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Couric: Let me ask you about the politics of fear. Saturday you said the president keeps going around the country trying to scare people, but you have also employed these tactics, one might say, by saying if the president is elected there might be a draft. People might have to work into their ‘70s or ‘80s because social security could be in jeopardy. You’ve raised the specter of bioterrorism based on the flu vaccine shortage. So isn't it the pot calling the kettle black to say that the president is scaring the American people?

Sen. Kerry: No, it is profoundly not at all and I’ll tell you why. Because, number one, if we have more of the same policy in Iraq, where we have nine out of 10 of our active duty divisions are either in Iraq, coming back from Iraq, going to Iraq and you face North Korea, which is now a nuclear threat, and Iran, which is an increasing threat and you already have stop loss policy, a back door draft on your Reserves and your National Guard — the president has said we're making progress. He’s going to do more of the same in Iraq. So how he's going to do that and get the job done when our own people tell us, "You don't have enough troops on the ground," is beyond me. I think that … this is an anxiety that's not been on Social Security, Katie. It’s not my program that's privatizing Social Security. It’s the president's program. He has chosen to do this.

Complete Transcript:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6326186/