Kerry takes war to Bush as candidacy gathers pace

[T_i_B]

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=491734

Anticipating the assaults coming his way and responding to salvoes already fired in his direction, Mr Kerry aggressively served notice to his Republican foes that he is ready to fight back. "Instead of attacking America's problems, George Bush and our opponents have once again turned to attack politics," he said at dinner in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Saturday. "You're not going to get away with it this time. Not in November of this year."

Nothing so far has slowed the senator's momentum towards gaining his party's nomination. He took the Nevada primary with about 63 per cent of the vote. Howard Dean, whose candidacy is in tatters, took 17 per cent, and Senator John Edwards trailed with 10 per cent. Mr Kerry dominated in Washington, DC, with 47 per cent of the vote, outstripping the Rev Al Sharpton, who took 20 per cent.

A new poll suggested that if the election were held now, Mr Kerry would defeat Mr Bush 51 per cent to 43 per cent. Such numbers are certain to alarm aides to Mr Bush, who has suffered serial setbacks in recent days, among them questions that refuse to go away about his alleged failure to show up for duty while serving in the National Guard in Alabama during the Vietnam War. Democrats insist records released by the White House to prove Mr Bush fulfilled his service commitment did no such thing. Mr Kerry has largely stayed quiet on the Guard issue, leaving the task of prodding the White House to his supporters. But the special-interests attack prompted his campaign to fire back with an internet video of its own, painting the President as the champion of receiving special-interests money, including from the energy and pharmaceuticals industries.

Charlie Rangel, a prominent Democrat in the House of Representatives, suggested yesterday that Mr Bush was bound to be the loser in any contest with Mr Kerry over who has most courted money from industry lobby groups. "If this campaign is going to be about who has received more vested- interests money, then let the war begin," he said.

[izzie]

1. I think the Rep made a big error by saying we were Anti-Americans.

This made Dem very mad and now they wish to fight. Bush was right into this stuff also. He kept pouring oil on the fire.That is a pun as I know it should be fuel.