AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart's Obsession With His Past STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 08:01:57 PM ----- BODY: "Since I am a little less fascinated with Gary Hart than Gary Hart is, I had not planned on writing about him again so soon," says Roger Simon in his latest column. "But on Sunday the Dallas Morning News printed an interview with Hart in which Hart attempts to re-write his past.

"There is a curious disconnect between Hart's supporters and Hart when it comes to his past, by the way. While Hart's supporters don't want to think about Hart's past, Hart is obsessed with it. Or, more particularly, with revising it."

Meanwhile, Gary Hart's blog has been silent for more than a week. Mickey Kaus calls it a "cautious, dull, Aspen Institutish blog." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Santorum Stung By Criticism Over Letter STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 03:02:27 PM ----- BODY: "Not long after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum sent out a letter asking for money for a nonprofit group lobbying against same-sex marriages," the Philadelphia Inquirer reports. "This mass mailing has generated a new round of criticism of the senator from gay-rights advocates" who said Santorum, "by seemingly equating terrorism and gay marriage, had showed a stunning lack of judgment."

Andrew Sullivan wonders "if Santorum has ever had a discussion with an actual gay person." However, Atrios discovers it wouldn't be hard to find a gay person if he visited his district office in Scranton, PA. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Rick Santorum ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Problems With Saturday Debate Coverage STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 12:25:47 PM ----- BODY: The Hotline asks an interesting question: "With the debate ending fairly late on the East Coast (10:30pm) coupled with the earlier-than-normal deadlines newspapers have heading into to their money-making Sunday editions, how many papers will even have a debate story?"

The late night also means "the first interesting exchange of the debate will be the most frequent Sunday paper lead, due mostly to time, and George Stephanopoulos will have the most influence on the subject of that exchange (can someone say Kerry v. Dean?)"

The Boston Globe previews the debate: "With the first presidential contest still nine months away, bitter private and public sniping among the Democratic contenders is already underway, shaping the contours of campaign 2004 and setting the stage for a pointed debate between the candidates Saturday night in South Carolina."

Update: Matthew Langer has more on the debate. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: South Carolina debate ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Spin Direct From The Campaigns STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 11:44:42 AM ----- BODY: If you haven't seen it yet, check out The Notepad from ABC News. It contains "irreverent and breezy" daily dispatches (in 200 words or less) from each of the presidential campaigns. I've added it to Political Wire's newly updated links page. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: political buzz ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt Leads In Iowa STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 11:24:49 AM ----- BODY: Rep. Richard Gephardt "has widened his lead in a poll of likely voters in the January 2004 Iowa Democratic presidential caucus," according to a new Zogby poll. "Gephardt received the support of one-in four (25%), compared to 13% who said they would support Massachusetts Senator John Kerry. Connecticut Senator Joseph Lieberman slipped to third place at 9%, joining the balance of Democratic presidential aspirants earning only single digits." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Importance Of Sidney Blumenthal STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 11:19:13 AM ----- BODY: The Clinton Wars by Sidney Blumenthal "is unblurbed, but Rick Hertzberg of The New Yorker, one of a handful of people who has read it," told The Note, "The Clinton Wars is full of astounding revelations. I had no idea Sid was so important." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0374125023 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Sidney Blumenthal ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Powell's Wife Writes Children's Books STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 10:27:21 AM ----- BODY: Alma Powell, the wife of Secretary of State Colin Powell, has written a children's book called America's Promise. The Reliable Source says the book was written "to spread the word about -- and raise money for -- the educational nonprofit she co-chairs with former Pennsylvania senator Harris Wofford."

CBS News says she's also come out with a companion book called My Little Wagon. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0060521724 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Alma Powell ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman Leads In South Carolina STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 10:15:00 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Joseph Lieberman "continues to lead in awareness, favorability, and ballot preference among likely Democratic primary voters in South Carolina," according to an American Research Group poll. Nineteen percent of likely Democratic primary voters in South Carolina say they would vote for Lieberman, but 47 percent remain undecided. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: south carolina primary ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: More On Hart's Underground Campaign STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 10:04:18 AM ----- BODY: Lysander saw Gary Hart speak at Georgetown earlier this week. "About 50 were on hand, many of them uncommitted College Democrats, a few interested parties from the community at large, and a few clearly devoted Hart-throbs. About 15 people signed up for more information on what was evidently a campaign in gestation -- at the end of the event, two Hart aides tried to recruit interns for the summer, speaking in vague, wink-wink terms about Dr. Hart's future activities."

Reuters says "Hart talks like a candidate and acts like a candidate, but he said on Tuesday he is in no rush to make it official." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The McCain Primary STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 09:40:46 AM ----- BODY: "There's a race among Democrats to be anointed as this year's straight-talking candidate as they attempt to re-create" Sen. John McCain's "success in appealing to independents and swing voters in the key primary states," The Hill reports. "Although McCain has longstanding relationships with Sens. Joe Lieberman of Connecticut and John Kerry of Massachusetts," Howard Dean "still is emerging as the favorite in the McCain primary." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John McCain Democratic primary maverick ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Problem With So Many Candidates STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 09:36:50 AM ----- BODY: Some say the "early sniping" among Democratic presidential contenders "is indicative of the unusually large field of nine candidates, and is a reflection of their attempt to winnow their ranks in the absence of formal primaries and caucuses that do not begin until January," the Boston Globe reports.

In the Wall Street Journal, John Harwood complains that "this week's debate among 2004 Democratic presidential candidates... will be garbled by three people with no good reason to be there." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Democratic presidential candidates ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Pataki Seen Seeking Higher Office STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 09:34:38 AM ----- BODY: "Political cynics describe" New York Gov. Pataki's "bold decision to fight the Legislature yesterday as a national play for Republican support - and possibly for higher political office," the New York Post reports.

In a related article, The Economist says "His new sternness, it is widely believed, may enable Mr Pataki to leave New York in a glow to join the Bush administration, and let somebody else clean up the state's mess." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Pataki ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Illinois, Democrats Put Edgar Put On Notice STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 09:30:05 AM ----- BODY: Confirming an earlier report, a Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesman said "that if former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar (R) runs for the Senate, Democrats will hit him on ethics issues," the Chicago Sun-Times reports. "The move appears to be designed to discourage the state GOP's most formidable candidate from getting into the race." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jim Edgar ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt's Support Called "Tepid" STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 09:25:35 AM ----- BODY: "Early support from two chief constituencies" of Rep. Dick Gephardt's -- Iowans and organized labor --- "that are essential to the White House hopes of the Missouri Democrat has been surprisingly tepid so far," The Hill reports.

However, Roll Call says Gephardt "will unveil a list of roughly four-dozen previously uncommitted House supporters of his presidential bid within the next three weeks, capping the announcement with the endorsement of Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Iraq Fades As An Issue STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 09:22:06 AM ----- BODY: The Democratic presidential candidates "are focusing primarily on domestic issues... while attacking Presdent Bush's record at home," the Christian Science Monitor reports. "Many candidates, who just a few weeks ago were routinely grilled on their views of the war, now rarely encounter Iraq-related questions." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Iraq presidential campaign ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Arkansas, Hutchinson Signals Senate Intentions STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/30/2003 09:07:34 AM ----- BODY: Former Rep. Asa Hutchinson, (R-AR), now an official in the Homeland Security Department, "has signaled to the White House that he will challenge Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D) if asked," Roll Call reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Asa Hutchinson ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart On The Future Of Freedom STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 04:21:58 PM ----- BODY: Continuing to stake out ground as the thinking person's candidate, Gary Hart reviews Fareed Zakaria's The Future of Freedom in the Washington Monthly and notes Zakaria is "a serious enough thinker and has produced a serious enough book to require serious attention." Nonetheless, Hart does not embrace Zakaria's solution to the problems he sees with American democracy: "Delegation of authority to institutions (perhaps like the Federal Reserve Board) above and beyond the murky souk of politics is an approach he favors. Wise men and women, beyond ambition and far from the reach of grubby electoral politics, would make long-term policy and that, in turn, would be implemented by the people's elected representatives." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0393047644 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Big Question On Clinton's Book STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 12:26:33 PM ----- BODY: When asked if Hillary Clinton's new book, Living History, "will deal with her husband's dalliance with Monica Lewinsky and the resulting impeachment trial, attorney Robert Barnett -- who represents both Hillary and Bill Clinton in the literary arena" -- told the Washington Post, "People will just have to read the book, but I can tell you it is a complete and candid account."

The New York Daily News says former President Clinton, "who agreed to a $10 million deal with Random House for his memoir in 2001, has a lot more work to do," but his Barnett said he hopes to publish his book in time for the 2004 election. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0743222245 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Hillary Clinton book ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Is It Too Early? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 11:44:19 AM ----- BODY: With the first debate of Democratic candidates scheduled for this weekend, Roger Simon answers critics who say it's too early to start the 2004 campaign: "Crowded fields cause the candidates to start early because they have to raise money, hire staff and sew up the support of party activists in a very competitive environment. To put it another way: If you snooze, you lose." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: presidential campaign too early ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Deep Throat Uncovered STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 11:26:52 AM ----- BODY: "After a four-year investigation, students at the University of Illinois have determined the identity of Deep Throat, the most elusive, anonymous news source in history: Fred Fielding, deputy counsel to former President Richard Nixon -- not Patrick Buchanan, as speculated in a Dateline NBC report last year."

Meanwhile, Bob Woodward declined to comment to National Public Radio. And the Cleveland Plain Dealer quotes Carl Berstein saying the school's journalism program "should be disaccredited." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: deep throat ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Davis Recall Efforts Fades STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 09:57:25 AM ----- BODY: "After an initial surge of support last month, the effort to remove" California Gov. Gray Davis "from office is falling behind schedule in collecting signatures and raising money from wealthy patrons," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. "Unlike most ballot campaigns, recall organizers do not have enough money to hire people to gather signatures from voters."

Update: Jay Leno: "Later this week President Bush is coming to California. He is going to meet with our own Governor Davis, and the two of them are going to sit down and come up with the worst economic plan ever." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gray Davis recal ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Approval Rating Slips STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 09:50:10 AM ----- BODY: As predicted by his own pollster, a Fox News poll shows President Bush's approval rating is already slipping as "Americans turn their attention to the nation's economy, with a clear majority saying a candidate's position on the economy will matter most in deciding their vote in the next election." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush approval rating ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean Blasts Rivals STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 09:29:36 AM ----- BODY: Howard Dean (D) told the San Francisco Chronicle that his rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination "don't have the courage to stand up on issues including gay rights, funding for children's programs and health care." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: LaRouche Runs Again STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 09:20:56 AM ----- BODY: Lyndon LaRouche told reporters that he "is seeking the Democratic nomination for the sixth time since 1980," the Marquette Tribune reports.

Democrats "say there is no way" LaRouche "will be allowed to take part in Saturday's nationally televised presidential debate because he is neither a Democrat nor a legal voter," the Charleston Post and Courier reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Lyndon LaRouche ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman Leads In National Poll STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 09:18:04 AM ----- BODY: A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup Poll on the 2004 presidential election finds Sen. Joe Lieberman "holding a slight edge over the field of nine Democratic candidates." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Joe Lieberman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Slams Dean On War STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 09:15:46 AM ----- BODY: "Now that America is on the brink of declaring victory in Iraq," Sen. John Kerry "has suddenly launched a slashing attack on" Howard Dean (D), "slamming him as soft on defense," the New York Post reports. The New York Times notes Kerry's campaign "issued a statement maintaining that it raised 'serious questions about his capacity to serve as commander in chief.'"

Meanwhile, Kerry aides confirmed "that the campaign has begun recording footage for campaign purposes," PoliticsNH.com reports. "It could be evidence that Kerry intends to start making commercials and be the first candidate on the air." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Watts Uses GOPAC To Stay In Politics STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/29/2003 09:02:10 AM ----- BODY: Former Rep. J.C. Watts (R-OK) "plans to use his new post as chairman of GOPAC to preserve and extend the Republicans' governing majority by reaching into communities for voters that traditionally back Democrats -- blacks, Hispanics and others," the Washington Times reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0060194367 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Blumenthal Buzz STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 12:45:02 PM ----- BODY: Matt Drudge says Sidney Blumenthal's new book, The Clinton Wars, claims Hardball host Chris Matthews "applied to be Clinton White House press secretary following the departure of Dee Dee Myers."

Update: The Washington Monthly runs an excerpt of Blumenthal's book regarding Clinton's Kosovo campaign and the similarities with Bush's war in Iraq. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0374125023 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Sidney Blumenthal ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clinton's Book Ready STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 10:35:49 AM ----- BODY: The "long awaited book" about Hillary Clinton's years in the White House "will have a first printing of one million copies," the AP reports. "The 576-page tome, entitled Living History, will be released June 9. An audio version, read by Clinton, will be released the same day." Here's the book's cover. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Hillary Clinton book ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Armey To Write Book STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 10:22:27 AM ----- BODY: Former House Majority Leader Dick Armey's new book is due out this fall. It's called Armey's Axioms: 40 Hard-Earned Truths from Politics, Faith and Life and was "purchased by Wiley for an estimated advance of $100,000 to $250,000," according to Washington Whispers. "Conservative talk-show host Sean Hannity will pen the intro."

A source tells Political Wire that many of these "axioms" are simply reprinted from Armey's previous book, The Freedom Revolution. Someone has reprinted a summary on their web site. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0895264692 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Dick Armey ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Delays Decision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 09:15:43 AM ----- BODY: Gary Hart "has pushed back his decision until 'late spring or early summer,'" the Rocky Mountain News reports.

Meanwhile, Lysander summarizes the emails I'm getting from many readers recently: "Hart has his quirks and his failings, and odds are he will not come close to winning the Democratic presidential nomination. But none of these things alter the fact that, with the possible exception of Sen. Bob Graham, Hart is more qualified and ready to serve as president than any other Democrat. He is arguably still more qualified even than the incumbent." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Crushes Edwards In North Carolina Poll STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 09:14:34 AM ----- BODY: In a hypothetical presidential campaign matchup, President Bush would carry North Carolina over Sen. John Edwards, 58 percent to 39 percent, according to a new poll commissioned by the Raleigh News and Observer. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Inside The Bush Campaign STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 08:50:46 AM ----- BODY: Time provides an "inside look" at the Bush "campaign playbook" and notes that, although the President's advisers "insist that the re-election campaign has not begun," that "is simply spin, a transparent effort to keep Bush enthroned as the regal war President for as long as possible. In many ways, the campaign that nearly failed in 2000 has never ended. When Karl Rove, the President's celebrated political strategist, drew up Bush's campaign strategy in 1998, he was thinking ahead not just two years but six, to 2004, because re-election is what defines a successful presidency."

The most important point in the piece: "The Bush team leaves nothing to chance, and so for 2004, Rove is applying the Powell doctrine of overwhelming force to politics."

Update: Washington Whispers has this interesting tidbit from the last race: "Former President Bush blames his son's stunning New Hampshire 2000 primary loss on two words he uttered during a campaign stop: 'my boy.' White House aide Karl Rove says the elder Bush was so 'mortified' by the reaction that he stopped making public appearances. Critics used the comment to diminish the younger Bush's stature. But Rove reveals in a new campaign review that 'we were going to lose before that day, for reasons unconnected with the former president's appearance, but to this day, you cannot convince him of that.'" ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush campaign Karl Rove ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham's "Workdays" Strategy STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 08:46:13 AM ----- BODY: The Miami Herald looks at how Sen. Bob Graham's "workdays" strategy "transformed the candidate" from "shy and introspective" to "became outgoing and expansive." He was "elected twice as governor and three times to the U.S. Senate, a man with such a good feel for Florida's pulse that he has become the state's most popular politician."

