President is fueling terrorism, Kerry says

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Democratic candidate John Kerry on Monday accused President Bush of encouraging terrorist recruitment with policies that have made the world angry at the United States, a criticism that Bush dismissed as a "ridiculous notion."

On the day that Bush announced he would create a national intelligence czar and counterterrorism center to help prevent another terrorist attack, Kerry said the self-described "war president" was not acting fast enough to protect Americans.

Kerry said Bush should immediately call a special session of Congress to implement the recommendations of the Sept. 11 commission, and he said he would interrupt his campaigning to be there for debate and voting "when necessary."

"When we are at war, we need to do the things that make us safe rapidly, immediately," Kerry said. "If there is something that will make America safer, it should be done now, not tomorrow."

Kerry has embraced all the recommendations to improve homeland security suggested by the Sept. 11 commission, including a Cabinet-level intelligence director who would oversee and coordinate all intelligence functions. Bush said he wants the intelligence chief to be outside White House authority.

"I will hire the person and I can fire the person," Bush told reporters in the Rose Garden. "I don't think that the office should be in the White House, however, I think it should be a stand-alone group to better coordinate."

Kerry repeated his argument that the Bush administration is encouraging the recruitment of terrorists. He said Bush hasn't reached out to other countries and the Muslim community.

"The policies of this administration, I believe and others believe very deeply, have resulted in an increase of animosity and anger focused on the United States of America," Kerry told reporters after a campaign meeting with first responders. "The people who are training terror are using our actions as a means of recruitment."

Bush said, "It is a ridiculous notion to assert that, because the more the United States is on the offense, more people want to hurt us."

Bush challenged Kerry, who voted to give him the authority to send troops to Iraq, to agree with him publicly that ousting Saddam Hussein was the right course of action. However, Kerry has repeatedly said that ousting Saddam was right.