NEWS SUMMARY

Forget the Gang-of-500 propagated Notion that nada will happen between now and Thursday's (planned) debate.

Nothing these days is frozen in place.

Here's what to brace for in the next 72 hours —

1. Tonight's ABC News/ Washington Post poll.

2. Wednesday's and Thursday's "Good Morning America," featuring Diane Sawyer's exclusive interview with John Kerry.

3. The potential capture of Osama bin Laden (We don't know anything — we just like to monkey with the markets . . . ).

4. Potential indictments in the Fitzgerald/Wilson case (We don't know anything — we just like to monkey with certain grand jury regulars . . . ).

5. The airing of the President's interview with Bill O'Reilly, starting tonight and airing over three blockbuster evenings.

6. Finger pointing within BC04 about whose idea it was to do the O'Reilly interview.

7. New TV ads from the campaigns and outside groups. (There's a new one from BC04 today!!!)

8. The press could realize the truth and stop saying that Bush and Kerry have never lost a debate (Bush did against McCain et al. in 1999/2000 and Kerry did against Edwards et al. In 2003/2004.). Neither contender has ever lost a one-on-one debate, however.

9. The press could read and take to heart Adam Clymer's excellent advice in his New York Times op-ed piece about how to cover debates in order to serve the public interest, with invaluable guidance such as that "fact-checking efforts" should not be "constrained by an effort to balance one candidate's big mistakes against the other's minor errors." LINK

10. Ted Kennedy and Howard Dean could make high-profile appearances to buttress John Kerry's claim to be stronger on national security. (This one is happening, lucky, lucky Karl Rove!)

11. John Kerry, who begs his staff to let him speak to the press every day, convinces Sasso to schedule one news conference. Amid it, Kerry flops a question about one of those House of Representative-passed bills designed to embarrass him.

12. To make a point to the Crawford press corps, Dan Bartlett raises his hand high and throws President Bush's debate expectations to the ground, repeatedly stomping on them while mumbling "horrible. My boss will absolutely suck Thursday night. And, off the record, he recently had a partial lobotomy."

13. Kerry could lose his voice.

14. New news out of Iraq.

15. Elisabeth Bumiller could find yet another Yale angle on the race, and apologetically get it into the paper.

16. Savvy Note readers could learn about how to get all-Note-all-the-time on Noted Now, ABC News' up-to-the-minute political news digest. LINK

17. The implications and underpinnings of Bob Novak's must-read column about the war between the White House and the CIA could spin wildly out of control. LINK

18. Brian Jones could make every political reporter in America forget Steve Schmidt.

19. Someone like Michael Dukakis, Ed Rendell, Tom Vilsack, or John Breaux could say something that depresses Democrats.

20. Donald Rumsfeld could speak the truth (again).

Hours before the beginning of his three-day appearance on "The O'Reilly Factor" begin to air, President Bush will fly from Crawford to Ohio for a 1:15 pm ET education town hall at the Midwest Livestock and Expo Center in Springfield, OH. Bush then travels to West Chester, OH for a 4:15 pm ET rally.

Sen. Kerry, also ostensibly down for debate prep, doesn't venture too far from the House on the Rock resort in Spring Green, WI, hosting a 10:30 am ET town hall meeting in the same town.

(Is it okay from a campaign message point of view that the word "resort" is being applied so regularly this week to Senator Kerry's debate prep?)

Sen. Edwards attends a 11:00 am ET rally in Manchester, NH then flies to Providence, RI for a 3:25 pm ET DNC fundraiser. He finished off his day with a couple of DNC fundraisers in new York City, one open (7:45 pm ET) and one closed 8:30 pm ET.

Elizabeth Edwards is in Huntington, WV today for a 4:15 pm ET town hall meeting.

Vice President Cheney has cancelled his campaign events in Florida today due to the hurricane. He remains down in Washington, DC.

And in a speech at George Washington today, Sen. Ted Kennedy will charge that by focusing on Iraq, President Bush has made the United States susceptible to a nuclear 9/11.

The full Senate today takes up the 9/11 intelligence reform legislation sponsored by Sens. Collins and Lieberman.

Tomorrow both Bush and Kerry really are down in Texas and Wisconsin, respectively, for debate prep. Vice President Cheney travels to Dubuque, IA for a town hall and Lacrosse, MN for a rally. Sen. Edwards is in Pittsburgh and East Brunswick, NJ. First Lady Laura Bush will be in Salem, OR, and Henderson, NV. Elizabeth will be in Westover, and Lewisburg, WV.

On Wednesday, when President Bush's interview on "Dr. Phil" will air, both Bush and Kerry head to Florida ahead of Thursday's first presidential debate. Vice President Cheney will be in St. Paul and Duluth, MN. Senator Edwards will be in Pittsburgh and Weirton, WV. And Laura Bush campaigns in Clovis and Albuquerque, NM. And the final GDP second quarter report is released.

On Thursday the candidates hold the Clash in Coral Gables. In the afternoon Laura Bush speaks at a David Vitter fundraiser in Shreveport, LA.

On Friday, President Bush campaigns in Ft. Meyers and St. Petersburg, FL. Sen. Kerry remains in Florida until Saturday. Both vice presidential candidates head to their debate prep cites: Jackson, WY for Cheney and Chautauqua, NY for Edwards. (The Edwards campaign notes that Chautauqua, where Clinton prepped for his 1996 debates, is only 15 miles from the Pennsylvania border and across the lake from Cleveland.)

The Clash in Coral Gables:

Not one journalistic soul reports on the status of the flare up of the debate-about-debates, with no clear resolution between the Commission on Presidential Debates and the campaigns, but everybody seems to be proceeding forward toward Miami — so The Note will too.

The morning news shows were all about debate previews today. ABC News' Claire Shipman called Bush and Kerry "verbal gladiators." Her piece included interviews with Ann Richards and Bill Weld — Bush and Kerry's vanquished rivals from Texas and Massachusetts. Richards said Bush was someone who "never gets off message." Weld said: "In terms of being articulate, he has almost no peer. So I predict he will be able to land those blows." Richards said Bush's weakness is "if you can get him to expand."

CNN's Jack Cafferty highlighted just how "tightly choreographed" the debates are.

CNN's Jeff Greenfield said on "American Morning" the key is how many undecided voters will be watching. On "Imus," Greenfield said the debates are about voters seeing these folks in a 90-minute relatively uncontrolled format so voters can determine what their comfort level is with these guys.

