—8:30 am: Senator John Kerry attends 21st Century Forum breakfast, Des Moines
—10:00 am: California State Senator Tom McClintock does a radio interview with San Bernardino KIXW
—11:40 am: Congressman Dennis Kucinich speaks on the "soap box" at the Iowa State Fair, Des Moines
—12:00 pm: Senator John Edwards has coffee with Hardin County Democrats, Iowa Falls, Iowa
—12:30 pm: John Kerry has lunch with former Iowa state Rep. Willie Glanton and African American leaders, Des Moines
—1:15 pm: John Edwards meets with Democratic activists, Webster City, Iowa
—1:30 pm: Governor Gray Davis holds conference call to make an announcement on financial privacy legislation, Sacramento
—1:30 pm: Governor Howard Dean visits manufacturing exhibits at the Iowa State Fair, Des Moines
—1:30 pm: Senator Joe Lieberman holds press conference with the California League of Conservation Voters to discuss the environment and President Bush's environmental record, San Francisco
—1:30 pm: Governor Tom Vilsack hosts the Governor's Conference on Public Health presidential candidate forum, Des Moines
—2:15 pm: Senator Bob Graham tours the Music Man Museum, Mason City, Iowa
—3:00 pm: Arianna Huffington holds press conference to discuss what she views as President Bush's ties to both California's economy and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Beverly Hills, Calif.
—3:00 pm: Bill Simon holds meet and greet at Boulevards Restaurant, Palm Desert, Calif.
—3:15 pm: President Bush visits and makes remarks to troops and families at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, San Diego
—4:00 pm: Gray Davis delivers statement on Ward Connerly's racial privacy initiative (Prop. 54) and signs bill to establish the African American Political and Economic Institute at CSU-Domingo Hills, Carson, Calif.
—5:35 pm: President Bush does an interview with Armed Services Radio and Television Service, San Diego
—6:00 pm: Howard Dean plays the blues with Michael "Hawkeye" Herman at the Blues on Grand, Des Moines
—6:15 pm: Congressman Dick Gephardt serves as a guest chef at the Iowa Pork Producers' tent at the Iowa State Fair, Des Moines
—6:30 pm: Congressman Dennis Kucinich attends SEIU/Iowans for Health Care reception, Des Moines
—7:30 pm: Congressman Dennis Kucinich has dinner with Vegetarian Community of Iowa, Des Moines
—8:00 pm: Senator Bob Graham attends an Iowa Cubs baseball game, Des Moines
—9:30 pm: President Bush makes remarks at a Bush-Cheney 2004 fundraiser, San Diego (open press)
—10:30 pm: Senator Joe Lieberman attends DL21C reception, Los Angeles

NEWS SUMMARY

Today in the recall:

It's T-minus 54 days Election Day in California. Do you know where your candidates are?

Here's what we know:

-- The ballot will contain 135 candidates. That's how many were certified for the October 7 recall ballot, according to the Secretary of State's office.

-- Arnold Schwarzenegger has "donated" an initial amount of $1 million to his campaign.

-- At 4:30 pm EDT, Gov. Davis intends to express his opposition to the racial privacy initiative (Proposition 54), which will appear on the October 7 ballot with the recall measure.

-- President Bush will try to avoid all things recall when he does some fundraising in the Golden State today.

-- Democrats are anxiously awaiting to see if Gov. Davis can improve his position in the polls as they struggle to produce a coherent strategy for victory. He's lining up some Democratic stars in his corner, including President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore and the Rev. Jesse Jackson, as well as Senator Dianne Feinstein, former White House chief of staff Leon Panetta, and DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe.

President Bush visits with troops and their families at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego today. Tonight, he heads to a Bush-Cheney 2004 fundraiser at the San Diego Convention Center.

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack holds his conference on public health at Drake University in Des Moines starting at 1:30 pm ET. For this one, the candidates will appear one at a time beginning at 2:00 pm ET for about 20 minutes each in the following order: Kerry, Gephardt, Braun, Kucinich, Dean, Edwards, and Graham.

Governor Dean will tour the manufacturing exhibits at the Iowa State Fair today, but the major event of his day has gotta be his blues session at the Blues on Grand in Des Moines. We hear he'll play either the guitar or the harmonica, or possibly both! He also meets with Jasper County Democrats and attends a fundraiser for Sheriff Paul Fitzgerald in Nevada, Iowa.

Senator Kerry has breakfast with the 21st Century Forum and lunch with African American leaders in Des Moines. He also meets with Democrats in Marion and Jasper counties.

Congressman Gephardt will serve as the guest chef at the Iowa Pork Producers' tent at the Iowa State Fair today. He also will meet with Democrats in Boone, Webster and Warren counties.

Senator Edwards will meet with Mason City Democrats and go on a walking tour of the downtown Mason City this morning. He also meets with Hardin County and Webster City Democrats today.

