RACINE, Wis.-In ongoing efforts to woo swing-state voters, President Bush criticized Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry Friday and told supporters that despite difficulties in the war in Iraq, the United States will not back down in fear.
\They know that they can shake our will and break our confidence in the mission,"" he said. ""We'll succeed if we do not lose our will, if we do not wilt in the face of hard times.""
Bush said Kerry's frequent comments on the Iraqi turmoil undermine Iraqi Prime Minister Ayad Allawi. Rather, Bush said it is important for the United States to avoid sending mixed signals to the rest of the world and instead keep its word to stand with the Iraqi people.
At an earlier rally Friday in Janesville, Bush said Allawi is willing to defeat the insurgents and hold elections in the country in January.
""This brave man came to our country to talk about how he's risking his life for a free Iraq which helps America, and Senator Kerry held a press conference and questioned Prime Minister Allawi's credibility,"" Bush said. ""You can't lead this country if your ally in Iraq feels like you question his credibility.""
About a half-mile away from the rally in Racine, supporters of both Bush and Kerry exchanged heated words. Judy Johnson, who broke into chants of ""Kerry, Kerry"" to counter pro-Bush supporters, said she thought the protests were good for the country.
""I don't mind. This is America. We can have the both sides,"" she said.
Three other Racine residents, however, had a different opinion after the Secret Service ejected them from the rally for wearing T-shirts with the word ""liar"" on them.
Keith Rosenberg, Michael Goebel and James Bremner said they signed the required pledge stating they supported Bush. They said they did not put on the protesting shirts until Bush appeared on stage to speak.
""But we weren't there to start a riot,"" Bremner said, adding the intent of their actions was ""handing it to [Bush] because the guy is a blatant liar.""
According to UW-Madison political science Professor G. Donald Ferree, the extent to which Bush is requiring rally attendees to sign a written pledge of support seems higher than in years past.
""Even though you can argue there's a constitutional right to make your point clear, it gets a little sticky when it comes to shutting somebody else down,"" he said.
Ferree said as long as his campaigns make it clear that they are pre-selecting audiences, which he said Bush's campaign seems to be doing, there is not anything particularly unjust.
He said a more important question is, ""What the consequences are if you're asked to sign some sort of a pledge that obviously wasn't true.""
Rosenberg, Goebel and Bremner said they had a lawyer lined up in case the Bush campaign pursued legal action. But UW-Madison political science professor Charles Franklin said it would be ""pretty bizarre"" and counterproductive for a campaign to do that.
