ABC News' The Note: First Source for Political News

W A S H I N G T O N, Sept. 22, 2004—
-- NOTED NOW

TODAY'S SCHEDULE (all times ET)

FUTURES CALENDAR

Morning Show Wrap

Evening Newscasts Wrap

41 days until Election Day8 days until the first presidential debate13 days until the vice presidential debate16 days until the second presidential debate21 days until the third presidential debate

NEWS SUMMARY

It was the food critic Frank Bruni who wrote in the New York Times of October 16, 2000:

"With little more than three weeks until Election Day, Mr. Bush and his aides are exuding a mood as helium-buoyant as at any other point in the 16 months of his campaign. They feel that he aced last week's debate and turned the tide of polls decidedly in his favor, and they seem to be operating in a zone of comfort and joy, or at least are successfully projecting that image."

A comparable period of comfort and joy for the Bush-Cheney re-elect has been pierced by most meta-accounts in the last 48 hours, as John Kerry seems to have had a measure of success making the race more about the incumbent's record than about the challenger's wobbly past statements and actions.

There's the fact that Kerry has had two good days in a row of media coverage of all stripes.

There's the fact that Team Kerry has taken on its own helium-buoyancy with the advent of the fabled and long-sought "negative frame" against the president (on Iraq).

There's this stunning passage in New York Times ' political muckraker David Sanger's piece that doesn't seem to mention North Korea: LINK

"The (Bush) campaign leadership was shaken by recent assertions by three senior Republican senators — Chuck Hagel of Nebraska and Richard Lugar of Indiana and John McCain of Arizona — suggesting that the United States is facing deep trouble in Iraq, and that the White House may be in denial about the need for a new approach."

"'They are clearly worried that this could take a nasty turn,' said one senior Republican strategist who joined a conference call on Monday about how to respond to Mr. Kerry's counterattacks. 'The headlines are getting to them."

There's the fact that two of America's leading news organizations (who poll together) are about to release some horserace numbers that are going to suggest a tight race and tease out the "Kerry closes the gap with momentum" storyline for which the press hungers. (As Joe Lockhart would say, EVERYONE in Washington knows about these poll numbers … ..)

There's the fact that Bush supporters seem this week to be a bit more frustrated at the way the race is being covered than they were when things were jake.

There's the fact that the violence and chaos in Iraq continues.

And there's the fact that Mike McCurry is shaming the press corps into siding more often with its "this election should be about big issues" good angels than with its "this election should be about Vietnam" bad angels.

Hoping to end his news cycle losing streak, President Bush meets with the president of Pakistan at 7:45 am, pre-tapes Bill O'Reilly's show, holds an education event in Pennsylvania at 11:35 am before surveying storm damage from the air at 3:25 pm and receiving a briefing on the recovery at 3:55 pm.

In addition, to get back on their game, the campaign is going to its bread and butter — "humorously" "teasing" John Kerry by mocking him personally and attacking his consistency — with a new ad, reports ABC News' Karen Travers.

The spot is called "Windsurfing."

The ad, which will join the BC04 ad rotation on national cable and local markets in battleground states, looks at John Kerry's record on a variety of issues and concludes with this zinger:

"John Kerry … whichever way the wind blows."

Senator Kerry's late August windsurfing excursion has given the Vice President and Mrs Cheney a new favorite joke on the campaign trail.

The two banter like Nick and Jessica on their variety show, with the Vice President joking that Lynne thinks John Kerry should stick to windsurfing instead of policy.

At a 1:30 pm town hall meeting in Palm Beach, FL, Senator John Kerry will jump on a University of Chicago study which suggests President Bush's plans to reform Social Security would hand financial services firms a windfall totaling $940 billion over 75 years, according to the Washington Post . LINK

Bush, who has proposed letting workers divert some of their payroll tax contribution into a personal retirement account, has been criticized for not proposing a way to pay for the transition to a partially privatized system, or for acknowledging that the point of such a system is to take pressure off of the trust fund by lowering the guaranteed minimum benefit.

Kerry has occasionally alluded to supporting means testing Social Security benefits for the richest Americans. But other than saying he wants to improve the country's overall budget outlook, he has not yet proposed a comprehensive plan for shoring up the Social Security system in time for the retirement of the baby boomers.

Wednesday's edition of NPR's "All Things Considered" will air a Kerry interview that it pre-taped on Tuesday.

The president's father, George H.W. Bush, campaigns for his son in Columbus, Ohio at 12 pm.

Senator John Edwards campaigns in Miami, FL at 11:35 am. Edwards, who was born in South Carolina and won the state's presidential primary this year, holds a "welcome back" event in Columbia, SC at 6:15 pm and a DNC fundraiser at 7:10 pm.

Vice President Cheney is in Washington, DC with no public events.

