Kerry Tries to Turn Campaign Against Bush
By NEDRA PICKLER, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, trying to recover from a brass-knuckles campaign against his character, is attempting to steer the election to a referendum on President Bush's leadership.
Kerry has less than seven weeks to take over the lead in the presidential race. Democrats hope a major shift will come from the debates, but his strategy in the meantime is based less on building himself up than on tearing down the president.
Bush has enjoyed a slight lead in national polls since the Republican National Convention, but the gap appears to be narrowing. Republicans portrayed Kerry as a vacillating opportunist while Democrats remained largely positive during their convention five weeks earlier. Now they are trying to make the case that Bush has not been honest in his life and his leadership.
"It's time we had a president who tells the American people the truth," Kerry said in Ohio. "It's that simple."
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