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In 1991, The Note began an issue that curtain-raised the first presidential debates of the 1992 cycle with this lead "Webster's defines a "debate" as … … "

My, how times have changed.

Maybe we are too close to the matter, but it feels like politics and political journalism have been changed by the Internet as much as anything else in American society.

Today's Note features all sorts of elements that simply would not have been possible until our World became a World Wide one, and we start out this issue with something that is both borrowed and new.

On this day we introduce a feature that we hope will be a part of this page all cycle. It is called The Notepad, and as with so much of what The Note does, The Notepad owes its existence to the granddaddy of all political publications, National Journal's Hotline.

Back when they were working with faxes and dial-up modems (and when Doug Bailey and Roger Craver were still veritable pups), the Hotline had a great feature in the 1988 cycle in which the communications staffs of presidential campaigns were allowed to write daily submissions, giving their message of the day in a more casual and humorous way than it normally was delivered.

The champions of the format — Republican John Buckley and Democrat Mike McCurry — still hover around the political world, but they have this cycle been replaced by a new generation of warriors, ready to show us all each morning how cleverly they can wield the electronic pen in furtherance of their candidates' cause.

The rules are simple. The submissions —

1. must be 200 words or fewer (longer than that, we cut it off at 200).

2. will be printed in the order they are received.

3. should be irreverent and breezy — written in Note style.

4. must be signed by someone in the campaign (although they can be written by different people on different days).

5. must be received by 8:30 am each day (lazy boys and girls can send them the night before).

They can be on any topic: message of the day, reacting to something in the papers, whatever the campaigns wish.

When there IS a Bush campaign, we will welcome their Notepad contributions. Candidates of other parties will also be considered.

This gives the campaigns a chance to reach The Note audience en masse with a few keystrokes, and we thought this week was the right time to get this started, since Saturday's Democratic presidential candidate debate in Columbia, South Carolina is sure to put a major punctuation mark on what is going to be a busy week in politics — what with the president's travels and Big Casino talks.

Fittingly, our very first Notepad submission came from a candidate: the Kucinich campaign's Jeff Cohen stipulates for the world that his boss penned his own music-reference-laden response to the president's Ohio trip.

Click here LINK to read that one, plus the Dean campaign's Matthew Gross round-up of his guy's latest; Jennifer Palmieri of the Edwards campaign on a weekend in New England; Robert Gibbs of the Kerry campaign saying his boss is talking jobs in the South this week, and touting the biggest Invisible Primary news of the day — the endorsement of Kerry by Harold Ford, Jr.; the Lieberman campaign's Jano Cabrera showing he has The Notepad patois down on the first try; and Bob Graham's spokesguy Jamal Simmons demonstrating a light touch on those notebooks, and touting the announcement tour.

You have to play to win.

The president himself is surely playing to win, with a day trip to Michigan today, then presidential events in Washington Tuesday and Wednesday.

On Thursday, the president tours the U.S.S. Lincoln in San Diego. He's in Santa Clara, California on Friday, talking about economic and national security. He welcomes Australian Prime Minister John Howard to the ranch on Saturday.

The Associated Press reports that while President Bush is "not ready to declare combat in Iraq over yet," he is "touting his administration's efforts to plant the seeds of democracy in the rubble of Saddam Hussein's toppled dictatorship" and "courting Michigan's Arab community with an eye on his re-election." LINK

The AP also has this to say about President Bush's schedule: "Bush will travel to California … and spend the night on an aircraft carrier, the USS Abraham Lincoln, as it returns from the war in Iraq to a San Diego port. It will be just the sixth trip he has made to the state since his inauguration and his first since August 2002 when he campaigned for Republican gubernatorial nominee Bill Simon." LINK

Leave Dick Stevenson's matinee-idol-Dean-Cain good looks aside for just a moment and focus on the very thoughtful piece he has in the New York Times today looking at the president's relationship with Islam, pegged to today's trip. LINK

And if you read all the way to the end, you will be rewarded with a tightly written summary of the Norquist v. Gaffney follies.

The Wall Street Journal 's Jeffrey Zaslow goes more micro, looking at the Detroit area's Iraqi-American community and the trouble one has in determining who might have a pro-Saddam past.

Dais-sitting Ed Chen looked at the president's western swing in Sunday's Los Angeles Times. LINK

Chen deftly reminds us all that the president hasn't been out to these parts for a while, and that the POTUS will be joint pressing with Howard in Crawford right around the time that the Men and Woman Who Want His Job will be mixing and mingling in Columbia.

In the run-up to the political world descending on Columbia by the end of the week, the Democratic candidates will be nation-trotting just like 43.

Senator Bob Graham has a busy day in Iowa today. He's meeting with Iowa Democratic Party officials, Congressman Leonard Boswell, Democratic legislators and activists. He even has a half hour penciled in for rest and relaxation.

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean travels to California. Representative Dennis Kucinich is campaigning in New Mexico today. Senator Kerry visits Arkansas and Tennessee.

Senator Ted Kennedy addresses the American Hospital Association on health insurance. And former Senator Gary Hart talks to college Democrats at Georgetown about national and economic security.