At 10:15 am, House Democratic leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi and the House Democratic Caucus hold a news conference to announce their New Partnership for America-six core values that House Democrats are running on. LINKHouse Speaker Rep. Dennis Hastert and the GOP House leadership counter with a news conference to discuss accomplishments of the past decade and the vision for the next decade at 11 a.m.

"Republican leaders agreed yesterday to extend three middle-class tax cuts for five years, clearing the way for Senate and House votes as early as this week on the fourth tax-cut package in as many years," the Washington Post reports. LINK

At 1:45 pm, Reps. Marty Meehan (D), Christopher Shays (R), and Sens. John McCain (R) and Russ Feingold (D) will unveil legislation to require the Federal Election Commission to treat groups organized under section 527 of the tax code as bonafide political committees subject to expenditure and contribution limits.

The bills, according to an aide to one of its authors, will "automatically designate all 527s as political committees whose 'major purpose' is influencing federal election unless those groups meet new exemptions, such as for groups engaged solely in non-federal election activity." See: LINK

The debates:

The Commission on Presidential Debates has dug in its heels and told the Bush and Kerry campaigns that it would not play along with their request that it sign off on their deal by today, the New York Times ' versatile Jodi Wilgoren reports. LINK"First of all, the commission said, it has to determine which candidates have enough support in the polls to qualify for the debates, which it does not plan to do until Friday. Regardless of the timing, the new requirement that the independent commission as well as the four journalists selected to moderate the debates sign onto the pact between the two candidates has made some people involved in the process uncomfortable."

We still think the deal will hold, but — to re-quote James Addison Baker 3d — nothing is decided until everything is decided.

The Christian Science Monitor's Liz Marlantes writes that the debates give both sides a chance to engage one another directly on character — and casts a wary eye on the press' propensity for loving one-liners. LINKThe Washington Times ' Ralph Z. Hallow details his version of who got what and why during the debate negotiations. LINKWashington University in St. Louis has still not received confirmation from the Commission on Presidential Debates that the university's event is a go, reports Jonathan Greenberger of "Student Life." LINKAmerica's Charities is participating in the commission's DebateWatch program, encouraging group viewings of the events. LINK

ABC, CBS, and NBC will broadcast all three debates and the vice presidential debate, reports the Boston Herald's Greg Gatlin. Fox will bag on the Oct. 13 event at Arizona State University and the vice presidential debate to honor its contract with Major League Baseball to broadcast the playoffs. Fox News Channel, however, will carry all of them. LINK

The New York Daily News reports observant Jews don't like the schedule for the televised debates between Bush and Kerry. The first debate coincides with the Jewish harvest holiday of Succoth. The second falls on the eve of the Sabbath. LINKThe Miami Herald 's David Ovalle reports that "as the school prepares for the media wave, parking crunch and mind-boggling security, many agree that the debate's coming presence on campus has spawned an increase — if just a fleeting one — of interest in politics." LINK

Arizona State University is taking full advantage of the presidential debate coming to town. Check out the surrounding events: LINK

Todd Richmond of the AP reports that Senator Kerry will hole up in southwestern Wisconsin for four days of debate prep next week. LINKIf you are a student at the University of Miami we wanted to let you know that the application period for student seats has closed. The University of Miami has announced that "nearly 690 students enrolled for the fall 2004 semester completed a Student Seat Application Form and submitted an essay on the topic Democracy in Action: Make Your Vote Count. Students who make it to the second round of the process will be notified on Friday, September 24."

Also, though The Note cannot condone skipping class, we do think if you can squeeze in this 3:00 pm event, you should definitely do so. From the University of Miami press release: "Elise K. Kirk presents the musical interests of various presidents and their families, from George Washington to the present, and the performers who have entertained them in the White House. Dr. Kirk is a member of the Board of Directors of the White House Historical Association and served on the planning committee for the bicentennial of the White House in 1992." Details can be found here: LINKAnd remember the WWE Smackdown Your Vote debate on September 29 hosted by Jake Tapper!

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect: the Iraq speech:

The Washington Post 's Milbank and Lynch lead with the contrast between the Iraq scenario painted by Bush and by other leaders. LINKThe New York Times ' Weisman has Bush engaged in the "international equivalent of the politicking and record defending that he has done on the campaign trail since the Republican convention." LINK"After three consecutive years in which Iraq has dominated the opening of the General Assembly, the response from many delegates was tepid," write Maura Reynolds and Maggie Farley of the Los Angeles Times. LINK

USA Today on the "cool" response to Bush's UN speech. LINKThe Wall Street Journal has Bush "softening the tone" he used before the invasion of Iraq as he told the world body: it's your fight, too! LINK

In a news analysis, the Washington Post 's Glenn Kessler writes that "the gulf between the Bush administration and the rest of the world appeared as wide as ever" on Tuesday. Kessler describes Bush's vision as "lofty and idealistic" but appearing "incomplete to others" while Kerry is described as "more of a 'realist' in the mode of Henry Kissinger." LINKThe New York Times chides Bush for issuing a scolding to the UN at a time when the US needs international help. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush v. Kerry:

