Morning Show Wrap, by ABC News Political Unit

N E W Y O R K, September 17, 2004 —
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BIDEN REVISITS PRO-IRAQ WAR VOTE:

Asked by Don Imus if he would still vote to authorize the use of force against Iraq knowing everything he knows today, Sen. Joe Biden, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said:

"If I had known how incompetent they would be," Biden said, "I would never have given this man the authority, I would never have given this man the authority."

Biden, who has informally advised Sen. John Kerry on foreign policy and who has been mentioned as a possible Secretary of State in a potential Kerry administration, was then asked by Imus: Why won't Kerry come out and say that?

Biden did not directly answer Imus' question about why Kerry won't revisit his pro-war vote, saying simply: "The problem here is this is so much damn bigger than Kerry and so much bigger than Bush."

Just as he did on Wednesday following his interview with Kerry, Imus said Kerry's comments on his show about Iraq didn't "make any sense" and that they left him "beating my head." Imus was referring to Kerry criticizing Bush for going to war under the circumstances that existed while standing by his pro-war vote even knowing what he knows now about the lack of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

Later in the interview, Biden told Imus: "I'm not disagreeing with you, Don," when Imus said that if Kerry has a plan for Iraq, it isn't getting through.

Biden said, however, that he thought Kerry would win because "events are in the saddle." Biden also said he would be "dumbfounded" if Kerry, once elected, didn't pursue policies in Iraq similar to his own.

TIM RUSSERT ON NBC:

NBC's Tim Russert told Katie Couric that two weeks ago, the Kerry campaign had "no interest and no plans to bring up Iraq" but now "events are such" that the Kerry campaign is "vesting much of its future on the outcome of the war in Iraq.

Russert said today's release of a report that will conclude Iraq lacked weapons of mass destruction is "just going to reinforce what we have known – large stockpiles did not exist." Russert said that Kerry will jump on this report and say that this report is a "far cry from what we were told leading up to the war" when we were "guaranteed" that stockpiles existed. Bush will respond by saying that I believed they were there – just as Clinton and Kerry thought they were there. Bush will argue, according to Russert, that if it was a mistake, it was an honest mistake.

As for the National Intelligence Estimate, Russert said this report said there are no good options in Iraq. Russert cited Kofi Annan calling the war "illegal."

Russert said that Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel's criticism of the situation in Iraq is "not helpful politically," particularly if it is the "first of many Republicans. If it is Hagel alone, they can probably cope with it."

Russert said that the Bush campaign's view is that as long as we are debating Iraq, terrorism, security, Bush is going to do well because Bush enjoys a "level of confidence" with the public as commander in chief. The Kerry people say "that's nonsense, this is our opening."

The risk in this approach, Russert said, is that you don't want to suggest a "lack of support for the troops on the ground." Russert added: "Kerry is trying to find a way to tie all of the anxiety in the country together and says the reason is Iraq."

As for the Pew poll being out of whack with the new Gallup Poll, Russert said, the Kerry and Bush campaigns believe Bush is ahead by 5 or 6 points. Russert said the worry for Kerry is that in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin—three states that Gore won—the two candidates are now "dead even. Russert said this prevents Kerry from focusing on Ohio and Florida – two Bush states that he was hoping to pick up.

TWO POLLS, TWO DIFFERENT STORIES:

NBC's Ann Curry reported from the news desk that there are two new polls out in the presidential race that tell "two very different stories."

The Gallup poll showing Bush 55, Kerry 42. The Pew poll showing Bush 47, Kerry 46.

WRAPPING THURSDAY, PREVIEWING FRIDAY:

CBS' Byron Pitts reported that Kerry is trying to take political advantage of the National Intelligence Estimate. Piece included a Kerry SOT from his speech to the National Guard Association, a clip from the new MoveOn.org ad, and a SOT of Cheney assailing Kerry. Pitts closed by saying that Kerry will go after Cheney's ties to Halliburton today.

NBC's Kelly O'Donnell opened with Kerry's plans to go after Cheney for Halliburton's waste and overcharging. O'Donnell said the Halliburton charge is part of a "wider attack" on the President's handling of Iraq. SOT of Cheney assailing Kerry. SOT of Bush assailing Kerry for sending "mixed signals." O'Donnell closed by saying that the Bush campaigns calls Kerry's criticism "pessimistic and political opportunism."