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Yesterday, we told you about how the Democrats are (still) fighting among themselves.

Well, now it appears that even people at the same all-in-the-family meetings aren't seeing eye to eye about some things.

We'll let the AP's Lester, who snagged an FPOTUS interview amidst the DLC's DC meeting, convey the first parry:

"Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean is described as very liberal by many following the presidential race, Clinton said, 'but look at what he did as governor of Vermont.'" LINK

"Clinton described Dean's accomplishments with health care in his home state and his proposal to promote a national health care plan with a modest price tag as 'New Democrat" positions."

He was referring to the moniker the Democratic Leadership Council puts on Democrats who can blend moderate, third-way ideas that appeal to swing voters with traditional Democratic themes.

And Clinton's "New Democrat" blessing is a pretty good one to have, at least within the party.

But DLC chief Al From, one of the most important agents in Clinton's rise to power and an informal adviser to Senator Joe Lieberman, and Bruce Reed, an informal adviser to, at times, Senator John Edwards, put out a memo at nearly the same time Clinton spoke, urging fellow Democrats to reject what they termed the "wing of the Democratic party … defined principally by weakness abroad, and elitist, interest group liberalism at home."

The wing, in other words, they think, of Howard Dean.

In the memo, From and Reed take on Governor Dean directly, mixing strategic advice about the direction of the party with some rough digs.

"What activists like Dean call the Democratic wing of the Democratic Party is an aberration: the McGovern-Mondale wing, defined principally by weakness abroad and elitist, interest-group liberalism at home. That's the wing that lost 49 states in two elections, and transformed Democrats from a strong national party into a much weaker regional one."

"The real tradition of the Democratic Party is grounded in expanding opportunity and economic growth, increasing trade, standing up for a strong national defense and for America's interests in the world, and strengthening community at home. Don't take our word for it: Take a look back at old Democratic Party platforms."

"Unlike Governor Howard Dean, we never forget to give the late Senator Paul Wellstone credit for coining the phrase, 'Democratic wing of the Democratic Party. We often disagreed with Senator Wellstone on the issues, but we always knew he was fighting for the little guy."

Dean's staff apparently doesn't disagree with one of the DLC's points — that liberals have a tough time getting through the nominating process, much less elected. (An undercovered story of this campaign so far: the degree to which Howard Dean's liberalism is not historically so terribly liberal. On many, many issues, the candidate steers to the right of his anti-war constituents.).

Reed and From go on to make a convenient and interesting assertion about the distinction between caucuses and primaries.

They say that primaries will matter more because they better reflect the true soul of the party.

"No matter what happens in Iowa, the first make-or-break test will come in New Hampshire. Here's a shocker that every presidential candidate needs to understand: There's a good chance that more independents will vote in the 2004 New Hampshire Democratic primary than Democrats. "

"Sound impossible? You can look it up. In New Hampshire, more independents are registered to vote (37.5% of registered voters) than Republicans (36.5%) or Democrats (26%). According to exit polls, about 155,500 self-identified independents voted in the 2000 primary, compared to 140,550 Republicans and 92,800 Democrats. Inspired by John McCain's Straight Talk campaign, 60% of those independents voted in the Republican primary. This time, with no GOP contest and a heated Democratic one, those numbers could easily be reversed. If 60% of independents vote on the Democratic side, that would mean more than 93,000 independent voters in the Democratic primary, slightly larger than the number of Democratic voters in 2000."

We'd be remiss if we didn't point out that some sliver of the punditocracy thinks either Senator Edwards or Senator Lieberman (or both) will wind up stiffing (or de-emphasizing) the Iowa caucuses in favor of the New Hampshire primary.

So would it be fair to read the From/Reed missive as an ideological shoulder-shaking to the Democratic Establishment? Or as a piece of publicity for the worldviews of Senators Lieberman and Edwards? There's also some DLC criticism of Congressman Gephardt, a long-time DLCer:

"Every primary season unleashes the pander virus. Dick Gephardt's $2.5-trillion health care plan is the latest case in point. While Gephardt is right to base his candidacy on 'big ideas,' his health plan only underscores the folly of appealing to Democratic activists instead of the Democratic rank-and-file. When activists think big, they always do so with the rank-and-file's money."