The New York Times ' David Sanger's must read examines the way that President Bush and Senator Kerry each describe the situation in Iraq and the U.S. mission there, using them as a sort of Rosetta stone to understand the "diametrically opposed images reflect diametrically opposed strategies for the final six weeks of the presidential campaign." LINKGift to Jano Cabrera: "The Bush administration has proposed reducing the value of subsidized-housing vouchers given to poor residents in New York City next year, with even bigger cuts planned for some urban areas in New England. The proposal is based on a disputed new formula that averages higher rents in big cities with those of suburban areas, which tend to have lower costs," reports the New York Times ' David Chen. LINKThe New York Times ' Kit Seelye looks at Kerry's "concerted effort" to reach out to women, a constituency whose support some polls show is defecting toward President Bush, and who the Democratic Party views as a priority. In the New York Times /CBS News poll last week, 48 percent of registered women voters said they support the president, while 43 percent said they support the Senator — a conclusion that Kerry pollster Diane Feldman disputes. At the heart of the fight between the Bush and Kerry camps for the women's vote are security moms who were particularly unnerved by the recent terrorist incident at a Russian school. LINKSeelye Notes that when Kerry holds a national security forum in Davenport, IA on Thursday, he will be speaking to an audience solely of women, and quotes Pew's Andy Kohut: "'They will be the story of this election: the way women make this choice.'''

The New York Times ' Nick Kristof bemoans Senator Bob Dole and George H.W. Bush jumping on the Swift Boat controversy to try to put the smackdown on Kerry. LINK"I'm afraid that the dishonesty of politics has infected all of us if we're so partisan that we're willing to point out only the sins of the other side. Intellectual consistency requires a tough look first at one's own shortcomings. So Republicans should be denouncing the smear against Mr. Kerry's war record, and Democrats should be denouncing their candidate's protectionist tone on trade."

A Washington Post story on the new Swift Boat ad (part of which you saw on GMA this morning) indicates that the Swift Boat vets will spend $1.3 million to air the new ad in five battleground states and on cable over the next week. LINK

The conservative blogs are already jumping on the allegations in the new ad. And $1.3 million is a real buy, too.

But, as the Post story points out, the word "secret" ain't quite right.

A new poll by the American Jewish Committee suggests Bush losing ground during the course of the year among Jews because of the Iraq war but still five points ahead of where he was in 2000, the Washington Post reports. LINKThe Washington Post 's Hanna Rosin on the cautiously giddy Democrats who aspire to be mini-Joe Lockharts. LINK USA Today 's Jill Lawrence and Judy Keen measure the testosterone in the race. LINKThe Los Angeles Times' Nick Anderson truth squads some statements made by the four principals and puts rhetoric into context. LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's John Fund turns in an op-ed that outlines all the election lawyering that's already going on, starting with a pithy (recylced!) quote from Doug Chapin of the Election Reform Information Project.

Writeth Mr. Seib of the Wall Street Journal : Bush haters can't understand why anyone would vote for the president. But the same attributes that drive them crazy may also be the ones that attract people to the president. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney '04:

The Wall Street Journal 's David Rogers looks at the $145 billion tax cut package moving forward in Congress. "The White House is increasingly anxious about the spending increases. But its longtime Texas allies in the Senate helped engineer an extra $800 million for space funding. And Mr. Bush wants the tax-extension package for his re-election campaign, and there is no pressure to find new revenue or spending cuts to minimize the impact on future deficits."

The Washington Post 's Mark Leibovich on the "signs, shrieks and swagger" that define a Bush event. "Bush events are not ambivalent. Ambivalence is a Kerry thing, Bushies say." LINKAnd this Leibovichian description of the president's confident strut is priceless: "The president walks into the gymnasium with shoulders hunched and elbows out, like he's waiting for his Right Guard to dry."

Today President Bush starts off the day in New York, meeting with the president of Pakistan, Perves Musharraf.

Bush then heads to Pennsylvania for an education event and an aerial tour to survey storm damage before receiving a briefing on the recovery.

The president will be joined by Gene Hickok, deputy Secretary of Education, and other educators.

We only wish the schedule allowed for a stop at the famous King of Prussia Mall, the largest on the East Coast!LINK

President Bush will be introduced at a Victory 2004 rally in Latrobe by Arnold Palmer, the golfer — not the wonderful drink.

When Bush meets with Musharraf, he is expected to discuss "Pakistan's peace talks with archrival India and with conferring new praise on Pakistan for helping pursue al-Qaida members," the AP reports. It is unknown whether Bush will pressure Musharraf to give up his role as army chief by year's end. LINKOne of the biggest applause lines in the president and Vice President's stump speech is for tort reform and the administration's stance on "frivolous lawsuits."

