The Note

W A S H I N G T O N, Jan. 5—
, 2004 -- Today's Schedule (all times Eastern):

—8:15 am: Sen. Joe Lieberman has breakfast at Tilt'n Diner, Tilton, N.H. —8:30 am: Rep. Dick Gephardt attends breakfast with Democrats in McAlester, Okla. —9:00 am: Sen. John Kerry has breakfast with Wapello County activists at Country Kitchen, Ottumwa, Iowa —9:15 am: Rep. Gephardt tours the Pittsburgh County Courthouse in McAlester, Okla. —9:30 am: Gov. Howard Dean has breakfast with Chickasaw County Democrats at Tom's Restaurant, New Hampton, Iowa —9:45 am: Sen. Lieberman discusses health-care costs at Belknap Tire, Laconia, N.H. —10:30 am: Rep. Gephardt attends a health-care roundtable and speaks to the press at Mary Mahoney Memorial Health Clinic, Oklahoma City, Okla.—10:45 am: Sen. Kerry meets with Mahaska County activists at the Oskaloosa Public Library, Oskaloosa, Iowa —10:45 am: Rep. Dennis Kucinich speaks to the press at Griffieon Farm, Ankeny, Iowa —11:00 am: Gen. Wesley Clark delivers a major speech relating to his tax policy, Nashua, N.H. —11:15 am: Gov. Howard Dean holds a "Caucus for Change" event at Floyd County Museum, Charles City, Iowa —11:45 am: Sen. Lieberman participates in a roundtable discussion on health care at Lilac City Pediatrics, Rochester, N.H.—12:00 pm: Sen. John Edwards speaks about changing America, Des Moines, Iowa —12:45 pm: Rep. Kucinich attends a rally at Diamond Dave's Restaurant, Newton, Iowa —1:15 pm: Sen. Lieberman and his wife Hadassah host a town hall meeting at Raymond High School, Raymond, N.H. —1:30 pm: Gov. Dean holds a conference call to criticize "No Child Left Behind" —1:30 pm: Sen. Kerry delivers a major speech on the economy, Des Moines, Iowa —2:00 pm: Gen. Clark holds a "Conversation with Clark" at Riverwoods, Exeter, N.H. —2:00 pm: Rep. Kucinich attends a rally at Saints Rest Coffee House, Grinnell, Iowa —2:30 pm: Sen. Edwards meets with Boone County Democrats at the Ericson Public Library, Boone, Iowa —3:00 pm: Rep. Gephardt participates in an economic justice rally, Des Moines, Iowa —3:15 pm: President Bush participates in a conversation on the "No Child Left Behind Act" at Pierre Laclede Elementary School, St. Louis, Mo.—4:00 pm: Rep. Kucinich attends a rally at Gringo's Restaurant, Iowa City, Iowa —4:15 pm: Sen. Edwards meets with Webster County Democrats at the Fort Dodge public library, Iowa —5:30 pm: Sen. Edwards meets Hamilton County Democrats at a senior center, Webster City, Iowa —5:30 pm: Rep. Kucinich attends a labor rally at La Mexicana Restaurant, West Liberty, Iowa —5:45 pm: Sen. Lieberman attends a house party in Medford Farms Retirement Community, Goffstown, N.H. —6:00 pm: Rep. Gephardt meets with Des Moines County Democrats, Burlington, Iowa —6:00 pm: Sen. Kerry attends a Truman Fund fundraiser for Senator Jack Hatch at Metro Market, Des Moines, Iowa —6:45 pm: Rep. Kucinich attends a reception at Hoover House, West Branch, Iowa —6:50 pm: President Bush speaks at a Bush-Cheney 2004 fundraiser in St. Louis, Mo. —7:00 pm: Gov. Dean hosts a town hall meeting on education, Fargo, N.D. —7:00 pm: Gen. Clark appears on MSNBC's "Hardball with Chris Matthews" —7:00 pm: Rep. Kucinich attends a rally, Cedar Rapids, Iowa —7:30 pm: Sen. Kerry appears live on Iowa Press with David Yepsen —7:30 pm: Gen. Clark holds a "Conversation with Clark," Dover, N.H. —7:30 pm: Sen. Lieberman attends a house party, Milford, NH —8:00 pm: Sen. Kerry and his wife appear on CNN live —8:00 pm: Sen. Edwards meets with Cerro Gordo Democrats at North Iowa Community College, Mason City, Iowa —9:00 pm: Rep. Gephardt meets with Lee County Democrats at the Ivor Fowler Community Center, Montrose, Iowa —9:00 pm: Sen. Kerry meets with activists, Ankeny, Iowa

NEWS SUMMARY

With a fortnight to go before Iowa Democrats caucus, there are a heck of a lot of things that even those of you/us following all this politics stuff closely don't know.

Such as:

-- How many of those 14 days will feature good news cycles for Howard Dean, and how many bad ones?

