The Note

W A S H I N G T O N July 14—
, 2003 -- Today's Schedule (all times Eastern):

—9:45 am: Ari Fleischer's last off-camera press gaggle, White House—10:30 am: House convenes for legislative business—12:00 pm: Ari Fleischer's last on-camera press briefing, White House—1:00 pm: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi keynotes National Council of La Raza luncheon, Austin, Texas —1:15 pm: President Bush meets with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, White House —2:00 pm: Senate convenes for legislative business —2:30 pm: NAACP presidential forum, Miami—6:00 pm: Vice President Cheney attends fundraiser for Congressman Terry Everett, Birmingham, Alabama

NEWS SUMMARY

At some point, somebody should take all the e-mailed press releases from the crackerjack research team at the Republican National Committee attacking the Democratic presidential candidates, print them out, and publish them in a bound, leatherette hard copy edition.

Like a fine Julie Teer quote LINK, or a "Breck Girl" anonymous missile from a "Bush adviser," these releases are intended to make mischief in the Democratic nomination fight — destabilize things as much as they can, dragging the process out as long as possible, trying to produce as weak a Democratic nominee as they can in the end, and basically playing bad cop, so the president can stay above the fray until the last possible moment.

These releases, read in their totality, are brilliant, but they can also cause some cognitive dissonance, because they do hit on some contradictory themes (sometimes, for example, attacking a candidate for being too liberal, but, sometimes, attacking someone for being to conservative).

The main themes are that one or more of the Democratic candidates are:

1. missing too many votes2. changing their positions3. itching to raise your taxes4. inconsistent5. attacking each other6. too negative about President Bush (Note the irony!)7. wimpy, effeminate, and crass8. obstructionist 9. unconcerned with homeland security10. borderline communist (ok: we are — pretty much — kidding about that one)

The RNC attacking the Democratic candidates is dog-bites-man, except, pace Karl Rove, this is arguably the most organized operation of this type in the modern era (You should see their tape library!!!).

If you are part of the Gang of 500, you probably thought that the most important political attacks of the weekend were the Democrats attacking President Bush on Iraq, trying to take him down a notch or two or three on credibility and national security.

And, indeed, from the cover of Time ("Untruth & Consequences"), to a few media polls, to stories galore, to cable chatter, that dynamic got a lot of weekend coverage and stuff today (once the press snapped out of it and realized that George Tenet's extraordinary Friday statement didn't actually take the blame … .) and will get more today and going forward — with Tenet on the Hill on Wednesday.

As one Washington hand put it in an e-mail to us, "After reading Sanger's piece on Saturday and realizing that the NYT was going to play it straight, Tenet and the CIA started leaking on Saturday night so that we would read their lips: "The NSC made me do it."

And this despite this classic trying-to-turn-the-page quote from Ari Fleischer over the weekend: "'The president is pleased that the director of central intelligence acknowledged what needed to be acknowledged. The president has moved on. And I think, frankly, much of the country has moved on as well."

Sure, Ari gets out a lot and talks to many people (We can't wait for his Letterman gig … .), but we wonder how he knows that so "frankly" about the country.

Maybe he'll have (more) time to look at polling data after this, his last day. Ari: thank you for your service to America.

Pretty much anyone with a "D" after his or her name is looking to capitalize on the current Iraq situation, but there are "D's" and then there are "D's."

The president's best buddy on Leave No Child Behind and Medicare, the senior Senator from Massachusetts, is planning to give a speech tomorrow at Johns Hopkins about the current situation in post-war Iraq and what he will call the "faltering efforts to win the peace and bring democracy to the Iraqi people."

Also trying to leverage off of this situation, and as quietly broken by Mr. Fournier LINK

(Darn it: scooped again … .), and confirmed by ABC News, the Bay State's so-called "other" senator (that would be a fella by the name of "Kerry") plans to give a speech in New York City on Wednesday (Apparently New York is where that bullhorn thing happened, and where the Republican convention will be held … ), in which Kerry will charge that Bush is not being straight with the American people on a whole range of national security issues, which are making the nation less secure, less safe, less strong.

Think of the now-familiar litany — 9/11 commission, CIA intelligence, post-war Iraq, Tora Bora, homeland security.

Kerry will also use the New York backdrop to charge that the city is still awaiting billions in homeland security and rebuilding aid that Bush promised. In the days, weeks and months to come, Kerry aides say he will continue to focus on this alleged Bush pattern of misleading the country on a whole range of issues in addition to national security: environment (Clear Skies); education (underfunding of No Child Left Behind); and the economy (Tax cuts are the answer to EVERYTHING.).

We can hear the cries from Burlington and Raleigh, and Steve Elmendorf's apartment: We've been making this exact case for months.

In fact, if you were part of the key sub-group of the Gang of 500 ("the Gang of 50," we call 'em) you know that the weekend also saw some pretty sharp-elbowed Democrat-on-Democrat action.

The smarter Democratic campaigns have studied what works for Bush, particularly the good cop/bad cop thing. Republicans like to point out that the president didn't attack Democratic candidates on the stump in 2002, and we have Noted many times that the president gives almost exclusively non-partisan speeches at his fundraisers.

But that means leaving the more-in-sadness-than-in-anger attacks to his advisers, the farther from the White House the better.

So Senator Kerry told Wolf Blitzer yesterday what he says all the time — that he doesn't go around talking about the other Democratic candidates. And, yet, he did on the NewsHour recently, and he certainly lets his spokespeople say stuff on the record and on background about his party rivals.

When Dick Gephardt telegraphed that he was fixin' to hit John Kerry on trade in Iowa more than one news cycle in advance of the actual hit, the Kerry camp pre-buttaled back, and Team Gephardt post-pre-buttaled in advance of the actual hit!!

Then Mike Glover covered the event itself, in which Gephardt uttered the words "Kerry" and "Dean." LINK"Using a union hall speech as a backdrop, Gephardt criticized [Kerry and Dean] for supporting the North American Free Trade Agreement, which he said has drained thousands of jobs from the U.S."

