Bush calls for end to attacks on Kerry's Vietnam record

George Bush has called for a ban on the advertisements that accused his opponent of lying over his Vietnam war record. He said John Kerry "ought to be proud of his record".

The US President called for the banning of all unregulated "soft money" commercials - advertisements not directly paid for and controlled by one or other of the campaigns.

"That ad and every other ad," Mr Bush said yesterday when pressed on the issue. But he stopped short of disowning the commercials from Swift Boat Veterans for Truth.

The Kerry campaign said Mr Bush did not go far enough and should have demanded that the ads be taken off the air.

After media investigations linked the veterans group with the Bush campaign the issue has threatened to turn sour for the President.