US Vice President Al Gore held the first debate October 27 with his campaign rival Bill Bradley at Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire State.

In the hour-long debate, the two contenders for next year's Democratic Party presidential nomination pledged to work for an overhaul of the campaign finance laws to reduce the role of big money in politics.

When asked about President Clinton's personal behavior, Al Gore said that he understood the public disappointment and anger and sought to provide "as much continuity and civility" as possible during the Monica Lewinsky controversy.

In the opening moments of the debate, which was shown nationwide on television, former Senator Bradley touted his 65 billion dollars plan for universal access to health insurance.

He said the 44 million uninsured Americans present "a big problem and it needs a big solution."

But Gore attacked Bradley as fiscally irresponsible, saying his health insurance would cost as much as 1.4 trillion dollars over the next 10 years and swallow up the entire budget surplus and left no money for other programs.

Gore has proposed providing all America's children with health insurance by 2005 but has stopped short of a plan to cover all those without insurance.

Commenting on the debate, Beverly Wall, a professor of rhetoric at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, said Bradley projected a "calm, philosophical image" while Gore was more " muscular and action-oriented", but neither was a clear winner.

The two contenders have agreed to hold at least seven debates between now and early March, when the nomination could be decided. (Xinhua)