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Posted on 08/26/2004 12:20:21 PM PDT by Rescue1
Kerry Challenges Bush to Weekly Debates
By MARY DALRYMPLE, Associated Press Writer
ANOKA, Minn. - John Kerry (news - web sites) challenged President Bush (news - web sites) on Thursday to weekly debates from now until Nov. 2 on campaign issues like education, health care and national security.
"America deserves a discussion like we're having here today, which I'm prepared to have with this president every single week from now until the election," the Democratic presidential candidate said.
Kerry issued the challenge while speaking about health care at Anoka Hennepin Technical College, fielding questions from a group of more than 200 people, some of them self-described undecided voters.
The Kerry campaign picked Anoka County for its known political independence, drawing the audience from counties surrounding Minneapolis and St. Paul. Anoka County voted for presidents Clinton and Bush, as well as independent former Gov. Jesse Ventura, and tends to be a bellwether for statewide candidates.
The Bush-Cheney campaign rebuffed the debate challenge.
"There will be a time for debates after the convention, and during the next few weeks, John Kerry should take the time to finish the debates with himself," responded Bush-Cheney spokesman Steve Schmidt.
"This election presents a clear choice to the American people between a president who is moving America forward and a senator who has taken every side of almost every issue," he said.
The Commission on Presidential Debates has scheduled three presidential debates to be held on college campuses in the battleground states of Florida, Missouri and Arizona in late September and October.
Kerry used the health care forum to highlight new figures released by the Census Bureau (news - web sites), which showed the ranks of the poor and uninsured grew last year, the third straight annual increase for both categories.
"Today confirms the failure of President Bush's policies for all Americans. While George Bush (news - web sites) tries to convince America's families that were turning the corner, slogans and empty rhetoric can't hide the real story," Kerry said.
Kerry also defended himself from Republican charges that he wavers in his convictions on major issues.
"It's standard Republican playbook," Kerry said in response to a voter's question. "They just say it, and if you spend enough money and say it enough, people like you are going to ask the question."
Kerry said Bush has been the one flip-flopping over the last four years — standing against the Homeland Security Department, then embracing it; fighting against the Sept. 11 commission, then endorsing it; promising to fund his new education law, then failing to.
After his response got a standing ovation, Kerry said, "That's why it would be great to be talking about this every week."
That's a desperation shot.
Isn't that what just about every eventual loser does?
And they say Bush and his people are dimwits . . . . .
Weld and Kerry debated like 6 times......Weld lost.
Kerry obviously has all sorts of time on his hands to debate with himself and others. President Bush has a REAL JOB and actually shows up on a regular basis.
I'm sinking.
No pun intended.
He wants to get some media attention other than that surounding the Swiftvet controversy.
He can't get his campaign back on track and hopes that this might help.
He wants to call Bush a coward for not doing things as planned...having fall debates.
Of course, none of these plans will work because Bush won't agree.
Didn't Keyes just challenge Obama to a series of debates and Obama said "no".
If it wasn't Keyes, who was it that just tried this tactic?
But Kerry takes both sides of every position so why does he need President Bush? He can debate himself. "I voted for the war before I voted against it." LOL
If it wasn't Keyes, who was it that just tried this tactic?
Obama had said he'd debate the Republican nominee 6 times. When Keyes became that nominee, Obama "changed his mind" to only 3 debates.
There will be a time for debates after the convention, and during the next few weeks, John Kerry should take the time to finish the debates with himself. This election presents a clear choice to the American people between a President who is moving America forward and a Senator who has taken every side of almost every issue and has the most out of the mainstream record in the U.S. Senate," said BC'04 spokesman Steve Schmidt.
This left a mark...
bump to support SWIFTVETS and GEORGE W. BUSH... http://www.swiftvets.com/
Kerry is very ill - honestly, he has a physo condition, definately - his words and demands of an insane going person...he is not President material - he is trippin.! The house of cards is falling, and he is grasping straws.
Kerry must think the job of the Presidency is as leisurely as his absentee career in the Senate. He may be shocked to learn that between campaigning for re-election and performing all the duties of his office, Bush has no time left over for 2 months of weekly debates with Kerry.
So when his campaign collapses, will it be Hillary or will the Dems just concede the election? or, as in Missouri in 200, will a vote for Kerry be a vote for Teresa?
It tells me Kerry knows he is in trouble.
there is a link here. Anoka,MN is the "Halloween Capitol of the US"
sKerry is the scariest thing I've we've seen here in a while.
They've got their candidate and unless he dies or suffers something like a debilitating stroke, Kerry is in this for the duration. No major party has ever withdrawn from a presidential election.
Ooo that's gonna leave a mark.
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