Meanwhile, the New York Times says Graham "criticized" rival Rep. Dick Gephardt for his "call for universal health care coverage, saying Democrats should not repeat President Bill Clinton's failed attempt to push through a huge revamping of the health care system."

CNN says Graham also accused President Bush "of being 'reckless and irresponsible' with the economy and mistaken in his efforts to halt terrorism around the world." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Ohio, Springer Moves Ahead With Senate Bid STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 08:41:24 AM ----- BODY: Talk show host Jerry Springer "said he will form an exploratory committee in the coming weeks" for a possible Senate bid, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Springer "will put up his own money to seed his exploratory committee" and "said he will decide by July." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jerry Springer ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Are Clark Supporters Aiming Too High? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 08:39:15 AM ----- BODY: "There's a burgeoning 'Draft Clark' boomlet among voters uninspired by the nine announced Democratic presidential candidates," the Kansas City Star reports. Some see retired Gen. Wesley Clark "as the Democrats' best chance to topple President Bush in 2004, even though Clark won't indicate whether he is a Democrat."

Meanwhile, Fox News plays up the veep angle, saying "most political experts think" Clark "might be aiming too high if he's considering a run for president in 2004." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Democrats Converge On South Carolina STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 08:36:18 AM ----- BODY: "South Carolina's first-in-the-South vote has sparked an all-out blitz by some of the campaigns to grease as many palms of potential endorsers as possible in the hope it will translate into front-runner status," the Charleston Post and Courier reports.

Meanwhile, the Democratic presidential debate next weekend in South Carolina, the Atlanta Journal Constitution says with just 10 minutes each to speak, "it's unclear how much the full-dress campaign kickoff will matter" and "the result could well be cacophony." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Democratic debate South Carolina ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Democrats Agree On Civil Unions STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 08:30:05 AM ----- BODY: "Almost all of the Democratic presidential candidates favor allowing gay couples to enter into civil unions, an unprecedented level of agreement on an issue that has caused moral and political discord in communities and state governments," the Boston Globe reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Democrats civil unions ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Sullivan Answers Critics STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/28/2003 07:59:30 AM ----- BODY: Andrew Sullivan and responds to many who criticized his comments on Sen. Rick Santorum's remarks: "I don't consider myself a Republican. Never have. Given what some of the party base represent, I'm relieved not to carry that burden. It may be necessary to support Republicans at times - in the war on terror, for example, we have precious little choice right now. But no-one should ignore the dark thread of big-government intolerance that exists in the G.O.P. It's still there; and it threatens you and me." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Andrew Sullivan ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Confessions of a Spin Doctor STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/27/2003 11:02:21 AM ----- BODY: The New York Times reviews Falling Up: How a Redneck Helped Invent Political Consulting by Raymond Strother, a memoir with the ultimate message "that helping someone get elected does not mean you should help the winner govern."

For more on the differences between campaigning and governing, see my book You Won - Now What? ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0807128562 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Raymond Strother ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Could Be Write-In Candidate In Several States STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/27/2003 10:55:12 AM ----- BODY: "It turns out Alabama isn't the only state scrambling to figure out what it needs to do to ensure that the president's name will appear on the state ballot next year," the Washington Post reports.

"The GOP's unusually late nominating convention -- it does not begin until Aug. 30 -- is the problem." But that "falls after the deadline for certifying presidential candidates not only in Alabama, but also in California, the District of Columbia and West Virginia."

Bob Novak reminds us that "Democrats have been sniping that the Bush political high command tried to take advantage of the 9/11 terrorist attacks by scheduling the 2004 Republican National Convention in September, an unusually late date." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush write in candidate ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Historians Puzzled Over Bush STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/27/2003 10:47:42 AM ----- BODY: President Bush "is a colorful and elusive target for a raft of professors trying to explain how a semi-prepared Texan, armed with simple eloquence and prickly certitude, managed to elevate the office but alienate much of the world after the catastrophe of Sept. 11, 2001," the Washington Post's Mike Allen write.

In addition, Bush "has not been particularly friendly to historians: He signed an executive order making it easier for officials to classify documents, gave former presidents a veto over the release of their papers, and in most cases allows his staff to give only the most sanitized accounts of life in his White House." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: President Bush ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clinton-Schumer Relationship Called Rocky STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/27/2003 10:44:10 AM ----- BODY: "The disclosure that Sen. Chuck Schumer has a phenomenal $15 million cash on hand for his 2004 re-election bid in New York further roiled his stormy relationship with the state's junior senator, Hillary Rodham Clinton," Bob Novak writes. "Democratic sources say Clinton was furious that Schumer had encroached on her territory in soliciting her key political donors." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Schumer Clinton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Georgia Drops Confederate Emblem On Flag STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/26/2003 01:26:21 PM ----- BODY: Georgia's Democrats and Republicans united "to strip away the Confederate battle emblem from Gov. Sonny Perdue's flag referendum," the Atlanta Journal Constitution reports. "State lawmakers instead created a single, two-flag contest next March in which voters could indicate their preference between the current state flag raised by then-Gov. Roy Barnes two years ago and the new flag contained in the Perdue referendum." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Georgia flag ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Illinois, Scandals Could Dog Edgar STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/26/2003 01:16:57 PM ----- BODY: Thomas Rosser believes a Jim Edgar Senate candidacy in Illinois "brings us a pungent whiff from the past. Just as George Ryan's scandals start fading into the mist, ethical problems associated with Edgar's governorship will be resurrected in primary and general elections... Any thought that his old news would not be made issue No. 1 by the Democrats is hopelessly naive."

Yesterday, Edgar met with key advisors to discuss the pros and cons of a Senate candidacy. The AP says "the former governor, who now teaches at the University of Illinois, was not expected to come to a decision this weekend." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jim Edgar ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: What The Candidates Are Reading STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 02:49:30 PM ----- BODY: The Washington Monthly runs an interesting piece on "how presidential candidates try to impress reporters with their reading lists."

This year, the candidates "are toting the perfect 'safe' book: volume three of Robert Caro's award-winning biographical series on Lyndon Johnson, Master of the Senate. The book is popular, serious, and imparts just the sort of gravitas presidential aspirants seek."

When asked, here are what the candidates said are their favorite books:

Sen. John Edwards -- The Trial of Socrates by I.F. Stone.
Rep. Richard Gephardt -- Truman by David McCullough
Sen. Bob Graham -- John Adams by David McCullogh and Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez.
Sen. John Kerry -- Twenty Love Poems and A Song of Despair by Pablo Neruda and Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose.
Sen. Joseph Lieberman -- The Bible
Howard Dean -- Sometimes a Great Notion by Ken Kesey
Carol Moseley Braun Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, The Lives of a Cell: Notes of a Biology Watcher by Lewis Thomas, Personal History by Katharine Graham, and Foucault's Pendulum by Umberto Eco.
"Apparently, neither Al Sharpton nor Dennis Kucinich spends much time reading, since neither produced a title despite repeated requests."

Shameless self-promotion: Of course, after the election they're all hoping their favorite book will be You Won - Now What? ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: books presidential candidates ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Still Sounds Like A Candidate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 01:50:19 PM ----- BODY: Continuing his cross country tour, Gary Hart "said he's the best Democratic hopeful to challenge President Bush because of his experience in foreign policy and national security," the Arizona Republic reports. Hart "is visiting three to five states a week" and "said he could raise $3 million to $5 million in matchable money by the end of the year. He said he would use the Internet to raise lots of small contributions." Furthermore, Hart says "he knows what it takes to win a national campaign" and will make a final decision "by the end of spring."

The Oregonian previews Hart's trip to the Portland area.

However, Roger Simon isn't very supportive: "I don't really care if Hart runs again or not. But if he does, he runs a risk: That his fantasy of riding to the rescue of his party and nation will be shattered by the harsh reality that he has nothing new or unique to say and voters could care less about his victimhood." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clark Continues To "Flirt" With Candidacy STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 01:28:35 PM ----- BODY: Although recent events make it seem unlikely, the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire notes that Gen. Wesley Clark "continues flirting with a Democratic candidacy, partly through 'Leadership for America' forums across the country."

The Washington Times notes "another sign came this week" that Clark "plans to run as a Democrat if he seeks political office. The former NATO commander hosted a panel discussion at Georgetown University on postwar Iraq. The session turned out to be several hours of intense bashing of President Bush."

However, even Kos, who helped launch the Draft Clark website, now says the former general "probably won't run." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Rove Tells Gingrich To Tone It Down STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 01:17:55 PM ----- BODY: According to the Washington Post's Al Kamen, Karl Rove "had a little chat" with Newt Gingrich after his remarks critical of the State Department earlier this week. "Something about how dissension in the ranks is most unhelpful. Gingrich, post-speech, lowered his profile and declined a slew of television talk-show appearance requests. His spokesman said there were just too many to handle." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Newt Gingrich ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Illinois, Edgar Calls Advisers Together STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 10:25:42 AM ----- BODY: Former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar (R) "is calling a summit meeting of advisers today as he ponders whether to run for the U.S. Senate," the Chicago Sun-Times reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jim Edgar ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Florida, Harris Sets Sights On Senate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 10:23:59 AM ----- BODY: Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) said "she may jump into next year's U.S. Senate race in Florida," the Miami Herald reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0785264434 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Katherine Harris ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Sets Announcement For May 6 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 10:21:19 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham on May 6 "will formally kick off his campaign," the Miami Herald reports. "Immediately after the announcement, Graham will head back to Iowa and New Hampshire."

The Des Moines Register says Graham "made a quick change to his schedule that will have him visiting Iowa two weeks earlier than first planned," but whether it signals he "is going to campaign hard in Iowa or that he's symbolically squeezing in a trip to the leadoff caucus state remains to be seen." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Blair's Secret War Meetings STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 02:51:00 AM ----- BODY: British Prime Minister Tony Blair "took repeated secret advice" from former president Bill Clinton "on how to unlock the diplomatic impasse between Europe and the US in the build-up to the war on Iraq," the Guardian reports.

Blair and Clinton "met at least three times to discuss the war, underlining the extent to which Mr Blair rates Mr Clinton's analytical powers, despite the bond of trust he has also formed with the Republican White House."

As you may recall, Clinton wrote a very favorable opinion piece on Blair's judgement before the war started. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Clinton Blair ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The War From The White House STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/25/2003 01:00:11 AM ----- BODY: In an interview with Tom Brokaw, President Bush "gave a detailed account of how the war looked from his perspective as commander in chief," the New York Times reports.

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal notes "Bush faces a series of fundamental national-security decisions in which he will have to settle a nasty feud between his two most powerful cabinet members -- Powell and Rumsfeld."

For the latest from Iraq, see the War Wire. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: White House war Bush ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt Bets His Campaign On Health Care STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 10:55:57 PM ----- BODY: Rep. Richard Gephardt "is betting that he can trigger a debate over the party's direction that will enhance his appeal to the liberal activists who were offended by his support of Bush's war policies," the Washington Post's Dan Balz says. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Richard Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In California, Issa Works To Oust Davis STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 05:14:17 PM ----- BODY: Rep. Darrell Issa, "a multimillionaire Republican car-alarm magnate," said he will "devote himself personally and lend financial support to the recall campaign against Gov. Gray Davis and announced his interest in replacing the governor," the Sacramento Bee reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gray Davis recall ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Matthews Previews Campaign STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 03:30:28 PM ----- BODY: Chris Matthews "previewed the 2004 election and analyzed the Democratic candidates for president" at a recent appearance in New Haven, the Yale Daily News reports. Among the more interesting observations: Matthews said he "liked the prospects" of Yale alums Sen. John Kerry and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean.

Al Sharpton is "the sharpest knife in the drawer -- he's just got baggage."

"Matthews also pointed to suspicious fund-raising tactics of Sen. John Edwards" and "called the tactics 'illegal.'"

As for New Haven native Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Matthews said it would be "tricky" for Lieberman to win the nomination because he "is to the far right of the Democratic Party's liberal voting base." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0743240863 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Democratic presidential candidates ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Green And Alterman To Write Book On Bush STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 03:04:05 PM ----- BODY: "Former New York mayoral candidate Mark Green and political writer Eric Alterman are teaming up to write a Viking Penguin book about President Bush," the New York Daily News reports. The book is titled The Book on Bush: Truth and Consequences for Our 43rd President. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Eric Alterman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Florida GOP Puts Squeeze On Graham STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 10:15:53 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham's "political foes back home are trying to make life more complicated for him," the Miami Herald reports. "A proposed new election law establishing earlier dates for state primaries would also have a little-recognized effect of forcing U.S. Senate candidates to file for office as early as mid-March, potentially weeks or months before a Democratic presidential nominee is chosen.

"For Graham, that means he would face a potentially unsettling choice before he knows his fate as a presidential candidate -- cede to pressure from national Democrats wary of losing his seat in the Senate to Republicans but give up his White House dreams or take his best shot at the presidential nomination but give up his Senate career for sure." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Leads In New York STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 09:44:03 AM ----- BODY: A new Quinnipiac University poll shows President Bush leading all Democrats running for president in New York, including Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Sen. Clinton has a 52 to 36 percent approval rating and New York voters say 59 to 37 percent that she should not run for President next year.

Another Quinnipiac University poll shows New York Gov. George Pataki's approval rating has tumbled to his lowest net approval ever. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush New York ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman, Graham Fight For Same Turf STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 08:15:57 AM ----- BODY: The Hartford Courant's David Lightman writes "Bob Graham is precisely the kind of person Joe Lieberman didn't want to have to run against for president.

"Both are veteran 60-something U.S. senators. Their resumes are nearly identical - both were elected to their state Senates in 1970, then held statewide offices and got elected to the U.S. Senate in the 1980s. Their calm, even humble styles are the same. They both promote themselves as moderates. They're both foreign policy wonks.

"And they both are counting on Florida, the nation's fourth-largest state, for big money and lots of votes." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham Lieberman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Santorum Digs A Deeper Hole STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 07:57:24 AM ----- BODY: Andrew Sullivan says Sen. Rick Santorum's full remarks "are far more alarming than the small, doctored quote that created the immediate fuss." He devotes his entire blog today to the controversy. It's well worth reading.

The Philadelphia Inquirer notes "While some Democrats hammered Santorum, Republican politicians have for the most part remained silent, apparently waiting to take their cue from President Bush, who has avoided commenting on the issue thus far."

However, Washington Whispers says Santorum will not be forced to resign his leadership post for two reasons: "Unlike Lott, he isn't the top Senate GOP leader and is unknown to most Americans. Second, while the administration supported Lott's resignation because the controversy appeared to spoil the White House outreach to African-Americans, the White House isn't trying to woo gays."

Update: CNN reports "two fellow Republican senators criticized comments by Sen. Rick Santorum about homosexuality as 'unfortunate' and said they don't represent the ideals held by their party." But the Washington Post says Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist defended Santorum as a "voice for inclusion and compassion." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Rick Santorum ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Criminal Probe Looks At Edwards Donations STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/24/2003 01:21:59 AM ----- BODY: The Justice Department "has initiated an investigation into contributions made by employees of a prominent Little Rock law firm to the presidential campaign of Sen. John Edwards," the Washington Post reports.

