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October 14, 2004
Bush Says It's Kerry Misleading Americans
WAUSAU, Wis. - President Bush (news - web sites) took a sharp jab at his Democratic opponent on Thursday, saying John Kerry (news - web sites) and not the White House was misleading the country about the war in Iraq (news - web sites).
It was the latest example of high-stakes finger-pointing on Iraq and the war on terror, the two overriding issues of this year's presidential election — less than four weeks away on Nov. 2.
In Colorado, Kerry said Bush led the nation into war under false pretenses and is in denial about ongoing violence and instability in postwar Iraq. Kerry bluntly asserted that the president and vice president might be the "last two people on the planet who won't face the truth about Iraq."
Bush shot back a few hours later at a campaign rally in Wisconsin. Bush quoted Kerry, who wondered aloud in a speech two years ago whether Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) might invade allies in the region or let the weapons of mass destruction he was suspected of possessing "slide off to one group or another in a region where weapons are the currency or the trade."
"Now today, my opponent tries to say I made up reasons to go to war," Bush told cheering supporters at an outdoor rally. "Just who's the one trying to mislead the American people?"
Several dozen Kerry supporters in the park full of trees with gold and red autumn leaves chanted, "Where are the weapons! Where are the weapons!" Supporters in the crowd, some waving bright yellow `Ws" for Bush's middle initial, shouted "Four more years!"
With a retooled stump speech in hand, Bush was trying on the eve of the second presidential debate to gain back momentum he lost with a subpar performance in the first. Bush scowled and appeared impatient as Kerry criticized the Bush administration on Iraq during that encounter.
At the rally, Bush accused Kerry, as he does in nearly every speech, of changing his mind about the war.
"You hear all of that, and you can understand why somebody would make a face," Bush said, a comment designed to end criticism of that performance at this critical juncture in the race.
Bush stopped for the rally in Wisconsin, which he lost to Democrat Al Gore (news - web sites) in 2000, before heading to St. Louis for Friday night's debate and another chance to score points against Kerry.
Kerry holds a narrow lead nationally over Bush in an Associated Press-Ipsos poll released Thursday. Bush also lost ground on personal qualities, the war in Iraq and national security. The poll results represented a reversal from a month ago when the Republican incumbent had the momentum and a minuscule lead.
Among 944 likely voters, the Democratic ticket of Kerry and Sen. John Edwards (news - web sites) led Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) 50 percent to 46 percent. The Oct. 4-6 survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Posted by State at October 14, 2004 01:40 AM
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