Posted on 11/01/2004 6:18:40 AM PST by Pfesser
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 Bush Makes Final Bid for Votes with Marathon Sweep
By Steve Holland WILMINGTON, Ohio (Reuters) - President Bush (news - web sites), his re-election bid hanging in the balance, went on a last sweep through battleground states on Monday urging get-out-the-vote efforts in his race with Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites).
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"I'm asking for your help, and there's no doubt in my mind, with your help we will win Ohio again and win a great victory," Bush said as polls showed a possible cliffhanger outcome in Tuesday's election and the state of Ohio a key to victory in his extraordinarily tight race with Kerry.
Bush led the Massachusetts senator by 48 percent to 47 percent in the latest three-day Reuters/Zogby national tracking poll released on Monday. That was well within the margin of error.
Bush's Marine One helicopter brought the president to an early morning rally at a Wilmington airport hangar before thousands of cheering supporters. Bush won Ohio in 2000 but 230,000 job losses have put the state in play.
It was the first stop on a 16-hour sweep through the swing states of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Iowa and New Mexico. He was ending up late on Monday in Dallas.
"On to victory!" Bush told the Ohio crowd.
Bush is in the fight of his political life. Either he wins re-election to a second four-year term or joins his father as a president who had high approval ratings early in his term but went on to lose.
In a trimmed stump speech, Bush played up his strength in fighting the war on terror, vowing to "use every asset at our disposal" to protect Americans.
"I will never relent in defending America, whatever it takes," he said, days after a threatening videotape from Osama bin Laden (news - web sites) surfaced.
He hammered away at Kerry as a man who would raise taxes on all Americans to pay for ambitious spending plans and who has been "consistently wrong" on national security decisions for the past 20 years.
Bush said the country's future safety and prosperity were on the ballot.
"Ultimately this election comes down to, who do you trust? who do you trust to make the tough decisions? Who do you trust to lead this country to a better tomorrow?" he said.
On the Iraq (news - web sites) war, Bush said the situation was dangerous, but "think how far that society has come since the days of torture chambers and mass graves. There will be presidential elections in January. I believe every soul desires to be free."
As he walked toward Air Force One after the event, Bush gave a thumbs-up and said, "Oh yeah!" when asked how he was going to do.
HELP FROM WORLD SERIES HERO
After voting in Crawford, Texas, Bush was likely to make at least one stop on the way back to Washington on Tuesday to exhort his supporters to the polls on Election Day.
With Bush in Wilmington was a World Series (news - web sites) hero, Boston Red Sox pitcher Curt Schilling, who was forced to cancel a campaign event with Bush last week in New Hampshire due to what was described as his ailing ankle.
Schilling said Bush would lead the fight against terrorism and support U.S. troops in combat.
"Those troops deserve all of our support and all of our thanks. There's something else we an do for them. We can make sure we elect the president, who supports them every step of the way," Schilling said.
Bush told NBC News on Sunday he hoped the winner, "whichever one of us wins," will be known on Tuesday night to avoid a bitter recount battle like he had in 2000.
"I do think it's important for us to get the election over with and get on with the people's business. We'll see how it goes Tuesday night but I really think it's important not to have a world of lawsuits that stop the will of the people from going forward," he said.
(Additional reporting by Caren Bohan)
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Copyright © 2004 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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Yesterday Kerry said he was "tired" after two years of campaigning. I wish the Bush campaign would make use of this. Two years of campaigning is nothing compared to four years in the White House.
I'm taking my daughter to his rally in Des Moines this afternoon. I'll post pics if I get any good ones.
Too bad the other side will probably not see it this way. If it were really tight, they'll think nothing of dragging the country through endless litigation. I think GWB will win and by more than in 2000, but we must keep praying it through to fruition! May team Bush have fire in their bellies as they go around the battleground today!
Like we choose to say in NASCAR when a driver is driving to front and gets there after working hard all day,"Man he driving his heart out!!!) This President GW Bush is giving his whole being to leading this country. I hope all Americans that love and care about America will go to the polls and support this wonderful, dedicated man, who lives every hour trying defend and protect us all!!! No matter what happens, history will prove that GW Bush is one of our great President. Let us go out tomorrow and re-elect him, and in the process destroy the America haters, John Kerry and the "Traitor" Democrat Party.
GOD BLESS YOU, PRESIDENT BUSH !!!
On to victory tomorrow.
Actually, Bob Dole has the record on last-minute stops prior to his 1996 defeat. He kept asking, "Where's the outrage?" And the voters replied: in the White House, ha, ha, ha.
Why not Florida? That one is a Must Win.
For the sake of their lust for power, the left will overthrow the Constitution and the rule of law.
Huh? What was described? I guess whoever wrote this did not see the bloody sock.
Odd, I had heard the he was ending up in Crawford tonight, then back to DC tomorrow.
I hope he hits Southeastern Ohio, Northeastern Ohio, Miami and Orlando. That should pretty much seal the deal.
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