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Kerry and
Bush Face Off Over Deficit, War
By NEDRA PICKLER (Direct descendent of
Joseph Stalin! - tha malcontent)
Associated Press Writer Oct 9, 1:03 AM
EDT
ST. LOUIS
(AP)
� In a testy debate rematch Friday, Sen.
John Kerry derided President Bush as the first leader to preside over job losses
in 72 years and said he had transformed huge budget surpluses into massive
deficits with wartime tax cuts for the rich. Bush said Kerry would raise taxes
on middle-class Americans to pay for $2.2 trillion in new spending programs.
(ap) - 42 - 20
"That's just reality," Bush insisted.
"The president's trying to scare everybody here," Kerry responded.
The two candidates quarreled aggressively over the war in Iraq, jobs, education,
health care, abortion, the environment, cheaper drugs and tort reform at a
town-hall session 25 days before the election. Just over 90 minutes, they
fielded 18 questions from a select audience of uncommitted voters.
Bush said that if Kerry were president, Saddam Hussein "would still be in
power." The senator replied: "Not necessarily be in power ..."
After stumbling in the first debate with a scowling performance, Bush sought to
regain his footing, reassure Republicans and throw Kerry on the defensive.
Kerry, meanwhile, hoped to build on the momentum of their first encounter, which
gave him a lift in the polls.
Asked if he would pledge not to raise taxes on people making $200,000 or less,
Kerry said: "Absolutely yes, right into the camera. Yes - I am not going to
raise taxes." Bush scoffed at the answer. "Of course he's going to raise your
taxes."
Estimating that Kerry's proposals would cost $2.2 trillion, Bush declared, "He's
going to tax everybody here to fund these programs." He said Kerry's plan to
raise taxes on the wealthy would force 900,000 small business owners to pay more
- a contention disputed by the Kerry campaign.
Bush drew criticism in his first debate with Kerry last week with sharp looks of
annoyance. The president's frustration showed again Friday night when he jumped
from his seat for forceful answers. At one point, he interrupted moderator
Charles Gibson after Kerry had said he was "not going to go alone like this
president did" in Iraq.
"I've got to answer this," Bush said, cutting off Gibson, then indignantly
responding to Kerry. "You tell Tony Blair we're going alone." There were
noticeable snickers in the audience when Bush referred to rumors on the
"Internets" about the draft.
Kerry and Bush fared about equally in a poll of debate viewers by CNN-USA
Today-Gallup. Asked who did a better job, 47 percent said Kerry and 45 percent
said Bush. In an ABC News poll, 44 percent said Kerry, 41 percent said Bush and
13 percent said it was a tie.
While the debate was open to all subjects, Iraq was a dominant theme.
Criticizing the president's decision to invade the Persian Gulf nation, the
Democrat said, "If we'd use smart diplomacy, we could have saved $200 billion
and an invasion of Iraq and right now Osama bin Laden might be in jail or dead.
That's the war on terror."
The debate came two days after the chief U.S. arms inspector reported that
Saddam did not have illicit weapons nor the means to make them. Bush said, "I
wasn't happy when we found out there wasn't weapons, and we've got an
intelligence group together to figure out why." Weapons of mass destruction were
the central rationale for the war that has cost more than 1,000 American lives.
The debate - the second of three - opened with a question to Kerry about whether
he was too wishy-washy. Kerry turned that question into an attack against Bush,
saying the president "didn't find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, so he's
really turned his campaign into a weapon of mass deception" by claiming that the
four-term Massachusetts senator had changed his mind when he had not.
Kerry said Bush "has presided over an economy where we've lost 1.6 million jobs.
The first president in 72 years to lose jobs. I have a plan to put people back
to work. That's not wishy-washy." A government report Friday said the nation had
lost 821,000 jobs under Bush.
"I can see why people think he changes a lot," Bush retorted, "because he does."
He pointed out that Kerry had said he had voted for an $87 billion appropriation
for Iraq and Afghanistan before he voted against it.