"Law enforcement sources in Little Rock familiar with the inquiry said it is being handled from Washington, not by the local U.S. attorney's office. That suggests the investigation might extend beyond the [local] firm's contributions."

The New York Times makes the key political point: "The inquiry may draw further attention to Mr. Edwards's heavy dependence on donations from fellow personal-injury lawyers." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Santorum's Stumble STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 08:29:25 PM ----- BODY: Howard Kurtz weighs in: "At least Trent Lott had the good sense to apologize. Rick Santorum doesn't seem to grasp why people are upset by his corrosive comments about gays."

Glenn Reynolds says "what really struck me about his remarks was their near-total incoherence." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Rick Santorum ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: GOP Memo: Bush Approval Will Fall STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 04:58:04 PM ----- BODY: A Republican memo being sent to party members across the country "predicts that President Bush's high approval ratings will soon 'drop to more realistic levels' and that some polls may show him behind Democratic rivals, but cautions that such a development should not be cause for alarm," CNN reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush approval ratings ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Who's The Traitor? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 02:49:22 PM ----- BODY: Wyeth Wire wonders why Newt Gingrich isn't being compared to the "traitor" Tom Daschle:

Sen. Tom Daschle (March 18): "I'm saddened, saddened that this president failed so miserably at diplomacy that we're now forced to war. Saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn't create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country."

Newt Gingrich (April 22): "The last seven months have involved six months of diplomatic failure and one month of military success. The first days after military victory indicate the pattern of diplomatic failure is beginning once again and threatens to undo the effects of military victory."

Interestingly, Time ran a piece last week suggesting Daschle was slipping into "Newt territory." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Newt Gingrich ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dixie Chicks Defend Comments STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 02:32:20 PM ----- BODY: In an interview with ABC's Diane Sawyer, the Dixie Chicks "finally speak out about controversial comments regarding President Bush made last month overseas during a London concert." Matt Drudge has a partial transcript.

Meanwhile, Bruce Springsteen issued a statement supporting the country trio. ----- EXTENDED BODY: B00006BIMO ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Dixie Chicks ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Could Be Left Off Alabama Ballot STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 02:22:29 PM ----- BODY: Republicans may have a problem if they hold their nominating convention in September 2004, as planned, the AP reports. "Unless Alabama's election law is changed, there could be one notable candidate missing from the state's 2004 presidential election ballot -- President Bush. The problem is that the Republican National Convention is being held later than usual to avoid conflict with the Olympics and the GOP won't choose a candidate until Sept. 2 -- two days after Alabama's Aug. 31 deadline to certify presidential candidates." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush Alabama ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Will Nader Run In 2004? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 01:47:00 PM ----- BODY: Salon looks at a potential re-run of Ralph Nader's Green Party candidacy and finds "some Greens now say we're in a 'national emergency' -- and it's time to join forces with the Democrats to beat Bush."

Nonetheless, "according to national Green Party officials, Nader probably will run." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Ralph Nader ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Illinois, Bush Asks Edgar To Run For Senate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 12:43:59 PM ----- BODY: President Bush telephoned former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar (R) and "urged him to run for Senate next year," the Chicago Tribune reports. "Edgar said he was seriously considering the request."

Roll Call says all other potential Republican candidates are waiting for Edgar to make a decision.

Update: The Hotline says "All the signs are there for a 'yes' on IL SEN from ex-Gov. Jim Edgar: The dinner with NRSC folks at Da' Ditka's (mmmm, Ditka's), Rove will keynote a 5/2 event for IL GOP donors; and Edgar, himself, contending that not just any GOPer could win. So at this point, wouldn't it be an embarrassment to Bush if he turned it down? Just as importantly, Edgar's candidacy does more than potentially keep a GOP seat in play, it puts a critical 'Blue' state for WH Dems into the 'Gray' swing area." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jim Edgar ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Democrats Force GOP Comment On Santorum STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 11:18:54 AM ----- BODY: The Note leads with the politics behind the Rick Santorum controversy: "It's pretty clear that the Democratic party, which still is trying to figure out what it does well with its current array of personnel, is exercising the same muscles that allowed it to score point after point in driving Trent Lott from the leadership. The current Democratic gambit seems to be to try to get prominent Republicans to say what they think of Santorum's remarks, and, in some cases, to call for the Senator to be removed from the leadership....

"As best we can tell, the Senator has done one electronic interview (with Fox News Channel) and doesn't have any press strategy for dealing with this beyond hoping it goes away. He certainly isn't apologizing or backing down."

Daily Kos says Santorum "considers the banning of same-sex unions the most important issue facing America" and reprints a fundraising letter to prove his point. Andrew Sullivan's comments and MetaFilter posts are also worth reading.

Update: Last Call asks "Was Santorum absent the day EVERYONE discussed the perils of commenting on controversial issues while Congress is in recess?" ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Rick Santorum ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Future Of Freedom STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 10:48:46 AM ----- BODY: New York magazine profiles Fareed Zakaria who "has the perfect intellectual pedigree (Indian-born, educated at Harvard, conservative) for a fast-changing world, and the kinds of friends in high places who can push a career into overdrive. The first Muslim secretary of State? Don't bet against it." However, Virginia Postrel says Zakaria is mislabeled as a conservative. Patrick Ruffini says if you're an aspiring policy analyst, the article will "leave you wanting to work three times as hard as you do now." Salon calls Zakaria "this season's intellectual pinup."

Meanwhile, Zakaria's new and timely book, The Future of Freedom, is praised in the New York Times Book Review saying "it deserves a wide readership." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0393047644 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Fareed Zakaria ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Oklahoma, Largent Calls It Quits STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 09:19:13 AM ----- BODY: Former Rep. Steve Largent (R-OK), "the surprise loser in last year's Oklahoma gubernatorial race," tells Roll Call's Heard on the Hill that "he's through running for office."

"Amid speculation that Senate Budget Chairman Don Nickles (R-OK) may decide not to run for re-election next year, Largent said his name should be taken out of the mix for that potential race." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Steve Largent ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Karenna Gore Schiff Stakes Out Identity STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 09:06:49 AM ----- BODY: The Hill profiles Karenna Gore Schiff who "seems to have assembled the ingredients for a political career: a passion for issues, family, wealth, an avenue to broadcast her views in Glamour magazine, a $200,000 advance from Miramax Books for a book on unsung American heroines." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Karenna Gore Schiff ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Says He Might Use Personal Wealth STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 08:48:31 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry said that "if Republicans forge ahead with plans to spend $200 million or more on President Bush's reelection campaign," he "would make it a campaign issue and would not rule out tapping his personal wealth to compensate," the Boston Globe reports.

"Responding to a taunt by the White House that he 'looks French,'" Kerry "brushed off the political insult -- saying it's part of an expected barrage of Republican attacks on his character," the Boston Herald reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Urges Others To Run For His Seat STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 08:47:08 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) said "he's urging potential successors to start working on their bids to replace him in the U.S. Senate," the AP reports. This comes as the Orlando Sentinel notes Graham has finally set an official kick off of his presidential campaign.

The Miami Herald notes Graham "will make his initial visit next week to Iowa, the state that in January 2004 will provide the first test of his appeal as a presidential candidate." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards Must Keep Up Pace STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 08:42:26 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Edwards "galloped past his rivals by taking advantage of new campaign finance laws, his Southern roots and strong ties to fellow trial lawyers who've made millions suing tobacco companies, nursing homes and asbestos makers," the Charlotte Observer reports. "The challenge now will be to keep up the pace." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt Unveils Universal Health Proposal STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 08:41:05 AM ----- BODY: "Hitching his Democratic presidential campaign to an ambitious universal medical coverage plan that would be paid for by eliminating most of President Bush's proposed income-tax reductions," Rep. Dick Gephardt will unveil his health insurance plan "in a speech to union workers today in New York," the Kansas City Star reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Georgia, Barr May Quit Race STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/23/2003 03:01:40 AM ----- BODY: The Rothenberg Political Report says "rumors are flying" that former Rep. Bob Barr (R-GA), "who announced his candidacy for the 6th District seat in February, is reconsidering his congressional bid. Barr will make an announcement at an 11am event Wednesday in Atlanta. Our betting is that he's out of the race."

Update: Roll Call confirms Barr will not run. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Barr ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Sharpton Makes It Official STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 10:57:41 PM ----- BODY: "Al Sharpton, under fire for failing to file a quarterly campaign finance report, acknowledged yesterday that he is a candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, and said he will file a detailed fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission on Monday," the Washington Post reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Al Sharpton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gingrich Blasts State Department STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 04:38:46 PM ----- BODY: Newt Gingrich took aim at the State Department in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute: "The last seven months have involved six months of diplomatic failure and one month of military success. The first days after military victory indicate the pattern of diplomatic failure is beginning once again and threatens to undo the effects of military victory."

A Washington Post story says "the battle between the State Department and the Defense Department for control over U.S. foreign policy has intensified... with skirmishes waged almost daily over policy toward North Korea, the Middle East peace process and the reconstruction of Iraq." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: defense state department ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Backs Greenspan For Another Term STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 02:46:43 PM ----- BODY: "Alan Greenspan got the backing of President Bush today for another term as chairman of the Federal Reserve," the New York Times reports. "The president's remarks, in an interview with economic writers, were not surprising. But the timing was significant: Mr. Greenspan, whose comings, goings, musings and utterances are closely followed by the financial markets, underwent surgery today for an enlarged prostate, a fairly common problem among men his age."

The Washington Post says Greenspan "clearly continues to enjoy his work, and if his health remains good, several have said in recent months that they expected him to stay on if asked to do so." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Alan Greenspan ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: More On Sharon Bush's Book STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 01:48:27 PM ----- BODY: The Reliable Source has the latest on Sharon Bush's attempt to write a book on "her life in America's premier political dynasty."

"As far as writing a book went, she hadn't thought too much about specifics. She did not want to be perceived as a woman scorned. . . . She wanted to write the story of . . . how a 'perfect' marriage can explode after 22 years . . . how she bought into the image of the perfect family, but couldn't cope when everyone in that family turned against her. The Bush family preached family values while she practiced them." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Sharon Bush ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: New Site Compiles Data On 2004 Election STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 01:32:57 PM ----- BODY: Porject Vote Smart has rolled out a very useful section on the 2004 presidential campaign. All declared and potential candidates have detailed sections featuring biographical information, public statements and endorsements. For example, see the pages on Kerry, Edwards, Lieberman, Dean, Gephardt, Graham, Braun, Sharpton, Kucinich, Hart, Clark.

The site also offers a detailed schedule of debates and forums with the declared presidential candidates. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: presidential election 2004 ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clark Takes Private Sector Post STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 01:12:19 PM ----- BODY: In a sign that retired Gen. Wesley Clark may not run for president, the Washington Post reports that Clark "was named chairman of the board yesterday by WaveCrest Laboratories LLC, a three-year-old Dulles technology company that is developing a new kind of electric motor."

Update: A Political Wire reader emails this press release saying Clark will also be hosting "two round table discussions of the issues facing America in the aftermath of the war in Iraq." Interestingly, Clark is identified as Chairman of a "non-partisan, non-profit educational group" called Leadership For America, not exactly a platform for the very partisan act of running for president. The group's website is still under construction. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Bush Bounce STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 11:51:56 AM ----- BODY: "As impressive as President Bush's boost in approval ratings following the smashing success of the Iraq war, it is not as tall as his father's bounce after the Persian Gulf War. Nor does it carry the width and breadth of his own post-Sept. 11, 2001, surge in popularity," Charlie Cook writes in his weekly email newsletter.

"The good news for President Bush is that the foreign policy component of his bounce is much more likely to stick with him than his father's did and is arguably more enduring than the one he had after Sept. 11, 2001." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush approval ratings ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman Looks For Money STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 09:22:45 AM ----- BODY: Connecticut's News 12 cable channel reports that Sen. Joe Lieberman was "back home in Connecticut Monday looking to raise some much needed cash for his presidential campaign at a Norwalk fundraiser." However, the biggest problem for the Lieberman camp is the headline: "Lieberman campaign in financial trouble." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Joe Lieberman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: GOP Silent Over Santorum's Comments STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 09:17:29 AM ----- BODY: The White House and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist refused to comment on Sen. Rick Santorum's (R-PA) "comparison of homosexuality to bigamy, polygamy, incest and adultery," the Philadelphia Daily News reports. The Washington Post says Santorum made the remarks in an interview "about a Supreme Court case challenging the constitutionality of a Texas law against sodomy."

Update: Howard Dean blasts Santorum: "The silence with which President Bush and the Republican Party leadership have greeted Sen. Santorum's remarks is deafening. It is the same silence that greeted Senator Lott's offensive remarks in December. It is a silence that implicitly condones a policy of domestic divisiveness, a policy that seeks to divide Americans again and again on the basis of race, gender, class, and sexual orientation."

Interestingly, a Progressive magazine article several years ago reported that "due to his frequent gaffes, Santorum's handlers carefully stage-manage his actions and rarely allow him to be interviewed without his press secretary, who helps the boss field any tough questions." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Rick Santorum ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Finds Message STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 09:14:29 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham "is developing the message that his ability to carry Florida in 2004 should make him a contender," the Orlando Sentinel reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Sharpton Pulls No Punches STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 09:08:11 AM ----- BODY: Proving he is the Democrat least afraid of attacking the current administration, the Augusta Chronicle reports the Rev. Al Sharpton (D) "pulled no punches" in a swing through Georgia, speaking out on issues like the war in Iraq and tax cuts for the wealthy. Sharpton hopes his rhetoric "will separate him from a crowded field of Democratic presidential hopefuls." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Al Sharpton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Calls Strategy Meeting STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 08:18:49 AM ----- BODY: "Word is that Dem presidential hopeful U.S. Sen. John Kerry has called together a meeting of top Dem fund-raisers and strategists for a daylong brainstorming session in Washington, D.C., next week," the Chicago Sun Times reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Plans Major Campaign Blitz In Late 2004 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 02:29:48 AM ----- BODY: "President Bush's advisers have drafted a re-election strategy built around staging the latest nominating convention in the party's history, allowing Mr. Bush to begin his formal campaign near the third anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks and to enhance his fund-raising advantage," the New York Times reports.

Bush's advisers say they are "prepared to spend as much as $200 million -- twice the amount of his first campaign -- to finance television advertising and other campaign expenses through the primary season that leads up to the Republican convention in September 2004. That would be a record amount by a presidential candidate, and would be especially notable because Mr. Bush faces no serious opposition for his party's nomination."

A sidebar lists the major players in Bush's re-election campaign. And The Scrum has questions for Democrats on how they might wage their own campaign. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush re-election strategy ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Focuses On Economic Security STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/22/2003 01:33:44 AM ----- BODY: The Concord Monitor wants Gary Hart to run: "Hart is still the Democrat who best sees the big picture... As 2004 approaches, Hart is still thinking big thoughts. That makes his voice especially valuable in an election campaign that is bound to be uphill for any Democrat. Hart's party again needs a change of direction. He should run for president because he can help make it happen."

Meanwhile, in his weblog, Hart turns his attention to economic security: "Not too long ago Democrats thought they could win on economics ('It's the economy, stupid'). But, while we are generally given slightly more favorable marks on economic fairness, we are way behind with voters on confidence in our strength to manage America's role in the world and our knowledge of how, when, and where to use military force.

