Rove, Cleland Debate Democracy

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Karl Rove and Max Cleland found themselves in a rare moment of agreement Friday — that America should bring democracy to the world.

But Rove, a former top adviser to President Bush, and Cleland, a former senator from Georgia and triple amputee Vietnam veteran, disagreed strongly about the best method of doing that.

When Rove considered that question, he responded: "Obviously, my answer is yes."

Cleland said his answer was "yes, by example, but not by force," setting up a complicated and at times testy discussion between the two men dominated by the Iraq war.

The men spoke at a forum at Regent University, the Christian school founded by religious broadcaster Pat Robertson.

Cleland pointedly asked Rove: "Why didn't the Bush White House go after Osama bin Laden? Why are we wasting time in Iraq?"