On the "Early Show," CBS' Jim Axelrod called this the most important week in Kerry's campaign. Axelrod closed by saying that Kerry trails by 12 points in Wisconsin and thus he has come to the state not only to prepare for the debates but to do a little campaigning as well. Axelrod included two SOTs of Kerry going after Bush for his Bill O'Reilly comments.

The Miami Herald 's Frank Davies has a mini debate preview, declaring profoundly that if Ann Richards had won in 1994 and Bill Weld had won in 1996, then "voters probably would not be facing a choice of Kerry or Bush." LINK

USA Today 's Kasindorf and Benedetto watch the horizon for any movement during debate prep. LINK

The AP's Mary Dalrymple does as well. LINK

The New York Post 's Ian Bishop reports about the fight over the thermostat. LINK

The New York Times ' Adam Nagourney and Robin Toner Note the unusual intensity of broadcast advertisements, which leads to conclude that both sides believe this first debate is pivotal.

"Aides to Mr. Kerry and Mr. Bush both said that the debates had the potential of upending and perhaps even deciding the race. But both sides agreed that of the two candidates, Mr. Kerry had the most riding on its outcome." LINK

"'The first debate is really in my opinion about Kerry,' said James Carville, a Democratic consultant and informal adviser to the Kerry campaign. 'People know what they think of Bush — they don't want to re-elect him.'"

"Matthew Dowd, a senior strategist for Mr. Bush, said: 'They have some pressure on them. If the election were held today, we would win. The only way for Kerry to readjust it back to even is with these debates.'"

"Mr. Bush held two practice debates over the weekend at his ranch in Texas, with Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire playing the role of Mr. Kerry, said Dan Bartlett, the White House communications director. Mr. Bartlett continued what has been a concerted effort to play down expectations about how Mr. Bush would do in a debate with Mr. Kerry."

"'Will President Bush step on his own line and maybe not pronounce a word right?' Mr. Bartlett said. 'I bet he will. But I think after the 90 minutes there won't be ambiguity on his positions, and that's a difference.'"

In an absolute, certified must read, the New York Times ' Elisabeth Bumiller discovers that both Sen. Kerry and President Bush were influenced by the same debate coach.

"It turns out that Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry, two years apart in New Haven, shared the same oratory teacher and debate coach, Rollin G. Osterweis. Their training in speaking and thinking under Professor Osterweis influenced the kind of candidates they became, and will be part of their performances in Coral Gables, Fla., on Thursday." LINK

"Professor Osterweis, who died in 1982, was a courtly Yale professor who taught a popular and easy class, History of American Oratory, for a quarter-century. Both Mr. Bush and Mr. Kerry took the course, which consisted of studying famous addresses by William Jennings Bryan, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln, among others, as well as delivering a speech to Professor Osterweis and the class. Mr. Kerry, as is well known, went one step further and became a star on the Yale debate team, with Professor Osterweis as coach."

The New York Daily News Notes Time's reporting about pens, podiums and perspiration. LINK

Here is Time's debate prepper by Tumulty and Dickerson. LINK

James G. Lakely writes, "[A]t podiums set up in a conference area of his Crawford, TX, ranch, Mr. Bush practiced a couple of hours on Saturday and then another two hours yesterday morning. Sen. Judd Gregg, New Hampshire Republican, played Mr. Kerry, with Mark McKinnon, media adviser for the Bush-Cheney campaign, as the moderator." LINK

The New York Times ' ed board thinks "House Republicans are already trying to turn this week's debate into a pre-election brawl aimed more at scoring phony patriotic points than at passing meaningful laws." LINK

Adam Clymer Notes that the upcoming presidential debate is not only a critical test for the candidates but for journalists to report the news accurately. LINK

Newsweek's Fareed Zakaria outlines what he says voters should be listening for when watching the debates and trying to decide who would make a better war president. LINK

On Sunday, the Washington Post 's David Von Drehle wrote that the election may turn on the debates. LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Barabak and Anderson on Sunday wrote that the race is down to a few states and the debates. LINK

John Tierney of the New York Times on Sunday turned in a very funny pre-debate quiz — included among the multiple choice answers are real things Bush and Kerry have said. LINK

On Sunday, the New York Times ' Alex Williams offered up a good look at all the non-verbal cues and style points that voters will watch and Bush and Kerry are prepping to be mindful of as they get ready for the debates. LINK

Arizona State University's State Press reports that students are OK with limiting access to dorms for security purposes on Oct. 13. LINK

The State Press' Vic Vela writes: "Senator John Kerry, Thursday is your chance to become Sammy Sosa." LINK

The Clash in Coral Gables: media:

Ten things we hope/pray NOT to hear/read this week:

1. John Kerry needs some hurricane force winds to propel him out of this debate and change the momentum of the race.
2. This debate might just be a Category 4 clash
3. The fifth storm to hit the Sunshine State this hurricane season will be of the political variety and is expected to hit on Thursday night.
4. Beware George Bush's storm surge.
5. The trajectory of this campaign is not unlike that of Jeanne, Charley, Francis, and Ivan — unpredictable, forceful, and inescapable for the I-4 corridor.
6. Even Max Mayfield can't predict what will take place Thursday night.
7. Kerry has to muster enough wind to knock out Bush's power lines.
8. John Kerry and George Bush must stand their ground Thursday night, even if Jeb orders an evacuation.
9. That long winded answer just upgraded from tropical storm to hurricane force.
10. Haven't the people of Florida suffered enough.

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush v. Kerry:

Ron Brownstein of the Los Angeles Times ponders this question in his column today (in which he sounds almost Dick Morris-esque in his final sentence): LINK

" . . . is a political environment centered on national security issues allowing the Republican Party to break the partisan deadlock that has characterized U.S. politics for the last decade?"

More Brownstein: "If Bush wins another term, many Democrats will likely point to Kerry's flaws as a candidate. But a Bush victory would force Democrats to consider the possibility that in a country split evenly on other issues, security has become a thumb on the scales for the GOP."

