—8:15 am: Senator Joe Lieberman visits Central Firehouse, Manchester, N.H.
—9:00 am: Senate convenes for morning business
—9:45 am: Off-camera White House press gaggle
—10:00 am: Senator John Kerry meets with Suffolk University students to discuss access to higher education, Boston
—10:25 am: President Bush holds Cabinet meeting, White House
—10:30 am: Senate Republican leadership holds press conference to discuss end of session, Capitol Hill
—12:00 pm: Senator Hillary Clinton addresses the American Constitution Society, D.C.
—12:30 pm: On camera White House press briefing with Scott McClellan
—3:30 pm: Senator Bob Graham participates in an economic roundtable discussion, Sioux City, Iowa
—3:30 pm: Governor Gray Davis commemorates one-year anniversary of Amber Alert system, Culver City, Calif.
—4:00 pm: CNN's "Inside Politics" celebrates the one-year anniversary of their Rehoboth Beach episode
—4:30 pm: Governor Howard Dean attends rally with supporters, Bangor, Maine
—7:00 pm: Congressman Dennis Kucinich takes part in the Forum on Proposed New Mini-nukes, Omaha
—8:00 pm: Senator John Kerry attends opening ceremony for the Pan Mass Challenge Bike Ride, Sturbridge, Mass.

NEWS SUMMARY

For reasons obvious (a lot of vacation time and fall prep) and not so obvious (the ABC-PETA conflict over the Googling monkeys is coming to a head), The Note today begins a radical August experiment.

Some of you will love this type of Note: short, early, very little about the relative merits of Chris Lehane versus Trish Enright.

We will still tell you lots that you need to know (For instance, on Monday at the National Press Club, on the eve of the big AFL-CIO event in Chicago, Joe Lieberman plans to show up MISTIA* speaking piquantly about the future of the Democratic Party, and Teamster-blessed Dick Gephardt will talk about the economy.)

And we won't ignore the "musts" of American politics (Like telling you that if you are a couple of streets away from the casino in Davenport, Iowa, you probably will want to go to the Duck City Bistro, with it's whole mix of mafia music and the "Happy Birthday, John Edwards" chalkboard. It's very close to the Kerry headquarters and not so close to the Dean office. It's been there for years, but if you are hankering for some endangered Chilean sea bass, along with a great pork chop stuffed with ham, this is the place for the 2004 cycle.**).

And all you good sources should keep sending us stuff, and we will get in what we can, and we will bring you the best daily schedule of American politics.

And we will cover the heck out of that California recall.

Finally, for those of you who sometimes ask how we get all this done every morning, may we present the Ultimate Note Link: LINK

Anyway:

The president holds a Cabinet meeting this morning in, where else, the Cabinet Room. Next stop: Crawford.

Many of the Democratic hopefuls seem to be taking it easy this weekend as far with public events. Senator Graham and Congressman Kucinich will be busy though.

As the Teamsters' conference call ensues, Congressman Gephardt has no public events scheduled for the weekend, but on Monday he will deliver what his aides bill as a major substantive speech on the economy. He'll lay out his proposals to spur economic growth at a gathering of the metro New York Chambers of Commerce in Greenwich Village.

The timing of the speech — a day before the AFL-CIO forum and two days before the executive council meeting — is no coincidence, we are told.

The Teamsters don't plan to announce the results of their conference call today, but we have a sneaking suspicion that word will leak out.

Governor Dean campaigns in New Hampshire and Maine today. He campaigns in New Hampshire on Saturday and has no public events on Sunday.

Senator Kerry campaigns in the Bay State today, including some bikin'.

Senator Graham campaigns in Iowa today and through the weekend. He'll participate in an economic roundtable discussion today in Sioux City, and he'll have dessert later tonight with the Truman Club in Sioux City.

