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We're not joking here: The Note conducted an informal focus group of members of the Washington press corps in the foyer of an Adams Morgan restaurant last night and found unanimous nervousness that "something is going to happen," though the bottled-water stockpile levels varied.

A show of hands at 15th and L, NW, please. Are any of you working from home today because you feel more comfortable there?

Amidst these jitters comes the Blix report, widely cast as a linchpin for how the United States pursues military action against Iraq, and a series of homeland security events by the president and some of his highest-profile Democratic challengers.

After meeting with Turkish leaders this morning, President Bush will head over to the FBI to push for his Joint Terrorism Threat Center, first unveiled in the State of the Union. Per ABCNEWS' Textor, Bush will thank the FBI for all their hard work, but is expected, at least at this writing, to steer clear of such matters as duct tape and plastic sheeting. "We leave that to Homeland Security," a White House aide said.

Bush will depart for a weekend at Camp David in the afternoon.

But the Vice President will be around, and out in public: this afternoon at 4:00 p.m., Dick Cheney will appear at yet another homeland security-related event, addressing the Public Safety Officer Medal of Valor awards ceremony,

Not content to leave the homeland security playing field to the executive branch, Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, International Association of Firefighters president Harold Schaitberger, and other firefighters will hold a press conference on homeland security and first responder needs at 10:30 am. And at high noon, Senator Joe Lieberman will give his own speech on homeland security at George Washington University.

David Lightman excerpts the speech, as prepared: "'Looking back at the Bush administration's record on homeland defense over the 17 months that have passed since Sept. 11, 2001, I do not see the 'color of national resolve,' [Lieberman] is expected to say today." LINK

"'The administration has been too slow, too protective of the status quo and too stingy when it comes to improving our homeland defenses,' he is expected to say. 'As a result, we remain in too much danger today.'"

"He intends to cite three 'unmet needs:' first defenders, port and border security, and use of National Guard troops."

"'The fact is in a time of war, facing a fierce and ruthless enemy that targets us here at home as well as overseas,' Lieberman is expected to say, 'this administration would spend far more of our national treasure on ineffective and unfair tax cuts than on homeland security.'"

And yesterday, as previously Noted, Senator John "Edwards introduced legislation … to create a new domestic intelligence-gathering agency that would supplant the work of the FBI in monitoring terrorist threats at home. The proposed Homeland Intelligence Agency … follows up on an idea he floated in a policy speech last fall." LINK

(Edwards' proposal is opposed by the Fraternal Order of Police, who sent Edwards a letter in January to that effect, and that letter somehow made the rounds again yesterday. We wonder if the FOP is the right group on which to Sister Souljah … )

Of course, talking homeland security gives Democrats a chance to be strong on a hot-button national defense matter which, unlike a war against Iraq, doesn't really divide the party or put key constituencies at risk for a presidential campaign.

In fact, we'd be remiss if we failed to Note that it also allows Democrats to satisfy their public employee constituency. Nursing unions, firefighter unions, and other civil service labor groups generally tend to favor increased spending on their jobs, which is something Democrats tend to try to deliver.

"The Democrats' well-orchestrated protests [yesterday] — in news conferences, speeches and interviews, complete with a collection of graphs and charts to demonstrate their point — suggested the potential political potency of the issue. That was particularly true for the presidential candidates, who said they intended to raise it intensely in the days ahead." LINK

"The protests also signaled an unlikely turn from just last fall when Mr. Bush used the issue of domestic security against the Democrats to help drive the Republicans to victory in Congressional contests."

"Almost in unison, the Democratic presidential contenders said … that Mr. Bush had not done enough to protect the nation from harm, and several suggested that White House recommendations that Americans husband duct tape to protect themselves from a chemical attack was emblematic of its bumbling response. They drew a contrast between what they called Mr. Bush's stingy approach to domestic security and his new push for large tax cuts, all at a time when he is trying to rally a clearly ambivalent American public behind a war in Iraq."

"'This president is failing the test on national security,' Senator John Edwards of North Carolina, one of the presidential candidates, said in a speech on the Senate floor. 'It is time to say to this president, "Mr. President, please put our security first. Please set aside $20 billion in tax breaks for 226,000 millionaires, and put homeland security for 290 million Americans first."'"

