John's Gospel Irks Bush Camp

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry cited a Bible verse to criticize leaders who have "faith but has no deeds," prompting President Bush's spokesman to accuse Kerry of exploiting Scripture for a political attack.

Meanwhile, Vice President Dick Cheney, seeking to shore up Mr. Bush's standing on the economy, contends that Kerry would sweep away an array of tax cuts the administration has enacted.

Kerry never mentioned Mr. Bush by name during his speech at New North Side Baptist Church Sunday, but aimed his criticism at "our present national leadership." Kerry cited Scripture in his appeal for the worshippers, including James 2:14, "What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?"

"The Scriptures say, what does it profit, my brother, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?" Kerry said. "When we look at what is happening in America today, where are the works of compassion?"

Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said Kerry's comment "was beyond the bounds of acceptable discourse and a sad exploitation of Scripture for a political attack."

The president frequently makes mention of his religious faith.

Kerry told worshippers in the largely black congregation that the country's leadership has served the privileged while ignoring people across America who live in neighborhoods like theirs.

"Today we are told that, after 3 million lost jobs and so many lost hopes, America is now turning a corner," said Kerry, referring to the 2.96 million private sector jobs lost since January 2001; overall jobs have decreased by less. "But those who say that, they're not standing on the corner of Highland Street, where two 15-year-old teenagers were hit in a drive-by shooting last week."

Kerry is Roman Catholic, but his support for abortion rights is at odds with Vatican teachings.

"I don't tell church officials what to do, and church officials shouldn't tell American politicians what to do in the context of our public life," Kerry said in an interview with Time posted on the magazine's Web site Sunday.

Kerry spent the weekend campaigning in Missouri, a state he hopes to take from Mr. Bush's win column in the November election. Mr. Bush defeated Al Gore 50 percent to 47 percent in the state in 2000. The Democratic Party is expected to formalize the nomination of Kerry in the summer as its candidate to run against Mr. Bush in the November election.

Kerry has tried to outflank Mr. Bush on tax cuts in recent weeks, promising to lower corporate tax rates and saying that he and the president agree on the need to extend some personal income tax cuts due to expire this year.

One major difference between the candidates is on taxing the wealthiest. Kerry would repeal cuts for Americans who earn more than $200,000 a year.

In a speech prepared for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Monday, Cheney questions Kerry's commitment to extending other tax cuts that are due to expire: an increase in the child tax credit; tax reductions for some married couples who would pay more than they would as individuals; and an expansion of the bottom 10 percent tax bracket.

Kerry has said he would keep those tax cuts in place.

Cheney says Kerry voted against creating the new 10 percent bracket; against repealing the inheritance tax; against cutting taxes on dividend income; and against raising the amount of investment expenses that businesses can write off.

Kerry spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said the Massachusetts senator had voted to expand the 10 percent tax bracket and for measures that would have allowed businesses one year to write off $75,000 in investments and create a 50 percent tax credit for small-business health care expenses. In 2001, Kerry voted to increase estate tax exemptions, Cutter said.

But in a speech text provided in advance to The Associated Press, Cheney says "all those 'no' votes now form the basis of Senator Kerry's economic plan."

"He says that he will keep some of those tax cuts, never mind that he opposed each one of them at the time," Cheney says. "He has given the usual assurances that in those first 100 days he's planning, only the wealthiest Americans can expect higher taxes. But voters are entitled to measure that campaign promise against Senator Kerry's long record in support of higher taxes for every income group."

Elsewhere, Ralph Nader said Sunday he will meet with Kerry next month to discuss the effort to defeat Mr. Bush in the November election.

While stressing that he is still a competitor in the race, the independent presidential hopeful said he views his candidacy as a "second front against Bush, however small."

Democrats have criticized Nader for his campaign four years ago and have suggested that he siphoned critical votes away from Gore. Some worry the same thing could happen this year and have urged Nader to avoid a candidacy that might ensure Mr. Bush's re-election.