to reform Washington because he was less connected to it than Kerry.

"The fundamental issue in this election is whether the people of this country believe that we're going to get change that originates in Washington or change that has to come from out here in the real world," Edwards said.

Kerry fired back with more edge than in his past responses. "Now, I just listened to John talk about Washington, D.C.," Kerry said. "Last time I looked, John ran for the United States Senate, and he's been in the Senate for the last five years. That seems to me to be Washington, D.C."

The tone was just as acrimonious on trade, the most consistent source of conflict between the two in the last month. Edwards derided Kerry's contention that thestory published Sunday that claimed Kerry had proposed spending more money on new programs than his planned changes to tax policy would raise. Kerry has called for cutting corporate subsidies and repealing the portions of President Bush's tax cut benefiting families earning more than about $200,000 a year.

Citing the Post story, Edwards said Kerry's agenda "would drive us deeper and deeper into deficit."

Kerry disputed the Post story, saying it mistakenly calculated the cost of his economic stimulus package and ignored savings he says he would generate by revising the Medicare prescription drug bill Congress passed last year.

A few moments later, Kerry returned to the trade issue. "John Edwards has been in the Senate for five years," Kerry charged. "He's talked more in the last five weeks about trade