Kerry used the opportunity to point out that the nation has suffered a net job
loss under Bush.
Expanding his criticism of Bush on Iraq, Kerry said the president had diverted
resources from the war against terror and also ignored a threat from Iran as it
accelerated its nuclear program. "It's a threat. It's a huge threat. It has
grown while the president was preoccupied with Iraq," the Democratic challenger
said.
Responding to criticism from Kerry in their second debate, Bush said, "That
answer almost made me want to scowl." He went on to accuse the senator of
advocating a policy that was "naive and dangerous" for bilateral talks between
the United States and North Korea rather than the six-nation negotiations set in
motion by the Bush administration.
Bush also set to lay to rest persistent rumors that the war in Iraq would
require the nation to return to a military draft. "We're not going to have a
draft. Period," the president said.
The Republican incumbent accused Kerry of denigrating the U.S.-led coalition in
Iraq with his claim that the United States is shouldering 90 percent of the
costs and casualties. "We've got 30 countries there," Bush said, his voice
rising. He mentioned Britain, Italy, Poland as well as other allies.
"Mr. President, countries are leaving the coalition, not joining," Kerry said,
asserting that eight countries are pulling out their troops from post-war Iraq.
Bush and Kerry also were put on the spot about their plans for the economy.
"We did something that you don't know how to do," Kerry told Bush. "We balanced
the budget. And we paid down the debt of our nation for two years in a row and
we created 23 million new jobs at the same time." He accused Bush of driving up
the biggest deficits in history.
"He's added more debt to the debt of the United States in four years than all
the way from George Washington to Ronald Reagan put together. Go figure." The
budget swung from a record $313 billion surplus projected when Bush took office
to a record $422 billion deficit this election year.
One questioner asked Bush whom he would pick if there were a Supreme Court
vacancy. "I'm not telling you," the president said. "I really haven't picked
anybody yet." He added lightheartedly, "Plus I want them all voting for me."
Kerry said that if he had to pick a Supreme Court justice, "I want to make sure
we have judges who interpret the Constitution of the United States according to
the law."
Asked about abortion, Kerry, who supports a woman's right to have an abortion,
noted that he was a Roman Catholic but said he could not let his faith influence
his decision. In a long, rambling answer, he said the United States should not
bar the use of federal money for family planning programs overseas.
Referring to Kerry's answer, Bush said, "I'm trying to decipher that."
Confronting the question directly, he said, "We're not going to spend federal
money on abortion."
The third and final debate will be held Wednesday in Tempe, Ariz., with the
focus on domestic issues.
pper Midwest Crucial to Kerry's Hopes
By MIKE GLOVER
(Direct descendent of
Karl Marx! - tha malcontent)
Associated Press Writer Sep 26, 8:34 AM
EDT
LA CROSSE, Wis.
(AP)
� In 2000, political
pundits summed up the race in three words: Florida, Florida, Florida. Here's
three words to consider this fall: Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. President Bush
is targeting their combined 27 electoral votes - the same total as Florida,
where a bitterly contested recount settled the last election.
(ap) - Is the AP calling Rather/Jennings/Brokaw
"Political Pundits"?... I thought they considered themselves "journalists"!
There Selective Memory of national time zones and how they affect important
states in the election back in 2000 was Entertaining to say the least! Hey
John, listen to the AP, they are not attempting to set HILLARY! up in 2008 as
Carville and the former Clinton Spokesperson are by Sabotaging you and getting
involved in "Free Press" collusion regarding Forged Documents! - tha malcontent)
The trio of upper Mississippi River states narrowly backed Vice President Al
Gore in 2000 and are, if anything, slightly more Republican four years later,
raising the possibility that Democratic Sen. John Kerry could lose one or two of
them.
(NO!... Say it ain't true! - tha malcontent)
"They are states we lost last time, but if we can carry one or more of them, it
puts Kerry's ability to win the Electoral College in serious jeopardy," said
Bush strategist Matthew Dowd.