(Looks like Tuesday could be a good one, if the Boston Globe 's dominating Glen Johnson is right (and we think he is … ) that Bill Bradley will endorse Howard Dean tomorrow in New Hampshire — where the two politicos can trade Notes on how much they loathe the superficiality of the political press corps.)

-- On how many of those 14 days will coverage of the Democratic nomination fight be blotted out by world events — or by purposeful White House dribbling out of State of the Union run-up details? Or by Britney, fathers who dangle their children in front of wild animals, Michael Jackson, Kobe Bryant, or any manner of other elements of the passing parade?

-- Can a person win a major party nomination if his spouse does not do a single television interview and her/his voice is completely unfamiliar to nearly every American — and, seventeen times more important — to nearly every American political reporter?

-- Will Tom Harkin endorse?

-- Will any of the five leading candidates to be the Dean Alternative succeed in finishing the "get hot at the end" part of "organize, organize, organize, and get hot at the end"? (We don't want to end up on the Edwards campaign blog or in a fundraising email, but a certain Southern Senator's in-the-zone debate appearance yesterday got us to thinking … .)

-- Will the frustration boiling over from those five campaigns with the press corps' year-long insufficiently rigorous and timely scrutiny of Dr. Dean help their chosen candidates get elected president?

-- Will tonight's Kerry-Heinz (or is it "Heinz-Kerry"?) CNN joint appearance be boffo?

-- Will the he's-a-national-security-pipsqueak-and-hot-head-who-Karl-Rove-will-open-up-like-a-boiled-peanut mantra start to hurt Howard Dean with voters enough to deny him the nomination?

(Focus on that last one the most, because it is the whole ballgame.)

In other Party of The Macker news, ABC News has learned that House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle plan to join together to deliver the Democratic response to the State of the Union address on January 20.

The two Democratic leaders will also team up to preview their speech at the National Press Club on Friday, January 16.

Formats remain TBD, our sources say.

The Boston Globe 's Glen Johnson batters into the news cycle his exclusive. "Howard Dean, whose presidential campaign has already won the backing of former vice president Al Gore, is planning a surprise visit to New Hampshire Tuesday in expectation of receiving the endorsement of the other leading Democratic contender from the 2000 race, former US senator Bill Bradley." LINK

Is there such a thing as too much icing on the cake? Will everyone crowd around Gina this morning to get a tick-tock?

"A senior aide traveling early this morning with Dean in northern Iowa authenticated the invitation but refused to say that Bradley was planning to endorse Dean, explaining, 'Nothing is confirmed at this point.' The aide acknowledged that scrapping the early-morning event in Iowa, whose kickoff caucuses are two weeks from tonight, Monday would be unusual, particularly on the day of a debate, but the aide explained, 'It wouldn't be the only wacky thing we've done in this campaign.' Dean is expected to fly back to Des Moines to participate in the candidate forum."

Check out what Glen found on the web — a gruesome Bradley-on-Kerry quote.

An aide to Dean confirms to ABC News that the former New Jersey Senator is "expected to be there" with Dean on Tuesday but would not confirm the endorsement. Look for the big whatever-it-is tomorrow morning, at the executive court banquet facilities at 7:45 am ET.

Meanwhile, the man who is banking on a breeze out of New Hampshire, Ret. Gen. Wes Clark, will roll out his "Families First Tax Reform" plan this morning,

ABC News' Deborah Apton reports that under Clark's tax reform, a family of four making up to $50,000 would pay no federal income taxes, and all taxpaying families making up to $100,000 would get a tax cut.

According to Notes put out by the Clark campaign Sunday evening, General Clark's plan would cut taxes for 31 million working families, while shifting more of the tax burden to the top 0.1 percent of Americans-those making over $1 million.

The campaign characterizes the plan as fair, progressive, simple, and responsible. They also point out the differences between Clark's proposal and the Bush Administration's current tax plan saying, "Under President Bush, typical families have seen their incomes fall by nearly $1,500, while President Bush provided an average tax cut of $128,000 to taxpayers making over $1 million."

In all, Clark's plan hopes to provide poverty-reducing relief and a middle-class tax burden reduction of about $30 billion annually by tacking on a five percent point surcharge only on income over $1 million per year. The surcharge would not apply to the first $1 million of income or to any capital gains-so, the campaign says, it will not affect 99.9% of taxpayers. Clark also hopes to close corporate loopholes.

The Clark campaign told ABC News that General Clark will spend every day this week talking about a different aspect of this tax plan. On Tuesday, he will roll out numbers specific to New Hampshire — the number of families affected and the tax cut for the "typical family."

Today, President Bush talks about the "No Child Left Behind Act" and attends a campaign fundraiser in St. Louis today. On Thursday he repeats that schedule in Knoxville, Tenn., before attending a Florida fundraiser.

Gov. Dean campaigns in Iowa and holds a conference call criticizing the "No Child Left Behind" bill today. On Tuesday afternoon he participates in NPR's radio-only forum, which will feature all candidates except for Gen. Clark and, possibly, Senator Edwards.