The Washington Post 's own DVD Player has the memo, plus the Dean and Gephardt push backs, plus this: LINK

"Two DLCers running for president — Sens. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.) and Bob Graham (Fla.) — attended a dinner for participants in the strategy session last night at Warner's home in Alexandria."

Ron Fournier examines the DLC's hopes for the emergence of a Clintonesque campaign that can break even with the president on security issues, but defeat him on the economy. LINK

"The Democrats urged their party's presidential candidates to make the economy — not terrorism — the prevailing issue in 2004. They said the trick is to cast America's economic woes as a dire national security concern while questioning Bush's efforts to improve homeland security."

"Clinton, who spoke to the DLC in private Wednesday, said the 2004 Democratic candidates must incorporate strong positions on national security as they spell out why they are running for president."

"The DLC members warmly embraced Clinton, and said his campaigns are a model for this year's Democratic presidential crop."

More from Lester: "Clinton said the Democratic candidates are off to a good start, but face pressures of limited time to develop their issues, a fast-moving campaign and a crush of election contests early next year." LINK p> The former president also told Lester that Democrats will not have one advantage that he had in 1992: Republicans had held the White House for 12 years at that point.

"If the current crop of candidates is judged on what they accomplished before running for president, the field is strong, Clinton said. And some of those accomplishments contradict the image candidates have earned in the presidential race, he said."

But the party has other factious matters brewing today.

Notwithstanding the delay of Senator Kerry's Iowa health care speech, the recriminations, accusations, and sharp words are proceeding apace.

And we mean, of course, between the campaign and the national political press corps.

The Kerry campaign's tech and press savvy Kelley Benander told The Note this morning:

"The Kerry campaign would like to sincerely apologize for the fact that many reporters planning to cover John Kerry's health care speech in Iowa this morning did not receive timely notice that the speech has been postponed because Kerry has to return to DC for a tax vote that is predicted to be within one vote."

"Although that notice was sent immediately upon our change in schedule (at around 6:30 p.m. yesterday), the email system that is used for groups distributions crashed last night without our knowledge. As of right now, we are planning to re-schedule the speech at the 'same time, same place' on Friday morning. We will alert you with further details as soon as possible."

The AP's Mike Glover explains what happened: Senator Kerry has "put off his plunge into the Democratic health care fray, saying he was scrapping a major campaign event to stand up against President Bush's tax cuts." LINK

"Kerry had scheduled a high-profile event Thursday at a Des Moines hospital to unveil his $80 billion expansion of the health care system, but instead found himself headed back to Washington when votes were scheduled on the tax cut."

"As a practical matter, Kerry would have found it very hard politically to miss a vote on a tax cut that Democratic presidential candidates routinely attack, particularly since the vote is expected to be close."

Beyond the vitally important question of how a campaign so well/fully staffed could do such a thing to the very undemanding national reporters who cover them, there IS something else going on around the health care issue, despite this week's various calls for an intraparty truce on the issue.

Those campaigns with big health care plans are still researching and critiquing the other campaigns with big plans.

But the so-called "incrementalist" camps (Lieberman, Graham, Edwards) are poised to continue to argue that the big plans are too big, and are both legislatively untenable and injurious to the party's capacity to make a fiscal discipline/realistic-on-the-economy argument.

See "Invisible Primary" below for more on all that.

After all the senate voting, of course, (which also seems to have caused Senator Lieberman to scrap some fundraising) by Saturday morning, Des Moines WILL be the center of the Democratic political universe, with seven of the nine presidentials gathered for the big AFSCME meeting, and Roll Call 's Mark Preston has a flat-out must-reading curtain raiser on what to expect and the wider issues at hand.

Preston spoke with AFSCME president Gerald McEntee leading up the forum.

"As seven of the nine Democratic presidential candidates pack their bags for Saturday's AFSCME-sponsored debate in Iowa, union President Gerald McEntee said his organization will base its endorsement primarily on a person's ability to defeat President Bush."

"McEntee said the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees is following a similar strategy employed in 1992, when it endorsed little-known Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton over a loyal union ally, Senator Tom Harkin (Iowa), in the Democratic primary."

"'[Clinton] was ready for prime time the first day out of the box,' McEntee said in an interview this week. 'We said to ourselves, 'This is our guy. You know.'"

McEntee went on to handicap the current field.

