Bush, Kerry bow to McCain's wishes on ads

Their bitter fight over Vietnam-era military service took a compelling new twist as Kerry stood by the central charge in his ad that Bush has used smear tactics ~o undercut the Democrat's valorous combat record. "I am absolutely telling you the God's honest truth about what happened and what took place over there," Kerry told supporters in Minnesota.

He has been on the defensive since a gro}p financed by Bush supporters, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, aired a television commercial early this month accusing Kerry of exaggerating his wartime experience.