US Democrats opened a new front in their battle for the White House on Friday, attacking Vice President Dick Cheney and his old company Halliburton for alleged "cronyism" that reaped billions of dollars of business in Iraq.
The offensive comes with polls split on the direction of the race. Two surveys published Thursday showed Democrat John Kerry pulling even with President George W. Bush while a third gave the Republican a healthy 13-point margin.
A statement by Kerry and a new television spot sought to make Halliburton a fresh test of Bush's credibility, management and priorities 46 days before the November 2 vote.
Kerry said Cheney, who was chief executive officer of Halliburton from 1995 to 2000, received nearly two million dollars from the company since becoming vice president despite his contention he severed all financial ties.
Halliburton, an oil services firm, has won billions of dollars in contracts to feed, house and take care of troops in Iraq, but has been accused of accounting problems and overcharging.
"It is clear: George W. Bush and Dick Cheney have mismanaged every aspect of the war in Iraq," Kerry said, accusing the two men of turning a blind eye to price gouging in Iraq by "their big money friends."
"We need a president and a vice president who wont sacrifice the taxpayers money on the altar of no-bid cronyism while our fighting men and women go without the armour and equipment they need," said the Massachusetts senator.
Kerry said that as president he would reform the contracting process, reversing the trend toward no-bid deals and ensuring fair competition. He would also overhaul the accounting process to crack down on profiteers.
The new television ad shows Cheney saying "I have no financial interest in Halliburton of any kind and haven't had now for over three years," and alleges he has since received two million dollars from the company.
There was no immediate response from the Bush-Cheney campaign to the allegations by Kerry, who has tried to sharpen his attacks on the Republican incumbents on Iraq, the economy and overall trustworthiness.