We still think he might trade his day off in Vermont on Wednesday for a trip to Iowa to be endorsed by Tom Harkin, but that is based largely on the Ouija board we set up in the lobby of the Hotel Fort Des Moines.

Senator John Kerry campaigns and delivers a major speech about the economy today in Iowa. He is in Iowa tomorrow.

Rep. Dick Gephardt campaigns in Oklahoma and Iowa today. He campaigns in Iowa for much of the rest of the week except for Wednesday, when he will campaign in South Carolina.

Gen. Wesley Clark unveils that tax reform proposal today in New Hampshire, where he will campaign every day this week.

Senator Joe Lieberman campaigns in New Hampshire today and every day this week, but will participate in tomorrow's NPR debate.

Senator John Edwards delivers a speech in Iowa today outlining his plan to change the country. He campaigns in Iowa tomorrow and Wednesday morning, South Carolina on Wednesday afternoon, and New Hampshire the rest of the week.

Rep. Dennis Kucinich campaigns in Iowa today and tomorrow and New Hampshire on Wednesday and Thursday.

Rev. Al Sharpton has no public events schedule this week.

Ambassador Moseley Braun has no public events today. She will participate in tomorrow's debate and will campaign in New Hampshire on Wednesday and Thursday.

ABC News Vote 2004: the Superdelegate count:

After debuting the ABC News superdelegate estimate in yesterday's Note and on This Week with George Stephanopoulos, we thought we'd share a few Noteworthy points with you that might even surprise Phil McNamara.

From ABC News' David Chalian, who conducted the survey:

1. It may not be all that unexpected to find that 50% of Carol Moseley Braun's superdelegate support comes from her home state of Illinois. Ambassador Braun can also claim the support of the only superdelegate to be named in not one, but two songs by the late rap star Tupac Shakur, the lyrics of which we can't print in this family publication. However, former secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (and DNC superdelegate) C. Dolores Tucker found her portrayal in the songs defamatory and sued Shakur's estate the year following his death. Ms. Tucker lost her case both in federal district court and on appeal before the US Court of Appeals for the 3rd circuit. LINK2. Defense is a key part of any combat sport and making sure none of your home state superdelegates support a campaign other than yours is important to demonstrate that those who know you the longest and the best are with you … or at the very least, not against you. John Kerry joins Dennis Kucinich, Carol Moseley Braun, and Al Sharpton in being unable to prevent home state superdelegates from defecting to other campaigns. One Massachusetts superdelegate has joined team Lieberman and another Bay State superdelegate has gone so far as to become co-chairman of the Dean campaign.

3. According to our superdelegate survey, Howard Dean can attract Democrats beyond the Northeast and the West Coast. The 90 superdelegates who have responded to our survey committed to Howard Dean hail from 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia, and some Democrats living abroad back Dean as well.

As first reported yesterday, former Vermont Governor Howard Dean leads the Democratic presidential field in the important battle for so-called "superdelegates," according to a new ABC News estimate — the first survey of its kind done this election cycle.

Dean has amassed approximately 30 superdelegates more than his closest opponent.

Here's our latest estimate, with an additional delegate notched for Representative Gephardt, since yesterday:

The ABC News superdelegate estimate as of Monday, January 5 at 9:00 am:

Howard Dean 90 John Kerry 59 Dick Gephardt 49 Wesley Clark 24 Joe Lieberman 20 John Edwards16 Carol Moseley Braun 4 Al Sharpton 3Dennis Kucinich 2

A reminder: While there have been previous canvasses of congressional endorsements and one or two of DNC members — both of which make up a portion of the superdelegates — this ABC News exclusive is the first time any news organization has compiled an overall tally of the current delegate race — made up of commitments from the party activists and leaders, local elected officials, current Democratic governors and members of Congress, and former presidents, vice presidents, congressional leaders, and DNC chairs.

ABC News Vote 2004: the Iowa caucuses: the Des Moines Register debate:

Debate coverage rules the scrum, and the consensus everywhere is just about the same: Dean got the heat, deflected it coolly, and walked away with nary a scratch.

The New York Times ' Adam Nagourney points out the second storyline that emerged in yesterday's debate: "the fight for No. 2 — or, in the tradition of Iowa caucuses, with their wide field and first position on the calendar, No. 3." Also, the new ground Gephardt covered on trade in the midst of relatively stock responses. And when was the last time you heard anyone describe this field as "raucous"? LINKThe Wall Street Journal 's Shailagh Murray focuses on Dean's refusal to back down over his remarks that the world is no safer with Saddam Hussein in custody.