Well, the Los Angeles Times reports that the president's quest for tort reform is not necessarily a new mission, going back to take a look at then Governor Bush's record on going after "frivolous" lawsuits and his critics labeling him anti-consumer. LINK

Forgive us for thinking that the tone and slant of the piece is more pro-trial lawyer than pro-bidness.

Ed Chen on Dan Bartlett's "Ask the White House" appearance … How long do you think the Kerry campaign was working on getting its supporters in the digital queue?LINK

The New York Times ' Jennifer Steinhauer writes that New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg supports President Bush — he just won't be photographed with him. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Vice President Cheney on the trail:

Vice President Cheney cancelled a plan trip to Detroit for today, reports ABC News' Karen Travers.

Cheney was scheduled to participate in a town hall meeting in battleground Michigan but a campaign official said the Vice President wanted to stay in Washington to work in the office today.

Cheney will be in Washington tomorrow to preside over a joint session of Congress when Prime Minister Allawi comes to Capitol Hill.

Jim Gerstenzang reports on an unscripted moment at a campaign stop for Vice President Cheney yesterday in Lansing, MI — Imam Sayed al Hassan Qazwini chimed in to asked Cheney a question at a roundtable event. Except he was not one of the handpicked guests at Finleys American Grill.

"Wearing a turban and robed in brown and black, Qazwini, a religious leader born in Iraq, wanted to know if Cheney would pledge to support antidiscrimination policies to protect Muslims in the United States. And he wanted to know if the vice president remained confident Iraqi elections would still proceed in January."

"Qazwini's questions, particularly the one about discrimination, went to the heart of concerns among Arab Americans who make up a small but potentially significant bloc in Michigan, one of the battleground states in this year's presidential race." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Kerry-Edwards '04:

The Columbus Dispatch's Jack Torry offers up an analysis of the "clear choice" the candidates are providing on Iraq. LINK"Kerry's goals are clear. First, he wants to shift the discussion on Iraq from what he had said in the past to a debate on what the next president will do about it. And he hopes to drive a wedge into Bush's argument that the war in Iraq is just part of a broader struggle against Osama bin Laden and his al-Qaida terrorists."

And/but … more Torry: "Kerry's approach is hazardous. He offers clarity, but at the expense of contradicting what he has said in the past. Less than a year ago, he agreed the United States was safer with Saddam in prison. Now, he makes the opposite argument." (Note question to Mr. Torry: Does he really make the opposite argument?)

"And he risks adopting the policy of his vanquished primary opponent, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, who was against war in Iraq."

The Chicago Tribune's Pearson and Torriero write, "Kerry appeared more forceful and self-assured, and he is clearly energized since delivering an anti-Bush speech on Monday that outlined his Iraq strategy." LINKThe Boston Herald's Andrew Miga has this headline: "Kerry gets kinder, gentler & meaner." LINK

Pat Healy of the Boston Globe does a little truth-squadding/oppo work today when he breaks down the discrepancies about Senator Kerry's Iraq policy (complete with quotes from the past year or so) and how the campaign is trying to fix it before the Sep. 30 foreign policy debate in Miami.LINK

Healy nugget of the day: "'Kerry is positioning himself so at next week's debate, . . .he can say to voters, in effect: 'I was like you, I trusted the president and I knew Saddam was a problem, so I said let's put the pressure on Iraq — but I never dreamed Bush would have screwed it up every which way from Sunday,'' said another adviser to Kerry's campaign, who spoke on condition of anonymity. 'Then Kerry can say, 'Will Iraq be any different if we keep George Bush in power for another four years?''"

"'If Kerry can simply get voters to nod a little with him — to think 'Kerry's making some sense' — agree with him, then I think the flip-flop charge is negated, and we can get closer to winning this election.'"

The Wall Street Journal ed board opines that Kerry "now agrees with Howard Dean that the war he voted to authorize was a mistake."

Glen Johnson recaps the Kerry-Edwards day in the Sunshine State — talking about health care and more. LINK

The New York Times ' Dick Stevenson has Kerry seeking to "project the aura of a candidate hitting his stride" while his staff asserted that its polling showed Kerry running neck and neck or even a little ahead of Bush in Florida — and Notes Kerry's first presser since Aug. 2(!!!!!), where he argued that it's necessary for a change in leadership to change the situation in Iraq. LINKRegarding Florida polling spin, as recently as Sept. 17, on a KE'04 "state of the race" conference call with Joe Lockhart, Tad Devine and pollster Tom Kiley, the Kerry reps said the campaign was not polling in Florida because of the aftermath of the hurricane.

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Fitzgerald sums up Senator Kerry's likeability boosters on "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "Live! with Regis and Kelly." This article is yet another example of Kerry's good press this week, most importantly in huge swing areas like Philadelphia's. LINK

Note: even with such friendly Kerry-Edwards articles, the front page of this Philadelphia paper screams "Bush calls for U.N. aid in Iraq."

