Kerry in front after TV win

WASHINGTON - Senator John Kerry, buoyed by a strong showing in his televised debate with President George W. Bush, has recaptured a small lead in the race to the White House.

A Newsweek poll of registered voters yesterday was the first indication that the debate had helped swing support behind Kerry.

It gave him a 49 to 46 per cent lead over Bush in a two-way matchup, and a 47 to 45 per cent margin in a contest also involving independent Ralph Nader.

The poll reversed the findings of the previous Newsweek study three weeks ago, which put Bush six points up in a three-way race at 49 to 43 per cent.

Bush had been leading since the Republican national convention in New York a month ago that wiped out a modest Kerry advantage.

Newsweek's poll showed 61 per cent of those who watched the debate thought the Massachusetts senator came off better, and 19 per cent felt the president prevailed.

Kerry yesterday zeroed in on Bush's domestic record, aggressively arguing that he had forsaken America's middle class.

Picking up a theme from Friday's debate, he said a win for Bush would spell "more of the same".

The candidates yesterday switched their campaign focus to domestic issues before their second debate, in a "town hall" setting on Saturday in St Louis, Missouri.

It will be less about Iraq and terrorism, and much more about the economy, tax policies and healthcare.

The vice-presidential debate between Dick Cheney and Democrat challenger Senator John Edwards is on Wednesday.

Kerry has an unmistakable new tone of confidence as he draws fresh energy from his well-reviewed television performance.

Instant polls and focus groups consistently showed that he succeeded in putting the President on the defensive.


Kerry was yesterday pushing home his charge, made on Iraq, that Bush had made the "wrong choices" for America, but this time targeting healthcare, education and even rising petrol prices.

He told an audience in an Orlando, Florida, high school that under Bush, two incomes "barely cover the basics" for many families.

"He confuses staying in place with leadership," Kerry said.

"But it's not just Iraq. Over the past four years he's made serious misjudgments here at home."

Kerry cited a US$1.3 trillion ($1.94 trillion), 10-year tax cut he said mostly benefited the wealthy, as well as job losses, high gas prices, rising college tuition fees and unaffordable health care.

The two camps also battled on the airwaves with sharply worded television ads.

The Bush spot mocked Kerry's remark that US pre-emptive military action should be subject to a "global test".

Kerry shot back with a 30-second ad in which a narrator said Bush "lost the debate and now he's lying about it".

The President, who embarked yesterday on a journey by bus through the critical swing state of Ohio, continues to characterise Kerry as inconsistent, hesitant and ill-equipped to lead troops in a war that he has called a mistake.

Bush attacked the Democrat's pledge to take away tax cuts for Americans making more than US$200,000 a year.

"It makes no sense to tax the job creators as our economy is getting stronger," he said.

Bush said the tax cuts he pushed through Congress had helped the US economy get through tough times.

Bush said Kerry's comment that US pre-emptive military action should be subject to a "global test" would give other nations a veto over American national security decisions.

"When our country's in danger the president's job is not to take an international poll. The president's job is to defend America."

Top-rating

* At least 62.5 million Americans watched Friday's debate.

* A record 80.6 million watched in 1980, when President Jimmy Carter debated Republican challenger Ronald Reagan.

* The two debates in 1996 between President Bill Clinton and Robert Dole averaged just over 36 million each.

* The last presidential debate to top Friday's broadcast was the second George Bush snr-Bill Clinton-Ross Perot matchup, which drew 69.9 million viewers.

* Four years ago, the first George Bush-Al Gore debate notched 46.6 million viewers.

- INDEPENDENT, REUTERS