Kerry Sees Hope of Gaining Edge on Terror Issue | NYT

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Kerry Sees Hope of Gaining Edge on Terror Issue
By ADAM NAGOURNEY

Published: July 25, 2004

BOSTON, July 24 — Senator John Kerry said on Friday he would seek to persuade voters over the next three months that he would do a "better job than George Bush" in protecting the nation from terrorism, but acknowledged that the president now held an advantage on this pivotal issue.

Mr. Kerry, setting the framework for the Democratic convention that begins on Monday in an interview, pointed to his military record and criticism Mr. Bush's terrorism policies in declaring he would challenge the president on what polls suggest is Mr. Bush's greatest strength. Mr. Kerry said "it takes time" for a challenger to gain public confidence on such issues, but said he is "not worried about that."

To demonstrate his point, he reached for a copy of the Sept. 11 commission report that was issued on Thursday, which he brought to the interview, and said that if he is elected he would implement most of the report's recommendations right away.

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