In 2004 presidential campaign, war may hover

The end to hostilities in Iraq has ushered in a new, more vigorous phase in the Democratic presidential campaign. For the first time in months, the war is no longer the predominant issue, even as it continues to shape the contours of the race.

With the first Democratic debate scheduled for this weekend in South Carolina, candidates are focusing primarily on domestic issues, offering proposals on healthcare and the economy, while attacking President Bush's record at home. Many candidates, who just a few weeks ago were routinely grilled on their views of the war, now rarely encounter Iraq-related questions.

At the same time, the war, in subtle ways, continues to influence the campaign, and may do so for a while.

Candidates have already been defined in part by the stances they took on the war, and the ways in which they conveyed their positions - and some of these impressions may prove lasting.

Moreover, even in its wake, the war remains the sharpest point of disagreement among many candidates, and the most fertile grounds for attack. While all agree the military operation was a success, many of the broader issues surrounding the conflict - such as its long-term cost or the length of US occupation - are still unresolved, essentially prolonging much of the debate over the war itself.

"A lot of what's going to define people's attitudes toward this war is yet to happen," says a Democratic strategist. "Everybody's a little bit skittish about being too definitive about the outcome of the war."

Certainly, the war has receded from the campaign trail, as candidates and the public increasingly turn their attention to domestic issues. A recent poll by the Pew Research Center found that, for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the public regards the economy and unemployment as a bigger problem than war and terrorism.

Every Democratic candidate is focusing heavily on the loss of jobs and the bulging deficit under Mr. Bush's tenure, calling for the repeal of most or all of the president's tax cuts. Bush has been turning his attention to the economy as well, traveling around the country to push for more tax relief.

"The war is going off the radar screen," says Dick Harpootlian, chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party. "How people get a job, put their kids through college, or pay for their 80-year-old mother's prescription drugs - those things are coming home to roost."

Still, these issues aren't wholly separate from the war. At a time when states like South Carolina are struggling to close billion-dollar budget shortfalls, the amount of money the Bush administration is spending on Iraq is drawing more and more criticism, says Mr. Harpootlian.

"In coffee shops here, we're beginning to hear talk of 'America first,' " he says.

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