(I think that the Electoral Vote will not be as
close this time, kids! - tha malcontent)
Interviews throughout the upper Mississippi region - from a diner in Austin,
Minn., to a farmer's market in Dubuque, Iowa, to a mayor's office in a Wisconsin
river town - revealed a mix of emotions and an anxious mood among voters.
(Interviews?... That sounds very Scientific, AP! -
tha malcontent)
They are worried about the economy, though not as much as Rust Belt voters to
the East, and the war in Iraq is a constant source of concern - even anger. But
more people approve of the president's performance than disapprove, polls show,
and there is significant ambivalence toward Kerry.
("Significant ambivalence toward Kerry"... That will
be the story of this Election when it is over. - tha malcontent)
"I think he's the man for the job because I know Bush is not," Dionne Klauer
said while pushing her 16-month-old daughter through the farmer's market in
Dubuque. Her husband served in Iraq, a war she opposes, but she's not quite sold
on Kerry.
(But hey, why not focus on people who lean more
towards Kerry in those regions first, and tie the War in Iraq into it while we
are at it, AP!... Objectivity Illustrated! - tha malcontent)
"I don't know what he would have done differently" in Iraq, she said.
(Um... Well, Kerry said he would have Voted for the
War even if he had Known that there were no WMD before hand... But then again,
his story changes daily, so I can understand why this DemocRAT is Confused...
Most people are regarding Kerry, and that's why he will not win. - tha
malcontent)
Because of population shifts since 2000 that favor Republicans, Kerry could win
every state taken by Gore in 2000 and still would come up 10 votes short of the
270 needed to win the presidency. Gore lost to Bush by four electoral votes,
271-267.
(Time to start listing the November 3rd Excuses of
why Kerry Lost! - tha malcontent)
Smith reports Kerry's been battering President Bush on both the war on terror
and Iraq.
Kerry is targeting several Bush states, especially Florida and Ohio. He can't
afford to lose Gore's ground anywhere - much less in the upper Mississippi,
where Democrats are supposed to run as strong as the river.
("As strong as the river"?... Is this a news story,
AP? - tha malcontent)
The last time a Republican presidential candidate won Minnesota was in 1972,
with the nation at war in Vietnam and Richard Nixon seeking a second term.
President Reagan, seeking his second term in 1984, is the last Republican to
carry Iowa and Wisconsin.
(So many similarities, so little time. - tha
malcontent)
But voters in the rural swaths and farther suburbs of all three states are
turning to the GOP. Iowa went Democratic by barely 4,000 votes four years ago,
while Wisconsin was decided by just 6,000. The gap in Minnesota was slightly
larger, but the state has elected a Republican senator and governor.
(Reality sets in... But it's no more than additional
November 3rd Excuses for Kerry's Loss! - tha malcontent)
"If I had to bet now, I'd bet we'd win all three," said Kerry adviser Tad
Devine. "Now, we'll have to throw a lot at them to win, particularly Iowa and
Wisconsin, but that's fine. The president is going to have to devote a lot of
resources to compete for them. I'd prefer we play on our turf."
(Mr. "Devine" is clearly an Objective source! If
they do not Realize what they are dealing with now, they may lose even worse
than I expect in November! - tha malcontent)
Polls show the race close in the upper Mississippi, with Bush faring best in
Wisconsin. He is doing nearly as well in Iowa. Kerry's strongest state in the
region is Minnesota, and the race is essentially tied there.
(If it's close in the polls on Election day, the
Incumbent will win. My suggestion, watch Gallup. They were only wrong once, and
it was when Carter was sh*thammered by Reagan in 1980. - tha malcontent)
Polls also show voters here favor Bush over Kerry on the question of who would
best fight terrorism and handle Iraq, while the two candidates are running even
on the top issues of the economy and jobs. Throughout the region, Kerry's
supporters are less enthusiastic about their candidate than Bush's are about
him.
