Wednesday, March 17, 2004
Bush: Stay the course on terror war
WASHINGTON -- Under pressure at home and abroad, President Bush is urging U.S. allies to remain committed to the reconstruction of Iraq, vowing that terrorist attacks like last week's bombings in Spain "will never shake the will of the United States."
"It's essential that we remain side-by-side with the Iraqi people as they begin the process of self-government," Bush said at a White House news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
Bush's comments come one year after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and at a time when his handling of the war on terror is being questioned by many Democrats, particularly Sen. John Kerry, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee.
"They'll kill innocent people to try to shake our will," Bush said of terrorists. "That's what they want to do. They'll never shake the will of the United States. We understand the stakes."
The administration has cast the toppling of the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as part of the broader war on terror. Bush has generally enjoyed high marks from the American public for his leadership on national security following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
But Democrats have grown increasingly vocal in their criticism of Bush's approach to the war on terror, saying he has alienated allies abroad and failed to match his often tough rhetoric with support for first responders, such as firefighters, at home and equipment for soldiers in the field.
Poll: Most Americans believe things going well in Iraq
A year after the beginning of the war, most Americans think things are going well in Iraq and believe the situation there was worth going to war over, according to the results of a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
More Americans also believe that the war made the United States safer from terrorism than believe going into Iraq increased the terrorism threat, but they are pessimistic about what might happen in Iraq once U.S. troops leave, the poll found.
Asked how they thought things were going in Iraq, 55 percent said either very well or moderately well, compared to 43 percent who said either very badly or moderately badly.
On the question of whether the situation in Iraq was worth going to war over, 55 percent said it was, compared to 43 percent who said it wasn't.
And asked whether the war in Iraq has made the United States safer from terrorism, 50 percent said it has, while 37 percent said the country is less safe because of the war. Ten percent thought there was no change.
Poll respondents were also asked whether, when U.S. troops leave, the situation in Iraq will turn into chaos and civil war or if the Iraqi people will be able to establish a stable government.
Forty-five percent said they thought a stable government would emerge -- but 48 percent saw chaos ahead.
The poll also found that Americans' optimism about the situation in Iraq has increased.
At the end of January, the country was evenly split -- 49 percent to 49 percent -- over whether the situation in Iraq was worth going to war over. In the latest poll, there was a 12-point gap in support of the war decision.
In early November, amid nearly daily fatalities among U.S. troops, just 38 percent thought things in Iraq were going very or moderately well, while 61 percent thought they were going very or moderately badly. Since then, the poll showed a 17-point shift to the side of optimism.
The margin of error in the poll was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
In the aftermath of last week's bombings of commuter trains in Madrid, Spanish voters ousted the Popular Party of Bush ally Jose Maria Aznar in favor of the Socialists, who opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last March. Socialist leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Monday he wants to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq unless the United Nations takes on a greater role there.
Asked how he would respond to Dutch citizens who have called for Balkenende to withdraw that country's troops, Bush said: "I would ask them to think about the Iraqi citizens who don't want people to withdraw because they want to be free."
About 1,100 Dutch troops are stationed in southern Iraq, part of the coalition that has occupied the country since the U.S.-led invasion last March. Balkenende said his government has yet to discuss whether Dutch troops would remain in Iraq beyond the end of June, when the United States plans to hand over power to a new Iraqi government.
Bush said the al Qaeda terrorist network -- a leading suspect in the Madrid bombings, which killed 201 people -- hopes to stop the spread of freedom and democracy in the Middle East.
"Al Qaeda wants us out of Iraq because al Qaeda wants to use Iraq as an example of defeating freedom and democracy," he said.
Meanwhile, France -- a staunch opponent of the war -- has opened an investigation after a Paris newspaper received a letter from a Muslim group threatening spectacular attacks that would make "blood run to (its) borders."
The letter, from a previously unknown group calling itself the "Servants of Allah the Mighty and the Wise," said it planned to take action after Muslim girls were banned from wearing headscarves in schools.
WASHINGTON -- Under pressure at home and abroad, President Bush is urging U.S. allies to remain committed to the reconstruction of Iraq, vowing that terrorist attacks like last week's bombings in Spain "will never shake the will of the United States."