As GOP leaders on the Hill agree to extend middle-class tax cuts, Kerry adviser Jason Furman tells the Washington Post 's Jonathan Weisman that Kerry would prefer the extension to be a part of a broader budget package that rolled back tax cuts on affluent households but that he will not stand in the way of the bill, which could come up for a vote in the Senate on Wednesday. LINKABC News' Jake Tapper wonders just how many times Senator Kerry can take his gloves off without wearing through his hands.

"To those following his campaign for the past year, it may have come as some surprise to hear Kerry has been holding his tongue. While Kerry may have generally presided over a positive Democratic Convention, he continually attacked President Bush during the primaries. In fact, his perceived ability to withstand Bush attacks and retaliate in kind was one of his key selling points to Democratic voters." LINK"In early March — just a few days after Bush attacked Kerry by name for the first time — Kerry was caught on tape on the subject. 'We're going to keep pounding, let me tell you,' he said after speaking by teleconference to the AFL-CIO from Ohio, apparently forgetting he was wearing a microphone. 'We're just beginning to fight here. These guys are the most crooked, you know, lying group of people I've ever seen.'"

"A week after that, on March 17, Kerry delivered another strong speech at George Washington University. 'We are still bogged down in Iraq, and the administration stubbornly holds to failed policies that drive potential allies away, with a steady loss of lives and mounting cost in dollars,' Kerry said. Pairing Kerry's speech with a tough attack by Vice President Dick Cheney, The Sacramento Bee declared: 'Gloves off for Kerry, Cheney; In separate speeches, they go on the attack over Iraq policies.'"

Read the whole thing.

Mary Beth Cahill tried to smooth things over with "worried" Dems on Capitol Hill yesterday. "We were worried after the convention," said Senator Dick Durbin told Geoff Earle at The Hill. "We're doing fine. Naturally, I'm worried." LINK

The Hill reports CBC's lawmakers will vent their "hurt and anger" against the Kerry campaign for missteps today at a face-to-face with Kerry's Deputy Campaign Manager Bill Lynch. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Edwards on the trail:

In USA Today today, Walter Shapiro looks at how Edwards' style is different from Cheney. LINKBest paragraph: "Yet even if Edwards does not make the headline-grabbing news that is usually out of the grasp of a vice presidential candidate, he serves as an intriguing counterpoint to Kerry. While Edwards addresses the same issues as Kerry, he often expresses them more directly. The Democratic second-banana, for example, appears unencumbered by the need to constantly justify his Senate votes on Iraq, even though they are identical to those of Kerry."

The Raleigh News and Observer's Rob Christensen reports that "as the ticket headed by John Kerry has struggled recently, there has been grumbling in Democratic circles that Edwards [ … ] should be used more effectively." LINKThe Cleveland Plain Dealer wraps Edwards' economic speech with local reaction, Noting that Cheney was also in Ohio yesterday. LINK

… and the Columbus Dispatch, too: "Edwards did not offer new proposals yesterday in what was billed as a major policy speech, but he outlined in detail the Kerry-Edwards plan to address job loss, poverty and other economic problems — compared with what he called the "do-nothing presidency" of Bush." LINK

ABC News' Beth Loyd previews the newest and latest Vogue article on the Edwardses:

With stunning pictures by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue's Julia Reed profiles Edwards, beginning the Senator's story with his less-than-smooth run-in with protestors in Missouri.

"For his was no aw-shucks exhortation, it was an edgy, ever-so-slightly sanctimonious rebuke-more Sam Waterston in Law & Order than Andy Griffith in Matlock-from a man who isn't used to being thrown off his game and rarely ventures from his well memorized script."

Vogue discusses Edwards' role in the campaign. "There is no question that Edwards has notable charisma-he radiates youth and vigor, and, more important, sincerity to the crowds."

The article frames Edwards' style around his courtroom days and details his childhood in way that Edwards' does not, including some endearing words from his mother, Bobbie, and describing how Wade's death affected the family

Elizabeth Edwards tells Vogue about their first date. "It was 1975 and guys then were really fast, so if somebody leans over and kisses you on the forehead at the end of the date, you're thinking, OK, this isn't so bad. I mean, I didn't have to whack his hands-he was just sweet. And then we had a second date, where we really did get to talk, and then a third and fourth, and I never went out with anybody else again."

The beautifully-written profile ends with a focus on Edwards' future, looking forward to 2008 (or 2012, depending on who wins this year). "And that is the election that John Edwards is already running in."

