Kerry challenges Bush to monthly debates

QUINCY, Illinois - Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, visiting the site of one of the most famous political debates in American history, challenged President George W. Bush on Saturday to a "real discussion about America's future" in monthly debates.

Kerry, already engaged in a running exchange of negative ads with Bush eight months before the November election, said "America shouldn't have to put up with eight months of sniping."

"I believe the American people are hungry for a genuine conversation about the fundamental questions before us," Kerry said in Quincy, Illinois, site of one of the seven historic Abraham Lincoln-Stephen Douglas debates.

The 1858 senatorial debates between Douglas and Lincoln, who lost the Senate race but won the presidency two years later, is legendary in United States political history for bringing crucial issues like slavery and states' rights to the front of the US political agenda.

"Surely, if the attack ads can start now at least we can agree to start a real discussion about America's future," Kerry said, trying to take the high road early in a campaign already marked by bitter charges and counterattacks.

Bush and Kerry exchanged negative ads on Thursday, with Bush criticising Kerry by name, accusing him of planning to raise taxes and threatening to weaken US security. Kerry fired back at what he called "misleading" accusations.

Kerry, who earlier this week called his Republican critics a "crooked ... lying group," challenged Bush to monthly debates on the "great issues" of the day, including the war on terrorism, the loss of US jobs and the plight of Americans without health care.

"2004 can't be just another year of politics as usual," Kerry said. "The challenges we face are just too grave and too great.

"We confront big issues -- as big as any in our history -- and they call for a new and historic commitment to a real and informed exchange of ideas."

The Bush campaign questioned how Kerry could ask for a civil debate after his remarks about Republicans and after spending millions of dollars on ads attacking Bush.

"Senator Kerry should finish the debate with himself before he starts trying to explain his positions to the voters," said Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt.

A campaign official said they "looked forward to vigorous debates at the appropriate time."

The presidential candidates are tentatively scheduled to hold three debates in October, before the November 2 election, with the vice presidential candidates holding a fourth debate. Kerry proposed that monthly debates begin this spring.

Quincy was the site of the sixth of seven Lincoln-Douglas debates in 1858, with 20,000 people -- double the town's population -- gathering to hear the two men, who then shared a river steamer to their next debate.

"Maybe George Bush and I won't travel on the same boat or the same airplane, but we can give this country a campaign that genuinely addresses our real issues and treats voters with respect," Kerry said.

After the Quincy rally, Kerry planned to travel to Pennsylvania and Ohio on Sunday as he continues appearances in states with upcoming primaries, even though he has clinched the Democratic nomination.

After a brief vacation next week, Kerry will embark on a 20-city fund-raising tour to try to close the cash gap. Bush had US$100 million more on hand than Kerry at the end of January.

Kerry has raised more than US$10 million on the internet since he effectively clinched the nomination on March 2.

- REUTERS