"McEntee doesn't back away from his assertion that Kerry might have "gravitas" to take Bush on regarding foreign policy issues, especially given the Senator's background as a decorated Vietnam War veteran. But he also notes Senator Joe Lieberman (D-Conn.) "has come out stronger, stronger and stronger on the issue of Iraq and terrorism," while Gephardt is "making steps in that direction."

"So far, McEntee said he thinks Senator John Edwards (D-N.C.) joins Gephardt, Kerry and Lieberman as the presidential candidates who have the inside track to scoring labor endorsements in the sprint towards the primaries."

"'They are obviously the top tier and top four that will have individual support in the labor movement,' he said."

Stuff like that makes Roll Call well worth whatever it might cost you to get it.

And we have to ask again: with today's deflation numbers only the latest sign of economic mess, why are none of the Democrats focusing, to borrow the phrase first heard on an ABC News' broadcast, like a laser beam on the economy?

ABC 2004: The Invisible Primary:

The Associated Press' Beth Fouhy (whom The Note misses terribly back East) manages to play Mindy Tucker ("a longtime Bush aide who will head the president's California campaign operation") off Terry McAuliffe in a way that makes us mighty nostalgic. LINK

That aside, there are two interesting paragraphs:

"Despite the setbacks to his party in the 2002 elections, McAuliffe has soldiered on with almost messianic zeal — carrying the Democratic Party torch in the absence of a presidential standard bearer that McAuliffe says will emerge shortly after California's presidential primary next March."

"Nine Democrats are currently locked in a heated battle for that nomination, squabbling so loudly among themselves at times that McAuliffe said he has issued warnings, asking them to focus their attacks on President Bush and not on each other."

The RNC liked the NYT/CBS number showing Democrats and Republicans equally and broadly ignorant about who is running for the former's nomination that they did a whole press release on it.

When The Note drove by a certain Des Moines Chinese buffet last night, our thoughts turned, quite naturally, to Steve Hildebrand (who famously dined there) and Deborah Orin (who once covered an Elizabeth Dole event right near by).

So imagine our surprise when we opened our New York Post today and found Orin mocking Democrats for what she considers ill-placed attacks on President Bush given the American public's support of the war. LINK

Orin singles out Senator Bob Graham's recent comments and digs into Tom Daschle's damage control, eliciting this brittle remark:

"Asked for comment, Daschle campaign manager Steve Hildebrand said: 'I would not confirm strategy with the New York Post . Your readership in South Dakota is insignificant to Tom Daschle's re-election's campaign.'"

We can't wait for Kranz to write about this!!!

More boldfaced names in John DiStaso's Granite Status than ants in an art farm: he talks about the candidates' health care plans; upcoming visits; Gephardt activist endorsees; a contretemps between Karl Rove and the Boston Globe and much, much more. LINK

More must-readable than even a "normal" DiStaso column!!!

Everglades restoration is one local/state issue national Democrats are watching very closely, which is why it merits inclusion in our Invisible section:

"Governor Jeb Bush emerged from a meeting with congressmen Wednesday and said he was 'halfway' between vetoing a bill that critics argue would jeopardize the Everglades restoration and signing the legislation he previously said he supports." LINK and LINK

Bartlett's New Hampshire report saw state biggies for various campaigns sitting down to a nice dinner. LINK

HEALTH CARE

The Boston Globe 's Glen Johnson offers a look at Senator Kerry's $80 billion health care plan, which "he will unveil tomorrow" and which the Senator describes as "'the largest step you can take at this moment' toward providing universal health insurance 'without repeating mistakes' of past Democratic plans."LINK

Johnson has Kerry working away in his hotel room before returning to D.C. to vote:

"'This is based on various approaches that I think we've learned without repeating mistakes,' the Democratic presidential contender said yesterday as he sat in his hotel room, putting the finishing touches on the speech he was to deliver this morning in Des Moines. Kerry was forced to reschedule the speech to tomorrow because he had to return to Washington for several close votes in the Senate today. As Kerry pursues the presidency, the Massachusetts Democrat is regularly missing Senate votes, but has pledged to be present for any close votes. Among the votes today is a tally on the Senate tax package."

The Senator endeavored to distinguish his plan from those of a few notable others:

"Without mentioning them by name, Kerry differentiated his plan from that of President Clinton, who failed during his first term to win approval for a sweeping universal health care plan, and the health care plans unveiled recently by two other candidates for the Democratic nomination, Representative Richard A. Gephardt of Missouri and Howard Dean, the former governor of Vermont, by portraying it as a holistic program that doesn't radically restructure the country's familiar health-care delivery system."