USA Today 's Mark Memmott reports on how well the campaigns' TV spots are playing in Ohio. Short answer: not well. LINK

USA Today 's Susan Page presents the "10 toughest things to do in national politics." LINK

Here they are:

— 1 Handling an October surprise LINK
— 2 Making a second impression LINK
— 3 Surviving a firestorm LINK
— 4 Participating in a presidential debate LINK
— 5 Getting non-voters to the polls LINK
— 6 Raising the second round of money LINK
— 7 Changing the subject, successfully LINK
— 8 Turning a foe's plus into his problem LINK
— 9 Turning your problem into a plus LINK
— 10 'What I meant to say' LINK

The Chicago Tribune's Rick Pearson looks at the new Tribune poll of Illinois voters, and it's worrisome for Kerry. He still leads Bush, but only by 9 points now, instead of 14 points in August. The survey also shows Kerry's support below 50 percent for first time, while undecideds have doubled. We wonder if the lead doesn't just say it all: a 3-point change in a 4-point margin of error. LINK

Pat Healy's Boston Globe story today is a one-stop shop for what's going on in the political world . . . almost. It starts off with the president's comments about the "Mission Accomplished" speech and then uses the Kerry camp's rebuttal to transition to Senator Kerry's debate prep. LINK

"John F. Kerry excoriated President Bush on Sunday for saying that he had no regrets about his declaration more than a year ago that the mission in Iraq was accomplished, when the country continues to be in a state of war," report the Washington Post 's Lois Romano and Mike Allen. LINK

Several federal agencies have delayed issuing new rulings until after election day, reports the New York Times ' Steven Labaton. LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's John Harwood has a richly detailed report on Iowa's early voting race. LINK

The Washington Post 's Howard Kurtz examines how President Bush and Senator Kerry are faring in the coverage of the campaign and perceived biases, according to a study by the Center for Media and Public Affairs. LINK

Brit sure hangs a lot of the fairness quotient on Campaign Carl!!!

Newsweek's Howard Fineman takes a look at the campaigns' ground games (including the Democrats bringing in the "mysterious, near-legendary Michael Whouley") for turning out voters. LINK

"The contest that most Americans see is on the air, conducted on TV and on the Internet in ads, speeches and the debates, the first of which is this week at the University of Miami. But there is a less visible, just as crucial, battle underway now, too — a meticulously targeted, parking-lot-to-parking-lot struggle to find and motivate a relative handful of voters in Pennsylvania and a dozen other battleground states. The war uses high tech for a prosaically low-tech goal: person-to-person contact. With mainframes and Palm Pilots, data mining and Webcasting, the campaigns aim to generate word-of-mouth buzz as well as lists of voter names. Republicans call it "multilevel marketing"; Democrats, 'F2F' — for face to face."

A new Time magazine poll shows President Bush leading Sen. Kerry 48 percent to 42 percent among likely voters, with Ralph Nader garnering 5 percent — narrowing from the 11-point lead Bush held in the last Time poll two weeks ago. LINK

The survey showed some interesting — and not necessarily entirely welcome — numbers for Bush on Iraq as well. Thirty-seven percent of registered voters told Time they think Bush has been "truthful in describing the situation" in Iraq, and 55% say the "situation is worse than Bush has reported." Kerry's refrain that the war in Iraq has not made the country safer also looks to be making a little bit of headway, with 51 percent saying the world is more dangerous, and 39 percent saying it's safer. That's a shift, Time notes, from the 44 percent who said the world is safer and the 46 percent who said it's more dangerous in the last poll.

Newsweek's Web-exclusive GENEXT poll conducted Sept. 7-22 showing a dead heat among registered voters age 18 to 29 — 45 percent for Kerry, 44 percent for Bush, and 6 percent for Ralph Nader. Last month, Kerry beat Bush in this demographic — 50 percent to 41 percent. The gap between young voters who believe the country is on the wrong track and those who believe it's on the right has narrowed as well, Newsweek Notes — 51 percent and 47 percent, respectively, compared to 54 percent who said wrong track and 42 percent who said right track last month. LINK

AP's Mike Glover wrote Saturday that while 2000 might've been all about Florida, it's Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota that Bush and Kerry are fighting hard over in 2004. All three Midwestern battlegrounds narrowly went for Vice President Gore in 2000 (Wisconsin by 5,708 votes; Iowa by 4,144 votes; Minnesota by 58,607 votes), and have edged more Republican since, Glover writes, making them high-value targets for the Bush-Cheney campaign, given that outer suburbs and rural areas are trending Republican. LINK

Glover talked to voters who tell him "They are worried about the economy, though not as much as Rust Belt voters to the East, and the war in Iraq is a constant source of concern — even anger. But more people approve of the president's performance than disapprove, polls show, and there is significant ambivalence toward Kerry."

The Los Angeles Times' Ron Brownstein and Kathleen Hennessey on Saturday detailed the complications faced by those trying to organize and get out the Latino vote, Noting that Latinos "are still not registering and voting in numbers large enough to maximize their influence. As a result, in Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado and Arizona, Latinos represent a smaller share of the vote — in some cases much smaller — than their share of the population, according to exit polls on election days." And they're more likely to play a supporting role, rather than a starring one, in this election as a result. LINK

Paul Farhi of the Washington Post on Saturday recycled a story we've seen earlier in the campaign year about how the candidates are mixing quantity and quality (i.e., targeting) in their ad buys — fewer states, but more specific programming. A pretty good latest assessment of money and media buying strategy. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney '04:

The Bush-Cheney '04 campaign comes out with a new ad this morning looking at Sen. Kerry's positions on Iraq, ABC News' Karen Travers reports.

The ad, "Searching," questions Sen. Kerry's ability to lead the country in the war on terror "when he does not even know where he stands."

The ad uses sound bites from Sen. Kerry on Iraq to show his contrasting and shifting positions.

Some of the sound bites isolated in the ad may be misleading without context. For example, the BC04 campaign uses a soundbite from Sen. Kerry where he says ""The winning of the war was brilliant."

From the campaign's ad facts, Sen. Kerry said this on Hardball on May 19, 2003 and was talking about the first month after the war, May 2003, and about the troops effort in Iraq.

Full quote from "Hardball":

"I think they clearly have dropped the ball with respect to the first month in the after — winning the war. That winning of the war was brilliant and superb, and we all applaud our troops for doing what they did, but you've got to have the capacity to provide law and order on the streets and to provide the fundamental services, and I believe American troops will be safer and America will pay less money if we have a broader coalition involved in that, including the United Nations."

Script:

President Bush:I'm George W. Bush and I approve this message.

John Kerry:"It was the right decision to disarm Saddam Hussein, and when the president made the decision I supported him. … I don't believe the president took us to war as he should have. … The winning of the war was brilliant … It's the wrong war, in the wrong place, at the wrong time. … I have always said we may yet even find weapons of mass destruction. … I actually did vote for the 87 billion dollars before I voted against it."

Graphic: How can John Kerry protect us … when he doesn't even know where he stands?

