CHICAGO — Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry brought his fight forthe presidency to Chicago’s Union Station on Tuesday, heavilycriticizing President Bush’s handling of the economy and healthcare at a campaign rally attended by a roaring crowd ofthousands.

“George Bush is running under the slogan of steady leadership,”said Kerry, who now stands virtually unchallenged to become theDemocrats’ presidential nominee. “I think if you look at the lastfour years at his failed policy, you have stubborn leadership …George Bush’s promise to unite has become the great divider.”

The rally came on the heels of Kerry’s sweeping victoriesTuesday in primary elections held in Mississippi, Florida,Louisiana and Texas, bringing the four-term lawmaker within reachof the Democratic nomination.

Kerry came to Chicago to drum up support for his candidacybefore Illinois’ primary election next Tuesday, which he isexpected to win overwhelmingly.

On Tuesday, Kerry also picked up endorsements from three keyIllinois politicians. Gov. Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, endorsedKerry earlier in the day during a campaign visit to the Levy SeniorCenter, 300 Dodge Ave., in Evanston. Chicago Mayor Richard Daleythrew his support behind Kerry at the rally, while Illinois Sen.Dick Durbin endorsed Kerry in a press release.

“It’s time for a president who cares about ordinary, hardworkingpeople,” Blagojevich told the crowd at Union Station. “John Kerrywill fight to bring jobs to Illinois, to Peoria, to Carbondale andto every part of the country.”

With Kerry’s nomination almost a certainty, the would-becandidate laid his crosshairs on President Bush. Kerry’s 25-minutespeech during Tuesday’s rally touched on an array of issues, butprimarily focused on health care and job creation.

He laid jabs on Bush’s new healthcare plan, criticizing thepresident for “turning his back” on those who still find medicalcare out of their price range.

“We have a president who is stubbornly refusing to make healthcare affordable for everyone in the country and is letting the costof premiums to rise,” Kerry said. Healthcare is not “a privilegefor the rich and powerful,” he said.

“These are not conservative people,” Kerry said of the Bushadministration. “Raising up the deficit as high as they are is notconservative, mainstream Republican. Crossing the line betweenchurch and state is not conservative, mainstream Republican, andallowing the attorney general to trample the civil liberties inAmerica is not conservative, mainstream Republican.”

Kerry also attacked Bush for the job losses under hisadministration and for “allowing the nation’s polluters to rewritethe laws of our country.”

He also lambasted Bush for employing a divisive foreign policy,promising a commitment to multilateralism if he is elected.

“America’s men in uniform will never be held hostage toAmerica’s dependence on oil in the Middle East,” Kerry added.

About 3,000 people turned out to the rally, which was Kerry’sfirst campaign appearance in Illinois. At the earlier campaign stopin Evanston, Kerry and Blagojevich participated in a dialogue todiscuss the rising cost of prescription drugs, according to acampaign press release.

Some Northwestern students who support Kerry and attendedTuesday’s rally at Union Station called the event exhilerating.

“I think it was very encouraging,” said Tom McDonald, aMcCormick freshman, as he left the rally with a “John Kerry” posterin his hands.

McDonald said he was impressed by the clarity that Kerry used tolay out his policies. One issue he was happy to see Kerry addresswas the environment — an issue that McDonald said concernshim.

“President Bush didn’t even bother to mention the environment inhis State of the Union address,” McDonald said.

Others found the speech to be exciting — but standard-fare asfar as Kerry’s speeches go.

“It wasn’t anything new,” Weinberg freshman Andy Gupta said.