kpaul
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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm.../ts_usatoday/bushreelectionwillensureussafety
Bush: Re-election will ensure U.S. safety
Wed Jul 21, 6:59 AM ET
By Richard Benedetto, USA TODAY
President Bush (news - web sites) campaigned in two crucial states Tuesday, promising voters in Iowa and Missouri that if they give him another term, he'll make the nation safer and the world "more peaceful than it is today."
"No one wants to be the war president. I want to be the peace president," he told about 1,000 supporters at the Kirkwood Community College gym here. Reflecting the political nature of the event, the electronic basketball clock behind him read "2004" and the scoreboard showed each team with 43 points. Bush is the 43rd president.
He repeated the more-peaceful-world refrain several times during the talk, and asserted, "For a while, we were marching to war; now, we're marching to peace."
Later, he delivered a similar message to about 8,000 supporters at Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.
In Iowa, Bush introduced his twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, 22, who were making their first joint campaign appearance with their father on the campaign trail. Each has traveled with him separately before. They did not speak. Having them along, Bush said, "makes the day a little shorter and the trip more fun."
Roaming the stage in a sweat-soaked blue shirt and gripping a handheld microphone, Bush wiped some perspiration from his eyes and chastised Sens. John Kerry (news - web sites) and John Edwards (news - web sites), the Democratic ticket, for being among the 12 senators who voted against an $87 billion supplemental budget to provide aid to rebuild Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites) and to arm and equip U.S. troops there.
"When you put people in harm's way, they deserve the best," he said.
Turning to domestic affairs, Bush declared that the "economy is strong, and it's getting stronger." He noted that Iowa's unemployment rate is 4.3%, well below the 5.6% national average.
He credited tax cuts enacted over the past three years with boosting the economy and said Kerry and Edwards would repeal the cuts if elected. "We're not going to let them raise the taxes on you," he said.
The Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) put out a statement challenging Bush's upbeat economic outlook. "Bush's rosy version of the economy is out of touch with middle-class reality. While the president's wealthy friends may be benefiting from the increasingly two-tiered economy, middle-class American families are more squeezed than ever by higher prices and lower wages," the DNC said.
In 2000, Bush barely lost Iowa's seven electoral votes and narrowly won Missouri's 11. Polls show Bush and Kerry running neck and neck in both states this year. Each candidate is spending a lot of time and television ad money in the states. Tuesday's stops marked Bush's 19th visit to Missouri and 12th visit to Iowa since taking office.
In Iowa, Bush took a series of mostly easy questions from the audience.
One little boy asked him if he liked being president. He replied, "So much so that I want to do it for four more years."
A woman holding an infant raised her hand to ask a question. "How old is that baby?" Bush asked.
"Twelve days old," she replied.
"That baby probably thinks it's in the incubator," he quipped in reference to how hot it was in the hall.
One immigrant asked Bush how he could get permanent-residence status. Bush told him there are procedures he must follow and wished him good luck.
He added, "I hope you think it is interesting that you get to come as a person newly arrived and ask the president a question. That's our system. It's an open system."
-(---
...for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. [1 Thessalonians 5:2-4]
Bush: Re-election will ensure U.S. safety
Wed Jul 21, 6:59 AM ET
By Richard Benedetto, USA TODAY
President Bush (news - web sites) campaigned in two crucial states Tuesday, promising voters in Iowa and Missouri that if they give him another term, he'll make the nation safer and the world "more peaceful than it is today."
"No one wants to be the war president. I want to be the peace president," he told about 1,000 supporters at the Kirkwood Community College gym here. Reflecting the political nature of the event, the electronic basketball clock behind him read "2004" and the scoreboard showed each team with 43 points. Bush is the 43rd president.
He repeated the more-peaceful-world refrain several times during the talk, and asserted, "For a while, we were marching to war; now, we're marching to peace."
Later, he delivered a similar message to about 8,000 supporters at Family Arena in St. Charles, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis.
In Iowa, Bush introduced his twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna, 22, who were making their first joint campaign appearance with their father on the campaign trail. Each has traveled with him separately before. They did not speak. Having them along, Bush said, "makes the day a little shorter and the trip more fun."
Roaming the stage in a sweat-soaked blue shirt and gripping a handheld microphone, Bush wiped some perspiration from his eyes and chastised Sens. John Kerry (news - web sites) and John Edwards (news - web sites), the Democratic ticket, for being among the 12 senators who voted against an $87 billion supplemental budget to provide aid to rebuild Iraq (news - web sites) and Afghanistan (news - web sites) and to arm and equip U.S. troops there.
"When you put people in harm's way, they deserve the best," he said.
Turning to domestic affairs, Bush declared that the "economy is strong, and it's getting stronger." He noted that Iowa's unemployment rate is 4.3%, well below the 5.6% national average.
He credited tax cuts enacted over the past three years with boosting the economy and said Kerry and Edwards would repeal the cuts if elected. "We're not going to let them raise the taxes on you," he said.
The Democratic National Committee (news - web sites) put out a statement challenging Bush's upbeat economic outlook. "Bush's rosy version of the economy is out of touch with middle-class reality. While the president's wealthy friends may be benefiting from the increasingly two-tiered economy, middle-class American families are more squeezed than ever by higher prices and lower wages," the DNC said.
In 2000, Bush barely lost Iowa's seven electoral votes and narrowly won Missouri's 11. Polls show Bush and Kerry running neck and neck in both states this year. Each candidate is spending a lot of time and television ad money in the states. Tuesday's stops marked Bush's 19th visit to Missouri and 12th visit to Iowa since taking office.
In Iowa, Bush took a series of mostly easy questions from the audience.
One little boy asked him if he liked being president. He replied, "So much so that I want to do it for four more years."
A woman holding an infant raised her hand to ask a question. "How old is that baby?" Bush asked.
"Twelve days old," she replied.
"That baby probably thinks it's in the incubator," he quipped in reference to how hot it was in the hall.
One immigrant asked Bush how he could get permanent-residence status. Bush told him there are procedures he must follow and wished him good luck.
He added, "I hope you think it is interesting that you get to come as a person newly arrived and ask the president a question. That's our system. It's an open system."
-(---
...for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. [1 Thessalonians 5:2-4]
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