Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., speaks at a rally at Westgate Park in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, June 15, 2004. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
Posted on 06/15/2004 6:21:21 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
CINCINNATI -
Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites) said Tuesday there's no compassionate conservatism in the Bush administration's economic policies, which prompted the president to respond that the economy is strong and growing. "I guess if you want to find something to be pessimistic about, you can find it," President Bush (news - web sites) said.
"I'm optimistic," Bush said during a news conference with Afghan President Hamid Karzai in the White House Rose Garden. He described the economy as strong and continuing to improve. "I have seen what we have come through. We've been through a recession, a national emergency, corporate scandals, a war and yet our economy is incredibly strong."
Bush has some statistics on his side — 1.2 million jobs have been created this year, and he also noted that consumer spending and after-tax disposable income is higher. But Kerry is armed with numbers that paint a more sobering picture — 1.2 million more people unemployed than when Bush took office in January 2001, and Kerry says the costs of health insurance premiums, child care, college tuition and gas are rising as workers earn less.
In a speech to the New Jersey State AFL-CIO, Kerry criticized the Bush administration for preparing to cut budgets for education, domestic security, veterans and other programs after the election, citing White House planning documents.
"If you think that is compassionate conservatism, then Dick Cheney (news - web sites) is Mr. Rogers," Kerry said.
"All these politicians running around talking about values, I just think it's wrong," Kerry told union workers. "For middle-class Americans to be saddled with endless debt and deficits while the most fortunate among us walk away with billions in tax cuts. Where does that value come from? As president, I'm going to fight to put America's tax code in line with our moral code."
Kerry is campaigning during the next two weeks on the financial problems facing families despite the economic recovery. Bush's re-election campaign is calling it Kerry's "pessimism and misery tour," and the president echoed that criticism during his Rose Garden news conference.
"You know, I am an optimistic person," Bush said. "I guess if you want to try to find something to be pessimistic about, you can find it, no matter how hard you look, you know?"
Kerry, speaking to reporters before a fund-raiser in Cincinnati, said Bush's comment "has no relationship to reality" and that the pessimists are in the Bush administration.
"I think it's very pessimistic to stand up and say the economy is doing great, here we are — we failed in our promise to create 5.1 million jobs," Kerry said. "Four million Americans have lost their health insurance. I didn't fund education in the country, but everything is fine. I mean, that's cynicism about America. My optimism about America says we can do better."
Kerry raised $500,000 for his presidential campaign and $300,000 for the Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) at the Cincinnati luncheon fund-raiser attended by about 350 people, according to David Wade, his spokesman.
At the brief news conference before the event, Kerry also:
_Said torture is never acceptable. Bush refused to answer the same question last week. Kerry said Bush is underestimating the damage the Iraqi prisoner abuse scandal has caused for the U.S. reputation. If he were president, Kerry said he would appoint a respected leader outside the Pentagon (news - web sites) to investigate. He mentioned several Republicans who could fill the job — Sens. John McCain of Arizona or John Warner of Virginia or former Sens. Warren Rudman of New Hampshire or Bob Dole of Kansas. Kerry also mentioned former Democratic Sen. George Mitchell of Maine. "It is vital for us to prove to the world that this is really not going to be swept under the rug," Kerry said.
_Said he expects Federal Reserve (news - web sites) Chairman Alan Greenspan (news - web sites) to consider an interest rate-hike soon, with inflation increasing.
_ Responded to reports that Bush asked the Vatican (news - web sites) to more aggressively support socially conservative values in the United States. "It was entirely and extraordinarily inappropriate," Kerry said.
_Said he welcomed a weeklong meeting of archbishops in Denver to discuss whether they should withhold Holy Communion from Roman Catholic politicians, including Kerry, who support abortion rights. Kerry said he is confident that "wisdom will prevail in the course of those discussions."
Later in Columbus, hundreds of people came out in the rain for a rally at Watergate Park. As Kerry began to speak, two men who said they were with Bush's campaign blasted the theme music from 1960s television series "Flipper," referring to the president's claims that Kerry flip-flops on issues.
After several minutes, police asked them to turn off the music and they complied, said Columbus Police Sgt. Brent Mull.
___
On the Net:
Kerry campaign: http://www.johnkerry.com
Bush-Cheney campaign: http://www.georgewbush.com
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites), D-Mass., speaks at a rally at Westgate Park in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday, June 15, 2004. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)
I suppose Kerry's big idea of taking people's money away from them under threat of imprisonment is somehow compassionate...what an idiot...and worse yet are the idiots who will vote for this man because they have been told to hate Bush.
Kerry is a lying scumbag.
Gosh, when the Kerry family turns all of their money over to the government instead of using all those tax loopholes, then I will declare Kerry compassionate.
There is no law that says that the Kerry family can't continue to give the government the same amount they did before the tax cut.
Nedra Pickler is the most honest of all the AP reporters. This is the first AP article I've read all week that isn't a pure Kerry press release from beginning to end.
It starts with the press release, turns to Bush, and refutes it. Very unusual. I hope she can keep her job.
Plus she's good looking, although I seem to have misplaced her photo.
'Responded to reports that Bush asked the Vatican (news - web sites) to more aggressively support socially conservative values in the United States. "It was entirely and extraordinarily inappropriate," Kerry said.'
"ALTER BOY" would rather the Catholic Church would go quietly away into the night - ask his new "Religious Coordinator", the socialist chick, what their posture is on meddling Popes and foolish Bishops...
And kerry is?
I don't see him spending any of his money, all I see him doing is stealing from those who want to better themselves and giving it to the deadbeats in order to buy votes.
"The size of the federal budget is not an appropriate barometer of social conscience or charitable concern."
-President Reagan, Address to the National Alliance of Business, October 5, 1981
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