Kerry May Delay Democratic Nomination

Saturday, May 22, 2004

(6:06 AM ET)

By Liz Sidoti & Sharon Theimer

Associated Press Writers

Bush campaign spokesman Terry Holt said throwing a DNC convention with government money only to nominate Kerry later could amount to a ``bait-and-switch tactic on the American taxpayer. Maybe they've found a way to manipulate the federal law in such a way as to avoid that, but fundamentally this is about John Kerry thinking the rules that apply to everyone else don't apply to him.''

Democratic presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., meets with local veterans after arriving at the airport, Friday, May 21, 2004, in White Plains, New York.

Image Credit: Charlie Neibergall -- AP

WASHINGTON -- AP
Delegates to the Democratic National Convention in Boston this July can look forward to plenty of speeches, schmoozing, balloons and confetti. What they may not be able to count on is choosing their presidential nominee.

John Kerry's campaign said Friday he is considering delaying his nomination to gain more time to capitalize on his record-breaking fund raising and reduce President Bush's multimillion-dollar financial advantage.

The proposal would allow the Massachusetts senator to hold off spending his $75 million general-election budget by an extra month. Democrats would still hold their convention July 26-29, five weeks before the Republican National Convention in New York.

Kerry and President Bush are each expected to accept $75 million in full federal funding for their general election campaigns. Once nominated, the candidates will be limited to spending that money and can no longer raise or spend private contributions.

The Kerry campaign ``won't fight with one hand behind our back,'' spokeswoman Stephanie Cutter said Friday.

``Democrats are fighting more aggressively and in a more unified way this year than ever before,'' she said, adding that ``we have the resources do it.''

(More: Netscape Network News w/CNN)

2004 © The Associated Press.

Dan