Congressman Kucinich speaks on the "soap box" at the state fair this morning and meets with child care leaders later on to talk about early education. He'll attend an SEIU/Iowans for Health Care reception before having dinner with the Vegetarian Community of Iowa in Des Moines. Tonight, he'll also attend a house party with supporters in Des Moines.

Senator Graham tours the Music Man Museum in Mason City and attends an Iowa Cubs baseball game in Des Moines today. He'll also meet with Marshall County Democrats.

Senator Lieberman holds an event in San Francisco today with the California League of Conservation Voters to talk about the environment and President Bush's environmental record. He will also go to a DL21C reception in Los Angeles tonight. Hadassah Lieberman campaigns in New Hampshire today, where she'll meet with seniors in Pelham, residents of a children's home in Nashua, and Democratic activists in Windham and Nashua.

Ambassador Braun will be at Governor Vilsack's public health forum and has no other announced public events.

Reverend Sharpton has no announced public events for today.

The rest of the political world, in other news:

1. The AP's Fournier on Dick Gephardt's attempt to breath fresh energy into his candidacy. See the good quote from the IFL's Mark Smith; the even-favorable-er quote from an Iowa AFSCMEan. LINK

2. With the possibility that impending Senate vacancies will allow Republicans to increase their lead in that chamber, John Edwards is being pressed ever harder to make a decision whether to run for re-election to his Senate seat, the Raleigh News & Observer reports. LINK. Be sure to read the end of the article for an illustration of just how cute Jack Edwards really is.

3. The WSJ and others on no new tax (cuts).

4. The AP's Theimer's overview of the Democratic chase for money and votes in 2004, and her bullet-point guide to its coordination. LINK

5. John DiStaso's Granite Status on Kerry's touting of his Vietnam credentials, Kerry on whether he needs a NH win, some new Gephardt endorsements. LINK

Please also read:

--The Des Moines Register on Tom Vilsack's impending takeover of the Democratic Governors Association. LINK

--The New York Times ' James Dao on the Kentucky gubernatorial race as referendum on the Bush economy. LINK

--The Register on the IFL Forum in Waterloo: LINK; the AP's Glover on the forum. LINK. --The Washington Post on polling and gay unions. LINK

--The latest Leibovich audio tour dispatch. LINK

--Rick Perlstein on the youth and dexterity of Dean's volunteer corps. LINK

--The Globe's Johnson on Kerry's musings about some type of means-testing for Social Security. LINK

California recall:

135 candidates have been certified to appear on the October 7 recall ballot according to the Secretary of State's office. LINK

You can check here to see if you know any of them. LINK

California recall, the Democrats:

William Booth and Dan Balz of the Washington Post explore the Democrats' strategic dilemma. The duo report national and California Democrats are "struggling to come up with a unified strategy on how to keep the governor's office in party hands." LINK

Is labor wavering on Davis? Labor leaders say they're going to look at their options — whether to stick by Davis or support a replacement candidate — at their convention later this month, the Sacramento Bee's Aurelio Rojas writes. LINK

Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, said that officials hadn't yet decided their course of action, and called the decision "an open question."

"'I have to say that I don't know what our message is yet,' Art Pulaski, executive secretary-treasurer of the California Labor Federation, said Monday night at the Los Angeles County federation's annual delegates' barbecue."

The San Francisco Chronicle's Carla Marinucci looks at the Democratic heavy hitters supporting Davis — including former President Bill Clinton, former Vice President Al Gore and the Rev. Jesse Jackson. LINK

"Senator Dianne Feinstein, former White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta and Democratic National Committee Chair Terry McAuliffe also are among those advising the embattled governor in the fight of his political life, Democratic insiders said this week."

The Los Angeles Times' Dan Morain on Governor Davis' fundraising: LINK

"Even as he pulled in a hefty $1 million during the first 12 days of August, Gov. Gray Davis' low standing in the polls and competition from Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante are hampering his fund-raising ability, say Democratic insiders, lobbyists and donors."

The Wall Street Journal 's Jackie Calmes and Eduardo Porter take a must-read look at Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante, the only Democrat on the recall ballot, and Democrats' likely coalescing behind him in order to save the governorship for their party. Calmes and Porter say Bustamante has a "legitimate shot," though he faces a huge challenge in making sure the people of California know who he is. They also write about San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown's role in where Bustamante stands, and look at the importance of the Hispanic vote in the recall, saying that "Together with other Democratic loyalists, Mr. Bustamante could enjoy a core of 35% support."

