reported record voter registration numbers, raising expectations for unusually high turnout on 2 November.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in October 2004, in its own words.