The new ad will go up this afternoon on national cable and local markets in battleground states. The campaign currently has six other ads rotating right now on national cable stations and in battleground states. The ads focus on the President's agenda and Sen. Kerry's agenda — not in the same light, of course.

President Bush takes a break from debate prep today to head to battleground Ohio for two campaign events in West Chester and Springfield.

The more than 35,000 people expected to attend the president's rally in Butler County, Ohio today will "be the biggest event" BC04 has "had in Ohio, maybe in the country," says Bush campaign Ohio communications director Aaron McLear to the Dayton Daily News. LINK

"After today's Springfield-West Chester trip, Bush will return to the state Saturday to campaign in Columbus and northeastern Ohio," reports the Cincinnati Enquirer. LINK

The AP's cowgirl Jennifer Loven sizes up Ohio as President Bush makes his 26th visit to the Buckeye state. LINK

Loven Notes that Springfield and West Chester are in areas that have been "a Republican stronghold for decades and gave Bush large majorities that helped build his 3.6 percentage-point victory" in 2000 and "[n]ow, Bush aims to make sure those margins hold so that Kerry will be unable to pick off a state he badly wants."

USA Today 's Walter Shapiro thinks the Ohio Bush campaign "runs a risk in becoming too closely associated with" the gay marriage ban. LINK

Shapiro also floats the Notion that Ohio business interests might line up against the president on this one.

Pat Healy looks at President Bush's interview with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly. LINK

Healy picks up on the president's comment that "absolutely" he would still don a flight suit and announce an end of major combat in Iraq under the banner "Mission Accomplished" as he did in May 2003.

Bush also talks about the swift boat ads and whether Karl Rove knew about them ahead of time. Bush tells O'Reilly that he didn't know about the ads but when asked if Rove did, the president first says, "I don't think so" and then asks O'Reilly, "In other words, you're asking if anybody coordinated this in our campaign?" O'Reilly says that he was asking whether the group gave the campaign a heads up. Bush responded "Not to my knowledge."

"President Bush may make an expensive bid to win New Jersey and is likely to increase his spending in Washington state if his leads in swing states hold after the opening presidential debate Thursday night, Republican officials said Saturday," the Washington Post 's Mike Allen and Lois Romano reported on Sunday. LINK

The Los Angeles Times has a long look at the president's Guard service — call it a helpful refresher of the unanswered questions if you've been distracted by documents, but Dan Bartlett will tell you, "Move along — there's no news here." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush-Cheney re-elect: Cheney on the trail:

Vice President Cheney cancelled a campaign swing through Florida today due to Hurricane Jeanne. He will remain in Washington until heading back out onto the campaign trail tomorrow in the Midwest.

The New York Times ' Joel Brinkley Notes that Vice President Cheney's rhetoric on national security and terrorism contrasts with what voters really want to hear: his stance on domestic issues. LINK

James Gerstenzang of the Los Angeles Times writes up what some critics see as Vice President Cheney's blurring of the lines when it comes to connecting Iraq to Al Qaeda. LINK

By connecting Iraq to al Qaeda, Cheney "draws a line from the war in Iraq, on which public opinion is divided, to the larger war on terrorism, for which President Bush wins greater support," Gerstenzang Notes.

"Rick Lyman isn't alone in feeling spurned by the vice-president," reports New York Magazine's intelligencer. Knight-Ridder and the Washington Post have both run into some difficulties in getting a seat on Air Force Two as well. LINK

A Maralee Schwartz cameo!!!

ABC News Vote 2004: Kerry-Edwards '04:

Peter Wallsten and Ed Chen of the Los Angeles Times provide Sunday debate prep roundups but lead with Kerry's "hard-hitting" comments on the tarmac in Wisconsin. LINK

" . . . Kerry's remarks Sunday — which lasted only about five minutes but included several hard-hitting jabs at Bush's leadership in Iraq — suggested he is learning to sharpen his rhetorical skills."

(Note Note: The first reporter to publish the President's joke/mock responses during debate prep wins a big prize!)

"Sen. Kerry's campaign said yesterday that Mr. Kerry did not own a Chinese assault rifle, as he was quoted as saying in Outdoor Life magazine, but a single-bolt-action military rifle, blaming aides who filled out the magazine's questionnaire on his behalf for the error," writes the New York Times ' Jodi Wilgoren. LINK

In a memo last night, the Kerry campaign announced it's putting an ad on the air in Ohio to follow the president's visit there for an education town hall, comparing his comments on Ohio's economy and looking at job losses in the state. Camp Kerry over the weekend launched another spot, "Despicable," in response to the Progress for America ad, accusing the president of playing politics with the war on terror. It's airing in battleground states, and will largely track the PfA buy, the campaign says.

In Sunday's New York Times , Adam Nagourney and Jodi Wilgoren turn in an absolute must-read on how John Kerry ticks and how his campaign is run, taking a look at his management style in the same way that the Washington Post examined that of President Bush on June 2. Whereas Bush has the decisive bent of a CEO, Kerry "is a meticulous, deliberative decision maker, always demanding more information, calling around for advice, reading another document." LINK

"But the downside to his deliberative executive style, they said, is a campaign that has often moved slowly against a swift opponent, and a candidate who has struggled to synthesize the information he sweeps up into a clear, concise case against Mr. Bush."

"Even his aides concede that Mr. Kerry can be slow in taking action, bogged down in the very details he is so intent on collecting," yet process isn't all that interesting to him, according to Nagourney and Wilgoren. As is obvious, the duo write, "There is no Karl Rove in Mr. Kerry's orbit."

The story is chock-full of interesting information on Kerry's mind and style, including the way he delegates to campaign manager Mary Beth Cahill — who brought Joe Lockhart and Mike McCurry on board.

On Sunday, the Boston Globe 's Michael Kranish looks at the ways in which the GOP is working to get Catholics to shun Kerry — including a Web site called www.KerryWrongforCatholics.com — and writes that "the combined effect of the party and private efforts could be as significant politically as the swift boat veterans attack . . . " LINK

David Saltonstall reports when the New York Archdiocese forgot on purpose not to invite Catholic presidential candidate John Kerry to its annual Al Smith dinner, it turned to former Gov. Hugh Carey to be its designated Democrat. But as the homework-doing New York Daily News has learned "there's just one problem: Carey isn't a registered Democrat — and hasn't been for most of the past 15 years." LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Matea Gold on Sunday looked at Kerry's specific attacks on Bush's handling of Iraq and writes "for the first time in weeks, the Massachusetts senator seemed to be framing the campaign debate on his terms." LINK

On Sunday, the Boston Globe 's Glen Johnson wrote: "For the first time since August … Kerry and his team were setting the agenda rather than responding to attacks." LINK

This is an emerging CW in the press corps it would seem.

