quarta-feira, outubro 13, 2004
Terceiro Debate presidencial
Stakes are high as polls indicate neck-and-neck race
TEMPE, Arizona (CNN) -- President Bush and Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry took to their podiums Wednesday for their final debate, this one focusing on domestic issues, just 20 days before the election.
The economy has been a focus of the debate, along with health care and same-sex marriage.
But the first question from CBS News anchor Bob Schieffer to Kerry was about homeland security.
Transcript
Will our children and grandchildren live in a world that was as safe as ours?" Schieffer asked.
"Will we ever be safe and secure again? Yes, we absolutely must be," Kerry said. "That's the goal." He then accused Bush of not doing enough as president to protect the nation from terrorism.
Bush agreed the United States can be a safe nation.
"Yes, we can be safe and secure, if we stay on the offense against the terrorists and if we spread freedom and liberty around the world," Bush said.
The face-off at Arizona State University is voters' final opportunity to get a lengthy look at Bush and Kerry side-by-side.
The second question: heath care. The president was questioned about the shortage of flu vaccines in the United States at the beginning of the flu season.
Kerry used the vaccine question to criticize the president's health care policy.
"This really underscores the problem with the American health care system," Kerry said.
"Five million Americans have lost their health insurance in this country."
After Kerry said he had a plan to expand health care for Americans, Bush said, "I want to remind people listening tonight that a plan is not a litany of complaints, and a plan is not to lay out programs that you can't pay for."
Kerry disputed that characterization.
"Every plan that I have laid out -- my health care plan, my plan for education, my plan for kids to be able to get better college loans -- I've shown exactly how I'm going to pay for those," Kerry said.
Jobs and taxes
"Mr. President," Schieffer asked, "what do you say to someone in this country who has lost his job to someone overseas who's being paid a fraction of what that job paid here in the United States?"
"I'd say, Bob, I've got policies to continue to grow our economy and create the jobs of the 21st century," Bush said. "And here's some help for you to go get an education. Here's some help for you to go to a community college."
Kerry has proposed corporate tax incentives that aim to lessen the movement of U.S. jobs to other nations.
"I want you to notice how the president switched away from jobs and started talking about education principally," Kerry said.
"They've cut the training money," he said. "They've wound up not even extending unemployment benefits and not even extending health care to those people who are unemployed."
Bush also lauded his budget proposal.
"It requires pro-growth policies that grow our economy and [create] fiscal sanity in the halls of Congress."
Kerry delivered one of the first high-profile lines of the debate.
"Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order in this country," Kerry said, reminding viewers of a ballooning federal deficit.
Bush countered: "My opponent talks about fiscal sanity. His record in the United States Senate does not match his rhetoric.
"He voted to violate the budget cap 277 times. You know, there's a mainstream in American politics, and you sit right on the far left bank."
When Bush accused Kerry of voting 98 times to increase taxes, Kerry implied that Bush was skewing the facts.
"Bob, anybody can play with these votes," Kerry said. "Everybody knows that. I have supported or voted for tax cuts over 600 times. I broke with my party in order to balance the budget, and Ronald Reagan signed into law the tax cut that we voted for. I voted for IRA tax cuts. I voted for small-business tax cuts."
Same-sex unions
Schieffer asked the candidates if they believe homosexuality is a choice.
Bush pointed out that he has proposed a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.
"The reason I did so was because I was worried that activist judges are actually defining the definition of marriage, and the surest way to protect marriage between a man and woman is to amend the Constitution." Bush said.
Kerry, who also opposes same-sex marriage, responded, I "believe that because we are the United States of America, we're a country with a great, unbelievable Constitution, with rights that we afford people, that you can't discriminate in the workplace. You can't discriminate in the rights that you afford people."
Border with Mexico
The debate turned to security along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Bush outlined part of a plan to increase border security.
"I believe there ought to be a temporary worker card [for Mexicans who would otherwise illegally enter the U.S.] that allows a willing worker and a willing employer to mate up, so long as there's not an American willing to do that job, to join up in order to be able to fulfill the employers' needs."
Kerry tied the issue to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
"The borders are more leaking today than they were before 9/11," he said. "The fact is, we haven't done what we need to do to toughen up our borders, and I will."
Wrong, said Bush.
"The borders with Mexico are much better protected today than they were when I was the governor of Texas," the president said.
Poll indications
National surveys show the candidates running neck-and-neck.
After the debate, both candidates plan to focus on battleground states -- where polls show the race is so close that either man could win.
Bush is to hit spots in Nevada, Iowa and Florida, according to the AP.
Kerry is scheduled to visit Nevada, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio, the AP reported.
Numbers of debate viewers have been steadily dropping since the initial face-off on October 1. The first debate drew 62.5 million viewers, the second 46.7 million, according to the AP.
Viewership may continue to slide because of baseball's American and National League playoff games, which will both be televised during the face-off.
