MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bush takes aim at Democrat hopefuls

After months on the defensive over Iraq, job losses and his military record, President George W. Bush has plunged into the 2004 campaign by accusing Democratic White House hopeful John Kerry of waffling on issues from Iraq to NAFTA.

Bush made his first direct mention of the Massachusetts senator in a 40-minute speech at a Republican Governors Association fund-raiser in Washington in which he repeatedly invoked the September 11, 2001, attacks and drew chants of "Four More Years!" from over 1,400 attendees.

The president said the Democratic primary race included candidates who were "for tax cuts and against them, for NAFTA and against NAFTA, for the Patriot Act and against the Patriot Act, in favour of liberating Iraq and opposed to it. And that's just one senator from Massachusetts."

Bush never mentioned Kerry or the Democratic front-runner's main primary challenger, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, by name. But he said voters in November would have a clear choice: "It's a choice between an America that leads the world with strength and confidence -- or an America that is uncertain in the face of danger."

In reaction, Kerry issued a statement that accused Bush of ignoring his own "failed record" and suggested the president's "credibility is running out with the American people."

Bush's speech came as his job approval rating has fallen to a new low amid concerns about the economy and Iraq.

Despite signs of economic recovery, job growth remains sluggish. About 2.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost during his tenure. U.S. officials have failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. And the president's call for permanent tax cuts has raised worries about ballooning an already record $500 billion-plus (268 billion pounds) budget deficit.

But in his remarks on Monday, Bush projected the confident image of a world leader unafraid to risk international condemnation to "defend America" and repeatedly invoked the September 11, 2001, attacks, and U.S. success at ousting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.

"Others would have chosen differently. They now agree that the world is better off with Saddam out of power. They just didn't support removing Saddam from power. Maybe they were hoping he'd lose the next Iraqi election," he said in response to Democratic criticism over the war in Iraq.

"The actions we take, and the decisions we make in this decade, will have consequences far into this century. If America shows weakness and uncertainty, the world will drift toward tragedy," the president said.

Bush vowed to work for more job creation and said he wanted to help more Americans own homes and businesses as well as accumulate savings and choose their own retirement benefits through the government's Social Security system.

"I believe in private property so much that I want everyone in America to have some," he said.

Monday's speech represented only one prong of a Republican counterattack on Democrats aimed at turning the early momentum of the race in the president's favour.

Just before the president's remarks, Bush's campaign staff stepped up criticism of Kerry's voting record on defence by charging him with opposing body armour and other equipment for U.S. soldiers in Iraq.

The Bush campaign also began buying advertising time for an initial barrage of Bush campaign ads, to begin after the March 2 Democratic "Super Tuesday" primaries expected to solidify Kerry's grip on the Democratic nomination.

The Bush campaign, which has raised a record $143.6 million (77 million pounds) re-election war chest, was also expected to send more surrogates to states where Democratic candidates are campaigning to give a direct response to their criticism.

A USAToday/CNN/Gallup poll of likely voters showed last week that 55 percent would support Kerry to 43 percent for Bush and 54 percent would support Edwards to 44 percent for Bush.