Tomorrow, Graham is expected to meet Iowa AFL-CIO President Mark Smith, Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack, and the state House and Senate caucuses.

Republicans leaders are scheduled to meet with President Bush at the White House to talk Big Casino among other things.

The Federal Election Commission holds an information conference for corporations and their political action committees about the new campaign finance law. Dean remains in California.

Also Tuesday, South Carolina Democrats meet to approve their 2004 delegate selection plan.

On Wednesday, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan testifies before the House Financial Services Committee.

Friday brings the South Carolina Democratic Party's J-J dinner and (yum) Congressman Clyburn's Famous Fish Fry.

Saturday, ABC News presents the first Democratic presidential candidate debate of the season, hosted by George Stephanopoulos.

And In New Hampshire, the Museum of New Hampshire History opens a new exhibit called "First Stop: The New Hampshire Primary" exhibit at The Museum of New Hampshire History, Concord.

Finally, we have news from The Note's Book Club:

First, the Associated Press reports that Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton's long awaited book is a hefty 576 pages long and is set to hit the shelves on June 9th. Amazon.com list price: $28.00. LINK

One million copies of "Living History" are being printed, and attorney extraordinaire, Bob Barnett is generating buzz thusly:

"'Only a small handful of books have a 1-million-copy first printing, and I cannot think of another nonfiction book in recent history that has had that large a first printing.'"

Check out what the book cover looks like here. LINK

Second, The Note has the exclusive first excerpts from Sidney Blumenthal's new book, "The Clinton Wars."

Over the years, Blumenthal, a former journalist for The New Republic, Washington Post , and The New Yorker, has been a sometimes controversial figure. Love him (as some do) or hate him (the preference of others), but Sidney is a man who knows how to get attention.

We've even given him his own section below, as part of our week-long teasing out of the book, which is due to hit in about a week.

Senator Santorum

Saturday's Washington Post had this account by Dana Milbank and Alan Cooperman about the White House's decision to stand by Senator Santorum. LINK

With a little help from Scott Reed, the reporters take a look at why deciding to publicly support the Pennsylvania Senator was much easier than figuring out how to handle the Trent Lott situation last year.

"The strong defense of Santorum was strikingly different from Bush's approach to remarks made by Senator Trent Lott (R-Miss.) in December that were seen as praising segregation. After the White House initially supported Lott, Bush publicly rebuked him and set in motion Lott's removal as Senate Republican leader."

"In the case of Santorum, Bush had a simpler decision than he faced with Lott. Santorum is much more strongly supported by the party's conservative base than Lott was, and, strategists said, independent voters were much less likely to be alienated by Bush condoning anti-gay remarks than racist remarks. 'At the end of the day, race is still a huge issue in America and transcends social issues like this,' said GOP tactician Scott Reed."

The Boston Globe 's Tom Oliphant had this op-ed over the weekend with Senator Kennedy reasserting this as an issue that Republicans need to sort out among themselves. LINK

The New Yorker's Hendrik Hertzberg has a Talk of the Town piece summing up the controversy, excerpting the AP interview, and sighing over Santorum's comments. LINK

Big Casino/budget politics:

You can talk, talk, talk, you can bicker, bicker, bicker, but you can't turn 350 into 550 effortlessly, so Republicans will get together in various confabs this week to try to solve a problem like Olympia Snowe. (Note the clumsy "The Music Man" and Julie Andrews references.)

America's four dominate newspapers all had serious Big Casino efforts over the last day or so, and, as is often the case, the person leaving with the most chips (having had his share of free drinks) is the Washington Post 's Jonathan Weisman.

In Sunday's paper, he ferreted out the problems in the House, and what happens when you start re-jiggering the original White House plan: LINK

"Ways and Means Chairman William M. Thomas (R-Calif.) has floated a proposal to dramatically simplify the president's plan to all but eliminate taxation of corporate dividends to boost long-term growth and stock market prices … ."

"But White House officials are holding firm to their plan, to the consternation of some Republican lobbyists and economists who say Bush is trying to win at all costs, even if the price is to sacrifice the economic benefits of the original package."

"White House and Treasury aides 'have a president who says, "They have to have my plan after 10 years. Then I win,"' said a frustrated Republican economist with close administration ties. 'That's what it has become all about … '"

"But other tax economists, usually allied with Bush, say the White House is ignoring a pragmatic compromise just to proclaim total victory. And they still say Bush is likely to prevail — at least in the House."

"'There's no question a phase-in is insanity. It's not going to drive the economy at all,' said a Republican tax lobbyist. 'But whether Thomas is right is beside the point. We're in politics right now.'"

"As another cost savings, Ways and Means tax advisers say Thomas is likely to drop the president's proposal to expand from $25,000 to $75,000 the amount of investments that small businesses can deduct from their taxes. That has infuriated small business groups, which traditionally provide the political muscle to push through major tax bills."

"'We've advocated fiercely for this bill,' said Dena Battle, a lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Business. 'If they take this out, it would certainly jeopardize our support … '"

"Senate aides say the White House has barely tried to engage them in discussion."

