ABC News' The Note: First Source for Political News

ByABC News
August 11, 2004, 3:02 PM

W A S H I N G T O N, Aug. 10, 2004&#151;<br> -- NOTED NOW

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19 days until the Republican convention83 days until election day

NEWS SUMMARY

The President, having announced his intention to nominate Porter Goss to head the CIA, heads to Florida to campaign with John McCain.

John Kerry, who at this writing hasn't reacted to the Goss news, does Vegas, with an emphasis on homeland security and Yucca Mountain.

Dick Cheney plays Iowa; John Edwards rests.

The Fed is expected to raise interest rates.

House Democrats highlight intelligence; Kean and Hamilton go back to the Hill; voters in Colorado and Georgia vote; and the Googling monkeys gear up for their very favorite thing -- a confirmation battle.

Based on his resume, Goss is a perfect candidate for the job.

But based on recent history, Goss's PR "skills," and Democrat gauntlet-laying, it's not clear what the White House has in mind with this pick.

Will Senate Democrats -- who were not particuarly consulted in advance -- turn this into a battle? Will the White House welcome such a thing? Will there be a vote that Kerry and Edwards actually have to attend?

As Matt Cooper would write, only time will tell.

President Bush is in northwest Florida, one of the most reliably Republican parts of the state, with Sen. John McCain today. They begin with a rally at the Civic Center in Pensacola, FL at 11:40 am ET; participate in an "Ask President Bush" event with Sen. McCain at the Oskaloosa-Walton College in Niceville, FL at 2:00 pm ET; and address a final rally at the Marina in Panama City, FL at 5:45 pm ET.

Shortly after the AP broke the news that Bush would tap Porter Goss as the new Director of the CIA, on C-SPAN Representative Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the party caucus chair, told penetrating questioner Steve Scully the pick is "a mistake," because Goss comes from a partisan background. Menendez said that on more than one occasion, Goss has "shown himself to be a partisan." He said he admired Goss' service, but was largely negative about the pick.

Sen. Kerry is in Vegas making hay about his opposition to using Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste site. At 2:00 pm ET he meets with first responders and community leaders at a middle school near the proposed site to accuse the Bush Administration of manipulating Yucca Mountain for political gain. Kerry finishes the day with a 9:00 pm ET rally at UNLV.

We know he is on holiday, but who will ask Sen. Edwards whether his Yucca Mountain vote was incorrect?

Vice President Cheney is in Iowa today to speak at the Seven Flags Event Center at 12:55 pm ET. America Coming Together will sponsor a Halliburton lemonade stand outside the event.

First Lady Laura Bush is also in the Midwest touting ownership, the new Bush economic message, via female-owned small businesses. At 10:15 am ET in Grafton, WI, she tours SEEK, Inc. and speaks about the economy. At 1:30 pm ET she does the same at Gruber's Quilt Shop Waite Park, MN. And at 4:15 pm ET she speaks to a group of female small business owners at the Crowne Plaza in Cedar Rapids, IA.

Colorado holds its Senate primaries today, featuring Rep. Bob Schaffer vs. Pete Coors and Attorney General Ken Salazar vs. Mike Miles. Georgia holds its Democratic primary, with Rep. Denise Majette facing off against businessman Cliff Oxford. In Colorado polls open at 9:00 am ET and close at 9:00 pm ET and in Georgia, polls open at 7:00 am ET and close at 7:00 pm ET.

Sen. Edwards vacations at his family home in North Carolina until Friday.

At 6:00 pm ET, "The Honorable Charles Schumer, the Honorable Eliot Spitzer, Aretha Franklin, Jessye Norman, Harvey Keitel, Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee" will gather at Tavern on the Green to celebrate the 74th birthday of Rep. Charles Rangel. Folks: if you can unite Schumer and Spitzer, how come you didn't invite us, insomuch as you are in our neighborhood??

Republican National Convention:

The Washington Times' Ralph Z. Hallow wrenches this blind quote from some top GOP strategist who seems unaware of the stir that it will cause:

"[O]ne Republican who is close to the platform process but asked not to be identified said Bush representatives working with the platform writers 'will try to prevent extremism in language on gay rights by some evangelical groups and on immigration by some of our conservatives.'"

"Several Republicans associated with the platform-committee activities who requested anonymity described an effort by the Bush forces to head off any language that might seem "unwelcoming" to immigrants or intolerant of homosexuals."

And Phyllis Schlafly is ready for battle.

As are the Democrats.

They've hired superstar Jay Carson to be their Counter Convention Communications Director, we've learned.

Kevin Wardally will be the CC's campaign manager. Melvin Norris, who is a key aide to Rep,. Charles Rangel, will serve as New York Chief of Staff for the Democrats.

And yes, Jenny Backus will have a key role, too.

