NEWS SUMMARY

The perfect metaphor for where Bush-Kerry stands right now — a tug of war, the two sides evenly matched and the flag centered on the rope never moving more than a few feet in either direction.

Sure — pullers on both sides engage in bluster all the time to spin the foolish press and buoy their supporters (and — for some — because bravado is in their souls).

But the smart ones know that in the 50-50 Nation, most of the pre-convention pulling is only being done to stabilize things and keep the other side from making progress.

The smart ones also know — as has been widely Noted in many places — that outside forces beyond the control of the campaigns could insert July, August, September, October, and (yes, even) November surprises that could override anything and everything they do.

So — some Note lists.

First: those most likely to overreact to ephemeral polling and other short-term events (in order of most likely to less likely):
1. Democrats on the Hill
2. Republicans on the Hill
3. Bill Schneider and the "Inside Politics" team
4. liberals
5. conservatives
6. Dick Morris
7. John Zogby
8. Republican lobbyists
9. Cable talk show hosts and their guests
10. Washington Post political reporters and editors
11. Judy Keen and her colleagues (tie)
12. Democratic lobbyists
13. network anchors
14. New York Times political reporters and editors
15. former political advisers to former presidents
16. 527 staffers

Those least likely to overreact to ephemeral polling and other short-term events (in order of least likely to more likely):
1. Matthew Dowd
2. Tad Devine
3. The staff of The Note (with one exception)
4. George W. Bush
5. Jeff Greenfield

Outside forces that can affect the outcome:
1. Al-Sadr
2. Bin laden
3. Alan Greenspan
4. Kitty Kelley
5. John McCain
6. Bill Clinton
7. other terrorists
8. Patrick J. Fitzgerald
9. OPEC
10. Rick Berke
11. unwilling Coalition members
12. the Red Sox in the World Series
13. celebrity trials

Key tug of war stories --

A. The New York Times' Nagourney and Rutenberg report on Kerry's "reemergence" Wednesday as the candidate "began what aides said would be an increasingly visible and combative challenge to President Bush, starting with a bus trip through the distressed Midwest and a television advertisement attacking Mr. Bush's Iraq record." LINK

Beyond some real handwringing from one Stan Greenberg, who calls the post-nomination season a "'tough period'" for Kerry, the boys try to ever-so-subtly sneak in their on-the-record interview with a man named Karl Rove, who says, straddling the company line, "This campaign will be close until the very end. But perceptions have begun to gel."

B. The Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times get an early look at today's release of some of Kerry's lobbyist meeting records.

The Washington Post's VandeHei and Brinbaum report that Sen. Kerry last night released his detailed contacts with lobbyists, calling it "an extraordinary disclosure, which goes well beyond public disclosure laws, was an implicit and strategically timed challenge to Bush to prove that he is not in lobbyists' thrall, as Bush often portrays him." LINK

Sure, some of the lobbyists have given Kerry campaign money and some say their meetings with Kerry didn't make the list, but, overall, seems like a 10-strike so far.

The Los Angeles Times reports on Kerry's disclosure of his meetings with lobbyists, writing the move "appears to be part of a broader effort by the Kerry campaign to counter Republican claims that he is withholding information, and to put forth the image of a presidential candidate who is open to public scrutiny." LINK

Now, about those tax returns . . . federal AND state(s) . . .

On this Earth Day, President Bush travels to Maine to speak about the environment before returning to the White House early this afternoon.

Sen. Kerry is in Houston to speak about the environment and to host a fundraiser.

The politics of national security:

Reports the Wall Street Journal's Rogers, "the Pentagon acknowledged that in tandem with its secret planning for the Iraq war two years ago, it funded 21 military-related projects in the Mideast when the Bush administration had yet to seek a war resolution from Congress."

Says Rogers, "even lawmakers who supported military action against Saddam Hussein say the Defense Department stretched its authority and hid facts that should have been shared with lawmakers." Says GOP Rep. Jerry Lewis: "'When you're talking about specific dollars . . . there ought to be consultation.'"

The Hill reports on lawmakers and Administration officials now "scurrying to understand whether President Bush siphoned off money appropriated for the war in Afghanistan to pay for preparations for a future Iraqi invasion." LINK

"The Saudi ambassador to the U.S. on Wednesday denied any linkage between the U.S. presidential election campaign and a Saudi pledge to the Bush administration to push for lower oil prices," reports Dow Jones.