More: "Gephardt's assault underscores a deep division among Democrats and one of their key constituencies. Former President Clinton pushed NAFTA through Congress, over the opposition of organized labor. Union leaders argued the measure would shift American jobs to low-paying countries like Mexico and China. Gephardt as made the same argument to the activists Saturday."

And: "Gephardt's assault is also a sign that he's feeling pressure in key early states like Iowa, where precinct caucuses next January launch the presidential nominating season."

This Chris Lehane quote, from after the actual Gephardt event is as obvious as it is over-the-top: " "We're going to turn the cheek on this one because we respect Congressman Gephardt and are sympathetic to his campaign's frustrations and growing sense of desperation," said Lehane. LINK

The best round-up is written by the Des Moines Register 's Thomas Beaumont, who managed to find a prominent Iowa labor activist to represent just about every point of view. LINKCalifornia recall summary:

Recall organizers claim to have reached 1.6 million signatures submitted to county election officials.

Rumors of Gray Davis' resignation entered the fray when Mulholland and Gilliard did combat with Katie on Today.

Attention, anchorpeople, their researchers, and their PA's: don't miss Matea Gold's Sunday Los Angeles Times piece on the history of the recall — tailor-made to steal for back-of-the-show thumbsucking when you head West. LINK

This week, President Bush holds a series of meetings with international leaders, starting with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan today, Czech Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla tomorrow, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Thursday, which will be interesting.

On Wednesday, the president makes separate remarks to U.S. Attorneys and urban leaders in D.C.

President and Mrs. Bush will also head home to Texas at the end of the week for two big fundraisers. The first is in Dallas on Friday night and the second is in Houston on Saturday night. It's a 6:35 pm local start time for both events.

In advance of tomorrow's filing deadline at the FEC (get ready to pour through the REAL fundraising numbers, the lists of contributors, and those always-under-reported disbursements), the NAACP's 94th annual convention continues today in Miami, Florida with a presidential candidate forum that gained some steam over the weekend.

There were some last-minute decisions made by the Kerry and Edwards campaigns to change plans and attend the forum. Governor Dean, Senator Graham, Ambassador Braun, and Reverend Sharpton had already committed to attending.

Senator Lieberman and Congressman Gephardt have scheduling conflicts. Congressman Kucinich's plans are still up in the air.

Regardless of how many participate, the NAACP says the forum is not designed to be a debate; rather they say it's a forum to hear the candidates' responses to seven pre-taped questions, each coming from one representative from each of the seven regional NAACP districts in the country.

Each candidate will be able to answer each question and responses will be limited to under two minutes each. Candidates will not have the opportunity to offer follow-ups, rebuttals, or any freely flowing engagement of another candidate.

On Tuesday, the Human Rights Campaign holds its presidential forum during which candidates will appear one-by-one before the lone questioner, ABC News' Sam Donaldson.

All nine candidates are expected, though, as of Friday, Senators Graham and Edwards had not yet officially confirmed.

The HRC's Michael Cole breaks it down for The Note: "Each candidate is allotted 2 minutes for an opening statement and 3 minutes for a closing statement. There will be a question and answer period led by Sam Donaldson. Each candidate will receive 2 or 3 questions and have 1 minute 30 seconds to respond. Should the moderator deem a follow-up question necessary the candidate will have 30 seconds to respond."

There are a few conventions of Note this week.

The National Council of La Raza annual conference in Austin, Texas continues today and wraps up tomorrow. House Minority Leader Pelosi will be the featured lunch speaker today and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson has the lunchtime honors on Tuesday.

The Green Party's planning meetings in D.C. last until Sunday.

The National Association of Lieutenant Governors begins its annual meeting in Little Rock, Arkansas on Tuesday and closes on Saturday.

Senator Edwards was scheduled to campaign in Sioux City, Iowa today, but as Noted above, he changed plans and hopped a plane to Miami. On Tuesday, Edwards is scheduled to be in Portsmouth, New Hampshire for the latest in his series of Granite State town hall meetings. He'll be back in D.C. on Wednesday to make remarks on civil rights and voting rights to members of the D.C. Democracy Fund. On Friday, Senator Edwards heads out west again to speak to the Arizona Education Leaders Association.

Governor Dean campaigns in Austin, Texas and Miami, Florida today. He spends the day campaigning in D.C. on Tuesday. He then heads to Iowa on Thursday and Friday.

Senator Lieberman campaigns in Richmond, Virginia on Tuesday; in Charleston, South Carolina on Wednesday; in Council Bluffs, Iowa on Thursday; and in New Hampshire on Friday.

Senator Graham is still campaigning in Miami today. He and the Bobcats (and presumably Mudcat) have a big day of campaigning in Roanoke, Virginia on Wednesday, including autographs at the Winner's Circle NASCAR shop with Ward Burton, Jon Wood, Eddie Wood, and former Congressman Ben "Cooter" Jones. Plus there's a concert featuring Ralph Stanley. O' Bobcats, Where Art Thou?

Ambassador Braun is in Miami today and will attend the Junior Statesman Foundation meeting on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois on Thursday.

Senator Kerry and Reverend Sharpton are in Miami today for the NAACP forum.

Congressmen Gephardt's and Kucinich's schedules for today and the week are still pending.

Politics of national security:

USA Today 's John Diamond writes, "CIA Director George Tenet's hold on power, already weakened by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, has reached its most tenuous point now that he has been blamed for President Bush's unsubstantiated charge in his State of the Union address that Iraq sought to buy uranium for nuclear weapons from Africa." LINKDiamond says CIA agents are mad at the White House, Team Cheney is mad at Tenet, and hints that Tenet might quit even with the public attaboy from the president and his own spokesman's denials.

The New York Times ' intelligent James Risen focuses on the new "it wasn't wrong but he shouldn't have said it" defense of the White House. LINKThe Wall Street Journal 's Cummings and Cloud are in 72-hour catch-up mode, and see "a host of new questions about prewar intelligence and how the administration used it to justify war."

Walter Pincus, resting up, writes the Sunday shows straight in the Washington Post . LINKThe Wall Street Journal editorial board, following on the Gigot appearance on the "This Week" roundtable, says that those holding adult views of how intelligence should interact with policymaking aren't the least bit troubled by those 16 words, and attacks Carl Levin (for sitting in green rooms), two unnamed "callow" New Republic writers, and (mildly) the White House, for getting drawn into this.

