Kerry fights label of economic pessimistPage 2 of 2 -- Promising to ''restore fiscal sanity" to the federal government, Kerry recalled his support for the Clinton administration's efforts to reduce the deficit, saying, ''I was part of that effort in the 1990s that had the courage to do what Ronald Reagan, for all his rhetoric -- and God rest his soul, we loved him for his strength in many things -- but I don't recall vetoes of major appropriations bills. I recall a lot of talk about deficits; I don't recall balancing the budget. I recall deficits getting larger."
Before 2,200 people at a breakfast fund-raiser that raised $2 million, Kerry said that American innovation was backsliding under the Bush administration. ''We're the people who use our brainpower to harness it and be entrepreneurial and creative in spirit and create new products, new cures, new ways of doing things," Kerry said. ''But we've gone backwards on that in these last few years -- that's not a note of pessimism, that's a note of optimism. Because the optimism is, we can do better in the United States of America." Later, outlining his plans to lower health-care premiums and fight for patients' rights, Kerry told cheering union members at the SEIU convention that he was not offering a pessimistic vision of the country, but rather dissatisfaction ''with the way things are." ''I've listened to some [Republicans] say, well gee-whiz, John Kerry is pessimistic about America because he's saying the way it is in America. Folks, I'm not pessimistic. I know we can do better for Americans. I know that we can provide better jobs for Americans," Kerry said. The Bush campaign said that Kerry repeatedly chooses to ignore sunnier economic news. ''Every day, whether it is with regards to the economy, the war on terror, America's commitments to science and technology, John Kerry paints a picture of America in decline," said a Bush campaign spokesman, Steve Schmidt. He also blasted Kerry for criticizing Reagan's fiscal record. ''Kerry's attack on President Reagan is beyond the pale, and will be very troubling to most Americans," he said. Working on a few hours of sleep yesterday, after a late-night flight from Washington, Kerry was warmly received at the San Francisco breakfast fund-raiser and used his remarks to underscore his new slogan, ''Let America be America again." While the fund-raiser was expected to draw scores of gay and lesbian voters, Kerry did not mention gay rights or gay marriage during his 25 minutes of remarks.
Patrick Healy can be reached at phealy@globe.com. © Copyright 2004 Globe Newspaper Company.
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