Kerry Tells Nevada Seniors Bush Stood In Way Of Cheaper Drugs
Sen. Kerry spent his second straight day in Nevada Wednesday focusing on issues of interest to seniors, such as Social Security and prescription drug prices. The AP reports Kerry said President Bush "stood right there and said, 'Nope, we're not going to help people to have lower cost drugs in America, we're going to help the big drug companies get a great big windfall.'" Kerry added the President "is standing in the way of bipartisan efforts in Congress to allow drug imports from Canada." ABC World News Tonight reported the Kerry campaign "thinks it's found a winning issue with seniors": the President's "prescription Medicare benefit." Kerry: "I proudly, and I think rightly, voted against this prescription drug bill that the president has put in place, that hurts seniors in this country." NPR said this morning "the Bush campaign responded saying the President opposes drug imports from Canada for safety reasons."
Kerry's second day in Nevada received widespread coverage on local TV. Much of the coverage focused on parts of his remarks that were largely ignored by national television shows and print media: Kerry's claim that he does not favor Bush's plan to privatize Social Security, and his promise never to cut benefits or raise the retirement age. Typical of local TV coverage was WJBK-TV of Detroit, Michigan, which reported, "Kerry is in Nevada, talking about his plan to save Social Security. He told the crowd he does not favor President Bush's plan to privatize Social Security. He says he won't cut benefits or raise the retirement age." WISN-TV of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, said "prescription drugs and Social Security are the big topics in John Kerry's second day of campaigning in Nevada."
"Dr. Kerry Is Here To Cure You All," Kerry Tells Audience.
According to Reuters, Kerry "read the list prices of four drugs commonly used by US seniors who are paying up to three and four times more than their Canadian counterparts." Then he joked, "Dr. Kerry is here to cure you all."