Bob Novak talks to Joseph Wilson and has an interesting take on the whole shooting match. LINKThe Daily News duo of Tom DeFrank and Richard Sisk take a look at how the Niger uranium story "overshadowed" the president's trip to Africa. LINK(Note Note: We love it when the press both brings about the "overshadowing" AND analyzes and announces it.)

"A top Bush political adviser grumbled that the uranium flap has drowned out the president's attempt to focus on his humanitarian Africa policy. 'This is stepping on our compassionate message' and pulling down Bush's poll numbers on Iraq policy, the adviser said."

For several years, Democrats have used John Ashcroft as their bugbear, betting that, ah, regular Americans get their willies from the guy. The New York Times ' Adam Nagourney Notices that Ashcroft appears in the stump speeches of the Democratic presidential candidates.

"'Ashcroft has become a symbol of ideas and doctrine and ideology that are just unacceptable in the Bush administration,' said Chris Lehane, who was Al Gore's press secretary and is this year advising Mr. Kerry. 'He is a living, breathing troglodyte who happens to run the Justice Department.'" LINK"But a senior political adviser to Mr. Bush argued that no matter how unpopular Mr. Ashcroft might be, he would not hurt the president. And this adviser suggested that there were no plans, at least now, to try to keep Mr. Ashcroft out of public view as the election approaches."

"'I look at it the same way I looked at the Trent Lott thing,' this adviser said, referring to the Senate majority leader who was forced out of office after a storm over remarks he made that were denounced as racially insensitive. 'People judge the party by how they view the president. They are not going to judge him by a cabinet member. And more than half the country doesn't know who he is.'"

A New Hampshire Sunday News editorial weirdly says that Howard Dean was being more responsible (whatever that means) than John Kerry about uranium and bases its assertion on an early quote of the doctor's (and not the totality of his public statements). LINK

Maureen Dowd accuses Bush et al. of being Clintonian wafflers and Nixonian cover-up-ers. LINKAdam Nagourney's write-up of the weekend includes this seems-to-be-true quote about the administration: "'It's the first time we've seen them sweat,' Jennifer Palmieri, the spokeswoman for Mr. Edwards, said of the White House. 'It's the first time anything has ever stuck.'" LINKThe New York Post editorial board issues a warning to those who may seek political advantage in President Bush's false remarks in the State of the Union address. The ed board also seems none too pleased with George Tenet. LINK

"Bush-haters and the anti-war crowd hoping to pounce on this are only encouraging America's enemies — and undermining the good achieved in Iraq."

"They need to cut it out — now — while Bush ponders the continuing utility of George Tenet at the CIA."

"And acts accordingly."

ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary:

Four Bigs (Balz, Johnson, Klein, and Brownstein) all wrote must-reads about "Kerry v. Dean" over the weekend or today.

It's not quite high noon between them yet, but the fight between Kerry and Dean for turf, voters and momentum is building, the Washington Post 's Dan Balz reported Sunday. LINKWhile nearly polar opposites temperamentally, Kerry and Dean are seeking to appeal to the same voters in New England and throughout the Democratic Party: "white, liberal, moderately affluent, well-educated, mostly antiwar, vehemently anti-President Bush."

Which means that they're each battling their own handicaps — Dean trying to tone down his brash image and Kerry trying to warm up his distant one — while at the same time trying to convince voters that they have what it takes to be president and not attract too much attention to their seeming dislike for one another.

"Standing in the American Legion hall in Nashua, N.H., on Wednesday night, Kerry declared, 'I'm going to build the greatest grass-roots effort we've ever had in this country in years, and we are going to go out and take back our own democracy.'"

But Dean's trying to maintain his claim to the grassroots title: "'I'm the only one who can bring in legions of disaffected voters. None of the other Democrats can,' Dean said in an interview. He said of his opponents: 'Their strategy is: 'Let's go to the middle, and the base will follow.' My strategy is: 'Let's get the base energized, and then the independents will follow.' . . . I don't believe Bush can be beaten by doing what we did in 2000.'"

P.S. Check out the photo credit (D. Balz!) on the Kerry pic.

Glen Johnson also sees Kerry v. Dean, at least in the Granite State. LINK

"Kerry's support is coming from cities such as Manchester, as well as the vote-rich region of southern New Hampshire, home to many Massachusetts transplants and an area dominated by Boston media coverage, [American Research Group Inc. poll director Dick] Bennett said."

"Dean, meanwhile, has fared particularly well among the state's liberal Democrats, in part because of his ardent opposition earlier this year to the war in Iraq, Bennett said. That support is strong in the Upper Valley area around Hanover, home to Dartmouth College, and along the western regions easily accessible to the Vermonter from Interstates 89 and 91. In that area, Dean benefits from the carry-over effects of the Vermont media, though to a far lesser degree than Kerry is helped by the more powerful Boston market."

"Mano a mano." That's how Joe Klein sees the Democratic race right now in Time. It's worth reading in full. Key excerpts: LINK"Beware of parade metaphors. And yet … Kerry jogging artfully, Dean running artlessly-that's pretty much where the race stands in New Hampshire these days … . It is a struggle that revolves around a single issue that mixes style and substance. The issue is Iraq. The style question is, How angry should Democrats be about what George W. Bush has done there?"

"Dean is winning on both counts. His opposition to the war is looking less radical every day. His style-his imprudence, his plain talk-just doesn't sound like the other guys."

"There is a misapprehension that the Dean phenomenon was created by the Internet. It was created by Dean's mouth-and by the fury of many Democrats at what they perceive to be a radical Republican Administration."

Ron Brownstein took Howard Dean's temperature in New Hampshire last week each time the candidate attacked the president's policies. Mr. Brownstein nicely encapsulates the Democratic dilemma of appealing to the Democratic base composed of folks who truly don't like this President and not offending general election voters who aren't that bothered by the president. LINK

" … Democratic presidential candidates are still struggling to find the right tone for challenging a president who is enormously unpopular with the activists who are critical to selecting the party's nominee, but generally well-respected by the swing voters who can decide a general election."

