After months on the defensive over Iraq, job losses and his military record, President George W. Bush has plunged into the 2004 campaign by accusing Democratic White House hopeful Mr John Kerry of waffling on issues from Iraq to NAFTA.
President Bush made his first direct mention of the Massachusetts senator in a 40-minute speech at a Republican Governors Association fund-raiser in Washington in which he repeatedly invoked the September 11th, 2001, attacks and drew chants of "Four More Years!" from over 1,400 attendees.
The president said the Democratic primary race included candidates who were "for tax cuts and against them, for NAFTA and against NAFTA, for the Patriot Act and against the Patriot Act, in favour of liberating Iraq and opposed to it. And that's just one senator from Massachusetts."
President Bush never mentioned Senator Kerry or the Democratic front-runner's main primary challenger, North Carolina Senator John Edwards, by name. But he said voters in November would have a clear choice: "It's a choice between an America that leads the world with strength and confidence - or an America that is uncertain in the face of danger."
In reaction, Senator Kerry issued a statement that accused President Bush of ignoring his own "failed record" and suggested the president's "credibility is running out with the American people."
President Bush's speech came as his job approval rating has fallen to a new low amid concerns about the economy and Iraq.
Despite signs of economic recovery, job growth remains sluggish. About 2.8 million manufacturing jobs have been lost during his tenure. US officials have failed to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. And the president's call for permanent tax cuts has raised worries about ballooning an already record $500 billion-plus budget deficit.
But in his remarks last night, President Bush projected the confident image of a world leader unafraid to risk international condemnation to "defend America" and repeatedly invoked the September 11th, 2001, attacks, and US success at ousting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
"Others would have chosen differently. They now agree that the world is better off with Saddam out of power. They just didn't support removing Saddam from power. Maybe they were hoping he'd lose the next Iraqi election," he said in response to Democratic criticism over the war in Iraq.
"The actions we take, and the decisions we make in this decade, will have consequences far into this century. If America shows weakness and uncertainty, the world will drift toward tragedy," the president said.
Just before the president's remarks, Mr Bush's campaign staff stepped up criticism of Senator Kerry's voting record on defence by charging him with opposing body armour and other equipment for US soldiers in Iraq.
The Bush campaign also began buying advertising time for an initial barrage of Bush campaign ads, to begin after the March 2nd Democratic "Super Tuesday" primaries expected to solidify Kerry's grip on the Democratic nomination.
The Bush campaign, which has raised a record $143.6 million re-election war chest, was also expected to send more surrogates to states where Democratic candidates are campaigning to give a direct response to their criticism.
A USAToday/CNN/Gallup poll of likely voters showed last week that 55 per cent would support Senator Kerry to 43 per cent for Senator Bush and 54 per cent would support Senator Edwards to 44 per cent for Mr Bush.