Kerry Hits Back at GOP 'Insults'

NEWARK, Ohio - In a scathing attack, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry (news - web sites) accused Republicans of hiding President Bush (news - web sites)'s "record of failure" behind insults and promised a new direction for the country under a Kerry-Edwards administration.

Kerry, speaking to a midnight rally as Bush closed the GOP convention in New York with his acceptance speech, said the president was "unfit to lead this nation" because of the war in Iraq (news - web sites) and his record on jobs, health care and energy prices.

He lashed out at the commander in chief and Vice President Dick Cheney (news - web sites) for not serving in Vietnam during the war and for comments made during the convention about Kerry's fitness to occupy the Oval Office.

"I will not have my commitment to defend this country questioned by those who refused to serve when they could have and who misled America into Iraq," he told a crowd of thousands in Springfield.

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