The Washington Post 's Dan Balz Notes that Dean calmly parried the slams as the others ganged up on him. LINK

David Broder concludes that "Dean was still standing, and no visible damage showed." LINKKnight Ridder's Steve Thomma's debate write-up focuses on the argument of who's an insider and who's an outsider. LINKThe AP's Nedra Pickler leads her debate coverage with how Dean "calmly dismissed his rivals as 'co-opted by the agenda of George Bush.'" LINK

USA Today 's Susan Page and Jill Lawrence write that Dean drew fire for his "shoot-from-the-hip style, his decision to seal some Vermont gubernatorial records, his statements on Medicare and his credentials to serve as commander in chief." LINK

Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein leads his debate coverage with Howard Dean being "relentlessly attacked his policies, temperament and credibility in a pointed debate Sunday." LINK

Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold writes up the "mistake" question from Sunday's debate. LINK

The Chicago Tribune's Jeff Zeleny and Rick Pearson write that while Dean "often took great pains to hold his tongue, Dean finally accused his Democratic rivals of being 'co-opted by the agenda of George Bush.'" LINK

The Chicago Tribune's Michael Tackett writes that Clark might have been the big winner. LINK

The Boston Herald's Andrew Miga takes a look at Howard Dean's "desperate rivals" yesterday, as they sharpened their attacks charging Dean's "short fuse'' and "pattern'' of flip-flops. LINK

The Des Moines Register has extensive coverage of its own debate:

--Tom Beaumont writes that the "event had the feel of a winter carnival." LINK--Lynn Okamoto reports on what undecided voters thought of the debate. LINK--Ken Fuso reports on the intense weather for the intense debate. LINK--Laurie Mansfield reports on pre-debate activity. LINK

--Sherkiya Wedgeworth reports on Gephardt supporters gathering beforehand. LINK--Jonathan Roos reports on the Republican response. LINK

--Bert Dalmer writes about security at the debate — logistically, not topically. LINK--Jason Clayworth reports on the candidates' health care promises during the debate and a run through of the other promises made. LINK

and LINK--Rob Borsellino relishes Iowa's moment in the sun (and snow). LINK--David Yepsen offers who he thinks really won. LINK

--Rekha Basu asserts that Dean didn't lose. LINK

--Richard Doak writes about the undecideds. LINK

--The paper's ed board discusses Iowa's role in the process. LINKThe Globe's Kornblut Notes that the Dean campaign tried to turn the potshots to its advantage. LINK

The New York Daily News' Helen Kennedy focuses on Lieberman and his attacks on Dean, despite his decision not to campaign in the Iowa caucuses. LINKABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect:

ABC News' Kate Snow reports that "the Bush/Cheney campaign has raised more than 120 million dollars to date, including fourth quarter totals. The numbers will be officially announced later this week. According to campaign officials, the fourth quarter filing will show a significant number of new, first-time donors to Bush/Cheney. There were also a greater number of small dollar donors in the fourth quarter, in addition to the large donors who frequent the big fundraisers. "

The New York Times ' Elisabeth Bumiller eyeballs Jack Oliver's New Year's Eve lunch at the Palm, and looks at the Bush-Cheney '04 "relaxed" and "focused" operation's size-up of Dean thus far. LINK"Unfortunately, Mr. Oliver's table was too far away for effective eavesdropping, so there was no way of knowing why Mr. Oliver had the time to take a leisurely lunch, deeply uncharacteristic of the disciplined Bush White House, on the eve of the 2004 campaign. (Mr. Bush sets the tone by eating a lunchtime salad in his dining room off the Oval Office, where he often channel surfs, alone.)"

"But a post-lunch call to Ron Kaufman, one of Mr. Oliver's dining companions — the other was Wayne L. Berman, a longtime Republican fund-raiser and lobbyist — turned up some interesting talk among the three about whether Howard Dean, the leading Democratic candidate in recent polls, was another Michael S. Dukakis, the Massachusetts governor who badly lost the 1988 presidential election to Mr. Bush's father."

Attempting to pre-empt Bush, Congressional Democratic leaders will offer their own assessment of the nation's well-being several days before the president's State of the Union. LINKAccording to Roll Call , 2004 may see opposing agendas divide White House an Congressional Republicans. LINKAfter visiting St. Louis today to promote No Child Left Behind and attend a fund-raiser, President Bush heads to Knoxville on Thursday for the same routine, the Knoxville News-Sentinel reports. LINKThe Washington Times ' Bill Sammon writes that though President Bush is not being challenged in the primary, allowing him to focus on centrist voters, conservative Republicans are still desire a voice and do not want to be taken for granted. LINKThe Palm Beach Post Notes that the president is about to make his first visit to what should be his favorite county in the country, Palm Beach County, Fla. this Thursday. LINKABC News Vote 2004: the Democratic nomination fight:

USA Today 's Jill Lawrence and Susan Page rate the candidates' strategies for winning the Democratic nomination by assigning them between one and five donkeys. One donkey means "no way," two means "long shot," three means "some chance," four means "good odds," and five means "sure thing." Dean gets four donkeys. Gen. Wesley Clark and Rep. Dick Gephardt get three. Senator John Edwards, Senator John Kerry, and Senator Joe Lieberman get two. LINKEric Hauser and Simon Rosenberg explain why the Dean candidacy is viewed with skepticism by some of them there Washington types. LINKThe Washington Post 's Craig Timberg looks at next week's non-binding D.C. Democratic primary, which activists are saying is more about congressional representation than voting for a president. LINK

The Union-Leader's editorial page gives undecided New Hampshire Democrats and independents 20 strong questions to ask the nine presidential candidates. LINK

Senator Zell Miller stirs the pot with a Wall Street Journal op-ed with a "Memo to Terry McAwful," predicting that Rev. Sharpton will scoop up as many votes in the South as Edwards, Dean, Clark or Lieberman, taking Note of "Cussing Kerry," saying that Dean faces as many conspirators against him in the party as friends for him, and predicting that Democrats are going to be angrier in 2004 than they have been since 1972.