La Opinion, the large California-based Spanish-language daily, reports that if Davis' popularity does not rebound in the coming weeks, Latino legislators could decide to throw their support behind Bustamante, according to Democratic state assemblyman Fabián Núñez of California's 46th District. LINK

California recall, the President:

The Washington Post 's Mike Allen and Dana Milbank produce a cost benefit analysis concerning President Bush's involvement (or lack thereof) in the recall election. LINK

"One prominent adviser to Bush said the excitement behind the muscle man's candidacy means 'California's not lost forever.' On the other hand, said GOP strategist Scott Reed, 'If Arnold flames out after this historic buildup, it'll look like Republicans can't get their act together.

"'Like it or not, the Bush White House is a little pregnant on the Arnold candidacy,' Reed said."

"In the best scenario for Bush, Davis is ousted, Schwarzenegger triumphs with a united Republican vote and California's bleak fiscal situation begins to improve. With the governorship in popular Republican hands, the state's 54 electoral votes, once a lost cause for the GOP, could come within Bush's grasp in 2004."

"Alternatively, if Schwarzenegger's candidacy implodes, it could leave the Republicans without an obvious candidate to face reinvigorated Democrats."

Ed Chen and Mark Z. Barabak of the Los Angeles Times also have President Bush stepping away from his earlier position of singling out Mr. Schwarzenegger with positive words. LINK

"Behind Bush's public aloofness, however, is a complex series of political calculations reflecting the high stakes for his own reelection effort next year. Not least is the question of whether it would be better to have an unpopular Democrat in office or a Republican during what threatens to be another summer of budget woes in 2004." "Bush's stance also fits comfortably with the wishes of many Republican strategists, who don't want him anywhere near the recall effort. They fear that any interference from Bush, who is shown in polls to be less popular in California than in the rest of the country, will let Davis portray the recall as a White House-hatched conspiracy." "'President Bush and the people around him understand that the last thing they want to do is give Gray Davis a target,' said Dan Schnur, a Republican strategist working for independent Peter V. Ueberroth in the recall campaign."

California recall, Arnold:

Adam Shell of USA Today calls the Warren Buffett announcement by the Schwarzenegger campaign a "blockbuster move." Shell then proceeds to turn out a sentence that will make Sean Walsh giddy. LINK

"The powerful political marriage is likely to dispel any doubts that the 'Terminator' has the financial acumen to fix California's sick economy and reduce its massive budget deficit."

The Los Angeles Times' Buffett write-up includes his lack of fans in Silicon Valley and conservatives casting him as a Hillary lover. LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's Glenn Simpson writes about the "credibility boost" the Schwarzenegger campaign reaps from signing up Buffett as senior economic adviser. He also examines the contradiction of the move, given the Democratic causes Buffett usually supports with and the critiques he usually levels against Republican fiscal policy. Buffett has "contributed to the campaign of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and the presidential bid of Florida Senator Bob Graham, both Democrats."

"'If Warren Buffett thinks Arnold Schwarzenegger has the chops to run the world's sixth-largest economy, I would take that as quite an endorsement,' said political analyst Bill Whalen of Stanford University's Hoover Institution. Mr. Whalen said Mr. Buffett's backing could help give Mr. Schwarzenegger credibility in managing California's relationship with Wall Street, which it needs to manage its huge debts."

The San Francisco Chronicle's Carolyn Said also looks at the Buffett factor. LINK

The Los Angeles Times assigned a couple of reporters to dig deeper into Arnold Schwarzenegger's father's Nazi party past and discovered that he may have had further involvement than previously reported. LINK

Mr. Schwarzenegger has received the backing of the New Majority, a well financed moderate GOP group out of Orange County. LINK

The San Francisco Chronicle's Mark Sandalow looks at the growing conservative drumbeat against Schwarzenegger over his views on abortion (pro-choice), guns (pro gun control), and gays (pro gay rights). LINK

Sandalow talks to conservatives whose views run the gamut from opposing to Schwarzenegger on the grounds of his positions on social issues to those who take a more pragmatic look at not only the California political climate but also the survival of conservatives and the Republican Party as a whole.

The San Francisco Chronicle's Robert Salladay writes about the two minds of Arnold Schwarzenegger when it comes to women. LINK

The San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofoli looks at how seriously some conservatives view the abortion issue. LINK

California recall, the rest of the field:

Arianna Huffington hasn't paid any individual state income tax and less than $1,000 in federal income tax over the course of the last two years. LINK

Paul Pringle of the Los Angeles Times profiles Bustamante strategist Richie Ross and highlights the complexity of his dual roles in Sacramento as lobbyist and consultant. LINK

The New York Times ' Jim Rutenberg explores how Los Angeles television news organizations are quickly getting accustomed to covering California politics. LINK

The Washington Post 's Jonathan Weisman examines the "freewheeling initiative process" in California that creates an atmosphere of, in Leon Panetta's words, "'democracy run amok.'" LINK

The San Francisco Chronicle's Joe Garofoli writes about one of the "novelty" candidates — 100-year-old Mathilda Spak. LINK