Posted on 10/29/2004 12:52:07 PM PDT by Marcus Alonzo Hanna
Kerry: 'Wake Up America' and Choose Fresh Start Fri Oct 29, 2004 01:17 PM ET
By Patricia Wilson ORLANDO, Fla. (Reuters) - Democratic challenger John Kerry urged Americans on Friday to "wake up" and choose a new start on the economy and Iraq instead of four more years of President Bush's "catastrophic mismanagement."
Four days before the United States chooses its next commander in chief, the Massachusetts senator told supporters in Orlando they could not afford to re-elect Bush, "a president who's unwilling to admit the mistakes he's made and says he would do the same thing all over again."
In the last of nine "closing argument" speeches in which Kerry laid out what he called the clear choices voters face on Tuesday, the former prosecutor offered a summary of his case: a fresh start versus more failed policies.
Conjuring up the image of a woman walking into a voting booth thinking about her husband fighting in Iraq, he said: "On Tuesday, you have the choice to give her hope. You have the choice to give America a fresh start."
Citing the high costs of the continuing war -- more than 1,100 U.S. military deaths and $225 billion spent with "billions more on the way," Kerry said: "By pushing our allies aside, George Bush's catastrophic mismanagement of this war has left America to bear almost 90 percent of the costs and 90 percent of the coalition casualties."
He struck at Bush's perceived strength -- national security -- accusing the commander in chief of not doing his job by allowing Osama bin Laden, whose al Qaeda organization is blamed for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, escape from the mountains of Afghanistan.
"In this election, the safety of the American people is on the ballot," he declared.
ASK AMERICANS TO 'WAKE UP'
Kerry also blasted Bush on the economy, taxes, jobs and health care, saying the Republican incumbent had "walked away from the basic bargain" that Americans who worked hard should have the chance to get ahead and chosen his powerful friends over the middle class.
"Wake up America, wake up. ... You have a choice," he said. "This election is a choice between four more years of tax giveaways for millionaires along with a higher tax burden on the middle class."
Making a last-minute dash through a handful of critical battleground states, including Florida, where the disputed 2000 presidential election was decided in Bush's favor, Kerry tried to reach out to undecided voters in a deadlocked election.
"It is time for America to put the politics of polarization behind us," he said. "It is time for America to renew the faith that there is something for everyone single one of us to do -- and challenges each of us to try."
Bad news has dogged Bush in the closing weeks of the campaign, from violence in Iraq to missing explosives to an FBI probe of whether the Pentagon improperly awarded no-bid military contracts to Halliburton Co., the Houston-based energy services company formerly headed by Vice President Dick Cheney,
Kerry mentioned none of it specifically, even though he has stoked revelations about the disappearance of hundreds of tons of explosives from an Iraqi military facility around the time of the U.S.-led invasion last year and pounced on every news report that might be potentially damaging to Bush.
Instead, he focused on grander themes of hope and opportunity.
"I believe deeply that hope, not fear, is our future," he said. "Give me the chance to make you proud. Give me the chance to lift our country up and every day I'll look you in the eye and be able to say, 'I've got your back!"'
Exactly! Almost exactly like Bob Dole's line...
ZZZZzzzzzzzzz....
This is anything but comforting....in fact, it's chilling....
If he doesn't want America to fall asleep, all he has to do is shut-up for a while...
And just as desperate.
So he wants to be a follower, not a leader?
Typical Kerry.
Implying he thinks most of America is asleep, i.e. not planning on voting for John Kerry.
Let's all watch the movie "Network".....
...and every day I'll look you in the eye and be able to say, 'I've got your back!"'
Big Nazi slogan: Deutschland Erwache!
Like every liberal, what he means is:
"I'll be on your back."
In the Senate, Teddy's his driver. At home, it's Te-RAY-sa.
Anyone who has to use the phrase "Wake Up America" can't feel he's winning on the issues that are important. This is a phrase of someone who's not getting his message through.
And in his case, he means "I'll stab you in the back."
"a president who's unwilling to admit the mistakes he's made and says he would do the same thing all over again."
This, in a nutshell, describes Kerry's entire political career and encapsulates perfectly a future Kerry presidency.
I agree WAKE UP AMERICA! The socialists are banging on the front door, its time to wake up and run them out of town!
...and every day I'll look you in the eye and be able to say, 'I've got your back!"'
I'd say: Kerry, wake up and smell the coffe, your ass is ours and we'll put your bony ass in the street where you belong!
Hey John Kerry... why don't you SHUT up?
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