Los Angeles Times' Stuart Silverstein reports that "expanded grants, loans and tax breaks, plus free tuition, are all part of the candidates' higher-education plans. LINK

It's impossible for a Democratic presidential candidate to have a rational discussion about Roe v. Wade, William McGurn writes in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

Gephardt:

ABC News Gephardt campaign reporter Sally Hawkins tees up the month for the Missouri Congressman:

DES MOINES, IOWA, Jan. 4 — Congressman Gephardt says he's fired up. In two weeks, he'll know his political fate and his staffers will either be dreaming of White House jobs, or looking for new ones. The new year has brought an infusion of energy to the candidate as he attracts bigger and more attentive crowds who are signing up for "Team Gephardt" in Iowa at double the rate of last month, the campaign says.

Fresh Dean attacks are aplenty as Gephardt continues his mission to gray the area between Dean and Bush and draw stronger contrasts for himself on issues like Medicare, trade and now national security, where Dean has been picked apart.

There are lots of new faces at each stop. New staffers and volunteers can be seen scanning the stump crowds for nodding heads and enthusiastic clappers who they beeline toward when the speech concludes. It's signing-up time.

The addition of supporters adorned in campaign buttons standing as a backdrop behind Gephardt is the work of new advancers. Other staffers that have been added to the dole include press handlers to take care of the ever-growing pool of weary reporters, and a new press secretary in South Carolina in anticipation of a heated February 3rd race.

Another addition to the Iowa trail is Gephardt's new full-size campaign bus (actually it was built in the 80's) that has a newly overhauled exhaust system to prevent additional headaches on the road.

As crunch time sets in, Gephardt now unabashedly pleads for help at the end of his speech. After briefing the audience on his caucus-night needs for volunteers and precinct captains, the Congressman now holds his own wedding-like receiving line to shake hands with, and ask each attendee, "Are you going to caucus for me?"

At one Des Moines union rally that attracted about 150 people, Gephardt stood at the auditorium exit and asked for help from almost every person who exited. Most people enthusiastically gave him a verbal pledge, but overheard several times was a version of "I will if the weather isn't too bad."

Gephardt says his 4th-quarter earnings are going to look just as they did in the past two quarters, which would put him at an unremarkable $3.8 million. The number should put them "close to their goal of $20 million for the year", he said, which should be enough to get them through Michigan.

With his primary support in Iowa being elderly folks on fixed incomes and union workers whose jobs are being sent overseas, Gephardt has a tough time raising the big bucks. He now travels full-time with a young fundraiser who arranges dialing for dollars while the Congressman is rolling through the cornfields or stuck at O'Hare.

The new year has given a temporary reprieve to the campaign coffers with an infusion of $3.1 million of much-needed matching funds. When asked how they will compete with Dean's mother lode, several staff members are quick to point out that Howard Dean may have raised lots of money, but he is also a big spender and may not have as impressive amount of cash on hand.

The matching funds will help Gephardt get up on the airwaves in more than the three states where his ads are now appearing. Since their run in South Carolina recently expired, Gephardt ads are up in only Iowa, Oklahoma and Michigan (where he is the first and only candidate on the air). Several more early states including New Hampshire, where he is the last holdout, will be added to the advertising list very soon. One campaign staffer says they have been waiting to spend the money on the higher-priced and farther-reaching Boston media markets.

Read more from the trail with Gephardt on abcnews.com: LINKDean:

The New York Post 's Deborah Orin calls Dean cool under fire and describes his rivals foiled attempts to land a body blow on the Governor as looking like flailing. LINKIn a separate story, Orin Notes Dean's increased attacks on President Bush as he took fire. LINK

Orin pulls a hat trick of Dean stories this morning, looking at the stocks that Dean both sold and held onto, including a promise from a Dean spokesman that the candidate will go through his tax records to figure out which bank stocks he still holds.LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's Bob Davis and Jackie Calmes turn in a must-read examination of Dean's Wall Street roots, writing that despite casting himself as a populist deeply skeptical of big business, the Governor remains a "child of Wall Street" who sold $15,000 in Vermont bank stocks while acting on a tip and courted businesses and the bond market while Vermont's chief executive.