ABC News' own Arash Ghadishah tells us of this comment from the Prince as he left the White House last eve: "I cannot say we're not aware that you are going through your seasonal tribal warfare now so it's very dangerous to open one's mouth here on any issue … I hope Senator Kerry has heard my explanation about the oil and he can be assured that we didn't make any deals that could interfere in our friends' internal affairs."

AP writes up Bandar's denying that he agreed to lower gas prices in time for the election. LINK

"The Saudi ambassador to the U.S. on Wednesday denied any linkage between the U.S. presidential election campaign and a Saudi pledge to the Bush administration to push for lower oil prices."

USA Today's Barbara Slavin chronicles the roles Prince Bandar has played for the U.S. over the years. LINK

The Wall Street Journal's ed board turns the name "Brent Scowcroft" into a dirty word, as it asserts, as George Will has for a while, its view that Dems, led by John Kerry, are becoming the new practitioners of realpolitik while the president is following in the Kennedy tradition of foreign policy "idealism." (Note Colin Powell gets put into the Scowcroft category.)

The Los Angeles Times follows the thread of the funding of the Iraq occupation. Says Sen. Chuck Hagel: "'The administration would be well served here to come forward now, be honest about this, because the continuity and the confidence in this policy is going to be required to sustain it.'" And/but: "'I'd be surprised' if the leadership would push for a vote on more money before the election, said Rep. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), a member of the GOP leadership." LINK

The Los Angeles Times on new U.S. efforts to bring former Baath party members into Iraq's political fold. LINK

The Los Angeles Times on the apparent freezing out of Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Dick Lugar by his party's President. "As Iraq teeters on the brink of chaos and U.S. casualties soar, Lugar has played no significant role in one of the most critical foreign policy issues of his career. The Bush administration has openly ignored him. And, to the disappointment of admirers in both parties, Lugar, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has held back from forcing the issue." The Senator "acknowledged that he had had no conversation with Bush about Iraq since last September, when he and the president talked about it during a 90-minute flight to Indiana." LINK

The AP reports that half of Americans "have concerns that terrorists are winning the war on terrorism," and that 20 percent feel strongly that way. LINK

Sen. Chuck Hagel revives talk of the draft "as part of a broader effort to ensure that all Americans 'bear some responsibility' and 'pay some price' in defending the nation's interests." LINK

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel's Craig Gilbert reports on Bush's campaign this week for renewal of the contested Patriot Act, Noting that House Judiciary Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. said Wednesday he has no plans to act on the issue before next year. LINK

The Seattle Times' Hal Bernton reports that the woman who took Sunday's photo of military casualties being transported back to America, has been fired by the military contractor that employed her. LINK

The politics of the 9/11 commission:

The Washington Times ' Stephen Dinan and Charles Hurt report that 9/11 Commissioner Jamie Gorelick can still help draft parts of the commission's report on the separation between intelligence and law enforcement, despite her recusal from questioning some Clinton Administration officials. LINK

Woodward and the White House:

Day five of excerpts (and the final installment) from "Plan of Attack" in the Washington Post , focusing at the beginning of the war in Iraq and the prime target: Saddam Hussein. LINK

Excerpts from Woodward's interview with President Bush: LINK

The New York Times' Maureen Dowd thinks "Bob Woodward's new book, 'Plan of Attack,' reveals that President Bush decided to go to war based mostly, believe it or not, on body language." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect:

President Bush heads to battleground state Maine today to celebrate Earth Day at a wetlands area and highlight his Administration's record on the environment.

AP's John Heilprin (formerly of the Rambling Beach Guys) previews the president's trip to the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, reporting that Bush will speak about "'how much environmental progress the country has made since the first Earth Day 30 years ago.' White House spokesman Trent Duffy said Wednesday. LINK

"The president will be taking part in a water quality testing project during his visit to a national estuarine research reserve in Wells, Maine," Heilprin reports.

The Portland Press Herald's Meredith Goad reports that the president will be met by protestors who are upset with the Bush Administration's environmental policies. LINK

"Maine environmentalists said the visit amounts to a "greenwashing" of Bush's environmental record — a record they say is regressive and harmful to public health. Several groups plan demonstrations outside the reserve to coincide with Bush's visit."

Goad Notes that "While not billed as a campaign stop by the White House, Bush's visit to Maine has political overtones."

