Bush and KerryWASHINGTON, (Reuters):
UNITED STATES President George W. Bush lashed out at Democratic challenger John Kerry's "confusing contradictions" yesterday after a feisty first debate that gave new momentum to Kerry, who said Americans had finally heard the two rivals "talk about the truth."
The day after the first of three face-to-face encounters between the White House contenders, Kerry aides were buoyed by a flurry of polls crowning their candidate the winner and showing improved voter perceptions of him.
INTERNATIONAL SUMMIT
Bush responded aggressively at campaign stops in New Hampshire and Pennsylvania. He ridiculed the Massachusetts senator's call for an international summit on Iraq and his remark that a pre-emptive U.S. strike should pass "a global test" of understanding and legitimacy.
"Last night Senator Kerry only continued his pattern of confusing contradictions," Bush said in Allentown, Pennsylvania, a crucial battleground state in the November 2 election.
During the debate, Kerry said the president should have the right to wage a pre-emptive war, but Americans and the world must understand why and see the reasons as legitimate. But Bush said Kerry was suggesting U.S. military action would be subject to an international veto.
DEFEND AMERICA
"I will never submit America's national security to an international test. The use of troops to defend America must never be subject to a veto by countries like France," Bush said. "The president's job is not to take an international poll. The president's job is to defend America."
"I've been to a lot of summits. I've never seen a meeting that would depose a tyrant or bring a terrorist to justice," the president said.
Kerry, spending the first of two campaign days in Florida, said the president was "trying to debate himself" with frequent declarations that the United States should be strong and unwavering in Iraq.
"Mr. President, nobody's talking about leaving, nobody's talking about wilting and wavering, we're talking about winning and getting the job done right," Kerry said in Tampa, Florida, at his first post-debate stop.
He said the debate allowed Americans to see that Bush had no plan to end the growing chaos and mayhem in Iraq.