The Weisman piece is, quite obviously, a must-read, even a day late.

The New York Times ' David Rosenbaum took some space on Sunday to emphasize the Perils of Pauline status of things:

"The prevailing view in the Capitol is that a tax cut will become law, but even insiders say they have trouble imagining how it can be accomplished. And no one will say with confidence whether the cuts will total $550 billion over 10 years, as President Bush and the House want, or $350 billion, which senators say is the most they can live with, or some figure in between." LINK

Unfortunately for Mr. Rosenbaum, he doesn't watch "Capitol Report," and didn't get the word any other way that the president's problems extend beyond the Senate because of Mr. Thomas' views.

So he writes: "In the first full week in May, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Grassley will take their bills before their committees for votes. Mr. Thomas declined to be interviewed this week. But a close ally, Representative Jim McCrery, Republican of Louisiana, said the Thomas bill would closely track President Bush's proposals and emphasize eliminating the dividend tax."

The Los Angeles Times' incomparable Janet Hook reported Sunday that Republicans have to get along, and get moving, to pass the president's agenda, especially the tax cut. LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's David Rogers focuses on the Senate leadership's search for economy-goosing tax cuts, and off-sets to make them bigger but passable, and El David seems to have gotten a Frist interview, maybe:

"'I want to grow the package as large as I can and make sure the composition has as rapid an impact as possible in terms of stimulation and job creation,' Mr. Frist said. 'If we have good policy and we can convince enough senators, I think we will get well over $400 billion.'"

"The Tennessee Republican has asked about a dozen private economists to meet with him Wednesday to review what direction to take on the tax package … ."

Note the passive voice in this part: "Vice President Cheney was described as especially upset because he cast a tie-breaking Senate vote on the budget, which established the $350 billion Senate cap."

Today, Father Confessor Bob Novak got a personal walk-back from Secretary Snow on the latter's interview with the Wall Street Journal in which tax cut weakness seemed to be indicated. LINK

Novak blows hot and cold on Snow in this one column, but mostly he is worried that the president's lieutenants might go all wobbly on cuts, and lack the sophistication and effort to get them through.

"And then there is the daunting prospect of Alan Greenspan testifying before the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. The president announced last week he will turn the other cheek to Greenspan's previous thrashing of the Bush tax bill and name him to a fifth term as chairman of the Federal Reserve Board. Nobody could sell the tax cut better than Greenspan, but he also could inflict far greater damage on tax cuts than 'distortion' of Snow's quotes."

Novak offered this nuance on the Senate tax deal in his Sunday column: LINK

"House Republican anger at Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist intensified when it was learned he met with House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert after the secret Senate deal to limit tax reduction, but did not inform him of it."

"However, the principal target of House anger is Senate Budget Committee Chairman Don Nickles, considered the driving force behind the secret deal. While Frist is new to the Senate leadership, Nickles is an old hand who just finished six years as Senate Republican whip."

Jonathan Rauch of the National Journal got a piece in the Washington Post 's Outlook section yesterday looking big at 43's Big Casino bets. LINK

The New York Times has an editorial suggesting President Bush's "little bitty" remark about the proposed alternative $350 billion tax cut package is the modern day equivalent of "let them eat cake." LINK

The New York Times tireless Robin Toner and Robert Pear take the most basic journalistic thing — calling state Medicaid officials and figuring out how the states' budget crises are going to affect services — and thus add another notch to their already impressive oeuvres. LINK

An important policy must-read.

The Economy

Sunday's New York Times front-paged a grim Bush-Cheney economy story, datelined out of Paul O'Neill's hometown: "Worn down by job searches that have stretched on for months, demoralized by disappointing offers or outright rejections, some unemployed people have simply stopped the search." LINK

"As the nation enters a third year of difficult economic times, these unemployed — from factory workers to investment bankers — have dropped out of the labor force and entered the invisible ranks of people not counted in the unemployment rate."

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

In Sunday's edition of The State, Lee Bandy previewed this Saturday's debate. LINK

Apparently, "ABC News, which will televise the debate, is fond of calling it the 'Collision in Columbia.'"

Bandy Notes: "The South and its role in the election process is expected to be a hot topic among party activists and the candidates."

"'It's going to be huge,' state Democratic Party chairman Dick Harpootlian said of the weekend events. 'It's gotten much bigger than I thought, with all the media planning to cover the debate.'"

Everyone but Walter Shapiro seems to be coming.

In Sunday's Charleston Post and Courier, Schuyler Kropf writes: "South Carolina's first-in-the-South vote has sparked an all-out blitz by some of the campaigns to grease as many palms of potential endorsers as possible in the hope it will translate into front-runner status." LINK

"In-state leaders are touting South Carolina as being more reflective of the national Democratic Party and insist the state's primary is a national priority because it's the gateway to the South, where Texan George W. Bush trounced Al Gore of Tennessee."

Debate anticipation is growing more and more palpable.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution has a preview. LINK

"(L)ots of colorful history, old grudges and improbable plot twists, not to mention the Confederate battle flag," a New York Times ' "Columbia, S.C." dateline, the anti-war movement, and the Columbia Metropolitan Airport into which some Note readers are about to fly for the first time in a while — all in one article. LINK

The Note is courting predictions.

