Thanks this is a great find:
http://www.detnews.com/2004/editorial/0402/07/a11-55726.htm Thursday, February 5, 2004
Kerry: 'I can beat George Bush'
Democratic candidates address issues before caucus vote
The Detroit News
Sen. John Kerry
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John Kerry is a four-term senator from Massachusetts.
Q: What can you do for Democratic voters in Michigan?
A: First, I can beat George Bush. I’m the only candidate in the Democratic field who has a 35-year measurable record of accomplishments.
With respect to Michigan, Michigan is under assault in terms of manufacturing jobs, as are many other parts of the country. I think we need to make the trade relationship more sensible, balanced, fairer. I also think we need to encourage manufacturing in America. I also have a health care plan that is the only health care plan of any presidential candidate that actually lowers the cost of health care for people who have it today in the workplace. The way I do it is by creating a federal fund that takes all the catastrophic cases out of your risk pool, so you’re no longer carrying that burden. So your premiums will go down, your co-pay will go down.
Q: Do you want to redo the North American Free Trade Agreement?
A: I have said I’m going to create a panel of trade experts who have no vested interest in the system to do a 120-day review of all our current trade agreements to see where they are out of whack and out of balance with respect to the openness of markets, currency manipulation, the violation of intellectual property laws and the structural problems within the World Trade Organization.
Q: In 2002, you co-sponsored legislation to raise the fuel economy standards for trucks and SUVs to 36 miles per gallon by 2015, up from the current 20.7. How would this help the auto industry increase jobs?
A: Setting mandatory fuel economy standards has been used for the purpose of trying to safeguard our future environment. I support improvements in those standards, but I’m not locked into a particular number of miles per gallon or a particular formula. I’d be crazy if I want to set up a structure that’s going to automatically lose us jobs.
Q: What kind of vehicles does your family drive?
A: We have some SUVs. We have a Jeep. We have a couple of Chrysler minivans. We have a PT Cruiser up in Boston. I have an old Dodge 600 that I keep in the Senate. ... We also have a Chevy, a big Suburban.