"The question for Dean and his rivals is whether in satisfying the visceral longing among Democrats for denunciation of Bush, they will frighten away centrist voters — the way conservatives did with their overheated attacks on Bill Clinton throughout his presidency."

Ron brilliantly deconstructs the way George Bush did this in 1999 and 2000.

A brand new ABC News/ Washington Post poll of the presidentials among Democratic leaners found that most have yet to make up their minds. .

"Much of the shift comes at the expense of Senator Joseph Lieberman and Rep. Richard Gephardt … ." LINK"Thirteen percent of Democrats and independents who lean toward the Democratic Party favor Lieberman in this poll, compared with 29 percent in April."

"Ten percent support Gephardt, compared with 19 percent earlier. Thus the two arguably best-known candidates have seen the largest attrition."

"But it hasn't accrued to any specific challenger's benefit. Senator John Kerry has 12 percent support, compared with 14 percent in the spring."

"The other six candidates all remain in the single digits, including Gov. Howard Dean, who's received broad coverage for his second-quarter fundraising success. He has eight percent support nationally."

"Instead, 38 percent have no preference among this group of candidates, including 13 percent who volunteer that they wouldn't vote for any of them — up substantially from previous levels."

And from a Newsweek go-round: "Four Democrats share the lead in a new national poll measuring support for the party's nine candidates in a presidential campaign that appears to be getting more competitive."

"Dick Gephardt had the backing of 14 percent of Democrats and those who lean Democratic in the Newsweek poll released Saturday. Joe Lieberman was at 13 percent, Howard Dean 12 percent and John Kerry 10 percent." LINK

Author Paul Waldman's Outlook piece in the Washington Post looks at the alpha-dog tendencies, or "the stud factor," in the Democratic presidential race. LINK

President Bush not only talks the talk ("Bring 'em on") but has the swagger down and the flight suit to boot. And the charisma-challenged Democrats who try to play his game will lose. "Such efforts are a sucker's game that can backfire if the candidate looks like he's straining to appear tough," Waldman writes. " … As hard as Bush has worked to show his macho, voters are likely to go for butter over guns, no matter how sexy the slinger."

George McGovern doesn't much like being held up as the example of what not to be and writes in a Los Angeles Times op-ed that he is proud of telling the truth irrespective of the 1972 electoral outcome. LINK

NAACP:

Some serious maneuvering went down over the weekend regarding today's NAACP presidential forum in Miami. And, apparently, there has been some even more interesting maneuvering going on behind the scenes by four of the campaigns.

The AP's Nedra Pickler outlines what developed. LINK"Edwards originally said he would skip the NAACP forum because of scheduling conflicts, as did Gephardt, Lieberman and [Kucinich]. Their decision irked NAACP Chairman Julian Bond, who said, 'Anyone running for national office is a fool to ignore this group.'"

"Kerry initially agreed to attend the convention but — to honor his informal agreement with Edwards, Gephardt Lieberman — said he would not participate unless he could address the audience without the other candidates on stage."

"But Edwards decided late Sunday to cancel his campaign events Monday in Iowa to participate and Kerry then agreed to take part, too — under the ground rules set by the NAACP."

So, you're asking yourself: Informal agreement? Huh. Say what? When?

An aide to one of the Gang of Four candidates told The Note (and we are pretty sure he/she was kidding): "One day, as we were settling on the fall TV lineup and who would be the third party candidate nominee this year, we figured we'd throw this into the mix just for kicks."

The Miami Herald 's Wallsten says the Sunday night debate agreement, not to be confused with the aforementioned "informal agreement" among four campaigns, came well after 9:00 pm. LINKWallsten Notes that NAACP President Kweisi "Mfume had been particularly critical of Edwards, whose campaign persuaded the group to rearrange the forum schedule to accommodate the senator, who then decided not to attend."

Wallsten also Notes: "Graham addressed the NAACP Sunday night, earning a standing ovation by chastising President Bush for skipping the convention."

So was this "Deal of Four" a big deal or old news?

** Senator Edwards' spokeswoman Jennifer Palmieri told us: "We've had friendly discussions with other campaigns about ways we can work together to make some joint appearances work better for everyone. It was always our hope and intention to appear at the [NAACP] convention at some point this week. Yesterday it became clear that appearing this afternoon was the only option that would work for the [NAACP], so we changed our schedule."

** Senator Lieberman has no plans to travel to Miami today, and neither does Mr. Gephardt.

The Gephardt and Kerry campaigns insist that there was no secret deal. Their reasoning, so far as we can tell, is that only way to honor the sanctity of the DNC debates would be refuse any debate-ish interest group forums.

Howard Dean's campaign manager, Joe Trippi, said he vaguely recalls being asked by another campaign's muckety-muck whether he'd agree to skip some of the non-DNC events.

"Are you out of your frickin' mind?" he recalls telling the emissary, effectively ending that discussion.

"Look, this whole idea was openly discussed in the DNC meeting and rejected by all nine of us," Trippi said. "Each campaign would make each decision on its own about where to go."

He said any informal agreement among the Kerry, Lieberman, Edwards, and Gephardt campaigns was news to him.

"They were going to happily keep it a secret … to just do., 'oops, this was just a misunderstanding,' [is ridiculous,]" he said.

To Trippi, the machinations are a holdover from an informal spring plot to keep Governor Dean from achieving top-tier status.

"The only problem with that is the calculus they mislcaulted two things," he said. "One, that we would forever be in the second tier, which is not the case. Two, the veracity of people like Julian Bond to make sure they wouldn't get away with it."

Dean, Senator Graham, Ambassador Braun, and Reverend Sharpton had already committed to attending before any of this developed. Congressman Kucinich's plans are still up in the air.