Does Brett Bursey get a mention by a presidential candidate while in South Carolina? If so, how many and by whom?

ABC 2004: CREEP:

Time's Carney and Dickerson get two pages of art, 2 columns for a graphics, and 2 pages+ for a look at the Bush re-elect, with an emphasis on the role of this Rove fella. LINK

Gephardt, Kerry, and Edwards are the only three who get photos (Gephardt, in perhaps a personal best, also has his pix in the front of the book, attached to a short, mixed-to-positive item about his health care plan.).

Like the recent broadly outstanding Nagourney/Stevenson piece in the New York Times on the same topic, the fact that there won't be much new in here for Note readers doesn't mean it isn't an excellent primer for those who haven't been paying close attention.

The pair mocks the president's seeming reliance on tax cuts, and ends with this very strong sentence: "Flanked by planes and guns, he will tell voters that in this new world, with the threat of terror all around us, change can be a dangerous thing."

Running against "change" is indeed an interesting point, men.

David Broder got off a Sunday must-read column that shows the young fella still has his fastball — all about how the polling data and one's gut makes it pretty clear that President Bush's standing with the American people on national security leadership is going to be a major force in the election. LINK

The Note says: "Masterful … .4 Stars for David Broder's 'Bush's Leadership Pinnacle.'"

Newsweek's Howard Fineman opens the Rove playbook to the Pennsylvania page. LINK

The Sunday Washington Post Pol Notes column looked at those annoying ballot deadline problems that All the president's Men and Women are having to solve because of the late convention. LINK

Bob Novak reported Sunday: "Gov. George Pataki and Mayor Mike Bloomberg, having won the 2004 Republican National Convention for New York City, now face the daunting task of raising some $55 million to make it happen." LINK

"Given the soft economy and competing campaign demands, the city's corporate leaders so far are anything but generous in financing the convention. A complicating factor: While access to space for entertainment is usually an incentive for contributions, many corporate executives have their own facilities in New York."

"A footnote: Republican leaders are chortling that Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe was outfoxed in the national convention schedule. The long interval between the July meeting of Democrats in Boston and the September GOP convention means Democrats will have to eat into scarce funds to keep their national ticket before the public."

The Boston Globe 's Anne E. Kornblut got thisclose Sunday to a must-read when she looked at the president's attempts to reach out to traditionally Democratic voters to tip the scales to at least 51-49. LINK

The Associated Press reports that GOP leaders in New York are going all out to try to secure the state for President Bush in 2004. LINK

"The party plans to stump for Bush in part from two substantial bully pulpits: the governor's office and the New York City mayor's office, each held for the last three terms by Republicans."

The New York Post 's Fredric Dicker writes that "Top New York Republicans fear that huge pending state and city tax hikes will prove 'a major embarrassment' to President Bush next year," potentially souring the mood at the Republican National Convention and tainting the connections between the administration and Governor Pataki and Mayor Bloomberg. LINK

Dicker quotes one such source: "'Do you think these tax hikes are really the image [presidential strategist] Karl Rove wants to present to the nation next year?' asked a top New York Republican familiar with convention preparations. 'Are record-high tax increases, as well as reductions in city and state services, what we Republicans want the nation to see as the legacy of the president's first term? I don't think so.'"

The Notepad

Will there be heck to pay and/or deep embarrassment among those campaigns who missed the deadline today? Only time will tell.

ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary:

The Kerry and Dean campaigns are in full clash mode, with Dean regularly questioning Senator Kerry's stance on the war and Senator Kerry's camp stepping up its efforts to question the former Vermont Governor's fitness for office, particularly when it comes to foreign affairs.

This morning, Kerry Communications Director Chris Lehane reacted to Dean's comment about American military supremacy that appeared in Time's Tumulty on-line story.

"Howard Dean's stated belief that the United States 'won't always have the strongest military,' raises serious questions about his capacity to serve as Commander-in-Chief. No serious candidate for the Presidency has ever before suggested that he would compromise or tolerate an erosion of America's military supremacy. A President Kerry, who will bring the perspective of having served on the frontlines to the job of Commander-In-Chief, will guarantee that America has the strongest, best trained, most well equipped military in history," Lehane wrote in a statement.

Back over to you, Governor Dean.

Adam Nagourney of the New York Times writes up Senator Graham's wide-ranging appearance on "This Week" and leads with the Floridian's criticism of the Gephardt health care plan, allowing Steve Elmendorf to return service in response, with an "at least we are trying" quote. LINK

Don Lambro calls the Invisible Primary, "the invisible primary." LINK

And the wonderfully named Fergus Cullen, a public affairs consultant, considers George W. Bush the winner of it. LINK

Over the weekend, the Boston Globe 's Susan Milligan surveyed the field about gay unions. LINK

"Six candidates — Representatives Richard Gephardt and Dennis Kucinich, the Rev. Al Sharpton, former Vermont governor Howard Dean, Senator John Kerry, and former senator Carol Moseley Braun — have given their blessings to civil unions affording gays and lesbians legal recognition of their partnerships. Dean, who signed Vermont's civil union law, is holding a fund-raising event today in North Carolina celebrating such unions."

