Kerry casts himself as ''first'' and ''only'' on key issues [View All]

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Kerry casts himself as ''first'' and ''only'' on key issues
By Holly Ramer, Associated Press, 9/6/2003 13:58

SALEM, N.H. (AP) Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry on Saturday accused his rivals of following his lead on some key issues and ignoring others that only he has the ''vision'' to recognize.

In a speech laden with the words ''first'' and ''only,'' Kerry cast himself as a leader on the economy, health care, foreign affairs and other issues.

He repeated his opposition to the Bush administration's plan to design so-called ''bunker buster'' nuclear bombs that could destroy deeply buried targets, saying most Americans aren't aware that the 2003 federal budget includes money for the project.

''I say to this president and to the country and I'm the only candidate who's had the vision to talk about this and see this issue I don't want a world in which we have more visible nuclear weapons,'' Kerry told supporters at the opening of his 10th New Hampshire campaign office.

But at least one of the nine Democrats seeking the nomination has spoken out against the project. U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio argues that American officials will have little credibility in asking North Korea to stop building nuclear weapons if they're unwilling to do the same, a point Kerry echoed.

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