Baseball Crank is not impressed, saying Hart "spends too much time talking about how complicated and intricate everything is, and too little time explaining anything clearly." However, Wozz says "the point the Senator makes should be completely obvious, and yet - as proven by the abject failure of the Democrats in this past November's elections - it's evidently not." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Post-War Optimism May Not Translate Into Republican Gains STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 10:08:35 PM ----- BODY: The latest Ipsos Public Affairs/Cook Political Report Poll finds a narrowing gap between President Bush's job approval rating and confidence over whether the country is on the right track. Full topline results are available. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush job approval ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lawmaker Rent Subsidized By Secret Church STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 07:55:11 PM ----- BODY: "Six members of Congress live in a $1.1 million Capitol Hill townhouse that is subsidized by a secretive religious organization," the AP reports. The lawmakers -- Reps. Zach Wamp (R-TN), Bart Stupak (D-MI) Jim DeMint (R-SC), Mike Doyle (D-PA) and Sens. John Ensign (R-NV) and Sam Brownback (R-KS) -- "pay low rent to live in the stately red brick, three-story house on C Street, two blocks from the Capitol. It is maintained by a group alternately known as the 'Fellowship' and the 'Foundation' that brings together world leaders and elected officials through religion."

Update: Metafilter has more background information on the religious group that owns the building. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Six members of Congress religious group ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In California, Wilson Would Carry Baggage STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 03:55:09 PM ----- BODY: Although a poll last week suggested former Gov. Pete Wilson (R) "may be tanned, rested and ready to return to California's political battlefield," the San Francisco Chronicle's John Wildermuth says "a 2004 race against Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer could dig up issues Republicans in Sacramento and Washington, D. C., would rather keep buried." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Pete Wilson ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Campaign and Suffering STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 03:44:21 PM ----- BODY: The Washington Post reviews Falling Up: How a Redneck Helped Invent Political Consulting by Raymond Strother, a memoir of the author's "life in politics and his inside-baseball examination of the world of the political consultant." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0807128562 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: political consulting ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Carville's New Book STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 03:27:36 PM ----- BODY: I just learned James Carville has a new book coming out later this year titled Had Enough? A Handbook For Taking Back The Congress, The White House And The Country. However, Amazon is not yet listing the book. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: James Carville ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Use of Pen Names STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 03:14:21 PM ----- BODY: Several readers sent emails criticizing my recent decision to reference anonymous bloggers such as The Scrum, Daily Kos and Lysander's Letters. I know it's a judgement call, but in each case I either know the writer or respect their editorial judgement.

The use of pen names played an important role in United States political history. "Publius" was the pseudonym used by Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James Madison when writing the Federalist Papers. These 85 articles, published pseudonymously in newspapers during 1787 and 1788, were influential in convincing New York voters to ratify the proposed United States constitution.

For an interesting take on the history of writing under pen names and its implications for the Internet, see this Cato Institute briefing paper. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: pen names ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Candidates Miss Key Votes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 02:11:03 PM ----- BODY: The Boston Globe writes about recent Senate votes on Medicaid funding and education reform might have had different outcomes if senators running for president had been present. "Such close roll-call votes are rare, and with Republicans controlling the Senate, Vice President Dick Cheney would be available to break any ties. But as the 2004 presidential campaign gets underway, the four senators vying for the Democratic nomination are spending more time on the road talking about issues, and less time voting on them." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: missed votes Senate ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Indiana, Daniels Will Make Decision Soon STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 01:42:54 PM ----- BODY: "White House budget director Mitch Daniels says a decision is imminent on whether he will run for governor," the Indianapolis Star reports. "Some people think the decision is already made. After all, why else would he have gone to back-to-back-to-back Republican Party dinners" last week in three Indiana towns? ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Mitch Daniels ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: It's All About Tax Cuts, Stupid STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 01:09:09 PM ----- BODY: "Is it an oversimplification to say that President Bush's re-election depends entirely on passing a tax cut big enough to get perceptions of the economy turned around by November2004?" The Note asks. "Of course it is. But that bit of received, conceived, and perceived Conventional Wisdom is starting to become THE baseline plot line of this campaign...

"Until the fight over the fate of the president's tax cut is over and done, The Note posits that 2004 politics are mostly on hold."

Meanwhile, Bob Novak writes that Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist "not only accepted an unacceptable limit on President Bush's tax cut but kept it secret while hurrying out of town two weekends ago." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush tax cuts ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt To Unveil Bold Health Care Plan STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 09:45:46 AM ----- BODY: In New York on Wednesday, Rep. Richard Gephardt "is to unveil an idea that could make or break his presidential campaign," the Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein writes. "Gephardt will detail a plan that aims to invigorate the economy and provide health insurance to almost all the 41.2 million Americans without it... No one else pursuing the party's 2004 presidential nomination has yet proposed anything so ambitious on any issue. If Gephardt can sell his idea, it could jump-start his campaign. If he can't defend it, it could sink him." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Will 2003 Be A Republican Year? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 09:15:52 AM ----- BODY: While the gubernatorial races in Lousiana, Kentucky and Mississippi "are far from the finish line, some analysts are already predicting Republicans could be in for a good year," Stateline reports. "Personal and political questions dogging current Democratic administrations in Kentucky and Mississippi give the GOP the early edge in those states" and "Republican candidates in all three states could gain from a strong push by President Bush and his political strategist Karl Rove, neither of whom has been shy about spending political capital on local elections." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: gubernatorial races Lousiana Kentucky Mississippi ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards Keeps Eye On Fundraising STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 09:11:43 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Edwards, the fundraising leader in the first quarter, is keeping the pressure on the other Democratic presidential candidates. He has made recent trips to Oregon and Washington, and the Raleigh News and Observer says he's "heading west early next week to campaign and raise money in Arizona and California." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Beef On Gary Hart STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 09:00:44 AM ----- BODY: "Gary Hart is definitely running for president," according to Lysander's Letters. "I am proud to have been one of the first people to have been accidentally told this; tales of eager young Hart-throbs spilling the news are all over the Web now. Hart himself is hardly keeping it secret, though his Web site now has an amusing new feature -- Hart is gathering volunteers with political experience -- for... well... nothing in particular. A campaign announcement may be a ways off -- he's not going to win, after all, but he is running."

Editor's Note: I promised to keep the identity of Lysander under wraps. However, he's been a very reliable source of information to Political Wire in the past and I'm pleased to help point readers to his new blog. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Still Figuring Out Campaign Style STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 08:54:40 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham admits "that his first days of campaigning for president were not his best," the Palm Beach Post reports. Said Graham: "I felt rusty on the first day because I haven't done this for a while."

The Miami Herald says Graham "has never been a flashy show horse" and instead has "set a goal and methodically worked toward it, obstacles and distractions only momentarily slowing his approach."

The Graham secret? The Tallahassee Democrat says he told New Hampshire Democrats that "trading places for a day with average voters and doing their jobs is the secret to winning at the polls." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean Rallies The Faithful STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 08:50:37 AM ----- BODY: A Hartford Courant profile says Howard Dean's "backers laud his fearless way of taking on President Bush in both detailed and in pithy, sound-bite-friendly terms," but "there is a lingering sense among political pros that although Dean is a master of rallying political troops, he lacks the stature and the broad appeal needed to topple George Bush."

The Internet has been a big part of Dean's campaign. The Portsmouth Herald says Dean's campaign "operates with 14,000 supporters networked on www.meetup.com." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Primary Schedule Favors No Candidate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 08:47:47 AM ----- BODY: "Underscoring the wide-open battle" for the Democratic presidential nomination, the current primary schedule "appears to favor no particular candidate" and "offers the contradictory opportunities for a candidate who lost both Iowa and New Hampshire to revive his or her campaign the following week, or conversely, for someone to accelerate rapidly toward the nomination by riding the momentum of victories in Iowa and New Hampshire in subsequent states," the Washington Post reports.

For the latest on the rapidly changing primary schedule, check out The Scrum. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: presidential primary schedule ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: White House Cautiously Enters Campaign STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/21/2003 08:44:15 AM ----- BODY: President Bush "and his advisers are less than eager to shift into an obvious campaign mode, fearful that every step the administration takes will be viewed through a political lens," the Chicago Tribune reports. "Some Republican advisers, though, are urging the Bush administration to begin spending political capital earned during the military campaign in Iraq before it is overshadowed by talk of a glum economy." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush re-election ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Ask The White House STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/19/2003 11:16:06 AM ----- BODY: The Chicago Tribune is the latest media outlet to be amazed at the lengths to which politicians attempt to go around them.

"The Bush administration, which has developed an array of communications strategies that bypass the traditional White House press corps, now has a new Internet feature that allows anyone with a computer and a modem to put a question directly to an administration official."

"The Internet feature is the latest initiative of a White House communications team whose ability to stay on message and bypass traditional media have awed public-relations experts." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ask the white house ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Sharpton Pushes The Law's Limits STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/19/2003 11:10:01 AM ----- BODY: The New York Sun examines the legal status of Al Sharpton's presidential campaign. "From a legal standpoint, Mr. Sharpton and his campaign proclaim he is not a candidate for president -- he says he is only exploring the possibility -- and is not subject to the same campaign finance reporting laws as each of the other eight candidates for president, who publicly reported their fund-raising totals this week.

However, a Washington Post article notes that "a candidate's actions trigger the filing requirement, not a formal announcement or declaration of candidacy." The FEC has yet to make a judgement on the matter. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Al Sharpton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Candidacy Could Revive Bad Memories STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/19/2003 11:05:41 AM ----- BODY: The AP runs a story on the downside of a Gary Hart presidential candidacy: "Nearly two decades later, the former Colorado senator is considering another run for the White House, a move likely to revive memories that some Democrats would just as soon forget - the 1972 presidential candidacy of Democrat George McGovern and the marital infidelities of former President Clinton." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Indiana, Daniels Mulling Governor's Race STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/18/2003 10:44:22 PM ----- BODY: The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire says President Bush "may soon lose a key economic-team member. Budget Director Daniels, mulling a race for Indiana governor, has been addressing the Republican faithful and huddling with family following passage of the budget resolution and war spending bill. Daniels would face former Rep. McIntosh -- an aide in the first Bush administration -- in the Republican primary." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Mitch Daniels ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards To Return Bundled Checks STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/18/2003 10:38:17 PM ----- BODY: "The campaign of the North Carolina Democrat will return $10,000 in contributions from employees at an Arkansas law firm who thought their firm would reimburse them," the New York Times reports. The Washington Post says "yesterday's announcement could embarrass the Edwards campaign, already criticized by opponents for its heavy reliance on trial lawyers' money. It also underscores the intense pressure on campaigns to raise large sums of money early -- both to demonstrate their viability and to pay for the staff, ads and other tools needed to survive the flood of early caucuses and primaries starting in January." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Leads In New Hampshire STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/18/2003 10:30:19 PM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry "continues to maintain his lead" among likely Democratic primary voters in the New Hampshire Democratic Presidential Primary, according to the latest New Hampshire Poll. Kerry receives support from 24 percent of likely Democratic primary voters with Howard Dean at 19 percent. Rep. Dick Gephardt receives support from 15 percent and Sen. Joe Lieberman receives 13 percent. Eight other potential candidates each receive support of 2 percent or less.

Check out the Daily Kos Cattle Call for an excellent rundown on each campaign. He's also got a good summary of the undecideds. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: New Hampshire primary ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Sharpton May Face Fine STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/18/2003 10:25:30 PM ----- BODY: The FEC said the Rev. Al Sharpton "risks a fine because he spent over $5,000 on his 2004 Democratic presidential bid but didn't file a report like other candidates," the New York Post reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Al Sharpton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: More Signals From Hart Supporters STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/17/2003 09:52:41 AM ----- BODY: Although a spokesman for Gary Hart denies recruiting campaign interns, a Political Wire reader from the University of Texas forwards an email from a woman claiming to be "Texas coordinator for the student intership program with Gary Hart's campaign." The email was sent from the garyhartnews.com domain. The reader discussed internship possibilities with the woman over dinner and said she "seemed certain that Hart would run, and seemed to think that he was just waiting for a letup in the news cycle to announce."

Update: PoliticsNH.com says Hart was at St. Anselm College in New Hampshire and he "raised more questions than he did answers. He challenged the New Hampshire audience to ask tougher questions of visiting presidential candidates while remaining ambiguous as to if he will become one."

Hart also said "he didn't have a problem with an e-mail sent over the weekend to University of California-Berkeley students from a person claiming to be in charge of student recruitment for his presidential campaign." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lousiana Governor's Race Gets Crowded STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/17/2003 09:49:57 AM ----- BODY: "How many is too many? Ask almost any Louisana Republican active or interested in the governor's race, and the answer is seven. With that many Republicans jockeying for position in a field crowded with 12 candidates, many in the GOP fear that could lead to an all-Democrat runoff in November," the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Lousiana Governor's Race ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In California, Boxer's Support Drops STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/17/2003 09:46:18 AM ----- BODY: "Support is slipping for Democratic U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer, and former Gov. Pete Wilson is the top choice among Republicans to replace her next year, according to a new statewide poll, the Sacramento Bee reports. The San Francisco Chronicle says California Republicans "have made Boxer their prime target next year and claim her unpopularity, combined with her liberal voting record, make her vulnerable to a GOP challenge." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Barbara Boxer ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Inside Edwards' Fundraising Push STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/17/2003 09:39:36 AM ----- BODY: "After announcing in January that he would compete for the Democratic presidential nomination, Sen. John Edwards went on a three-month tear through 175 fundraising events, most of them tapping into the pockets of the nation's trial lawyers, an affluent constituency under siege by Republican politicians at every level of government," the Washington Post reports. "The drive paid off: Edwards took in $7.4 million in the first quarter, making him the top money-raiser of the Democratic field. That feat reflects an organizational success that took his competitors and others in the party by surprise and raised his standing in the race." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: No "Slimy Stuff" From Hillary's Book STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/17/2003 09:05:13 AM ----- BODY: "Everyone's writing about the Hillary book," Cindy Adams says. "And that it may be in trouble. Much of it - especially as she relives those early years - is touching and delicious. And whoever's seen it, loves it. However, those close to the manuscript are saying that, unfortunately, she won't tell the seamy slimy stuff." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Hillary Clinton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: New Campaign Law Increases Donations STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/17/2003 08:58:27 AM ----- BODY: "Because of larger contribution limits under the new campaign finance law, candidates for the Democratic presidential nomination have taken in about 40 percent more money so far this year than they could have under the previous system," the New York Times reports. "The breakdown provides the first glimpse of the results of the new McCain-Feingold campaign finance law and suggests that the higher contribution limits for individuals will make the primary elections more expensive." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: McCain-Feingold ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Richardson For Veep? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 05:02:56 PM ----- BODY: An Albuquerque Tribune article on Sen. John Edwards' campaign swing to New Mexico suggests his motivation might be to recruit Gov. Bill Richardson (D) as a possible running mate. However, despite his well-known national ambitions, Richardson "has maintained that he is not seeking national office, asserting time and again that he is 'focused on New Mexico.'" ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bill Richardson ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Sharpton Focuses On South Carolina STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 04:49:48 PM ----- BODY: "To the shock and awe of Democrats ...a serious Al Sharpton candidacy is gearing up," the Village Voice reports. "Not a winning candidacy, mind you. Victory is all but unthinkable for Sharpton, who has more baggage than a vacationing Cindy Crawford... Still, Sharpton has a realistic shot at making a difference, by changing the tenor both of this election and of elections to come."

