GOP chief lashes out at Kerry

WASHINGTON — Sen. John Kerry's emergence as the leading Democratic presidential contender won him a new round of criticism on Thursday but not from other Democrats seeking the nomination.

Ed Gillespie, chairman of the Republican National Committee, devoted much of a speech at the party's winter meeting to questions about Kerry's positions on military strength and national security and his voting record over four terms as senator from Massachusetts.

Gillespie's focus on Kerry, compared with only passing references to Howard Dean, Gen. Wesley K. Clark and Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, left the impression that Republicans are convinced that Kerry is likely to be President Bush's opponent in November.

Gillespie cited at least eight examples of Kerry's actions, from a 1972 promise Kerry made to vote against military appropriations when he was running (unsuccessfully) for Congress to a 1995 Senate vote to cut spending for the FBI by $80 million.

In another sign of Kerry's rise, the Republican party of South Carolina, one of seven states with a Democratic primary next Tuesday, held a news conference with local veterans on Thursday to raise questions about the candidates' records with a particular focus on Kerry, said Luke Byars, chairman of the state party.

"John Kerry's record of service in our military is honorable," Gillespie said about halfway through his 20-minute speech, referring to Kerry's Navy career during the Vietnam war. "But his long record in the Senate is one of advocating policies that would weaken our national security."

The Kerry campaign wasted little time responding, calling Gillespie's remarks "another desperate attack on the patriotism of John Kerry," and adding, "Today marks just the beginning of their plan to smear John Kerry."

Gillespie's speech came during an afternoon session devoted to strategies for the 2004 elections. He spent much of the time extolling Bush's positions on an assortment of issues, praising him for restoring "honor and integrity to the White House" and taking a leading role in a war against terror.

But he offered less strategy than a drumbeat of contrasts with Democratic positions, specifically those held by Kerry, giving his remarks more the flavor of a stump speech. To rousing applause, he ended his criticism of Kerry by saying, "When it comes to national security, when it comes to homeland security, when it comes to creating jobs, when it comes to sharing our values, the president is right, his critics are wrong, and we are going to prove it come November."

The strategy part of the session was left to Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, who preceded Gillespie as the party's national chairman and is recognized by Republicans as a master strategist. He told the audience that Bush would win in November, and Republican majorities in the House and Senate would grow if two things happened — if candidates focused on issues, rather than personal attacks, and if party organizers turned out large numbers to vote.

"This is going to be hardball," Barbour said, looking ahead. "Democrats will say and do anything; we've already seen that. But don't let us get off on that tangent. Stay on the issues. Never forget, you've got to give people something to vote for."