The New York Times ' Randy Archibold on Sunday looked at the "evolving" partnership between Kerry and Edwards complete with "awkward moments." LINK

On Sunday, the New York Times ' John Tierney looked at Kerry's dilemma: perhaps you can improve your standing by changing your message but you'll just open yourself up to more charges of inconsistency from the Bush campaign. LINK

Lloyd Grove Notes Peter Bacanovic (a.k.a. Martha Stewart's ex-stockbroker) privately calls himself "a strong Kerry supporter." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: Bush v. Kerry: the politics of Iraq:

On page A11 of today's New York Times , the DNC has a full page ad with photos and quotes of Sens. Hagel, McCain, Lugar, Bob Graham, and Biden and Hagel's quote printed large across the middle: "WE ARE NOT WINNING. THINGS ARE GETTING WORSE."

Bob Novak reveals the name of a CIA source critical of the president. LINK

The New York Times ' David Rosenbaum on Saturday offered his own fact check on the Iraq debate. LINK

The politics of Iraq and national security:

At George Washington University today, Sen. Ted Kennedy will slam the Bush Administration on the way the war in Iraq and reconstruction have been handled, and charge that by focusing on Iraq, President Bush has made the United States susceptible to a nuclear 9/11, facing threats from North Korea and Iran as well as al Qaeda.

Some excerpts:

"The president's handling of the war has been a toxic mix of ignorance, arrogance, and stubborn ideology. No amount of Presidential rhetoric or preposterous campaign spin can conceal the facts about the steady downward spiral in our national security since President Bush made the decision to go to war in Iraq. If this election is decided on the question of whether America is safer because of President George Bush, John Kerry will win in a landslide. "

"What is helping to unite so many of the Iraqi people in hatred of America is their emerging sense that America is unwilling not just unable to rebuild their shattered country and provide for their basic needs. Far from sharing President Bush's unrealistically rosy view, they see up-close that their hope for peace and stability is receding every day. Inevitably, more and more Iraqis feel that attacks on coalition forces are acceptable, even if they would not resort to violence themselves."

"The Bush Administration's focus on Iraq has left us needlessly more vulnerable to an Al Qaeda attack with a nuclear weapon. The greatest threat of all to our homeland is a nuclear attack. A mushroom cloud over any American city is the ultimate nightmare, and the risk is all too real. Osama bin Laden calls the acquisition of a nuclear device a "religious duty." Documents captured from a key Al Qaeda aide three years ago revealed plans even then to smuggle high-grade radioactive materials into the United States in shipping containers."

"If Al Qaeda can obtain a nuclear weapon, they will certainly use it on New York, or Washington, or any of America's other major cities. The greatest danger we face in the days and weeks and months ahead is a nuclear 9/11, and we hope and pray that it is not already too late to prevent. The war in Iraq has made the mushroom cloud more likely, not less likely."

"The Bush administration's failure to shut down al-Qaida and rebuild Iraq have fueled the insurgency and made the United States more vulnerable to a nuclear attack by terrorists, Senator Edward M. Kennedy said Sunday," writes the AP's Lolita Baldor. LINK

The Washington Post 's Dana Priest picks up Secretary of State Colin Powell's comment on ABC's "This Week" that the insurgency in Iraq is getting worse, and his disagreement with Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld that it would be legitimate to hold elections in most of Iraq. LINK

On "Today" today, NBC News' Andrea Mitchell covered reaction to the Time story (LINK) about a proposed covert CIA plan to aid Iraqi candidates favored by Washington in January's elections. Mitchell closed her package noting the Bush Administration will now have to face the allegation that the Iraqi elections "could be rigged."

The Wall Street Journal 's Christopher Cooper looks at the draft comeback rumors and finds that while the bill is "collecting dust," with the situation in Iraq worsening, the "idea that the draft may have to be reinstituted strikes some as plausible, if not inevitable."

Newsweek's Jonathan Alter writes that it's unrealistic to think that it's unnecessary to reinstate the draft. LINK

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times offered a look at how al Qaeda has evolved since the war on terror began, Noting that "officials warn that the Bush administration's upbeat assessment of its successes is overly optimistic and masks its strategic failure to understand and combat Al Qaeda's evolution." LINK

In Sunday's New York Times Week In Review, Roger Cohen asked: what if the U.S. just pulled out of Iraq? LINK

On Sunday, the Washington Post 's Wright and Ricks looked at the U.S. and Iraq preparing an offensive to pave the way for Iraq's January election. LINK

"Al Qaeda is present along the border region of Pakistan and Afghanistan and is encouraging Afghan insurgents to disrupt presidential elections scheduled in just two weeks, on Oct. 9, the commander of American forces in Afghanistan, Lt. Gen. David Barno, said Saturday," the New York Times ' Carlotta Gall reported Sunday. The military also found al Qaeda present in the southeastern provinces Khost, Paktia and Paktika, and Barno predicted that terrorist attacks would increase as the date of the election draws closer. There are 17,000 American troops and 9,500 NATO peacekeepers in Afghanistan. LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: the Big Four battlegrounds: Florida, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Wisconsin:

On Sunday, the New York Times published its look at voter registration data in two key battleground states, Ohio and Florida, and found that Democrats have far exceeded Republicans in adding new voters in both states. The new voters registered by Democrats numbers in the tens of thousands, the Times ' Ford Fessenden writes. LINK

"The analysis by The New York Times of county-by-county data shows that in Democratic areas of Ohio — primarily low-income and minority neighborhoods — new registrations since January have risen 250 percent over the same period in 2000. In comparison, new registrations have increased just 25 percent in Republican areas. A similar pattern is apparent in Florida: in the strongest Democratic areas, the pace of new registration is 60 percent higher than in 2000, while it has risen just 12 percent in the heaviest Republican areas."

A couple of caveats. First, the Times ' methodology in Ohio relies on the voting history of ZIP codes to determine party support.

Second, Republicans are criticizing efforts by the outside groups as sloppy, and Fessenden reminds that a surge in registration doesn't necessarily mean a surge in voter turnout.

