The Note

ByABC News
March 8, 2004, 10:17 AM

W A S H I N G T O N, March 8&#151;<br> -- TODAY SCHEDULE (all times ET):

8:30 am: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Sen. Orrin Hatch and Sen. Susan Collins speak before the National League of Cities' annual Congressional City Conference, Washington, D.C.9:15 am: Sen. John Kerry attends a town hall meeting at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Center, Hollywood, Fla. 9:30 am: Former White House Press Secretary Mike McCurry and former Rep. J.C. Watts discuss the election before the National League of Cities' annual Congressional City Conference, Washington, D.C. 10:00 am: Laura Bush speaks to the American College of Cardiology, New Orleans, La. 10:00 am: The Supreme Court meets to release orders and hand down decisions, Washington, D.C. 10:00 am: The National Council of Churches holds a news conference with families of detainees being held in Guantanamo, Washington, D.C. 10:30 am: Laura Bush speaks to the media following her speech, New Orleans, La. 10:30 am: Teresa Heinz Kerry speaks to supporters at a house party, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. 12:00 pm: The Senate convenes for debate on the budget resolution, Washington, D.C. 12:00 pm: Treasury Secretary John Snow speaks before the National Association of State Treasurers' legislative conference, Washington, D.C. 12:00 pm: The House of Representatives convenes for a pro forma session, Washington, D.C. :00 pm: Sen. Kerry attends a rally at West Palm Beach Public Library Plaza, West Palm Beach, Fla. 1:05 pm: President Bush attends a Bush-Cheney 2004 luncheon fundraiser at the Fairmont Hotel, Dallas, Texas1:15 pm: National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice speaks about foreign policy at the University of Louisville, Louisville, Ky. 1:25 pm: Vice President Cheney speaks at a luncheon for congressional candidate Stan Thompson at the Embassy Suites, Des Moines, Iowa2:00 pm: Sen. Debbie Stabenow, Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta, and Reps. Don Young, Michael Turner, Jim Turner and Elijah Cummings speak before the National League of Cities' annual Congressional City Conference, Washington, D.C. 3:45 pm: President Bush attends the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at the Reliant Arena, Houston, Texas6:35 pm: President Bush attends a Bush-Cheney 2004 fundraiser at the Hilton Americas, Houston, Texas7:00 pm: Sen. Kerry attends a rally at Centro Ybor, Tampa, Fla. 7:25 pm: Vice President Cheney speaks at a reception for John Thune at the Ramkota Hotel, Sioux Falls, S.D. 10:30 pm: President and Mrs. Bush return to the White House

NEWS SUMMARY

Despite what you'll hear in some quarters, the prospects for the President's re-election are NOT just about the incumbent.

America's judgment on the job Mr. Bush has done is key, but John Kerry has to clear a series of bars on national security credibility; likeability; character; and being a potential good steward of a good economy if he is going to have a chance to win -- no matter what kind of campaign BC04 runs or what people think of the President.

So -- as we have written before -- the talking points, the surrogates, the Web sites, the research and (soon) the campaign ads from the GOP side are largely geared toward making sure that Kerry gets nowhere near those bars in the eyes of the American people.

Late winter and early spring, in other words, are the times to strangle the baby in the crib. (How's that for a Monday metaphor to get your attention?)

The talking point dissemination is impressive and disciplined -- to the point where it is hard to tell who is actually saying what.

Here's a weekend quote about Kerry from someone who wants President Bush to be re-elected.

"He's not a flip-flopper; he's like a political zealot (sic). He becomes whatever he is wherever he is. When he's with the Arab Americans, he says that the fence is a barrier to peace. When he's with Jewish Americans, he says it's a legitimate act of defense. When he's in Massachusetts on gay marriage, he's against the Constitution to ban them. When he's in a Southern primary, he's against gay marriage. Who is he? He would rather--I don't know. You just can't get a sense of this guy. He'd rather switch then fight. He's a political zealot (sic). Will the real John Kerry come down? We don't need that kind of person at the helm in these changing times. We need what we have, steady and steadfast."

Now, before you guess who said this, two things you should know:

1. Although every transcript we can find (including the official General Electric one) says the person used "political zealot," we are next to certain that the phrase was actually a movie reference, intended to compare the junior Senator from Massachusetts to Woody Allen's classic chameleon character (whereas The Note much prefers the Forrest Gump analogy . . . ).

2. To get the full flavor of the quote, you need to read it in a fast and (sorry) semi-hysterical Faulknerian stream-of-consciousness style.

So, who said the above? Was it:

a. Jim Dyke, practicing in front of the mirror alone?

b. 41, in the Kennebunkport horseshoe pit?

c. Jim Dyke, practicing in front of a crowd?

d. Mary Matalin, a woman with a range?

e. Dave Bossie, a man with limited range? LINK

f. Tom DeLay?

g. Rush Limbaugh?

h. John Fund, after an intense session with his thesaurus?

i. Marc Racicot, on a conference call after Nicole made him leave a meeting?

If you can't come up with the answer lickety-split, don't worry: it could have been any of them.

And, don't y'all worry there at 1600 and in Arlington -- we are going to be super-vigilant all year about what gets said on l'autre side too.

For instance, if President Bush had mangled the names and the facts of the James Byrd case (as Kerry did this weekend), we agree -- there would be heck to pay.

We're looking forward to today's new ABC News/Washington Post poll, which will give us the latest and greatest look, post-nomination battle, at the state of play between President Bush and Sen. Kerry.

Today's two must-reads:

1. Elisabeth Bumiller in the New York Times about the President's alleged (new) interest in polls and politics -- who would have thought???!!!! LINK

2. The AP's brainy Jennifer Loven on how the President is going to sports events galore lately. (Note to Jennifer: great story, but no mention of the Olympics!!???) LINK

(If Dick Morris worked for 43, one might be tempted to suggest there is a connection between those two must-reads . . .)

President Bush is in Texas today. He is in Virginia on Tuesday for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Awards Ceremony, in Ohio on Wednesday for Women's Entrepreneurship in the 21st Century Forum, and in New York on Thursday to fundraise and attend the opening of the Nassau county 9/11 memorial.

Mrs. Bush speaks in New Orleans today -- and holds a press conference after her speech.

Vice President Cheney attends congressional campaign events today in Iowa and South Dakota.

Sen. Kerry campaigns in Florida today. His morning and evening events will be covered on tape. He is in Chicago tomorrow night and returns to Washington D.C. later in the week for meeting including one with former rival Howard Dean, ABC's Ed O'Keefe reports.

Rep. Kucinich is down today, recovering from an intestinal ailment.

Ralph Nader has no public events today.

Tomorrow voters head to the polls for primaries in Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas. Polls close in Florida and Mississippi by 8:00 pm ET and in Louisiana and Texas by 9:00 pm ET.

Weekend must-reads: