"Join us so we can defeat George W. Bush," said Kerry

NEW HAMPSHIRE , January 28 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Continuing to shake up all speculations, U.S. presidential contender John Kerry did it again Tuesday, January 27, by making a big win in the New Hampshire primary, taking firm command of the Democratic presidential race to the White House.

Dealing another setback to Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor who ran a highflying upstart campaign, Kerry scored his second consecutive victory in his race to take on incumbent U.S. President George W. Bush, Reuters news agency reported.

Massachusetts Sen. Kerry led Dean 39 percent to 26 percent in the New Hampshire caucuses, leaving him reeling behind and coming ahead of other six Democratic hopefuls.

Kerry's come-from-behind win in the Iowa caucuses last week turned the 2004 presidential race upside down.

About 200,000 voters, a new Democratic primary record, turned out in New Hampshire , the tiny state famous for surprise finishes.

Retired Gen. Wesley Clark came third, narrowly led North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, 13 percent to 12 percent.

While Connecticut Sen. Joseph Lieberman came fifth at 9 percent. All three said they would continue their campaigns, Reuters said.

Evicting Bush

The win completed Kerry's transformation into the Democratic front-runner, with the 61-year-old contender vowing to evict Bush from the White House.

"I have a message for the influence peddlers and for the special interests that have a home in the Bush White House: 'we're coming, you're going, and don't let the door hit you on the way out'," he told cheering supporters in Manchester.

He urged Democrats everywhere "to join us so we can defeat George W. Bush, end the economy of privilege, and fulfill the ideal of opportunity not just for some, but for all".

"Stand with us - and we will give America the security of energy independence, because our sons and daughters should never have to fight and die for Mideast oil.

"Stand with us - and we will give America back its truth as a country where freedom rings, a country of equal rights and civil liberties where the Attorney General is no longer named John Ashcroft," he said.

He hit out at Bush's "most arrogant, inept, reckless and ideological foreign policy in the modern history of our country", challenging him to bring security to America , the central issue of Bush's re-election campaign.

"If George W. Bush wants to make national security the central issue in this campaign, I have three words for him I know he understands: Bring it on. 

Kerry also criticized Bush for taking America off onto the road of unilateralism after the invasion of Iraq , saying America did not need a president who walked away from the world or a president who walked alone.

"George Bush, who promised to be a uniter, has become the great divider.  We believe in a country where everyone can hope and strive and move ahead - no matter where you come from, who you are or what the color of your skin," he said.

Exit polls found that Kerry, a decorated Vietnam veteran, has so far appealed to  almost all demographic groups -- whites and blacks, men and women, union and nonunion households, affluent and working class, all religions as well as veterans.

"We're a little older and a little grayer, but we still know how to fight for our country," Kerry said.

The caucuses and primaries held in the 50 states will choose 4,315 delegates who will select the Democratic Party's presidential contender at a national convention on July 26-29 in Boston .