William Safire says that Dean comparing himself to Job shows chutzpah. LINKJohn Wagner Notes the two blizzards Howard Dean confronted on Sunday: one courtesy of Mother Nature, the other provided by his Democratic rivals. LINKAccording to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Dean managed to hold his ground in Iowa's debate as his opponents lobbed pointed barbs on everything from taxes and trade to his penchant for off-the-cuff remarks. LINK

Morton Kondracke sees Dean as the successor to a Democratic trifecta of losers. LINK

Stuart Rothenberg writes that in 2004, electability is once again a mirage for most Democrats.

Kerry:

From ABC News' Kerry campaign reporter Ed O'Keefe:

O Voter, Where Art Thou?

On Saturday, Kerry kicked off a 4-day Iowa swing which is fast becoming the "Peter, John & Caucus" tour as folk music legend Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul & Mary travels with the Senator as his activist event opening act.

Yarrow has taken to singing "Dear John", a song written in honor of the Senator's 60th birthday, though baby boomers in the crowd call out for "If I Had a Hammer" and often get it.

This vote-seeking, folk-singing tour took an unusual turn Saturday night as Kerry and Yarrow dropped by a party held by the Story County Democrats in Ames, IA.

Moments after the Senator's arrival, none other than Howard Dean walked in the door, prompting one partygoer to debate, "Should I talk to Dean in the kitchen or Kerry in the living room?"

The Governor strummed a tune with Yarrow then quickly exited stage porch. Kerry listened from the kitchen and cringed as his friend called him forth to the center stage den for a group rendition of "Puff the Magic Dragon".

As the folk star began his signature song with an unintended double meaning, Kerry mouthed a few words then took his index finger to his thumb, pursed his lips, and feigned a marijuana toke.

The odyssey continued Sunday as Yarrow entertained crowds in from the American Legion in Indianola to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame in Knoxville. En route to Ottumwa, Kerry implored Yarrow to sing, leading to a forty minute concert aboard the "Real Deal Express."

Read more from the trail with Kerry on abcnews.com: LINKClark:

The Wall Street Journal 's John Harwood explores Clark's appeal to Democratic Party regulars who are looking for a General.

Ed Wyatt Notes the end to the Clark Veep debate with Clark's final answer that he would not accept the VP nomination. LINK

The Washington Post 's Jim VandeHei also writes up the Dean/Clark back-and-forth. LINK

ABC News Clark campaign report Deborah Apton Noted a sartorial shift — among others — for General Clark:

MANCHESTER, N.H., Jan. 4-Out with Clark's navy suits, red ties, and loafers; in with his v-neck grey sweaters, mock turtlenecks, and duck boots.

Out with the old stump speech focusing solely on American patriotism and the hugging of the American flag; in with the new stump speech-with extended themes of family values, faith, patriotism and inclusiveness-and the tearful ending that causes The General to get choked up almost every time he tells the story of the Haitian man he met years ago who had the dream of coming to America.

… In with the out-of-state staffers-Welcome to Eli Segal, Lara Bergholtz, Chris Lehane, and the fourteen additional advance staffers who will make up three advance groups scrambling around New Hampshire to draw in voters, hold Clark04 signs, and pass microphones around "Conversations with Clark" town halls.

… In with the visits from out-of-state politicians like Wisconsin Lt. Gov. Barbara Lawton who attended Clark's campaign stops Sunday.

… And back to the certain Four Points hotel … . The hotel staff is already scrambling to get the General a VCR for his hotel room. The motorcade now consists of four to five cars to get staff, press, and The General and Mrs. Clark around the Granite State.

It's New Hampshire around the clock for Clark as he'll spend nineteen of the next twenty-three days campaigning around the state before the primary. Clark's wife, Gert, thinks he may be getting sick, and regardless of the bags under his eyes, he often delays sleep, opting to stay up late playing checkers with staff and continuing to talk about a ski stop he wants added to his schedule.

The crowds are getting bigger in New Hampshire for Clark who himself seems confident enough to say it's now "a two person race"--although Clark hesitates, refusing to name these people, leaving reporters to guess he is referring to himself and Dean.

And, while campaigns and candidates talk strategy for January 27th, candidate Clark doesn't overlook plain 'ol luck. On Saturday, Clark received a red rabbit's foot from an employee at Calef's general store during a campaign visit and wore it around his belt loop to the next two stops. "What is that?" Mrs. Clark asked The General. "It's a rabbit's foot," he answered, "A lucky charm."

Read more from the trail with Clark on abcnews.com: LINKThe AP reports that the Clark campaign will begin airing TV commercials in five Wisconsin cities on Tuesday set to run through the Wisconsin primary on February 17th. LINK

Anne Saunders of the AP writes about Clark's championing for women's rights and affirmative action yesterday in Manchester, NH. LINK

The Union Leader's Benjamin Kepple Notes Clark says he is the only candidate who can carry the South for the Democratic party. LINK

Edwards:

ABC News Edwards' campaign reporter Gloria Riviera calls it "Our Edwards has left the building."

DES MOINES — Jan 4. — Edwards made a brief, post-debate appearance in the spin room before practically running down a dark hallway, marching over four inches of new snow and hopping into a white rental van to head down the Iowa highway.

