US election rivals in war of words over deaf vote

[KamaAina]

You know it's getting down to the wire when the campaigns actually pay attention to people with disabilities!

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20041028/pl_afp/us_vote_deaf_041028185923

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The increasingly shrill battle for the US presidency has even led to a fight to win the attention of deaf Americans....

The Kerry campaign website features a statement from Gregory Hlibok, co-chair of the National Deaf and Hard of Hearing Americans for Kerry-Edwards Steering Committee, which says the "27 million Americans with hearing loss" are backing Kerry.

Hlibok's co-chair, Judy Stout, added that "John Kerry has a proven record of providing opportunities to Americans with disabilities."

DeafRepublicans retorted that the 27 million figure was "inflated" and that Kerry's "paltry record on disabilities ... stands in stark contrast to the many noteworthy accomplishments of" Bush.

Noteworthy accomplishments?! Other than causing thousands of our troops, and countless thousands of Iraqis, to acquire disabilities, I can't really think of any...