Shaprton's handlers "have already zeroed in on the primary in South Carolina, where 40 percent of all Democratic voters are black. The February contest is one of the first, offering Sharpton the chance to look good early. One of two African Americans in the race, he could easily finish second there, or -- and this is what gives Dems the dry heaves -- actually win."

For those looking for Sharpton's fundraising figures, Washington Wrap notes Sharpton and former Sen. Gary Hart "are both in 'testing the waters' mode and don't have to file quarterly reports." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Al Sharpton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Arkansas Democrats Wait For Clark's Decision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 04:36:00 PM ----- BODY: An "off-hand comment" at a meeting of Arkansas Democrats "may shed some light on the political plans of former NATO Supreme Commander Wesley Clark of Little Rock," the Northwest Arkansas Morning News reports. "Speculation has been growing about whether Clark will become a Democratic candidate for president."

Arkansas Democratic Party Chair Ron Oliver said, "I can't answer any questions about Gen. Clark. I spoke with him shortly before the war began, and he said he would not be making any decision until after the war has ended." Oliver also said that "while many people understand" that Clark "is extremely qualified in foreign policy, I don't know how many are aware that he is equally knowledgeable in domestic issues." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Regime Changers STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 04:31:11 PM ----- BODY: In case you haven't been paying attention, Will Saletan provides "a thumbnail sketch of each presidential candidate's niche and message."

And Lycos has an article on which candidate is winning the search engine primary. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: presidential campaign ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt Didn't Pay Staff In March STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 04:07:37 PM ----- BODY: Was Rep. Dick Gephardt trying to inflate the amount of cash on hand he could report in his FEC filing? Last Call! says Gephardt's presidential campaign "didn't pay staffers in March. Payday was moved from the last of the month to the first of the month, so staffers were paid 4/1. The last day of the 1stQ? 3/31"

The Hotline has another interesting observation: "Kerry manager Jim Jordan is the only campaign manager of the big six campaigns who is actually on payroll. Gephardt manager Steve Murphy, Dean manager Joe Trippi, Edwards manager Nick Baldick, Lieberman manager Craig Smith and Graham manager Paul Johnson were not listed as receiving a salary. However, the consulting firms where Murphy, Trippi, Baldick and Smith are associated all were paid fees." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clinton Blasts Bush STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 11:37:51 AM ----- BODY: Former president Bill Clinton "blasted US foreign policy adopted in the wake of the September 11 attacks, arguing the United States cannot kill, jail or occupy all of its adversaries," Agence France Presse reports.

Howard Kurtz reacts: "Bill Clinton is back on the warpath. You have to wonder about his timing. Just days after the American victory in Baghdad, one might expect the 42nd president to let his successor have his moment."

Meanwhile, Liz Smith asks "Whatever happened to Bill and Hillary Clinton? Believe it or not, he is holed up in Chappaqua, writing furiously on his memoirs, and she is holed up in Washington doing the same." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bill Clinton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: CNN Reschedules Political Programs STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 11:19:09 AM ----- BODY: CNN's Crossfire porgram "is being shipped to 4:30 p.m., busted down from one hour to 30 minutes. Inside Politics, which will be renamed Judy Woodruff's Inside Politics, will be packaged with Crossfire from 4 to 4:30 p.m," the Washington Post reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: CNN Crossfire ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Approval Linked To War STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 09:59:00 AM ----- BODY: Pollkatz provides an interesting graphical look at President Bush's approval ratings since the beginning of his term. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: President Bush approval ratings ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry's Personal Life Under Scrutiny STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 09:24:21 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry "will be the subject of a multipart investigative series soon to appear in The Boston Globe," according to The Hill. "One story being examined for the upcoming series involves Kerry's brief fling in the 1980s with a young British journalist working in Washington. Dates planned around his tight schedule often began late at night, after political functions where the bachelor lawmaker eagerly seeking gravitas couldn't afford to be seen in the company of an attractive 25-year-old reporter. The woman soon tired of the arrangement and dumped Kerry for a member of Pink Floyd." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards Campaign Suffers From Defections STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 08:47:53 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Edwards' campaign "has suffered a rash of defections to rival candidates and lost key endorsements in recent weeks," The Hill reports. "The latest blow came Sunday when Alex Sanders, a prominent South Carolina Democrat and former president of that state's Trial Lawyers Association," endorsed Sen. John Kerry. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Says Email Was Not From Him STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 08:43:54 AM ----- BODY: "An e-mail sent this week to college students seeks interns to work for Gary Hart's presidential campaign, but a spokesman for the former Colorado senator immediately disavowed the solicitation and said Hart is not a candidate," the AP reports.

However, WLBZ-TV says Hart will be in Maine this week "testing the waters." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Democrats Not Afraid Of Bush's War Success STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 08:37:19 AM ----- BODY: "From the presidential trail to the halls of Congress, Democrats have already decided that Bush's military success in the Iraq war will not translate into political strength at home," the Boston Globe reports. "They are ready to attack the administration's economic record and fight against Bush's tax-cut proposal in Congress."

However, the New York Times says some party officials "expressed concern that the Iraq conflict had steeled Mr. Bush's national security credentials while reinforcing the Democrats' image as an antiwar party." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: war presidential campaign ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: D.C. Moves Primary Ahead Of New Hampshire STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 08:35:03 AM ----- BODY: Washington, D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams "signed a bill to move the district's presidential primary to the first Tuesday in January -- two weeks ahead of the tentative date for the New Hampshire primary," USA Today reports.

Meanwhile, the Detroit News notes the Michigan AFL-CIO voted to "support holding the state's 2004 Democratic presidential caucus on Feb. 7," a move that "avoids a challenge of New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation status in the nominating process." CNN says a compromise reached with Michigan Democrats "would establish a commission to re-examine Iowa and New Hampshire's place on the primary calendar and address the issue during the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston." The Manchester Union Leader has more details on the commission. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Anthony Williams primary ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush's Sister-in-law Plans Tell All Book STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 08:24:55 AM ----- BODY: "Sharon Bush, the estranged wife of President George W. Bush's younger brother Neil, is planning to write a tell-all book about her two decades with the Bush family," The Observer reports. "Mrs. Bush is in the middle of a divorce battle with Neil Bush, and the fight has turned nasty on both sides." However, Mrs. Bush's "talk of a book may merely be an effort to ratchet up the pressure on Mr. Bush to give her a more generous settlement than he has offered in the past."

Meanwhile, the New York Post says Karenna Gore Schiff "just inked a deal with Miramax Books believed to be in the $200,000-plus range to do a book about unsung heroines of the 20th century in politics, civil rights, medicine, and law." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Sharon Neil Bush ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman Spent More To Raise Less STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 08:21:11 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Joseph Lieberman "burned through 40 percent of the money his presidential campaign raised in the first three months of the year, by far the highest percentage of any major Democratic candidate," the New York Times reports. And, as expected, "more than half of the money taken in by Sen. John Edwards, the fund-raising leader, appears to have come from fellow lawyers."

The Washington Post has the true measure of the fundraising race: "Of all the Democratic presidential primary contestants, Sen. John F. Kerry has by far the most money in the bank, $8.1 million." His closest competitor is Edwards with $5.74 million.

The Boston Globe has oddest thing to come out of the filings: Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-MA) contributed $1,000 to Kerry's campaign, "listing his address in Manhattan, instead of Massachusetts or Washington."

Political Money Line has the latest data for all the candidates. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: fundraising presidential campaign ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In New York, Schumer Builds Huge War Chest STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/16/2003 07:55:13 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Charles Schumer "has amassed nearly $15 million in campaign funds for an election that is still a year and a half away," the New York Post reports. The Washington Post: "Call it preemption, but whatever it is," Schumer "has raised a lot of money." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Charles Schumer ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clark Asked About White House Aspirations STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 10:58:57 PM ----- BODY: At the end of the first hour of his CNN show tonight, Aaron Brown asked retired Gen. Wesley Clark if he was considering running for president. Clark responded saying how much he enjoyed a life of public service and did nothing to discourage speculation. When pressed he said: "It's a real honor that people come up to me and think of me that way. But I've made no decisions."

Scripps Howard News Service says that as a potential candidate, Clark, "who so far won't say publicly what party he belongs to, scores with weeks of national face time as a CNN analyst." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Clinton Wars STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 01:41:11 PM ----- BODY: "The long-awaited, 800-page White House memoirs of former Bill Clinton aide Sidney Blumenthal will hit bookstores May 20 -- a thwack accompanied by a drumroll of publicity and serialization," the Reliable Source reports. "But the buzz around town is that The Clinton Wars will contain an unflattering portrait of Blumenthal's nemesis Michael Kelly, whose life was celebrated last Friday in an emotional Washington memorial service." Kelly was killed in Iraq on April 3 -- "too late for Blumenthal to revise or soften his book in light of Kelly's death."

Update: Here's an interesting item. The liberal blogger Atrios claims that he is Sidney Blumenthal. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0374125023 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Blumenthal Clinton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Arkansas, Hutchinson Looks Like A Candidate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 09:30:33 AM ----- BODY: Undersecretary of Homeland Security and former Rep. Asa Hutchinson (R-AR) "is scheduled to make a handful of appearances in the Razorback State over the next month, fueling speculation that he may be weighing a challenge to Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D)," Roll Call reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Asa Hutchinson ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Illinois, Fitzgerald Tells Friends He's Out STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 09:27:24 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (R-IL) "told close associates Monday night that he would not seek re-election next year, saying he had 'no fire in the belly' and citing concerns about the personal cost of another campaign and the lament that his independence had left him with few political friends," the Chicago Tribune reports.

Chuck Sweeny reviews the political landscape in the aftermath of Fitzgerald's decision.

Update: Political State Report has more. Interestingly, Capitol Fax just yesterday had news on a poll that was favorable towards Fitzgerald. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Sen. Peter Fitzgerald ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In California, Poll Shows Davis In Trouble STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:57:11 AM ----- BODY: A new Field Poll shows California Gov. Gray Davis' (D) "popularity has plummeted to a record low among California voters, showing that he would be in serious trouble if the effort to recall him gets on the ballot," the San Francisco Chronicle reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gray Davis ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Schwarzenegger For Senate? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:54:19 AM ----- BODY: Arnold Schwarzenegger "spoke privately" with NRSC Chairman George Allen "during a visit to Capitol Hill last week, stoking speculation that he has not ruled out a run against" Sen. Barbara Boxer in 2004, Roll Call reports.

The AP says Boxer "raised $1 million in the first three months of the year and has $2 million in available cash for her 2004 race." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Schwarzenegger Boxer ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Whips Up Activists STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:52:34 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry, campaigning in South Carolina, attempted "to light a fire under a lethargic Democratic Party that he said had gotten lazy the past few years," asking "the party faithful to go out and fight for their beliefs," the Columbia State reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Talks Of "Passion" For White House STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:51:03 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham "making his first West Coast campaign trip this week, spoke of a 'passion' inspiring him to seek the presidency," but "some of California's wealthiest political activists saw more moderation than passion," the Orlando Sentinel reports.

Meanwhile, although Graham will be in New Hampshire later this week, the Miami Herald notes he "has not made a political trip" to the Granite State "since he campaigned here in 1984 for former Florida Gov. Reubin Askew's ill-fated run for president. Nearly all of the candidates ahead of him have been coming to New Hampshire for years and have raised more money." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Challenge Increases For Dean STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:40:44 AM ----- BODY: Howard Dean (D) "made significant gains among rank-and-file Democrats with his strong anti-war stance," but "now comes the hard part: persuading the party faithful that his appeal did not end with the toppling of Saddam Hussein's regime," AP reports.

Matthew Langer says it's "crunch time" for Dean. "Now with the war (relatively) behind us, the most powerful tool" in Dean's "arsenal will have to be set down, and what follows may be a return to planet earth for a Dean campaign that is now on cloud nine after witnessing an explosion in netroots support and grassroots strength that has netted him $2.5mil in small individual contributions." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt To Focus On Health Care STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:39:23 AM ----- BODY: Rep. Dick Gephardt "is making it clear on the campaign trail these days that health care for all Americans will be the top priority of his campaign," the Manchester Union Leader reports. "And he's not afraid to call it what it is: a big, expensive government program."

Meanwhile, "in the wake of his competitors rolling out their House supporters," Gephardt "made a private gambit last week for an endorsement" from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Roll Call reports. However, Pelosi has also met with Howard Dean and "has thus far refused to throw her support to anyone." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: How Will War Impact Presidential Race? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:34:19 AM ----- BODY: With the war winding down, Larry Sabato's Crystal Ball returns to "assess the damage. Not damage on the ground, but the damage -- or the boost -- to various presidential candidates' chances." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Iraq war presidential race ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: War Success Elevates Bush STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:23:57 AM ----- BODY: "The president faces big political challenges, but military victory in Iraq has Americans optimistic about the nation's direction for the first time in almost a year," a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll shows. The New York Times says the White House "signaled that it would put President Bush's popularity to work on behalf of his beleagured tax cut plan." The Washington Times says Bush "and his senior staff plan to spend an increasing amount of time focusing on bread-and-butter domestic issues that are likely to affect the 2004 election."

Bush "will return to Republican fundraising as soon as next month after a five-month wartime hiatus," at a $2,500-a-plate dinner for the GOP House and Senate campaign committees, the Washington Post reports. USA Today says "Bush's re-election bid is expected to begin in June."

Update: Washington Watch notes "just like his father, the President's popularity is soaring thanks to action against Saddam. Still left to conquer: The U.S. economy." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: President Bush popularity ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Tennessee May Move Up Primary STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/15/2003 08:21:41 AM ----- BODY: February 3, 2004 "is emerging as a crowded primary date," The Scrum reports. Although South Carolina gets most of the attention, Arizona, Missouri and now possibly Tennessee could also pick their candidates on the first Tuesday of February.

"A proposal is sitting on the desk of recently elected Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen to move the Volunteer State's primary to February 3, too, from its current, relatively irrelevant, March 9th date. The proposal is the brain-child of Nashville attorney Larry Woods who advised the Bredesen campaign, which successfully elected the state's first Democratic governor since Republicans swept the region in 1994." The State Gazette confirms this report, however as Political Wire noted earlier, Tennessee may still scrap the primary entirely.

Check out The Scrum's 2004 primary calendar for keeping track of the ever fluid 2004 Democratic presidential schedule. It promises to be a useful feature in the coming months. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Tennessee primary ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: First Democratic Debate Scheduled STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 04:53:56 PM ----- BODY: The nine Democrats currently seeking their party's presidential nomination will debate in Columbia, South Carolina on May 3, 2003, WSOC-TV reports. ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos will moderate the debate. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Stephanopoulos debate ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: GOP Looking To Jeb In 2008 STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 01:56:11 PM ----- BODY: If the 2004 presidential campaign is already old news to you, U.S. News and World Report's Washington Whispers is focusing even further out: "With Republicans expecting President Bush to roll to reelection in 2004, their focus is fast turning to 2008 and whom the GOP will run against expected Democratic nominee Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Now, Whispers is told that Florida Gov. Jeb Bush looks strong." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jeb Bush ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: An Unimpressive Start For Frist STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 01:46:41 PM ----- BODY: Despite the Tennessean's generally favorable review of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, anyone who's read Master of the Senate knows how unimpressive Frist has been in his first 100 days as Senate Leader. Even his hometown newspaper had to admit "Frist has had mixed results in moving the Republican agenda set by close ally President Bush, and key setbacks have overshadowed his successes."