"Senator Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, another presidential hopeful, said … : 'It's now 17 months after Sept. 11, and if you look at the record of the administration in shoring up and strengthening our homeland defenses, it's been too slow, it's been much too protective of the status quo and it's been much too stingy. We remain much too vulnerable to terrorist attack today than we should be.'"

"Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri, said: 'Here we are in February of 2003 and we're on Orange Alert, and we may be on Red Alert in the next few days. The truth is that we are not much better shape if any better shape before 9/11.'"

At the same time, in addition to the other reasons why this is a good issue for Democrats to talk up, it's also true that states have spent several billion dollars trying to beef up their front-line defenses and have yet to be reimbursed by the federal government, making it Big Casino, baby.

Can the president still pass his domestic agenda this year, no matter how the war goes?

The Washington Post 's Goldstein and Milbank bang the drum today in this must-read: "After two years of largely lockstep unity, congressional Republicans are parting ways with President Bush on key domestic priorities, jeopardizing the White House's control over the legislative agenda in the months ahead." LINK

"The sharpest dissent has arisen over the White House's plans to restructure Medicare."

"At a recent meeting with Vice President Cheney, House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and other GOP House leaders urged the White House to drop plans to issue a detailed proposal and, instead, to allow Congress to take the lead, according to congressional sources. Senator Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), who wields heavy influence over Medicare policy as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, said he, too, is no longer deferring to the White House."

"Bush aides said the lack of immediate progress reflects congressional rhythms. Lawmakers must first finish the 2003 spending bills held over from last year, and Senate rules make it difficult for Bush to push any contentious legislation before April. The White House strategy, one aide said, is to 'lay a foundation' of domestic proposals to be pressed later in the year."

"Political observers cite several reasons for the administration's latest problems. The White House has taken Republican congressional support for granted and has left GOP lawmakers out of the initial policy drafting process, they say. Also, Bush and his senior aides, their attention necessarily drawn to Iraq, have been stretched too thin to make a significant push on domestic matters — even though the White House has been emphasizing the president's attention to that part of his job."

"The departure of Bush's top lobbyist, Nicholas Calio, has complicated White House relations with Congress. Senator John Breaux (D-La.) said he has not received a visit from Calio's successor, David W. Hobbs, who has had health problems."

"Breaux, who is one of the few Democrats with a close relationship with the Bush White House and who chaired a Medicare commission that provided the basis for much of Bush's approach to the issue, was first briefed on the administration plan just a week ago."

Check out what the Washington Post says of the welfare reform bill which passed the House yesterday: "It represents a partisan strategy to try to break the logjam that stymied efforts to renew the nation's welfare laws by last fall, when a 1996 law that overhauled the program was to expire. Instead of integrating their opponents' views, House Republicans approved the same bill that they passed — and President Bush endorsed — last May, apparently calculating that the Senate's slender new GOP majority will prove sufficient to enact the welfare changes the White House wants." LINK

But no matter how bad the war goes, and how bad the economy is (attention Jason Miner: a New York Daily News headline you might want to clip screams "Dow Down 27% Under Bush"), everyone agrees that George W. Bush is going to raise a lot of money for his re-election campaign. LINK

The Washington Post 's Edsall and Von Drehle write up the GOP's expected phat advantage on hard money. "Strategists in both parties and independent experts believe Bush is likely to raise three to five times more than his Democratic opponent in this type of contribution, which can be used for any purpose in a campaign." In addition, "Republican campaign committees are positioned to raise at least twice as much as their Democratic counterparts … " LINK

"The bottom line: Few if any experts believe Bush will raise less than $125 million for the primary phase of the 2004 campaign. Some people believe the number might be far higher." Harold Ickes says $225-$250 million.

"The same experts say the most successful Democratic presidential contender — whoever it turns out to be — won't come close to that amount. No Democrat in a presidential campaign has ever raised enough hard money to opt out of the public financing system, as Bush did during the 2000 primary election and is virtually certain to do again next year. Most, if not all, of the 2004 Democratic contenders are expected to take public subsidies during the primaries — which means they must agree to spend no more than about $44 million before the midsummer nominating convention."

"The eventual Democratic nominee may need all of that money just to prevail by March or April. From that point until the party convention in late July, the winner may be nearly broke, while Bush is awash in cash."

