Rematch: Bush, Kerry joust on jobs, Iraq

ST. LOUIS — In a testy debate rematch Friday, Sen. John Kerry derided President Bush as the first leader to preside over job losses in 72 years and said he had transformed huge budget surpluses into massive deficits with wartime tax cuts for the rich. Bush said Kerry would raise taxes on middle-class Americans to pay for $2.2 trillion in new spending programs.

"That's just reality," Bush insisted.

"The president's trying to scare everybody here," Kerry responded.

The two candidates quarreled aggressively over the war in Iraq, jobs, education, health care, abortion, the environment, cheaper drugs and tort reform at a town-hall session 25 days before the election. In just over 90 minutes, they fielded 17 questions from a select audience of uncommitted voters.

Bush said that if Kerry were president, Saddam Hussein "would still be in power." The senator replied: "Not necessarily be in power . . . "

After stumbling in the first debate with a scowling performance, Bush sought to regain his footing, reassure Republicans and throw Kerry on the defensive. Kerry, meanwhile, hoped to build on the momentum of their first encounter, which gave him a lift in the polls.

Asked if he would pledge not to raise taxes on people making $200,000 or less, Kerry said: "Absolutely yes, right into the camera. Yes — I am not going to raise taxes." Bush scoffed at the answer. "Of course he's going to raise your taxes."

Estimating that Kerry's proposals would cost $2.2 trillion, Bush declared, "He's going to tax everybody here to fund these programs." He said Kerry's plan to raise taxes on the wealthy would force 900,000 small business owners to pay

more — a contention disputed by the Kerry campaign.

Bush drew criticism in his first debate with Kerry last week with sharp looks of annoyance. The president's frustration showed again Friday night when he jumped from his seat for forceful answers. At one point, he interrupted moderator Charles Gibson after Kerry had said he was "not going to go alone like this president did" in Iraq.

"I've got to answer this," Bush said, cutting off Gibson, then indignantly responding to Kerry. "You tell Tony Blair we're going alone." There were noticeable snickers in the audience when Bush referred to rumors on the "Internets" about the draft.

While the debate was open to all subjects, Iraq was a dominant theme.