ABC News' The Note: First Source for Political News
W A S H I N G T O N, Aug. 30, 2004—<br> -- NOTED NOW
TODAY'S CONVENTION SCHEDULE (all times ET)
FUTURES CALENDAR
Morning Show Wrap
Evening Newscasts Wrap
The Republican convention starts today.64 days until election day
NEWS SUMMARY
In his recent interviews with Brit Hume and Adam Nagourney, Karl Rove went out of his way to downplay his influence over the Life and Times of George W. Bush.
The reasons for this — beyond Mr. Rove's ingrained modesty — are pretty clear.
First of all, as Wayne Slater and other Gotham-ensconced members of the Texas press corps can tell you, Mr. Bush himself isn't all that crazy about the "Rove as Svengali" story line.
Second, Rove is smart enough to know that with credit comes scrutiny, and smart enough to know that the press has decided that anything Rove touches — anything he does, anything he says — is just pure evil.
We share Karl's fascination with — if not his pity for — John Kerry, that a man who would be President of the United States actually attacks a staffer on the stump (although, Note to Karl, it sure does draw a lot of emotion from the crowds!!).
If there was ever any doubt that the press will never cut Rove a break, it came in January of 2002, when at the Austin hotel that serves the best fajitas, Rove said the following to a meeting of the Republican National Committee regarding the midterm election:
"We can go to the country on this issue because they trust the Republican Party to do a better job of protecting and strengthening America's military might and thereby protecting America."
That line has been much quoted and much abused by Ted Kennedy, etc., over the last two and a half years, but we have spent that time asking: what's wrong with one party claiming it can do a better job — and has a better record — on one of the pre-eminent issues of our time?
Now, as with any issue, there are ways to overstep and abuse, but the simple notion of saying — in public — that the country trusts the GOP more on these issues and that the party can play that up — well, we still don't see what all the fuss is/was about.
So, this is the day when all this comes together — the convention that Karl Rove has been designing in his head for literally years; in the city that has come to symbolize the President's national security and emotional bond with much of the nation; at a four-day meeting that will emphasize above all else the "I will keep you safer" credentials of the commander in chief; and at a time when Democrats are still striving to neutralize all this.
As with all conventions, the press will make much of each day's activities, but what really matters (80%+) is the presidential acceptance speech on Thursday.
And/but we want to telescope you all the way to the end of the week.
So …
What we will all know by Friday morning (or, at least, should) —
If Mike Gerson can definitively lay claim to being one of the three greatest presidential speechwriters of all time -- or, maybe, the best.
Who the bigger Nielsen draw is — "George Walker Bush in 'I Will Keep You Safer,'" or "John Forbes Kerry in 'Full Metal Jacket II'."
Whether the images of 9/11 are considered offensive or politically effective, to a city, to a nation, and to Chris Matthews.
If the already wobbling Kerry campaign can take the pressure of being behind — both in the CW and actually. (Note Note — we are being kind with "wobbling" — we could have gone with "disension-wracked" or something comparable.)
Which wannabees couldn't help themselves by engaging in over-the-top 2008 behavior.
Will the nostalgia-inducing words "reformer with results" cross the lips of Karen Hughes?
If the press buys the Hughes-Gillespie Notion that bitter, misleading attacks on John Kerry are just fine if they are done in a "light" way with "humor."
How America feels about Fantasia-like renderings of elephants shown on a podium big screen — complete with blaring noises. (The Note calls them "dumbo on jumbo" — and you will too!!!)
What conspiracy-minded Democrats will obsess about as their new "surprise," now that Cheney is on the ticket. (Note to Debbie Dingell: you are in charge of coming up with a list of new options for the Democratic League of the Gang of 500 — and its press allies — to consider, for a vote next Sunday.)
If parts of the media's "disappointment" that there was no cop-on-protester violence Sunday means that coverage of other protests all week will be de minumus.
If reporters will finally have stopped asking RNC officials, "Who is your Barack Obama?"
If the longest-planned convention of all time is sort of overtaken by Friday morning's jobs report.
If John Kerry can get his veterans mojo back.
What impact will pampering in the Sheekey Lounge have had on a temperamental and sleep-deprived national press corps?
If Ken Mehlman speaks only in on-message talking points even at parties thrown in his honor.
If New York can yield two Republican presidential candidates who happen to be New Yorkers.
If the convention's "keep us safer" message obscures everything else (a la Vietnam/Boston) through the press filter, and does that matter?
Where does Kerry's Wednesday's national security speech land in the evening newscasts? What will the BC04/RNC/RNCC operation do to pre-empt it?