Susan Cover of the Kennebec Morning Sentinel talks to environmental activists who question the president's visit to Maine. LINK

Former NYPD commissioner Bernard Kerik and former FDNY commissioner Thomas Von Essen launched the "Bush-Cheney '04 National First Responders Leadership Team" in Pennsylvania Wednesday, and Kerik told the New York Daily News' Bazinet that his biggest fear is "'another terrorist attack.'"

Kerik: "If you put Senator Kerry in the White House, I think you are going to see that happen . . . and I don't want to see another Sept. 11.'" LINK

Bazinet follows up on that comment and Kerik returns the call to clarify his comments: "'If there's another terrorist attack, I don't want John Kerry in the White House,' he said, adding he was simply trying to distinguish between Bush and Kerry."

More Bazinet: "The Bush camp's panel is designed to counter firefighters unions that are "giving the impression that every firefighter and cop in the country are with Kerry," said a Bush campaign source."

President Bush spoke to newspaper editors yesterday in Washington and the national political reporters wrap up coverage of the speech:

The New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller writes that President Bush told 1,500 American newspaper editors and publishers that he is not surprised that the majority of Americans believe there will be a terrorist attack in the U.S. before the upcoming election, and added that our intelligence is "never perfect". LINK

The Washington Post's Mike Allen leads with President Bush's promise that "Iran will be dealt with, starting through the United Nations" during his speech yesterday to newspaper editors. LINK

The Washington Times' Bill Sammon leads with Bush's statement that democracy is not an option in Iraq, but an imperative, and then Notes the president's assertion that the world should be thanking Ariel Sharon for his proposed land swap with the Palestinians. LINK

AP's Terrence Hunt focuses on President Bush's statement that the United States is difficult to defend against terror — "Our intelligence is good. It's just never perfect, is the problem." LINK

USA Today: LINK

The Houston Chronicle's Julie Mason Notes Bush's comments that he will not "cut and run" from turmoil in the Middle East, which saw the worst day of bloodshed in Saudi Arabia and Iraq, as hours before a series of car and suicide bombs left 68 people dead. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Sen. John Kerry:

Bob Novak all but challenges John Kerry's manhood, accusing the Massachusetts Senator of making up his answer on "Meet the Press" about releasing the tax returns of both himself and his wife, and reasons that since Kerry is basically dependent on Teresa Heinz Kerry's wealth to keep his political career alive, she should make her tax returns public. LINK

". . . no previous presidential candidate relied so much on his spouse's wealth. Without backing from Heinz ketchup money, it is fair to say John Kerry would not be his party's presidential standard-bearer and probably would not even be a U.S. senator today. Thus, refusal to release his wife's tax returns inevitably raises suspicions, however ill-founded, that the Kerrys have something to hide."

Incidentally, while presidential candidates are required to file personal financial disclosures, they are not required by law to release their income tax returns. It's just become a super fun tradition.

In a piece of writing that will make Ed Gillespie's morning, the New York Times ed board decides to weigh in on the THK tax question, writing "We urge that the candidate's wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry, release her tax returns." LINK

The New York Post's Orin appears to marvel at Kerry's playing into the hands of his GOP opponents by making it look like he has something to hide — including what is on his wife's tax returns. She finishes with a swipe at Team Kerry's war room. LINK

The Washington Post's Richard Cohen takes a look at the Bush-Kerry battleground, ending on Note that someone should print out and hang on the wall at certain campaign and party headquarters. LINK

"In every campaign he runs — including the Democratic primaries and caucuses this year — John Kerry finishes stronger than he starts. Maybe that will happen again. But so far he has yet to articulate a message and get into rhetorical fighting shape. Another bad month like the last for Bush, and the president will have his second term in the bag."

The Hill on David Castagnetti's Dem Hill drop-by. LINK

The Miami Herald 's Lesley Clark reports on the "spat" that Kerry has gotten into with Gov. Jeb Bush over what the governor read in a student newspaper as Kerry's support for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico. LINK

[Note Note: For those of you tracking the newspaper reading habits of members of the Bush family, Gov. Bush apparently faithfully reads the University of Florida's Independent Florida Alligator. LINK]

The Dallas Morning News' David Jackson reports on Kerry's visit yesterday to Louisiana, where the Senator declared he is not writing off at least part of the South and stumped for stronger protection of natural resources along the state's coast. LINK

The Houston Chronicle's John Williams reports on Kerry's visit to Texas to day to speak on the city's air pollution and detail the difference between himself and President Bush on environmental issues. LINK

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

NEW ORLEANS, April 21 — Sporting beachcomber white pants, a tie-free and bead-clad Sen. John Kerry toured the eroded land of Shell Beach in St. Bernard Parish, La., on Wednesday.

