Kerry Rips Bush Over Record Medicare Hike

[Keirsey]

AKRON, Ohio -- Democrat John Kerry said Saturday that a record increase in Medicare premiums for doctor visits was another failed promise from President Bush.

The Bush administration announced a day earlier that monthly premiums for a portion of the program for the elderly and disabled will rise $11.60 next year, to $78.20. The 17 percent increase is the largest in the program's 40-year history.

Kerry pointed to Bush's promise in his convention speech to make Medicare stronger. The speech and the increase are highlighted in a new Kerry campaign television ad to start running Tuesday in battleground states.

"On the day after saying he'd strengthen Medicare, Medicare premiums go up for senior citizens 17 percent," Kerry told supporters at a rally in this electorally important state.

"Who are they going to send the bill to? Are they going to send the bill to Halliburton? Are they going to send the bill to Ken Lay and Enron?" he said.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/sns-ap-kerry,0,4492204.story?coll=ny-prezelection-headlines

Love the reference to Halliburton and Ken Lay/Enron. Go, John!!

[Dudley_DUright]

1. Good news

Please come to FL (after Frances leaves of course) and give the same speech. This could be the key to FL.

[Catfight]

2. Halliburton, Enron, Ken Lay, Cheney and Scalia should ALWAYS

be mentioned in the same sentence!

[Rageneau]

3. Keep it up, John!!!

Since midnight on Thursday, Kerry has run a much better campaign. He is finally doing what so many of us were pleading with him to do -- challenging President Monkey-boy directly.

As Ed on Crank Yankers would say: "Yaaaaay!!!!

[clydefrand]

4. Hit them where they are most vulnerable

Economy, education, health care, outsourcing of jobs. These things are more important to our daily lives than the war in Iraq and the "war on terror". Could we call the war against bush, the war on A terror??

[Nimrod]

5. THIS is the kind of campaigning I like

If you're going to get mean, get MEAN. *'s campaigning has been little more than "Vote for me, 'cuz Johnny's a big poo-poo head!" and for a while there the Dems were getting drawn into that by trying to counter every poo-poo head accusation.

I love seeing Kerry throw *'s lies right back in his face. I personally couldn't give two squirts about what happened 35 years ago when the current administration has perpetrated SO many crimes against the nation in just the last four years that desperately need to be confronted.

[sundancekid]

6. Hear Hear Here Here ... well said

[jwirr]

7. This need to be forwarded to

AARP - I do not have the knowledge of the computer to do it. They betrayed us on the medicine supplement now let them tell us the truth.

[MaineDem]

8. Those in FL don't know this yet

They've been a bit preoccupied. Hammer it home, JK!

[RDL]

9. YES!

This is more like it! Time to turn up the heat!

[ruggerson]

10. kick

Bush right where it hurts

[Tatiana]

11. Looks like Kerry is taking Clinton's advice.

Bee-yoo-ti-ful.

Let's kick some Republican ass. Go on the ATTACK and stop the defensive posturing.

[Soth]

12. Damn straight!

That's how it should be played!

How many think Kerry was waiting til after RNC, so he could focus on their talking points and also not allow them to attack him on these issues during the convention?