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We can't really figure out what Senator Santorum is doing today, and we don't know how much the national and state press plan to chase him for further reaction.

Punditing what will happen to a controversy involving a member of Congress during a recess is really tough.

Sometimes, the recess serves to snuff out the story (most reporters have shorter attention spans than the Edwards toddlers … .), but sometimes the recess allows the "scandal" apparatus to heat up.

A recess can also drag out a story, since there are no other "congressional" plotlines competing for attention, and since other members end up reacting one-by-one over time, rather than all in one or two news cycles, before the parade passes.

Could anyone deny that most Washington reporters tend to move more aggressively to bring down Republicans in trouble than Democrats in trouble?

And could anyone deny that Democratic operatives work harder to build the kind of relationships with journalists that pay off at times like these?

And could anyone deny the causal connection between the phenomena described in the previous two paragraphs?

In any event, it's pretty clear that a Democratic party, which still is trying to figure out what it does well with its current array of personnel, is exercising the same muscles that allowed it to score point after point in driving Trent Lott from the leadership.

The current Democratic gambit seems to be to try to get prominent Republicans to say what they think of Santorum's remarks, and, in some cases, to call for the Senator to be removed from the leadership.

So far, the White House has stayed above the fray, but Democrats are hoping that every GOP figure in front of a camera today is asked about this, and is forced into a "humminah, humminah, humminah" moment.

As best we can tell, the Senator has done one electronic interview (with Fox News Channel) and doesn't have any press strategy for dealing with this beyond hoping it goes away.

He certainly isn't apologizing or backing down.

One thing is relatively clear: if you're inclined to accept homosexuality as normal, you'll probably muster outrage at Senator Santorum's remarks. If you believe homosexuality is immoral and abnormal, you'll probably find words to defend him.

This is one of the salient features of the Culture War that divides Red from Blue, and slices the nation into two parts, leading very different lives. Some of us can watch "Friends" and hear the potty-mouthed language and not think twice; some of us hear the same thing and can't believe what kind of country we have become.

Crucial issues boil down to their essence, which, in this case, is a gut-check feeling about homosexuality. (Or, for a few, the tension between liberty and order).

For example: Concerned Women for America and the Family Research Council, two conservative social policy groups with the ear of the White House, have denounced the denunciations, and are calling on Santorum to repeat and extend his remarks. Defending Santorum is, to many, akin to defending traditional values.

The Human Rights Campaign, by contrast, sees a traditional value in tolerance and respect for gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans.

As one leading gay activist put it to us, "Question: can a politician assert that gay sex ought not be 'elevated' to the protection of a constitutional right without being considered homophobic? No — the issue is do gay people have the same right to privacy as heterosexual people do."

Both sides are talking past each other, and that is sure to continue.

Some media this cycle doesn't mention the story at all, but it did get a long reader, for example, in the 7:00 am news update on the Today show on another network.

The homestate press certainly Notes the story, but nobody is going nuts with it. Insiders have picked over the AP's clever release of a transcript of the Senator's remarks from their interview (see, for example, our headline), but those comments have not fully wafted around. LINK

The Post-Gazette's James O'Toole presents a defiant Senator Santorum and rounds up the heated reactions. LINK

Senator Specter thinks Santorum is not a bigot, but Representative Barney Frank does: "'The surprise is that he's being honest about it, not that he believes this.'" The Free Congress Foundation's Paul Weyrich defends the remarks, while a spokesman for the DSCC condemns them.

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review runs wire reports as the "heat contnues to rise aganst Santorum over gay remarks," according to its headline. LINK

The Allentown Morning Call's Jeff Miller focuses on Santorum's "misconstrued" defense as a way out of the controversy without apologizing or relinquishing power. LINK

The Erie Times-News goes local, adding criticism from an Erie gay activist to the mix: "'It was deeply offensive," said Mike Mahler, the co-editor of Erie Gay News. 'It was plain, flat-out mean. There is just no other word for it.'" LINK

New York Times ' anthropologist Sheryl Gay Stolberg has a Congressional Memo on the Grand Old Party, which, she suggests, is not the Gay Old Party, what with its seeming trouble with these issues.

She closes thusly: "Soon, Mr. Santorum will have a chance to demonstrate … (that he is not a bigot). The Log Cabin Republicans are holding their convention next month. They are planning to invite Mr. Santorum as a guest speaker." LINK

Republicans are sure to see this piece as Exhibit 108 of this story that the press is itself bigoted against Republicans.

