SNEAK PEEK: Candidates Appeal to Veterans

August 20, 2007— -- At the ABC News Democratic presidential debate in Des Moines Sunday, the issue of Iraq brought out the most lively back and forth exchange of the morning among the candidates.

The question of when to bring home American troops gave the candidates an opportunity to try and distinguish themselves and go beyond the rhetoric of "I will end this war when I am president."

They all agree that it's a great challenge and will take time. But the timing of when that process should start showed some differences, with Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Barack Obama essentially agreeing with Joe Biden's stance that a residual force in Iraq but Bill Richardson pushing for a withdrawal in the next six to eight months.

Several candidates have the opportunity to further lay out and distinguish their position on Iraq at the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Kansas City this week.

Barack Obama previewed his Tuesday 12:00 pm ET remarks on a conference call with veterans last night. Obama told the veterans on the call that their support will be a key part of him winning the presidential campaign and called for an increase in the armed forces to relieve strain on the troops on the ground now.

Not-yet-a-candidate Fred Thompson starts the day off with remarks at 10:30am ET.

Hillary Clinton and John McCain spoke to the convention on Monday, President Bush speaks Wednesday. (And John "no surrender" McCain hinted at September 11 as the date to circle on your calendars for the highly anticipated Petraeus report.

Tuesday's other political events…
Thompson attends a private fundraiser in St. Louis Mo. at 7:30 pm ET. ABC News' Jake Tapper reports a liberal activist lodge a complaint with the FEC against Thompson contending his testing-the-waters operation has long since surpassed that designation. Stay tuned.

Mitt Romney travels to Nevada where he has fundraisers in Las Vegas at 2:30 pm ET and Lake Tahoe at 9:00 pm ET.

Rudy Giuliani spends his day in California.