"Ickes and other Democratic strategists are looking into establishing 'independent' groups that could receive soft money donations to air 'issue ads' in support of their party's candidates." The candidates cannot coordinate with these groups, of course.

No fewer than five — that's five out of eight — Democratic candidates for president will be in Iowa over the next few days: former Gov. Howard Dean, Edwards, Rep. Dennis Kucinich, Lieberman, and former Senator Carol Moseley-Braun.

Edwards and Lieberman will both address the Iowa Federation of Labor's annual legislative conference on Monday afternoon, among other events.

Dean will give a big foreign policy speech at Drake University on Monday. He has been working on it with DC-based defense and foreign policy experts.

Kucinich is expected to announce the formation of something that sounds like a "Shmesidential Smicksploratory Shmamittee" while addressing the Iowa Federation of Labor's conference on Monday. His five-day tour of the state starts tomorrow. Look for his speeches to be anti-war, with heavy references to economic security.

And Moseley-Braun will stop in Des Moines on Saturday as part of her whirlwind three-key-state Presidents' Day weekend tour. She is expected to establish a presidential campaign committee with the FEC on Tuesday.

Big Casino/Budget Politics

David Rogers hails the $397.4 billion spending bill as "extraordinary for its scope," laying out the plan "that sets new government funding levels for this year and implicitly challenges the caps in the administration's new 2004 budget." Describing last-minute late-night haggling after months of fighting, Rogers repeatedly stresses the massive size of the bill, expected to swell further in part due to Medicare provisions.

Rogers also points to the "early test of the new partnership" between Majority Leader Frist and Speaker Hastert, and asserts Cheney's influence, crediting him with the extra $10 billion requested by Tenet and Rumsfeld for military and intelligence agencies, and deeming the Veep "an appeals court of sorts to those frustrated with the strict spending stand taken by White House Budget Director Mitchell Daniels."

This spending bill is BIG Casino — like MGM-Grand BIG, as opposed to, say, Caesar's Palace big.

And people wonder why appropriators are often referred to as a third party. LINK

Oink, oink, oink. It's your money. The fleecing of America. The pork is rife and replete in the bill.

"Written mainly in private after Congress gave up trying to pass spending measures last fall, the bill was described by Representative David R. Obey of Wisconsin, senior Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, as the 'biggest back-room deal' in the history of Congressional spending."

"Experienced appropriations aides conceded that passing this sort of measure, which would not be read by many of those asked to vote on it, was made easier by the fact that it contained a little something for nearly everyone."

How would they know if they hadn't read the bill?

The Los Angeles Times ' Gosselin, in a sharp analysis piece, declares that "Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan ends this week a diminished figure, unsure of both the economy's direction and his own political standing in a Washington now thoroughly dominated by President Bush." LINK

"Greenspan made the critics' job easier this week. He uncharacteristically singled out details of the president's plan like the dividend tax cut for comment, rather than sticking to the economic fundamentals … And he let himself get caught in a series of rhetorical traps. For instance, he warned against the danger of deficits expected when the baby boomers begin retiring at the end of the decade."

"But at the same time, he said that the deficits the administration expects to run up between now and then are entirely manageable."

"Greenspan might be forgiven such slips if it were not for what they mean for the economy and economic policymaking. In essence, the Fed chairman has given Bush the opening the president apparently wanted to claim that the White House, and not the Fed, is now the nation's premier economic policymaker."

Jackie Calmes reports in the "Washington Wire:" "Fed chief irks tax-cutting conservatives, rallies deficit-hawks. After Greenspan endorses deficit-reduction over Bush tax cuts, antitax activist Stephen Moore reports he's got mail — lots — 'saying, "Boy, isn't Alan Greenspan a jerk." But Moore figures Bush will reappoint Greenspan next year; a White House spokeswoman calls any speculation about his future 'silly.'"

"Taking Greenspan's cue, past Bush ally Senator Breaux says he'd back a dividend-tax cut 'if it's paid for,' but can't figure how to offset a $395 billion cost. Greenspan threw 'cold water on an irrationally exuberant proposal,' the Democrat says; a top Republican calls Greenspan's words 'fatal.'"

"Pro-Bush businesses include in dividend statements a pitch for shareholders to lobby lawmakers."