"It's essential that we remain side-by-side with the Iraqi people as they begin the process of self-government," Bush said at a White House news conference with Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende.
Bush's comments come one year after the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and at a time when his handling of the war on terror is being questioned by many Democrats, particularly Sen. John Kerry, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee.
"They'll kill innocent people to try to shake our will," Bush said of terrorists. "That's what they want to do. They'll never shake the will of the United States. We understand the stakes."
The administration has cast the toppling of the regime of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein as part of the broader war on terror. Bush has generally enjoyed high marks from the American public for his leadership on national security following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
But Democrats have grown increasingly vocal in their criticism of Bush's approach to the war on terror, saying he has alienated allies abroad and failed to match his often tough rhetoric with support for first responders, such as firefighters, at home and equipment for soldiers in the field.
Poll: Most Americans believe things going well in Iraq
A year after the beginning of the war, most Americans think things are going well in Iraq and believe the situation there was worth going to war over, according to the results of a new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll.
More Americans also believe that the war made the United States safer from terrorism than believe going into Iraq increased the terrorism threat, but they are pessimistic about what might happen in Iraq once U.S. troops leave, the poll found.
Asked how they thought things were going in Iraq, 55 percent said either very well or moderately well, compared to 43 percent who said either very badly or moderately badly.
On the question of whether the situation in Iraq was worth going to war over, 55 percent said it was, compared to 43 percent who said it wasn't.
And asked whether the war in Iraq has made the United States safer from terrorism, 50 percent said it has, while 37 percent said the country is less safe because of the war. Ten percent thought there was no change.
Poll respondents were also asked whether, when U.S. troops leave, the situation in Iraq will turn into chaos and civil war or if the Iraqi people will be able to establish a stable government.
Forty-five percent said they thought a stable government would emerge -- but 48 percent saw chaos ahead.
The poll also found that Americans' optimism about the situation in Iraq has increased.
At the end of January, the country was evenly split -- 49 percent to 49 percent -- over whether the situation in Iraq was worth going to war over. In the latest poll, there was a 12-point gap in support of the war decision.
In early November, amid nearly daily fatalities among U.S. troops, just 38 percent thought things in Iraq were going very or moderately well, while 61 percent thought they were going very or moderately badly. Since then, the poll showed a 17-point shift to the side of optimism.
The margin of error in the poll was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
In the aftermath of last week's bombings of commuter trains in Madrid, Spanish voters ousted the Popular Party of Bush ally Jose Maria Aznar in favor of the Socialists, who opposed the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq last March. Socialist leader Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero said Monday he wants to pull Spanish troops out of Iraq unless the United Nations takes on a greater role there.
Asked how he would respond to Dutch citizens who have called for Balkenende to withdraw that country's troops, Bush said: "I would ask them to think about the Iraqi citizens who don't want people to withdraw because they want to be free."
About 1,100 Dutch troops are stationed in southern Iraq, part of the coalition that has occupied the country since the U.S.-led invasion last March. Balkenende said his government has yet to discuss whether Dutch troops would remain in Iraq beyond the end of June, when the United States plans to hand over power to a new Iraqi government.
Bush said the al Qaeda terrorist network -- a leading suspect in the Madrid bombings, which killed 201 people -- hopes to stop the spread of freedom and democracy in the Middle East.
"Al Qaeda wants us out of Iraq because al Qaeda wants to use Iraq as an example of defeating freedom and democracy," he said.
Meanwhile, France -- a staunch opponent of the war -- has opened an investigation after a Paris newspaper received a letter from a Muslim group threatening spectacular attacks that would make "blood run to (its) borders."
The letter, from a previously unknown group calling itself the "Servants of Allah the Mighty and the Wise," said it planned to take action after Muslim girls were banned from wearing headscarves in schools.
Friday, March 12, 2004
Roche ends bid to become Army chief
WASHINGTON -- Air Force Secretary James Roche has asked that his nomination as secretary of the Army be withdrawn from the Senate, the Pentagon said.
Roche will continue to head the Air Force.
President Bush nominated Roche in July, but the Senate Armed Services Committee made little progress bringing the choice to a vote.