A Scripps Howard News Service piece says simply "Frist has no whip to crack." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bill Frist ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Senate Deals Big Blow To Bush STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 01:13:57 PM ----- BODY: The Note cites Bush's inability to get his tax cut bill through the Senate, as Political Wire cited below, as a "huge" story "since it involves major dissension in the Republican party."

"A perceived loss on any issue matters a lot to this White House (more than to most, because maintaining the air of the Bush Infallibility is key), but a loss on taxes would be brutal. Ever since Ronald Reagan changed the GOP forever, taxes have been, as we said, the uniting dogma of the party." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush tax cut ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Using Their Political Capital STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 09:33:59 AM ----- BODY: Martin Kettle writes in The Guardian that before British Prime Minister Tony Blair departed for the House of Commons debate on the Iraq war, "Downing Street had drawn up contingency plans for the withdrawal of British troops from the build-up in the Gulf and also for Blair's resignation, should the votes have gone against him. That is how serious it was." Now, the Daily Telegraph says Blair "will try to build on his success against Saddam Hussein to win a poll on the euro."

In contrast, the Washington Post says President Bush "plans to use his popularity to fight for his agenda of tax cuts." But the Wall Street Journal says that game might be over: "Republican leaders paid a heavy price to get next year's budget through Congress, sacrificing most of President Bush's tax-cut package to win approval by the Senate." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Keeps Supporters Waiting STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 09:17:23 AM ----- BODY: An informed Political Wire reader writes to say Gary Hart "is definitely running, and it's just a matter of time until he formally declares." This news concurs with a report made earlier by another reader.

On his weblog, Hart says "I intend to do all I can to continue to try to rally those I talk with to the cause of America as peace-maker and peace-keeper, a strong but magnanimous force for order and the international rule of law, and a policy of principled engagement." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: It's Still Early STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 08:54:38 AM ----- BODY: Historically, a presidential primary campaign "doesn't crystallize until the candidates begin contesting each other's ideas," the Los Angeles Times notes, and that "trial by fire hasn't really begun this year." That's one reason the Kansas City Star says "the 2004 race remains a tough call even for the most active Democrats."

Meanwhile, the Washington Post says President Bush "plans to use his popularity to fight for his agenda of tax cuts, Medicare reform and limits on domestic spending. But Democrats have concluded that the only way to challenge the president is to fight him on domestic policy." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: 2004 presidential primary ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Embraces Liberal Legacy STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 08:52:12 AM ----- BODY: While campaigning last week, Sen. John Kerry "did not shy away from references" to the Kennedy family, the Boston Herald reports. In fact, Kerry "embraced their liberal legacy and cast himself in the tradition of former presidents from John Adams to Franklin Roosevelt, while also playing up his own dramatic life story."

As proof, the Spartanburg Herald-Journal says Kerry "delivered his first campaign speech to South Carolina Democrats" over the weekend with a "rousing message heavy with Democratic ideals." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: War Not Helping Lieberman In Iowa STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 08:46:58 AM ----- BODY: "The Iraq war should be a political triumph for" Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Hartford Courant reports, but "he spent the days after the fall of Baghdad in Iowa... and too often found that his stance for war magnified his other political troubles" in that state.

Meanwhile, Myrtle Beach Sun News says Lieberman spent the weekend in South Carolina "stressing his support for affirmative action and desire to make the American dream possible for everyone."

Roll Call's Heard on the Hill has interesting details about how heavily managed Lieberman's endorsement by 10 House Democrats was last week. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Joe Lieberman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clark For Veep? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 08:43:29 AM ----- BODY: Retired Gen. Wesley Clark's "resume is stellar, but the chances of the Democratic Party nominating a retired general with no political experience are slim at best, given the liberal leanings of the party's rank-and-file," the AP reports. "Clark may be better positioned for another political job," like vice president.

Meanwhile, the Draft Clark website started by webloggers DailyKos and MyDD is filling out with additional content on Clark's stated policy positions. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Begins Fundraising Tour STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 08:39:51 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham spent the weekend in California raising money for his presidential campaign and "said that he will spend 80 percent of his time raising money through the fall," the Miami Herald reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt Declares Start Of "Full-Scale Campaigning" STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 08:36:46 AM ----- BODY: Campainging in Iowa, Rep. Dick Gephardt said "that the war in Iraq had turned the corner and the nation was ready for Democrats to resume full-scale campaigning" to challenge Bush, the Des Moines Register reports.

In New Hampshire, the AP says Gephardt "tore into" President Bush's economic policy, "calling it a mess." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In South Carolina, Hollings Keeps Democrats Waiting STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/14/2003 07:44:45 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Fritz Hollings "is fast reaching the point when he must let the South Carolina Democratic Party know whether he's going to run," the Columbia State reports. "The party needs to start shopping for a candidate soon if he's not going to seek re-election" because "whoever is going to run needs to start raising money now." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Fritz Hollings ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Independent Counsel Still Investigating STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 10:01:29 AM ----- BODY: "The independent counsel who spent $9 million to get a misdemeanor plea from former Housing Secretary Henry G. Cisneros nearly four years ago is still in business -- although he has promised to bring his now nearly $19-million probe to a close soon," the Los Angeles Times reports. The probe "stands out in the annals of Washington's investigations for seeming to make the most out of the least." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: independent counsel Cisneros ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Cheney's Former Company Granted $7 Billion Iraq Contract STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 09:25:10 AM ----- BODY: The contract given to Vice President Cheney's former company to fight oil well fires in Iraq was granted "without competition" and "is worth as much as $7 billion over two years, according to a letter from the Army Corps of Engineers," the New York Times reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Halliburton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Wall Street Helps Senate Democrats STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 09:15:50 AM ----- BODY: "Relations with financial firms are helping the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee keep fund-raising pace with its Republican counterpart," the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire reports. "Sen. Corzine of New Jersey, the former Goldman Sachs executive who chairs the committee, says old industry colleagues are responding to 'failing Republican policies' that haven't stemmed the stock market's decline. The panel raised a record $3.5 million in March." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jon Corzine Senate Democrats ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The News They Didn't Tell Us STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 09:11:44 AM ----- BODY: The New York Times runs a fascinating op-ed from CNN's chief news executive: "Over the last dozen years I made 13 trips to Baghdad to lobby the government to keep CNN's Baghdad bureau open and to arrange interviews with Iraqi leaders. Each time I visited, I became more distressed by what I saw and heard -- awful things that could not be reported because doing so would have jeopardized the lives of Iraqis, particularly those on our Baghdad staff." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: CNN Baghdad bureau ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: White House Turns To Re-Election STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 08:57:26 AM ----- BODY: "When war ends in Iraq, President Bush will quickly shift focus to his 2004 re-election campaign and the issue that kept his father from winning a second term: a weak economy. The money, message and much of Bush's political machine are already in place," the AP reports. "After weeks of careful planning, the White House hopes to convert postwar political momentum into a string of successes for Bush's domestic agenda -- and ammunition for re-election."

Meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire notes that "White House aides exploit favorable war developments to turn up the heat on moderate Republicans holdouts" on the administration's tax cut plan. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush re-election campaign ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman Leads In New York STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 08:54:05 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Joseph Lieberman has the support of 21 percent of New York's registered Democrats, followed by 10 percent each for Sen. John Kerry and the Rev. Al Sharpton, according to a new Marist Institute poll. However, 35 percent of the state's Democrats are "undecided in their preference for their party's presidential nominee."

Meanwhile, the New Haven Register notes that Lieberman "received the endorsement of 11 House Democrats." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: New York presidential primary ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Hits The Road STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 08:46:33 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham "will take the first trip of his presidential campaign when he flies to Los Angeles for a Sunday fundraiser," the Miami Herald reports. Graham "will also hold fundraisers in San Francisco before heading to New Hampshire for campaign events Thursday and Friday next week." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman And Gephardt Tout Support Of War STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 08:45:14 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Joseph Lieberman and Rep. Richard Gephardt said "they now feel some vindication for supporting the war in Iraq," the Des Moines Register reports.

The New York Times notes that "beyond the warm words about loyalty, bravery and sacrifice, Democrats and Republicans spent the day trying to capitalize on the fall of Baghdad, each party in its own way. While the military maneuvered in Iraq, the political maneuvering in Washington proceeded apace." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Lieberman Gephardt war ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In California, Schwarzenegger Weighs State House Bid STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 07:50:35 AM ----- BODY: Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is "weighing a run" for California governor, "met with Karl Rove, President Bush's top political adviser," the AP reports. "If he decides to run, Schwarzenegger may face a challenge from national security adviser Condoleezza Rice, who has spoken to senior Republicans about running for California's top job." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Schwarzenegger governor ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In South Dakota, Janklow Suggests Run Against Daschle STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/11/2003 07:48:55 AM ----- BODY: Despite White House support for former Rep. John Thune's potential candidacy, Rep. Bill Janklow (R-SD) said that he hasn't ruled out running for Senate in 2004, the Rapid City Journal reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bill Janklow ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Not Ready To Make Decision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/10/2003 03:26:56 PM ----- BODY: A Political Wire reader writes to say Gary Hart spoke at Loyola University Chicago today. When answering a question about whether he knew if he would run for president, Hart said:

"No, I don't. When I do, I'll announce it. I think now we're going to wait a little. People say its getting late, all the activists are signing up for other candidates, but I'm reminded that Clinton didn't announce until September of '91 when he ran. So, it's possible to wait a while. And, second, right now Bush is very very popular, and no one wants to rain on his parade. But I'll continue to speak. I don't think we have to make a decision right now."

An earlier story suggested Hart was "days away" from making his decision. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Will Clark Run? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/10/2003 08:48:56 AM ----- BODY: The buzz in political circles is that retired Gen. Wesley Clark "will announce his long-predicted Democratic presidential bid when the Iraq war ends," the Forward reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman Ramps Up Fundraising STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/10/2003 08:47:16 AM ----- BODY: After "a faltering start," Sen. Joe Lieberman's presidential campaign "raked in between $300,000 and $400,000 in contributions during the first week of April, more than it received in the entire month of January," the Forward reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Joe Lieberman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: All Democratic Candidates Appear Together STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/10/2003 08:43:36 AM ----- BODY: All nine Democratic presidential candidates "shared the stage for the first time last night at a forum hosted by the Children's Defense Fund," the Washington Post reports. They "continued a debate over Iraq that has split the party, "with four defending their votes in favor of the war and five opponents questioning whether the war was necessary or justified."

The New York Times says the event "was intended to provide the candidates with a platform to talk about children and family issues," and the candidates complied, "reflecting an eagerness by many in this Democratic field to turn the discussion away from foreign policy and to domestic issues, where President Bush might be more vulnerable."

The Chicago Tribune had the quote of the day was from Sen. Joseph Lieberman: "I want to tell you why I know we can beat George W. Bush. Because Al Gore and I did it in 2000." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: all nine Democratic candidates ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Will War Strengthen Bush At Home? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/10/2003 08:40:31 AM ----- BODY: "The imminent end of the shooting war in Iraq is the beginning of a reshaped presidential campaign at home," USA Today reports, with the victory "likely to strengthen" President Bush's hand "over his proposed tax cut and for his re-election campaign next year."

Update: An American Research Group poll shows Bush's overall job approval rating has jumped 16 percentage points from March, to 67 percent, and his approval rating for handling the economy has increased 11 percentage points, to 53 percent. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush war tax cut ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In North Carolina, Bowles Will Run Again STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/10/2003 07:54:25 AM ----- BODY: With Sen. John Edwards' presidential bid "receiving a boost in recent weeks from an impressive financial showing in the first quarter, unsuccessful 2002 North Carolina Senate nominee Erskine Bowles (D) is quietly preparing for another campaign," Roll Call reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Erskine Bowles ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Washington, Dunn Will Not Run For Senate STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/10/2003 07:51:58 AM ----- BODY: "Ending months of speculation," Rep. Jennifer Dunn (R-WA) "has decided not to challenge Sen. Patty Murray (D-WA) in 2004, clearing the way for Rep. George Nethercutt or another Republican to take on the two-term Democrat," the Seattle Times reports.

Roll Call says Nethercutt met with NRSC Chairman George Allen "to discuss strategy." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jennifer Dunn ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: American Flag Screen Saver STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 03:14:30 PM ----- BODY: Reflect your patriotic spirit with a free American Flag screen saver from Microsoft. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: screen saver ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: What's Fox Hiding? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 12:36:59 PM ----- BODY: The Hotline asks "Has anyone else noted that in the promos for its new reality series Mr. Personality, Fox does NOT mention the show's host Monica Lewinsky?"

Earlier, Variety reported that Lewinsky was hired to host the new show. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Fox Mr. Personality ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Embraces NASCAR Strategy STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 11:39:06 AM ----- BODY: The St. Petersburg Times profiles Sen. Bob Graham's newest recruits, Dave "Mudcat" Saunders and Steve Jarding, who have "proved the value of putting a country twang in."

"Saunders and Jarding are pursuing a group that has been dubbed the NASCAR Democrats -- conservative rural voters who often elect Republicans. With nine Democratic presidential candidates, those rural voters could make the difference."

Until recently, both men worked for the campaign of Sen. John Edwards. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Steve Jarding Dave Saunders ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Who Says It's Not About Oil? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 11:12:46 AM ----- BODY: From House Speaker Dennis Hastert's waiting room, The Hill's Open Secrets spotted a computer screen saver that "displays a partial map of the Middle East with the names of some countries deliberately changed in ways that might drive anti-Big Oil types crazy: Iraq is dubbed 'Chevron'; Syria is 'Arco'; and Iran is 'New Texas.' Afghanistan, colored black, is labeled 'Toast.'" ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: House Speaker Dennis Hastert ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Wyden Seeks To End Senate "Holds" Rule STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 10:55:00 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR) "plans to resume his crusade to outlaw secret 'holds' of legislation and nominations in the Senate -- amid signs that the longstanding practice persists," The Hill reports. "Any effort to change Senate rules on the subject would face long odds. If someone filibustered the rules change, a two-thirds majority -- 67 votes -- would be needed to overcome it, more than the 60 votes needed to break a typical filibuster." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Ron Wyden ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Close To Decision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 08:44:25 AM ----- BODY: Gary Hart said "a decision on joining the race for the Democratic presidential nomination is only days away, maintaining the feedback he's received so far is very encouraging," the Des Moines Register reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Is Gephardt's Support Cracking? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 08:41:07 AM ----- BODY: With Sen. Joe Lieberman "set to unveil support from 10 House Members on Thursday, Rep. Richard Gephardt's rivals in the presidential race are questioning the Missouri Democrat's chances of securing a high level of backing from the body he has served in since 1976," Roll Call reports. "Gephardt's close relations with his House colleagues have long been considered an essential building block in his second presidential bid; his aides insist that he remains well-positioned to secure significant backing among his colleagues."

The St. Louis Post Dispatch hints at troubles with union support as well. "Several labor leaders have hinted that despite past alliances, Gephardt isn't assured of union backing this year," and that they will "examine the Democratic field for the candidate most likely to win." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Litmus Test Fine With Kerry STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 08:36:04 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry said in Iowa that "as president he would only appoint judges to the U.S. Supreme Court who support the landmark abortion rights case Roe vs. Wade," the Des Moines Register reports.

However, in making his pledge, Kerry "denied he was establishing his own litmus test," explaining the difference is "that the Roe v. Wade has become settled law since the court rendered the decision in 1973 and now defines a constitutional right," the Boston Globe reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Harkin: Hit Bush Hard STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 08:27:01 AM ----- BODY: The Wall Street Journal's John Harwood writes that Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) "wants his fellow Democrats to adopt the scrappy populism he displayed when he ran for the White House in 1992 and attack a sitting president despite his wartime popularity."