You may have heard this already, but security is going to be tight around the Republican convention. LINK

The New York Times' Michael Slackman reports that Republican convention organizers have embraced their role as marketers of the party's ideas, and are planning a spectacle including "gospel- and country-music performers, elaborate videos, and celebrities" who will both perform and give interviews during the event. LINK

The must-read piece seems based on an interview that we sense wasn't totally authorized by the Powers That Be.

The Boston Herald calls the Democratic National Convention a waste, with a new report on the economic impact to prove it. LINK

The Boston Globe refers to the benefits as "negligible," also citing the report done by the Beacon Hill Institute. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Kerry on Iraq:

USA Today's Martin Kasindorf Notes Kerry's "intended focus on the natural environment was overshadowed by a barbed exchange with Bush over Iraq" on Monday. LINK

"Responding to President Bush's challenge to clarify his position, Sen. John F. Kerry said Monday that he still would have voted to authorize the war in Iraq even if he had known then that U.S. and allied forces would not find weapons of mass destruction," writes the Washington Post's Jim VandeHei. LINK

But, Notes ABC News' Teddy Davis, he said that he would have been more effective at carrying out that authority.

Kerry then issued a challenge to President Bush on the Iraq war, asking, "Why did you take us to war without a plan to win the peace?"

Pat Healy of the Boston Globe has his other questions: "Why did he rush to war on faulty intelligence and not do the hard work necessary to give America the truth? Why did he mislead America about how he would go to war? Why has he not brought other countries to the table in order to support American troops in the way that we deserve it and relieve a pressure from the American people?" LINK?

Of course, the Bush campaign claims Kerry didn't really answer the right question.

ABC News Vote 2004: today's primaries:

In Colorado, the sudden retirement of Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell triggered an Illinois-esque scramble to find a Republican candidate. Some party leaders settled, ultimately, on former Rep. Bob Schaffer -- then they settled on millionaire beer magnate Pete Coors. But Schaffer didn't quit and the primary quickly turned into a nasty brawl between two wings of the party.

Then Coors tracked to the right, trying to court conservative voters. When learning that his company paid for employee abortions, he urged his corporate officers reverse the policy. An outside group supported by Schaffer backers has attacked Coors in television ads for "supporting the radical homosexual agenda." The Christian Coalition mailed thousands of fliers to their members highlighting the Coors Brewing Company's support for gay rights. In turn, the Coors company has taken out ads distancing themselves from Coors' support for the amendment outlawing same-sex marriage.

The Democratic primary hasn't been clean, either, despite the early endorsement of a talented candidate, Attorney General Ken Salazar. He's facing Mike Miles, a liberal school administrator, who embarrassed him a state party gathering earlier in the year. The two have sparred on bread and butter issues, with Miles generally critiquing Salazar for being too close to lobbyists and Salazar accusing Miles of support impractical and economically dangerous ideas.

Activists on both sides are excited about the presidential race and are tugging at their party's establishment leaders to listen to them.

National Democrats believe that Salazar can boost Sen. John Kerry's chances for an upset win in Colorado in November, in part by drawing record turnout of Hispanic voters. National Republicans believe that although their favored candidate Pete Coors can spend as much of his own money as he wants, the divisive primary may hurt his chances for the fall. They'd have to spend their own money to help Schaffer. Regardless, they're confident that George W. Bush will keep the state Republican on election day.

In addition to the big Senate primary at the top of the ticket, "all Denver voters are eligible to decide an issue that would ban circuses from displaying exotic animals in their shows…" LINK

"'Let your voice be heard. And don't forget to take your ID with you,' said Secretary of State Donetta Davidson, who predicted turnout will be as high as 35 percent. That compares with 10 percent turnout in the 2000 primary and 11 percent in 2002," reports the Denver Post on today's Colorado primary. LINK

Today's Georgia Senate primary run-off features Rep. Denise Majette and businessman Cliff Oxford. Oxford probably has a better chance of making the race competitive with Republican nominee Johnny Isakson in the fall if only because he can spend his own money.

In the 8th congressional district, State. Sen. Lynn Westmoreland faces Dylan Glenn, who, if he survives the run-off today, would be the only black Republican in Congress (assuming he defeats his Democratic challenger in November).

ABC News Vote 2004: the politics stem cells:

In an interview with ABC News' Kate Snow, First Lady Laura Bush defended the President against the criticism he has faced in recent days for his position on stem cells, saying, "My husband is the first one who funded stem cell research . . . he's the only one to fund stem cell research."

Snow went on to report that a new poll suggests that public opinion heavily supports stem cell research across party lines. In a press briefing yesterday, Sen. John Kerry said that there is no contradiction in his support for stem cell research and his belief that life begins at conception. He also argued that stem cell research gives people fighting disease hope and that they do not deserve to have doors closed to them in fighting disease. When Mrs. Bush was asked whether she felt her husband's opponents were trying to raise false hope, Laura Bush replied, "Yes I think they are."