(5 Sep 2004)
Cleveland, Ohio - 4 September 2004
1. President Bush arrives at rally
2. Close up of young girl clapping
3. SOUNDBITE: (English) George W Bush, US President:
"Today on our TV screens, last night on our TV screens we saw the horror of terror in Russia. And I can just imagine the heartfelt anguish of the mums and dads of those Russian kids. Our prayers with those families. And yesterday is a grim reminder of the nature of the terrorists we face. That is why this country must be strong and diligent and never yielding. We must bring them to justice before they harm us."
4. Wide shot of Bush
5. SOUNDBITE: (English) George W Bush, US President:
"We learned some lessons in the last campaign that we've got to be, that we needed election reforms. We passed good laws to encourage good, honest elections. To make sure that the registrations are good and honest. To make sure that every ballot is counted. I'm confident that there will be a greater awareness when it comes to counting these ballots."
Akron, Ohio, 4 September 2004
6. Senator John Kerry arrives at rally
7. SOUNDBITE: (English) U-S Senator John Kerry, Democratic Presidential candidate:
"When a lot of the news is being hidden by what's happening in the hurricane down in Florida and what's happening in Russia with 200 people tragically killed by terror. And the news is hidden, but it isn't going to be hidden for long from Americans because what they did yesterday, was this President of the United States made history twice. The first time he made history was with the release of the job numbers. The job numbers were less than they predicted, less than they hoped for again, as they were the month before as they've been for countless numbers of months, two (m) million Americans or more have actually stopped being counted in the unemployed because they don't even go out and look for the job. They're not counted in the people looking for the jobs. But yesterday this President of the United States became the first President since Herbert Hoover, the first President since the great depression to be absolutely certain on election day to have not created one single new job in the United States of America."
8. Wide shot Senator John Kerry
9. Close up of Kerry reflection in woman's sunglasses, pull out
10. Crowd with Kerry
STORYLINE:
US President George W Bush and presidential contender Senator John Kerry battled over the economy and jobs in the country's most fiercely contested state on Saturday as polls showed a post-convention surge for the Republican in the White House.
Kerry said the latest job figures were a poor reflection on the government and that Bush was "the first President since the great depression to be absolutely certain on election day to have not created one single new job in the United States of America."
The state of Ohio sided with Bush in 2000. But current unemployment figures above the national average could weaken support in the upcoming election.
A few miles up Interstate 77 outside Cleveland, Bush conceded the state has "pockets of unemployment that are unacceptable."
At the same time, he said, "the economy is strong and getting stronger," and accused his Democratic rival of proposing tax increases that would harm the economy.
With little more than eight weeks remaining to Election Day, a Newsweek survey gave the president a lead of 52 to 41 over Kerry, with independent Ralph Nader at three percent.
A Time Magazine poll released a day earlier also made it an 11-point race.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
