Granholm endorses Kerry

[Feanorcurufinwe]

Continuing to build on a string of big-name endorsements, John Kerry sought to broaden his message Saturday by arguing that his campaign is designed to ``offer America hope and leadership.'' ``Strip away the labels, strip away the partisanship,'' Kerry told a raucous crowd of about 700 at a downtown hotel. ``People in America want real solutions.''

Emboldened by solid poll standings in states holding contests Tuesday, Kerry has for days been ignoring his Democratic rivals and focusing his fire on President Bush. He has gradually expanded his campaign theme to offer voters a positive message that has the ring of a general election stump.

<snip> However, Kerry's efforts over the years to raise fuel-efficiency standards could cause him problems among some Michigan voters. <snip>

Kerry told listeners that the nation needs a government that is on the side of the U.S. automotive industry, but warned that automakers must be willing to move toward producing cleaner cars to help reduce the nation's dependence on foreign oil. ``If we continue to do nothing, the cars of the future may well be built in Japan or Korea or Europe at the expense of American jobs, and I don't believe we can let that happen,'' he said. ``I want ... (them) built in America, in Michigan and by the UAW. ... But to get there, we must take steps now.''

To sweeten the deal, Kerry said he would commit $1 billion a year in federal funds to help the auto industry convert its plants to make more energy-efficient cars, and pledged to take on the countries such as China he says are manipulating their currency to undermine U.S. exports.
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