Kerry sees surge for his candidacy
By Bret Hayworth, Journal staff writer | Posted: Friday, January 16, 2004
Presidential candidate U.S. Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., leans over to listen to Cindee Arnett while greeting people at a campaign stop in Sioux City Thursday. (Staff photo by Tim Hynds)
It's the "Big Mo" every candidate seeks and John Kerry thinks he's got it as Monday's Iowa caucuses draw near.
The U.S. senator from Massachusetts told a Sanford Center crowd of more than 200 people that he's got the momentum and he wants to ride it to a strong finish in the caucuses.
Several Northwest Iowa Democratic officials said they perceive inroads by Kerry and U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who by Sunday will have stumped in town three times in seven days. The leader position for Howard Dean is withering in the polls, as undecided voters appear to finally be picking candidates.
Woodbury County Democratic Party Chairman Al Sturgeon said of Dean, "the front horse is being caught up with." He called the competition by Kerry, Edwards, Dean and U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri "a statistical dead heat" and "officially a free for all."
Monona County party officials Jody Ewing and Dennis Ryan said people are reassessing their allegiance to Dean.
Kerry had one of his high-profile supporters, Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack, with him Thursday. Vilsack announced for Kerry on Jan. 11 and will be featured in Kerry ads that start today.
Vilsack said she had heard about "a huge surge for John Kerry here," and said the energy for his campaign is palpable in the last days. The word surge was apt, as the refreshed-looking Kerry led off with that terminology when he took the stage.
"Do you like the surge?" Kerry asked. "Are you ready to add more surge? Are you ready to make more surge, more surge? And are you ready to make more and more surge, a surprise on Monday? Sounds to me you are ready for action."
Kerry alluded to Dean, telling supporters to go to the caucuses not "to send a message, but to elect a president." However, most of the senator's barbs were directed at President Bush. He said Bush "is leading the country in a radically wrong direction," and pointed to tax cuts for the richest Americans as proof there is "not a budget problem," but "a values problem in America."
He said most U.S. businesses are good corporate citizens. But Kerry said bad apples like Enron and Tyco have undermined confidence in big business, and he was critical of those who locate shell headquarters overseas to avoid taxation.
Further, he said, the17,000-page tax code needs a major revision, to get rid of "any reward, any incentive, any benefit that goes to any 'Benedict Arnold' company or CEO that want to take American jobs and money overseas and want to stick the American people with the bill."
Kerry said Bush is too beholden to special interests and "our democracy has been turned into a dollarocracy, where these people grab and grab and grab, while the American people are put into a tougher and tougher situation."
He said health care access needs to be improved, there needs to be less dependence on oil resources and education needs more funding.
Regarding the war in Iraq, Kerry contended, "George Bush has run the most inept, arrogant, ideological, reckless foreign policy in modern history. I believe he has overextended our armed forces; I believe he is not making America safer. We deserve a president who knows how to make this country safe, to protect the American troops, build relationships, make friends and allies, and grow the respect and influence of our nation in the world."
Kerry said Bush has announced he will run for re-election on national security and the war on terror. "If you think about it, it makes sense," the senator said, "since he can't run on jobs, he can't run on the environment and children and health care, so they are trying to scare people."
Kerry was drawing from an old playbook on his last days push. He had used a final-week helicopter blitzkrieg years ago to win his first U.S. Senate race.
He boarded the "Kerry-Copter" helicopter to make seven stops Thursday, flying from Carroll to a landing at West High School, although he arrived to the Sanford Center 75 minutes behind schedule. That didn't deter those gathered, as few left before getting a chance to see the senator in his sixth trip to Sioux City in the caucus campaign cycle.
Kerry's themes worked for Nancy Mitchell of rural Sioux City. Mitchell threw her support to Kerry a year ago. "I think he is very presidential," Mitchell said. "I like all the things he stands for."
She said Edwards is a strong candidate, but figures it is "very conceivable that John Kerry can take the state."
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712)293-4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com.
The U.S. senator from Massachusetts told a Sanford Center crowd of more than 200 people that he's got the momentum and he wants to ride it to a strong finish in the caucuses.
Several Northwest Iowa Democratic officials said they perceive inroads by Kerry and U.S. Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, who by Sunday will have stumped in town three times in seven days. The leader position for Howard Dean is withering in the polls, as undecided voters appear to finally be picking candidates.
Woodbury County Democratic Party Chairman Al Sturgeon said of Dean, "the front horse is being caught up with." He called the competition by Kerry, Edwards, Dean and U.S. Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri "a statistical dead heat" and "officially a free for all."
Monona County party officials Jody Ewing and Dennis Ryan said people are reassessing their allegiance to Dean.
Kerry had one of his high-profile supporters, Iowa first lady Christie Vilsack, with him Thursday. Vilsack announced for Kerry on Jan. 11 and will be featured in Kerry ads that start today.
Vilsack said she had heard about "a huge surge for John Kerry here," and said the energy for his campaign is palpable in the last days. The word surge was apt, as the refreshed-looking Kerry led off with that terminology when he took the stage.
"Do you like the surge?" Kerry asked. "Are you ready to add more surge? Are you ready to make more surge, more surge? And are you ready to make more and more surge, a surprise on Monday? Sounds to me you are ready for action."
Kerry alluded to Dean, telling supporters to go to the caucuses not "to send a message, but to elect a president." However, most of the senator's barbs were directed at President Bush. He said Bush "is leading the country in a radically wrong direction," and pointed to tax cuts for the richest Americans as proof there is "not a budget problem," but "a values problem in America."
He said most U.S. businesses are good corporate citizens. But Kerry said bad apples like Enron and Tyco have undermined confidence in big business, and he was critical of those who locate shell headquarters overseas to avoid taxation.
Further, he said, the17,000-page tax code needs a major revision, to get rid of "any reward, any incentive, any benefit that goes to any 'Benedict Arnold' company or CEO that want to take American jobs and money overseas and want to stick the American people with the bill."
Kerry said Bush is too beholden to special interests and "our democracy has been turned into a dollarocracy, where these people grab and grab and grab, while the American people are put into a tougher and tougher situation."
He said health care access needs to be improved, there needs to be less dependence on oil resources and education needs more funding.
Regarding the war in Iraq, Kerry contended, "George Bush has run the most inept, arrogant, ideological, reckless foreign policy in modern history. I believe he has overextended our armed forces; I believe he is not making America safer. We deserve a president who knows how to make this country safe, to protect the American troops, build relationships, make friends and allies, and grow the respect and influence of our nation in the world."
Kerry said Bush has announced he will run for re-election on national security and the war on terror. "If you think about it, it makes sense," the senator said, "since he can't run on jobs, he can't run on the environment and children and health care, so they are trying to scare people."
Kerry was drawing from an old playbook on his last days push. He had used a final-week helicopter blitzkrieg years ago to win his first U.S. Senate race.
He boarded the "Kerry-Copter" helicopter to make seven stops Thursday, flying from Carroll to a landing at West High School, although he arrived to the Sanford Center 75 minutes behind schedule. That didn't deter those gathered, as few left before getting a chance to see the senator in his sixth trip to Sioux City in the caucus campaign cycle.
Kerry's themes worked for Nancy Mitchell of rural Sioux City. Mitchell threw her support to Kerry a year ago. "I think he is very presidential," Mitchell said. "I like all the things he stands for."
She said Edwards is a strong candidate, but figures it is "very conceivable that John Kerry can take the state."
Bret Hayworth may be reached at (712)293-4203 or brethayworth@siouxcityjournal.com.
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