Elizabeth Edwards was in the Pennsylvania suburbs (of Philly and Pittsburgh) yesterday to lure women voters on such issues as health care, education, domestic abuse and the death penalty, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. LINK

Mrs. Edwards clearly explained to folks in the Pittsburgh area yesterday how her husband and Senator Kerry voted for the war and then against the $87 billion — in real woman terms — and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette concludes "The explanation is unscripted, a bit unpolished, but somehow more effective than even some of the candidate's own explanations. When she finishes, her questioner nods along with others in the room."LINK

More importantly: "As Edwards heads out the door to meet with flood victims in Millvale, her listeners clamor around her with well-wishes, and it appears that she has indeed won over at least a few voters."

ABC News Vote 2004: the battlegrounds:

The Columbus Dispatch takes a look at how much the campaigns have raised in the Buckeye State. LINKFormer Maine Governor Angus King, an independent who voted for President Bush four years ago, endorses John Kerry for President, reports Paul Carrier of the Portland Press Herald. LINKThe Chicago Tribune's Zeleny and McCormick report on the expanded use of early voting in Iowa. LINKFormer Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura says he has no one to vote for this year so he doesn't plan to vote, leads the Minneapolis Star Tribune. LINK

The two major party candidates to succeed Missouri Secretary of State Matt Blunt should he win the governorship are calling for "changes to state election laws to make it easier for people to vote early, and more difficult for politicians to view absentee-ballot lists," reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jo Mannies. LINK

The Des Moines Register 's Thomas Beaumont reports that a new poll shows Kerry leading in Iowa for the first time since the Republican convention, only a day after another placed Kerry at a six-point deficit. LINK

Kristen Searer of the Las Vegas Sun reports that with only weeks until the election, Nevada still has no official ballot. LINK

Bush's National Guard service and the CBS documents:

White House Communications Director Dan Bartlett and Kerry senior adviser Joe Lockhart clashed on NBC's Today.

Bartlett slammed Lockhart and the Kerry campaign, citing the close proximity of CBS' report with the DNC's "Fortunate Son" campaign. "We now know why. That's because top level Kerry advisers knew about it … They all had prior knowledge that it would come." But Bartlett was thrown on the defensive somewhat when Matt Lauer skeptically said "There have different reasons given for why Bush missed a physical … " Bartlett tried to laugh it off and said twice that Bush was transferred to Alabama in a "non-flying capacity."

Lockhart accused Bartlett of not telling the truth, saying "everybody in Washington" knew that this story was coming. Lockhart said he did not regret making the phone call to Bill Burkett and then attacked the president's National Guard record himself, citing a story in the New York Times that questioned whether Bush's Guard record could ever be proven. And then Lockhart used one of the talking points in Phil Singer's memos claiming that Bartlett refused to debate Lockhart live on cable. "If he had any guts he'd ask these questions to me. But it's clear he doesn't have any guts."

Interesting question from NBC's Matt Lauer: "One question about the National Guard. In July 1972, President Bush failed to take a physical exam. There have been different reasons for his failure to take that exam. What was the reason, Dan?"

Bartlett: "We have given it countless times: President Bush received permission by his Guard unit to transfer to Alabama for a period of time to work on a campaign in Alabama. He was given permission to do so in a non-flying capacity. When you are not flying, you don't take a flight physical. So President Bush did not take a physical because he was going to Alabama in a nonflying capacity. There was no, all this stuff that he was refusing to do so is utter nonsense. He was working with local commanders in Houston and received permission and went to Alabama. He returned and did his duties and was honorably discharged."

Democrats responded almost instantly (almost Schmidtianly) with the following points:

— The TANG flew Bush's planes after 1972, they say.

— Barlett in 2000 told the London Times that Bush was a victim of the bureaucracy -- paperwork wasn't where it should be.

— And this quote from an AP article in 1999: ""Hughes said Bush missed the physical because he was in Alabama, and there were only a few special doctors who could do physicals."

On Fox, Bartlett was interrupted by E.D. Hill at least three times. In that interview Bartlett chided Kerry for his claim that he could get other countries to contribute to the Iraq effort. "No way no how they are going to be involved … I know he kibitzes with them and socializes with them but I think it's a false claim that just because he's President they're going to come on board. It's just not the case."

The CBS documents:

We missed this yesterday from Zeleny and Cook: Dan Rather does not believe — or did not believe as of Monday — that the documents were fake. LINK

That's just … . wow.

On to today's clips, which suggest that the focus of most of the mainstream media is off the Kerry campaign and onto Mary Mapes and CBS's ethics. The news of day coverage includes a surprising amount of he-said/he-said coverage with the DNC and RNC being given equal weight. All other things being equal, that's a mild victory for Howard Wolfson.

USA Today mentions Roger Stone's alleged connection to the documents, although we confess that "hot" buzz in media circles about his alleged involvement never reached our ears. LINKIt includes this good-to-know quote from Stone: "'I have nothing whatsoever to do with this,' Stone told USA TODAY . 'I'm a firm believer in political hardball, but I draw the line at forged documents.'"

