Bush ridicules Kerry's flip-flops, 'endorsements'

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MAUMEE, Ohio -- President Bush, who stopped off at a breakfast at a recreation center to flip a few pancakes on the second day of a bus tour, yesterday criticized Sen. John Kerry for his repeated waffles on issues from support of the Iraq war to endorsements from foreign leaders.

The Massachusetts Democrat, who said in March that he had "met foreign leaders" who had expressed support for his presidential bid, refused to divulge their names when pressed by reporters. He said last month on NBC's "Meet the Press": "You can go to New York City and you can be in a restaurant and you can meet a foreign leader."

Mr. Bush ridiculed Mr. Kerry's flip-flopping.

"He claims to have picked up some important endorsements from foreign leaders. He just won't give us the names," the president said. "I got a hunch this whole thing might be a case of mistaken identity.

"Just because somebody has an accent and a nice suit and a good table at a fancy restaurant in New York doesn't make them a foreign leader," he said, drawing laughter.

"But whoever these mystery men are, they're not going to be deciding this election. The American people will be deciding this election. ... I will never turn over America's national-security decisions to leaders of other foreign countries," he said as the crowd erupted in applause.

After inquiries by The Washington Times, the Kerry campaign acknowledged that the candidate has made no foreign trips since 2002. An extensive Times review of Mr. Kerry's travel schedule domestically revealed only one opportunity for the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee to meet with foreign leaders.

Mr. Bush's comments yesterday are part of a continuing effort by the Bush campaign to define Mr. Kerry as a Washington insider who takes both sides on issues for political expediency. The president again pointed out that the junior senator from Massachusetts said of his vote against a Senate bill to provide $87 billion for the war in Iraq: "I actually voted for it before I voted against it."

Mr. Kerry, who last month sought to disarm the issue by announcing that his campaign would reject endorsements from foreign leaders and called on Mr. Bush to do the same, fired back.

"If President Bush wants to talk about foreign policy, he should explain what he's doing to restore America's lost credibility in the world and what his plan is for keeping U.S. troops safe from being shot at in Iraq," the Kerry campaign said. "His ridiculous attacks won't help the 8.3 million people who are out of work find jobs."

The president began his trip -- the second day of his "Yes, America Can" tour through Michigan and Ohio -- in Maumee. He flipped a few pancakes at the griddle before loading his plate with sausage and flapjacks, joking to nearby reporters: "Eat it today, wear it tomorrow."

During the day, the president pledged that Ohio -- a state that no Republican elected president has ever lost -- would soon recover from its loss of more than 200,000 jobs during his presidency. "The people of Ohio are going to feel the economic vitality that's occurring across the country."

On his second stop in Dayton, during a question-and-answer session the Bush-Cheney campaign dubbed "Ask President Bush," the president responded to a question from 8-year-old Erica Keene. She asked: "What's the funnest thing about being president?"

"The funnest thing is this: making decisions that make the world a better place," he said.

He ended the 13-hour day in Cincinnati, where, in a hoarse voice, he told thousands of grass-roots supporters, "I'm here to fertilize the grass roots."

Along the highways during his cross-state trips through Michigan and Ohio, thousands lined the sidewalks, waving flags and signs. On the open road, some farmers stopped their tractors to watch the motorcade, with eight buses and two dozen vehicles, pass by.

Occasionally, protesters waved signs that said, "Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire" or "Impeach Bush."