Back in the Senator's empty dressing room, some inner-circle Edwards' campaign staffers expressed their sense of deja-vu. For a brief moment at the top of the debate the son of a mill worker and the son of a milkman got into it over NAFTA, and the John Edwards on stage was the John Edwards they signed their lives away life to get elected. A voice of a certain confidence and even, conceivably, presidential. A voice in many ways not heard since Edwards took on Dean over the Confederate flag center stage at the Rock the Vote debate in Boston back in early November.

As the clock ticks toward January 19th the campaign hopes the oh-so valuable "Undecideds" — caucus voters who say they are considering Edwards and one or two others — were listening Sunday night. For Edwards in Iowa, Undecideds will decide what kind of momentum he has going into the New Hampshire primary. From there, Edwards will stage his first possible win in his birth state of South Carolina on February 3rd as either an up-and-comer or a come from nowhere kind of candidate.

Edwards started 2004 in New Hampshire with a heavily promoted speech delivered Saturday in Nashua on the steps of City Hall, the exact spot where JFK made his first state campaign stop almost 25 years ago. On that gray, drizzly day Edwards attracted a crowd of about 125 (counting staffers, volunteers, supporters and reporters), whereas his Iowa crowds just after the Christmas holiday were reportedly the largest yet at 200 plus, the majority of which were supporters.

In the new speech, which has replaced the script he has been following since September, Edwards tells voters he is over the "pretty talk" and "fluff" and wants to directly address concerns over his age, "I am 50 years old, I want you to know." He also positively promotes his life as a Washington outsider. This last point he hopes will set him apart from the other candidates. And it all hinges on the crux of his "closing argument". Edwards tells voters he is not naive enough to think he can change America alone.

"I am here to ask you to help yourself," he tells crowds. "If we have a president who believes in you, together we can change this country."

Read more from the trail with Edwards on abcnews.com: LINK

North Carolinians will watch native son Edwards go to bat in the Democratic primaries against a backdrop of job losses and House GOP turmoil, writes the Charlotte Observer's Jim Morrill. LINK

Sunday's Greensboro News and Record profiles Edwards as he strives to take the lead before the next South Carolina poll. LINKLieberman:

From ABC News' Lieberman campaign reporter Talesha Reynolds:

"Deep Fried Dean"

JOHNSTON, IOWA, Jan. 4 — Even though Senator Lieberman hasn't been to Iowa since well before his October decision not to compete in the caucus, he still has "fond memories" of the Hawkeye State. Following Sunday's debate Lieberman told reporters, "I can still taste the deep fried Twinkie that I had at the Iowa State Fair. It continues to come back regularly, and it's a marvelous experience."

But seriously folks. Lieberman bypassed crucial New Hampshire campaigning time to attend the Des Moines debate because it provided a vital moment in the national spotlight just when potential voters are tuning in to the campaign. Lieberman used the platform to tear into Howard Dean on taxes, terrorism and his sealed Vermont records.

Lieberman used his favorite ammunition, the Governor's own words, against him saying, "Howard Dean, every day you tell people across America they have the power and you're right. You have the power, with one stroke of the pen, to open up your records to public view. You have the power; I'm prepared to give you the pen." Dean didn't take the pen.

Lieberman's attacks on Dean's policies and record will only intensify as the campaign advances. As one campaign source put it, the only way to become the anti-Dean is by talking about him.

But the new Lieberman ad out Monday, like the one before it, only hints at Dean. This time an announcer says it will take more than a campaign of "extreme anger" to "defeat George Bush's extreme agenda." The spot is Lieberman's first advertising foray into the February 3 primary states, where his moderate — read right in between Bush and Dean — politics play well. At least that's what the campaign is banking on.

When this reporter asked Lieberman why he hasn't attacked Dean in his ads aggressively as he does on the stump, the Senator replied. "It's not over."

Read more from the trail with Lieberman on abcnews.com: LINK

The New Haven Register also reports that Lieberman hits the airwaves today in South Carolina, Arizona and Oklahoma with a new TV ad, and radio ads to come. Craig Smith estimates that the campaign will spend $1 million per week on ads between now and Feb. 3.

LINK

As puzzled Senate colleagues make calls to Lieberman's office, Roll Call reports he is under attack from a literary smear campaign complete with a mock autobiography of the Connecticut Senator. Kucinich:

From ABC News' Kucinich campaign reporter Melinda Arons:

A Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock and Roll

AUSTIN, TEX., Jan. 4 — The phrase "Kucinich country" doesn't exactly evoke images of the deep heart of Texas, but the state's left-leaning capital city, where tie-dyed-colored bumpers stickers beseech residents to "Keep Austin Weird," did everything it could to change that with its enthusiastic reception of the peace candidate this weekend.

Kucinich had a child-like smile plastered on his face throughout the weekend, aglow with the gathering of his most famous endorsers for the campaign's largest fundraising push yet, and seemingly undeterred by the fact that his poll numbers are so stagnant that the latest Time/CNN survey didn't even bother to name him as a candidate.

