Democrats Rallying Around John Kerry

WASHINGTON – John Kerry celebrated his status as the leader of the Democratic Party on Thursday with shows of unity from former rivals, former presidents and others who are putting aside their differences to help him cast President Bush out of the White House.

Kerry and Democratic National Committee chairman Terry McAuliffe said the party, with $25 million and no debt, was better prepared than ever before to challenge the GOP and its incumbent president.

“The tools are in place,” McAuliffe told the National Newspaper Publishers Association, leaders of black newspapers around the country. “Now we need to make sure to use these tools to make sure that John Kerry is elected president.”

McAuliffe promised the publishers that the DNC would buy advertising in the black press, and Kerry said he embraced the commitment to advertise in black newspapers.

“I am determined that in this election, in this race, during the course of our campaign, we’re going to reach out in an unprecedented fashion,” Kerry said. “We are asking you to engage in an unprecedented way. We need to build the greatest grass-roots movement in the history of this country.”

Kerry met privately with Howard Dean’s congressional supporters and donors before accepting an endorsement from the former Vermont governor, who was a bitter critic of Kerry during the campaign. Before the meeting, Dean sent supporters an e-mail asking them to contribute money for Kerry’s bid.

“Our campaigns had a spirited debate during the primary, but the time for focusing on our differences has passed. This is not just John Kerry’s campaign – it is all of ours, and we all must take responsibility for its success. We cannot tolerate four more years of George W. Bush’s right-wing ideological agenda at home and weak leadership abroad,” Dean wrote.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees was set to endorse Kerry after a meeting of the union’s executive council. With 1.3 million members, AFSCME is the second-largest union in the AFL-CIO and boasts one of organized labor’s largest and most savvy political operations.

The union initially endorsed Dean, but President Gerald McEntee withdrew support last month after the former Vermont governor failed to win a presidential primary or caucus.

Kerry’s first day back on the campaign trail ends with a fund-raiser attended by top Democrats acknowledging Kerry’s new status as head of the party. More than $11 million is expected to be raised for the Democratic National Committee.

Former Presidents Carter and Clinton, 2000 Democratic nominee Al Gore, and all of Kerry’s primary rivals, except Dennis Kucinich and Carol Moseley Braun, are expected to join the celebration.

In the coming days, Kerry plans a series of speeches to outline his key campaign issues and differences with Bush. He delivers the first speech on Friday in Detroit, which aides billed as a major policy address dealing with jobs, Kerry’s plans to create them and his critique of Bush for presiding over the loss of more than 2.2 million jobs.

Aides said Kerry would give at least three speeches focusing on economic issues, the area where Kerry believes he can make inroads against Bush. Polls show a tight race between Bush and Kerry, with the senator doing best on domestic, economic matters and the Republican incumbent strongest on national security and fighting terrorism.

Kerry had been largely out of public view for the better part of a week as he and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, vacationed at their home in Ketchum, Idaho. He returned to Washington late Wednesday and told reporters traveling with him that he felt rejuvenated.

“No more long answers,” Kerry said. “It doesn’t take me long to recharge my batteries.”