CTV.ca News Staff
Former Democratic president Bill Clinton praised Sen. John Kerry as a fighter
with a better plan for the United States.
"In the closing days of this election ... the other side is trying to scare the
undecided voters away from John Kerry," he told a crowd in Philadelphia on
Monday.
"... You better vote for the person who wants you to think and hope."
During his run for president in 1992, Clinton billed himself as "the man from
Hope," referring to the Arkansas town in which he was born -- although he
actually grew up in Hot Springs, Ark. He even took to the stage using one of
his old campaign songs: Fleetwood Mac's Don't Stop.
Clinton attacked U.S. President George W. Bush's economic policies, particularly
tax cuts and the growing deficit.
"We don't want our children and grandchildren paying for the cost of our tax
cuts," he said.
The former U.S. president addressed the crowd just seven weeks after undergoing
heart surgery to repair blocked arteries.
Clinton, 58, had a quadruple bypass on Sept. 6 in New York City. He has been
recovering at his home in Chappaqua.
"I want to do this," Clinton told ABC's Diane Sawyer, in an interview that aired
Monday on "Good Morning America."
"Senator Kerry asked me to do it, and I want to do it. And … because it's [the
race for the White House] close and because I think it's important. And because
the differences between the two candidates and the courses they'll pursue in
the next four years are so profound."
Clinton will travel to Florida for an evening rally.
Democrat Al Gore did not use Clinton in his bid for the White House in 2000
until the very end. His camp feared that the scandal involving intern Monica
Lewinsky would damage him.
That issue has been completely forgotten, as has the impeachment, and now
Kerry's campaign team hope Clinton will boost the turnout among core Democrats,
including African-Americans.
Republicans hope that Kerry will look worse in comparison to Clinton, who is
very charismatic.
U.S. President George Bush is also pulling out the star power this week.
Action-star-turned-California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger will stump for
Bush in Ohio later this week.
Both sides are hoping the appearances will boost their campaigns ahead of the
Nov. 2 election. So far, polls suggest Bush and Kerry are in a near tie.
In an effort to pull ahead of his rival, Kerry has jumped on several statements
recently made by Bush.
In a television interview with Fox News to be broadcast Monday, Bush says it is
"up in the air" as to whether the United States will ever be fully safe from
another attack.
Kerry jumped on the comment, saying it is similar to a statement made by Bush in
August, when he said "I don't think you can win it" -- referring to the war on
terror.
Then today, the Massachusetts senator lashed out at Bush over a report from the
UN arms agency that says nearly 380 tonnes of explosives are missing from an
Iraqi facility.
"He has failed the greatest test of commander in chief," Kerry told the
Philadelphia rally, who started chanting, "Bush must go."
On a lighter note, Kerry said he asked Clinton earlier what he had in common
with Bush.
"He thought for a moment and said, 'in eight days and 12 hours we'll both be
former presidents,'" was Clinton's response, Kerry said.
http://snipurl.com/a1wq
--
"There's an old saying in Tennessee -- I know it's in Texas -- that says, fool
me once, shame on you. Fool me -- you can't get fooled again."
http://www.diymedia.net/audio/mp3/tdntb-bushwack2.mp3
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