Bush, Kerry visit LV today

Kirsten Searer

Thursday, Oct. 14, 2004 | 11:32 a.m.

Hours after the last of their three debates, President Bush and Sen. John Kerry began the last leg of the campaign for the White House about 3 1/2 miles from each other today in Las Vegas.

Bush speaking at a rally with Republican governors at the Thomas & Mack Center, talked about keeping taxes low and of how his administration has fostered a strong economy with just 5.4 percent unemployment in the United States and 4 percent in Nevada.

Kerry, the Democratic presidential candidate, was expected later this morning to address the AARP convention at the Venetian, where he was expected to talk about Social Security and the cost of prescription drugs.

First lady Laura Bush also was scheduled to address that convention about an hour before Kerry was expected to take the stage. She also was expected to attend a luncheon fund-raiser later today in Lake Tahoe.

The president was expected to leave for Reno after his address. The Bushes are to address a rally in Central Point, Ore., tonight.

Teresa Heinz Kerry also was expected to be in Reno today.

Speaking for 40 minutes at Thomas & Mack Center, the president said the recession was "one of the shallowest in history" and that 1.9 million new jobs have been generated. He said the key to generating more jobs is to keep taxes low.

Campaign officials estimated the crowd at 12,000 people. The arena was full in the lower levels, leaving sections above empty.

Bush continued to pound on Kerry's record in the Senate, saying he consistently ranks as one of the more liberal senators in the United States.

"There is a mainstream in American politics, and my opponent sits on the left bank," he said, repeating a line used in Wednesday night's debate. "He can run, but he can't hide."

Bush got laughs from the crowd when he said Americans have gotten to know him over the last four years.

"They know my blunt ways of speaking. I get that from Mom. They know I sometimes mangle the English language. I get that from Dad," he said. "Americans also know that I will tell you exactly what I am going to do, and I'll keep my word."

Bush relied on much of his stump speech, telling the crowd he stands for lower taxes, reform of education, less government regulation, and caps on medical liability.

He said it's impossible for Kerry to come through on his promises for health care and other initiatives without raising taxes on the middle class.

"The problem is to keep that promise, he would have to break almost all of his other ones," Bush said.

Several Bush supporters at his rally today said that the candidate performed strongly in the debates and that Bush now needs to focus on the differences between him and Kerry.

Larry Walters of Las Vegas said he hopes Bush will stress the issues of the war in Iraq.

"I don't think his opponent will be as strong in the war," he said.

Walters owns Catalina Draperies and Interiors located near McCarran International Airport and has painted "Vote Bush. Go USA" in bright blue letters on his building's roof. He said he hopes to sway voters arriving at the airport.

Tim Spahr of Gilbert, Ariz., in Las Vegas for the National Business Aviation Association convention, decided to come to the Bush rally. He said he thinks Bush can win over undecided voters if in the next few weeks he focuses on Kerry's performance in the Senate.

"If he can point out Kerry's liberal voting record I think we'll have another four years," Spahr said.

Republican Gov. Kenny Guinn introduced Bush this morning before heading to the campaign trail to stump for the president over the next two days.

Guinn, co-chairman of the Bush campaign in Nevada, watched the debate Wednesday night in Las Vegas with about 20 other Republican governors, who joined him at the Bush rally today.

The governors are on a two-day tour of the country called Leadership Matters. Guinn was scheduled to fly to Des Moines, Iowa, after the rally to campaign for Bush, and to Columbia, Mo., tonight.

Guinn will then campaign Friday in St. Louis and in Port Huron and Alpena, both in Michigan, before returning to Las Vegas.

Arizona Sen. John McCain, who has been outspoken in efforts to outlaw betting on college sports, also was on hand at the rally.

Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., kicked off the rally by saying that Bush was the best leader for the country after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He said Bush has helped the economy rebound and made the country safer.

"We found that leader in George W. Bush and guess what happened? We're safer today than we were yesterday, don't you think?" Porter said.

Las Vegas has become the bellwether of the economy, Porter said.

"Things are getting better," he said. "Don't pay attention to what those other folks are saying about the economy."

Bush, wearing an open-collared shirt and blue blazer, arrived at McCarran International Airport at 9:30 this morning, accompanied by his wife and McCain.

The president greeted Clark County Sheriff Bill Young and Henderson resident Dick Cancellier, a 70-year-old volunteer with the Sun City Anthem Security Patrol, a neighborhood watch program.

A limousine took the president to the Thomas & Mack Center for the rally.

The first lady rode in a sport-utility vehicle to the Sands Expo and Convention Center, where she was to address the AARP.

Thursday's events were part of another sweep through Nevada for the two candidates.

This was the fifth trip to Nevada for the Democratic candidate and the fourth for the president.

Nevada has been identified as a battleground state, meaning both candidates consider it up for grabs.

In 2000, Bush won the state by about 3 percent, or less than 25,000 votes.

This year, Nevada is a statistical dead heat, with a recent Zogby International poll giving Kerry a one-point lead in the state. The margin of error was 4.3 percentage points.

Nevada Democrats also were expected to protest President Bush's stops in Las Vegas and Reno today, energized by a voter registration scandal they believe to have been orchestrated by Republicans.

A private group paid by the Republican Party to register Southern Nevadans has been accused by the Democratic Party of tossing out registration forms of Democrats that the group had registered. The matter is pending federal and state investigation.

Sun reporters Cy Ryan, Ed Koch, Stephen Curran and Dan Kulin contributed to this story.