Regardless of how many participate, the NAACP says the forum is not designed to be a debate, rather it is a forum for those attending the convention to hear the candidates' responses to seven pre-taped questions, each coming from one representative from each of the seven regional NAACP districts in the country. There will also be opening and closing questions from the moderator/host, syndicated columnist Dr. Julianne Malveaux. www.juliannemalveaux.com

The Note's exclusive on-site report from Miami and the NAACP meeting, for any candidates and campaign staff who happen to be going at the last minute, from a vacationing Googling monkey:

"It is a pleasant but soon to be steamy day down in Miami Beach. No severe storms today are predicted, especially since Kerry and Edwards yielded to pressure from the NAACP to attend the candidate forum today."

"People here yesterday were angry … Lot of Sharpton people working the Miami Beach Convention Center — which has better freebies and giveaways than the iowa state fair. Especially the Mini Cooper display. Lots of voting registration booths, too, even a demonstration from Florida Department of Elections."

Correction:

The Note got it wrong on an item from Washington Wire about women in the upper echelons of the Lieberman campaign on Friday. We (originally) mistakenly attributed stats on women in the Gephardt campaign to the Lieberman campaign. We should have said Lieberman employs women as chief of staff, media strategist, and finance director. We regret the error.

Kerry:

John Kerry made cameos in Sunday stories, such as in the Los Angeles Times piece on Johnny Chung LINK and the Boston Globe 's lovely opus on Mayor Menino getting his own room at Doyle's Cafe, where The Note thinks John King has been before. LINK

The Washington Post 's Fred Hiatt has a Kerry cameo, too, in his piece arguing that the nation's course of action on civil rights — and the ultimate repeal of laws such as those banning marriage between races — isn't necessarily a template for gay marriage. LINKThe AP reports, "On President Bush's home turf in Austin, Texas, [Senator Kerry] on Sunday lambasted the president's record on the issues of health care, education and immigration, while making a powerful pitch for the sought-after Hispanic vote." LINKDean:

Mark Z. Barabak and Elizabeth Mehren do the "Dean isn't as liberal as he looks" thing by going to Vermont and looking at the presidential hopeful's gubernatorial ways. LINK

Dean's Vermont record on the issues in a Los Angeles Times Chart: LINKExpensive roadie Kate O'Connor reports via Blackberry that the former Vermont governor drew crowds in excess of 1,000 (and maybe a lot more) in Arizona and Texas again this weekend.

Dean campaign honcho Joe Trippi, whose physical presence in the Dean campaign headquarters has been that of an early 70's D.J. crashing a party of dot-com twentysomethings, is one step closer to prime-time readiness. We don't know for sure if it had anything to do with the scheduled visit of a certain uber-elegant CNN journalist that day, but last Thursday Trippi showed up at the office with a dapper summer haircut that any blonde would blog home about, whether outside or inside politics.

Does this signal a new resignation to his future Beltway role as political guru extraordinaire? Is a trip to Brooks Brothers in his future? Does Politiki have Diet Pepsi on tap? Time will tell.

Speaking of Time, Newsweek's Fineman's excellent "Who's the Howard Dean behind the Howard Dean" profile caused us to scratch our heads at one point. Noting that Dean is easily goaded into anger, Fineman writes:

"The man from AP did it last week, pressing a series of 'what if' questions that caused Dean to snap: 'What if, what if. I have two teenage sons who ask 'what ifs' all the time. I don't play 'what if.'"

A Dean source tells The Note that the Governor actually said "kids," not "sons," and that,for the record, he had a smile on his face when he said it.

Note to Fineman: get a new transcription service.

Apparently, Al Sharpton thinks Howard Dean won't get many black votes. Or, at least, that's what Bob Novak's sources think Sharpton thinks.LINKThe Boston Herald's John Gregg writes, "Candidates know they've got momentum when their opponents start sounding like them on the stump, and that's good news for former Vermont governor Howard Dean … ." LINK"So guess which other Democrat running for president said the following last month while campaigning in New Hampshire: 'I'm a gun owner. I'm a hunter. I've hunted since I was a kid.'"

"That would be none other than John Kerry, [ … ] who doesn't typically stroll around Beacon Hill or Nantucket Harbor making such statements. Kerry also sounded like Dean when he said the United States is the only industrialized nation that doesn't guarantee health coverage — a staple of Dean's fire-breathing stump speech — and said 'health care should be a right, not a privilege.'"

Gephardt:

The Machinists nod is a big deal, says everyone, including the Post 's VandeHei. LINKOn Sunday, the AP's Mike Glover wrote that Congressman Gephardt "challenged on his backing for a resolution authorizing war in Iraq, called Sunday for a 'full, complete, bipartisan' investigation of the circumstances surrounding Congress' decision to authorize the war." LINKIn Sunday's St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Deirdre Shesgreen reported that Congressman Gephardt "took aim at two of his Democratic presidential rivals on trade Saturday, suggesting that they might be trying to fudge their records on a key labor union priority." LINK

Shesgreen writes today about Congressman Gephardt's investment in Iowa. LINK

"With the state's caucuses just six months away and nine Democrats vying for the nomination, the political heat is rising here with the midsummer temperatures. And the ritual wooing of voters like those gathered in [74-year-old retired electrician Bill] Hickey's garage is well under way."

"About two dozen of the county's most active Democrats had flocked there to munch on sticky cinnamon buns and hear Rep. Richard Gephardt's presidential pitch."

Mmmm … sticky buns.

Graham:

The AP's David Pace reports that Senator Graham said Sunday that a "congressional investigation into the Sept. 11 attacks has concluded that between 70,000 and 120,000 terrorists were trained by al-Qaida and some are still in the United States." LINKOn Sunday, the State's Lee Bandy wrote that Senator Graham's "candidacy can't be dismissed. His competitors who've spent a lot more time here than he has haven't budged in the polls. They seem to be running in place." LINK"Don't write Graham off yet. Despite his late start, he could be a sleeper in the race."

The Tampa Tribune Notes that Thomas Jefferson wrote diaries, too. LINKGraham's Meet appearance was straightforwardly reported in the local papers. LINKLieberman:

The Arizona Republic's Elvia Diaz reports that Senator Joe Lieberman recently became the first Democratic presidential candidate to weigh in on a proposed Arizona ballot initiative that would deny social benefits to undocumented immigrants. LINK"Lieberman called the initiative 'mean-spirited' and divisive."