Paul Krugman expresses his disapproval of Chairman Greenspan's testimony more gently than we had thought he would, but playing the Ayn Rand card is a low blow (but oh so delicious). LINK

Edmund Andrews of the New York Times follows Treasury Secretary Snow's economic evangelizing to Detroit. LINK

Yes, governors are having to raise taxes. The media's focus on Republican governors biting the bullet has been a frequent topic of late. LINK

On the other hand, conservatives point to states (like Arizona), where Democratic governors (like Janet Napolitano) can't raise taxes because a GOP-run legislature won't let them. And Georgia, where Gov. Sonny Perdue (R) at first accepted, and then walked back a proposal to hike taxes.

The Boston Globe 's Washington looks at the administration's move to shift funding for public housing to the states and private entities. LINK

Estrada

Crack reporters and crank analysts continue to debate whether either side will suffer political consequences for their Estrada position, particularly with Hispanic voters. All The Note knows so far is that no one really knows how this is playing in the country, or in the Hispanic community, if anybody is actually paying attention. It still feels (and Gordon Peterson, don't sue us for this) pretty Inside Washington.

Only in Washington can a filibuster continue metaphysically through a recess. LINK

Joan Biskupic notes, "Democrats have held together, but if the Estrada debate interferes with business related to national security and the economy, there may no longer be the 41 votes needed to keep a filibuster alive" — perhaps no matter what Tom Daschle says. LINK

"The disagreement among Hispanics over whether to support Miguel Estrada for a federal appeals court slot is so strident that the National Council of La Raza has called for both sides to cool down." LINK

Michael Kinsley goes after Estrada's "view of the judicial function," which apparently involves the withholding of papers Democrats want to see: "Obviously, Estrada's real reason for evasiveness is the fear that if some senators knew what his views are, they would vote against him. However, this kind of high-minded bluster is a powerful weapon in the ongoing judicial wars. Over the past couple of decades, talk like this has intimidated many a senator who aspires to a reputation for thoughtfulness. And it does sound swell. Until you think about it." LINK

Legislative agenda:

One could write the lead to the welfare reform reauthorization story with one of several frameworks in mind. A bill that punches up work requirements could variously be seen as adding pressure on the poor to conform to tough new rules; closing loopholes that allow for fraud; reducing state's flexibility to manipulate federal targets so that they receive federal funding; or something else.

In J-School, they tell you to "lead with your humanity," which Robert Pear takes to heart: "The House passed a bill today to impose stricter work requirements on poor people who receive cash assistance from the federal government." LINK

Mickey Kaus can take heart that Pear refers to the 1996 welfare reform bill as "widely regarded as one of the most successful experiments in social policy of the last 25 years."

"Under one section of the bill, states would have to end aid to a family, including the children, if a parent failed to meet work requirements for two consecutive months. The bill exempts New York, whose Constitution requires the state to provide for 'the aid, care and support of the needy.' But the exemption lasts only a year. After that, the state could face financial penalties if it did not comply."

"Under the bill, states would get a block grant of $16.5 billion a year, the same as under current law. But more welfare recipients in each state would have to engage in work activities for more hours each week."

"By 2008, at least 70 percent of a state's adult welfare recipients would have to be engaged in work or job preparation activities, up from 50 percent required under current law. In addition, welfare recipients would have to participate in supervised activities for 40 hours a week, including at least 24 hours of actual work. The comparable figures under current law are 30 hours and 20 hours."

The Raleigh News & Observer has a good story on how the No Child Left Behind Act is proving problematic for states in other ways aside from funding; its emphasis on hiring quality teachers is being undermined by its definition of "quality." LINK

ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary:

Glen Johnson leads his Globe story with the e-mail sent by Senator and Mrs. Kerry to a cyber list of supporters (and signed-up reporters), assuring them that he's doing fine. "Aides said Kerry continued a routine recovery yesterday and resumed working with a handful of phone calls to his staff about campaign business. Kerry's surgeon, Dr. Patrick C. Walsh, said he expects to discharge the Massachusetts Democrat tomorrow." LINK

We suspect this will linger as at least a brief mention in lots of Kerry stories for quite some time: "Kerry held off disclosing his cancer for more than a month, a delay he said was necessary while he assessed his treatment options and told his family about his illness."

"The delay in divulging his illness also coincided with a critical time in his campaign — the initial appearances, fund-raising, and staff-building. Yesterday he and his wife were eager to portray his operation as little more than a temporary setback."

