Posted on 10/30/2004 10:25:45 AM PDT by SkyPilot
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - President Bush (news - web sites) and Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) charged into a sharp final round of argument Saturday over which one can best fight global terrorism, the import of their debate underscored by Osama bin Laden (news - web sites)'s sudden reappearance on tape at "a time of great consequence," in the words of the president.
"The person that sits in the Oval Office will determine the outcome of the war on terror and the economy," Bush told supporters in Grand Rapids, Mich., after directing his national security aides to take any necessary steps in response to the bin Laden tape.
Kerry was in the Midwest battleground states, too, campaigning in Appleton, Wis., where he pledged to "lead the world in fighting a smarter, more effective, tougher, more strategic war on terror."
"We will make America safer," the Massachusetts senator said, renewing his charges that Bush was responsible for letting bin Laden slip away and that the president's rush to war in Iraq (news - web sites) had diverted needed forces from Afghanistan (news - web sites).
Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) made his pitch in Pennsylvania, suggesting that bin Laden's latest message underscores the importance of staying focused on the fight against terrorism.
"It is a contest we did not choose, but it is one that we will win," Cheney told a cheering crowd as he pressed his criticism of Kerry's stands on national security.
The campaign back-and-forth played out as the U.S. military in Iraq announced that eight Marines were killed and nine wounded in action Saturday in Anbar province in west of Baghdad.
Bush held a videoconference call with national security adviser Condoleezza Rice and the heads of the CIA FBI and departments of Justice and Homeland Security. White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the president directed them to make sure any necessary action is taken with regard to the tape.
McClellan did not say what steps were being taken or contemplated. He played down the possibility of the administration raising the threat advisory level, currently at "yellow," or elevated, for most of the country. He did rule out Bush curtailing his campaign schedule to deal with the new video message.
The presidential candidates responded with reflexive gestures of unity to the sight of America's deadly foe on video, but those were swallowed up in the lunge for advantage in the campaign's closing days.
Sen. John McCain (news, bio, voting record), R-Ariz., campaigning for Bush in Connecticut, predicted Saturday that the bin Laden message would give the president a boost in the campaign's closing days by focusing attention on terrorism.
"I think the undecideds are going to go into the ballot booth and vote on who they believe can protect them the best," McCain said, maintaining that the answer would be Bush.
Mike McCurry, an adviser to Kerry, said the campaign has no way of knowing what kind of effect the tape might have on the election: "We'll know on Tuesday."
McCurry also rejected the idea that Kerry was using the tape for political ends, disputing Republican criticism and saying, "It's hard to imagine how they could make that charge since he's the one that referenced the tape in his vicious attack on Senator Kerry last night."
Kerry, for his part, hoped the issue would play to his advantage, pledging to defend the nation ably as president, just as he did as a young soldier in Vietnam.
On the videotape, bin Laden explicitly acknowledged responsibility for the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks for the first time and told Americans: "Your security is not in the hands of Kerry or Bush or al-Qaida. Your security is in your own hands."
After a day in Florida, Kerry flew to Wisconsin to resume campaigning in Midwestern battlegrounds, where he and Bush spent much of the week. Iowa and Ohio were also on the Massachusetts senator's plate Saturday; Bush was stumping in Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota before capping the night in Orlando, Fla.
Intelligence officials continued to analyze the bin Laden tape, which they believe is genuine and had been made recently. The campaigns pored over the implications for their scripted weekend finales, and both candidates rushed to TV cameras to respond.
"Let me make this very clear," Bush said in Toledo, Ohio. "Americans will not be intimidated or influenced by an enemy of our country. I'm sure Senator Kerry agrees with this."
Kerry, in Florida, echoed that "we are absolutely united in our determination to hunt down and destroy Osama bin Laden and the terrorists." He went on: "They are barbarians, and I will stop at absolutely nothing to hunt down, capture or kill the terrorists wherever they are, whatever it takes, period."
But separately he returned to his argument that U.S. forces could have run down bin Laden in the Tora Bora mountains of Afghanistan in late 2001 if they had gone after him on the ground. He blamed Bush anew for the decision to let Afghan forces lead that chase.
___
AP writer Mary Dalrymple, traveling with the Kerry campaign, contributed to this report.
The timimg for the media on the release of this video could not be worse---they thought they had the Bush Campaign on the ropes with the "missing explosive" non-story.
By the way--the headline on AOL-Hell is similar--and they say both campaigns are "shaken up" by the video. Ahem! Only Jean Francois Kerry is shaken up.
AP= Always Pathetic
Or AP=Arab Press
You are correct. This morning all the dem. talking heads keep repeating: "no effect, no effect!" Like they are trying to convince themselves as well as their base. But they really know better!
WE NEED TO SEE THE WHOLE TAPE NOW! On Fox this AM they said the part we have not been allowed to see threatens Pres. Bush and his family. Why is the government not permitting its release?
Perhaps the media will listen to the Administration for a change and exercise good taste, not sensationalism.
Yup--but we know better.
How nice they also provided a photo of Mr. & Mrs. Botox.
Are they still saying that Bin Laden was endorsing Pres. Bush for terrorist recruitment purposes?
That was a very lame and transparently desperate response they threw togather in a hurry and FAX-ed out to all on the talking point list!
Considering reports yesterday that both campaigns were prepared for this, this article is dumb.
They said this Bin Laden video has helped Bush immensely.
They also said Bush has a chance in Hawaii.
FOX News says Bush is leading in every poll--it is close, but we have to worry about "fist fights" between lawyers in the courts.
Bush isn't rattled by that stupid report. Kerry may be though cause he knows this kills his chances. Bush is the one to deal with terror AND...in his sceond term he'll do more for the other issuses AFTER he takes care of Fallujah.
Amen. It is the Media trying to Spin this story.
I agree--Bin Laden gave GW the biggest present he could ask for.
Bush sure didn't look rattled last night in Columbus.
Perhaps not--we have to see how stupid the Democrats are. If they file lawsuits that everyone knows are frivolous, they risk an awful lot. They will have defend these lawsuits on something much firmer than "hanging and pregnant chads" this time---and they know it.
I think they have to mount some type of attack regardless of the size of Bush's victory just to keep a good chunk of their base from disowning them. You know the Radical Left is going to think Bush stole the election even if God comes down to Earth to prove that it isn't so. :-)
Hey, F'n...don't cha think we should have killed OBL on one of the 3 times he was offered by the Sudanese Gov't to Klinton, hmmm?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.