WASHINGTON, April 27 (Xinhua) -- Eight U.S. Democratic candidates united to confront the Bush Administration's Iraq policy in their first presidential debate held Thursday night in Orangeburg, South Carolina.

    During the 90-minute event at South Carolina State University -- billed as the "earliest presidential debate ever" by its sponsor, MSNBC -- the top-tier candidates largely formed a common front opposing the current administration's handling of the war, according to U.S. media reports on Friday.

    "This war is a disaster. We must end this war," said New MexicoGov. Bill Richardson, a former U.N. ambassador who called for all U.S. troops to leave by the end of 2007.

    "The president seems determined not to change course, despite the fact that we are not gaining ground," said Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York.

    However, Clinton was taken to task by Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio after she said that if "I knew then what I now know," she would not have voted for the 2003 congressional resolution authorizing Bush to take military action in Iraq.

    "That information was available to everyone, and, if you made the wrong choice, we're auditioning here for president of the United States," said Kucinich, who voted against the resolution.

    Clinton and Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware were both asked whether they agreed with assessments by some that the war in Iraq has been lost.

    But neither of them answered directly.

    Thursday's debate was the first face-to-face showdown between Clinton and Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois, the two front-runners in the Democratic field.

    When he was called upon to discuss the war, Obama did draw a distinction between himself and the former first lady.

    "I am proud that I opposed this war from the start, because I thought that it would lead to the disastrous conditions that we've seen on the ground in Iraq," he said.

    The debate covered a wide range of issues and appeared unlikely to change the shape of the Democratic race, with Clinton, Obama and former senator John Edwards leading in polls and fund-raising and well ahead of the other major candidates.