Ireland

Kerry takes Maine and challenges Bush on Iraq

Democratic presidential front-runner Mr John Kerry has scored an easy win in Maine to expand his huge lead in the party's nomination…

Mon Feb 09 2004 - 00:00

Democratic presidential front-runner Mr John Kerry has scored an easy win in Maine to expand his huge lead in the party's nomination fight.

He has also pressurised President George W. Bush by questioning his justification for war in Iraq.

In Maine, Mr Kerry, a Massachusetts senator, held a lead of more than 20 points over former Vermont governor Mr Howard Dean, who finished second, and Ohio Representative Mr Dennis Kucinich in third.

The problem is not just that he is changing his story now - it is that it appears he was telling the American people stories in 2002
Senator John Kerry

It was the 10th win in 12 contests for Mr Kerry in the race to find a challenger to Mr Bush and moves him closer to the Democratic nomination ahead of primaries on Tuesday in Tennessee and Virginia and on February 17th in Wisconsin.

READ MORE

"The voters of Maine have sent a message that George Bush's days are numbered and change is coming to America," Mr Kerry said in a statement.

The win in Maine, which sends 24 delegates to July's nominating convention, came one day after victories for Mr Kerry in Michigan and Washington state. Mr Dean finished a distant second in those two states.

Mr Kerry yesterday called on the president to set the record straight on his reasons for going to war in Iraq and questioning the details of Mr Bush's National Guard Service during Vietnam.

Mr Kerry questioned Mr Bush's statement on NBC's Meet the Pressthat he went to war because Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein had "the ability to make weapons" of mass destruction.

"The problem is not just that he is changing his story now - it is that it appears he was telling the American people stories in 2002," said Mr Kerry, who supported a congressional resolution authorising the war.

When the decorated Vietnam veteran was asked if he considered Mr Bush absent without leave during his service in the National Guard, Mr Kerry told reporters, "It is a question that's been raised and that ought to be answered."

On NBC, Mr Bush rejected allegations that he shirked his duty while in the Air National Guard in 1972, saying "I got an honourable discharge . . .  I did my duty."

The next challenge for Mr Kerry will be proving that a liberal from Massachusetts can win in the South, where North Carolina Senator John Edwards beat him in South Carolina last week.