public financing

U.S. Sen. John Kerry said Sunday that Republican presidential nominee John McCain would continue the same policies implemented by Republican President George W. Bush.

Kerry, a frequent surrogate for Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama, appeared on NBC's Meet the Press in the show's final episode before the election on Tuesday.

"John McCain does not represent a break with George Bush," the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee said. "I mean, yesterday he was endorsed by Dick Cheney. He earned that endorsement by supporting this administration 90 percent of the time."

Kerry, a Boston Democrat, also criticized McCain for running a negative campaign. "This has been one of the most divisive campaigns in history," he said. "John McCain [said] he wanted this campaign to be about big ideas and he wanted it to respect the American people's desire not to be negative. It's been the most negative--100 percent of his advertising is negative."

Telecom immunity. Public financing. Faith-based initiatives. NAFTA. Just words?

Until this year, all presidential nominees have accepted federal money and the restrictions that come with it.