Also from USA Today :

"CBS News executives want to know why Mapes, one of Rather's most trusted producers, repeatedly assured them that both Bill Burkett and the documents he gave her could be trusted — only to have both widely called into question by Internet bloggers and rival news organizations soon after 60 Minutes aired the story. On Monday, CBS said the story should have never run, and Rather apologized to viewers." LINK

"Mapes also produced 60 Minutes' follow-up segment a week ago in which Marion Knox, the secretary to the National Guard officer who supposedly wrote the disputed memos, Col. Jerry Killian, said the information in the documents was correct but that the memos themselves were fake."

"But now, with Mapes' credibility seriously questioned, CBS News staffers say they're puzzled why Mapes is still apparently actively working on the memos story. CBS News spokeswoman Sandy Genelius refused to comment on that. She said that Mapes, 48, remains on CBS' payroll."

More friends of Mapes attest to her alleged political leanings. LINKCBS says Mapes violated CBS policy by putting source in touch with Kerry campaign, the New York Times ' Jim Rutenberg and Bill Carter report. LINKHowie Kurtz writes that the question for CBS is "whether an outside investigation will help the network repair its tattered reputation … and whether any high-level heads will roll." LINKRelatively newsless news of day articles: LINK and LINK and LINK and LINKMatea Gold profiles Joe "What Am I Doing Here" Lockhart. LINK

Bill Safire writes that the person who faked the CBS/National Guard documents may have committed a felony and quotes former prosecutor Joseph DiGenova as saying on MSNBC that DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe has only "denied a role only in the preparation of the documents." LINKThe New York Times ed board feels CBS News' pain. LINKBut the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette does not.

"Dan Rather's storied career at CBS could be nearing an ignominious close. He, his producer and his network authored one of broadcast journalism's most embarrassing chapters, etched in arrogance, perceived bias and undeniable ineptitude. And it is a chapter that stains all of journalism." LINK

The CBS debacle has raised worries both inside and outside the news business that the media will turn even warier about taking on contentious subjects just as the campaign is heating up, say two Wall Street Journal smarties.LINK

Nader-Camejo:

In a press conference in Washington yesterday, Ralph Nader said he has formally requested tickets to attend the first presidential debate in Florida, as an observer.

The state Elections Board in Wisonsin has decided Nader should remain on the presidential ballot, after deliberations yesterday. LINKHearings continue today in determining Nader's status on the ballot in in Ohio [a state with 20 — count 'em 20 — electoral votes]. The AP reports the candidate's attorneys agreed to toss out 400 signatures from signers who thought they were adding their names to an anti-gay marriage petition yesterday in round one. LINKStory to watch in 2008: Muslim leaders say they will soon endorse a presidential candidate. Nader has come out ahead of Bush in some recent polls among the community.LINK

The Asbury Park Press reports Nader is still a factor in New Jersey, where Quinnipiac has him polling at 2 percent — down from 7 percent in June. LINKJames O'Toole of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports a Commonwealth Court has ordered a "marathon review" of Ralph Nader's nominating petitions with10 hearings across the state on Monday. LINK

Jake Bleed of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports on the Nader camp asking a state Supreme Court judge to overturn a ruling barring them from the ticket. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the Senate:

The resignation on Rep. Tom Coburn's campaign manager yesterday added more fuel to Democratic talking points, though we agree with zen master Charlie Cook that it will take a mighty wind to help Democrats push the Senate back in their column.

Senate Democratic campaigns across the country are scrambling to win the Howard Dean challenge. "This week Democracy for America is hosting an online vote to determine which senate candidates receive the next appeal from Governor Dean. The incumbent and the challenger with the most votes at the end of balloting will win a national email appeal from Governor Dean and Democracy for America. This is an easy way for a campaign to gain national exposure, recruit on-line activists and raise much needed resources for the final weeks of the campaign," an e-mail to be sent today from Democracy for America will read.

"The voting will take place online, will last for five days and is open to all visitors to www.democracyforamerica.com. Safeguards will be in place to assure one person-one vote. Governor Dean's email appeal will be sent to supporters on behalf of the top incumbent and challenger during the week of September 27th."

"Democrats are running surprisingly well in a number of Senate races in the South, despite predictions Republicans will build on their majority. Democrats also think they have a shot at seats in such GOP strongholds as Oklahoma, Alaska and Colorado," the Wall Street Journal 's mysterious Shailagh Murray reports.

Tom DeLay:

The Los Angeles Times takes a look at the indictments of associates of Tom DeLay and DeLay's questioning of the timing of those indictments. What impact will the indictments have on how the Ethics Committee proceeds is still to be determined. LINK

The Washington Post on the indictments. LINKFrom a statement by Ronnie Earle, the District Attorney of Travis County. In it, he makes clear that today's indictments of DeLay's associates do not mean this investigation is over. Here are the operative paragraphs, per ABC's Linda Douglass.

