03/03/2004

Kerry has a 'Super Tuesday' and prepares to take on Bush

Massachusetts senator John Kerry will be the man to lead Democrats into the polls against George W Bush this November, following yesterday's 'Super Tuesday' primaries.

Kerry is all but offically confirmed as the Democrat candidate after securing nine of the 10 states up for grabs in yesterday's elections. Howard Dean took his home state of Vermont to prevent the 60-year-old Massachusetts senator walking away with a clean sweep.

Senator John Edwards, the last serious rival to the Kerry campaign, is expected to withdraw from the race later today – having only secured the backing of South Carolina.

John Kerry won through in California; Connecticut; Georgia; Maryland; Minnesota; Massachusetts; New York; Ohio; and Rhode Island. Considered an outsider for the nomination before the Iowa caucuses, Senator Kerry went on to take 18 of 20 states on offer before yesterday.

In his victory speech, Mr Kerry pledged to repeal President Bush's tax cuts, cut the deficit in half within four years and invest in health care and education.

He has also vowed to raise the minimum wage and to create "energy independence" that will create 500,000 new jobs, "so young Americans in uniform will never be held hostage to Mideast oil".

"We will rejoin the community of nations and renew our alliances because that is essential to final victory in the war on terror," he said.

Senator Kerry also slammed the Bush administration for pursuing "the most arrogant, inept, reckless, and ideological foreign policy in modern history".

He also warned that there were "no illusions about the Republican attack machine and what our opponents will try to do" when the presidential election kicks off.

(gmcg)

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