Headlining with "The Basher," the Philadelphia Daily News editorializes that Senator Santorum should go the way of Trent Lott to "the back bench of the U.S. Senate." LINK

The New York Post runs the AP Santorum story: "PA Senator: Homosexual Acts Wrong." <LINK

The New York Daily News' James Gordon Meek describes Senator Santorum's defiance in the face of the controversy, in a story headlined "Pol's Gay Snub Draws Dem Ire." LINK

The Boston Globe runs the Reuters story. LINK

The Boston Herald's Noelle Straub reports on the Santorum "firestorm." LINK

Given only one or two news cycles to rev up, the New York Times ' Maureen Dowd is just able to observe 'obnoxious' Senator Santorum's 'red- meat moment,' in a column that sashays from (with aid recent Times scoops) the administration's 'imperialists swagger,' to Karl Rove's plot for a New York Republican Convention/September 11 commemoration, to a slithering guest appearance from Newt Gingrich, and the crumbling pretense of designs for Iraq. LINK

Surely, MoDo will return to the Santorum story by the weekend.

The New York Times ed board is not a fan of the Senator's views, and banged out its own product. LINK

Big Casino budget politics:

Everyone covers the president's Greenspan remarks, and sees reassured markets and a potential election-year complexity off the table. LINK and LINK

The Wall Street Journal ed board seems perfectly delighted.

The Wall Street Journal 's Hitt and Davis key off of the Ari Fleischer briefing to say again: the White House is trying to figure out a legislative, economic, and political strategy to ratchet down the tax hike, and it appears that the president and former adviser Hubbard disagree on whether to push lowering the marginal rates or the dividend double tax repeal as the priority.

Secretary Evans is in New York today, selling the economic plan on cable TV (on "Fox and Friends" he urged people to be focused less on the numbers and more on the policy) and to the markets.

Mr. Secretary: make sure you give that tie to the president like you promised.

Washington Post columnist Steven Pearlstein writes that President Bush's tax plan is not truly about the economy, but "about winning." LINK

House Republicans are seeking a way to punish Senator Grassley for the deal he cut to keep President Bush's tax cut no higher than $350 billion. But keeping Senator Grassley away from the conference committee doesn't seem likely. LINK

The AFL-CIO is focusing like a lazer beam on efforts to drum up popular support against the tax cut.

The labor federation has dozens of events planned across the country. Ohio and Maine, home of Senators Voinovich and Snowe, will host four and two, respectively.

Forums will also be held in battleground states like Florida, Pennsylvania, Louisiana … as well as in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota.

The Economic Policy Institute and the Campaign for America's Future, both groups with deep ties to the movement, are complimenting the public events with detailed treatises on how the tax cut would allegedly impact these states. "Florida Will Suffer $810 Million in Cuts to Key Programs Over Ten Years to Pay for Tax Breaks for the Wealthy," says one headline.

The Los Angeles Times has this take: LINK

Legislative agenda:

Historian Dana Milbank writes long and deep on the front page of the Washington Post about the president's failure to pass anything like his full faith-based initiative, and chalks it up to a failure to work for compromise. LINK

Earth Day reax:

Ron Brownstein's opus-ized on environmental politics. LINK

"Environmental issues haven't played a large role in the Democratic race so far. And officials in most campaigns believe such concerns are unlikely to emerge as a decisive factor because the differences among the candidates aren't as great as on some other issues. But environmental issues carry weight with many Democratic voters, especially in such states as New Hampshire, California and New York. And environmental groups — mobilized in opposition to Bush's environmental and energy agenda — plan to insert themselves into the primary process more aggressively than in the past."

The Washington Post looks at Earth Day and the politics of the environment. LINK

Our missive yesterday about the alleged political impotence of the environmental movement drew the strong reaction we knew it would.

Among the lovely thoughts we heard was one that merits inclusion, even on a Mini day.

One 2000 Gore supporter wrote in to say:

"A very interesting analysis of the environment and Presidential politics. But, isn't something missing … ."

"Like … "

"HOW ENVIRONMENTALISTS COST DEMOCRATS THE WHITE HOUSE IN 2000!"

"How GREENS — who ran around the country telling folks that Bush and Gore were exactly alike — deprived Gore of a greater than 50% total of the popular vote — which would have made him the first Democratic Presidential candidate since 1964 to get that amount, and only the second since 1944 to do so!"