On Saturday, Senator Graham has one of his "work days" at the Little Sioux Ethanol Plant, which is located between Cleghorn and Marcus, Iowa. Later in the day he will have dinner with beef producers at the Kossuth County Fair. (The Note wonders what they'll eat … .) On Sunday, Graham goes to church and some meet-and-greets in Mason City and Fort Dodge.

Senator Lieberman campaigns in New Hampshire this morning. He addresses the National Press Club's Newsmaker Luncheon in D.C. on Monday, and he aims to talk about the future of the Democratic Party.

Congressman Kucinich is in Omaha, Nebraska today, where he'll take part in a Forum on Proposed New Mini-Nukes. He heads to California to do a lot of campaigning this weekend. On Saturday, he attends receptions in La Canada and Sherman Oaks, the latter of which is hosted by actors Hector Elizondo, Julie Cobb, and James Cromwell. On Sunday, Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez will introduce Kucinich at a campaign rally and reception at the historic Santa Ana courthouse in Orange County.

On Sunday, Ambassador Braun takes her turn on Senator Harkin's "Hear It from the Heartland" forum in Waterloo, Iowa.

Reverend Sharpton and Senator Edwards have no public events scheduled for today or the weekend.

This weekend, DLC/NDN/Lieberman pollster Mark Penn chats with Mark Halperin on "Here's the Point," talking about the SOTP (that's, of course, "state of the Party"). Check your local listings.

Most important newspaper stories of the day:

1. Yesterday's boffo GDP number (tempered by today's unemployment number LINK) could be the tip of the spear to an overwhelming presidential re-election. LINK, LINK, LINK

2. The Wall Street Journal 's lead editorial is an absolute must-read, on how happy Karl Rove is about the Democrats' tax debate, complete with careful, sensitive reading of the Mark Penn polling data. (Others on the state of the Democrat race: E.J. Dionne (who likes John Edwards) ; Michael Kramer (who worries about Howard Dean LINK); Steve Thomma (who says Howard Dean is angry LINK); and Mark Leibovich on fundraising LINK)

3. Dick Gephardt's big Teamsters endorsement gets major play most everywhere. Washington Post : LINK; New York Times : LINK; St. Louis Post-Dispatch: LINK; Associated Press: LINK; Chicago Tribune LINK, and the New York Daily News' Joel Siegel LINK (To read about how Joel is about to become our ABC News colleague, click here LINK)

4. Following yesterday's Washington Times scoop about John Edwards' late property tax payments, an orgy of stories today, presaging (and reflecting) lots of Dem-on-Dem and RNC-on-Dem opposition-research-generated pieces, such as today's on Edwards (LINK, LINK, LINK), Kerry LINK; Dean LINK; and Edwards, Kerry, AND Dean. LINK.

5. Following up on Bob Novak, the Miami Herald 's Peter Wallsten gets an on-plane interview with Jeb Bush in which he "took the unusual step … of criticizing his own brother's administration for the negotiations that led to the repatriation" of some Cubans, and hints at a new Administration policy. LINK

6. The politics of gay marriage (thanks to the political Pontiff) gets huge play. LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, LINK, and LINK.

7. The Wall Street Journal 's Washington Wire has national Democratic presidential numbers (Lieberman leading and Dean moving up) and Dick Cheney's summer fundraising schedule. LINK

California recall, summary:

-- Arnold currently plans to appear on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno next Wednesday evening, although he might announce his plans sooner than that.

-- Richard Riordan reasserts that he if Arnold doesn't run, he probably will do so.

-- Barbara Boxer gets a little squishy on the ballot.

-- Hustler publisher Larry Flynt is considering a run for governor.

-- California Attorney General Bill Lockeyer urges Gray Davis to run a different kind of campaign than he usually does.

-- Gray Davis says he will not seek reimbursement for money he spends on the recall and he challenged his potential GOP successors to pay back the taxpayers the cost of the recall if it is unsuccessful.

California recall:

The moderate GOP waltz continues.

