Will Flu Shot Shortage Hurt President Bush?

The flu shot shortage has become big news across the country. Chiron Corporation, which was supposed to supply about 50 million flu shots to the U.S., had its manufacturing license suspended because of worries about sterility. President Bush has responded by telling healthy people not to get the shot; Mr. Bush himself, in fact, will not get the shot. Sure enough, Kerry has jumped all over the opportunity. Kerry asked how Bush would protect the country from bioterrorism if he can't protect it from the flu, and he attacked Bush's health care program. But will this issue ultimately affect the election? Well, it might but it shouldn't. The shortage is really not Bush's fault, but Kerry would have the voters believe otherwise. And in such a close election, a handful of disgruntled people from a swing state who did not receive a flu shot could change the outcome of the election.

Works Consulted
Glassman, Mark. "Bush Promises All Who Most Need Flu Shots Will Get Them." The New York Times 19 Oct. 2004. 19 Oct. 2004 http://www.nytimes.com/2004/10/19/politics/campaign/19CND-FORD.html.