And Stu weighs in on what it's really all about:

"Stuart Rothenberg, an independent Washington political analyst, said Kerry and his rivals are hoping their plans will not only resonate within the Democratic Party, but with a national work force worried about the existing health care system."

"'The problem is how you separate yourself on the specifics,' Rothenberg said. 'But what's most important is to be able to go out to voters and say, 'I have a plan and my plan is better than the others.""

The Boston Herald's Noelle Straub observes the rival "sniping" unleashed by Kerry's health care plan. LINK

For example-- the Gephardt camp's reaction: "'The problem with unambitious health care plans like the Dean and Kerry proposals is that they're not truly universal and not truly comprehensive,' charged Gephardt spokesman Erik Smith, adding that Americans are tired of 'half solutions.'"

EDWARDS

Raleigh News & Observer's John Wagner reports Elizabeth Edwards is California dreamin'. LINK

"Elizabeth Edwards has several meetings scheduled today in Southern California with potential donors and political backers, according to aides. On Thursday, she'll be in Northern California, where her day includes an appearance at a reception hosted by several pro-choice groups."

Mr. Wagner also writes up the press release announcing Senator Edwards' upcoming speech on issues affecting rural America to be delivered in Iowa next Wednesday.

Senators Edwards and Dole found some common ground on energy policy. LINK

James Pindell has a good look at the vortex of trial lawyer-doctor-AARP messages swirling in the state. LINK

The American Association of Health Plans tells us it bought billboard space next to WMUR in Manchester urging med-mal reform.

And watch for that WMUR/Edwards town meeting that taped earlier this week to air tomorrow on the station.

NEW HAMPSHIRE

The Associated Press has a nice look at the "intrigue" surrounding the New Hampshire legislature's debate over abortion.LINK

Will New Hampshire opt-out of No Child Left Behind? Maybe. LINK

The Union Leader thanks Bob Novak for 40 years of column service. LINK

DEAN

Dr. Dean wins the Tricia "Trish" Enright Primary, and that is big indeed. LINK

The Seattle Post-Intelligencer's Sam Skolnik reports that Dean "found a wildly receptive audience last night for his speech to more than 1,200 faithful at Seattle's Town Hall." LINK

"In a briefing afterward with reporters, Dean said Bush was not a racist, but that by referring in his speech to the Michigan policy six times as a 'quota,' a loaded catch phrase for many, 'it was the first time he appealed to racial divisiveness — and that was just wrong.'"

The Seattle Times' David Postman writes that Dean was "hitting his own party hard in between attacks on President Bush." LINK

Postman Notes that Dean said "Democrats are almost as angry at their own party as they are at Republicans."

GRAHAM

The Note has learned that Senator Bob Graham will speak to a gaggle of influential New York New Democrats (NYNDs?) next Monday at the Harvard Club in New York City. The event is being sponsored by the New Democrat Network. 80+ attendees, we are told, and Senator Graham. Closed press, sadly (for now … ..).

Is Senator Graham too close to Big Sugar? LINK

LIEBERMAN

Senator Lieberman has the big Mo on his side. So says David Lightman's must-read in today's edition of the Hartford Courant. We've excerpted heavily for you here, but you won't want to miss a word of it. LINK

The debate prep details alone are worth the price of admission.

We aren't sure, but we think the piece was written by a DIFFERENT David Lightman than normally covers this campaign — even though "Lightman" isn't all that common a name.

"This surge of momentum is a dramatic change for a campaign that spent much of the first part of this year lumbering through fund-raising and campaign events that were noticed more for their fizzle than sizzle."

"In the past few weeks, though, a team drawn largely from past Clinton and Gore campaigns has been at the helm of the Lieberman effort, keeping him more visible, focused and viable, while creating media-friendly events."

Jano C., Tovah R.M., Jonathan S., and Mandy G. all get praise from Mr. Lightman for a communications operation that has apparently begun to jell.

" … There is still nervousness in the campaign that unless Lieberman does well in fund-raising during this quarter, he could be all but written off by party pros."

"Lieberman is well aware of this, and his political schedule this week is all fund-raising, beginning in Chicago Monday, continuing Tuesday in New York City and New Jersey and moving to Texas Thursday and Friday and Connecticut Sunday."