"Kerry plans to resume campaigning in two weeks with a West Coast fund-raising swing. Next week he will meet privately with members of the Democratic National Committee during their annual meeting in Washington."

Note Note: we're not predicting or advocating this, but what if Kerry pulls a Willis Reed at the DNC meeting and walks into the hall unannounced?

"The episode was the first significant test for the Kerry campaign, and it resulted in an all-hands-on-deck effort and thorough planning … Besides [campaign manager Jim] Jordan, the team responsible for handling publicity about the surgery included senior communications adviser Chris Lehane, media strategist Jim Margolis, and Nick Littlefield, a Boston attorney who formerly served under Kerry's senior colleague, Senator Edward M. Kennedy, as chief of staff for the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee."

Ms. Calmes forecasts in the "Washington Wire," "Next week's a big one for Democrats sizing up 2004 herd. Democratic National Committee and National Governors Association meetings here combine for the best chance so far for presidential rivals to strut their stuff before key states' governors and activists. Kerry, mending from cancer surgery, will hold private meetings. Also, newer entrants Ohio Rep. Kucinich and former Illinois Senator Moseley-Braun join others in Iowa for a labor convention. Gephardt makes his entry official; AFL-CIO's McEntee assures Gephardt aides his Kerry praise wasn't an endorsement. Lieberman on Friday critiques Bush's homeland-security policies."

Former Gov. Howard "Dean, drawing a contrast with Clinton, says it's 'time to be direct and stand up for what you believe.'"

More from the meaty Edsall/Von Drehle campaign finance piece in the Washington Post (the AP had some of this earlier): "Democratic National Committee Chairman Terence R. McAuliffe, perhaps the most renowned fundraiser of the 1990s, has vowed to boost DNC hard-money fundraising by $100 million to fill the gap left by the ban on soft money. He said his staff is pressing the party's large individual donors to give the maximum allowable to party headquarters — $25,000 per person per year, under the McCain-Feingold law."

"He said the money will go into a separate 'Presidential Trust Fund' devoted exclusively to help the eventual nominee. He is also urging presidential candidates to ask their top donors to give to the fund."

"McAuliffe and others say that advancing the primary process will give the party more time to raise cash — especially from supporters of defeated candidates who would want to establish ties with the nominee. But McAuliffe's earlier efforts to wean his party from soft money have been marginally successful."

A Boston Globe columnist makes light of the recent news about Kerry's background: "I like to think of Howard Dean up in Vermont, yet another Yalie, digging into his family past searching for new and revelatory connections in order not to be left behind in the ethnic dust. Candidate John Edwards … can certainly be expected to start negative advertising, pointing out the dangers of an obvious Yale conspiracy to take over the world … " LINK

"Senator Kerry still has another ace up his sleeve. With the Democratic Party primaries less than a year away, we may soon be hearing more about Kerry's distant connection to Franklin Delano Roosevelt … gained when a Forbes married into the Murray family, which in turn merged with Delanos. FDR's famous Aberdeen terrier, Fala, was named after Patrick Murray of Fala Hill, whose kilt the future president was forced to wear when he was but a wee lad."

Washington, D.C.

The early DC presidential primary is dead. LINK

"Two of the seven Democrats running for president" — Gephardt and Dean — "opposed moving up the District's primary next year, but the other candidates didn't announce their positions."

"There is widespread speculation that the opposition of the national committee stems from belief that Mr. Sharpton would win, muddying party prospects in November."

Lieberman

As Noted above, Lieberman will make his first trip to Iowa as an official presidential candidate this weekend (the trip was postponed because of the Columbia tragedy), stopping in Des Moines and Altoona. Lieberman will arrive in Des Moines on Sunday night, events TBD, and will kick off his Monday with a string of breakfast meetings, followed by addresses to the Democratic House and Senate caucuses, and remarks to the Iowa Federation of Labor Legislative Caucus in Altoona. Afterward, he will fly out of Des Moines for San Diego.

