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Inside Politics

Bush, Kerry hit each other on domestic issues

Battleground states ahead after candidates' final debate


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Sen. John Kerry and President Bush greet the audience before the start of the debate.
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TEMPE, Arizona (CNN) -- President Bush and Democratic rival Sen. John Kerry met on Wednesday for their final debate, clashing on issues ranging from the economy to jobs, taxes and same-sex marriage.

With the three debates over, the candidates planned to visit several battleground states to hammer home their messages in the final weeks before Election Day. National surveys show the candidates running neck-and-neck, intensifying the importance of the campaign's home stretch.

Like the previous two presidential debates, the tone Wednesday was cordial yet spirited, as Bush accused Kerry of doing little but listing complaints and Kerry accused the president of failing to act on matters such as health care and jobs.

The debate hall was filled with a flurry of facts and figures this time, more so than in the previous debates. At least one viewer said she went away confused.

"I wanted to hear some specifics, but what they say doesn't make any sense," Connie Narduzzo, 84, of Syracuse, New York told The Associated Press. "They just seem to go back and forth, throwing numbers at each other."

Also like the previous face-offs, a poll of viewers indicated that Kerry did a better job of debating.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released shortly after the debate indicated that more who watched it gave Kerry the edge. Among the poll's 511 respondents, 53 percent said Kerry did better, and 39 percent said Bush did. The poll's margin of error was plus or minus 5 percentage points.

The poll represents the views of those who watched the face-off only, not all Americans. Also, opinions of the debate may change within the coming days. The respondents were 36 percent Republicans, 36 percent Democrats and 28 percent independents -- the highest percentage of Democrats of any of the post-debate polls.

CBS News anchor Bob Schieffer was host of the 90-minute event held at Arizona State University.

Senior Bush campaign adviser Karen Hughes emerged from the debate pleased by the president's performance and critical of his opponent's.

"It became very clear tonight [Kerry] has no plans," Hughes said. "He has an interminable list of complaints. Complaint after complaint after complaint."

Kerry campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill said it was a "very bad night for President Bush."

"I think the president had a pretty rough time tonight because he can't acknowledge that any of the problems that the country has, from immigration to equal pay ... he was not able to one, acknowledge the problem, admit a mistake, or say where he wants to lead the country," Cahill said.

Beginning Thursday, Bush is to hit spots in Nevada, Iowa and Florida, according to the AP.

Kerry is scheduled to visit Nevada, Iowa, Wisconsin and Ohio, the AP reported.

On heath care, the president sought to explain the recent shortage of flu vaccines in the United States at the beginning of the flu season.

Kerry said the shortage "really underscores the problem with the American health care system. Five million Americans have lost their health insurance in this country."

After Kerry said he had a plan to expand health care, Bush said, "I want to remind people listening tonight that a plan is not a litany of complaints, and a plan is not to lay out programs that you can't pay for."

Kerry disputed that characterization.

"Every plan that I have laid out -- my health care plan, my plan for education, my plan for kids to be able to get better college loans -- I've shown exactly how I'm going to pay for those," Kerry said.

Jobs were also a focus at the debate Wednesday night.

"Mr. President," Schieffer asked, "what do you say to someone in this country who has lost his job to someone overseas who's being paid a fraction of what that job paid here in the United States?"

"I'd say, Bob, I've got policies to continue to grow our economy and create the jobs of the 21st century," Bush said. "And here's some help for you to go get an education. Here's some help for you to go to a community college."

Kerry has proposed corporate tax incentives that aim to lessen the movement of U.S. jobs to other nations.

"I want you to notice how the president switched away from jobs and started talking about education principally," Kerry said.

In responding to a question, Bush also lauded his budget proposal.

"It requires pro-growth policies that grow our economy and [creates] fiscal sanity in the halls of Congress."

Kerry countered: "Being lectured by the president on fiscal responsibility is a little bit like Tony Soprano talking to me about law and order in this country," Kerry said, reminding viewers of a ballooning federal deficit.

Bush responded: "My opponent talks about fiscal sanity. His record in the United States Senate does not match his rhetoric. He voted to violate the budget cap 277 times. You know, there's a mainstream in American politics, and you sit right on the far left bank."

When Bush accused Kerry of voting 98 times to increase taxes, Kerry implied that Bush was skewing the facts.

"Bob, anybody can play with these votes," Kerry said. "Everybody knows that. I have supported or voted for tax cuts over 600 times."

Dennis Nelson, 52, an Army Vietnam veteran, watched the debate in Tampa, Florida.

"I'm really worried about the economy, so I was impressed with what Kerry said," Nelson told the AP. "But I don't know if it's political rhetoric or [there's] something that he can do. I'm still undecided, and probably will be until I go to the polls."



Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report.

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