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KING: We now welcome Senator John Kerry, joining us from Des Moines, Democrat of Massachusetts, now an official candidate for his party's nomination. Why did you announce in South Carolina rather than your home state?
SEN. JOHN KERRY (D-MA), PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: Well, I'm going back to my home state tomorrow, Larry, but I thought it would be great to begin in a place that was different, number one, and number two, I wanted to send a signal, I'm going to talk to the whole country. This is not a regional campaign, it's a national campaign. And I believe that the message of changing the direction of our country, putting people back to work, showing greater responsibility and more connection to American values in our foreign policy, it's important for South Carolina, it's important for the south, the southwest, the west, all parts of our country.
KING: Any special reason why you were accompanied by crew members of your Navy gunboat that you commanded during the Vietnam War? Was this an attempt to kind of take on President Bush who landed on an aircraft carrier?
KERRY: It's an attempt to remind people that there are those of us in the country who have served our nation, who have a different sense of how one behaves in the world and how you live up to the responsibilities of the United States. And many of us who served in the military have a sense of patriotism that doesn't belong to either party, it belongs to the country. The flag doesn't belong to either party, it belongs to the country. And I think that President Bush, frankly, right now, is letting down a lot of veterans, because veterans across the country are having a harder time getting into the VA. There are thousands of them waiting for first visits to a doctor, over 135,000 wait six months to see a doctor.
KING: The president can do something about that?
KERRY: You bet the president can do something about that. He can put it in the budget and fight for it. And the president hasn't fought -- he has a VA, he has a VA administrator, and that administrator has sent a message to veterans all across the country, we can't serve all of you because we don't have enough money. The reason we don't have enough money, Larry, is because we the president thought it was more important to give people earning more than $200,000 a year a tax cut. I don't agree with that. That's the wrong direction, and it's not my definition of patriotism.
KING: The new issue of "TIME" magazine, you told them and they expressed surprise that you are not surprised that Governor Dean and how well he's doing. You're not surprised?
KERRY: No, I'm not surprised, because the war was very divisive and he was the only person on that side of it. I believe that over time, as people realize why we voted to go with a legitimate threat of force and to hold Saddam Hussein accountable, it was in fact important to the security of our country. The vote was correct. What was not correct was George Bush rushing to war, not building an international coalition, not doing the work of planning for the peace, for winning the peace. And I warned the president, way back last January, I said Mr. President, do not rush to war. Take the time to build the peace. It was appropriate, Larry, to hold Saddam Hussein accountable. But it was appropriate to do it in a responsible and thoughtful way.
KING: So you are not surprised that Governor Dean, based on that, is ahead?
KERRY: Well, also, he's been on television, he's had a lot of publicity. No, I fully expect as -- look, 66 percent of the American people can't name anyone who's running for president of the United States. This campaign is just starting, and I believe over the course of the next months, as Americans, look at who is ready to be commander in chief.
I am the only person running who has 19 years experience in foreign policy. I know that I can make our country safer and stronger, and I don't think the presidency is the place, as George Bush has proven, for on the job training for people who don't have any foreign policy or security experience.
KING: Are you surprised to be behind in the polls early on in New Hampshire, a state where it's a border state of yours?
KERRY: No, because there's television, as you know better than anybody, Larry, is a very powerful instrument. And the governor has been on it for about three weeks or so with advertising. We're just going to start -- I look forward to the next months. What is important here is who can be president. What's important here is who can lead our country and take us to a better place.
And I believe that the work that I've done shows that I can do that. I can do that in foreign policy. I can put people back to work.
And I might add, you know, Governor Dean and Dick Gephardt both want to get rid of the entire Bush tax cut. That means that we're going to turn to waitresses, or to police officers, construction workers and say to them, you are going to have to kick back in more money now, and we're going to take away the child care credit, and by the way we're going to penalize people who get married in America, we're going to have a tax charge on marriage. I don't want to do that. I don't think the middle class is getting too much money in America today. And I think what we ought to do is roll back the high- end of the Bush tax cut, protect the middle class, help people to be able to hold on to the jobs they have. And those are big differences. So I think as we go forward here, people will become aware of the differences and of who is really qualified to be president.
KING: We'll be seeing a lot of you, of course, in the days and months ahead.
KERRY: I look forward to it.
KING: How is the prostate cancer?
KERRY: Oh, you're really nice to ask. I'm able to say that I am cured. I had a spectacular amount of great health care. And that's one of the things that motivates me, Larry. You know, I had health care because I'm a United States senator and I could afford it. But millions of Americans can't get what I got. And I think that every family in America is as important as any politician in Washington, and that's why I'm going to see to it that everyone in America can buy into the same health care plan that senators and congressmen give themselves. We need to change the health care system.
KING: We only have a minute. Did you have surgery?
KERRY: Larry, I did have surgery. Yes, I did. I had surgery at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore. Dr. Patrick Walsh (ph) did an extraordinary job.
KING: Know him well.
KERRY: ... and I'm here, and I'm campaigning, and I was very lucky. I had early detection. And I'm able to say that I'm here, cured, and I want to stay that way.
KING: Great doctor, Dr. Walsh (ph), he's been on this show. We only have 30 seconds left, do you really believe the president is beatable?
KERRY: Oh, absolutely. There is no question in my mind, and I believe that I can beat him. And I believe I can beat him because I have a vision for how we make our country more secure.
Look, look at North Korea, Larry. We can do a better job in terms of protecting ourselves with North Korea and the Middle East, with global warming problems, with the former Soviet Union and the nuclear missiles there. There is much work to be done on an international basis. And I don't believe the president has shown the kind of leadership that makes America stronger and safer.
I intend to do that. And I'm going to put Americans back to work. And I am going to keep the promise of guaranteeing that we have the best education system in the country. Leave no child behind has been made a mockery by the president.
KING: We're out of time. Thank you, senator. We'll be seeing you again soon.
KERRY: Thanks so much. Thank you, Larry.
KING: Senator John Kerry, now an official candidate for his party's nomination.
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