While some might be partial to the Heinz boys for aesthetic reasons in this category, Rebecca Lieberman just might be the most potent offspring stumper out there. Her "civic" ethic, moral conscience, and get-out-the-vote skills are profiled in The Forward this week. LINK

Al Kamen offers a funny, furry sidebar to Lieberman's big homeland security speech today. He appears to have gotten hold of a Lieberman "Dear Colleague" letter seeking support "for an effort to honor America's military working dogs." LINK

"By siding with dog lovers, Lieberman is sure to get a solid boost amongst the 36 percent or so of Americans who own dogs, a substantial number of whom are in New Hampshire, Iowa and other early primary and caucus states."

"Lieberman's office says that's not why he's doing it, citing support from Connecticut veterans groups. Still, the Democrat who captures the dog-lover vote in the early primaries is virtually assured the nomination."

"Lieberman is also asking for a 'National War Dog Memorial' that would be 'in the Nation's Capital' to honor the brave pooches. That's where the battle lines will form. On the Mall? The anti-memorial crowd, opposed to any more memorials on the Mall, will be furious. And what kind of memorial? A dog hunting the enemy or a dog rescuing a wounded soldier? The antiwar crowd will be marching again."

Gephardt

The AP's Mike Glover seals it with this lead and quote from a key Gephardt Iowa ally: Gephardt "faces a formidable challenge in the state with the earliest election test: lower expectations for another win in Iowa and change the political thinking that anything less would be a setback." (Note the South Carolina link … ) LINK

"'There's no doubt, I think, that he has an expectations problem,' said Dave Neal, head of the Iowa United Auto Workers. 'If he doesn't win Iowa, unless there's some outside reason, then he's got a tough, uphill battle.'"

"While Gephardt still has strong ties to the state, at least some of his previous backers aren't there this time around. The Iowa United Auto Workers union has decided to remain neutral, Neal said. In 1988, the Iowa UAW broke with its parent union to endorse Gephardt and delivered its formidable political operation on his behalf."

"Clearly, Gephardt brings strengths to the race … But Gephardt also has the political baggage of failing in four election cycles to return Democrats to majority control of the House."

"'He has to reintroduce himself not as Christmas past, but as Christmas future,' said party activist Jeff Link."

"Gephardt's aides are working overtime to lower expectations. 'We understand that that was 15 years ago and we've got to do it all over again,' said John Lapp, Gephardt's caucus campaign manager. 'We think it's a jump ball here, it's very competitive.'"

"Others warned against discounting Gephardt's home-field advantage."

Edwards

A campaign spokesperson confirms that Edwards will indeed be addressing the AFL-CIO executive board meeting in Fort Lauderdale later this month, and he'll also stop in Hollywood, FLA.

"Edwards' presidential campaign is heading into an important week, in which he will make his first post-announcement trips to both Iowa and New Hampshire, raise money in New York and appear before leaders of the Democratic Party in Washington," writes the Raleigh News & Observer's Wagner. LINK

"Sandwiched between stops in the first two nominating states is a Tuesday night fund-raiser in New York, hosted by 'Hairspray' producer Adam Epstein. Guests will be treated to a reception and then attend the show."

And we thought we fell in love with the beautiful Mrs. Kirschner in second grade …

Next Wednesday, Professor Dante Scala will step aside from his lectern and let Edwards take over. The students, Scala tells the Note, are Democrats, Republicans and Independents — political scientists and humanists from many St. Anselm departments. Scala opened a window into the planning of this event, as well: Edwards staffers spoke to Manchester alderman Dan O'Neil; O'Neil thought of St. Anselm and called Scala. Scala offered his public policy class. The Edwards people accepted.

"Still unclear what the main topic of Edwards' talk will be," Scala writes in an e-mail. "He's supposed to talk for half the class, and take questions for the other half."

It's the AP's turn to look at Edwards' South Carolina roots and how they fit with his campaign themes. The story includes this quote: "Edwards' office spokesman Mike Briggs said the senator thought about becoming president even as a schoolboy. 'But it was a dream as distant then as going to college and becoming a lawyer,' Briggs said." LINK

Edwards has picked up three Cheshire County, NH endorsements. LINK

Dean

PoliticsNH.Com's Pindell reports that Dean has signed up activist Karen Hicks to run his New Hampshire campaign.