"'This Grand Jury, due to time constraints imposed by the length of their term, only focused on one portion of the overall investigation. These indictments are being returned at this time because this Grand Jury has reached the end of its term."

"More work remains to be done. This is a continuing investigation into allegations of criminal activity related to the 2002 Texas elections. For that reason, our responses to questions will be limited. "

Earle's partisan credentials have long been a complaint of Texas and national GOPers.

"Grand Jury Indicts DeLay Lieutenants," blares the Austin American Statesman's headline. LINK

"Beyond extending into the inner circle of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, Tuesday's grand jury indictments strike at the heart of the Republican's extensive fund-raising operation, the source of his power and influence," writes the Statesman's Chuck Lindell. LINK

The politics of Iraq and national security:

The Washington Post 's Writeh and Chandrasekaran say that the Iraqi government is taking over its own nation, more and more. LINKThe New York Times ' Elisabeth Bumiller looks at the White House's PR campaign for Iraqi interim Prime Minister Iyad Allawi, presenting him as a symbol of the changing Iraq and talking optimistically about the prospects for democracy there. LINKIn the first substantial opposition to a rapid congressional response to the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission, a bipartisan group including Kissinger and Shultz have called on Congress no to rush to pass legislation based on "an election timetable." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the House:

USA Today 's Andrea Stone reports that "House Democrats today will unveil a platform of six 'core values' they hope will give voters a reason to support them in November." LINK

TODAY'S SCHEDULE (all times ET):

—7:45 am: President Bush meets with the President of Pakistan, Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, NY —9:00 am: U.S. Election Assistance Commission holds a meeting on technical guidelines, Gaithersburg, MD—9:00 am: Roll Call holds a forum on talks to allow Russia to have WTO membership and to discuss the impact on select industries, Dirksen, Washington, DC —9:00 am: House Democrats hold a closed meeting of the House Democratic Caucus, Cannon, Washington, DC —9:30 am: Elizabeth Edwards hosts a roundtable on health care at the Youngstown Community Health Clinic, Youngstown, OH—9:30 am: Sen. Rick Santorum, others hold a press conference to introduce families who have participated in embryo adoption and support the Bush Administration policy, Washington, DC —10:15 am: House Democratic candidates unveil their New Partnership for America, Capitol steps, Washington, DC —11:00 am: House Speaker Hastert and the GOP House leadership discuss accomplishments of last decade and vision for next decade, Capitol HC-5, Washington, DC—11:00 am: RNC chairman Ed Gillespie hosts conference call—11:35 am: President and Mrs. Bush hold an education event in King of Prussia, PA—11:35 am: Sen. John Edwards holds a town hall meeting at the Caleb Center, Miami, FL—12:00 pm: National Center for Policy Analysis President John Goodman and Emory Prof. Kenneth Thorpe debate Bush and Kerry's health care plans, National Press Club, Washington, DC —12:00 pm: Former President George H.W. Bush speaks at rally in Columbus, OH—12:30 pm: Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani headlines and RNC Victory Rally at the Rosen Plaza Hotel, Orlando, FL —1:30 pm: Sen. John Kerry holds a town hall meeting in Palm Beach, FL—1:30 pm: The League of Conservation Voters Education Fund holds a news conference to release a report on student voter suppression at the local level, Marvin Center, Washington, DC —1:30 pm: Teresa Heinz Kerry discusses rising health care costs, Sundome, Sun City, AZ—1:45 pm: Sens. McCain and Feingold and Reps. Shays and Meehan unveil the 527 Reform Act in Washington, DC—2:00 pm: Sen. Lindsey Graham and Rep. Mike Michaud speak at a Credit Union National Association "election fair," Phoenix Hotel, Washington, DC—2:00 pm: Rep. Rahm Emanuel, other members of Congress meet with former Polish President Lech Walesa to discuss the Polish visa waiver issue, Washington, DC—2:00 pm: US Trade Representative Robert Zoellick meets with Brazilian Minister of Agriculture Robert Rodrigues, Washington, DC —3:15 p.m. Andre Heinz attends environmental rally. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO—3:25 pm: President Bush participates in an aerial tour of damage from Tropical Depression Ivan in Allegheny County, PA—3:55 pm: President Bush receives a briefing on recovery efforts, Allegheny County, PA—4:00 pm: First Lady Laura Bush meets with Mrs. Allawi, spouse of the Iraq Prime Minister, White House, Washington, DC —4:50 pm: President Bush makes remarks at Westmoreland County rally in Latrobe, PA—6:15 pm: Sen. Edwards holds a welcome back event at the MLK Community Center, Columbia, SC—6:15 p.m. Andre Heinz attends rally, University of Colorado, Denver, CO—7:10 pm: Sen. Edwards holds a DNC fundraiser at the Capital City Club, Columbia, SC