"'He's doing well,' said Florida fund-raiser Michael Adler. 'But it is hard work. Remember, people who give money like to think they're giving it to winners, and in a big field like this, there's no sure thing. That makes it hard, but we're going to do just fine.'"

Mr. Lightman then proceeds to wind back the clock to the Senator's May 3rd debate performance and offers some nice behind the scenes look into Mr. Lieberman's debate prep.

"Probably Lieberman's biggest coup was the South Carolina debate, the first political event of the season to get blanket media coverage and one that would set the tone for weeks to come."

"Expectations were low and Lieberman arrived just three minutes before it began because of his Sabbath observance."

"But Lieberman and the five Clinton-Gore veterans had been preparing for weeks. The advisers told Lieberman that, as one put it, 'attention was shifting to domestic issues, and that would crystallize in the South Carolina debate.'"

"So Lieberman was told not only to have his answers ready, but to keep them "crisp," as an adviser put it."

"Part of the debate format might lend itself to lengthy answers, the kind of nuanced responses that often got Lieberman tagged as boring. Zero in, the advisers said. 'Get to the point,' one told him during one of the question-and-answer sessions they held with the senator at his Arlington, Va., headquarters in late April."

"None of this means Lieberman is a front-runner, just that he's firmly in the game."

GEPHARDT

Representative Dick Gephardt gained an important source of grassroots support yesterday, adding 18 members of the House to his endorsement roster.

"Nobody knows more about me as a leader than they do," he said.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) lavished her predecessor with praise and vowed to do all she could to help him win.

"I know Dick Gephardt is the best Democratic candidate for President because I have worked with him every day," she said.

Pelosi last endorsed a presidential candidate in 1976, choosing then California governor Jerry Brown and appeared to hesitate about making an early endorsement this cycle. But Gephardt courted her for months, believing her nod would be a big prize.

Pelosi yesterday hinted that her duties as Leader might reduce the time she could spend assisting Gephardt. "There aren't enough hours in the day for me to raise all the money I need to raise for Democrats to win the House," she told The Note.

And she departed from her prepared remarks to compliment the field of nine presidential candidates.

"The lively debate will be one that will be a benefit to the American people," she said.

Pelosi, who carries with her a broad network of grass roots activists and fundraisers, said she would lend some of her resources to Gephardt but said her need to raise money for Democratic House candidates was a higher priority.

Absent from yesterday's news conference were Rep. Martin Frost, D-Texas, and Rep. Bob Menendez.

"[Frost's] political energies are focused on stopping Tom DeLay's re-redistricting scheme, and he doesn't feel compelled to make an early endorsement," said Tom Eisenhauer, a Frost spokesman.

The Congressional endorsements will assist Mr. Gephardt in several ways. First, most members will attend next summer's Democratic National Convention as superdelegates.

Second, many, like Minority Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland, can tap into their own political operations and divert resources to aid Gephardt.

Third, the more popular members' endorsements--like that of Rep. Jack Spatt of Carolina-- might convince their constituents to give Mr. Gephardt another look. Finally, yesterday's nods will help persuade other members of Congress that Gephardt is electable and not too liberal for the job.

None of that kept many of the other campaigns from sniping about What It All Means.

11 House members have endorsed Senator Joe Lieberman.

The AP's Nedra Pickler reports, "Gephardt's list of House endorsements is the largest of any candidate in the nine-way Democratic primary, but still represents just under 15 percent of the caucus he used to lead before stepping down last year in anticipation of his presidential run. He said he was working to line up even more support among lawmakers and predicted his list of endorsements will grow in the coming months." LINK

The AP has a roster of Gephardt's House endorsers. LINK

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Deirdre Shesgreen has a nice look at the day. LINK

The Los Angeles Times ' Nick Anderson writes that Gephardt "laid claim Wednesday to being king of the hill — Capitol Hill, that is." LINK

"With his list, Gephardt ranks well ahead of his rivals in the hunt for congressional support. Endorsements can help candidates in several ways: with fund-raising, publicity and — in the unlikely event that no clear nominee emerges from the primaries and caucuses — even at the party's national convention."

Erik Greathouse might want to thank Debora Pignatelli for writing a nice letter on Gephardt's behalf in the Union Leader.

KERRY

Bones v. Bones!

