Vice President Dick Cheney appeared at the Convocation Center at a Sept. 18 Republican fundraiser and took stabs at presidential contender Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.).

The event, which drew about 2,500 people, was part of House Speaker Dennis Hastert’s (R-Ill.) “Mega Event 2004: A Rally for America” fundraiser.

“The constant back-and-forth may be good for windsurfing, but not for running for president of the United States,” Cheney said.

Cheney described Kerry as “an opponent who adopts a new position on the war every day” and whose shifts in attitude are “startling.”

Cheney also spoke about the growing economy and the 1.7 million jobs the Bush administration created last year.

“The Bush tax cuts are working,” Cheney said. “We’re working to make the Bush tax cuts permanent.”

Outside the arena, protesters gathered near Stevenson Towers. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin spoke at a Democratic rally.

Hastert said he was glad Durbin was in DeKalb, but added that he would prefer it if Durbin were in Washington helping him pass an energy bill.

Cheney and President George W. Bush went on to win re-election nearly two months later.