John Kerry and President George W. Bush met in St. Louis on 8 October 2004 for their second televised debate, with an audience of undecided voters posing the questions.
Bush renewed his charge that Kerry shifted positions on foreign policy, pointing to the senator's earlier support for removing Saddam Hussein and his later criticism of the war. Kerry fired back, noting the administration had found no weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and accusing Bush of running "a weapon of mass deception."
The clash followed a definitive finding by the chief US arms inspector that Saddam had possessed no unconventional weapons stockpile, stripping away the original rationale for the 2003 invasion. Bush adjusted his argument, contending the operation was still justified because Saddam had been working to erode international sanctions and would have resumed weapons programs once they collapsed.
Economic data sharpened the exchange. A Labor Department report published that morning showed 96,000 jobs added in September, well short of forecasts. Kerry contended the figure would make Bush the first president since the Great Depression to end a full term with a net job loss, pointing to 1.6 million fewer private sector positions since January 2001. The administration countered by citing nearly two million jobs created since August 2003.
A Time magazine poll taken shortly before the debate put both candidates at 45 percent nationally, with Kerry rated slightly more likable and Bush holding a wide lead on consistency.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in October 2004, in its own words.