Democrats back
Urban League agenda on childhood education, health care

The leading Democratic presidential contenders on Friday endorsed a National Urban League agenda that calls for mandatory early childhood education and universal health care for children.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards each promised support for the Urban League's plan, which favors extending childhood education programs to children as young as age 3 and guaranteeing access for all to attend college.

Senators Clinton and Obama have engaged in a weeklong feud precipitated by Monday's debate exchange over whether a president should meet with leaders of rogue nations without preconditions.

The two did not share the stage in St. Louis, and instead spoke one after the other. Neither mentioned the flap, but Edwards did.

''We've had two good people--Democratic candidates for president--who spent their time attacking each other instead of attacking the problems this country faces,'' Edwards told the roughly 1,400 people in the convention auditorium.

Clinton focused on the plight of young black men and pledged to spend $100 million over five years to match students with internship opportunities at businesses.

Obama proposed to expand nationally a program similar to one in New York City's Harlem district that offers child care, after-school programs, free medical care, and guidance counseling to children and their parents.

Edwards also backed the early childhood education program. (David Lieb, AP)