Posted on 10/22/2004 12:36:03 PM PDT by ShorelineMike
MILWAUKEE, Wisc. (Reuters) - Democratic challenger John Kerry accused President Bush on Friday of jilting women with empty promises and said his Republican rival could learn something about hard work from their daily struggle.
Courting the women's vote, the Massachusetts senator was introduced by Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, the daughter of President John Kennedy, and the latest in a long line of high profile women -- including Sept. 11 widow Kristen Breitweiser and Dana Reeve, wife of the late actor Christopher Reeve -- who signed on for joint appearances.
Kerry said his presidency would offer women "a fresh start" with good jobs and equal pay instead of the "false assurances" of the Bush administration.
"We believe that the middle class is the backbone of this country and that hard-working women are the bedrock of our families," he told supporters in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "For far too many women, the American dream seems a million miles away because when you've barely got time to sleep, who's got time to dream?"
Kerry scoffed at Bush's repeated assertion in their first debate that the presidency was "hard work."
"Before the president complains about his job, he ought to come here and spend the day with you," he said. "He might learn something about how, day after day, the women of this country juggle so much with such grace and strength."
Kerry said working women had been deeply affected by the "Bush economy," citing "rising costs and sinking wages," soaring health care premiums, the pay gap and an inadequate minimum wage.
Women on average are paid 76 cents for every dollar a man earns and more than 9 million of them receive the minimum wage, which Kerry promised to raise from $5.15 an hour to $7 by 2007.
He also vowed to lower health care costs, make education -- especially at the college level -- more available and affordable for women and to protect the Social Security (news - web sites) retirement system.
CLAIMS NO ONE IS LISTENING
"No one in this White House understands the challenges they face," he said. "No matter how tough it gets, no one in the White House seems to be listening."
Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Kerry "talks about making life better for women" but that his Senate record proved otherwise.
"He voted for higher taxes on their gas, he voted for higher taxes on their Social Security benefits, he even voted for higher taxes on their children and their marriages," Schmidt said.
Kerry leads Bush among women voters in many polls, with a recent New York Times survey giving him a 10-point advantage and a Pew poll showing him making notable gains.
Democratic Vice President Al Gore (news - web sites) -- who will campaign this weekend for Kerry in Florida, like Wisconsin another closely contested state -- claimed 54 percent of the women's vote in 2000.
Many undecided voters are women and Kerry tried to close the deal, empathizing with their multiple roles outside the workplace -- "caregiver, meal cooker, financial planner, house cleaner and all the other jobs they do to help support our families."
He also indulged in a bit of male-deprecating humor, agreeing with his wife Teresa Heinz Kerry that "women are really the managers of chaos. They pick up the pieces after us guys."
Kerry assailed Bush for being out of touch with average Americans, giving the wealthiest Americans tax cuts and blocking an increase in the minimum wage while pretending "it's all just fine" and hoping no one notices.
"Do we want four more years of a president who ... measures his success by how much he's done for those with the most?" Kerry asked. "The women of America can write the future of America if they go to the polls and make their voices heard."
About 38 million women did not vote in the 2000 presidential election.
November 2nd can't get here fast enough.
LOL!!!!!
And this guy knows something about "hard work"? Here is a guy who has done NOTHING significant in the Senate for the last 20 years! What a wimp.
Jilting?
What a bunch of high schoolers these people are!
"Kerry accused President Bush on Friday of jilting women with empty promises and said his Republican rival could learn something about hard work from their daily struggle."
He oughta know-Teresa is an authority on women's 'real jobs'-which, BTW, does NOT include mothers, teachers or librarians.
Like you did Senator......marry the widow with the most money?
Oh geez.
Do these lefty's have anything left except the SOS?
"AMEN"
John Kerry just HAS to be an elaborate April Fools joke.
Poodle Boy has yet to meet a hardworking woman, except perhaps one of his wife's maids.
The American Gigolo speaketh
Deep. But he should know, he never worked hard and had plenty of time to dream about marrying rich women.
Kerry scoffed at Bush's repeated assertion in their first debate that the presidency was "hard work." "Before the president complains about his job, he ought to come here and spend the day with you," he said. "He might learn something about how, day after day, the women of this country juggle so much with such grace and strength."
Um, who's ever said being President wasn't hard work? Did Kerry work hard in the Senate?
"Democratic challenger John Kerry accused President Bush on Friday of jilting women with empty promises and said his Republican rival could learn something about hard work from their daily struggle."
Welcome back to the 1920s...
This from a man who hardly shows up for work.
Hahaha....and this is the guy who said, "I'm too lazy" to carry his dead goose. Sheesh.
How, Senator? How will you, as president, offer women good jobs? And "equal pay"? Sounds like a jobs-killing mandate upon businesses.
Remind me again how much women were making versus men back in the golden days of the Clinton administration.
This is disgusting. Kerry hasnt worked in 20 yrs in the senate but he claims to know how hard it is to work in the White house? He is an ass.
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