"Sharpton and Kucinich have gone a step further than those six candidates, indicating they support legal recognition of gay marriages."

"Three contenders — Senators John Edwards of North Carolina, Bob Graham of Florida, and Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut — stopped short of endorsing civil unions, but did not oppose them. Edwards and Lieberman said the issue should be left to individual states, while Graham said it deserves further study."

Adam Clymer's New York Times ' Book Review review of Ray Strother's memoir opens with this semi-shot: "Political consultants sometimes seem like a bigger part of politics than the candidates who hire them. … This winter their celebrity reached a new level of absurdity with the 'Shrum Primary,' as the contest between the candidates John Kerry and John Edwards for the services of Bob Shrum was called. (Kerry won.)" LINK

Note to Clymer: we promise to label our parodies of absurdity more clearly in the future.

Talented Alexandra Pelosi's sharp-shooting skills made her one of the New York Post 's "N.Y'S 50 Most Powerful Women." LINK

Sunday, Liz Smith told us: "Karenna Gore Schiff invites us to meet her famous parents at Wednesday's kickoff for East Harlem's Renaissance. Latin jazz will be played to celebrate the opening of the Association to Benefit Children's new center. The Robin Hood Foundation is backing this. Kelly Lynch, Ellen Barkin, Ron Perelman, Kathie Lee and Frank Gifford, Rose and Bill Styron, Elliott Spitzer and Gifford Miller plan to be there. Call (212) 845-3828." LINK

The New York Daily News' Rush and Molloy have an item about an upcoming panel on motherhood at the Tribeca Film Center featuring Ms. Gore Schiff, among other distinguished mothers, in conjunction with the documentary film "Baby I'm Yours" (co-produced by Wendy Ettinger of "The War Room" fame). LINK

Time magazine reviews and bemoans the cancellation of some primaries for budgetary reasons. LINK

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Jo Mannies writes about local preparation for Tuesday's deadline for states to notify the federal government if they plan to do away with punch-card ballots for the 2004 election. LINK

Mannies writes that even though Missouri is suffering the same state budget crunch as many others, "election officials in St. Louis County — Missouri's largest jurisdiction — say they plan to ask the County Council this summer to consider switching the entire county to a touch-screen voting system by next year. The price tag will be in the millions of dollars."

KERRY

On the eve of his southern campaign swing, Senator John Kerry picked up a high-profile super delegate endorsement — Representative Harold Ford, Jr.

LINK

The Lawrence Eagle Tribune finds voters saying of that Kerry kid: He's just so darn electable. LINK

The Union Leader's Jack Kenny didn't like Bill Shaheen's recent address to St. Anselm students, chronicled by a "student-reporter." LINK "So here's the interesting part: 'Though Shaheen considers himself a Catholic,' the student-reporter noted, 'he referred to the practice of politics as his religion of sorts, in addition to his 'way of doing God's work.'"

"Only the last phrase in that sentence appears to be in Shaheen's own words, but he at least left the reporter with the impression that he "considers himself to be a Catholic." (Doesn't he know?)"

"As for his 'way of doing God's work,' Shaheen spoke of working for 'clean air, clean water, food for the hungry, insurance for the uninsured and health care," Those are all Democratic Party principles, he said, and working for them serves both God and humanity."

The New Hampshire papers wrote up Kerry's Friday visit straight. LINKand LINK

The family of a Massachusetts-born US soldier killed in Iraq are not angry with Senator Kerry for not being at his funeral. Kerry, in fact, had called them earlier to express his sorrow. LINK

GEPHARDT

Roll Call 's Erin Billings writes that some Congressional Democrats really like Gephardt's healthcare proposal.

"Democrats remain far from putting together a health plan of their own, but key leaders believe the Gephardt proposal achieves many of their goals: providing affordable insurance for all Americans and scaling back GOP tax cuts they believe are too large. Several top Democrats argued that turning up the volume on the need for universal health coverage can help the House minority win back favor with voters still high on a wartime president."

"Several Democratic sources said it is highly unlikely the Democratic Caucus will adopt the Gephardt proposal in its entirety. However, they believe the former Minority Leader will find a large number of Members publicly backing the idea and pushing its provisions as part of their broader health care message."

"A House Democratic leadership aide said 'people do support the idea' but are cautious because of the price tag that comes with it. The same staffer said Gephardt's proposal has a "decent chance" of making its way into a broader Democratic Caucus health care plan, but it will have to be scaled back to gain support from a divided party."

Gephardt's health care plan is referenced in the tart conclusion of a New York Times editorial: LINK

"Some lawmakers, at least, try to remind us of creative might-have-beens. Representative Richard Gephardt, a Democrat obviously, even egregiously running for the presidency, has dared to suggest another go at the issue of universal health care. If nothing else, we can salute his sense of irony in proposing to pay for this much needed but costly social program by flatly rolling back the Bush tax cuts. Remember those days? When governments did more than cut taxes and shrink government?"