"The initiative, Protect Arizona Now, would require state and local government workers to check the immigration status of everyone seeking public services. That means that undocumented immigrants would no longer be able to receive housing subsidies or library cards, among other services."

"The initiative would also require residents to show proof of citizenship when registering to vote."

In Sunday's Providence Journal, John E. Mulligan looks at a whether Lieberman "may not be liberal enough for the Democratic activists who play a key role in the early primaries." LINK

Moseley Braun:

The Washington Post 's Darryl Fears profiled the "political second act" of Ambassador Carol Moseley Braun on Sunday. LINKWhile she calls President Bush's judicial nominees politically dangerous and appeals handily to women voters in the Democratic Party's base, she's running uphill in terms of fundraising, staff and actions while in office — including controversies over family and campaign funds and travels to Nigeria — that color the assessment of even supporters in the party.

Edwards:

The Winston Salem Journal tries to throw cold water at their senator by Noting the shortness of his public resume. LINK

In the Charlotte Observer, Tim Funk gives big play to that Jesse Helms interview with National Journal where the former Senator doesn't look too kindly on Mr. Edwards' presidential chances. LINKAs of 10 this morning, more than 500 people had voted in an online Charlotte Observer poll asking, "Is John Edwards up to presidency?" LINK

The poll results were looking very grim for Edwards when The Note last checked. And yes we know online polls aren't the least bit scientific.

On Saturday, the AP's Mike Glover reported, "Many of the proposals Edwards was pushing [as he started his nine-day tour of Iowa] have already been unveiled, but he said he was going to package them together to draw a contrast with economic proposals pushed by President Bush. It's a logical time to draw that contrast, Edwards said, because voters are beginning to pay attention to the caucuses just six months away." LINKThe AP reports that Senator Edwards "was briefly diverted from touting his economic plan Sunday by an Iowa farmer critical of his agriculture policies." LINKJohn Wagner of the Raleigh News & Observer writes that former Supreme Court clerk for Justice Ginsburg Robert Gordon will take over as the Edwards campaign's policy director, moving over from his spot as an aide in Edwards' Senate office. LINK

Kucinich:

The Note got mentioned in the Sunday Washington Post for our Kucinich dinner party idea , but, Maralee LINK, we would like a correction: please capitalize the "T." LINKDavid Lamb drew "Kucinich" out of the Los Angeles Times' proverbial profile hat and takes us from his youthful days as Dennis the Menace to his vegan dietary habits on the presidential campaign trail. LINK

And here's the handy dandy Q&A: LINK

Sharpton:

Reverend Al Sharpton's financial books are being audited by the IRS, reports the Associated Press. LINKWe are sure Sharpton would want the same scrutiny on this that the other candidates would get under comparable circumstances.

New Hampshire:

John DiStaso says plans for a DNC-sanctioned debate remain in the early planning stages. LINK

Iowa:

Just so y'all know, even if two candidates manage to escape Iowa without making news, we'll still link to the Register story in The Note. LINKNader:

Once-and-possibly-future presidential candidate Ralph Nader argued in Sunday's Washington Post that baseball fans in Washington don't need to knuckle under to the Major League in order to get a team. LINKABC 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect:

The Washington Post 's Tom Edsall and Mike Allen explain the distinction between Pioneers and Rangers, and lay out the "bundling" system of fundraising that the Bush campaign has honed further to raise astronomical sums of money even in the McCain-Feingold era. LINKCorporate CEOs, investment bankers, venture capitalists and lobbyists are among the figures who dominate the Bush fundraising machine and reach out to subordinates and business connections who can each give the $2,000 maximum, Edsall and Allen write.

"The biggest source of new bundlers has been the universe of doctors, corporate defense lawyers and others who favor the Bush administration's proposal to limit lawsuits and to limit the amount that can be recovered for medical malpractice — legislation that is part of the broad Republican effort known as tort reform."

It's no surprise that these donors all benefit from Bush's tax cuts and deregulations, Edsall and Allen write.

We aren't sure what this piece set out to be, but we are pretty sure it didn't get there.

So who are these fundraising bigwigs? The Washington Post editorial board continues its campaign finance drumbeat for disclosure of the bundlers. LINKSenator Kerry has apparently (semi-)committed to disclosing big bundlers, and we join the Post in urging all the candidates to do the same.

If you go to the RNC headquarters on an early Tuesday morning, you're going to find a gathering of "senior Congressional and Bush administration aides," John Bresnahan and Paul Kane write for Roll Call .

"Top officials from the Bush-Cheney re-election campaign have begun strategy sessions with key House and Senate Republicans, the latest signs of an unprecedented GOP effort to forge a unified political machine heading into the 2004 elections."

"No decisions have been made regarding the overall thrust of the party's efforts for next year, but the close coordination between President Bush's team and the Hill leadership stands in marked contrast to the situation facing Democrats, who must still undergo a wide-open battle to pick their presidential nominee."

"The Bush-Cheney effort also is dramatically different from the last time a sitting president sought re-election. In 1996, then-President Bill Clinton 'triangulated' Democrats and Republicans in Congress to present an alternative vision to the American public."

According to the article, National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman George "Allen has a breakfast meeting, 6:30 a.m. sharp, in the White House mess with Rove to discuss strategy for the 2004 Senate races. Allen declined to spell out any specifics about what takes place or who attends — although he did add that the meetings have taken place enough times that 'we all know what each other is going to order for breakfast.' (Allen would not reveal what Rove has, although one attendee quipped half-jokingly, 'Karl orders for everyone.')"

The New York Times ' Dick Stevenson says Bush's follow-through will be closely watched.

