ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -- President Bush opened his campaign in Florida on Saturday restating his defense of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and the war on terror, saying he would "defend the security of America, whatever it takes."

...More Bush lies about Foreign Support for War in Iraq...

Democrats dispute

Kerry was in Idaho, taking a five-day break from campaigning . His campaign spokesman issued a statement calling the Bush speech misleading.

"John Kerry has fought for middle-class tax relief and has proposed new middle-class tax cuts in this campaign," said David Wade.

"The president is on thin ice talking taxes when his economic meltdown and record deficits have forced so many states to raise the middle-class tax burden.

..."I wish the president would spend some more time in Central Florida and speak to people other than his most loyal supporters, because he needs to hear that his misguided policies are hurting people," Graham's statement said. "In greater Orlando alone, the unemployment rate has shot from 2.5 percent in December 2000 to 4.4 percent in January 2004. That's a loss of more than 40,000 jobs.

"President Bush's economic policies have failed Florida," said Rep. Kendrick Meek of Florida, Kerry's state campaign chairman. "His corporate buddies have shipped 70,000 Floridian manufacturing jobs overseas, and now it's time for Mr. Bush to get the pink slip."


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