Bush and Kerry hit Florida on the campaign trail

Florida was the target for George W Bush and his Democratic rival John Kerry today as they spent the day asking for the support of voters in the state that decided the presidential election four years ago.

With a little more than two weeks to the election on November 2, President George W Bush started the day campaigning in New Jersey, a reliably Democratic state that was hit hard when terrorists struck the World Trade Centre on September 11, 2001.

Speaking in Marlton, New Jersey, Bush accused Kerry of having a pre-September 11 view of the world, a mind-set that he called dangerous. Kerry’s approach to terrorism would permit a response “only after America is hit,” he said.

Earlier today, Bush signed a bill giving the Department of Homeland Security about $33bn (€26.4bn) for the budget year that began this month.

Campaigning in Fort Myers, Florida, Kerry’s running mate, John Edwards, accused Bush of using scare tactics and exploiting the terror attacks for personal political gain.

“George Bush is playing on people’s deepest fears,” Edwards said. “He’s exploiting a national tragedy for personal gain.”

Meanwhile, early voting started in Texas, Colorado, Arkansas as well as Florida. Other key states this year have already begun voting, including Wisconsin, Iowa, Nevada, Ohio and New Mexico.

Balloting by mail is under way in Oregon, the only state that has done away with polling booths altogether.

Campaigning in West Palm Beach, Kerry criticised the president’s conduct in Iraq and urged voters to take advantage of laws that allow Florida residents to cast their ballots before Election Day.

Early voting was introduced in Florida after the drawn-out recount in the 2000 election, in which Bush defeated Al Gore by a mere 537 votes across the state. Whichever candidate gets more votes in Florida captures all 27 of its electoral votes.

A total of 270 electoral votes is needed to win the presidency. Bush planned a campaign trip to the state later today as well.

Polls show the two candidates running neck-and-neck in Florida as well as across the nation, although some recent national polls give Bush a slight edge.

Kerry referred to a report in The Washington Post that the US commander in Iraq, Army Lt. Gen Ricardo S Sanchez, said last winter that his supply situation was so poor that it threatened the troops’ ability to fight, and said Bush was guilty of “arrogant boasting” about Iraq.

“Despite the president’s arrogant boasting that he’s done everything right in Iraq and that he’s made no mistakes, the truth is beginning to catch up with him,” Kerry said. ”The president’s tough talk about always supporting the troops is nothing more than empty rhetoric.”

The Bush-Cheney campaign struck back, saying Kerry voted against money for Iraq and Afghanistan.

In West Virginia, Vice President Dick Cheney blamed the threat of lawsuits, the year-long efficacy of flu vaccines and limited company profits for the shortage of flu vaccines.

“Given John Edwards’ background and John Kerry’s voting record, there is not going to be serious medical liability reform as long as the two of them are in business,” Cheney said at a campaign stop at a restaurant in Charleston.

During a discussion with local residents, Cheney was questioned by a physician about the shortage of the flu vaccine which has halved since Chiron Corp., announced it will not supply any this season because of problems at its plant in Britain.

“It’s a combination of the economics of the business. They produced millions of doses, but if people don’t take it, they have to throw it out,” Cheney said. “The other problem is liability concerns.”

Bush won West Virginia by about 6 percentage points in 2000 despite a 2-to-1 Democratic voter advantage. Polls have indicated the 2004 race is close.