WASHINGTON: During the 2000 White House race, Republican George W. Bush repeatedly charged that Democrat Al Gore would “say anything to get elected president.” Democrats are now using variations on that theme against President Bush.

Emboldened by a flare-up over Bush’s use of disputed intelligence on Iraq, his slipping poll numbers and a mounting federal deficit, Democrats charge that Bush seems willing to say or do anything to get what he wants — such as the war to unseat Saddam Hussein and tax cuts for the rich.

One top Democrat, Senator Bob Graham of Florida, a 2004 White House contender, has even suggested that if Bush deliberately hyped the facts in the case for war he should be impeached. While other Democrats have been unwilling to second such a call, they have come together in recent weeks to increase the heat on the still popular, yet under fire, president on this and other fronts.

“Clearly it is time for the president to step forward and tell the truth,” declared Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, another presidential contender, in what has nearly become a party refrain. Democrats point largely to “the 16 words” in Bush’s January State of the Union address to support their charge that he may have manipulated intelligence to drum up support for war. In the speech, Bush used a now-discredited claim that Iraq was seeking uranium from Africa for a nuclear weapons programme as evidence that Iraq represented a threat to the US. In a news conference, Bush, who for weeks blamed others, on Wednesday said he took “personal responsibility” for making the claim.

Democrats have also ratcheted up their contention that Bush has implemented a misguided tax-cutting policy which has increased the deficit and slowed an economic recovery.

In addition, Democrats complain that Bush has failed to come up with promised funding for education reform, has inadequately financed homeland security and has done a poor job of stabilising a post-Saddam Iraq.

A Democratic strategist said: “The attacks Bush levelled against Gore for being willing to ‘say anything to get elected’ will be turned against Bush in this election. Count on it.”

Republicans have retorted that Democrats are barking up the wrong tree. “They’ve spewed more rhetoric at President Bush than they ever did at Saddam Hussein,” Republican Leader Tom DeLay of Texas said.

“If the truth hurts, so be it,” said Rep. James Moran, a Virginia Democrat. “Democrats had seemed to be a little intimidated by Bush and reluctant to challenge him on national security. But no more.”

Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, sought to put the matter in perspective. “Any out of power party looks for opening,” Graham said. “They think the 16 words is an opening. They think the economy is an opening.”—Reuters