Bush Mocks Kerry, Says He Could Debate Himself

By Caren Bohan
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio (Reuters) - President Bush said on Monday his Democratic rival John Kerry had shifted his positions on Iraq so many times he could "debate himself" at the prime-time face-off between the two candidates in three days.

The president's ridicule of the Massachusetts senator came as Kerry has been hammering him daily on Iraq, accusing him of mishandling the chaotic aftermath of the 2003 invasion and giving overly optimistic assessments of conditions there.

The first presidential debate on Thursday in Coral Gables, Fla. will focus on foreign affairs and may be pivotal to the outcome of the Nov. 2 election.

At an Ohio campaign event, Bush referred to his practice sessions for the debate, which he has been holding at his Texas ranch over the weekend.


"It's been a little tough to prepare because (Kerry) keeps changing positions on the war on the terror," he joked.



Then he ran through a litany of issues concerning Iraq in which he described his opponent of having flip-flopped.



"He voted for the use of force in Iraq and then didn't vote to fund the troops," Bush said. "He complained that we're not spending enough money to help in reconstruction in Iraq and now he's saying we're spending too much. He said it was the right decision to go into Iraq and now he calls it the wrong war."



"He could probably spend 90 minutes debating himself," Bush added to hoots of laughter from his supporters.



Kerry has accused the administration of sending mixed signals over Iraq because of differing statements from administration officials about plans for elections in Iraq in January.



For example, while Bush and other administration officials have been adamant that elections will go forward in Iraq in January, Secretary of State Colin Powell has had a more cautious tone.



Bush broke off from his preparations on Monday for a campaign event where he reached out to Ohio voters.



"I understand you've been hit hard in Ohio. I know that," he said of the state's loss of manufacturing jobs in recent years. "I know there's people still hurting in this state."



But he insisted his policies of tax cuts and streamlining regulations were the way to spur growth.



Ohio is one of several Midwest battleground states that Bush has focused heavily on ahead of the election.



Although the president carried Ohio in 2000 by 3.5 percentage points, its economic woes have left an opening for Kerry to try to capture the state. Most polls give Bush an edge there, however.



Ohio's unemployment rate is 6.3 percent, well above the national average of 5.4 percent.

The scary thing is Kerry probably does debate himself on a regular basis.

He did it in WI on Friday too...

"We can look forward to hearing a vigorous argument on both sides of every issue... And then I'll get to talk..."

Quoted: The scary thing is Kerry probably does debate himself on a regular basis.

And loses.........

    GWB2004-2008    


Edit: because i can't spell GWB------

Kerry is a Master-debator.

Quoted: Quoted: The scary thing is Kerry probably does debate himself on a regular basis. And loses.........

Quoted: "We can look forward to hearing a vigorous argument on both sides of every issue... And then I'll get to talk..."

HAHA!    Good one.