Kerry, flanked by Senate colleague and vice-presidential wild card Mary Landrieu, announced the formation of "Sportsmen for Kerry" by telling the Cajun crowd, "I come from this state a little north of here . . . (but) we have something in common. We're both fishing people. We're people of the sea."

The Bay Stater was trying to connect in the Bayou, and though at times the connections seemed thin, Kerry eventually succeeded in part by challenging the notion that he lacked the personal political skills several nomination rivals seemed to master.

The challenge for the campaign is to establish not only a solid public trust in Kerry's abilities but to make him likeable too.

To that end, The Note is pleased to provide a handy guide of the so-called 18 battleground states and the corresponding biographical details Kerry could employ to win the hearts of a skeptical people while Bob Shrum takes care of their minds:

Florida: Windsurfer/Navy/Not Al Gore

New Mexico: Teresa Speaks Spanish

Wisconsin: Rides a Harley/Stopped drinking Heinken

Iowa: Met every Dem twice/Vilsack Approved/Owes state Big Time

Oregon: Earth Day Junkie/Met wife at global environmental conference

New Hampshire: Met every Dem once/"Old Man of the Mountain" doppelganger

Minnesota: Hockey, Hockey, Hockey (but don't mention Boston College)

Missouri: Clash with Gephardt = Friends/Clash with Ashcroft = Applause Bait

Nevada: Blackjack skills/Distaste for nuclear waste/Prosecutor

Ohio: On the football field, Yale sucks and Ohio State rules

Pennsylvania: Pass the H-E-I-N-Z ketchup, please

Maine: Won't you be my Neighbor?/Red Sox sufferers, er, fans

Michigan: Union label/Guitarist

Arkansas: FOB(?)/Better drop Wal-Mart slams

Washington: Activist roots/Liberal label

West Virginia: Vietnam veteran-turned-activist who still likes to shoot pheasant

Arizona: McCain approved/Firefighter love

Louisiana: French (when the national press corps isn't listening)/Fished 45 years ago

Kerry wraps up a 20-city fundraising tour in Houston Thursday. He will continue to focus mainly on the battleground states, looking toward a vice presidential pick and the Democratic convention in Boston as the highlights of the summer.

Kerry will be in Des Moines, Iowa on Sunday. LINK

The AP reports on a 53-year-old Las Vegas man who made an e-mail threat to Kerry and apparently sent it to Wolf Blitzer. LINK

Kerry military history:

The Washington Post's Lois Romano writes up the latest batch of Kerry's military records and Notes that the campaign is currently vetting Kerry's complete medical history before posting it. LINK

The New York Times' Kit Seelye reports that Kerry's newly released military records show largely positive marks across the board. Note Kerry critic Grant Hibbard wrote "nothing negative" about Kerry in his wartime evaluation of him. "Still unreleased are Mr. Kerry's medical records," which Kerry aides say they are collecting. The Teresa Heinz Kerry tax return issue gets play here, with Lanny Davis calling it a "'gray area.'" LINK

The Boston Globe's Michael Kranish reports on the release of the records, Noting that "the records portray the former Navy lieutenant as a courageous officer."LINK

The Chicago Tribune's Jill Zuckman goes through the evaluations Kerry received from his Navy superiors. LINK

The Washington Times' Charles Hurt finds discrepancies in the Kerry military records between the injuries outlined in the Senator's Bronze Star citation and the casualty report describing his shrapnel wounds, and skepticism from some veterans. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush vs. Kerry: the ads:

The Washington Post's Kurtz and Romano report on the two campaign's ad releases yesterday, reporting that BC04 "rushed out a 60-second negative spot they had been holding in reserve after learning that the Kerry team was about to unveil two positive 30-second ads." The two also Note that what Bush's ad, which collects a string of anti-Kerry statements from newspapers, does not mention "that the comments are from editorials, not news stories, and most of them in more conservative newspapers." LINK