Roche's nomination became bogged down in controversies over an Air Force tanker lease program for Boeing Co. and the sexual assault scandal at the Air Force Academy in Colorado.
Female cadets at the academy began reporting complaints in 2002 about sexual assault and accused their commanders of reacting with indifference. After investigations into the allegations, the academy instituted new policies and brought in new leadership.
There were growing indications the committee was unlikely to vote on Roche's nomination.
"Given the range of issues before the Senate in a busy legislative year, I accept that my nomination is unlikely to be considered this year," Roche said. "In the interest of the Department of Defense, I decided it was best that I withdraw from further consideration."
Roche, a retired Navy captain and former executive with defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp., also had been a Democratic staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the 1980s.
WASHINGTON -- Air Force Secretary James Roche has asked that his nomination as secretary of the Army be withdrawn from the Senate, the Pentagon said.
Roche will continue to head the Air Force.
President Bush nominated Roche in July, but the Senate Armed Services Committee made little progress bringing the choice to a vote.
Roche's nomination became bogged down in controversies over an Air Force tanker lease program for Boeing Co. and the sexual assault scandal at the Air Force Academy in Colorado.
Female cadets at the academy began reporting complaints in 2002 about sexual assault and accused their commanders of reacting with indifference. After investigations into the allegations, the academy instituted new policies and brought in new leadership.
There were growing indications the committee was unlikely to vote on Roche's nomination.
"Given the range of issues before the Senate in a busy legislative year, I accept that my nomination is unlikely to be considered this year," Roche said. "In the interest of the Department of Defense, I decided it was best that I withdraw from further consideration."
Roche, a retired Navy captain and former executive with defense contractor Northrop Grumman Corp., also had been a Democratic staff director of the Senate Armed Services Committee in the 1980s.
Wednesday, March 03, 2004
Kerry Lays Claim to Democratic Nomination
WASHINGTON - John Kerry laid claim to the Democratic presidential nomination after a decisive round of primary and caucus victories cleared the field for a feisty head-to-head battle against President Bush — a struggle already in motion.
Kerry's New York-to-California victories in the 10-state Super Tuesday series knocked the fight out of his spirited rival, John Edwards. The North Carolina senator, who had been the only one left with the ghost of a chance against Kerry, let the word out that he was quitting even before polls closed in the West and just as Minnesotans gathered in caucuses.
Suddenly, the Democrat-to-Democrat sniping is over, replaced by calls for unity, and Kerry is left with his hard-fought reward — as well as the weight of Democrats' expectations that he can beat Bush in the fall.
"Tonight, the message can now be heard all across our country: Change is coming to America," said Kerry, 60, a four-term Massachusetts senator whose understated ways disguise a hotly competitive streak. "We will fight to give America back its future and its hope."
There were grace notes in the first blush of his victory: a polite exchange with Bush, who called to congratulate him. But there is to be no grace period in their campaign fight.
The Republican president opens a multimillion-dollar TV ad blitz Thursday to try to win back favor in a time of slipping poll numbers, and has a war chest of more than $100 million to draw from in the months ahead, more than Kerry can muster.
Vice President Dick Cheney criticized Kerry on the airwaves Tuesday as a frequent foe of defense and intelligence budgets, seeking to neutralize Kerry's draw as a decorated Vietnam veteran and his Senate experience in foreign policy.
And the courteous phone call aside, Kerry kept up the drumbeat of recent weeks against Bush, giving him no quarter on the war on terrorism or anything else. "We will renew our alliances and we will build new alliances because they are essential to the final victory and success of a war on terror," he told supporters.
"The Bush administration has run the most inept, reckless, arrogant and ideological foreign policy in the modern history of our country."
Kerry dominated the six-week Democratic competition from the Iowa caucuses on, once he shook off a torpid start and overcame the fading phenomenon of Howard Dean. He has won 27 of 30 contests, putting him well on his way to winning the nomination formally once he has collected 2,162 delegates.
The Super Tuesday states awarded a mother lode of 1,151 delegates, more than half those needed, and pushed Kerry's total over 1,100.
