Democratic Party's stars gather in D.C. to embrace Kerry

0 Comments | USA TODAY, March, 2004 | by Jim Drinkard

WASHINGTON -- The Democratic Party came together to embrace its presidential standard-bearer on Thursday, aligning its diverse constituencies and past luminaries behind John Kerry's candidacy.

Former presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, 2000 nominee Al Gore and nearly all of Kerry's primary rivals linked hands at a sold-out dinner to energize core supporters and raise more than $11 million for the campaign against President Bush.

Kerry rallied the crowd with jibes at Bush. "I want to start by saying something nice about President Bush. Of all the presidents we've had with the last name of Bush, his economic plan ranks in the top two."

He said Bush has divided the country rather than united it, as he promised. "He has proposed to amend the Constitution...