Democrats split on licenses for illegal immigrants

— -- Democratic candidates for president disagreed on whether illegal immigrants ought to be eligible for drivers licenses but took a break from the campaign¹s increasingly bitter tone at a forum in Des Moines aimed at issues of concern to minorities.

But the Iowa Brown and Black Presidential Forum, held at North High School and broadcast live on HDNet, also was marked by frequent technical problems and wisecracks by the candidates.

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson were split on licensing illegal immigrants, an issue that tripped her up during a previous debate.

"You are asking the state, officials of the state, to in effect ratify someone who is not here legally,"said Clinton, who last month backed off her support of a measure to license illegal immigrants in New York.

Richardson, who supports licensing illegal immigrants, said his state enacted the measure "because of the failure in Congress."

But Clinton and Richardson also engaged in one of the event¹s many lighter moments when the candidates were allowed to question each other.

"Don¹t you think governors make good presidents?" Richardson asked, in a nod to President Bill Clinton, who was Arkansas governor before his 1992 election."Well, Bill, I also think they make good vice presidents," Clinton responded.

Also participating were Delaware Sen. Joe Biden, Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

The two-hour event came as the race for the Jan. 3 caucuses approached its final month.

The three-way battle for the lead in Iowa has prompted a sharper tone between Clinton, the party¹s national frontrunner, and Edwards and Obama.

But the candidates were generally civil, despite a rowdy exchange between Biden and Kucinich about ending the war in Iraq, ending with Biden snorting, "give me a break."

Kucinich advocates immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq, while Biden has advocated keeping troops in northern Iraq.