The Boston Herald's Andrew Miga probes into Senator Kerry's true big secret: his Skull and Bones membership at Yale. LINK

Someone please tell us if Kelley Benander has her tongue in her cheek: "'John Kerry has absolutely nothing to say on that subject. Sorry,' said Kerry spokeswoman Kelley Benander."

Apparently, if Kerry becomes the Democratic nominee, Bones members will be content whatever the outcome of the 2004 election:

"Bonesmen already are buzzing over the prospect of the first Bones vs. Bones presidential race should Kerry win his party's nomination and face Bush in 2004."

"'Bones don't care who wins,' said author Alexandra Robbins, whose book 'Secrets of the Tomb' pierced the secrecy shrouding the 171-year-old society. 'If Kerry wins, it's still a Bones presidency.'"

And The Note loved this section so much, we're just quoting the whole, darn, supersecret thing:

"Kerry was tapped for the club in 1968, two years after Bush, whose father and grandfather were also Bonesmen. Kerry's brother-in-law from his first marriage, David Thorne, was Bones. So was the late husband of Kerry's current wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry. The Bones alumni roster is flush with CIA officials, business moguls, congressmen and Supreme Court justices. The club owns a secluded 40-acre island retreat on the St. Lawrence River."

"In 1986, Kerry allegedly tried to recruit Jacob Weisberg, then a college-age intern at 'The New Republic' magazine."

"Weisberg, now Slate magazine editor, said Kerry made his pitch during a private meeting in his Senate office. Weisberg declined, pointedly asking Kerry how he squared his liberalism with membership in such an elitist club that refused to admit women. 'Kerry got sort of flustered and said, 'I've marched with battered women,' ' Weisberg told the Herald. "

"Five years later, Kerry was among those voting to force the club to admit women after a bitter court fight."

The Boston Globe 's Joan Vennochi believes it is the big bankbook not the loose tongue that puts the spotlight on Teresa Heinz Kerry, whom she chides for taking foolish advantage of the misguided attention. LINK

Vennochi writes: "Personal wealth grants her a platform larger than her actual status — wife of Massachusetts Senator John F. Kerry. Mrs. Kerry has arrived in a way that the candidates who are actually running for the Democratic presidential nomination, including her husband, can only fantasize about. She recently enjoyed front-page treatment in The New York Times under the headline 'Speaking her mind, using her checkbook.' She may believe it's the "speaking her mind" part that is inspiring the coverage. But it's really the checkbook."

Vennochi, who offers some fairly nasty descriptions of Heinz Kerry, also asserts that, while THK is an intelligent, philanthropic woman and supportive wife, her prattling comments aren't helping her husband any.

"But out of a misguided sense of her own importance, she is turning her husband-the-candidate into a sideshow, the second banana to her main act. It is difficult to see how that helps him. She seems determined to throw herself in front of the attention he deserves to get as a presidential candidate."

SOUTH CAROLINA

Jim Morrill of the Charlotte Observer predicts presidential candidates will be spending many Sundays in South Carolina. LINK

"Across South Carolina, Democratic presidential candidates are flocking to churches to seek the blessing of African Americans who could make up half the voters in the state's Feb. 3 primary, one of the first tests of the 2004 presidential race."

ABC 2004: CREEP:

The Macker makes the CREEP section:

The San Francisco Chronicle's Carla Marinucci reports that the Macker, "in an unusual public dispute with an elected Democratic official," has "questioned California Secretary of State Kevin Shelley's move to help Republicans put President Bush's name on the state's November 2004 ballot." LINK

"'They ought to be held to account,' McAuliffe said of the Republicans. 'I've just got to wonder, in my mind, how they would have treated us if we'd reversed the roles, and we needed a Republican secretary of state to move the dates for us.'"

"But Art Torres, chair of the California Democratic Party, said he fully supports Shelley's decision, adding, 'Democrats need to be responsible' on the matter."

In San Francisco, the Macker "showed up, 18 months before the 2004 presidential election, to rouse enthusiasm among party faithful," the AP's Beth Fouhy reports. LINK

"Despite the setbacks to his party in the 2002 elections, McAuliffe has soldiered on with almost messianic zeal — carrying the Democratic Party torch in the absence of a presidential standard bearer that McAuliffe says will emerge shortly after California's presidential primary next March."

