Kerry faults Bush for shortage of flu vaccine

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ELYRIA, Ohio -- Democratic presidential nominee Sen. John Kerry yesterday blamed President Bush for failing to head off a flu vaccine shortage and said it raises the question of whether the president is prepared for worse situations.

He raised the charge while speaking to six women at a health care round table as he campaigned in Ohio, claiming victory in Friday's second presidential debate.

"If you can't plan to have enough of that vaccine, what are they doing with respect to the other things that could potentially hurt America in terms of bioterrorism, chemical terrorism, other kinds of things?" he said.

Hope Moon, the director of the nursing program at the school, told Mr. Kerry their opportunity to obtain flu vaccines had been canceled Friday, and Mr. Kerry said they were suffering because the administration withheld information that they knew about the vaccine shortage.

"You're telling me your flu shots are canceled because this administration was unwilling to play straight with the American people. That's wrong," he said. "As a value system, that's just wrong -- not to mention the incompetence of not planning so that you know you have enough vaccine."

But Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt said the charge was off base.

"John Kerry's attack today on flu vaccines is baseless and hypocritical. So few companies make flu vaccines because of a broken medical-malpractice liability system that Kerry falsely claims to want to fix, but has voted 10 times against reforming," Mr. Schmidt said.

After Friday night's second presidential debate, Mr. Kerry campaigned yesterday in Ohio and Florida -- the two states analysts say could determine the winner on Nov. 2.

Mr. Kerry seized on Mr. Bush's inability during the debate to name mistakes he's made. He told supporters at a rally here, before the health care round table, that was "the most stunning moment of the whole evening."

"The president couldn't even name one mistake. He sort of glossed it over," Mr. Kerry said as he claimed victory in the debate. "Two-and-O, and we're moving on to the third, and I look forward to it."