Home>News Center>World
         
 

Bush, Kerry open battle for White House
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-03-04 08:44

U.S. President Bush versus John Kerry. What promises to be a contentious eight-month battle for the White House opened Wednesday with the incumbent buffeted by dangers in postwar Iraq and the loss of jobs at home, yet holding the upper hand on money and Electoral College math.

Partisans from both parties are already fretting over their candidate's chances.

"President Bush has the best odds, but incumbency has its disadvantages, too," said Tom Slade, former chairman of the Florida Republican Party. "There's four years of record to throw rocks at, and I've often debated with myself over which I would rather be — the incumbent or challenger."

"This election might settle that question," Slade said with a sigh, "for better or worse."

If so, it may be settled in Florida and 15 states that Bush won or lost by 5 percentage points or fewer in 2000 — the Midwest states of Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Michigan and Wisconsin; the Northwest's Washington and Oregon; Pennsylvania, Maine and New Hampshire in the Northeast; Western states Nevada and New Mexico, and the South's Tennessee and Arkansas.

Tennessee may be the only 2000 battleground that doesn't qualify. If Al Gore couldn't win his Republican-leaning home state, Kerry probably won't, Democratic and GOP strategists said.

Two states Bush won by just 6 percentage points — Arizona and West Virginia — could be more competitive this year.

"The Hispanic influence, as well as massive immigration from California, has moderated the politics of this state," said state Sen. Ken Cheuvront, an Arizona Democrat.

In his first ad blitz, an extraordinary $10.5 million buy, Bush is targeting voters in 16 battleground states from 2000 — minus Tennessee but plus West Virginia and Arizona. In a show of strength, he's even running ads in the traditionally Democratic state of Delaware, which Gore won by double digits in 2000.

"We know this election is going to be decided in a limited number of states in the Electoral College and we've made decisions based on that," said Matthew Dowd, the campaign's chief strategist.

Changes in the Electoral Map favor Bush. The president won 30 states four years ago, worth 271 electoral votes in 2000. Reapportionment has increased their value to 278, without a vote being cast.

Kerry's base consists of 11 states plus the District of Columbia won most easily by Gore in 2000, worth 168 electoral votes Nov. 2.

Besides those Democratic strongholds, Kerry's strategists believe he can add Michigan, Washington state and Maine to pass the 200-vote threshold. Claimed by Gore in 2000, they may be the ripest Democratic targets among all tossup states, but Bush is competing hard for them.

The next tier of Kerry targets are even tougher: Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Iowa, Oregon, Wisconsin and New Mexico. Winning all six, no easy task, would put Kerry within striking distance of the coveted 270 electoral votes.

He would still need to win at least one of the most competitive states — Nevada, New Hampshire, West Virginia, Missouri, Arizona, Ohio and Florida are among the targets.

Other Southern tossup states may come into play for Kerry, but only if he's doing unexpectedly well everywhere else. Martha Dixon of the Democratic National Committee gave Bush a good shot in Arkansas.

"With all his problems, he's still the president — and that counts for something," Dixon said. "He gets to fly around the country on his big plane and talk big talk."

Money may be Bush's biggest edge. He has raised more than $150 million, shattering his own record and giving him easy cash to try to define Kerry as a soft-on-terrorism, tax-raising, flip-flopping liberal.

The president's campaign laid the groundwork Wednesday for TV attack ads, accusing the Democrat of waging "a relentlessly negative campaign" against Bush this year. The president's initial TV ads portray Bush as the nation's caretaker in troubled times.

Kerry, who raised $1 million since wrapping up the nomination, is still far behind Bush in the dollar dash. He must count on the Democratic National Committee and independent interest groups to help him compete.

The presumptive nominee also must retool his message for the general election, perhaps soften the rough edges of his criticism of Bush. Aides are planning a series of policy speeches for Kerry, who may travel overseas to burnish his image.

Most national polls show Kerry ahead or tied with Bush. In a race determined state by state, polls in the individual battlegrounds reflect a tight race.

Surveys also reveal lingering concern over the economy and Iraq, no surprise to Republican state lawmaker Tom Murphy of Kennebunk, Maine. "If things happen in a positive way, Kerry's campaign is over. If they don't ...," he said, his voice trailing off.

Slade argued that Kerry will be easy to cast as a liberal, but, "He has a very impressive war record. He speaks with authority and is going to be a very competitive challenger."

Democratic Mayor Michael Coleman of Columbus, Ohio, said he worries that Kerry may look too much like a creature of Washington. "The more time he spends in the heartland, in Ohio, the better off he's going to be," Coleman said.

J. Lowell Stoltzfus, a Republican state senator in Maryland, gave Bush the nod on leadership and appeal, but said of Kerry, "He seems like a personable guy. You know, this could be close."

 
  Today's Top News     Top World News
 

Pakistanis may be near bin Laden's aide al-Zawahri

 

   
 

Government relaxes control of airfares, finally

 

   
 

U.S. launches WTO complaint against China

 

   
 

Report: China, Iran sign US$20b gas deal

 

   
 

FM to pay official visit to DPRK

 

   
 

S. Korea won't send troops to Iraqi city

 

   
  Sources: Al Qaeda No 2 leader surrounded
   
  S. Korea won't send troops to Iraqi city
   
  Powell visits Iraq on eve of anniversary of US invasion
   
  US doubles reward for capture of bin Laden
   
  Poland 'misled' on Iraq, President says
   
  Kosovo death toll rises to 31
   
 
  Go to Another Section  
 
 
  Story Tools  
   
  Related Stories  
   
MoveOn.org to counter Bush's ad blitz
   
Kerry cements nomination; Edwards out
   
Notes and quotes from campaign 2004
   
Edwards: Kerry full of 'Washington talk'
   
'Doonesbury' offers $10,000 for proof Bush served
  News Talk  
  The Human Rights Record of the United States in 2003  
Advertisement
         
主站蜘蛛池模板: 久青草国产手机在线观| 午夜成人精品福利网站在线观看| JAPANESEHD熟女熟妇伦| 精品久久久久久久免费加勒比| 国产模特众筹精品视频| 97久久精品人人澡人人爽| 中文字幕在线看片| 欧美最猛黑人xxxx黑人猛交98| 免费观看的av毛片的网站| 色噜噜在线视频| 国产大片91精品免费观看男同| 青青操视频在线免费观看| 国产高清不卡视频| av区无码字幕中文色| 婷婷久久五月天| 中国老头和老头gay视频ha| 欧美色欧美亚洲高清在线视频| 午夜亚洲国产精品福利| 色播在线永久免费视频| 国产噜噜噜视频在线观看| 精品小视频在线| 国产福利片在线| 香蕉视频一区二区| 国产精品自在线拍国产手青青机版 | 又硬又粗又长又爽免费看| 色视频综合无码一区二区三区| 国产又色又爽又黄的| 黄在线观看www免费看| 国产成年无码久久久免费| 欧美欧洲性色老头老妇| 国产精品va在线观看无码| 综合网激情五月| 国产精品美女在线观看| 7777久久亚洲中文字幕| 国产综合精品在线| 69性欧美高清影院| 国产美女视频网站| 人妻少妇精品中文字幕AV蜜桃| 三级毛片在线看| 狠狠色综合网站久久久久久久 | 在线看片你懂的|