Kerry visits Wisconsin

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry made another swing through Wisconsin last week, talking to voters in Milwaukee and Madison.

In Madison, he blasted President Bush on Iraq, the economy, health care and other issues and then implored supporters to do everything they can over the next several weeks to remove George W. Bush from office.

“I don't want you to go out and fight for me,” he told about 10,000 supporters at a September 15 rally. “I want you to fight for yourselves, for your families, and for America.”
Kerry said Bush has been wrong on all the key decisions he's made as president but that no decisions have been more disastrous than those he has made on Iraq. Kerry said Bush made the mistake of “rushing into war” without a plan for making peace or understanding the consequences, and has arrogantly ignored advice on Iraq.

Kerry also criticized the way Bush is handling the war on terrorism. “I will fight a smarter, more effective war on terror than George Bush. I will make America safer,” he said, adding he would “bring America's allies to our side.”

Kerry ran through a litany of wrong decisions made by Bush, saying those decisions have resulted in people losing their health insurance, losing their jobs to overseas interests, facing much higher prescription drug costs, and being saddled with the long-term burden of enormous federal deficits. He also blasted Bush for failing to act to extend the ban on assault weapons and for allowing tuition costs to soar while cutting student tuition grants. Addressing the many University of Wisconsin students at the rally at the Alliant Energy Center, Kerry said that, as president, he would implement a $4,000 tuition tax credit to help ensure young people from lower- and middle-class families could continue to attend college.

Kerry said Bush has provided tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans, while leaving the middle class and those struggling to get into the middle class with fewer resources. He said he would roll back those tax breaks for the wealthy and invest that money in health care and education.

“Every time George W. Bush has had a choice ... he's chosen the powerful and privileged and few. It's the wrong choice. It's the wrong leadership. It's the wrong direction for America. We need a change. That's what this is all about.”