On Saturday, the New York Times ' Abby Goodnough looked at how hurricane season has put a hold on campaigning for Florida's coveted electoral votes, and how the inability to poll or raise money has left state and local candidates adrift. LINK

The Boston Globe 's Yvonne Abraham on Saturday took a snapshot of the battle for Floridians' votes. LINK

Five billion dollars is "roughly the size of the hole Ohio officials will have to plug to fund the next two-year state budget," reports the Columbus Dispatch. LINK

The Columbus Dispatch heads out on a 2,500-mile journey to explore what is making voters tick in battleground states that don't begin an end with the letter "o." Today's installment looks at the gun owners vote in Wisconsin. LINK

"Though they roundly applaud Kerry's tougher attacks last week on Bush's foreign policy, veteran Ohio Democrats say Kerry still needs to do more to win over undecided Ohio voters who are unhappy with Bush's work on Iraq, jobs and health care," writes Elizabeth Auster in the Cleveland Plain Dealer. (Don't forget the Reagan Democrats in Parma, they warn.) LINK

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports absentee ballots will be ready tomorrow and the Buckeye State may see record numbers of such voters. LINK

"Absentee voters could account for 10 percent of all ballots cast in Southwest Ohio this fall, according to estimates from area election boards."

ABC News Vote 2004: the battlegrounds:

"A new reality is taking root in the old stomping grounds of populist icons Hubert Humphrey and Eugene McCarthy: Minnesota, once a reliably Democratic state, is now up for grabs in the race for the White House," writes the Wall Street Journal 's Greg Hitt.

"In Minnesota, political undercurrents developing over much of the past decade give Bush allies hope. Suburban sprawl around Minneapolis and St. Paul has created a bloc of mostly middle-class voters with pocketbook concerns and far less loyalty to Minnesota's tradition of progressive public consciousness. The state's economy, with a 4.8% jobless rate, has outperformed the rest of the nation. And social issues such as abortion and gay marriage have taken on greater importance among the rural and blue-collar voters who once were bedrock Democrats."

"'It's the Clinton party,' says 52-year-old Linda Sorum, among more than 13,000 Republican faithful crowding St. Cloud's Dick Putz Field as Mr. Bush kicks off a bus tour. A nurse at St. Cloud Hospital, Ms. Sorum says Democrats have fallen out of step with the Minnesota she knows. She is attracted to Mr. Bush because of her opposition to abortion and her support for the war with Iraq."

The Los Angeles Times takes a look at Oregon and the battle for its seven electoral votes. Kerry has slipped here as he has nationally, reports the Times , but Nader's absence from the ballot could prove to be a crucial boost. Remember, it's all vote by mail and ballots get sent to voters on Oct. 15. LINK

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's columnist Jo Mannies writes that while Missouri may not longer be a top tier battleground, it may not be a safe state either. "But there's also a third option: Missouri now may be the political version of a lab experiment." LINK

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Branch-Brioso looks at early voting in the battlegrounds and how "the push to vote early is still strong." LINK

USA Today 's Tom Kenworthy tries to explain the Colorado ballot measure to split its electoral votes. LINK

And, by the way, Gore would have won if it were that way in 2000. LINK

The Charleston Gazette previews Sen. Edwards' visit to West Virginia on Wednesday and his wife's visits Today and Tuesday. LINK

Bill Nemitz of the Belthen Maine Newspapers reports that former independent Gov. Angus King has endorsed Kerry after reading online that Vice President Cheney said this president "doesn't agonize" about the decision to go to war. LINK

Mark Peters of the Portland Press-Herald reviews Edwards' Sunday visit with 2,500 people in Lewiston, which "focused almost exclusively on foreign policy." LINK

ABC News Vote 2004: casting and counting:

Former President Jimmy Carter writes on the Washington Post op-ed page that many of the Help America Vote Act's "key provisions have not been implemented because of inadequate funding or political disputes" and as a result "perhaps the only recourse will be to focus maximum public scrutiny on the suspicious process in Florida." LINK

"About 30% of the state's voters — 4.5 million people in 10 counties, including Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino — are expected to use electronic voting machines in November, down from about 40% in the spring," reports the Los Angeles Times of California's preparations for Nov. 2. LINK

On Sunday, the Los Angeles Times' Maria La Ganga reported that 70 percent of Americans have the chance to vote early. LINK

Bush's National Guard service and the CBS documents:

The New York Times ' Jacques Steinberg contemplates the future of the CBS Evening News. LINK

As does Josh Getlin in the Los Angeles Times. LINK

The AP's David Bauder surveys affiliate opinion and finds anger, confusion and surprise. LINK

Kate Zernike of the New York Times reported on Saturday that "CBS News said yesterday that it had postponed a "60 Minutes" segment that questioned Bush administration rationales for going to war in Iraq." The report, originally scheduled for Sept. 8 but bumped, will not run before election day. LINK

On Saturday, the Washington Post 's Michael Dobbs reported that Bill Burkett "is looking for a lawyer to pursue a possible defamation case" against CBS. "Burkett is angry with CBS and anchor Dan Rather for disclosing his identity after promising him anonymity, his current attorney, Gabriel Quintanilla, said yesterday." But the hunt for a lawyer hasn't been easy. LINK

On Saturday, Elizabeth Jensen of the Los Angeles Times looked at the beginnings of the investigation at CBS, and how the network may end up eating its young — or Rather, its experienced. LINK

John F. Harris writes that September has routinely been a month ripe for political diversions. LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Josh Getlin writes of Dan Rather: "His hard-hitting manner built his career at CBS. But will a scandal over a report be the end of it?" LINK

From the outside:

The Washington Post 's Tom Edsall and James Grimaldi examine the impact and advertising of 501c groups like Citizens United and Project Vote, who, unlike their 527 brethren, operate "under the radar of regulation and public disclosure." The duo smartly — and briefly (!) describe the specifics of the 501c regulations, and include this tidbit: "To arrive at a total expenditure figure for 501c groups is impossible, given their nondisclosure requirements. But, based on interviews and an examination of available records, it seems likely their total spending will be from $70 million to $100 million this election cycle, with expenditures by pro-Republican and pro-Democratic groups roughly equal." LINK

Glen Justice and Jim Rutenberg of the New York Times on Saturday looked at the latest expensive advertising salvos by 527 groups. LINK

Also Saturday, Justice looked at hefty donations by wealthy political activists to outside groups. LINK

Terrorism and the election:

"Agencies across the federal government are launching an aggressive and unusually open offensive aimed at thwarting terrorist plots before and during the presidential election in November" — and the heightened state of alert will persist through the January inauguration, report the Washington Post 's Dan Eggen and Spencer Hsu. LINK

Big Casino budget politics: Medicare:

The New York Times ' Robert Pear wrote on Sunday, "the new Medicare law has touched off a huge battle between insurance companies and drug companies that could determine how many medicines will be readily available to Medicare beneficiaries." Drug companies and doctors want as many medicines as possible on the list of drugs available to beneficiaries. Insurance companies and those who manage the benefits, however, are less than enthusiastic. LINK

The politics of same-sex marriage:

The Boston Globe 's Sandeep Kaushik reports that proponents of same-sex marriage are focusing most of their energy on Oregon's ballot measure on the issue where they think they have the best chance of defeating a constitutional amendment blocking it. LINK

"The No on Constitutional Amendment 36 campaign has what gay rights activists say is likely to be the best-funded state effort to defeat such an amendment in the nation, out-raising traditional marriage advocates in the state by a 3-to-1 margin so far."

