WP: Democrats to Target Cheney [View All]

[kskiska]

Attacks on Vice President Aimed at Eroding Confidence in Bush

Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) and the Democratic Party will open a week-long assault on Vice President Cheney today in hopes that tarring him as promoting secrecy and controversial policies will erode confidence in President Bush.

Cheney is less popular than Bush in polls, and Democratic strategists said they need to further inhibit the vice president's effectiveness as Bush's attack messenger.

Cheney is expected to deliver a major address in Missouri today charging that Kerry's record shows he would be unsuitable to serve as commander in chief in an era that requires an unwavering leader who can recognize gathering threats and is willing to speak out against them, even when that is difficult or unpopular. Aides said Cheney will say the president must set a clear and consistent foreign policy, and support a military strong enough to use decisive power as a last resort.

Kerry's campaign staff said he will focus first on Cheney's record as defense secretary under President George H.W. Bush, charging that Cheney proposed massive cuts to weapons critical to recent military operations. The Bush campaign has replied that Cheney took his stands during the peace-dividend rollback of the military after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

On Wednesday, Kerry is to turn to White House efforts to prevent disclosure of records of an energy-policy task force led by Cheney. On Friday, Kerry plans to highlight Cheney's connections to the Halliburton Co., a major U.S. contractor in Iraq.

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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A41998-2004Apr25.html