Posted on 10/20/2004 1:13:22 PM PDT by NewMediaFan
MASON CITY — How liberal is Sen. John Kerry? Too liberal even for Democratic states, according to President Bush.
The incumbent, campaigning Wednesday in three Midwestern states he narrowly lost in 2000, cast the senator from Massachusetts as a pro-abortion, tax-raising, weak-on-defense liberal who is out of step with increasingly conservative values in middle America.
"He can try to run from his record and philosophy," Bush told a partisan crowd in this swing city, "but he cannot hide."
Bush also was visiting Minnesota and Wisconsin Wednesday touching foot in a trio of once-reliable Democratic states that could be key to his re-election. Kerry, too, campaigned Wednesday in Iowa, the state that launched him toward the Democratic nomination with a come-from-behind victory in caucuses nine months ago.
It was unclear whether Bush's tactic would work in the region, where polls show the three races tied or Kerry slightly ahead.
"George Bush is clearly feeling pressure here, and what he's doing is using divisive rhetoric to try to win votes," said Kerry spokesman Phil Singer. "At the end of the day, people want to talk about issues, and George Bush is showing he has no way of doing that. John Kerry does."
Since sealing the nomination in March, Kerry has highlighted moderate aspects of his Senate record, including votes for deficit reduction, the hiring of police officers and even authorization of military action in Iraq.
On cultural issues that are important to Midwest voters, Kerry says he's for gay rights but against gay marriage. A hunter, he is building campaign events around that interest to impress voters worried about his party's gun control positions. A Catholic, Kerry is talking more openly about his faith.
"My opponent's words on these issues are a little muddy, but his record is pretty clear," Bush said...
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
"Since sealing the nomination in March, Kerry has highlighted moderate aspects of his Senate record" - that should be easy. Kind of a short list!
Bush ought to hammer this home for the next two weeks, lest anyone forget.
Bush should put the "L" sign over his forward and chant loser/liberal...loser/liberal....
That's going to leave a mark.....
Well said.
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