Evening Newscasts Wrap: ABC News Political Unit

W A S H I N G T O N, August, 19 2004 —
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LEADS:

ABC leads with Sen. Kerry's fierce response on the issue of his war record. Brian Rooney reports. NBC leads with the battle for Najaf. Preston Mendenhall reports. CBS leads with its new poll. Scott Pelley reports.

KERRY FIGHT'S BACK:

ABC's Brian Rooney reports "after months of questioning of his military record, Kerry came out fighting, issuing a challenge using President Bush's own words." Kerry SOT. Kerry's remarks today were in response to months of attacks by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. The group is funded by a wealthy Republican contributor from Texas. Kerry: "They're a front for the Bush campaign. And the fact that the President won't denounce what they're up to tells you everything you need to know, and he wants them to do his dirty work." The Kerry campaign has been debating whether to respond for some time, but after the poor reception at the VFW convention yesterday, "Kerry took the gloves off" and released his own ad today.

NBC's Carl Quintanilla reports Kerry has launched the "most bare-knuckled attack against the vets thus far." Kerry was said to be frustrated by attacks and had his staff up until early in the morning. He invited a new challenge to the President. Kerry's campaign says it wants to talk issues, but instead "Kerry has stumbled in a serous of recent attacks about his ability to handle manage the war on terror." Kerry charged that Bush had connections to the Swift Vets group, but today John O'Neill shrugged off that possibility. In closing, Quintanilla notes, "new charges about what happened there 30 years ago suggest this fight isn't over and that some old wounds are far from healed."

CBS' Byron Pitts reports today, Kerry did what he's always done, he pushed back. Pitts notes the ad may be working. Kerry's support among veterans dropped from 46 percent in July after the Democratic convention to 37 percent today. Kerry decided he could no longer could let the ad go unanswered. Kerry SOT: "The fact that the president won't denounce the ad tells you everything that you need to know. He wants them to do his dirty work. If he wants to have a debate about Vietnam. I have three words for him: 'Bring It On'." Video of John O'Neil on Dick Cavett show in 1971. Identifies him as Nixon's point man back then. In closing, Pitts says the Vietnam War was controversial for Kerry then and now.

WHO ARE THE SWIFT BOAT VETS?

ABC's Jake Tapper Notes "John O'Neill has been a nemesis of John Kerry's since the Nixon years…now he's returned to form a group of anti-Kerry veterans." O'Neill SOT. The group's strongest accusation relates to the events of March 13, 1960, the day which Kerry rescued Jim Rasmann from the Bay Hap River while under enemy fire, and the event for which he later won a bronze star. 35 years later, anti-Kerry veteran Larry Thurlow, who was the commander of a nearby boat, charges there way never any fire. Thurlow SOT. Thurlow argued his position today in a phone interview: "This comes from John Kerry's report of that day which says we were under extreme fire. We were not." Both Kerry's and Thurlow's reports were signed by then commander George Elliott who also appears in the anti-Kerry ad. Elliot is now disavowing this report. Jim Rassman defends the Senator, insisting that they were under fire. Rassmann SOT.

BUSH REACTION TO SWIFT BOAT VETS' ACCUSATIONS:

Elizabeth Vargas/ Terry Moran 2 way: Bush camp had a strong reaction to Kerry's charges. They say they have no coordination with the group. In addition they say it is a double standard, that 527's have been attacking them too and Kerry has stood by and said nothing. Bush asks Kerry to condemn all 527's.

NEW CBS POLL:

Kerry is slipping among independents, Catholics and, "at least for the moment, the hearts and minds and votes, of his fellow veterans." CBS Poll: Bush 45, Kerry 46 "just one point apart, a virtual tie." Today's poll numbers might explain Kerry's push back today.

RNC PICKS ZELL MILLER AS KEYNOTE SPEAKER:

Elizabeth Vargas reports "A democrat will be the keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention. Georgia senator Zell Miller supports the president's tax cuts and has consistently voted with Republicans against his own party. Miller -- who retires in January -- was the Democratic keynoter a dozen years ago."

ABC:

(Elizabeth Vargas substitutes)

1. John Kerry fought back so fiercely on the issue of his war record. (Brian Rooney, Boston) 2. Bush's reaction to the controversy. (Terry Moran, Texas) 3. A look at the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. (Jake Tapper, Washington, D.C.) 4. A democrat will be the keynote speaker at the Republican National Convention. 5. U.S. forces launched new attacks in attempt to get Muqtadr al Sadr out of Najaf. (Mike Von Fremd, Baghdad) 6. American soldier dies in Sadr City. 7. The UN remembered colleagues who died a year ago in the truck bombing on the UN compound in Baghdad. 8. A mortar attack on the US Embassy compound and injured two staff members. 9. The State Department said the US was trying to gain the release of an American journalist held hostage. 10. Closer Look: Google's launch. (Betsy Stark, New York) 11. United Airlines filed bankruptcy paper work in court today. 12. Senator Ted Kennedy somehow ended up on a 'no fly' list. 13. Results of the Olympics today. 14. Olympic swimmers posed for FHM magazine. 15. Beating Cancer. (Ned Potter, New York)

NBC:

(Brian Williams substitutes)

1. The trouble in Najaf may be spreading. (Preston Mendenhall, Baghdad) 2. U.S. officials try to figure out who is Muqtadr al Sadr (Andrea Mitchell, Washington, D.C) 3. Oil prices went up almost $1.50 4. More on the prisoner abuse scandal at Abu Grahib. 5. Kerry responds to attacks by Swift Boat Vets. (Carl Quintanilla, Derry, New Hampshire) 6. Google jumped 18 percent in the first day of trading. 7. The Dow was down more than 42 points. 8. The escalating cost of the disaster in Florida. (Don Teague, Florida) 9. News from Olympics. 10. Profile of U.S. Swimmer Gary Hall Jr. (Dennis Murphy, Athens) 11. Profile of U.S. Equestrian competitor. (Mike Taibbi, Athens) 12. The U.S. Olympics softball team. (Kerry Sanders, Athens)

CBS:

(Scott Paley substitutes)

1. New CBS Poll. 2. Kerry "fights back" against attacks on his war record (Byron Pitts, Derry, NH) 3. Sadr says he will give up but until that happens, US forces have their hands full (Barry Petersen, Baghdad) 4. Najaf stand-off is being seen as make or break test for Iraqi prime minister Allawai (Mark Phillips, London) 5. Study of Abu Ghraib shows senior officers created conditions for abuse (Bob Orr, The Pentagon) 6. Boykin violated rules when he failed to get his remarks cleared (Scott Paley, New York) 7. Google made its debut, up 18 percent (Scott Paley, New York). 8. Market overall was down (Scott Paley, New York) 9. Fallen Heroes: Arthur Felder (Dan Rather, New York) 10. Hurricane victims being ripped off (Jim Acosta, Florida) 11. Sen. Kennedy gets on no-fly list, Kennedy Capitol Hill SOT used. (Scott Paley, New York) 12. Judge and videotape (Randall Pinkston, New York) 13. Composer Elmer Bernstein has died (Scott Paley, New York) 14. Weight reduction programs run in family (Sandra Hughes, La Jolla, California)