("Kerry's supporters are less enthusiastic about
their candidate than Bush's are about him."... Kerry Camp, are you listening to
Reality? - tha malcontent)
In La Crosse, Mayor John Medinger is a lifelong Democrat who cut his teeth on
John Kennedy's campaign. He's backing Kerry but offers some reservations. "I
think a lot of people wish Kerry would inspire them," he said. "A lot of people
feel like 'I'm voting for Kerry, I wish I felt better about it.'"
("I'm voting for Kerry, I wish I felt better about
it."... ROTFLMFAO! Hey AP, why not go and slap J. Forbes across the face with
this DNC Talking Point you are attempting to Decieve "the people" into thinking
is Objective Journalism! - tha malcontent)
John Trapp, a La Crosse businessman, feels much the same. "Honestly, when Howard
Dean was taken from me I had to pick from the rest," he said.
(Deaniacs show their Disappointment in J. Forbes! -
tha malcontent)
But the president is vulnerable. Iraq has taken its toll here: 20 soldiers from
Wisconsin have died in the conflict, 14 from Iowa and 11 from Minnesota.
(And the "Free Press" will do their level best to
make 20 Soldiers seem like 20,000 in Viet Nam!... It's their only hope. - tha
malcontent)
Sipping coffee at a mall in Austin, Minn., Jack Murphy said he and his friends
are troubled by the war.
(How did this become a rallying call for people
Against the War, AP?... Do you "journalists" have any Focus in your work?... Oh
yeah, the Focus is getting Kerry in the White House, my bad! - tha malcontent)
"It's not good," Murphy said. "It will be the war in the next month. If it's not
good, then I'll probably vote for the other guy."
(Wishful thinking, AP!... But keep telling
yourselves that via Selective, non-Scientific "interviews"! - tha malcontent)
Less troubled was Dianne Smith, of Mapleton, Minn., who is married to a Vietnam
veteran and is perturbed by Kerry's constant references to his military service.
"It just makes me uncomfortable," she said.
(Way down at the bottom, far from where DemocRAT
Voters would ever be able to read, comes the "perturbed" Veterans and their
Loved Ones... Classic placement, AP! - tha malcontent)
The unemployment in all three states is lower than the national average, but
Minnesota as lost nearly 20,000 jobs under Bush and Iowa has lost nearly 30,000.
Wisconsin has gained 200 jobs since January 2001.
(Unemployment is lower than 5.4% in these states?...
AP, I don't care how you try to spin it, if it is lower than 5.4% after the
Clinton/Algore Recession, the Attacks of the 11th, and 2 Wars, then I know who
has the easier Campaign ad to write! - tha malcontent)
"It's been a long four years for a lot of people," said C.J. Jordan of Austin,
Minn. "We're struggling with Bush. You can't live on the minimum wage around
here."
(Selective "Interviewing" strikes again! - tha
malcontent)
Lea Latham of Dubuque said she's leaning toward Kerry because of the loss of
jobs in her town. "Our work is going to China or wherever," she said, "and I
don't like that."
(Selective "Interviewing" produces DNC Talking
Point... SHOCKING! - tha malcontent)
Bruce Jentz, a La Crosse businessman, said Bush isn't perfect but he's decisive.
(Bush (43) isn't "perfect"?... And as long as he's
not, the "Free Press" is sure to make imperfection the focus! - tha malcontent)
"There are people who disagree with the decisions he's made," Jentz said. "He's
made the decisions and they've been tough ones to make."
(Yes, they have been. We would still be
focus-grouping and polling, while looking to Paris for guidance if J. Forbes was
President... Don't ever forget that. "Leadership" means something. - tha
malcontent)
---
AP Political Writer Ron Fournier in Washington contributed to this report.
(Ron "Mizta Boosh" Fournier contributed?... I would
never had guessed! - tha malcontent)
---
On the Net:
http://www.johnkerry.com
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