"How GREENS cost us 90,000 votes in Florida, an electoral outrage that DWARFS the consequences of all the liberal complaints about Florida — non-registered felons and butterfly ballots and snake ballots and off-duty cops near polling places and Seminole and Martin Counties and the like — COMBINED. We spent 36 days in Florida, whittling an initial Bush win of 1,800 votes down to a final tally of 537 votes — moving 2% of the GREEN vote to Gore would have made it all moot."

"How GREENS cost us 20,000 votes in New Hampshire — a state Gore lost by 7,000 votes, and which would have given us the electoral votes to win EVEN WITHOUT FLORIDA."

"How GREENS made NM, WI, and MN close — very close — and required the campaign to spending time, energy and $$ there that could have been used to win MO or FLA."

"And how about the enviros who attacked Gore for not being pure enough on environmental issues (see Phil Clapp, National Environmental Trust) and ran ads attacking Gore early on in the cycle, and then fool hardily embraced Bush in October when Bush took 'an even tougher stand on mandatory emissions controls than Gore' — a commitment that, oops, was dropped when he came to office."

"The environmentalists are ineffective? I don't think so. No group did more — except, perhaps, the Christian Right — to put George Bush in the White House."

See, Karl, they HAVE gotten over it.

ABC 2004: The May 3 South Carolina Democratic presidential candidate debate:

If you aren't named "Shapiro" or "the Los Angeles Times ed board," surely you can feel the excitement in the air as the Collision in Columbia is only a week and a half away.

For reporters who are starting to plan their trips to South Carolina for the debate, here are some ideas to get another story out of the journey. LINK

And here is some help for you from the good people of the state government. LINK

And some state facts. LINK

And the latest on the Golden Corral buffet! LINK

ABC 2004: CREEP:

A New Mexico voter for The Macker's call list. LINK

ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary:

Slate's Will Saletan finds the Invisible Primary, gasp, based on the whims of media insiders. LINK

A Tally voter for The Macker's call list. LINK

Former Senator Robert Torricelli has plenty of cash remaining in his campaign war chest and he's decided to give some of it to Senator Kerry and Congressman Gephardt, Roll Call reports. Writer Paul Kane makes clear that neither presidential candidate did nearly as well as Mr. Torricelli's attorneys.

GEPHARDT

On Today this morning, Rep. Gephardt previewed his health care plan for Matt Lauer.

He'd boost the employer health care tax credit to 60 percent of cost.

And Gephardt made it clear how he'd pay for it: "I'll go to the Congress and ask them to repeal all of those tax cuts."

"I'll try to keep the marriage penalty and maybe one other thing. My plan will help the economy more than his plan."

Some Republican strategists watched the appearance and surely thought: leading off with a promise to "raise" taxes, but this is a fight the Congressman is ready to take to the nation.

We are told that the choice of venue for today's speech — the Service Employees International Union's local 1199 in New York — was no accident. (Duh.)

The SEIU, as you might recall, set down a marker earlier this year for the candidates, urging them to propose a comprehensive health care plan before the start of the nominating contests. We are also told, reliably, that SEIU's leadership is impressed with what they've heard of Mr. Gephardt's plan.

When Matt Lauer read Dick Gephardt an excerpt from a Ron Brownstein column this morning, the Congressman had the only rational reaction: he laughed.

Knight Ridder's James Kuhnhenn previews Gephardt's healthcare speech. LINK

Senator Edwards called Senator Santorum's remarks "disturbing and inappropriate." LINK

Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack counts Senator Edwards as one of four Democratic contenders who are in the top tier of the race, along with Senator Kerry, former Governor Dean and Congressman Gephardt. LINK

The Charlotte Observer's Tim Funk and Adam Bell profile Senator Edwards' fundraising success thus far and gather opinions on his fundraising prospects from this point onward. LINK

"While the White House and its business allies are trying to put a cap on jury awards, saying large verdicts push up prices and insurance premiums, trial lawyers are also looking for Edwards to fight for them and their clients."

KERRY

The Boston Globe 's Glen Johnson writes that, should the Bush team raise that staggering $200 million for his re-election effort, Senator John Kerry might just bring out his own family checkbook, courtesy of the wildly wealthy Teresa Heinz Kerry. LINK

Johnson's lead links Bush's expected haul to Kerry's possible use of the personal money, but things remain fuzzy.