"Mr. Bush had evinced little public interest in Africa until this year. But with the United States seen in many quarters as a global bully, and the need for an image makeover becoming obvious, his administration developed a national security rationale for helping the poorest countries avoid turning into breeding grounds or safe harbors for terrorists." LINKOn Sunday, the AP's Calvin Woodard wrote, "President Bush's journey to Africa was also an outreach to black voters at home, an attempt to bridge a gulf as wide as the ocean separating the two continents." LINK USA Today 's Lawrence McQuillan writes, "GOP political strategists see [the Africa trip] as a journey that could improve Bush's standing among African-Americans while highlighting centrist themes that also appeal to moderate whites." LINKRobin Wright looks at the president's very full foreign policy plate with the complexities of post Saddam Iraq, the Korean peninsula, the road map to peace in the Middle East, and the crisis in Liberia all awaiting his attention. LINK

The AP's Sharon Theimer reports on the California GOP's efforts to capture the Golden State for the president. LINK"The [Republican sponsored] Lincoln-Juarez [Opportunity] Center and the Republicans' attempt to devise a new national immigration policy could help heal the rift between the GOP and the state's substantial Hispanic population. The rift dates to former GOP Gov. Pete Wilson's tenure in the mid-1990s and his tough policies on immigration."

There's also some accompanying California demographics. LINK USA Today 's William Welch writes, "Conservative opposition to a prescription drug benefit within Medicare is deepening, creating what may be the biggest rift between President Bush and his political base since he took office." LINKThe Associated Press reports that all those White House 50% political/50% official trips during the last campaign season had an impact on the Department of Health and Human Services budget. LINK

Big Casino budget politics:

Using the fight over Medicare prescription drug benefits as a jumping-off point, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee launched ads targeting eight Republicans in swing districts Friday, the Washington Post 's Juliet Eilperin reports. LINKDCCC Chairman Robert T. Matsui (Calif.) called the ad buy — a rarity this early in the cycle — money well spent. "'House Republicans have passed a bad piece of legislation that does nothing to help seniors, and they are going to have to live with that come 2004,'" he said.

Not surprisingly, Republicans disagreed. "'At this point, the DCCC is spending money it doesn't have on a policy issue that's going to be a feather in our cap in the next election,' said Carl Forti, spokesman for the National Republican Congressional Committee."

A Times Pear/Toner article Sunday said that a Medicare compromise was less likely than even a week ago.

"The question is: what is the deal killer in the Senate, and what's the deal killer in the House?" said a House Republican strategist. "It's not clear what the walk-away point is for either side. It's just not clear." LINK

The bill, touted as a way to give the nation's seniors health care on par with Congress, has been loaded down with add-ons benefiting a wide swath of health care interests but have nothing to do with paying for medicine, The Washington Post 's Dan Morgan reports. LINKIn the midst of negotiations, the tacked-on provisions, including benefits for chiropractors, marriage counselors and doctors in Alaska, among others, didn't get much notice in the 1,043-page Senate bill. But health care lobbyists have gathered like moths to flame, Morgan writes, and the bill is estimated to cost "tens of billions of dollars" more as a result. The House version also features pork for medical interests.

"While numerous groups are lobbying hard to keep beneficial provisions in either the House or Senate bills or both, other groups are trying just as hard to undo provisions that House and Senate leaders wrote into their bills to curb the rising cost of Medicare," Morgan reports.

The Wall Street Journal 's Laurie McGinley and Sarah Lueck look further at the specifics of the special-interest provisions, focusing on lobbying for specialty hospitals, self-injectable drug coverage, new devices and approaches to treatment, and hospitals in Puerto Rico.

"'It's all pent-up demand,'" hospital lobbyist Fred Graefe told them. "Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a liberal advocacy group that wants Congress to pass a more-generous drug benefit, adds: 'It's an industry pattern. Different parts of the industry try to get their piece of the gravy train.'"

California recall:

California Democratic Party adviser Bob Mulholland went head to head (in the A block) with Rescue California director Dave Gilliard on Today with Katie this morning. The gentlemen hit their usual talking points.

Mr. Mulholland: This is nothing but partisan shenanigans.

Mr. Gilliard: This is democracy at its best.

Then Mr. Gilliard bizarrely announced that he has been hearing rumors that Governor Davis might resign as early as today. Mr. Mulholland completely repudiated the rumor.

After reading Valerie Richardson's story in the Washington Times , it appears that Mr. Gilliard may just be the source of these resignation rumors. Ms. Richardson also gets Professor Pitney to explain Governor Davis' standing within the California Democratic Party. LINK"'If Gray Davis were concerned about the long-term future of the Democratic Party, resignation would be a strong option,' said Jack Pitney, government professor at Claremont-McKenna College. 'The state would have a Democratic Latino governor for the first time, and the Democrats would be in power for three more years. But Davis has no more loyalty to the Democratic Party than the Democratic Party has to him,' he said."

"Analysts describe Mr. Davis as a political loner who's won five statewide elections with little assistance from the party. He hasn't hesitated to run negative ads against other Democrats during primary campaigns, a tactic that has won him many foes and few friends within the party."

Ever sit and wonder how Californians came to have the ability to recall their governor? The Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold exhaustively answers the question: LINK

Allison Hoffman of the Los Angeles Times checks in on county elections officials and finds that budget constraints and tired staffs are running up against the looming deadline to submit the number of verified signatures to the Secretary of State. LINK

Somebody's sending around an email urging Bill Simon to not run for governor in the event of a recall election. The email is signed by "Team Simon." However, those on Simon's team deny responsibility and chalk it up to the political tricks of an election year.LINK

The San Francisco Chronicle's Robert Salladay does an Arnold profile, but is still unable to determine whether the actor is running for governor.LINK

Mr. Salladay writes up a sidebar on Arnold Schwarzenegger's father's past as a member of the Nazi Party. But Mr. Salladay points out that Arnold appears to have moved far beyond that history. LINK

The effort to recall Governor Davis started with one longtime anti-tax crusader named Ted Costa. Here's the Los Angeles Times' profile of the gadfly:LINK

Recall, part II: Left Coast Zagat:

Sure, those of you covering the recall in the coming weeks and months could try to do the whole thing from Los Angeles and San Francisco, but at some point, as Leslie Goodman always tells us, you have to go to Sacramento.

So, courtesy of California State Senate Republican caucus spokesguy H.D. Palmer, here's all you need to know:

"For those about to parachute, we salute you."

"As a public service to reporters headed to Sacramento to cover political and/or policy crises, we offer the following non-inclusive, but road-tested, list of recommendations."

