Bush and Kerry vow to keep US safe

In the closing hours of their bitter campaign, President George Bush and challenger Senator John Kerry charged through the critical battlegrounds of Florida and Ohio, going from hushed church services to raucous campaign rallies with promises to keep America safe.

Kerry said yesterday that if elected he would undertake an unprecedented “flurry of activity” to protect national security that would include quick Cabinet appointments.

”I’m going to make America safer and I have some very strong and real steps to take quite immediately to make that happen,” Kerry said.

Bush emphasised a similar theme. “If you believe America should fight the war on terror with all her might and lead with unwavering confidence,” the president said, “I ask you, come stand by me.

“If you are a Democrat who believes your party has turned too far left in this year, I ask you, come stand with me,” Bush said.

Strategists on both sides said tomorrow’s election will probably hinge on which party is successful in getting their voters to the polls after two vastly different and costly campaigns to increase turnout.

Kerry senior adviser Mike McCurry said the Democratic campaign was no longer concerned with generating big turnouts at rallies, but was focused instead on having Kerry make quick stops to attract local media coverage that might help voters decide.

A rash of polls suggested the race for the popular vote was essentially tied after the costliest political advertising campaign in history – more than $600 million (€861m) spent by Bush, Kerry, their political parties and allied groups.

The election’s outcome also was uncertain in the battleground states, the eight or so states where Bush and Kerry are vying for a winning margin of the 270 Electoral College votes needed to win the presidency.

The campaign’s final weekend was clouded by war and terrorism – a videotape by Osama bin Laden and the deaths of eight US Marines in Iraq.

Bush made a pitch for Hispanic voters in Miami, promising Cuban-American voters that he would push for freedom in communist Cuba.

Florida, which offers 27 electoral votes, is the site of the rancorous recount of 2000, decided by a divided Supreme Court that sealed Bush’s 537-vote victory.

Bush said Sunday that he thinks it important there not be a legal battle this year.

“People are watching this election closely from around the world,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes Tuesday night, but I really think it’s important not to have a world of lawsuits that stop the will of the people from going forward.”