Posted on 03/04/2004 6:53:22 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
US PRESIDENT George W. Bush unveiled his first election advertisements and his rival John Kerry wooed votes in the crucial state of Florida as the race for the White House moved into top gear yesterday. Senator Hillary Clinton also ruled herself out as prospective vice-president as Senator Kerry began looking for a running mate. "No, I'm having a great time being a senator," she said when asked if interested. "I don't think it would ever be offered and I don't think I would accept." Senator Clinton said she remained willing to support Senator Kerry "in any way he requests". With America now focused on a Kerry-versus-Bush showdown in November, Mr Bush went to California to begin a six-state fundraising tour to add to the $199.3 million already in his campaign war chest. Today, four campaign ads will air in 17 states, heralding the beginning of the Republicans' multi-million dollar onslaught over the next eight months. Two ads feature the rubble of September 11 and an American flag, tell viewers America has risen to the challenges of the past few years and urges them to stick with Mr Bush with the slogan `Steady leadership in times of change". "We thought it important to start with a `setting the table' of where the country's been over the last three years," said Matthew Dowd, Mr Bush's chief campaign strategist. Future commercials will attack Senator Kerry, who has told Democrats to expect a dirty campaign from "the Republican attack machine". Campaigning in Florida, where the 2000 federal election was decided, Senator Kerry, who has spent most of his money winning the presidential nomination, urged Democrat donors to dig deep. "George Bush has about $265 million and he's going to start advertising tomorrow. We need to be able to answer him," he said. "We can fight back and reclaim our democracy in the USA. So let's go and make it happen." Former candidate John Edwards is a candidate for Senator Kerry's vice-presidential running mate.
Read, "Future commercials will expose Senator Kerry..."
Frankly, I think this one was a stroke of genius.
Kerry seems to pick these figures at random out of the thin air as he makes these wild claims. I'm sure the Bush campaign would be very pleased indeed if it had that much money to spend.
What the H*LL is controversial about highlighting leadership during the worst attack on the US in history?
It seems that the press feels that President Bush should get Kerry's permission before he releases any ads, to see if they are appropriate (you know "I was in Vietnam", but only I can mention it)
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