'Thrill in the 'ville'

In their only debate, vice presidential candidates Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Former Defense Secretary Dick Cheney discussed campaign topics including military, foreign policy and social issues -- while consistently throughout the 90-minute session vowing to keep the discussion positive and void of personal attack.\nCNN's Bernard Shaw, the moderator for the debate, focused several questions on defense issues, especially on Slobodan Milosevic of Yugoslavia and the threat of weapons buildup by Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.\nWhen asked whether he would support the overthrow of Milosevic, Lieberman said the Serbian people should be encouraged to continue what they have been doing in recent days -- protesting the administration in support of Milosevic's opponent in their presidential campaign. Cheney said -- like Texas Governor George W. Bush mentioned in Tuesday's presidential debate-- that Russia should be prompted to step up its efforts to find a solution in their region. Shaw questioned Cheney about a statement Bush had made about Hussein, saying if weapon of mass destruction were found to be manufactured in Iraq, then the US would have to "take him out."\n"We might have no other choice," Cheney said. Lieberman commented that a heated political campaign was not the place to discuss such sensitive national security issues, and that Iraq's people should follow the Serbian citizens' example.\nShaw asked whether solders should be deployed as warriors or peacekeepers, and Cheney said the role of the military is "to fight and win wars." \nShortly after, Cheney said the military is in desperate need of equipment restoration and new leadership. "There is no more important responsibility of the President of the United States than commander and chief," he said. \nLieberman said the U.S. military is the strongest in the history of the world, and to skip the "next generation" of weapons technology -- as he said is proposed by Bush's campaign -- would cripple readiness. \nCheney said resources have been so depleted, money should be first dedicated to upgrading supplies. About the recent passage of the abortion pill RU-486, Cheney said the Food and Drug Administration's approval had more to do with actual safety of the drug, rather than the moral implications. He said the Republican ticket's stance has been pro-life, and through partial notification, adoption and the banning of partial birth abortion would be key to reducing the number of abortions performed.\nLieberman said he would not seek to overturn the FDA approval, and said he did vote for a bill which would limit the practice of late-term abortions, except when the health and life of the woman is at stake. \nOn social issues, the candidates discussed the need to eliminate racial profiling, making the pay rates for women and men equal, and also talking about gay and lesbian marriages.\nBoth said couples should have the right to lead their own lives but questioned the extent to which the partnerships could have the same benefits as traditional married couples. \nThe debate remained somewhat cordial, with a brief, humorous exchange between the two candidates following discussion about partisanship in Washington. Cheney mentioned he had been working in the private sector for the past few years and has been removed from the political scene.\nIn his answer, Lieberman brought up the question, "Are you better off today than you were eight years ago?"\n"I am pleased to see in the newspapers that you're better off now than you were eight years ago, too," Lieberman said to Cheney, followed by a laugh from the audience.\nCheney replied: "I can tell you, Joe, that the government had absolutely nothing to do with it."\nWith both candidates chuckling, Lieberman continued.\n"I can see my wife and I think she's thinking 'Joe -- I wish he would go into the private sector."\n"Well, I'm going to let you do that, Joe." Cheney said.