Kerry Wins Four Democratic Primaries, Criticizes Medicare Law

Presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) on Tuesday "easily" won Democratic primaries in Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, and he criticized the new Medicare law in a campaign speech in Illinois, the AP/USA Today reports (AP/USA Today, 3/10). Kerry won 77% of the vote in Florida, 70% in Louisiana, 78% in Mississippi and 67% in Texas, with at least 99% of precincts reporting in each state (CNN.com, 3/10). According to the AP/USA Today, Kerry has secured 1,816 of the 2,162 delegates required for the Democratic presidential nomination. Kerry on Tuesday traveled to Illinois, where he criticized President Bush for his support of the new Medicare law and for "not doing enough to help the elderly," the AP/USA Today reports. "It must be getting lonely for George Bush. It seems he's the last person left in America who actually believes his failed policies will ever work," Kerry said. He also criticized Bush for his opposition to the reimportation of lower-cost, U.S.-manufactured prescription drugs from Canada. "He stubbornly refuses to allow the importation of drugs from Canada while steadily the prices are going up," Kerry said. The comments from Kerry "drew fire" from House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.), who said that Kerry has provided beneficiaries with "misinformation about the voluntary and affordable" Medicare law.

Meanwhile, Bush on Tuesday secured the 1,255 delegates required for the Republican presidential nomination, according to the AP/USA Today (AP/USA Today, 3/10).