On the Hill:

The Hammer nails down his accomplishments in a USA Today opinion piece, counterbalancing the paper's ed board's assessment of the 1994 revolution. LINK and LINK

Roll Call reports the ethics committee may vote this week on whether to open a full investigation into Tom DeLay's activities. LINK

Ben Pershing and Erin P. Billings of Roll Call write "House Republicans will race to pass and sell a handful of signature legislative items while Democrats will focus on a message accusing the GOP of presiding over a 'do-nothing Congress,'" in Roll Call . LINK

Judicial politics:

Anne Gearan of the AP writes "The next president's most enduring legacy may be in an area little mentioned in the campaign so far: the federal courts, where rulings on such hot-button issues as abortion, gay marriage and the death penalty could have lasting impact.

"With an aging Supreme Court, it's likely that over the next four years either President Bush or Democrat John Kerry will choose one or more new justices, along with scores or even hundreds of federal appeals court and trial judges." LINK

The politics of welfare:

In Sunday's paper, the Washington Post 's Griff White looked at the inverse relationship between welfare and poverty — welfare rolls continue to drop, but "poverty rates — particularly for single mothers and children — have surged in recent years. Just last month, the government reported that the number of people on welfare had declined by 149,000 at the end of 2003 compared with 2002, while the number in poverty rose by 1.3 million. Those divergent trends offer fresh ammunition to both sides in the debate over whether, eight years after the fact, welfare reform is working." LINK

Environmental politics:

The Washington Post 's ed board compares the records of Bush and Kerry on the environment and finds that in contrast to Bush, "Kerry reflects a long and deep commitment to environmental regulation, although not necessarily a rigid or dogmatic one." LINK

On Saturday, the Washington Post 's Joby Warrick and Juliet Eilperin took a look at the clash between environmental concerns and the Bush Administration's energy policy, opening with the need to move a herd of wild horses to allow more oil and gas exploration in Colorado. LINK

There was also a graphic comparing presidential green records: LINK

Nader-Camejo:

Ralph Nader's fate in New Mexico lies in the balance until Tuesday when the New Mexico Supreme Court will hear an appeal of lower court decisions to keep him off the ballot. LINK

Last Friday, attorneys for Ralph Nader filed paperwork with the SCOTUS requesting a stay and Oregon Supreme Court decision to remove him from state ballot, due to signatures deemed invalid by the Court. The documents can viewed here: LINK For more: LINK

Erik Stetson of the AP reports the New Hampshire Ballot Law Commission rejecting a Democratic challenge to hundreds of Nader petitions on Friday by voting 5-0 to keep independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader on the Nov. 2 ballot. AP reports. LINK

Newsday reports New York's Independence Party has nominated Nader for president with more than 95 percent of the vote. It is New York's third largest political party with more than 280,000 members. LINK

After a hard-fought bid to get on the ballot in the Florida, Ralph Nader today begins a nine-city tour of the state today. LINK

The AP paraphrases film maker and former Nader supporter Michael Moore's advice to antiwar liberals to "resist the temptation to vote for Ralph Nader out of anger with Kerry for voting to authorize military action." LINK

Media:

On Sunday, Dean David Broder took the American news media to the woodshed, offering a stinging rebuke to his colleagues in the press over coverage of the 2004 presidential campaign, and what he sees as both missing the point of what the media are supposed to do and letting slip the standards and practices of journalism that allowed the Swift Boat ads to be covered and the CBS documents controversy to take place. LINK

"In a year when war in Iraq, the threat of terrorism and looming problems with the federal budget and the nation's health care system cry out for serious debate, the news organizations on which people should be able to depend have been diverted into chasing sham events: a scurrilous and largely inaccurate attack on the Vietnam service of John Kerry and a forged document charging President Bush with disobeying an order for an Air National Guard physical."

Politics:

The New York Times ' ed board characterizes the latest developments in the CIA leak probe as a "chilling rejection of both First Amendment principles and evolving common law notions of a privilege protecting a reporter's confidential sources" and says it "cries out for rejection on appeal . . ." LINK

Howard Dean appeared on NBC's "Today" to stump for his book "You Have the Power." (LINK) Dean parried a question about why it took Kerry so long to find a crisp strong message on Iraq, telling Matt Lauer "It's the last few weeks that really matter." When Lauer cited the CW that Kerry's current Iraq critique sounds a lot like Dean's, Dean quipped, "I don't care what it sounds like as long as John Kerry ends up in the White House." And Dean dismissed Democratic worrying about the Kerry campaign, saying "I think the inside the Beltway Democrats are all wringing their hands and moaning . . . "

Jerry Seper of the Washington Times writes Mexico's border czar wants to increase the number of border crossings into the United States with the end goal of an "open border with no checkpoints." LINK

Charles Hurt of the Washington Times Notes both Kerry and Bush talk a good game but offer little action on tort reform. LINK

Tad Friend's new New Yorker profile of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom is quite well done, in a you-are-there kind of way. Note to Da Mayor on our favorite quote ("Last night I ate takeout lamb shank so late I couldn't even get to sleep.") — although the article doesn't say so, we are guessing Kokkari Estiatorio. And Note to Peter Ragone — nice job getting the word "b-roll" into your quote.

ABC News' Kerry campaign reporter Ed O'Keefe on Kerry in Wisconsin:

MT. HOREB, WI, Sept. 27 — As the Packers' kickoff neared in Wisconsin, a familiar scene set inside Mt. Horeb's Main Street Pub.

Twenty-five locals gathered along one long bar, some lunching on the "best burger in town" and perhaps testing the $1 "crappy beer of the day" before settling on one of four taps or a favorite of the 18 bottled beer selections.

