Bush, Kerry highlight health care issues
Poll: Candidates tied in battleground Ohio
 |  John Kerry speaks on science and innovation on Thursday in Columbus, Ohio. |
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 CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Iraq and Pat Robertson's comments.
 CNN's Bruce Morton on scare tactics used by all the candidates.
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNN) -- President Bush and his Democratic rival, Sen. John Kerry, made health care a main stump topic as they visited neighboring battleground states Thursday.
In a speech in Columbus, Ohio, Kerry embraced science and technology, including stem cell research, as a way to fuel job growth. He was introduced by Dana Reeve, widow of actor Christopher Reeve, who died October 10.
The paralyzed actor and his wife had long been supporters of stem cell research, which they said could be the key to reversing damage from spinal cord injuries and to finding cures for diseases such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. (Full story)
Kerry accused Bush of stifling stem cell research, saying the president "has an extreme ideological agenda that slows rather than advances science."
"You get the feeling, my friends, you really get this feeling, that if George Bush had been president during other periods in American history, he would have sided with the candle lobby against electricity, he would have been with the buggy makers against cars, and with the typewriter companies against computers," Kerry said.
A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released Thursday night indicated Bush and Kerry were about even in Ohio, which has 20 electoral votes.
Among likely voters, Kerry was ahead by 1 point, 48 percent to 47 percent. Kerry had a 6-point edge, 50 percent to 44 percent, among registered voters.
Conducted October 17-20, the poll had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. (Ohio poll)
Bush stuck to his standard theme when he attacked Kerry's health care proposals on stop in Downington, Pennsylvania.
He said Kerry's proposals "always involve bigger and more intrusive government."
"If you think about it, on issue after issue after issue, my opponent wants the government to dictate to the American people," Bush said. "I want the American people to decide. He trusts government; I trust the people."
Bush promised to work to reduce the cost of health care if elected to a second term. (Full story)
Goose hunt
In the morning, Kerry hunted geese in rural Ohio, and event that drew fire from the Bush campaign, and the president signed a suicide-prevention bill into law.
Kerry and three hunting partners shot four Canada geese on private property, with about 30 members of the news media in tow.
The Bush campaign derided Kerry's hunting jaunt, which it described as "pure photo opportunism."
"John Kerry has received an F grade from both the [National Rifle Association] and the Gun Owners Association," said Bush-Cheney campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt in new release. "He can put on an orange vest, but he can't change who he is." (Kerry targets Ohio geese, voters)
Local NRA television ads Thursday claimed that the senator from Massachusetts doesn't support the right to bear arms and would place restrictions and taxes on gun owners. (Showdown state Ohio)
Earlier Thursday at the White House, Bush signed into law a suicide-prevention bill, called the Garrett Lee Smith Memorial Act, which provides $82 million for three years of programs aimed at preventing suicides among young people.
The law is named after the son of Republican Sen. Gordon Smith of Oregon. Smith's son committed suicide more than a year ago.
Thursday's visit marked Bush's 40th trip to Pennsylvania as president, highlighting the importance his campaign places on the state's 21 electoral votes. (Showdown state Pennsylvania)
Poll: Bush ahead in Wisconsin
A CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll indicated Bush had a narrow lead in the battleground state of Wisconsin, which has 10 electoral votes. (Showdown state Wisconsin) Bush led Kerry among likely voters 50 percent to 44 percent. Independent candidate Ralph Nader had 3 percent. The poll, which had a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points, interviewed 678 likely voters by telephone October 16-19. (Wisconsin poll)
Other developments
Teresa Heinz Kerry apologized Wednesday for telling USA Today that she was unsure if first lady Laura Bush had ever held a "real job." Heinz Kerry, acknowledging that Mrs. Bush had worked as a schoolteacher and librarian, said she was "sincerely sorry" for the remark. (Full story)The first lady brushed off Heinz Kerry's comments Thursday, saying, "It didn't matter to me. It didn't hurt my feelings. It was perfectly all right that she apologized. She didn't have to apologize. I know how tough it is. And actually I know those trick questions." (Full story)CNN's John Mercurio contributed to this report.
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Associated Press contributed to this report.
