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March 16, 2003
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Democratic activists booed presidential hopeful Sen. John Edwards on Saturday as he expressed support for disarming Iraq by force, then wildly applauded antiwar statements by former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.
Speaking at the annual California Democratic Party convention, Edwards, D-N.C., criticized President Bush for failing to get world support for military action, but added, "I believe that Saddam Hussein is a serious threat, and I believe he must be disarmed including the use of military force if necessary."
The crowd booed and interrupted his remarks with cries of "No war! No war!"
Hours later Dean issued an apparent challenge to Edwards and other Democratic presidential hopefuls who voted for last fall's congressional resolution authorizing force in Iraq.
"What I want to know is what in the world some of these Democrats are doing supporting the president's unilateral intervention in Iraq," he said to sustained applause.
Edwards and Dean were among six presidential hopefuls addressing the weekend event. Others were Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, civil rights activist Al Sharpton, Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich and former Illinois Sen. Carol Moseley Braun.
Not attending were presidential hopefuls Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and Bob Graham of Florida, and Rep. Richard Gephardt of Missouri.