Dean takes campaign to St. Louis as poll shows Kerry ahead

ST. LOUIS -- Democrat Howard Dean assailed President Bush's education plan during a campaign stop in St. Louis, telling an audience he wants to give more money to schools, not penalize them.

Dean and the other nominees have been campaigning in Missouri and the other six states holding presidential contests on Tuesday.

John Kerry and John Edwards stumped in Missouri Wednesday and planned to visit Kansas City today.

Also, the Missouri Democratic Party called off its plans for a Democratic presidential debate in St. Louis.

"Instead of taking away money from schools that don't do well, I'm going to put more money in," Dean told a roomful of about 300 supporters, many of them students, during a town hall meeting at the Missouri History Museum.

The 2002 law increased federal oversight of education with the intention of raising academic standards. The "No Child Left Behind" act requires a highly qualified teacher in all core classes and expands standardized testing.

Schools that get federal poverty money but don't make adequate yearly progress face mounting sanctions and public pressures.

Education ideas

Dean criticized the other Democratic candidates for voting for Bush's education plan. He drew comparisons between the Houston school system in Bush's state of Texas, which he said falsified rates for school violence, dropouts and college aspiration, and the scandal caused by Houston's Enron Corp.

His plan for the economy is based on a venerable institution in Houston, the Enron corporation, and his plan for education is based on the crooked Houston school district," Dean said.

A Republican Party spokesman responded that Dean "is using scare tactics and factually inaccurate information again."

"Under President Bush, his proposals have increased funding for education," Republican National Committee spokesman David James said. "That includes $880.3 million for Missouri, which is $179 million more than when the president took office."

A Dean supporter at the event, psychology professor Bob Albee of Kirkwood, said he hopes Dean wins one or two contests on Tuesday.

"I think he's re-energized the party," Albee said. "I just pray, and I don't pray that often, he stays in this."

Missouri's primary -- and its 74 convention delegates, the biggest single prize of the day -- became competitive when Rep. Dick Gephardt dropped out of the running Jan. 21, following his fourth-place finish in the earliest contest, the Iowa caucuses.

Dean talked about Missouri's importance and played to his audience by mentioning Missouri's president, Harry S. Truman. An audience member responded by shouting, "Give 'Em Hell, Howard!" a play on the slogan with Truman's first name.

Dean drew a laugh by telling the crowd how Truman used to respond: "'I don't give 'em hell, I just tell the truth and Republicans think it's hell."'

Also Friday:

--A poll showed Kerry leading the field of candidates in Missouri with 45 percent of likely voters in the Tuesday primary, followed by Edwards at 11 percent and Dean at 9 percent.

The Zogby poll was conducted for Reuters-MSNBC. The poll of 600 likely voters was taken Tuesday through Thursday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The poll said Kerry finished strongly among NASCAR racing fans in Missouri with 47 percent, followed by Edwards with 13 percent and Dean with 10 percent.

--Edwards scheduled a rally for 6:30 p.m. Saturday at Kansas City's Uptown Theater. Kerry planned an event at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at Kansas City's Marriott-Muehlebach Hotel.

--Former Gov. Roger Wilson told The Associated Press he is backing Kerry on Tuesday.

--The Missouri Democratic Party called off its plans for a Democratic presidential debate in St. Louis.