"The tone of the 2002 campaign was set by the efforts of Democratic office holders to compete with Republicans for swing voters who liked President Bush. The tone of the 2004 campaign will be set by the efforts of Democratic presidential candidates to compete for primary voters who loathe him." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Tom Harkin presidential campaign ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: No New Tax Cuts STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 08:22:34 AM ----- BODY: Bob Kerry, Sam Nunn, Pete Peterson, Robert Rubin, Warren Rudman and Paul Volker write an op-ed in the New York Times arguing for no more tax cuts: "In these troubled times, Congress must exercise restraint on revenues and spending to prevent fiscal policy from spiraling out of control."

The Washington Post notes House and Senate GOP leaders "are deeply divided over the size of a wartime tax cut they can pass this year, as conservative lawmakers threaten to derail the annual budget resolution if they cannot win support for most of President Bush's $726 billion plan." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: tax cuts ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In South Dakota, Thune Has Not Made A Decision STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/09/2003 07:48:12 AM ----- BODY: Contrary to a yesterday's report, Roll Call sources say former Rep. John Thune (R-SD) "is, at minimum, six months away from making a decision" on whether to challenge Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD) and that the senator "intends to send a signal to any potential opponent that the stakes for joining the race have increased dramatically from previous South Dakota contests."

The Rapid City Journal notes that Daschle "doesn't yet have a Republican challenger" for his 2004 re-election bid, but "plans to raise $10 million for the race." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Daschle Thune ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Halliburton Probe STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 04:53:04 PM ----- BODY: House Democrats are "questioning whether Vice President Dick Cheney's former company has received favored treatment from the Pentagon... over the past two years," the AP reports.

Newsweek points out that "the stock market may be suffering, but Operation Iraqi Freedom has sure been good for business at Halliburton, the Houston oil-services company famous for its former CEO, Dick Cheney. The vice president hasn't entirely severed his financial ties to the big defense contractor. Even while Halliburton is scoring Army contracts that could top $2 billion, Cheney is still receiving annual compensation from the company he led from 1995 to August 2000." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Halliburton Cheney ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Will Democrats Draft Clark? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 01:44:57 PM ----- BODY: Political Wire has learned of two new efforts to draft retired Gen. and current CNN war analyst Wesley Clark (see bio) into the 2004 Democratic presidential race. For more information, see the Draft Wesley Clark and Draft Clark websites.

UPI's Cliff Schecter says "if Clark proves willing to seek office as a Democrat, he can become quite an asset to the party of Jefferson. Can he win in the primary? Unlikely, with the current system favoring core party members with organizations in place and connections to fundraisers. But he would make a terrific vice president for almost any Democrat in the current field." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Wesley Clark ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: South Carolina Moves Debate For Lieberman STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 01:37:17 PM ----- BODY: "South Carolina Democrats have moved a presidential candidates' debate to the evening of May 3rd in deference to Senator Joe Lieberman, an Orthodox Jew who would be unable to take part in a Saturday morning event," the AP reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: South Carolina Democratic primary ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Woodward And Bernstein Get $5 Million For Notes STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 01:06:17 PM ----- BODY: The University of Texas announced "it is paying $5 million for the Watergate papers of Washington Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, whose investigation led to the downfall of the Nixon administration," the Houston Chronicle reports. "Woodward and Bernstein have agreed to let the university archive the documents, including reporters notebooks and assorted pieces of paper... But documents naming 'Deep Throat' will be kept secure at an undisclosed location in Washington until the source's death; the identities of possibly several dozen other sources will also remain confidential until their deaths."

The Washington Post called it an "extraordinary deal." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0671894412 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Woodward Bernstein ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The 2003 Campaigns STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 12:54:43 PM ----- BODY: The Hotline is right: "The campaigns of '03 have gotten incredibly little attention from even the political junkie world, thanks mostly to the war. But the reality is that all three GOV races this year (KY, LA and MS) are wide open and feature compelling personalities and storylines." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: 2003 gubernatorial campaigns ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: It's a Job Interview, Stupid STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 11:33:48 AM ----- BODY: The Note makes an important point in the debate about whether President Bush will suffer the same re-election outcome as his father. "With all the focus on 43-destined-to-repeat-the-fate-of-41, the political press has lost sight of the historical and future role of 42.

"Without Bill Clinton's uncanny political skills and policy dexterity, Republicans almost certainly would have held the White House in 1992 -- even with the chiefs of staff follies, even with Ross Perot, even with the weak economy.

Clinton would remind us "that the election is a job interview, and they have to convince the American people to fire the 'other guy' and hire them." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush like father ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In South Dakota, Thune Will Run Against Daschle STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 11:27:18 AM ----- BODY: "After months weighing another Senate bid after his narrow loss to Democrat Tim Johnson of South Dakota last year, former Rep. John Thune apparently has decided to take on Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle in 2004," The Hill reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Thune Daschle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Caro Wins Pulitzer Prize STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 09:33:12 AM ----- BODY: Master of the Senate by Robert Caro won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize for Biography. If you haven't read Caro's books on Lyndon Johnson, you're missing some of the best ever written. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0394528360 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Robert Caro ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Clinton's Book Selling Well STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 09:27:57 AM ----- BODY: "Powerhouse attorney" and book agent Bob Barnett "claims Sen. Hillary Clinton's upcoming untitled book has broken a record for pre-sold books in foreign countries," the Chicago Tribune's Michael Sneed reports.

Rush Limbaugh and Matt Drudge have been complaining that "Clinton hasn't turned in anything for her new book. There's no title, no manuscript, not even a single word." However, a spokesman for Simon and Schuster told the London Times "the rumours are 100 per cent wrong. We are on track to publish in June." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Hillary Clinton ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards' Wife Gives Interview STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 08:55:36 AM ----- BODY: In what was billed as a "rare interview," Elizabeth Edwards spoke with WRAL-TV "about what it means to be the wife of a presidential candidate," saying that while she is "spending a lot of time on the campaign trail these days... her primary job and focus is raising two young children." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Finds Rallying Point STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 08:51:27 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry "and his campaign are trying to transform Republican criticism of his call for a 'regime change' in the United States into a rallying point for Democrats, even though Kerry has said his comment may have been too harsh, given that the nation is at war with Iraq," the Boston Globe reports.

CNN notes Kerry said that "democracy affords rival Democrats the right to criticize President Bush even with the nation at war."

Paul Krugman also defends Kerry in his column today: "Self-styled patriots are trying to impose constraints on political speech, accusing anyone who criticizes the president of undermining the war effort." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Raises More Than $1 Million STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/08/2003 08:41:14 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Bob Graham (D-FL) "quickly has raised more than $1 million for his campaign for president, a powerful launch but still overshadowed by the fund raising of other Democrats seeking their party's 2004 nomination," the Orlando Sentinel reports. Reuters says the money was all raised over the telephone as Graham recovered from heart surgery. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Vilsack In 2008? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 02:47:39 PM ----- BODY: Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) "looks to be positioning himself to run for president someday. The Democratic governor's recent hires, travels and activities are good evidence that Iowa's chief executive is thinking of bigger things," writes the Des Moines Register's David Yepsen.

"Some believe there's an outside chance Vilsack might get the vice-presidential nod in 2004. All these moves certainly enhance that possibility." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Tom Vilsack ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Brazile Aims to Shake Up Politics STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 02:40:54 PM ----- BODY: Donna Brazille "was once the ultimate campaign insider, a pioneering black woman managing a major party candidate's bid for the White House," the AP reports. Now, she "is a one-woman force trying to shake up traditional presidential politics from the outside."

"The idea is to get popular black politicians to jump into the fray as 'favorite son' or 'favorite daughter' candidates in their home states, a move designed to energize minority voters and build clout for those black candidates." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Donna Brazille ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Engages Blog Readers STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:50:57 AM ----- BODY: Gary Hart has responded to reader comments on his new weblog. The most interesting item: "I understand the nature of a national campaign better than most, having helped others run for President and having done so myself. It is perhaps the most daunting physical and emotional undertakings one can imagine, especially if you do not have a large paid staff and lots of money. But it is also the only real platform to challenge Americans to make the country and the world better. The Democratic party has not offered a great idea for more than a quarter century and we risk permanent minority status because of it." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Massachusetts, Romney Gets Good Reviews STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:28:05 AM ----- BODY: Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) "is enjoying generally favorable reviews from Massachusetts residents, but he faces public skepticism about his handling of the state's fiscal situation," a Boston Globe/WBZ-TV poll shows. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Mitt Romney ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In Indiana, Friends Expect Daniels To Run STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:23:06 AM ----- BODY: U.S. News and World Report's Washington Whispers says that OMB chief Mitch Daniels "is telling friends that he will make a decision on running for governor of Indiana within weeks. All indications are that he's going home. Easing the decision: Clay Johnson, President Bush's friend and former personnel director, is about to be confirmed as one of Daniels's deputies. Insiders see Johnson as Daniels's replacement." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Mitch Daniels ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In North Carolina, Burr Keeps Pressure On Edwards STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:16:45 AM ----- BODY: Rep. Richard Burr (R-NC) "continued his torrid fundraising pace in the first three months of the year, swelling his campaign account to better than $2 million as he prepares for an all-but-announced Senate bid," Roll Call reports. "Burr is widely seen as one of Senate Republicans' best hopes in the 2004 cycle. It remains unclear whether Burr will face freshman Sen. John Edwards (D) or whether he will be competing for an open seat. Edwards is pursuing the Democratic presidential nomination and has not yet made a decision on whether he will also seek re-election to the Senate."

The Raleigh News and Observer notes Burr "is making a strong effort to lock up the GOP Senate nomination 20 months before the 2004 election." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Richard Burr Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: In California, Greens Consider Run Against Boxer STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:13:41 AM ----- BODY: The California Green Party "is weighing whether to field a candidate against" Sen. Barbara Boxer (D) in 2004 -- "a candidate who could sap Boxer's support from the left and leave her more vulnerable to Republican attack," the San Mateo County Times reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Barbara Boxer ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gingrich Still Fighting Civil War STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:10:02 AM ----- BODY: U.S. News and World Report's Washington Whispers has "journeyed back in time to tell Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee what he could have done differently at Gettysburg. In Gettysburg: A Novel of the Civil War, due out this summer, Gingrich and two coauthors create an alternative history of the pivotal battle." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 031230935X ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Newt Gingrich ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards Speaks At Harkin's Iowa Forum STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:09:22 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Edwards spoke over the weekend "to more than 300 people and a national C-SPAN audience at a town meeting sponsored by Iowa Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin," the Charlotte Observer reports. The Des Moines Register says Edwards "called for expanding the number of Americans with health insurance," but "stopped short of joining some of his rivals in endorsing a universal health-care plan."

Harkin "has yet to endorse a candidate for the Democratic nomination, and he said he wants to remain an 'honest broker' as he plays host to the candidates," the Boston Globe reports. "Nonetheless, arranging the forums and making it hard for the candidates to avoid them will inevitably boost Harkin's stature and make him someone the candidates ignore at their peril." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Edwards Harkin ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Steps Up Criticism STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 09:08:14 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry "continued his vociferous criticism of the Bush administration's wartime foreign policy," saying in Iowa that the White House is being "irresponsible to the nth" degree in allowing the North Korean situation to "fester," the Boston Herald reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean's Staff Grows STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 08:52:29 AM ----- BODY: As his Vermont headquarters "has become more crowded," Howard Dean's "presidential bid has gone through what can only be described as a political growth spurt," the Vermont Press Bureau reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: The Pro-Bono Campaign STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 08:36:31 AM ----- BODY: "To conserve cash in the post-soft-money era, the Democratic Party's presidential candidates are increasingly turning to unpaid political advisers and part-time consultants to run their campaigns," Roll Call reports. "The emerging trend means some of the most central tasks of today's campaigns -- from setting up media shops to running the day-to-day operations -- are being handled by consultants who often receive paychecks from other clients, both political and corporate." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Rove Gears Up STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/07/2003 08:32:55 AM ----- BODY: White House adviser Karl Rove "is busily working to shape perceptions" of President Bush "as a wartime leader and to prepare for the re-election campaign that will start as soon as the war ends," the New York Times reports.

U.S. News and World Report's Washington Whispers notes the White House, "laying the groundwork for a skeleton re-election campaign this summer, is already planning yet another round of tax cuts to be proposed in September if the economy continues to sputter."

Meanwhile, the Washington Times says Democrats "have been performing a high-wire act between expressing support for the troops and satisfying their political base with attacks on President Bush." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Karl Rove ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Put Political Wire On Your Site STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/04/2003 02:04:13 PM ----- BODY: I've received many requests from people who would like to put Political Wire headlines on their site. One reader recommended a site that takes Political Wire's RSS syndication feed (RSS .91 or RSS 1.0) and gives you Javascript code to put on your own web page. (Here's an example.) You can even customize the output to fit your site design. If you use this feature, please let me know how it works! ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: syndication ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Michael Kelly Killed In Iraq STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/04/2003 12:04:46 PM ----- BODY: "Michael Kelly, the Atlantic Monthly editor-at-large and Washington Post columnist who abandoned the safety of editorial offices to cover the war in Iraq, has been killed in a Humvee accident while traveling with the Army's 3rd Infantry Division," the Washington Post reports. Kelly's last column was yesterday.

Andrew Sullivan: "I'm simply stunned by the news of Mike Kelly's death. He was a beautiful writer, a brave polemicist, a prickly, funny man, a superb editor, and a friend. He died in action, which is perhaps as he might have wanted it. I can't think of anything more to say right now in the moments after reading this awful news, except that please pray for his young family, his wonderful wife, and his wider family and friends. He was a great journalist and a good, good man. May he rest in peace." Additional tributes are given by Rich Lowry, John Miller, Kathryn Jean Lopez, Jonah Goldberg, Josh Marshall and Dan Kennedy.

Update: Atlantic Media issued a statement: "The Atlantic has had 145 years of good times and bad, but no moment more deeply sad than this one now. The best we can make of this hour is to surround his wife and children and parents and family with some measure of the love we have for Michael." And the Washingtonian posts a 1997 article about him.

For the latest from Iraq, see the War Wire. ----- EXTENDED BODY: 1400030366 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Michael Kelly ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: It's Official: Campaign Finance Law Helps Republicans STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/04/2003 09:24:56 AM ----- BODY: The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire says the new "campaign-finance law boosts Republicans' money edge. In first-quarter reports due soon at the Federal Election Commission, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is expected to show $7 million -- its biggest take of regulated 'hard money' for House candidates ever. But Republicans' House committee has raised $22 million. Democrats got more from unregulated 'soft money,' now banned." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: campaign finance law ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards Head To Iowa STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/04/2003 09:11:21 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Edwards is the featured guest at the first presidential forum in Iowa hosted by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA) on Sunday, according to the Des Moines Register reports. The session will be broadcast live on CSPAN at 5 p.m. ET.

Meanwhile, the Raleigh News and Observer notes Edwards was endorsed by his state's congressional delagation yesterday. And the Atlanta Journal Constitution says Edwards has the support of former Georgia Gov. Roy Barnes. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean Gets Book Deal STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/04/2003 09:08:19 AM ----- BODY: Howard Dean announced "that he had reached an agreement with Simon and Schuster to publish a book about his life, political accomplishments, and vision for America," the Boston Globe reports. "The book, as yet untitled, will be published in November." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Doesn't Back Off STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/04/2003 09:04:18 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry "suggested he may have been too 'harsh' in calling for a regime change" in the United States, but "after his remarks had zipped around the country and brought accusations of disloyalty from Republicans, Mr. Kerry stuck to his guns," the Washington Times reports.