Is anyone else weirded out by the fact that there are now two prominent Erik's on Gephardt's campaign staff? LINK

Reading this transcript of The Capital Gang's take on Gephardt and health care, we were reminded of that bizarre dynamic that exists between Bob Novak and Kate O'Beirne. LINK

EDWARDS

John Wagner headed all the way to Manchester, New Hampshire to write today's must-read in the Raleigh News and Observer about Senator Edwards maybe troubling home state poll numbers. LINK

A new N&O poll shows President Bush would beat Senator Edwards in a North Carolina general election match up 58% to 39%.

"The 19-point margin is the largest since Edwards entered the race four months ago. The numbers have no direct bearing on Edwards' quest for his party's nomination; his fate will be decided by Democratic voters in early nominating states such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. But lagging popularity at home could undercut Edwards' argument that he can beat Bush in the South, some analysts say. In 2000, Bush swept every state in the region, including Al Gore's home state of Tennessee."

"The president occupies the center stage, particularly in times of military conflict," said Harrison Hickman, pollster for the Edwards campaign. "This is incredibly early in the process. People have not paid attention, and the opinions they do have can easily shift. This isn't like that 'Millionaire' show where you can make people give you their final answer now."

The comparisons to 1991/1992 seem to be here to stay.

"There is a precedent for overcoming early home-state skepticism. In June 1991, as Bill Clinton was weighing whether to enter the 1992 race, one poll showed him losing to the elder President Bush in Clinton's home state of Arkansas by 25 percentage points. By October 1991, when Clinton was gearing up for the first primaries, the gap had narrowed to 13 points. And in November 1992, after Clinton secured the nomination, he beat Bush in Arkansas by 17 points. "

"There are similarities between the 1992 and 2004 races: Democrats again face a Republican incumbent named Bush whose popularity is bolstered by a war victory in Iraq. But Edwards and Clinton also entered the race from very different positions. Clinton was a long-serving governor, well-known by his constituents, while Edwards is still introducing himself to some Tar Heel voters as he builds a national constituency."

"'The criticism in the North Carolina vernacular is he's trying to get above his raisin', said Mike Munger, chairman of Duke University's political science department. 'We're not big on brash.'"

Note note: We'd like to see more academics get quoted in their regional vernacular.

The Houston Chronicle 's Gregg notes that both trial lawyers and business groups salivate at the prospect of a Bush-Edwards general election match, with its zeitgeist versus zeitgeist implications for tort reform. LINK

Not online yet, but we have this from hard copy version of the Concord Monitor: "On President Bush's watch, the nation's economy has sputtered

and workers have seen their pensions evaporate as benefits for CEOs have soared, Senator John Edwards of North Carolina told college students and

potential supporters yesterday."

"Edwards, one of nine candidates vying for the Democratic presidential nomination, started a two-day campaign swing through the state with a stop

at New England College, where he focused on his plan for building the economy back up after what he termed the 'Bush recession.'"

"Edwards rattled off unemployment and stock market statistics as evidence that President Bush has mishandled fiscal decisions and a multi-trillion-dollar budget surplus."

The Associated Press's take was more global: "His success at fund-raising aside, Democratic presidential John Edwards said Sunday he realizes it will take more time than money to succeed in New Hampshire." LINK

In Dick Wolf "ripped from the headlines" style, John Edwards jumped on last week's news from American Airlines while campaigning in New Hampshire over the weekend. LINK

"U.S. Senator John Edwards on Saturday proposed a new safeguard designed to keep corporate executives like those at American Airlines from cutting employee benefits while protecting their own pensions. The North Carolina Democrat made the proposal at the outset of a two-day swing through New Hampshire, the nation's first presidential primary state."

Raleigh's WRAL chased Edwards up north. LINK

GRAHAM

The Ft. Lauderdale Sun Sentinel ignored health care, and focused instead on Graham's health and his notebooks from his "This Week" appearance. LINK

Coming soon to a race track near you: The Graham car? LINK

As former chairman of the intelligence committee, Senator Bob Graham is privy to the nation's toppest secrets. He's used the information to develop a critique of President Bush's response to terrorism. But since much remains highly classified, he can't get into too much detail, the St. Petersburg Times reports.

"As Graham speaks around the nation, a paradox has emerged. The very group he is criticizing — the Bush administration — has stifled him by refusing to release hundreds of documents to his former committee." LINK

"By law, the Bush administration and its intelligence agencies determine which documents they can declassify. They have refused to release dozens that Graham and others in Congress want released. That has prevented Graham's committee and its counterpart in the House from publishing an 800-page report on the Sept. 11 attacks."

DEAN

The Clinton Herald's Scott Holland writes that former Governor Dean "gave a powerful keynote address" at the Clinton County Democrats Hall of Fame Dinner Friday night. LINK

"In addition to Dean's speech, two other recent visitors to Clinton were represented. Senators John Kerry, D-Mass., and John Edwards, D-N.C., were represented by Senator Adam Smith, D-Wash., and former Iowa gubernatorial candidate Roxanne Conlin, respectively."

