Bush hitting Hard on the campaign trail...

[insein]

http://reuters.myway.com/article/20...09450738_RTRIDST_0_NEWS-CAMPAIGN-BUSH-DC.html

Bush on Kerry: 'Who's He Trying to Kid?'


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Oct 9, 11:12 AM (ET)





By David Morgan

ST. LOUIS (Reuters) - President Bush scoffed on Saturday at Democrat John Kerry's claim he has had only one position on Iraq and would not raise taxes on middle-class Americans as Bush sought momentum after the second debate with his challenger.

"Who's he trying to kid?" Bush told hundreds of supporters at a breakfast rally. "He can run, but he can't hide."

Bush was on his way to campaign events in two battleground states, Iowa and Minnesota, the day after his second debate with the Massachusetts senator. The encounter featured a sharper and more aggressive Bush than in last week's first debate, which was widely regarded as a weak showing by the president.

Bush jumped on Kerry's debate denial that he had shifted positions on Iraq. Kerry had said: "I've never changed my mind about Iraq. I do believe Saddam Hussein was a threat. I always believed he was a threat."

As evidence of a shift, Bush said Kerry had said in the spring of 2003 it was the right decision to invade Iraq but now says it was the wrong war. Kerry has repeatedly accused Bush of rushing to war without a plan to win the peace.

"Several of his statements just don't pass the credibility test. With a straight face he said, 'I only had one position on Iraq,"' Bush said. "He must think we've been on another planet."

Bush also challenged Kerry's pledge not to raise taxes on middle-class Americans to pay for his spending promises.

Kerry had said Bush was trying to "scare" Americans by labeling him a liberal who would raise taxes. Asked if he would pledge not to raise taxes on middle-class Americans, Kerry looked into the camera and said: "I am not going to raise taxes. I have a tax cut."

Bush estimated Kerry's spending promises at $2 trillion and that his plan to take away tax cuts for Americans making more than $200,000 a year would raise $600 billion to $800 billion, leaving a gap of at least $1.2 trillion. The Kerry campaign disputes those figures.

"He can't have it both ways. To pay for the big spending program he's outlined during his campaign he will have to raise your taxes. He can run but he cannot hide," Bush said.

The Friday night debate in St. Louis came amid what has been a rise in support for Kerry, whose aggressive attacks put Bush on the defensive in the first debate and propelled him into a dead heat with the president in many polls.

The third and last presidential debate is next Wednesday in Tempe, Arizona.

Bush, citing progress in the war on terrorism under his leadership, hailed the voting in Afghanistan's presidential election. However, Saturday's vote was thrown into turmoil when all 15 rivals of Afghan President Hamid Karzai said they were withdrawing due to complaints that the voting process was flawed.

"There was voting time elsewhere in this world today. A marvelous thing is happening in Afghanistan," he said.

"Freedom is powerful. Think about a society in which young girls couldn't go to school and their mothers were whipped in the public square, and today they're holding a presidential election."

Home stretch folks. Gloves are coming off. Bush needs to sew it up next wednesday with the same intensity he showed last night. Then its just the foot race where every piece of dirt imaginable will come flying quarely at Bush and the Republican party. 24 days people. Hold on to your heads. theres a shitstorm a brewing from the left.

 

[Gem]

Anybody know what the format of the final debate is???

 

[Merlin1047]

Home stretch folks. Gloves are coming off. Bush needs to sew it up next wednesday with the same intensity he showed last night. Then its just the foot race where every piece of dirt imaginable will come flying quarely at Bush and the Republican party. 24 days people. Hold on to your heads. theres a shitstorm a brewing from the left.

You know the thing that ticks me off worse than anything? It's that kerry thinks we're all stupid enough to believe his crap. Anyone that cynical about the voters does not have the strength of character to be a leader. Clinton proved that.