USA Today's Mark Memmot reports on the new Bush and Kerry ads, Noting that "Stephanie Cutter said in an e-mail to USA TODAY that 'Commitment' is essentially a 'bio' ad because [Kerry] 'considers (his) priorities to be part of who he is and what he'll fight for.'" LINK

The Los Angeles Times on Kerry's latest ads, and the Senator's fight to define himself. LINK

The Seattle Times' David Postman Notes the difference in the Kerry ad campaigns being aimed at liberal bastions like Seattle, compared to his advertisements running in the 17 battlegrounds. LINK

Environmental politics:

The Dallas Morning News' Randy Lee Loftis Notes the differences between Bush and Kerry over the environment, which some analysts claim could be a prime factor for some voters, though the percentage of people who list the environment as their top political concern is in the single digits following the current attention given to the economy and the war in Iraq. LINK

The New Orleans Times Picayune reports that the Pentagon is celebrating Earth Day with a proposed extension on "time to comply with the Clean Air Act and is seeking to exempt thousands of firing and bombing ranges around the country, including Fort Polk in central Louisiana, from hazardous-waste laws." LINK

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Paul Shukovsky Notes that on this Earth Day, ELF appears to be active again. LINK

The Concord Monitor's Dickson reports that "New Hampshire's congressional delegation" received a higher environmental rating than Bush. LINK

The Washington Times' Valerie Richardson reports on the Sierra Club's raucous board election Wednesday, in which the organization's leadership chose five board members who have neutral stances on immigration, and voted down other candidates who pressed for a tougher stance on it. LINK

The economy:

The New York Times ' Edmund Andrews on Alan Greenspan's "strong hint that rising productivity and low inflation would allow the central bank to keep interest rates at rock-bottom levels a bit longer."

Note this graph on jobs: "Mr. Greenspan was also skeptical about the surprisingly strong growth in employment in March, when the nation added 308,000 jobs. He noted that 85,000 unemployed workers exhausted their unemployment insurance benefits in the same month, more than double the number in September 2000. And he warned that unemployment, now 5.7 percent of the work force, might remain relatively high because companies were still squeezing productivity out of technology they bought in the late 1990's." LINK

From the Wall Street Journal's Greenspan coverage: "In a setback for President Bush's efforts to make his tax cuts permanent, Mr. Greenspan told committee chairman Bob Bennett (R., Utah) that 'in the event the tax cuts are not extended, the momentum in the economy will be enough to carry us into the next year at a reasonably good pace.'"

The morning shows:

The morning shows led with a combination of Michael Jackson's indictment, National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice's visit to Capitol Hill and conditions in Iraq.

All three morning shows had pieces on Senator Kerry's military records and taped interviews. ABC and NBC wrapped the current military records story in with the 33rd anniversary of Kerry's "How do you ask a man?" testimony to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

ABC's Dan Harris was the only correspondent to press Senator Kerry about the circumstances of his first Purple Heart. Kerry told Harris: "I'm proud of my record. I'm proud of my service. I didn't write the rules of the United States Navy and the Marine Corps. I was told you're thrice wounded, you can go home," Kerry said. "And I was opposed to the war at that point. And you bet, I said, 'I'm going to go home and I'm going to talk about the war,' and that's what I did."

Keying off of Kerry's recent attack on Cheney and Rove for going out of their way to avoid service, NBC's Carl Quintanilla asked Kerry whether he believes that you have to have served in the military in order to send troops into harm's way. "No," Kerry answered, "But you do need to earn some bona fides before you earn the right to challenge the patriotism of those that did."

Asked on the CBS "Early Show" about why he delayed releasing his military records, Kerry said: "I don't think we did wait long."

Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) on NBC's "Today Show" voiced strong opposition to reinstituting the draft, calling such a move "unnecessary" and saying that it would pose huge problems and open questions, such as whether the draft would apply to women. On the Iraqi insurgents, McCain said, "We have to put these people down or else Iraq is going to evolve into a chaotic situation." On the June 30 handover of power in Iraq, McCain said: "We don't even know what the plan is . . . No, we haven't done enough. Of course not."