Kerry had 1,292 delegates to Edwards' 438. Dean had 182, Al Sharpton 24 and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich 18. In a bit of cold comfort, Kucinich won his primary for re-election to the House.
Kerry won nine of the 10 states Tuesday, losing only in Vermont, where voters made Dean, their former governor, the sentimental favorite even though he ended his campaign two weeks ago.
In all regions and among practically all groups, voters interviewed about their choice spoke of making the same political calculation — they picked Kerry because they thought he could defeat the president.
That imperative helped him win Tuesday in states such as Ohio, Minnesota and Georgia, even though Kerry — unlike Edwards — backed trade agreements that voters blamed for costing their communities jobs.
"I really want to win," Angie Kline, a St. Paul, Minn., caucus-goer, said in explaining her vote for Kerry. "Kerry has the breadth of experience. He's had umpteen years in the Senate working on both domestic and foreign policy issues."
Although relentlessly upbeat and dogged, Edwards knew he had to quit, and aides tipped his hand on that plan on the eve of his formal departure.
"We have been the little engine that could," the North Carolina senator told supporters. Edwards proved an animated campaigner and sharp debater, but won only in his native South Carolina and posted several strong second place finishes.
He immediately started closing ranks with his rival, calling Kerry an "extraordinary advocate for jobs, better health care, a safer world," and declaring: "These are the causes of our party, these are the causes of our country, and these are the causes we will prevail on come November."
Kerry responded in kind, calling Edwards "a compelling voice to our party" who holds "great promise for leadership for the years to come." Edwards' name will stay in play as a possible choice for running mate, although Kerry has given no hint of his pick for the ticket.
Kerry ordered his staff to prepare a process to review potential vice presidential candidates, senior advisers said. They said it was possible, but not likely, that Kerry would choose a nominee well before the Democratic nominating convention in his hometown of Boston in July.
Kucinich finished in single digits in most of the night's contests, lagging in his own state, and Al Sharpton was weighing whether to keep his quixotic campaign going after finishing in single digits on his New York home turf.
Altogether, Kerry won in California, Rhode Island, Ohio, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland and Georgia.
For the opening of his general election campaign Wednesday, Kerry picked Florida, site of the historic 2000 recount election that gave Bush the presidency.
Kerry said several of his former rivals had offered to help raise money and he was confident he could put together the necessary war chest, though it won't be easy. As well, Democratic interest groups, required to act independently of the Kerry camp, plan to start ads soon critical of Bush.
"The president has an enormous lead," Kerry told The Associated Press. "He has extraordinary sums of money ... and we're going to have to fight hard to raise money and compete."
And he told supporters to expect a rough battle.
"Before us lie long months of effort and of challenge, and we understand that," he said. "We have no illusions about the Republican attack machine and what our opponents have done in the past and what they may try to do in the future. But I know that together we are equal to this task. I am a fighter."
WASHINGTON - John Kerry laid claim to the Democratic presidential nomination after a decisive round of primary and caucus victories cleared the field for a feisty head-to-head battle against President Bush — a struggle already in motion.
Kerry's New York-to-California victories in the 10-state Super Tuesday series knocked the fight out of his spirited rival, John Edwards. The North Carolina senator, who had been the only one left with the ghost of a chance against Kerry, let the word out that he was quitting even before polls closed in the West and just as Minnesotans gathered in caucuses.
Suddenly, the Democrat-to-Democrat sniping is over, replaced by calls for unity, and Kerry is left with his hard-fought reward — as well as the weight of Democrats' expectations that he can beat Bush in the fall.
"Tonight, the message can now be heard all across our country: Change is coming to America," said Kerry, 60, a four-term Massachusetts senator whose understated ways disguise a hotly competitive streak. "We will fight to give America back its future and its hope."
There were grace notes in the first blush of his victory: a polite exchange with Bush, who called to congratulate him. But there is to be no grace period in their campaign fight.
The Republican president opens a multimillion-dollar TV ad blitz Thursday to try to win back favor in a time of slipping poll numbers, and has a war chest of more than $100 million to draw from in the months ahead, more than Kerry can muster.
