Kerry Hits Back at White House, Defends Patriotism
Reuters
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By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent
PITTSBURGH (Reuters) - Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry (news - web sites), lashing out at the White House's "twisted sense of ethics and morality," accused Republicans on Friday of distorting his record and attacking his patriotism.
Kerry, at an outdoor rally on the University of Pittsburgh campus, used an American flag and the national anthem to fire back at Republicans who charge he is weak on defense for voting against some weapons systems and an $87 billion bill to pay for operations in Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites).
Kerry, a decorated Vietnam War veteran, pointed out Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) and political adviser Karl Rove did not serve in the military.
"I'm tired of Karl Rove and Dick Cheney and a bunch of people who went out of their way to avoid their chance to serve when they had the chance," the Massachusetts senator said. "I'm not going to listen to them talk to me about patriotism."
ME: Give 'em hell, Kerry!
"I've seen how these people in the White House today, in their twisted sense of ethics and morality, don't think twice about challenging John McCain and what happened to him as a prisoner of war," he said in reference to attacks by President Bush (news - web sites) in 2000 on his Republican primary rival McCain, an Arizona senator.
Kerry, who has tried to make his military experience a centerpiece of his campaign, is in a tight battle with Bush for the White House more than seven months before the November election.
Steve Schmidt, a Bush campaign spokesman, said Kerry's judgment in his voting record on defense and security was in question, not his patriotism.
"The fundamental difference in this election will be between President Bush's steady leadership in the war on terror and John Kerry's consistent political opportunism on the war on terror," Schmidt said.
Kerry has come under heavy attack from Bush and Republicans, who have launched tens of millions of dollars of advertising trying to paint him as a waffling, traditional tax-and-spend Democrat.
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"They don't think twice about trying to pretend to America that I somehow don't care about the defense of our nation," Kerry said, paraphrasing wording in the Star Spangled Banner including reference to "political bombs" bursting in the air.
"When I look up, that flag is still there and it belongs to all Americans," he said, pointing to a flag near the stage. "Not to them, not to a party. It belongs to us."
ME: DAMN RIGHT! I'm tired of people questioning my patriotism too.
Kerry told the crowd of more than 5,000 that "asking questions about the direction of our country is patriotism."
The Bush campaign said on Thursday that it is cutting back its advertising by two-thirds, which Kerry said was designed to "distort" his record. Kerry told reporters he believed he had withstood the early Republican charge.
"They're out 50 million bucks and they got nothing for it," Kerry told reporters on his campaign plane on Thursday night.
The rally in Pittsburgh, which featured a performance by rocker Jon Bon Jovi, concluded a week-long tour of college campuses where Kerry plugged his programs to make college more affordable.
He appeared in Pittsburgh on the same day the powerful pro-gun lobby, the National Rifle Association, opened its annual convention in town. More than 50,000 gun-lovers packed the downtown convention center to sample what organizers billed as "Four Acres of Guns and Gear."
Cheney will make the keynote speech at the convention on Saturday, but Kerry did not mention the gun issue during his appearance.
The NRA has not made an endorsement yet but is certain to back Bush in November over Kerry, who supports the federal ban on assault weapons and a waiting period and background checks for the purchase of handguns. |
