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Kerry Promises Fresh Start at Saturday Night Rally in Warren
By Andrea WoodWARREN, Ohio -- John Kerry left the Mahoning Valley Saturday night recognizing if he returns in four years to campaign for relection, this democratic stronghold must turn out in record numbers Nov. 2 to carry him to victory.To offset Republican majorities downstate, Kerry knows he must win Mahoning County with more than 60% of the vote and Trumbull County with more than 61% -- the percentages Al Gore received four years ago only to lose Ohio by four points. But this year, in an extremely tight contest that is 51 distinct state races, Ohio's 20 electoral votes are even more pivotal to determining who win Tuesday. Little wonder the Democratic Party's standard bearer has visited the Mahoning Valley more than any presidential nominee in memory -- as well as the president he's trying to unseat."Three days from now you get to hold George W. Bush accountable for the last four years and you get to set this country in the right direction," Kerry told the crowd of more than 10,000 packed into Courthouse Square Saturday night. "This is the choice of a lifetime," he said. "Every single issue of importance to us is on the ballot. From economic, education and social issues to the war in Iraq and protecting America from terrorists: "All those issues are on the ballot. Those are your choices Tuesday. On every single one of them we can make a better choice."Joining Kerry on the platform was rock star Jon Bon Jovi, whose music fired up the crowd before the candidate arrived, and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, who a few hours earlier visited the New Bethel Baptist Church in Youngstown for a get-out-the-vote rally. Retired U.S. Sen. John Glenn also was on hand, reminding the faithful that the Bush Administration failed to listen to military leaders and Secretary of State Colin Powell before invading Iraq. "If we had peace tomorrow in Iraq, and brought all our troops home, we would still have the war on terror," Glenn said.But the strongest indictment came from retired Adm. William J. Crowe, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during the Reagan Administration, who said the country needs a "new team" to correct the mistakes made in Iraq. "I have watched with alarm as this administration intervened in Iraq on the basis of flawed assumptions and misjudgements -- a whole host of them," Crowe said. "It's imperative that we not return the team that made those mistakes"Kerry, introduced to the crowd by Crowe, promised a "fresh start in Iraq"- underscoring the theme of what his campaign billed as a "Fresh Start Rally" and illustrated with signs waved by supporters that read "3 more days to the fresh start.""You heard Admiral Crowe. Every day you hear more about how they miscalculated, misjudged, refused to listen to the experts, the military, and followed an ideology," Kerry exclaimed."I will fight a more strategic, smarter war on terror. I will make America safer...I will restore alliances, rebuild America's reputation. Just because George Bush can't do it doesn't mean it can't be done. We're going to get it done."The presidential candidate then referred to the videotape released Friday by Osama Bin Laden. Mentioning the terrorist by name only once, Kerry said, "There are no Democrats, no Republicans -- there are only Americans. We are united. We will seek out and destroy the terrrorists and make our world safe. That is our objective but we need a president of the United States who can do more than one thing at the same time. We need a president who's prepared to stand up and fight and not just defend America in the world but by standing up and defending the middle class and people struggling to get into it."Turning to domestic issues, Kerry emphasized Bush "is the first president in 70 years to lose jobs on his watch." He recalled visiting locked-out workers on the RMI picket line in Niles and talking with Delphi workers who lost their jobs. The Bush Administration and congressional Republicans refused to extend unemployment benefits or raise the minimum wage, he said, then reduced overtime pay."George Bush is promising you four more years of the same. I'm promising you a champion for the middle class," he said.Kerry recalled meeting with workers in Youngstown who worked 30 years on the assembly line then had to "literally unbolt the equipment they worked on and send it China. Some people have to literally train their foreign replacements," he said. The Democratic presidential nominee promised to eliminate tax credits for manufacturers moving overseas, "push the curve of science and technology" to make America independent on Middle East oil, accelerate stem cell research and reduce the cost of health care. He vowed Social Security would never be privatized on his watch. "We're going to give the middle class a tax cut...We're going to roll back George Bush's unaffordable tax cut for people earning more than $200,000 a year and invest in America."Kerry finished with a litany of how his election would give America a fresh start. "Join with me on Tuesday and we'll change the direction of America," he implored.The presidential candidate's talk lasted about 40 minutes. Shortly thereafter his campaign entourage returned to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport and departed for Dayton, where he spoke Sunday morning at the Shiloh Baptist Church.Kerry's running mate, John Edwards, is scheduled to appear Sunday afternoon in Columbus. His wife, Elizabeth, made three campaign stops in the Cleveland area Sunday morning.Kerry will make his final Ohio campaign stop Monday evening in Cleveland where singer Bruce Springsteen will join him for a rally in front of City Hall."