Vice President Dick Cheney criticized Kerry on the airwaves Tuesday as a frequent foe of defense and intelligence budgets, seeking to neutralize Kerry's draw as a decorated Vietnam veteran and his Senate experience in foreign policy.
And the courteous phone call aside, Kerry kept up the drumbeat of recent weeks against Bush, giving him no quarter on the war on terrorism or anything else. "We will renew our alliances and we will build new alliances because they are essential to the final victory and success of a war on terror," he told supporters.
"The Bush administration has run the most inept, reckless, arrogant and ideological foreign policy in the modern history of our country."
Kerry dominated the six-week Democratic competition from the Iowa caucuses on, once he shook off a torpid start and overcame the fading phenomenon of Howard Dean. He has won 27 of 30 contests, putting him well on his way to winning the nomination formally once he has collected 2,162 delegates.
The Super Tuesday states awarded a mother lode of 1,151 delegates, more than half those needed, and pushed Kerry's total over 1,100.
Kerry had 1,292 delegates to Edwards' 438. Dean had 182, Al Sharpton 24 and Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich 18. In a bit of cold comfort, Kucinich won his primary for re-election to the House.
Kerry won nine of the 10 states Tuesday, losing only in Vermont, where voters made Dean, their former governor, the sentimental favorite even though he ended his campaign two weeks ago.
In all regions and among practically all groups, voters interviewed about their choice spoke of making the same political calculation — they picked Kerry because they thought he could defeat the president.
That imperative helped him win Tuesday in states such as Ohio, Minnesota and Georgia, even though Kerry — unlike Edwards — backed trade agreements that voters blamed for costing their communities jobs.
"I really want to win," Angie Kline, a St. Paul, Minn., caucus-goer, said in explaining her vote for Kerry. "Kerry has the breadth of experience. He's had umpteen years in the Senate working on both domestic and foreign policy issues."
Although relentlessly upbeat and dogged, Edwards knew he had to quit, and aides tipped his hand on that plan on the eve of his formal departure.
"We have been the little engine that could," the North Carolina senator told supporters. Edwards proved an animated campaigner and sharp debater, but won only in his native South Carolina and posted several strong second place finishes.
He immediately started closing ranks with his rival, calling Kerry an "extraordinary advocate for jobs, better health care, a safer world," and declaring: "These are the causes of our party, these are the causes of our country, and these are the causes we will prevail on come November."
Kerry responded in kind, calling Edwards "a compelling voice to our party" who holds "great promise for leadership for the years to come." Edwards' name will stay in play as a possible choice for running mate, although Kerry has given no hint of his pick for the ticket.
Kerry ordered his staff to prepare a process to review potential vice presidential candidates, senior advisers said. They said it was possible, but not likely, that Kerry would choose a nominee well before the Democratic nominating convention in his hometown of Boston in July.
Kucinich finished in single digits in most of the night's contests, lagging in his own state, and Al Sharpton was weighing whether to keep his quixotic campaign going after finishing in single digits on his New York home turf.
Altogether, Kerry won in California, Rhode Island, Ohio, New York, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland and Georgia.
For the opening of his general election campaign Wednesday, Kerry picked Florida, site of the historic 2000 recount election that gave Bush the presidency.
Kerry said several of his former rivals had offered to help raise money and he was confident he could put together the necessary war chest, though it won't be easy. As well, Democratic interest groups, required to act independently of the Kerry camp, plan to start ads soon critical of Bush.
"The president has an enormous lead," Kerry told The Associated Press. "He has extraordinary sums of money ... and we're going to have to fight hard to raise money and compete."
And he told supporters to expect a rough battle.
"Before us lie long months of effort and of challenge, and we understand that," he said. "We have no illusions about the Republican attack machine and what our opponents have done in the past and what they may try to do in the future. But I know that together we are equal to this task. I am a fighter."
Thursday, February 26, 2004
Kerry wins Idaho, Utah, Hawaii
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic front-runner Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts added three more wins to his victory column, sweeping contests in Utah, Idaho and Hawaii over his major rival for the presidential nomination, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.
"I'm thrilled," Kerry told reporters Wednesday in Cleveland, Ohio, where he visited a steel plant. "It was great, but we've got a lot of work ahead of us, a lot of work, a lot of campaigning to do."
