Kerry cranks up populism, roasts Bush on economy

[Rose Siding]

MILWAUKEE, United States (AFP) - Democrat John Kerry (news - web sites), sharpening his populist tone as he chased votes in the US heartland, accused President George W. Bush (news - web sites) of bleeding middle-class Americans while lining the pockets of the rich.

"In the end, George Bush (news - web sites) and I just have fundamentally different approaches to jobs and the economy," Kerry said in a speech in this electorally crucial midwestern state.

"He thinks that we should give more to the most and, eventually, a little something will filter down to the middle class," the Massachusetts senator said. "He judges the success of our economy by the success of those at the top. I disagree."

Kerry, pressing home a line of attack he has also used on Iraq (news - web sites), painted Bush as indifferent to the struggles of American families which he said often couldn't meet basic expenses, even with two salaries coming in.

"The problem is, this president just doesn't understand what has happened, or he understands and he doesn't care."........

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1503&ncid=696&e=4&u=/afp/20041015/ts_afp/us_vote

[louis-t]

1. "The largest mass transfer of wealth in the history

of this country." Quoting myself.