Arnold tentatively plans to announce a decision regarding his candidacy (or lack thereof) on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno next Wednesday night. LINK

But he could announce something before then and use the NBC appearance to explain his decision.

But he will most likely not be wearing this. LINK

In what looks like the first baton passing step, Michael Finnegan and James Rainey of the Los Angeles Times write, "Richard Riordan is close to taking over Arnold Schwarzenegger's political team to run a possible campaign for governor in the Oct. 7 recall election, Riordan's advisers said Thursday." LINK

More Finnegan/Rainey: "Turning to Schwarzenegger's staff would give Riordan one of the most seasoned campaign teams in California politics. Many strategists see a strong, cohesive campaign team as particularly important for Riordan. They say his overwhelming defeat in the GOP primary last year was at least partly the result of staff disarray fostered by the candidate … "

" … [Schwarzenegger adviser George] Gorton confirmed that he might go to work as Riordan's top strategist, but said the deal was 'not set.'"

Still more from the Los Angeles Times duo: "Republican consultant Dan Schnur, who led Riordan's 2002 gubernatorial exploratory committee, said: 'If Dick is going to get into this race, he needs to find one person in whom he's willing to place his trust. It could be Noelia Rodriguez. It could be George Gorton. It could be Clint Reilly. But the one thing that he had in his campaigns for mayor that he did not have in the governor's race last year was an individual to provide the direction and the discipline that a successful campaign needs.'"

"Apart from Gorton, it was not immediately clear which members of the Schwarzenegger campaign team might join a Riordan campaign. The team includes media consultant Don Sipple, pollster Dick Dresner, press spokesman Sean Walsh and strategists Joe Shumate and Bob White."

According to Mr. Finnegan and Mr. Rainey, Noelia Rodriguez appears set to take the number one spot on the campaign. However, two Democrats who have worked for Mr. Riordan in the past, Clint Reilly and Bill Wardlaw, aren't likely to make the race.

Mary Anne Ostrom and Laura Kurtzman of the San Jose Mercury News spoke with Mr. Riordan. LINK

"Riordan told the Mercury News Thursday that he was 'still looking at all the ins and outs' and was using the week to study issues and put together a team."

"'Well, if Arnold doesn't run, I probably will,' he said."

Speaking to 5,000 union workers at the United Commercial and Foodworkers convention, Carla Marinucci heard that bengel tiger inside Gray Davis say, " … send a message to all these recall fanatics . . . this is just a bunch of B.S. — and we're going to let them know it." LINK

Ms. Marinucci (as she so often does) produces the recall must-read of the day. It's chock full.

Has Terry McAuliffe shut the door for Dianne Feinstein?

"Democratic Party chairman Terry McAuliffe, responding to calls for Feinstein to enter the race, said he spoke Thursday with the senior California senator and there is no doubt she is '100 percent in support of Gray Davis.'"

"'She has made her point very clear. She is not running for governor. She will not be on the ballot,' McAuliffe said."

That's all fine and good, Mr. Chairman. But we'd like to hear Senator Feinstein be as emphatic in her own words.

The Mercury News has Barbara Boxer a bit worried about Davis' numbers. LINK

During a 90-minute breakfast interview with the Sacramento Bee Capitol Bureau, California Attorney General Bill Lockeyer urged Governor Davis to stay away from a negative and nasty campaign. LINK

"'If they do the trashy campaign on Dick Riordan … I think there are going to be prominent Democrats that will defect and just say, 'We're tired of that puke politics. Don't you dare do it again or we're just going to help pull the plug.'"

"'There is a growing list of prominent Democrats that, if that's how it evolves, are going to jump ship.'"

"Asked if he'd be one of them, Lockyer, who has also come out against the recall, calling it 'unfair to Gray Davis and bad for the state,' said: 'I don't know.'"

"Lockyer's comments infuriated Davis' longtime political consultant, 'startled' the Republican strategist who would likely manage Riordan's campaign and gave rise to the notion that Democratic unity behind Davis may be crumbling."