But as the beloved Packers fell behind a charging Indianapolis Colts offense, a bigger thing happened to the small rural town.

Senator John F. Kerry's 16-vehicle motorcade, led by a pair of motorcycles and including a chase ambulance, rumbled off Highway 18 West/Highway 151 South's exit 69, coming to rest in the center of the town of 5,860 potential battleground voters.

As the Senator entered the pub filled with Packer flags, tributes to a refurbished Lambeau, a laser disc jukebox, and enticing advertisements for Friday night karaoke "with the doctor after the fish fry," senior Kerry adviser David Morehouse called out to an overly protective national trip director, "Setti, stay back!"

Kerry bellied up to the bar just in time for the Packers to tie the game at seven. Amidst a howling crowd and scores of high fives, John Sasso pitched among the screams, "John Kerry — good luck for the Packers!"

The Democratic nominee ordered a cheeseburger "with everything" which, according to the menu, set him back $3.25, although he could have opted for the $3.95 Packer Backer or the $3.25 summer sausage.

Hoisting a 10-ounce Leinenkugel ("The Legend of the Northwoods") from tap, Kerry bought a round and took in the first quarter on a television set not far from a curious sign reading, "After listening to your every word with much attention and thorough consideration, one question remains: what's your point?"

Outside, on Main Street itself, word spread through town and a large crowd gathered to catch a glimpse of the presidential contender. Supportive chants of "time for a change" were mixed in with less patient comments such as, "Come on, John, finish your burger."

One young man dipped his head out of his second story window directly above the pub and, Miller Lite in hand, shouted Packers score updates to the eager crowd who cheered or groaned accordingly.

At one point, the young man challenged, "If Kerry can tell me the Packers score, he's got my vote."

Thirty-six minutes after his arrival, Kerry left the Main Street Pub and walked three doors down to Schubert's Old Fashioned Cafe Bakery.

Schubert's, a hometown bakery since 1911, specializes in "famous Swedish rye," boasts a Norwegian meatball dinner for only $7.95, and prides itself as the town's "lefse headquarters."

Kerry was not, however, the first Massachusetts Senator to shop Schubert's shelves.

On April 1, 1960, then-Sen. John F. Kennedy rallied the faithful at Schubert's only four days before the crucial Wisconsin primary in which Kennedy dealt a blow to his Midwestern Democratic nomination opponent, Minnesota Senator Hubert H. Humphrey.

Kerry ordered a signature chocolate milkshake and Jerry, the owner, gave the Senator a free round of lefse.

As Kerry opened a door featuring a sign reading, "In a time when things keep changing every day, it sure is nice to have one place that stays the same," chants of "Time for a change" erupted once more.

As the Senator approached the open door of his idling motorcade, the young man above the pub called out from above, "What's the Packers score?"

Kerry, cupping his ear, squinted as he stared into the bright sun, and mouthed, "What?"

The young man repeated his plea, "What's the Packers score?"

Without missing a beat, Kerry relayed the score as he had last known it in the Main Street Pub. The young man nodded in concurrence, gave a thumbs-up, and confirmed, "You got my vote."

The adventure returned Kerry to the retail politics once commonplace in the fight for the Democratic nomination months ago.

Though none of the Madison local stations ran the Mt. Horeb footage, each station featured lead or second-story pieces on Kerry's visit.

Perhaps more importantly, however, free from the bonds of a podium or timed schedule, Kerry again looked like an engaged candidate, eager for a vote-by-vote contest, if necessary.

Kerry, searching for one more comeback, may be recognizing that looming October air.

The Senator retires to the Frank Lloyd Wright-spotted hills of Spring Green for nearly three days of debate prep. Mary Beth Cahill, Bob Shrum, and Bush stand-in Greg Craig join the burgeoning Kerry camp at the Rock on Monday.

TODAY'S SCHEDULE (all times ET):

—9:00 am: Georgetown University Law Center hosts its annual Supreme Court Institute Briefing on the Supreme Court's upcoming term, Washington, DC
—9:30 am: The National Press club hosts a debate on the November elections and the future of the Supreme Court, Washington, DC
—10:00 am: Chris Heinz attends a town hall meeting at the University of Southern Maine, Portland, ME
—10:00 am: Richard Armey, Newt Gingrich, and others speak about the 1994 Contract with America at the American Enterprise Institute, Washington, DC
—10:00 am: The August new home sales report is released
—10:45 am: Sen. Kerry hosts a town hall meeting at Spring Green Jr. High School, Spring Green, WI
—11:00 am: Sen. John Edwards holds a rally, Manchester, NH
—11:00 am: Cate Edwards attends a town hall meeting at the University of North Carolina, Greensboro, NC
—12:00 pm: Andre Heinz holds a rally at Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH
—12:00 pm: Chris Heinz attends a town hall meeting at Bates College, Lewiston, ME
—12:30 pm: Sen. Ted Kennedy delivers a speech to George Washington University students "on the effects the war in Iraq has had on America's security," Washington, DC
—1:00 pm: The Senate convenes for morning business
—1:00 pm: Ralph Nader holds a news conference at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
—1:15 pm: President Bush participates in a "Focus on Education" event at the Midwest Livestock and Expo Center in Springfield, OH
—1:15 pm: Cate Edwards attends a town hall meeting at Winston-Salem State, Winston-Salem, NC
—2:00 pm: The Senate begins debate over the intelligence reform bill
—2:00 pm: Ralph Nader speaks at the University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL
—2:15 pm: Chris Heinz hosts a town hall meeting at Colby College, Waterville, ME
—3:25 pm: Sen. Edwards attends a DNC fundraiser at the Providence Biltmore Hotel, Providence, RI
—3:45 pm: Cate Edwards hosts a town hall meeting at the University of North Carolina, Charlotte, NC
—4:00 pm: Andre Heinz holds a rally at Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
—4:15 pm: President Bush holds a rally in Voice of America Park, West Chester, OH
—4:15 pm: Elizabeth Edwards attends a town hall meeting at Marshall University, Huntington, WV
—7:00 pm: Ralph Nader holds a news conference at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
—7:30 pm: Ralph Nader speaks at the University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
—7:45 pm: Sen. Edwards attends a DNC fundraiser at the Sheraton New York Hotel, New York, NY
—8:00 pm: President Bush appears on "The O'Reilly Factor"
—8:30 pm: Sen. Edwards attends a DNC fundraiser, New York, NY (closed press)
—11:00 pm: Howard Dean appears on "The Charlie Rose Show"