ALBUQUERQUE — Counting on his liberal base to stick by him, Sen. John F. Kerry plans to aggressively court more conservative voters with a message that emphasizes traditional values of service, faith and family.
Following his pick last week of a running mate with potential appeal to rural communities, the presumed Democratic presidential nominee said he was not content to target the narrow band of swing voters that the two parties were expected to fight over in roughly 20 swing states.
"I'm going to talk to people on the right," Kerry told The Times on Friday during a joint interview with his vice presidential pick, Sen. John Edwards. "I want to talk to conservatives."
As for rank-and-file party members, Kerry said his record of strong support for environmental protection, gun control and abortion rights -- all core Democratic issues -- "speaks for itself about my priorities in policy terms."
Indeed, Kerry seemed unconcerned about antagonizing his liberal supporters.
"I'm a hunter. I'm a gun owner. A lot of people on the left don't like that, but that's who I am," he said.
The Massachusetts senator has already begun his effort to broaden his political reach. During a recent swing through the Midwest, where he tramped around farms and toted a shotgun on a trap-shooting range, Kerry said that he represented "conservative values," and emphasized his personal opposition to abortion.
Last week, as he and Edwards made their joint debut, they spoke continually of their commitment to helping the middle class, which they said had been harmed by President Bush's policies.
Kerry's strategy is not without risks. By wooing moderates and conservatives, he could offend liberals in an election that could hinge on which side best galvanizes its base. And casting his values as conservative, despite his liberal voting record in the Senate, could reinforce Republican criticism that Kerry lacks convictions.
"It's a frankly stunning assertion, given the fact that John Kerry is the most liberal member of the United States Senate, who picked for his running mate the fourth-most liberal member," said Steve Schmidt, a spokesman for Bush's campaign. Schmidt was referring to recent rating of lawmakers by the National Journal, a nonpartisan Washington magazine
Schmidt added: "This is another example of John Kerry proving he will say anything to anyone if he feels it will benefit him politically."
