Kerry Attacks Bush on Weapons Ban and North Korea Nuclear Threat

Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry launched a sharp critique of President George W. Bush on 13 September 2004, challenging the incumbent's reputation on national security both domestically and overseas. Kerry's offensive came as two weekend polls showed Bush leading him by comfortable margins, 52 to 41 percent in a Time poll and 49 to 43 percent in a Newsweek poll, each with a four-point margin of error.

Kerry accused Bush of negligence over North Korea's advancing nuclear capabilities, calling it "a massive national security failure" and warning of a nuclear threat comparable to the September 11 attacks. His comments followed a reported large explosion in North Korea, which Pyongyang said was a controlled demolition for a hydroelectric project. Secretary of State Colin Powell dismissed speculation about a nuclear test but confirmed that US officials were monitoring suspicious activity at a North Korean site.

Kerry also criticized Bush for allowing a decade-old federal ban on assault weapons to expire Monday, arguing the president had yielded to pressure from the National Rifle Association rather than pushing Congress to renew the legislation. The White House, meanwhile, pointed to a 14 percent decline in violent crime over two years as evidence of the administration's effectiveness on public safety.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in September 2004, in its own words.