New Hampshire

PoliticsNH.com's Pindell previews next week's candidate visits: "Using President's Day weekend as a backdrop, former Illinois Senator and former Ambassador Carol Moseley-Braun will speak at Manchester press conference Sunday when former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean will make his 26th trip to New Hampshire making house parties in Portsmouth, Hollis, Nashua, Concord, and Henniker." LINK

"Wednesday North Carolina Senator John Edwards will meet with activists in Manchester, Concord and Derry. This will be the fourth New Hampshire trip for Edwards since the 2000 election and the first since October."

"While Edwards is in New Hampshire, Missouri Congressman Richard Gephardt will make his formally announce candidacy before flying up to Iowa that afternoon. Gephardt will wake up Thursday in Manchester and a gave speech that morning at St. Anselm's Institute of Politics. Another issue-oriented forum is also in the works that day for Gephardt before he heads off to South Carolina."

"During his trip Gephardt will have the chance to personally thank former Nashua State Senator Debra Pignatelli, labor leader and State Rep. Ed Mears, and Portsmouth Mayor Evelyn Sirrell, who all endorsed his campaign this week. Pignatelli and Mears are on the PoliticsNH.com 105 top politicos list."

"House Democratic Leader Peter Burling of Cornish said Wednesday that the Legislature should create a commission with subpoena power to probe allegations that the Republican State Committee hired a telemarketing firm to jam the phone banks of the Democratic Party and Manchester Firefighters Union on Election Day." LINK

"But Rep. Will Infantine, R-Manchester, said such a panel should review any and all allegations about efforts to prevent voters from getting to the polls launched by both parties."

A New Hampshire Do Not Call List proposal has gained opposition from newspapers. Will pollsters be far behind? LINK

The state congressional delegation secured more funding for New Hampshire No Child Left Behind implementation. LINK

Iowa

The AP offers a handy sidebar to Glover's Gephardt story on a "look at Iowa since Democrat Dick Gephardt won the state's precinct caucuses in 1988." LINK

South Carolina

Former Gov. Howard Dean and the Rev. Al Sharpton campaigned in separate corners of South Carolina yesterday, but both talked about race. "Dean told a group of Mt. Moriah Baptist Church parishioners Thursday in Spartanburg that he had a plan to promote racial harmony in South Carolina … Sharpton, the lone black candidate in an ever widening field, criticized other Democrats for being too timid and warned that the gains of the civil rights movement are in danger of being lost." LINK

"At Dean's rally, there was little mention of the Confederate flag. 'There's no reason why white guys who have a Confederate flag in the back of their pickup truck shouldn't be walking side-by-side with blacks, because they don't have health insurance, either,' Dean said."

"Sharpton's South Carolina campaign chief said the NAACP is considering easing those sanctions so candidates for the state's first-in-the-South primary next year can spend money here on their campaigns."

"Both Dean and Sharpton spent some of their campaign time criticizing President George W. Bush. Dean attacked the president's $1.3 billion tax cut as the source of the nation's economic woes. Sharpton blasted Bush for reaching the brink of war with Iraq."

Sharpton

A KKK threat apparently forced Sharpton to cancel a speech at a school in Texas. "A spokeswoman for the Corpus Christi school system said Miller HS was emptied and swept by bomb-sniffing dogs twice after anonymous callers on Wednesday and yesterday made references to a KKK affiliation." LINK

Politics

"Bobby Jindal, a central figure on Medicare policy in the Bush administration, announced today that he was resigning to return home to Louisiana. He is a potential Republican candidate for governor there this year," the New York Times reports. LINK

"One of Florida's most popular Republicans, former U.S. Senator Connie Mack, was named honorary chairman of Bill McCollum's Senate campaign Thursday," the Palm Beach Post reports. LINK

A New York City Council candidate, drag queens, and a too-honest former campaign manager. LINK

Ullico update: "Federal investigators are suing the president of [Ullico] to seize subpoenaed documents he has refused to turn over, including a report about stock trades that made millions of dollars for some labor leaders. U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle has ordered Robert Georgine, chairman, president and chief executive of Ullico Inc., to say why the documents should be kept secret. A hearing is set for Feb. 21." LINK

Bush Administration Strategy/Personality

EJ Dionne sticks up for Mike Gerson on the God quotient: "Lord knows, I don't have a problem with criticizing George W. Bush. But can we please stop pretending that Bush's regular invocations of the Almighty make him some sort of strange religious fanatic? In how he speaks of God, Bush is much more typically presidential than he is painted, especially by our friends abroad."