"If you're staying at one of the two principal downtown hotels — the Hyatt or the Sheraton Grand — you're in good shape, since most of the essential stops are within four blocks walking distance (the Capitol, Schnur's office, Dan Walters' cubicle, etc.). Political warning: if you ask a Democrat legislator or staffer to dine with you at the Hyatt, be prepared for a change of venue — their non-union policy has effectively made it a no-fly zone for most 'D-' legislators and Davis Administration types."

"If both are booked, though, don't worry because there's a very nice new Embassy Suites Hotel on Capitol Mall — on the river, by the drawbridge, about 10 blocks from the Capitol (if it can handle Sean Walsh and his family over the Fourth of July, it can handle you)."

"As for eats and drinks within a four-block radius of the Capitol, clip-and-save:"

"Chops (1117 11th Street): You don't need to walk down L Street five blocks to Morton's for an aged steak anymore — a good steak house (salads, sandwiches and seafood, too) just opened in the space where a down-on-its-heels bar once sat across the street from the Capitol. Outstanding patio for lunch, drinks and dinner. John Burton is already a frequent diner."

"Esquire Bar and Grill (1213 K Street): On the K Street Mall next to the IMAX Theatre. High ceilings, long bar, good food. Very high probability of a Bob White sighting."

"The Broiler (1201 K Street): On other side of the IMAX Theatre in the 'Ban Roll-on Building.' A Monocle-esque menu for lunch and dinner (no sit-down bar, but Gallagher's Pub is just across the lobby). George Skelton usually goes for either one of their salads or the diet lunch plate with steak."

"Frank Fat's (801 K Street): This Chinese restaurant is on the list because it's an institution ("the second home to legislators since 1939"). Bone up on your political history and ask Walters about the 'Napkin Deal' when you make your obligatory check-in with him. (The napkin on which Willie Brown wrote out and closed the deal is framed in the front)."

"Pyramid Alehouse Brewery and Ale House (1029 K Street): Just opened on K Street Mall, just up from Chops. Outstanding upscale pub food and about a dozen ales and lagers ('from light to dark, malty to hoppy, there's something to match your mood') plus Thomas Kemper sodas and root beer on tap."

"And one off-campus upscale must-dine, Biba (2801 Capitol): I am here to tell you that Biba Caggiano can go toe-to-toe with Savino Recine or Roberto Donna and more than hold her own. Outstanding Italian cuisine with impeccable service. Buy a cookbook while you're there — she'll more than likely be there to sign it."

"Not taking a source to lunch/dinner but still hungry?"

"Sticks: The New Cantonese (1200 K St.): Across from the IMAX. Cantonese and curry beef/chicken/shrimp. The hot oil for dipping potstickers and shrimp lo mein is the most powerful over-the-counter decongestant known to man."

"Indochine (1008 J St.): What's decidedly lacking in ambience is more than made up for by a $4.25 plate of lemongrass chicken/beef/pork/shrimp/tofu. Imagine a Vietnamese Tune Inn without the bar or the jukebox."

"La Bou (901 K): Good local chain of sandwiches, salads, and croissants. Without fail, Jim Brulte orders their Chinese chicken salad."

"And, Tootsie's, next to Chops, for frozen yogurt."

"So what do you do when you've already filed (don't you love that three-hour time difference?), you've got an evening to kill, and what's playing at IMAX isn't floating your boat? If you're a baseball fan, rejoice: Sacramento's Triple-A farm team (Oakland A's) — the River Cats — play at Raley Field, a well-built new ballpark just across the drawbridge. Good prices ($16.00 ticket is tops) and great sight lines (minor league ballpark aficionado Fred Barnes will attest to it). They're home to the Fresno Grizzlies 7/17-20, the Portland Beavers on 7/21-24, and the Iowa Cubs on 7/25-28. (If you're in a pinch, Rob Stutzman has lower-box season tickets)."

"So come on out. Stay a few days. Build in a day or two in S.F. or Napa on the back end (and expense it). We'll be happy to help. Because when you're staring at an $38 billion budget deficit, Lord knows we need all the economic stimulus we can get."

Politics:Internet presidential voting? "Thousands of people serving in the military and American civilians living abroad will have that option next year in the nation's most extensive Internet voting experiment, viewed by some as a step toward elections in cyberspace," the Associated Press reports. LINK

More Democratic Hispanic outreach: LINK"In the last several months, the Environmental Protection Agency has delayed or refused to do analysis on proposals that conflict with the president's air pollution agenda, say members of Congress, their aides, environmental advocates and agency employees," reports the New York Times . LINKThe Daily News' Maggie Haberman was able to get Mr. Eichenbaum to turn down his "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" CD and answer a question about Mayor Bloomberg's trip to Sun Valley, Idaho. LINKBush Administration strategy/personality:

Knight Ridder's Dave Montgomery profiles spokesman Scott "The Clamp" McClellan. LINKThe State's Lauren Markoe writes up South Carolinian Tucker Eskew's turn on the "Ask the White House" Web chat, and uses it to offer a critique of the ongoing forum. LINKElisabeth Bumiller had a wonderful look at the eyes of the White House (and, by executive fiat, the enduring stills of the Bush presidency) — Eric Draper. LINKGood bye, Ari. LINKThe AP's Siobhan McDonough takes inventory of all the nifty gifts President Bush sent to storage recently. (At least he's not filling up his folks' garage.) LINKWe love the AP byline "Darlene Superville" and her account of Ari Fleischer getting hosed at Andrews contains the finest expositionary paragraph EVER about the concept of a "pool spray." LINKLiz Smith sat down Secretary of Education Rod Paige and walked away thinking he was both handsome and charming. LINKThe Clintons of Chappaqua:

On Saturday, the Boston Herald's Joel Brown wrote, "There are a million jokes to make about the Talking Bill Clinton Action Figure, the second presidential figurine from Irvine, Calif.-based Talking Presidents." LINKWill the FPOTUS be able to advise all of the Democratic presidential campaigns from across the pond? LINK

New York Times politics:Keith J. Kelly of the New York Post reports Bill Keller will get the top job at the Times this morning. LINKThe Daily News has the Keller news too. LINKOh, brother. LINK