Mr. Dean wrote an op-ed on Bush and Santorum for LINK

In Iowa, Dean said the war will remain a big topic for Democratic activists. LINK

The Rutland, Vermont Herald agrees. LINK

"Considering last week's inclement weather and the fact that the maybe-contender for the Democratic Party's presidential nomination has pushed back his decision until 'late spring or early summer,' that's one possibility."

"'I would not say it will be a few days before he announces,' said Jack Sparks, Hart spokesman. 'All I can say is he will make his decision in a timely manner.'"

LIEBERMAN

Joe Lieberman's call for a Hill look at the Leung matter got him Washington Post and Los Angeles Times treatment. LINK

and LINK

The Hartford Courant Noted that Senator Lieberman is Democrats' choice candidate in California, so they put up a wire story about it. LINK

Now there's a clip Jared Asch will e-mail to donors.

Roll Call 's Ed Henry: "Despite reports of the untimely demise of Mohammed Saeed al-Sahaf, it seems that the former Iraqi propaganda chief may be working under an alias for the presidential campaign of Senator Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.)."

Jano Cabrera, Lieberman's "press secretary" for the campaign, was issued business cards last week that officially describe him as the Senator's 'Minister of Information.'"

"Cabrera, who toiled for the presidential campaign of Al Gore and veep candidate Lieberman in 2000, had a ready response for the gag perpetrated by his new colleagues that sounded awfully similar to the random musings of the beloved 'Baghdad Bob' during the war."

"'My cards are not the issue,' Cabrera told HOH. 'What matters is that thanks to Al Gore and Joe Lieberman's stunning and overwhelming victory in 2000 there are no Republicans in this city. In fact, there are no Republicans within 100 miles of Washington, D.C.!'"

The New York Post writes that a small fire broke out at the Upper West Side's On the Ave Hotel, forcing guest Senator Joe Lieberman to cool his heels in the lobby until all was well. LINK

In personnel news, Special K, also known as Adam Kovacevich, will be leaving what seem have seen as his cushy taxpayer supported job in the Senate to join the presidential campaign of Joe Lieberman on May 1st. Adam will serve as the campaign's deputy press secretary.

IOWA

Another new feature today, "Chair's Corner: From the Diary of the First-in-the Nation Caucuses, by Gordon R. Fischer, Chair, Iowa Democratic Party."

Fischer is in his first term as chair, and he is juggling a big Democratic presidential field. Still, he found time to visit Washington this weekend, and filed this dispatch exclusively to The Note:

"Saturday night Monica [his politically active wife] and I, for the very first time, attended the White House Correspondents Dinner. What a fantastic night! I must immediately report that Monica looked absolutely stunning in a gorgeous gown and new do. I should also note [sic] that we were the guests of Chicago Tribune wunderkind Jeff Zeleny. He and the rest of the Tribune folks could not have been more gracious and fun hosts … ."

"Regarding presidential politics, John Kerry was the only announced candidate I saw. He worked the room aggressively, and when he reached Monica and I, gave us both big bear hugs and pronounced himself delighted. What nonsense, this media buzz, about him being reserved and aloof."

"I also spoke with General Wesley Clark, who very much had the commanding presence you'd expect. When someone joined our conversation and suggested that General Clark run, he (Clark) said he had made no decision. General CIark seemed to shoot me a cool look. He'll make up his own mind, it seemed to say, and on his own schedule."

"After President Bush gave a moving tribute to two journalists who died in Iraq, the highlight of the evening took the stage. A blind man from the humblest beginning, born in a small town in Georgia, held pundits and politicians, stars and staff, celebrities and wannabes, spellbound for five songs. This was a promising sign. In a nation still divided 50/50, at war abroad and with a stalled economy at home, people of every political perspective rocked out to Ray Charles, and recognized him for the living legend he is."

"Tomorrow: Senator Bob Graham launches his Iowa campaign, and then lunches with me."

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Our condolences to the family of Henry Sullivan. LINK

The Union Leader's Garry Rayno has lots of good New Hampshire scheduling information, including Gephardt, Edwards and … .Rove! LINK

The Concord Monitor has this to say about Karl Rove's upcoming New Hampshire trip: " White House political strategist Karl Rove will return

to the Granite State next week to meet with the Republican Party's greenest grassroots volunteers — and anybody else who'd like to join in. The

Grassroots Connection Series is GOP Chairwoman's Jayne Millerick's brainchild, and it sure seems like a smart one to us: Recruit new activists

by inviting them to meet with some of the most experienced and powerful strategists in the country."

Rove will also speak at St. Anselm.

Political leaders thanked Michigan for withdrawing its January challenge. LINK

Special book preview: Sidney Blumenthal's "The Clinton Wars":

In August of 1997, after a career in journalism, Sidney Blumenthal joined the Clinton Administration for its duration as assistant and senior adviser to the president.

He was given the nickname "G.K." for "grassy knoll" due to his strong belief in the vast right wing conspiracy. Mr. Blumenthal is also a playwright. His work This Town, a satire about the White House press corps, played to audiences in Los Angeles and New York.

Blumenthal became well known during the Clinton impeachment trial. He was one of only three witnesses (Vernon Jordan and Monica Lewinsky were the other two) to testify before the House managers prosecuting the case in the Senate.