"Will we ever be safe and secure again? Yes, we absolutely must be," Kerry said. "That's the goal." He then accused Bush of not doing enough as president to protect the nation from terrorism.
Bush agreed the United States can be a safe nation.
"Yes, we can be safe and secure, if we stay on the offense against the terrorists and if we spread freedom and liberty around the world," Bush said.
The face-off at Arizona State University is voters' final opportunity to get a lengthy look at Bush and Kerry side-by-side.
The second question: heath care. The president was questioned about the shortage of flu vaccines in the United States at the beginning of the flu season.
Kerry used the vaccine question to criticize the president's health care policy.
"This really underscores the problem with the American health care system," Kerry said.
"Five million Americans have lost their health insurance in this country."
After Kerry said he had a plan to expand health care for Americans, Bush said, "I want to remind people listening tonight that a plan is not a litany of complaints, and a plan is not to lay out programs that you can't pay for."
Kerry disputed that characterization.
"Every plan that I have laid out -- my health care plan, my plan for education, my plan for kids to be able to get better college loans -- I've shown exactly how I'm going to pay for those," Kerry said.
Jobs and taxes
"Mr. President," Schieffer asked, "what do you say to someone in this country who has lost his job to someone overseas who's being paid a fraction of what that job paid here in the United States?"
"I'd say, Bob, I've got policies to continue to grow our economy and create the jobs of the 21st century," Bush said. "And here's some help for you to go get an education. Here's some help for you to go to a community college."
Kerry has proposed corporate tax incentives that aim to lessen the movement of U.S. jobs to other nations.
"I want you to notice how the president switched away from jobs and started talking about education principally," Kerry said.
"They've cut the training money," he said. "They've wound up not even extending unemployment benefits and not even extending health care to those people who are unemployed."
Bush also lauded his budget proposal.
"It requires pro-growth policies that grow our economy and [create] fiscal sanity in the halls of Congress."
Kerry delivered one of the first high-profile lines of the debate.
"Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order in this country," Kerry said, reminding viewers of a ballooning federal deficit.
Bush countered: "My opponent talks about fiscal sanity. His record in the United States Senate does not match his rhetoric.
"He voted to violate the budget cap 277 times. You know, there's a mainstream in American politics, and you sit right on the far left bank."
When Bush accused Kerry of voting 98 times to increase taxes, Kerry implied that Bush was skewing the facts.
"Bob, anybody can play with these votes," Kerry said. "Everybody knows that. I have supported or voted for tax cuts over 600 times. I broke with my party in order to balance the budget, and Ronald Reagan signed into law the tax cut that we voted for. I voted for IRA tax cuts. I voted for small-business tax cuts."
Same-sex unions
Schieffer asked the candidates if they believe homosexuality is a choice.
Bush pointed out that he has proposed a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage.
"The reason I did so was because I was worried that activist judges are actually defining the definition of marriage, and the surest way to protect marriage between a man and woman is to amend the Constitution." Bush said.
Kerry, who also opposes same-sex marriage, responded, I "believe that because we are the United States of America, we're a country with a great, unbelievable Constitution, with rights that we afford people, that you can't discriminate in the workplace. You can't discriminate in the rights that you afford people."
Border with Mexico
The debate turned to security along the U.S.-Mexican border.
Bush outlined part of a plan to increase border security.
"I believe there ought to be a temporary worker card [for Mexicans who would otherwise illegally enter the U.S.] that allows a willing worker and a willing employer to mate up, so long as there's not an American willing to do that job, to join up in order to be able to fulfill the employers' needs."
Kerry tied the issue to the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001.
"The borders are more leaking today than they were before 9/11," he said. "The fact is, we haven't done what we need to do to toughen up our borders, and I will."
Wrong, said Bush.
"The borders with Mexico are much better protected today than they were when I was the governor of Texas," the president said.
Poll indications
National surveys show the candidates running neck-and-neck.
After the debate, both candidates plan to focus on battleground states -- where polls show the race is so close that either man could win.
Bush is to hit spots in Nevada, Iowa and Florida, according to the AP.
Kerry is scheduled to visit Nevada, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio, the AP reported.
Numbers of debate viewers have been steadily dropping since the initial face-off on October 1. The first debate drew 62.5 million viewers, the second 46.7 million, according to the AP.
Viewership may continue to slide because of baseball's American and National League playoff games, which will both be televised during the face-off.
Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry answers a question as President Bush looks on during the third and final presidential debate in Tempe, Ariz., Wednesday, Oct. 13, 2004. (AP Photo/Pool, Rick T. Wilking)
Bush, Kerry Duel Over Health Care Plans
Bush, Kerry Duel Over Jobs, Health Care, Taxes As Final Television Debate Gets Under Way
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Sen. John Kerry said Wednesday that 5 million people have lost their health care in the last four years and accused President Bush of "turning his back on the wellness of America." The Republican incumbent responded that his rival's plan to expand coverage was an "empty promise" that would cost taxpayers $5 trillion.
