Bush sets attack dogs on Kerry as disappearing Dean leaves field clear

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Mr Kerry's trick, it seems, is to present himself as the man with the best chance of beating Mr Bush in what will be a bitterly fought contest. "I saw some of the (Democratic candidates') debate last night and I think John Kerry is the strongest candidate," said Claudia Philips, an insurance executive, as she made her way to work in Columbia, South Carolina's capital, on Friday morning. "I think it is because of his experience. I heard him speak in an earlier debate and he said you had to have experience in Washington if you are going to win."

Further proof of Mr Kerry's surge was provided by the very people he is seeking to challenge in November. Ken Mehlman, Mr Bush's campaign manager, accused the Massachusetts Senator and Vietnam veteran of being weak on national security.

<snip>

"We value Senator Kerry's honourable and heroic service in Vietnam. But we question his judgement in consistently voting to cut defence and intelligence funding critical to national security," said Mr Mehlman, one of two senior Republicans to attack the Democratic front-runner.

"(In the mid-1980s) he sought to cancel the very weapons systems that are winning the war on terror and maintaining our military strength. He opposed Ronald Reagan's efforts to fight communism in our hemisphere and opposed the first Gulf War." The White House considers the experienced Mr Kerry a much tougher opponent than Mr Dean, and a poll in Newsweek suggested that in a head-to-head with the President, Mr Kerry could win by three points. In an indication of the concern among administration officials, Mr Bush's campaign chief told party members: "We must expect an election where we will be behind at certain points, particularly after the Democrats settle on their nominee and hold their convention. This will not be easy. The country remains closely divided." Mr Kerry later said the Republicans were "scared stiff" of him.
http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=486622

[NNN0LHI]

1. You just know that has to burn the wingnuts asses to have to begin their..

...attacks against the Dem candidate with: We value Senator Kerry's honourable and heroic service in Vietnam...

Don