Nader:

The Nader campaign announced on Wednesday that Ralph Nader raised $600,000 over the last two months, allowing him to qualify for federal matching funds. About 60 percent of funds raised came in over the Internet, the campaign told the FEC. LINK

The Washington Times' Steve Miller writes that Ralph Nader is focusing on young voters with his antiwar stance as a way to separate himself from others running for President. This sounds familiar . . . LINK

Paul Maslin on the Nader/Dean discussions way back when in today's Lloyd Grove. LINK

Veepstakes:

The Boston Globe's Pat Healy reports on all of the Senators hanging out with Kerry lately and evaluates each of their prospects as a potential running mate. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the battlegrounds:

George Will profiles the battleground state of Arizona, looking at the statement by possible veep/Democratic Gov. Janet Napolitano that "tinges of blue" are beginning to creep into the otherwise red state. LINK

The Minneapolis Star Tribune's Rob Hotakainen and Emily Johns Note Bush and Kerry's upcoming visits to Minnesota in the next two weeks, where the latter will make his first trip to the state since he became the presumptive Democratic nominee. Bush will appear Monday at the American Association of Community Colleges convention and speak on a community-based job training program. LINK

The Reno Gazette-Journal reports that any rise in interest rates is unlikely to have much of an effect on Nevada's booming housing market. LINK

Reproductive politics:

The Washington Post's Elizabeth Williamson previews the first major pro-abortion rights rally in Washington, D.C. in 12 years. LINK

The New York Times' Robin Toner reports "for the first time in 12 years, a coalition of abortion rights advocates will hold what they hope will be a major march in Washington on Sunday, trying to return the issue to the forefront of American politics — and to highlight what they contend is the Bush administration's extremism." LINK

Note Note: NARAL's Choice Action Network is asking supporters to "please join Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry for a rally in support of the rights of women" on Washington's K Street Friday morning.

The politics of same-sex marriage:

The Boston Globe's Raphael Lewis reports that Massachusetts "lawmakers will fire the latest salvo in the battle over gay marriage today, as Representative Robert P. Spellane of Worcester files a bill to undo a 1913 law that forbids out-of-state couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their union would be illegal in their home jurisdiction." LINK

The Boston Globe's Lyle Denniston reports that the "City of San Francisco argued yesterday that same-sex couples who already have been married have a limited constitutional right to stay married that cannot be nullified without giving them a chance to defend that right." LINK

A New Hampshire legislative committee" voted 13-8 in favor of a law to block recognition of gay marriages" Wednesday, reports the Manchester Union Leader. LINK

The Oregonian's Ashbel S. Green reports that Multnomah County Circuit Judge Frank L. Bearden ordered a halt to the issuing of marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, but also informed the state legislature that it had 90 days to change the law regarding marriage to "extend the benefits of marriage" to all couples. He also ordered the state registrar to stop refusing to record those marriages that had all ready taken place. If the state does not amend the law, Bearden will permit the county to begin issuing licenses to gay and lesbian couples again. LINK

The politics of prescription drugs:

The New York Times ' Robert Pear reports that "a bipartisan group of senators announced Wednesday that they had reached agreement on a bill to allow imports of lower-cost prescription drugs from Canada and some other countries." LINK

AP's Mark Sherman Notes that support for importing Canadian drugs is growing among members of Congress. LINK

The Republican National Convention:

Meet Ed Koch, the newest GOP convention pitch man! LINK

The New York Post on the Koch pitch: LINK

Democratic National Convention:

Mayor Menino's latest headache: money for potholes. LINK

Media:

The Boston Globe's Joanna Weiss writes about how both conventions are treating television coverage beyond the major news networks with more respect than they have in cycles past. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the Senate:

Roll Call's Chris Cillizza writes, "Former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles this week became the first high-profile Democratic Senate candidate to publicly break with Senator John Kerry on a key policy issue, but don't expect him to be the last to do so."

Laura Jakes Jordan of the AP wraps up the tightening race between Sen. Arlen Specter and Rep. Pat Toomey. LINK

A poll by the Philadelphia Daily News/CN8 showed Toomey closing the gap between himself and Specter to 6 points — 46 to 40, down from Specter's 13-point lead last month, the Philadelphia Daily News' Chris Brennan reports. Meanwhile the three-way mud-slinging — between Specter, Toomey, and the Club for Growth — continues. LINK

Roll Call 's Lauren Whittington reports that NRSC Chairman George Allen is looking for all the help he can muster for Specter.

