Kerry Returns to Capitol to Meet Leaders
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By LOLITA C. BALDOR, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - No longer a presidential candidate but still a voice
for the Democrats, Sen. John Kerry met with the
party's congressional leadership Tuesday as he moved into the next
phase of his political life.
"We need to be unified and we have a very
clear agenda," Kerry said at the start of the
meeting. "I'm going to be fighting for that
agenda with all my energy and all the passion
that I brought to the campaign."
One week after his presidential defeat, Kerry
met with House Minority Leader Nancy
Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Minority Whip
Harry Reid, D-Nev., at the Capitol to discuss
a range of issues from Social Security (news -
web sites) to stem-cell research. Reid is
expected to succeed Sen. Tom Daschle, who
lost his South Dakota seat, as the
Democratic leader in the Senate.
David Wade, a spokesman for Kerry, said the four-term Massachusetts
senator "believes there is a mandate for unity in the country, and that
there are 54 million Americans whose voices deserve to be heard as we
move forward as a party."
President Bush (news - web sites) received 59.5 million votes to Kerry's
55.9 million in claiming a second term.
Kerry also plans to attend next week's lame-duck session, his first
return to the Senate since June when he interrupted his campaign to
rush back to Washington to vote on veterans' legislation.
Kerry made only a few rare trips to Capitol Hill after launching his
presidential bid and pursuing the Democratic nomination in an intense
and crowded primary fight. In his last foray to the Senate floor, he
canceled a full day of campaigning only to spend most of the day waiting
- ultimately for naught - to cast a vote to increase funding for veterans'
health care.
The vote never took place and Kerry later criticized Republicans for
playing partisan politics and denying him the ability to vote on the issue.
Next week the Senate is expected to wrangle over the final
appropriations bills and possibly consider intelligence reform legislation.
Just four of the 13 bills that fund the federal government have been
signed into law. The remainder have been rolled into a series of
continuing resolutions, and the latest one expires Nov. 20.
Republicans also made gains in the Senate, where Kerry will find himself
one of just 44 Democrats next year, compared to 48 now. Kerry has four
years remaining on his Senate term.
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