As the trial was winding down, it was that testimony that became an odd coda to the saga.

In his new book, "The Clinton Wars," El Sid provides his eye witness to history. In excerpts obtained by The Note, Blumenthal writes about Dick Morris' freak-out at the 1996 Democratic convention; Chief Justice Rehnquist's allegedly "chilly and inexpressive" behavior towards President Clinton at the second inaugural; and Bill Clinton's coaching of his wife for her announcement speech.

Politics:

George F. Will's Sunday column looked at the recent statewide GOP African American candidate success, and what that could mean to the 50-50 Nation. LINK

Republicans in South Dakota will spend big bucks to hold Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle "accountable" as he begins his re-election bid. LINK

"The Daschle re-election campaign is likely to rival or eclipse the Johnson-Thune race in terms of national attention and resources," writes the Sioux Falls Argus Leader's David Kranz. (Great to put you back in The Note, Mr. Kranz.)

The Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet writes that Jerry Springer "will form an exploratory committee in the coming weeks" to ponder an Ohio Senate run. LINK

Sunday's edition of The State reports, "Republican U.S. Rep. Jim DeMint is prepared to do battle with Democratic U.S. Sen., Fritz Hollings should the 81-year-old incumbent decide to seek a seventh full term — and should the Greenville congressman win his party's nomination." LINK

Ronald Brownstein urges policy makers to give school reforms more time to take hold. LINK

The real-life Watergate moment of Beth Mortman and her husband was chronicled in history's first Sunday Lloyd Grove column. LINK

And mazel tov to Beth, Howard, and the syndicated Lloyd! Virginia may be for lovers, but McLean is for Jews.

The "Chuck v. Hillary" buzz is buzzing again, including in Bob Novak's Sunday column. LINK

The Sunday New York Times updated the Gray Davis recall effort. LINK

Could the White House really be blocking a Daschle appointment for that nice Mark Gearan? LINK

Al Kamen seems to think so.

The New York Times ' David Carr offers a thorough analysis of the success of Slate, which actually earned money in the first quarter of the year, thus risking it's e-street cred by becoming a financial as well as critical success. LINK

Carr quotes editor-in-chief Jacob Weisberg: "'The killer ap at Slate turned out to be speed. We deliver the quality of analysis of a weekly in real time.'"

Also, former editor-in-chief Michael Kinsley defends turning a profit:

"'The only guarantee of editorial freedom in the long run is to be self-supporting,' he said. 'If you are perennially losing money, the only reason someone is going to own you is to be able to get their point of view out there.'"

Bill Gates, whose unlimited financial backing is scorned by some in the piece, e-mailed his epinion:

"'Over the years, as we have reviewed Slate and refined its strategy, we have always believed it would be a moneymaker,' Mr. Gates said in an e-mail message. 'The readership levels we have today have gotten us past break even and those levels will continue to grow.'"

Webby Awards update:

Let's see: The Note still leads in the People's Voice "politics" election, but we have lost over 30 percentage points.

We shouldn't sit around and wonder if the Bluegrass strategy is a failure.

Instead, we will just remind you, if you haven't already, please consider voting for The Note. CAST YOUR IMPORTANT VOTE HERE

Bush Administration strategy/personality:

If David Sanger hadn't been receiving an award at the dinner, we are certain that he, and not Elisabeth Bumiller, would have been assigned to interview Trista Rehn. LINK

On the other hand, that Bumiller sure turns out lovely, anthropological prose.

Former sportswriter Jennifer Frey treated the Bloomberg afterparty following the White House Correspondents Association dinner like the Post -game locker room, and the dinner like the main event in her path-breaking Sunday "live" Style section write up. LINK

The Boston Globe 's Names column has some highlights from the dinner and the Bloomberg affair, including Senator John Kerry enduring a greeting from Jerry Springer at the Hilton. LINK

"'What do I do if he says he wants to endorse me?' Kerry joked after sitting back down at a table hosted by the Globe."

Mike Allen covered himself in Ivy and wrote for Sunday about the Princeton conference on the Bush presidency, which found a focused, historic administration and man. LINK

The AP's John Heilprin put down those drumsticks long enough to bang out a pretty interesting piece about the seemingly personal duties falling to some EPA investigators to allegedly help out the Whitmans. LINK

And the Wall Street Journal has this ominous lead that we aren't qualified to evaluate: "The Bush administration has imposed a gag order on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency from publicly discussing perchlorate pollution, even as two new studies reveal high levels of the rocket-fuel component may be contaminating the nation's lettuce supply."

The New Yorker's Calvin Tomkins has a Talk of the Town piece about an upcoming antiquities exhibit, which Notes that the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Philippe de Montebello is one of several museum leaders who have urged Karl Rove, among others, to grant amnesty and small rewards to Iraqi looters in an effort to salvage the lost treasures. ">LINK

The New York Times has an editorial about the likely confirmation to the Cincinnati U.S. Court of Appeals of Jeffrey Sutton who, the Times says, is a "federalist" and yet another nominee "whose main qualification is a commitment to far-right ideology." LINK