In good news for the White House, The Hill reports that "conservative activists backing Rep. Pat Toomey's Senate bid are voicing doubts that the congressman has enough money or shock troops to counter the statewide, multimedia campaign being waged by Senator Arlen Specter in Pennsylvania's Republican primary." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the House:

The AP reports that South Dakota Democratic candidate Stephanie Herseth is the first candidate ever to take advantage of a new FEC rule that allows her to draw a salary for herself from campaign funds. LINK

No Child Left Behind:

The Washington Post's Michael Dobbs take a long look at the effect that No Child Left Behind Act is having on schools. LINK

Making votes count:

The Wall Street Journal's Weinstein writes that though "the nation's voting systems are undergoing an expensive overhaul," there is "no guarantee that pregnant chads and other problems have been eliminated." Writes Weinstein, "The federal government tried to spur changes with the 2002 Help America Vote Act, or HAVA. But delays in distributing its $3.9 billion in funds, among other problems, have election watchers worried." Do see the nifty map graphic here.

Pennsylvania's Tuesday primary will be the first to follow the guidelines of the Help America Act in which first time voters much show identification. LINK

Politics:

The Charleston (W.Va.) Gazette's Phil Kabler reports on the mudslinging taking place in the Democratic primary for governor. LINK

The Schwarzenegger era:

AP writes that Arnold Schwarzenegger's political prowess as he begins to help raise money for several candidates in tight legislative races. LINK

TODAY SCHEDULE (all times ET):
—8:30 am: The Labor Department releases the weekly jobless claims report and Producer Price Index for March
—9:00 am: National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice attends closed meetings on Capitol Hill with House Republicans
—9:00 am: Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge and EU President Charlie McCreevy hold a news conference on mutual assistance for security, Washington, D.C.
—9:00 am: Deputy Defense Secretary Paul Wolfowitz holds an honor cordon to welcome Pakistan's Minister for Finance Shaukat Aziz to the Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
—9:00 am: The House of Representatives meets for morning business
—9:15 am: House Republicans hold a closed party conference at the Capitol
—9:30 am: The Senate reconvenes for legislative business
—9:30 am: Treasury Secretary John Snow teaches a fifth-grade class as part "National Teach Children to Save Day," New York, N.Y.
—10:00 am: Senator Chuck Grassley speaks about fighting fraud in the Medicare prescription drug program, the Capitol
—10:00 am: National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice meets privately with Republicans Senators at the Capitol
—10:15 am: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi holds her regular news conference at the Capitol
—11:00 am: First Lady Laura Bush attends a Congressional Spouses Luncheon, Washington, D.C.
—11:00 am: Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg speaks at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum's Days of Remembrance observance at the Capitol
—11:30 am: Sens. Jim Jeffords, Barbara Boxer, Patrick Leahy and Frank Lautenberg and Reps. Raul Grijalva and Earl Blumenauer hold a news conference to discuss the Bush Administration's environmental policies at the Capitol
—11:55 am: President Bush makes remarks on Earth Day at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Wells, Maine
—12:00 pm: Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe discusses prospects for the 2004 presidential campaign at American University, Washington, D.C.
—12:15 pm: Secretary Snow speaks to the Bond Market Association's Annual Meeting at the Waldorf, New York, N.Y.
—12:30 pm: Senator John McCain discusses "Iraq: The Test of a Generation" at the Council on Foreign Relations, Washington, D.C.
—12:45 pm: Senator John Kerry is greeted by veterans upon arrival at airport, Houston, Texas
—1:00 pm: Politics Live on ABC News Live and AOL
—1:30 pm: Senator Kerry attends an Earth Day rally at the University of Houston, Texas
—1:45 pm: Teresa Heinz Kerry walks with children and holds a discussion on the environment, Beverly Hills, Calif.
—2:00 pm: National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice attends closed meetings on Capitol Hill with Senate Democrats. Washington, D.C.
—2:30 pm: Laura Bush attends a ceremony to unveil the "Laura Bush Tulip" at the Dutch Ambassador's Residence, Washington, D.C.
—3:05 pm: Teresa Heinz Kerry holds a press availability, Beverly Hills, Calif.
—3:45 pm: President Bush speaks at the president's Environmental Youth Awards Ceremony, the White House
—6:00 pm: Laura Bush speaks at a reception for Senator Lisa Murkowski at the Washington Court Hotel, Washington, D.C.
—8:45 pm: Senator Kerry attends a fundraising reception at the Intercontinental Hotel, Houston, Texas