Dems Question GOP Approach at Convention
story.news.yahoo.com
By WILL LESTER, Associated Press Writer
NEW YORK - Democrats said Thursday the Republican convention is
offering an angry vision to America that won't play well in the closing
weeks of the presidential campaign.
"Delegates love this kind of stuff, but when
this settles down and we get past Labor
Day, I think this convention will prove to be a
big mistake," said Philadelphia Mayor John
Street, who was among Democrats
recruited to counter the GOP message in
New York. "People out in the country's
neighborhoods want to know what you have
to offer us."
Street said the attacks on Democratic
nominee John Kerry (news - web sites)'s
Vietnam War record that have given Bush
traction in the polls won't carry over into the
latter stages of the campaign.
"People were paying attention to the attacks
over the last five weeks, but I think it was a
little too early," Street said. "What are they
going to do during the month of October
when people are really paying attention?"
Street was one of a half-dozen mayors who
joined Democratic Chairman Terry McAuliffe
and Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack for a briefing a
half-dozen blocks south of the GOP
convention. The mayors, including Robert
Baines of Manchester, N.H.; Jack Ford of
Toledo, Ohio; Tom Barrett of Milwaukee;
Michael Coleman of Columbus, Ohio; and
John Marks, of Tallahassee, Fla., talked
about how Bush administration policies are
hurting cities by cutting federal funding for
housing and policing.
"We're protecting Baghdad, but we can't
protect people in our own housing projects,"
Trenton, N.J., Mayor Douglas Palmer said.
Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt
rejected claims the convention has an angry
tone. He said people are interested in
hearing Republicans contrast the president's clear plans with Kerry's
"vacillation and indecisiveness." |