Dinner and an auction kicked off the weekend Friday night, with items including signed Doobie Brothers posters, organic food baskets and a two-day course titled "Understanding Yourself and Others" (One attendee quipped loudly that someone should buy the course and give it to George W. Bush.) bringing in about $300 apiece.

But the main event was the sold-out, 1,600-seat benefit concert Saturday night headlined by Austin's favorite son Willie Nelson and "Queen of the Blues" Bonnie Raitt, with performances by former Doobie Brothers Michael McDonald and Pat Simmonds. Actor and '60's radical James Cromwell and "Dharma and Greg" actress Mimi Kennedy also made several appearances. Event organizer Suzanne Thompson told ABC News that the events, along with as yet uncalculated web donations, raked in approximately $100,000.

Kucinich got a little bit country during the concert, keeping his remarks brief but joining the performers onstage and the frenzied audience at the end for Nelson-led renditions of "I Saw the Light" and "This Little Light of Mine." And despite the cheers the legendary Nelson got for old favorites like "On the Road Again," he got the greatest applause for the anti-war ballad he penned Christmas Day titled "Whatever Happened to Peace on Earth", in which he asks "How much oil is one human life worth?"

The self-proclaimed "live music capital of the world" was abuzz with talk of the candidate's appearance, making it one of the very few cities Kucinich has visited where the majority of people actually know who he is and even actively support him.

Scores of local television crews appeared at every event, hardly a regular occurrence for the media-starved Kucinich, and a familiar sight around town was the "Kucinich-mobile," a VW bug belonging to a fuscia-haired local supporter, painted with red and white stripes and blue lettering spelling out Kucinich's key issues and plastered with "We Want the Kooch!" bumper stickers.

According to the campaign (but not confirmed by Capitol police), between 800 and 1,000 people turned out to hear the Congressman's fiery anti-war speech on the Capitol steps, which culminated with Kucinich carrying around a small girl waving a rainbow-colored peace banner while the crowd struck up a chorus of "Give Peace a Chance."

Kucinich will continue to press the theme he pounded home in Austin, that this election will be a referendum on Iraq and as the only candidate pledging to get troops out immediately he will emerge victorious, as he spends the next several weeks in Iowa and New Hampshire. He will also tout his most recent fundraising numbers as thrusting him into the stratosphere of the top-tier candidates, which with the approximate 4th quarter earnings of $1.6 million bringing the total to about $5 million, with matching funds eventually pushing the number up to about $9 million.

Read more from the trail with Kucinich on abcnews.com: LINK

Roll Call reports that while Kucinich may be campaigning for the Democratic nomination, he hasn't forgotten local matters, filing for re-election to his congressional seat last Friday. LINKSharpton:

From ABC News' Sharpton campaign reporter Beth Loyd:

NEW YORK, N.Y., Jan. 4 — The Sharpton campaign finally qualified for matching funds with campaign manager Charles Halloran making a whirlwind tour through Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama to pick up checks.

Sharpton skipped the Des Moines Register debate due to weekend commitments in South Carolina, including opening his first campaign office there. Halloran says it is unclear whether or not Reverend Sharpton will participate in the other two Iowa debates--opting instead to dedicate time and resources to Washington and South Carolina.

Expect the campaign to challenge Dean to debate this week after hearing that Dean is not attending Friday's WTOP radio debate in Washington.

Read more from the trail with Sharpton on abcnews.com: LINKMichigan: Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein reports that last week, the Michigan Democratic Party began "what is probably the most ambitious experiment ever in online voting." LINK

Politics:

Former Rep. John Thune will announce tonight whether or not he will challenge Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle for his seat — which the White House has encouraged him to do.

LINK

Roll Call writes that with Thune's decision not to run for the lower chamber, the South Dakota GOP House contest is getting very crowded. LINKThe economy:

The New York Times ' John Broder looks at the fiscal stress and strain on state budgets, despite signs of overall economic recovery.LINK

The New York Times ' editorial board follows yesterday's story about the Bush budget by saying that the economy could be in much better shape if the administration and Congress had restrained themselves on spending. LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's Greg Ip reports that Fed chairman Alan Greenspan is calling the signs of economic recovery vindication for Federal Reserve "risk management" policies, despite the criticism he faced for not deflating the stock market bubble of the late 1990s.

And while we're on the subject of the economic forecast for 2004, the Wall Street Journal 's Constance Mitchell Ford looks at economists' predictions of the wildcards facing the U.S. economy, including: the effects of a possible economic stumble in China, a new energy crisis and a boost in inflation.

Media:

Howard Kurtz indiscriminately throws around the term "embed" when talking about network campaign reporters, but we're very glad to see so many of our colleagues get some time in the sun. Any story whose first words are "Marc Ambinder" is OK by us. LINKThe Boston Globe 's Mark Jurkowitz reports on liberal radio efforts. LINK