Pres. Eisenhower's Son Backing John Kerry

[Crankie Avalon]

Son of GOP President Supports Kerry

Wed Sep 29, 8:24 PM ET


TRAPPE, Md. - John Eisenhower, son of Republican President Eisenhower, said in a newspaper column this week that he will vote for Democratic Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) for president on Nov. 2.

In a rare public announcement, Eisenhower said he switched his party affiliation from Republican to independent after 50 years after losing confidence in his former party. He said Kerry has demonstrated courage, competence and a concern for tackling the "widening socio-economic gap in this country."

"There are times when we must break with the past, and I believe this is one of them," Eisenhower wrote in the opinion column published Tuesday in The Union Leader of Manchester, N.H.

The column assails President Bush (news - web sites) and the GOP for federal budget deficits, for "unilaterally" invading Iraq (news - web sites) and for infringing on personal liberties.

The Bush campaign had no immediate comment.

More: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/kerry_eisenhower

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EDIT TO ADD: Didn't realize this news was hours old when I posted it (was away from TV and computer last night). This has probably been addressed in a dozen threads by now. Sorry for the duplication.