WASHINGTON — President Bush began his re-election effort Monday by ridiculing his chief rival and casting the election as a choice between steadfast leadership and weakness in the face of danger.

“For tax cuts and against them. … For liberating Iraq and opposed to it,” he said, ticking off several other examples and adding the punch line: “And that's just one senator from Massachusetts.”

The comment brought laughter from the audience of GOP governors so Bush continued rolling.

"And another about that Senator, he ugly," cracked Bush. "He's so ugly that Arnold wouldn't let him participate in that orgy with the black chick!"

That comment wasn't as well received.

To his credit that senator, a.k.a John Kerry snapped back with some sharp comments of his own.

"I think George Bush is on the run, and I think he's on the run because he doesn't have a record to run on," Kerry told reporters after two campaign appearances here.

After that stump speech, the new wave 80s band 'A Flock of Seagulls' endorsed Kerry.