Defining John Kerry
Democratic candidate John Kerry, a target of GOP critics for foreign policy and spending proposals, is launching
casting himself as a battle-hardened veteran who can protect the country while dealing with the economy and health care."For 35 years, John Kerry has fought for his country," says the new 30-second commercial, called "Fought for America," which begins running in 17 states Tuesday.
"We need to get some things done in this country: affordable health care, rolling back tax cuts for the wealthy, really investing in our kids," Kerry says in the ad. "That's why I'm running for president."
The commercial comes as the Bush campaign unleashes a $6 million effort to define Kerry as a big-spending liberal who is soft on terrorism. Kerry is spending about $2.3 million on his commercial that will run in 53 markets over the next week, according to officials familiar with the ad buy.
The GOP on Monday put on its Web site a "Kerry Spend-o-meter" that rings up what it claims are Kerry campaign promises costing $1.7 trillion over 10 years and creating a $1 trillion "tax gap," a charge Kerry aides reject. Last week, the Bush campaign and other GOP foes criticized Kerry every day for what they claimed were dubious positions on international affairs.
"This is a staggering amount of spending," Republican chairman Ed Gillespie said Monday in a conference call with reporters.
Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said Republicans have a lot of gall tallying Kerry's expenses and making assumptions about how he would pay for them, given the runaway federal deficits under the Bush presidency.
"I don't think anybody should be taking economic lessons from George Bush or Dick Cheney, because two plus two equals negative five for them," she said.
With the new commercial, Kerry's campaign offers its own definition of the four-term Massachusetts senator, showing images of Kerry in the jungles of Vietnam carrying a rifle and being awarded the Silver Star for heroism.
"John Kerry: the military experience to defend America," the commercial says.
At the same time, the commercial promises "a new direction for America" with a focus on plans "to create jobs and put our economy back on track."
Campaign aides said the commercial is aimed at reaching voters weary of attack politics.
"We think the country wants to have a conversation about the things that matter to them," said campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill. "This is the beginning of a campaign-wide conversation we are going to have with the American voters where we address the things that really matter."
Bush aides immediately challenged Kerry on his claim of elevating the tone, arguing his other commercials have been attack ads.
"John Kerry has run a relentlessly negative campaign," Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said. He disputed Kerry's military expertise, saying Kerry voted against funds for the troops in Iraq.
"This ad can't obscure those facts," Schmidt said. Kerry has little room to make a claim on health care, he said, because Kerry hasn't passed a single piece of important legislation on the issue during a 19-year Senate career.
"This is another example of his campaign being disconnected from the reality of his voting record," Schmidt said.
While Kerry aides said the positive spot was an effort to change the tenor of the rough-and-tumble campaign, they wouldn't rule out attack ads in the future.
"There may be something we need to correct the record on," aide Tad Devine said.
Cahill said the Bush campaign has made a fundamental miscalculation by launching an attack campaign, a move he said is certain to drive up Mr. Bush's own unfavorable ratings.
"Bush has very high negatives. We think the campaign is running a risk," Cahill said.
At the same time, private surveys show that Mr. Bush's effort has driven down Kerry's favorable ratings. The new commercial is the beginning of an effort to reverse that trend.
"For most people, they're just starting to look at this campaign," Kerry aide Jim Margolis said.
Kerry was continuing his six-day Idaho vacation before returning to the campaign trail on Wednesday.
He had no comment on the growing furor over former White House counterterrorism coordinator Richard Clarke's charges that the Bush administration gave short-shrift attention to al Qaeda while obsessing over Saddam Hussein.
Kerry said Sunday that he had asked for copies of Clarke's book to review.
"I would like to read them before I make any comment at all," Kerry told reporters. "I have asked for them."