Clinton stresses differences between Kerry, Bush

By Jeff Zeleny

Chicago Tribune

(KRT)

BOSTON - A Democratic Party bound by hopeful unity opened its nominating convention Monday with former President Bill Clinton forcefully arguing that voters face a clear difference between the principled direction of John Kerry and an ideological Republican Party that uses wealth and moral certitude to divide the nation.

"They believe the role of government is to concentrate wealth and power in the hands of those who embrace their economic, political and social views, leaving ordinary citizens to fend for themselves," Clinton said.

In an impassioned speech designed to invigorate his Democratic audience and distinguish the party's candidate from President Bush, Clinton emphasized Kerry's military credentials and said that his experience as a decorated Vietnam War veteran would help strengthen America and rebuild global credibility the nation has lost.

"During the Vietnam War, many young men, including the current president, the vice president and me could have gone to Vietnam and didn't," Clinton said. "John Kerry came from a privileged background. He could have avoided going too. But instead he said, `Send me.'"

In a spectacle of political choreography that unfolded under high security, former President Jimmy Carter, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and a string of other Democratic leaders past and present delivered glowing endorsements of Kerry.

Speaking to thousands of enthusiastic partisans gathered in the FleetCenter, Boston's professional basketball and hockey arena, prominent Democrats told Kerry's story, chapter by chapter, in hopes of presenting a bold contrast to Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney.

As the Massachusetts senator campaigned in Florida, steadily making his way here to accept the party's nomination Thursday, Democrats celebrated his candidacy and voiced optimism at his prospects for November. Kerry's Vietnam service served as a theme of the day - a former crewmate was summoned to deliver a prime-time testimonial of his "skipper, Lt. Kerry" - and one the campaign hopes will resonate for another three months.

"Today, our Democratic Party is led by another former naval officer, one who volunteered for military service," said Carter, recalling his Navy service even as he touted Kerry's. "He showed up when assigned to duty and he served with honor and distinction."

Throughout the evening, Democrats made repeated references to Sept. 11, 2001. Images of New York's darkened skyline were shown. As a violinist played "Amazing Grace" in memory of those who died in the worst act of terrorism on American soil, delegates waved tiny flashlights that illuminated the colossal hall.

"That tragedy changed all of us," said Hillary Clinton, the junior senator from New York. "And every day now, as a mother, as a senator and as an American, I worry about whether we are acting as wisely as we can to protect our country and our people."

While Democrats pledged to articulate a positive message at the convention, shying away from shrill attacks against Republicans that they fear could disillusion independent voters, the last two Democratic presidents' carefully chosen words were designed to serve as a reminder of Bush's military record. During the Vietnam War, Bush joined the National Guard, but questions have not been resolved about his attendance record.

Former Vice President Al Gore also invoked Kerry's "uncommon heroism on the battlefield in Vietnam." He urged Democrats to keep the 2000 presidential election alive in their minds and channel their anger "fully and completely" for Kerry and his running mate, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina.

"I sincerely ask those watching at home who supported President Bush four years ago: Did you really get what you expected from the candidate you voted for?" Gore said, speaking at the beginning of the evening before the broadcast networks began their hour of coverage. "Is our country more united today or more divided? Has the promise of compassionate conservatism been fulfilled or do those words now ring hollow?"

The words spoken inside the convention hall Monday evening stood in sharp contrast to what Kerry said himself as he toured the Kennedy Space Center. With three icons of Florida history at his side, he turned to the poetry of space to fuel his presidential campaign.

"President Kennedy said we're going to do this not because it's easy, but because it's hard," Kerry said of the manned space program. "That's the American spirit. We're here because there's no better place to launch something than right here in Cape Canaveral."

Former astronauts John Glenn and Sen. Bill Nelson, who rode a space shuttle mission, accompanied Kerry along with Florida Sen. Bob Graham as the candidate toured the space center and spoke to a small, handpicked group of voters.

After a tour of the Rocket Garden, with a replica of the Mercury Atlas that Glenn flew to become the first American to orbit Earth, Kerry took care to remain positive.

"We've got to lower our voices in America and listen to each other," Kerry said, "and start coming up with solutions to problems that don't have a Democrat label, a Republican label, but an American label on them and make things happen for this nation."

Kerry's softer, gentler tone comes as he makes his way toward Boston and a nationally televised speech accepting the Democratic nomination for president. With the spotlight upon him like never before in the campaign, Kerry has resisted the harsh rhetoric against Bush that has marked many campaign appearances this year.

So when Mike McGee, a union painter, handed Kerry a bumper sticker, the senator quickly passed it along to Graham, who handed it to Nelson, who handed it to Glenn. It read "Vote the son of a Bush out," and none of the four men was willing to read it out loud.

In Boston, however, many of the thousands of party activists gathered at the city's first national political convention seemed more than willing to criticize Bush. On T-shirts and buttons, bumper stickers and neckties, the Democrats took delight in slogans that ridiculed the Bush administration and promoted the Kerry-Edwards ticket.

"We've got a very good chance to take back the White House," said Susan Shea, a delegate from Springfield, Ill., who was beaming at the notion of the two Democrats named John. "They are both statesmen, they have experience, they cover it all. They are much better balanced than Bush and Cheney."

While the Republicans will gather in New York next month for their own political convention, a team of party operatives opened up shop in the shadow of the Democratic gala to respond to accusations against or criticisms of Bush.

"We expect you'll hear Democrats use the term `strong leader' a lot this week," Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie said at a news conference. "We don't think a strong leader would vote to send our troops to Iraq then vote to cut off their money."

For months, Republicans have seized upon Kerry's opposition to an $87 billion funding package for Iraq and Afghanistan. To make their point that they believe Kerry is a chronic flip-flopper, two pairs of giant flip-flop costumes walked the sidewalks of Boston.

Inside the convention hall throughout the evening, images of Democratic lore filled giant screens, featuring historic quotations from former President John Kennedy, his brother, Robert Kennedy. Then Democrats from key political regions of the country were beamed by satellite into the convention hall.

A union worker from Canton, Ohio, said a Kerry-Edwards ticket was essential to lighting the economy again, declaring: "Our jobs are being sold at the highest bidder. It's time that we change the auctioneer in Washington, D.C."

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(Chicago Tribune correspondents Jill Zuckman in Cape Canaveral, Fla., and John McCormick in Boston contributed to this report.)

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© 2004, Chicago Tribune.

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