Tuesday's trio of small state contests, which have been largely overshadowed by next week's "Super Tuesday" delegate bonanza, were the first since the Democratic race narrowed to essentially a battle between Kerry and Edwards.
The results appeared to do little to alter the dynamics of the Democratic race, as Edwards, in his dogged pursuit to divert Kerry's march toward the nomination, is counting on "Super Tuesday" -- with its bounty of 10 states and 1,151 delegates -- to propel him further.
Edwards made little mention of the Tuesday contests, focusing instead on California -- the single biggest prize in the March 2 contests -- as he appealed Wednesday to Americans to tackle poverty.
"This is the time for you and I together to set our sights on what is possible, what we can do together," Edwards told an audience of supporters in Claremont, California. "It's time for us to quiet the skeptics, to lift the voices of those who want to strive, to seek, to never yield on these moral issues that tug at the soul of this country."
For the second day in a row, Kerry was in Ohio, another state on the "Super Tuesday" rooster.
None of the Democratic candidates visited any of the three states that held contests on Tuesday.
It was Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio who came in second in Hawaii's caucuses, with 30 percent of the vote, with nearly all precincts reporting. Kerry secured 46 percent, Edwards came in third with 13 percent, while 9 percent went to former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who suspended his campaign last week.
In Idaho, Kerry beat Edwards by a margin of nearly 3-to-1 in party caucuses, with 54 percent of the vote to 22 percent for Edwards. Dean garnered 11 percent, and another 7 percent cast their ballots as uncommitted.
In the Utah primary, Kerry won with 55 percent, Edwards came in second with 30 percent, followed by Kucinich at 7 percent.
Sixty-one delegates were up for grabs Tuesday, just 3 percent of what's needed to secure the Democratic nomination.
Also in the Democratic race was civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York. Neither he nor Kucinich has won a contest. Both trail in the polls.
Sharpton's name was not even printed on the ballot cards Tuesday in Idaho.
None of the states that voted Tuesday is likely to be up for grabs this fall. Utah and Idaho were among President Bush's strongest states in 2000; Hawaii is a Democratic bastion.
However, Kerry does have a connection to Idaho. He and his wife, food company heiress Teresa Heinz Kerry, own a home in Sun Valley, a Democratic area in what's an otherwise solidly Republican state.
Kerry now has won 19 of the 21 contests decided so far. Edwards has claimed the title of second in the Democratic field by winning in South Carolina and coming in as a close second in Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
Four of the 10 largest states hold primaries next Tuesday -- New York, California, Ohio and Georgia. Also holding primaries then are Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont, while Minnesota will hold caucuses.
The Democratic candidates will meet Thursday in a debate in Los Angeles, sponsored by CNN and the Los Angeles Times.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader joined the presidential race Sunday, but he is running as an independent and is not on the Democratic ballot.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic front-runner Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts added three more wins to his victory column, sweeping contests in Utah, Idaho and Hawaii over his major rival for the presidential nomination, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.
"I'm thrilled," Kerry told reporters Wednesday in Cleveland, Ohio, where he visited a steel plant. "It was great, but we've got a lot of work ahead of us, a lot of work, a lot of campaigning to do."
Tuesday's trio of small state contests, which have been largely overshadowed by next week's "Super Tuesday" delegate bonanza, were the first since the Democratic race narrowed to essentially a battle between Kerry and Edwards.
The results appeared to do little to alter the dynamics of the Democratic race, as Edwards, in his dogged pursuit to divert Kerry's march toward the nomination, is counting on "Super Tuesday" -- with its bounty of 10 states and 1,151 delegates -- to propel him further.
Edwards made little mention of the Tuesday contests, focusing instead on California -- the single biggest prize in the March 2 contests -- as he appealed Wednesday to Americans to tackle poverty.
"This is the time for you and I together to set our sights on what is possible, what we can do together," Edwards told an audience of supporters in Claremont, California. "It's time for us to quiet the skeptics, to lift the voices of those who want to strive, to seek, to never yield on these moral issues that tug at the soul of this country."
For the second day in a row, Kerry was in Ohio, another state on the "Super Tuesday" rooster.