"It's called bait-and-switch," Bush said of Kerry's proposal to offer coverage to millions of Americans who lack it.
The exchange came moments into the final debate of a race for the White House that has grown steadily closer in recent days and the last time Bush and his rival will face off before Election Day on Nov. 2.
Kerry and the president also clashed over jobs, taxes and the war in Iraq in their third debate of the general election campaign. The format was identical to their first but this time Bush avoided grimacing and scowling as he did two weeks ago when Kerry was speaking.
Bush also issued an appeal for healthy Americans to skip a flu shot this winter to conserve scarce vaccine for the elderly and ill. "I haven't gotten a flu shot and I don't intend to," the president said.
Asked his own view of the shortage of the flu vaccine, Kerry swiftly criticized Bush for his policy on overall health care.
"This really underscores the problem with the American health care system," the Democrat said. "It's not working for the American family and it's gotten worse under President Bush over the last four years."
"This president has turned his back on the wellness of America and there is no system" to help them, said Kerry, who added that he has a plan to expand coverage.
But Bush said a "plan is not a litany of complaints. And a plan is not to lay out programs you can't pay for."
The Republican said Kerry's proposal would cost the government $7,700 per family. "If every family in America signed up it would cost the federal govt $5 trillion over 10 years," he said. "It's an empty promise. It's called bait-and-switch."
The night's first question was whether America could ever be as safe as it was in a pre-terrorist world, and Kerry swiftly turned his answer into an attack on Bush.
The president "regrettably rushed us into war," he said, and added that the president had "pushed alliances away and as a result America is not bearing this enormous burden where safe is not as safe as we ought to be."
Bush spoke dismissively of his rival.
"My opponent just this weekend talked about how terrorism could be reduced to a nuisance, comparing it to prostitution, illegal gambling," he said. "I think that attitude and that point of view is dangerous."
The two men disagreed over abortion, Kerry saying the choice should be "between a woman, God and her doctor," and the president saying he wants to promote a "culture of life."
Asked about the Catholic bishops who have advised parishioners it would be a sin to vote for a candidate who supports abortion rights, Kerry evoked the name of John F. Kennedy, another Massachusetts senator and the first Catholic elected president.
He quoted Kennedy's famous 1960 campaign statement in which he said he wasn't running to become a Catholic president, but the first president who happens to be a Catholic.
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Sen. John Kerry said Wednesday that 5 million people have lost their health care in the last four years and accused President Bush of "turning his back on the wellness of America." The Republican incumbent responded that his rival's plan to expand coverage was an "empty promise" that would cost taxpayers $5 trillion.
"It's called bait-and-switch," Bush said of Kerry's proposal to offer coverage to millions of Americans who lack it.
The exchange came moments into the final debate of a race for the White House that has grown steadily closer in recent days and the last time Bush and his rival will face off before Election Day on Nov. 2.
Kerry and the president also clashed over jobs, taxes and the war in Iraq in their third debate of the general election campaign. The format was identical to their first but this time Bush avoided grimacing and scowling as he did two weeks ago when Kerry was speaking.
Bush also issued an appeal for healthy Americans to skip a flu shot this winter to conserve scarce vaccine for the elderly and ill. "I haven't gotten a flu shot and I don't intend to," the president said.
Asked his own view of the shortage of the flu vaccine, Kerry swiftly criticized Bush for his policy on overall health care.
"This really underscores the problem with the American health care system," the Democrat said. "It's not working for the American family and it's gotten worse under President Bush over the last four years."
"This president has turned his back on the wellness of America and there is no system" to help them, said Kerry, who added that he has a plan to expand coverage.
But Bush said a "plan is not a litany of complaints. And a plan is not to lay out programs you can't pay for."
The Republican said Kerry's proposal would cost the government $7,700 per family. "If every family in America signed up it would cost the federal govt $5 trillion over 10 years," he said. "It's an empty promise. It's called bait-and-switch."
The night's first question was whether America could ever be as safe as it was in a pre-terrorist world, and Kerry swiftly turned his answer into an attack on Bush.
The president "regrettably rushed us into war," he said, and added that the president had "pushed alliances away and as a result America is not bearing this enormous burden where safe is not as safe as we ought to be."
Bush spoke dismissively of his rival.
"My opponent just this weekend talked about how terrorism could be reduced to a nuisance, comparing it to prostitution, illegal gambling," he said. "I think that attitude and that point of view is dangerous."
The two men disagreed over abortion, Kerry saying the choice should be "between a woman, God and her doctor," and the president saying he wants to promote a "culture of life."
Asked about the Catholic bishops who have advised parishioners it would be a sin to vote for a candidate who supports abortion rights, Kerry evoked the name of John F. Kennedy, another Massachusetts senator and the first Catholic elected president.
He quoted Kennedy's famous 1960 campaign statement in which he said he wasn't running to become a Catholic president, but the first president who happens to be a Catholic.
Copyright 2004 The Associated Press
# posted by Rui Ferreira @ 8:39 da tarde 