The Los Angeles Times' Dan Morain and Gregg Jones pored over yesterday's campaign finance filings to find Gray Davis raised $295,000 in the first six months of the year. As of June 30th, The embattled governor had $881,000 in the bank. LINK

"'The bottom line is that the governor is going to have the resources he needs to run an effective campaign against the recall,' said Peter Ragone, a spokesman for the anti-recall campaign. Campaign consultants say the ante for candidates hoping to mount serious races in the Oct. 7 recall election could be $10 million, and perhaps as much as $20 million."

Mr. Morain and Mr. Jones also write up Governor Davis' challenge to those running to replace him.

"In a statement, Davis said he had 'decided not to seek any reimbursements because I know that taxpayer money would be better spent on our kids' schools, health care and public safety.'"

"As Davis steps up his campaign to remain in office, a key pillar of his defense strategy is to emphasize the costs to taxpayers of holding a special recall election in October. Secretary of State Kevin Shelley now estimates that cost at between $53 million and $66 million."

"That stance did not leave Davis much choice about rejecting taxpayer reimbursement, Republican analysts said."

"'There's no way in the world he could continue to argue against the costs of the recall when he was potentially going to stick the voters with an even bigger tab,' said Dan Schnur, a Republican political consultant."

"In his statement, Davis also called on the 'millionaire Republicans' who put their names on the recall ballot to reimburse taxpayers for the state's expense in holding the election if the recall effort fails."

Nobody has accepted yet.

Morain and Jones also report on Bill Simon's $9.5 million campaign debt from his 2002 gubernatorial run. Mr. Simon loaned his campaign $10 million last year and hasn't yet been repaid.

Go read the story; you also won't want to miss filing numbers for Congressman Issa, State Senator McClintock, and Rescue California's signature gathering operation.

The Sacramento Bee looked at the campaign finance reports too. LINK

The San Francisco Chronicle's Janine DeFao and Robert Salladay report on the potential chaos at the polls on October 7th and the threatened legal action to accompany it. LINK

"In a move that critics say will confuse voters, cash-strapped counties throughout California are cutting the number of sites where people can cast their ballots in the Oct. 7 recall election to decide the fate of Gov. Gray Davis and possibly dozens of challengers. "

"The consolidation of polling places could disenfranchise voters, particularly those in low-income urban areas, as they attempt to vote in the unusual election, critics from the NAACP to the Democratic National Committee said Thursday."

"County elections officials said the practice is routine for special elections, and that they have little choice given the speed with which they must print 15 million sample ballots, set up 25,000 polling places and hire 100,000 workers statewide — at the same time as 45 counties are preparing for local elections on Nov. 4."

"Recall opponents warned that California's first statewide special election could bring the chaos seen in Florida during the 2000 presidential race — with problems including polling places being moved from their regular spots, aging equipment and a long ballot listing numerous candidates."

The Los Angeles Times' Allison Hoffman takes a look at just how bizarre the October 7 ballot could be. Ms. Hoffman reports on some of the lesser known candidates who are eyeing the race. LINK

Ms. Hoffman also reports Hustler publisher Larry Flynt is planning to run. Mr. Flynt intends on closing the state's budget gap by expanding slot machine gambling.

"'California is the most progressive state in the union,' he said. 'I don't think anyone here will have a problem with a smut peddler as governor.'"

Carla Marinucci of the San Francisco Chronicle also reports on Larry Flynt's candidacy. LINK

Ward Connerly tells the Associated Press that he would rather his Racial Privacy Initiative not appear on the same ballot as the recall. LINK

"'It's too perilous to get caught up in something that is as unpredictable as this recall,' said Connerly, who calls the initiative an opportunity to move toward a colorblind society. 'They're going to be thrashing about to try to find a lifejacket to get to shore. And I just prefer that Proposition 54 would not be that vehicle.'"

*"More in sorrow than in anger."

** Courtesy Bob Kerrey biographer Mary Marsh.