None of the Democratic candidates visited any of the three states that held contests on Tuesday.
It was Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio who came in second in Hawaii's caucuses, with 30 percent of the vote, with nearly all precincts reporting. Kerry secured 46 percent, Edwards came in third with 13 percent, while 9 percent went to former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who suspended his campaign last week.
In Idaho, Kerry beat Edwards by a margin of nearly 3-to-1 in party caucuses, with 54 percent of the vote to 22 percent for Edwards. Dean garnered 11 percent, and another 7 percent cast their ballots as uncommitted.
In the Utah primary, Kerry won with 55 percent, Edwards came in second with 30 percent, followed by Kucinich at 7 percent.
Sixty-one delegates were up for grabs Tuesday, just 3 percent of what's needed to secure the Democratic nomination.
Also in the Democratic race was civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton of New York. Neither he nor Kucinich has won a contest. Both trail in the polls.
Sharpton's name was not even printed on the ballot cards Tuesday in Idaho.
None of the states that voted Tuesday is likely to be up for grabs this fall. Utah and Idaho were among President Bush's strongest states in 2000; Hawaii is a Democratic bastion.
However, Kerry does have a connection to Idaho. He and his wife, food company heiress Teresa Heinz Kerry, own a home in Sun Valley, a Democratic area in what's an otherwise solidly Republican state.
Kerry now has won 19 of the 21 contests decided so far. Edwards has claimed the title of second in the Democratic field by winning in South Carolina and coming in as a close second in Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
Four of the 10 largest states hold primaries next Tuesday -- New York, California, Ohio and Georgia. Also holding primaries then are Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Vermont, while Minnesota will hold caucuses.
The Democratic candidates will meet Thursday in a debate in Los Angeles, sponsored by CNN and the Los Angeles Times.
Consumer advocate Ralph Nader joined the presidential race Sunday, but he is running as an independent and is not on the Democratic ballot.
Monday, February 16, 2004
Democrats Pin Hopes on Special Election
FRANKFORT, Ky. - This bluegrass region, home to horse and tobacco farms, has a history of sending Republicans to Congress. Its previous congressman, Ernie Fletcher — now governor of Kentucky — won every county in 2000 and 2002, and President Bush carried the state by 15 points over Al Gore in 2000.
This year, in a special election to fill Fletcher's seat, a Democrat just might win. Former attorney general Ben Chandler, who was beaten decisively by Fletcher in November, is leading in a short, intense race for that 6th District seat.
If he wins, it would be the first time since 1991 that Democrats have won a Republican-held seat in a special election.
Recent polls show Chandler ahead of his opponent, Republican state Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr. Libertarian Mark Gailey also is on the ballot, but trails significantly.
The district is conservative, and Forgy has tied herself to President Bush in some campaign advertising. But she trailed Chandler in a poll published last week — one that showed Bush with a high approval rating among likely voters.
Chandler began the race with an edge in name recognition. He was elected to statewide office three times — as state auditor and twice as attorney general. His grandfather, A.B. "Happy" Chandler, was governor, a U.S. senator and commissioner of baseball.
For Ben Chandler, the stakes are high as he tries to make a comeback quickly after a bruising defeat.
"I think he has to win to have a career," said Dale Emmons, a Democratic consultant in Richmond who worked for some of Chandler's past political rivals. "He rolled the dice after he lost the governor's race last November."
Republicans currently hold a 228-204 majority in the House, with a Democratic-leaning independent and two vacancies, including the one in the 6th District.
"The partisan divisions in the Senate and House are still pretty darn narrow, so every seat is significant," said Joe Gershtenson, director of the Center for Kentucky History and Politics at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.
TV viewers have seen weeks of hard-hitting commercials paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. The most-discussed ad showed Kerr strolling with Bush at the White House.
"It was not a coincidence," said Amy Walter, a political analyst who writes for the Cook Political Report in Washington. "I think the message was pretty clear: You all like the president, you like his policies, elect somebody who's going to do something with them."
Some questioned the commercial's effectiveness.
"With Democrats nationally beating up on Bush like they have been, it may not be as helpful as one would normally hope," said David Adams, Republican chairman in Jessamine County, south of Lexington.
