Bush and Kerry go for the grey vote
With polls pointing towards a close finish, President George Bush and his Democratic rival Senator John Kerry vied for America’s grey vote two weeks before election day.
The two rivals for the White House traded accusations on domestic issues such as social security and the shortage of flu vaccines as vice president Dick Cheney raised the terrifying spectre of terrorists attacking US cities with nuclear weapons.
“You’ve got to get your mind around that concept,” he said, suggesting Kerry could not cope with the threat.
In a boost for Kerry, former President Bill Clinton, sidelined since undergoing heart surgery six weeks ago, is expected to hit the campaign trail early next week in Philadelphia, a senior Democratic official who is familiar with Clinton’s plans says.
Kerry’s campaign has also outlined for Clinton other ways he can help rally voters and participate in the last two weeks of the presidential campaign, including visits to battleground states.
“There has been some discussion with the former president about things that will be great for him to do,” said Kerry adviser Mike McCurry, who served as White House press secretary under Clinton.
“We’re hoping that something will be able to come together.”
The proposal, subject to approval by Clinton and his doctors, included a combination of solo events and joint appearances with Kerry, McCurry said.
At a campaign rally last night in Dayton, Ohio, Kerry said he spoke to Clinton briefly by telephone before the event and that Clinton encouraged him as the contest for the White House grew increasingly personal in its final days.
“We were talking about how when the other guys are trying to label you and make you into something you’re not,” Kerry told several thousand supporters.
Political momentum was the buzzword inside both campaigns. Aides to Bush claimed he had it following the three presidential debates. But Kerry’s team insisted that the battleground states were coming their man’s way, and with them, the White House.
Newly-released polls in two of the most hotly-contested battleground states that could decide the election showed Kerry with a slight edge, but within the margin of error.
Kerry led Bush 45% to 44% in Florida, where Bush edged out Democrat Al Gore by 537 votes to win the 2000 presidential race, according to a University of North Florida poll. The poll of 641 likely voters was conducted from October 10 to 15 and had a margin of error of four percentage points.
An ABC News poll in Ohio had Kerry leading Bush by 50% to 47%. The poll of 789 likely voters conducted from October 14 to 17 had a margin of error of 3.5 percentage points.
Kerry criticised Bush over the nation’s supply of flu vaccine and said the president had presided over a four-year “all-out assault” on social security. The four-term Massachusetts senator said the vaccine shortage was a result of a “failure of leadership” by the man in the White House.
“If you can’t get flu vaccines to Americans how are you going to protect them against bioterrorism?” Kerry said in an National Public Radio News interview. “If you can’t get flu vaccines to Americans, what kind of health care programme (are) you running?
Campaigning in Florida during the day, Bush said the problem was nothing of the sort. He blamed a “major manufacturing defect” for the shortage, and sought to reassure his audience at the same time senior administration health officials worked to allay public concerns.
British regulators recently shut down shipments from Chiron Corporation, cutting the US supply of flu shots almost in half.
“Our government is doing everything possible to help older Americans and children get their shots,” Bush said, a few hours before administration officials said 2.6 million extra doses would be available to partially offset the loss of 48 million in all.
Kerry said Bush’s economic policies had put social security “on a dangerous road. Now he’s asking for another four years to privatise the programme and undo the sacred compact we’ve made with our seniors”, the Democrat said in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania.
But Bush, urging his audiences to “reject the politics of fear” at the ballot box, sought to turn the issue to his own advantage.
Pensioners would continue to get their cheques, he said, “no matter what they (Democrats) try to tell you”. The programme was “in pretty good shape” for the baby boomers, he added.
| Related Stories: |
|
