Kerry: Bush has secret troop call-up plan
BOSTON (AP) _ Democratic presidential challenger John Kerry said President Bush has a secret plan to call up more National Guard and Reserve troops immediately after the election, an allegation that the Bush campaign called “false and ridiculous.”
Kerry issued the charge while campaigning Friday in Albuquerque, N.M., as he criticized the president of glossing over a worsening conflict in Iraq.
“He won’t tell us what congressional leaders are now saying, that this administration is planning yet another substantial call-up of reservists and Guard units immediately after the election,” Kerry said. “Hide it from people through the election, then make the move.”
Republicans said Kerry was making a baseless charge to cover up his inconsistent positions on Iraq. “Desperate candidates are generally not the most accurate sources of information on these issues,” said New Mexico Sen. Pete Domenici, adding that the Senate defense spending committee that he serves on hasn’t been notified of any such plans.
But Rep. John Murtha, D-Penn., ranking member on the House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee and a former Marine who served in Vietnam, said he had learned through conversations with Pentagon officials that beginning in November, “the Bush administration plans to call up large numbers of the military Guard and Reserves, to include plans that they previously had put off to call up the Individual Ready Reserve.”
Fla. Supreme Court puts Nader on ballot
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Ralph Nader is back on Florida’s ballot – probably for good this time. The Florida Supreme Court ruled 6-1 Friday that he can run as the Reform Party presidential candidate in the November election.
The decision met a Saturday deadline for mailing 25,000 ballots to overseas voters, most of them military personnel, and ended a dizzying two weeks during which Nader was on and off the ballot.
“This is a case that should have been thrown out of the courts sooner,” said Kevin Zeese, a spokesman for the Nader campaign.
Also Friday, a judge ruled that Nader would stay on the presidential ballot in Colorado. In New Mexico, a judge barred Nader from appearing on the state’s ballot.
As the Green Party candidate in 2000, Nader attracted 97,000 Florida votes – and most Democrats and many Republicans agree that those votes cost Democrat Al Gore the presidency.
E. coli concerns prompt recall of 59,000 pounds of ground beef sold in seven states
GREEN BAY, Wis. – Packerland Packing Co. has recalled 59,000 pounds of ground beef sold in seven states that may be contaminated with E. coli bacteria.
The beef in Friday’s recall was produced Sept. 2 at Packerland’s Green Bay facility, and was distributed to stores in Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Virginia and Wisconsin.
Stores were asked to remove the product.
Steve Van Lannen, general manager for the Green Bay-based company, said in a statement the company was working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Given our long history of focusing on product safety and our standards of excellence, we will err on the side of being overly cautious with this recall,” he said.
Packerland recalled the meat after its internal testing showed the ground beef was possibly contaminated and mistakenly shipped.
The ground beef was sold under: Imperial Beef, Fine Ground, 81/19 G18148FR; PPC’s Ground Beef, Fine Ground Sirloin, 95/5 G49548RO; and PPC’s Ground Beef, Coarse Ground Sirloin, 95/5 G49540PP.
Consumers concerned about the ground beef should take it back to the place of purchase to determine if it is part of the recall. Packerland Packing’s 24-hour hotline is (800) 325-4164.
Ground beef cooked to at least 160 degrees will kill bacteria.