Kerry Points Campaign South; Rivals Fight

[Feanorcurufinwe]

John Kerry, virtually unchallenged in three weekend elections, pointed his fast-moving presidential bid south on Friday in hopes of knocking two Democratic rivals from the race. John Edwards' campaign accused Wesley Clark of taking "a dip into the gutter" with his latest attack. Clark and Edwards, both Southern natives, ignored the weekend caucus states of Michigan, Washington state and Maine to fight it out in Tennessee and Virginia, site of Tuesday's do-or-die contests.

"When it came to deciding between the special interests and our veterans, Senator Edwards blinked," Clark said in a radio interview in Nashville. "He didn't support our veterans." The retired Army general said Edwards repeatedly acted against veterans' interests, including a 1999 vote against adding $1.3 billion in funding for the Veterans Administration. Edwards, campaigning in Bristol, Tenn., said he's always supported veterans but got testy when asked if he remembered casting the votes Clark criticized. "No, of course not. Do you remember every single vote?" Edwards said, detouring from his usually sunny disposition.

In an Associated Press interview, the senator warned Tennesseans to be prepared for "baseless, false attacks." Kerry, who holds a dominating advantage in delegate-rich Michigan, Maine and Washington state, floated above the fray by focusing his attacks on President Bush and touting endorsements by fallen rival Dick Gephardt and Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm. "I'm here today adding my voice to all of yours," Gephardt told about 200 people in Warren, Mich., a blue-collar suburb of Detroit.

Democratic strategists said the day's dynamics reflected the dearth of options left for Edwards and Clark. They can't afford to lose in the South on Tuesday, and Kerry is on a hot streak - winning seven of nine contests. Traditionally, the best way to curb a front-runner's momentum is with attacks, but voters in Iowa punished candidates who went negative.
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