Johnson cites yesterday's New York Times story at length; Notes Kerry's "halting" reiteration of his plan to dip into personal funds if attacked; shows Kerry bonding with Roxbury residents over his Washington, DC-induced inhaler (from which he later distanced himself, continuing the Johnson-Kerry bumpy colloquy over the Senator's health); includes Kerry's "'politics of personal destruction'" response to being called "French"; and adds Mrs. Kerry's interpretation of the French thing:

"'They can't take him on on patriotism; that they can't do. And I guess if they want to call the French 'not manly,' I don't know, but they have to deal with the French on that.'"

The Boston Herald's Joe Battenfeld picks up Senator Kerry's response to the White House's French jab, but once again Teresa Heinz Kerry provides a more amusing retort than her husband's (his: a standard "'It means the White House has started the politics of personal destruction'").LINK

"'They'll probably say he's French, he's Jewish . . . he's a monkey,' Heinz Kerry said of her husband, whose Jewish roots recently became a campaign issue. 'I just find it sad.'" (Note Note: At least they didn't accuse him of being a Googling monkey.)

"She added: 'They (White House officials) probably don't even speak French."'

Showing once again that even in a listless economy there is synergy to be found between Matt Drudge, presidential candidates, and the New York tabloids, the Daily News' Rush and Molloy include Senator Kerry's denial that he skipped the funeral of Massachusetts' first casualty from Iraq in order to attend a fundraiser for his campaign. LINK

SHARPTON

The New York Post 's Deborah Orin writes that the Rev. Al Sharpton is now an "official candidate for president and will file the required financial reports with the feds on Monday." LINK

The Washington Post covers the announcement a little bit. LINK

LIEBERMAN

The Boston Globe 's Scot Lehigh follows a buoyant Joe Lieberman around New Hampshire, as the Senator, despite what some continue to cast as a disappointing first quarter fundraising tally, remains optimistic, focused, upbeat, and aggressive. "If, on the stump, the other Democratic candidates tend to be truculent trumpets or thumping tubas, Lieberman is a campaign clarinet, lighter and gentler in tone, more supple and humorous — and capable of surprising notes." LINK

A day after publishing Senator Edwards on the environment, the Manchester Union Leaders' editorial page tears into Senator Lieberman's views on the economy. LINK

The Hartford Courant's David Lightman sifts through the Liebermans' income tax returns and reports that Lieberman "was not penalized in a legal sense" for an underpayment last year, he was just "charged interest on what he failed to pay." LINK

JUST ASKING: What senatorial daughter was looking ultra-cool freely chatting on her cell phone while she waited for the start of the ultra-hot new film "Jersey Guy" in Chelsea?

KUCINICH

The New York Times very fair minded Carl Hulse gives Congressman Dennis Kucinich the full profile treatment, with Edwards adviser David Axelrod (who covered Kucinich once upon a time) and Iowa's finest David Loesback expressing slightly different views on his chances for success. LINK

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The Washington Post checks in on the Granite State's resurgent pro-life movement. LINK

GRAHAM

The Orlando Sentinel reports his campaign kick-off date as May 6. LINK

In Florida yesterday, Graham strongly criticized President Bush. LINK

Campaign finance:

You can look but you can't touch.

That's just one post McCain-Feingold clarifications the FEC will provide to federal lawmakers about how NOT to raise soft money.

The Hill has all the details about a soon to be released advisery opinion. LINK

This is not a small deal … .

Politics:

The New York Times ' writing-for-two Jennifer Steinhauer reports on Mayor Bloomberg's optimistic stance at a meeting with the Partnership for New York City, a group made up of prominent New York business leaders, which summoned him for a briefing on the budget crisis. LINK

The Christian Science Monitor writes that states are cautiously licensing gambling to make up for lost revenues. LINK

"President Bush urged former Illinois Governor Jim Edgar to run for the U.S. Senate in a phone call this week, Edgar said Tuesday," the AP reports. LINK

The Washington Times ' Charlie Hurt says that Republicans are salivating at the prospect of taking Senator Ernest F. Hollings seat in South Carolina. LINK

Georgia's Senate voted on a new flag design, but a late change to the bill means it'll go back to the Georgia House, which means that Democrats will fillubuster to try and prevent the chamber from voting on it before the session ends. LINK

The Hill gives profile treatment to the once and future campaigner Karenna Gore Schiff who is "the brightest, most capable young woman (Donna) Brazile has ever met." LINK

Webby Awards update:

There's a blowing Bluegrass storm on the horizon, but it hasn't yet hit town.

In the meantime, if you enjoy The Note, please vote for it in the Webby Awards People's Voice here. CAST YOUR VOTE HERE

Bush Administration strategy/personality:

Rush and Molloy update on the White House Correspondents Dinner. LINK