Morning Show Wrap, by ABC News Political Unit

N E W Y O R K, September 13, 2004 &#151;<br> -- A product of Noted Now and The Note

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The morning shows led with blanket Ivan coverage.

ANALYSIS:

On the second of three days of interviews with Bush-bashing Kitty Kelley, NBC's "Today" stepped up its criticism of Kelley's new book with Matt Lauer demanding to know: "Where are the positives, Kitty?"

In what Democrats are sure to see as a double standard, Bush campaign chair Marc Racicot rejected a news analysis by the Washington Post's Mike Allen of the cost of Bush's campaign promises by saying they will be "quantified when they actually become proposals." The Bush campaign has shown no reluctance to attach price tags to Kerry's still nascent proposals.

Howard Fineman's analysis of "Vietnam and Decision 2004" on "Today" was more critical of Kerry than Bush.

KITTY KELLEY ON NBC:

NBC's Matt Lauer challenged author Kitty Kelley about Sharon Bush's disavowal of the charge that Bush used drugs at Camp David. Kelley said: "Matt, I have three independent witnesses … good enough for a court of law … good enough for me. Good enough for four sets of lawyers who vetted this book." She also invoked a Southern adage to defend herself: "When you throw a rock at the pack of dogs, the one that is hit, is the one who barks," she said.

Kelley kept up the scrutiny on Bush's drug record by saying that Lt. Col. Robert Rogers told her that the reason for the gap in Bush's National Guard record is that the Air Force "started running drug tests."

"All he has to do is release the flight board inquiry record," she said.

Lauer read two statements from the Foreign Affairs Advisor to the Saudi Crown Prince discounting Kelley's claims about George H.W. Bush, Saudi Arabia and the Gulf War.

In the strangest moment of the interview, Kelley argued that her book included positive aspects of the Bush family. She then made a point about the "graciousness" of the Bush family by telling Lauer: "You play golf with the former President … you know that he's gracious," Lauer cut her off and denied having played golfed with 41.