And the Boston Globe says Kerry hit back hard: "In response to the Republican criticism, the Kerry campaign compared the war credentials of his Republican critics with those of the senator." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean And Kerry Tied In New Hampshire STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/04/2003 08:15:12 AM ----- BODY: "Sen. John Kerry and former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean are tied in the latest poll of likely voters in the New Hampshire Democratic primary," the AP reports. Kerry and Dean each received the support of 21 percent of those questioned with Sen. Joseph Lieberman "a distant third at 9 percent, followed by Rep. Dick Gephardt of Missouri at 6 percent." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Kerry Dean New Hampshire ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Daschle Stumps For David Brock STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 10:31:23 AM ----- BODY: Heard on the Hill says Sen. Tom Daschle "served as co-host of a Tuesday night book party for author David Brock, who once used dirty tricks to terrorize Democrats with negative stories but has now trained his journalistic guns on the GOP... The party was organized by Democratic activists to celebrate publication of the paperback version of Blinded by the Right, Brock's tome about his journey to renouncing his past as a conservative hit man... It sure sounds like Daschle and other members of the host committee -- like Senate Minority Whip Harry Reid (D-NV) and former Clinton adviser James Carville -- believe that the way for Democrats to regain power is to emulate the attack politics that Democrats used to shake their fingers at with rage."

Update: The Reliable Source was there and quotes Daschle saying Brock's book was given to him by President Clinton. "He gave me his own copy -- which was underlined, circled, and dog-eared -- and told me 'You have to read this book!' And it was the best advice he's given me in at least a couple of years. We thank David for his contribution and hope to see more from him." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 1400047285 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Daschle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Is Kucinich Planning A Third Party Bid? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 09:53:13 AM ----- BODY: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is currently seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, but Politics1 says that "what seems to be slipping under the political radar is the real possibility he ultimately will continue his campaign as a third party candidate in the 2004 race." Although former Green Party nominee Ralph Nader "is one who has openly praised Kucinich's progressive campaign, stopping just short of making a full endorsement of his candidacy," it's more likely "that Kucinich could end up as the nominee of the Natural Law Party." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Dennis Kucinich ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Calls For "Regime Change" At Home STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 08:45:42 AM ----- BODY: Senator John Kerry said that President Bush "committed a 'breach of trust' in the eyes of many United Nations members by going to war with Iraq, creating a diplomatic chasm that will not be bridged as long as Bush remains in office," the Boston Globe reports. "Despite pledging two weeks ago to cool his criticism of the administration once war began, Kerry unleashed a barrage of criticism as US troops fought within 25 miles of Baghdad."

More on Kerry's fundraising report: The Boston Globe notes Kerry raised money in all 50 states, qualifying him for federal matching funds. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Lieberman Trails In Fundraising STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 08:42:00 AM ----- BODY: Sen. Joseph Lieberman's presidential campaign "raised $3 million in the first quarter of 2003, putting him barely ahead of a little-known former Vermont governor and well behind two other senators in the presidential campaign fund-raising derby," the Hartford Courant reports. "Lieberman's results, while a short-term problem, hardly knock him out of the race. What it could do is make the next round of fund-raising, which ends June 30, crucial to his campaign's viability and even survival."

Stuart Rothenberg says "Lieberman's road to the nomination doesn't appear quite so smooth. While he has a national profile, his prospects depend on how his opponents perform. Like a sports team that can make the playoffs only if others ahead of it in the standings falter, Lieberman doesn't control his own destiny in the presidential race."

Lieberman "is adding staff," the Forward reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Joseph Lieberman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Gephardt In The Middle Of The Pack STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 08:40:41 AM ----- BODY: "Democratic Party insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity," said Rep. Dick Gephardt "raised between $2.5 million and $4.5 million" in the first quarter of this year, according to the Charlotte Observer. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Dick Gephardt ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards Looking For Bounce STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 08:38:43 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Edwards "has been mired in single digits and 4th or 5th place in opinion polls of the nation and key primary states," but "his muscular fundraising could revive his campaign and quiet doubts about his inexperience," USA Today reports.

However, the Raleigh News and Observer says Edwards spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri said "that she did not have a figure available for how much money Edwards has in the bank, though his presidential account was certain to be smaller than" Sen. John Kerry's. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Friend Says Hart Will Run STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 08:37:52 AM ----- BODY: In private conversations with a New Hampshire friend, Gary Hart "sounds pretty certain" he'll run for president in 2004, the Manchester Union Leader reports. Hart is expected back in the Granite state later this month.

Jake Tapper asks "Why won't anyone listen to Gary Hart?" ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Graham Ready To Run STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 08:23:26 AM ----- BODY: "Spotting his rivals a multimillion-dollar lead in fundraising and a three-month head start in campaigning, Sen. Bob Graham is ready to take the wraps off the public side of his campaign for president," Roll Call reports. "The Florida Democrat, who said he originally planned to officially announce his candidacy on Monday, will instead begin his campaign with a few 'ow-key events'in his home state... Graham said he decided against a full-fledged announcement and campaign tour because of the potential for it to appear unseemly in light of the ongoing war in Iraq." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bob Graham ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean Appeals To Doves STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 08:17:35 AM ----- BODY: The Wall Street Journal notes that Howard Dean "has one thing his opponents don't: a claim on the allegiance of an antiwar constituency that still matters in Democratic-nomination politics." However, the Dallas Morning News says Dean "has antagonized some of his Democratic rivals" on the war in Iraq "and prompted people to question his consistency on the issue."

The Los Angeles Times notes that "in the political community," Dean's fundraising figure "was viewed as a promising sign because it easily exceeded the initial expectations for the little-known candidate." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Will Giuliani Run For President? STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/03/2003 07:01:32 AM ----- BODY: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) "tells Esquire magazine that, while he firmly supports President Bush for re-election next year, he could not rule out a bid for the Oval Office in 2008," the New York Post reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Rudy Giuliani ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: CNBC's Pre-Emptive Strike STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:47:41 PM ----- BODY: Tina Brown: "No doubt the Bush White House has its own good reasons to feel cross with me, but scheduling Operation Shock and Awe to begin precisely at the moment of my new CNBC TV show seems a little excessive." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Tina Brown ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean Raises More Than Expected STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 07:12:19 PM ----- BODY: Howard Dean's presidential campaign "announced that first-quarter fundraising totals are expected to exceed $2.6 million, with more than $2 million cash-on-hand. Contributions came from more than 12,000 individual donors. More than $2 million of the contributions will qualify for federal matching funds under campaign law." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry Announces Cash Totals STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 05:09:21 PM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry said "he has raised about $7 million for his Democratic presidential bid so far this year, putting him neck-and-neck with Sen. John Edwards as a leader in the race for 2004 campaign cash," the AP reports. "In addition to his fund raising, Kerry's White House run got a boost from $2.9 million that he transferred from his Massachusetts Senate campaign after his re-election last year, putting his total receipts at $10 million. Kerry said he had $8 million of that on hand to spend, the most of any candidate so far and $1.2 million more than then-Vice President Al Gore had on hand at this stage in the 2000 campaign." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Nixon For President STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 12:40:49 PM ----- BODY: A compilation of the Top 100 April Fools Hoaxes puts this one at number five:

"In 1992 National Public Radio's Talk of the Nation program announced that Richard Nixon, in a surprise move, was running for President again. His new campaign slogan was, 'I didn't do anything wrong, and I won't do it again.' Accompanying this announcement were audio clips of Nixon delivering his candidacy speech. Listeners responded viscerally to the announcement, flooding the show with calls expressing shock and outrage. Only during the second half of the show did the host John Hockenberry reveal that the announcement was a joke. Nixon's voice was impersonated by comedian Rich Little." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: April Fools hoaxes ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Bush Losing Expectations Game STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 12:28:37 PM ----- BODY: The Wall Street Journal's John Harwood makes an important point: "Bush could learn a few things from his father's Gulf War strategy -- setting expectations low, then exceeding them. The current president is now paying a political price for not lowering expectations of a quick war." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Bush war expectations ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Dean Signs Up Volunteers STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:58:20 AM ----- BODY: "Nationwide, more than 10,000 people have signed up to work" for the Dean presidential campaign, the Daily Hampshire Gazette reports. Dean supporters are meeting at an Internet cafe in Northampton tonight "to discuss how to move the... campaign forward."

Meanwhile, Matthew Langer notes that Dean was criticized on his war position by Joe Klein last night on CNN. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Howard Dean ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Edwards Touts Fundraising Progress STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:49:27 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Edwards announced he "raised $7.4 million through the first quarter of 2003, a demonstration of fundraising strength comparable to that of President Bush and Al Gore during the same period in 1999," the Washington Post reports. "Candidates often play a cat-and-mouse game with fundraising figures, with each hoping to show an impressive number that will encourage further donations and perhaps dampen enthusiasm for rivals." The Winston-Salem Journal says that "during the same period of the presidential campaign in 1999, George Bush raised $7.6 million, Al Gore raised $8.8 million and Sen. John McCain raised $3.8 million."

The New York Times says the amount will "likely to put him near the top of a crowded field of candidates in the money race for the Democratic nomination next year."

The Raleigh News and Observer notes Edwards' total "does not include any transfers from his Senate fund-raising account, which the campaign said currently contains $1.4 million." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Edwards ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Kerry, Lieberman Delay Release Of Fundraising Figures STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:47:01 AM ----- BODY: Sen. John Kerry "who is widely expected to lead the pack in terms of money raised, decided against releasing a preliminary total" after rival Sen. John Edwards did "because his fund-raisers continued to count checks that came in as late as Monday, when Kerry held fund-raising events in New York," the Boston Globe reports.

Meanwhile, Sen. Joe Lieberman sought to downplay expectations and said his fundraising report "was being reviewed" and "could be out today," the Hartford Courant reports. Lieberman's staff hinted they "expected to be in fourth place" in terms of money raised during the quarter. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: John Kerry Joe Lieberman ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: McAuliffe Tells Democrats To Unite STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:40:08 AM ----- BODY: Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe "said he is concerned about infighting among some of the party's presidential candidates," the AP reports. "Several of the nine Democratic presidential candidates have been aiming criticisms at each other -- and naming names when they do so." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Terry McAuliffe ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Democrats Let Generals Be The Critics STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:39:15 AM ----- BODY: "The Bush administration's war policy is coming under steady criticism, but not from Democrats in Congress, where the opposition party has been remarkably silent," the New York Times reports. "Except for a few persistent voices, Democratic lawmakers are holding their tongues on the war in Iraq, allowing generals to take the lead in challenging Pentagon planners while they avoid taking positions they fear could invite Republican retaliation."

And former generals are also piling on. A New York Times piece says their "blunt statements about war strategy have rankled the Pentagon defended their right to offer those assessments."

For the latest in Iraq, see the War Wire. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: criticism war policy ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Pelosi Reaches Out To Blue Dogs STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:35:34 AM ----- BODY: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) "in an attempt to consolidate her base in the Democratic Caucus, has reached out to centrist factions of the Democratic Caucus," The Hill reports. "Pelosi met last week with the 35-member group of conservative Democrats known as the Blue Dogs, and promised to do so regularly in the future." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Nancy Pelosi ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: House Democrats Campaign In Capitol STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/02/2003 08:34:07 AM ----- BODY: "House Democrats are holding meetings in the Capitol to discuss campaign strategy, in apparent violation of House ethics rules, while their permanent political headquarters along nearby Ivy Street S.E. undergoes extensive renovation," The Hill reports. ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: House Democrats ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Carter To Write A Novel STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/01/2003 01:35:46 PM ----- BODY: Jimmy Carter will become the first former president to write a novel, "although there have been rumors that former President Clinton was considering one," the AP reports. "The Hornet's Nest, a historical novel set in the South during the Revolutionary War, is scheduled to be published by Simon and Schuster this fall."

"Carter is author of several works of nonfiction, including the memoir An Hour Before Daylight, a finalist for the Pulitzer last year." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0743211995 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Jimmy Carter novel ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Defending Daschle STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/01/2003 01:13:38 PM ----- BODY: Jake Tapper got a hold of an email sent by Sen. Tom Daschle's re-election campaign and notes it "is symbolic of a larger problem for the Democrats: They need to both support our troops, lest they be painted as less than patriotic, yet they also need to point out the president's missteps, raise funds and prepare for the 2004 elections. This can create awkward situations -- ones that Republicans, better organized and funded, can easily exploit." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Daschle ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Draft Gore Effort Continues STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/01/2003 11:37:34 AM ----- BODY: The Oakland Tribune profiles Monica Friedlander "who chairs the leading effort to draft former Vice President Al Gore into the 2004 presidential race." Friedlander and her cohorts "felt buoyed by a recent Zogby poll showing Gore more popular than any of the declared Democratic candidates."

Meanwhile, Launch says the Dixie Chicks have Gore's support in the wake of the controversial comments made by the band's lead singer a few weeks ago. ----- EXTENDED BODY: B00006BIMO ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Al Gore ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: California Greens Say War Helps Party STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/01/2003 09:00:32 AM ----- BODY: "The California Green Party has struggled for years to grow beyond its tiny core of staunch leftists," the Los Angeles Times reports. "Now, however, California Greens say they have found a way to broaden their party's appeal, above all to disaffected Democrats: opposition to the war in Iraq. The Greens have made antiwar protests the central focus of their party at a time when many Democrats are squawking at leaders of their own party for backing the war." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: California Green Party ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Hart Gets Lukewarm Reception In New Hampshire STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/01/2003 08:33:33 AM ----- BODY: "During his two day New Hampshire visit last week," Gary Hart "met privately with several supporters of past presidential bids" to seek their advice "on whether he should run a third time in 2004," PoliticsNH.com reports. "Hart is finding that many of these people have already signed up with other candidates and are skeptical about his return to politics after 15 years." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Gary Hart ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Pelosi's Challenge STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/01/2003 08:31:48 AM ----- BODY: "The issue at hand for Representative Nancy Pelosi," the New York Times says, "was a ticklish one: how to support the troops without heaping praise on President Bush... With Democrats sharply divided over foreign policy, the conflict in Iraq is providing the first real test of her leadership." ----- EXTENDED BODY: ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Nancy Pelosi ----- -------- AUTHOR: Taegan Goddard TITLE: Divided We Stand STATUS: Publish ALLOW COMMENTS: 0 CONVERT BREAKS: 0 ALLOW PINGS: 0 PRIMARY CATEGORY: CATEGORY: DATE: 04/01/2003 08:09:24 AM ----- BODY: The Washington Post reviews After: How America Confronted The September 12 Era by Steven Brill: "It is important at all times to bear in mind that Brill is a lawyer, arguably the country's pre-eminent legal journalist, founder of the American Lawyer magazine and Court TV. He is a somewhat contentious figure in American journalism, and an outspoken one, but when it comes to the law he knows whereof he writes, and he (mostly) writes about it lucidly."

The Wall Street Journal's review was less kind: "Even specialist historians are unlikely to find this amount of detail useful. What the general reader is supposed to do with it, besides get annoyed, is a mystery." ----- EXTENDED BODY: 0743237099 ----- EXCERPT: ----- KEYWORDS: Steven Brill ----- --------