How many times does Alex Witt mention "Swift boats" or "National Guard records?" this week?
How many times will speakers mention gay marriage?
Will John Kerry's campaign use its week (mostly) out of the spotlight to make some staff changes? (Note we are too polite to use the words "significant shake-up.")
Which news organizations will be smart enough to stake out the lobby of the Ritz Carlton to monitor 527 donor cultivation activity? (Note to interns: bring a facebook, because — as they say in the Bronx — you can't tell the players without a scorecard!)
If acceptance-speech-in-the-round is brilliant or pure madness.
If newspaper reporters — not to mention newsweekly writers — will finally learn that conventions — and, let's face it, presidential elections — belong to those of us in TV.
The Republican National Convention is gaveled into session at 10 am ET by RNC Chair Ed Gillespie; at 1:00 pm ET, President Bush's name and Vice President Cheney's name will be placed in nomination and the first segment of the roll call process will begin.
Unlike in Boston with the Democrats, the Republicans are spreading out there roll call over a couple of days. The first 21 delegations (in alphabetical order) are up this afternoon. Some more states will pledge their delegates this evening. We expect President Bush to receive the requisite 1,255 delegate votes to win the nomination tomorrow evening shortly before the First Lady and Governor Schwarzenegger take to the stage. Cheney is expected in the hall twice today; once in the afternoon and once at 7:45 pm.
When former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and Sen. John McCain speak in primetime tonight, they will seek to remind Americans of President Bush's role in leading the US after the attacks of Sept. 11, according to excerpts of their prepared remarks.
In an 11 am ET speech at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington on Monday, Sen. John Edwards will jump on President Bush's recent admission to the New York Times that he had made a "miscalculation of what the conditions would be" in post-war Iraq. The Kerry campaign is hoping to make Bush's "miscalculation" comment a theme for the remaining 65 days of the campaign.
Sen. John Kerry is down on Nantucket with no events scheduled.
At 11 am ET, the Log Cabin Republicans, a GOP group advocating gay rights, will make a "major announcement." They are angered by a GOP platform, headed for easy ratification today, that not only endorses President Bush's call for a federal constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage but also includes language hostile to civil unions for gays and lesbians.
The two major rallies taking place in New York on Monday will be sponsored by "Still We Rise," a coalition of groups that seeks to promote "human rights, social, racial and economic justice," and "Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign."
On Tuesday, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Education Secretary Rod Paige and First Lady Laura Bush highlight the "compassion of the American people" as the GOP's primetime speakers. President Bush addresses the American Legion in Nashville, TN, makes remarks to the Farm Progress Show in Alleman, IA, and visits a softball game and family-style picnic in Gettysburg, PA. Vice President Cheney attends the Republican convention. Sen. John Kerry flies from Nantucket to Nashville, TN but holds no public events. Sen. John Edwards holds a "front porch" event and a separate rally in Beckley, WV. Florida holds its primary.
On Wednesday, Vice President Cheney and his wife Lynne Cheney address the Republican National Convention. Georgia Sen. Zell Miller, a Democrat, delivers President Bush's keynote address, highlighting America as the "land of opportunity." Twelve years ago, in the same arena, Miller delivered one of Bill Clinton's keynote address, lambasting the current President's father as someone who "does not get it." President Bush stumps in Columbus, OH and RONS in New York, NY. Sen. John Kerry addresses the American Legion in Nashville, TN and RONs on Nantucket. Edwards holds a "front porch" event and a separate rally in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
On Thursday, President George W. Bush will address the Republican convention, highlighting his vision for creating "a safer world and a more hopeful America." He will be introduced by New York Gov. George Pataki. President Bush RONs in Wilkes-Barre, PA.
On Friday, President Bush raises money in Scranton, PA, holds rallies in Milwaukee, WI and Cedar Rapids, IA, and RONs in Cleveland, OH. Unemployment figures for July are released.
On Saturday, President Bush holds an "Ask President Bush" event in Cleveland, OH, raises money in Lake County, OH, and Erie, PA.
On Sunday, President Bush holds a rally in Parkersburg, WV.
And expect the Kerry-Edwards ticket to be VERY aggressive starting on Friday.
In his own words: George W. Bush:
In an interview on NBC's "Today," President Bush was asked if he thought the war on terrorism could be won, he said: "I don't think you can win it."
Pressed by Matt Lauer to explain how the U.S. lost the unity around the world that existed after 9/11, Bush attributed it to "some hard decisions" that he's had to make in office.