The district that includes Lexington and the state capital of Frankfort is 60 percent Democrat by voter registration. But Fletcher carried every county in the 2000 and 2002 elections for Congress. Bush carried the state by 15 points over Al Gore in 2000.
In last week's The Courier-Journal's Bluegrass Poll of 466 self-described likely voters, 49.4 percent said they supported Chandler and 39.6 percent said they supported Kerr. Eleven percent were undecided. The margin of sampling error was 4.5 percentage points, indicating Chandler had at least a modest lead. The poll also showed 63 percent approving of Bush's performance as president.
Kerr has promised to vote to make Bush's federal tax cuts permanent. She accused Chandler of "waffling" on tax cuts, but Chandler insisted he never opposed them. He said they should have gone to everyone.
Chandler says Kerr would be a "rubber stamp" for Bush and is being "propped up" as a candidate by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who backed her for the special election nomination.
Kerr insists she is "someone able to stand on my own two feet."
FRANKFORT, Ky. - This bluegrass region, home to horse and tobacco farms, has a history of sending Republicans to Congress. Its previous congressman, Ernie Fletcher — now governor of Kentucky — won every county in 2000 and 2002, and President Bush carried the state by 15 points over Al Gore in 2000.
This year, in a special election to fill Fletcher's seat, a Democrat just might win. Former attorney general Ben Chandler, who was beaten decisively by Fletcher in November, is leading in a short, intense race for that 6th District seat.
If he wins, it would be the first time since 1991 that Democrats have won a Republican-held seat in a special election.
Recent polls show Chandler ahead of his opponent, Republican state Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr. Libertarian Mark Gailey also is on the ballot, but trails significantly.
The district is conservative, and Forgy has tied herself to President Bush in some campaign advertising. But she trailed Chandler in a poll published last week — one that showed Bush with a high approval rating among likely voters.
Chandler began the race with an edge in name recognition. He was elected to statewide office three times — as state auditor and twice as attorney general. His grandfather, A.B. "Happy" Chandler, was governor, a U.S. senator and commissioner of baseball.
For Ben Chandler, the stakes are high as he tries to make a comeback quickly after a bruising defeat.
"I think he has to win to have a career," said Dale Emmons, a Democratic consultant in Richmond who worked for some of Chandler's past political rivals. "He rolled the dice after he lost the governor's race last November."
Republicans currently hold a 228-204 majority in the House, with a Democratic-leaning independent and two vacancies, including the one in the 6th District.
"The partisan divisions in the Senate and House are still pretty darn narrow, so every seat is significant," said Joe Gershtenson, director of the Center for Kentucky History and Politics at Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond.
TV viewers have seen weeks of hard-hitting commercials paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and the National Republican Congressional Committee. The most-discussed ad showed Kerr strolling with Bush at the White House.
"It was not a coincidence," said Amy Walter, a political analyst who writes for the Cook Political Report in Washington. "I think the message was pretty clear: You all like the president, you like his policies, elect somebody who's going to do something with them."
Some questioned the commercial's effectiveness.
"With Democrats nationally beating up on Bush like they have been, it may not be as helpful as one would normally hope," said David Adams, Republican chairman in Jessamine County, south of Lexington.
The district that includes Lexington and the state capital of Frankfort is 60 percent Democrat by voter registration. But Fletcher carried every county in the 2000 and 2002 elections for Congress. Bush carried the state by 15 points over Al Gore in 2000.
In last week's The Courier-Journal's Bluegrass Poll of 466 self-described likely voters, 49.4 percent said they supported Chandler and 39.6 percent said they supported Kerr. Eleven percent were undecided. The margin of sampling error was 4.5 percentage points, indicating Chandler had at least a modest lead. The poll also showed 63 percent approving of Bush's performance as president.
Kerr has promised to vote to make Bush's federal tax cuts permanent. She accused Chandler of "waffling" on tax cuts, but Chandler insisted he never opposed them. He said they should have gone to everyone.
Chandler says Kerr would be a "rubber stamp" for Bush and is being "propped up" as a candidate by U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, who backed her for the special election nomination.
Kerr insists she is "someone able to stand on my own two feet."