Big Casino budget politics:

The AP's Mary Dalrymple writes, "Republicans are just a vote or two away from eking out a victory on a plan to temporarily eliminate taxes on stock dividends and preserving the foundation of the president's formula for economic growth." LINK

And it all may come down to Big Ben …

"Democrat Ben Nelson of Nebraska is the key to the GOP calculus. Even with his vote, Republicans may need Vice President Dick Cheney to break a tie. Nelson said Wednesday he could support a bigger dividend tax cut, depending on how it effects other elements of the bill."

Senator Ben Nelson and the senate inclusion of some aid to the states help move the tax bill a piece down the road, the New York Times says. LINK

The Washington Post 's Weisman sees a bit more rocks in the senate road, LINK, as does the Wall Street Journal , which plays up the White House opposition to some of the revenue enhancers being considered.

For his sake, let's hope Senator Nelson isn't one of those MOCs who care about what the Washington Post ed board thinks. LINK

The Wall Street Journal 's Murray has very favorable profile of Senator Grassley.

A Big Casino tale big enough for Jake Tapper. LINK

The Boston Globe 's editorial page thinks President Bush's tax plan is reckless, and testily compares the budget deficits of 41 and 43 ("Bush is on the verge of outdoing his father once again.") LINK

Legislative agenda:

The Associated Press' Jim Abrams reports that "Democrats challenged President Bush on Wednesday to overcome resistance within his own party to extending an assault weapons ban due to expire next year." LINK

New York Senator Chuck "Schumer said the gun bill would be an issue in the 2004 election, a develop.m.ent that could pose problems for Democrats who represent districts with strong gun rights sentiment. Bush has handled the issue cautiously, balancing the desires of his gun-rights base and the concerns of suburban voters, particularly women, who favor some limitations. The assault ban vote was a campaign topic in 1994, the year Republicans recaptured the House after spending 40 years in the minority."

The San Francisco Chronicle's Edward Epstein writes, "Only President Bush can save the law banning AK-47s, Uzis and other rapid-fire guns now that House Majority Leader Tom DeLay has declared his intention to block its renewal, Senator Dianne Feinstein and other proponents said Wednesday." LINK

Epstein Notes: "Bush is usually an ally of the gun lobby, and cynics have noted that Bush political adviser Karl Rove was quoted recently as telling New Hampshire gun activists that the ban extension would never be approved by Congress, so they shouldn't worry about Bush signing it."

The White House tries to be fiscally prudent on transportation spending. LINK

Politics:

Bill Clinton is doing another commencement address this Sunday, at Tougaloo College in Mississippi.

Here is the school's history LINK

And you should know that earlier this year, Clinton's foundation helped produce and promote a CD-ROM on historically black colleges and universities, which is available here LINK

The New York Daily News' Rush and Molloy report Bill and Hillary Clinton dined together by candlelight at the Four Seasons last Friday. LINK

The New York Times ' Sam Lubell looks at the pros and cons of the shift to electronic balloting. LINK

The Note's wildest dreams fulfilled: Jeremy Bash and Will Drake in the SAME Washington Post story! LINK

It's about the race to challenge Jim Moran.

The New York Times offers another analysis of George Pataki (this time by James C. McKinley, Jr.) that sees the governor positioning himself for national office, specifically in the Bush Administration. LINK

Our desire to avoid covering the Jayson Blair matter here does not extend to telling you about Al Hunt's Wall Street Journal column today, which celebrates Tim (no last name needed here) and attacks Chris Matthews.

And, thank goodness, Note hero Bob Novak's anniversary column ends with a triumphant "To achieve the dream of my lifetime at age 32 meant that I have had 40 years to work at what I love. I thank my editors and readers for making this possible, and I certainly am not done yet." LINK

Bob seems so happy, as if he doesn't even remember the day the Bullets chose Kenny Green over Karl Malone, despite Bob's best advice.

Congratulations, Sweet Prince.

Senator Saxby Chambliss is getting some home state coverage for his now public phone conversation with Sen./Dr./Leader Frist about getting a Republican donor an ambassadorship. DSCC spokesperson Brad Woodhouse was winding up all day for this swing. LINK

"That was so extremely unseemly," Woodhouse said. "I think the voters at least would want to know how he can represent their interests and say, 'Yeah, as a matter of fact, I do think money should play a role in picking ambassadors.' "

Senator Chambliss doesn't understand what all the fuss is about … the donor didn't even get the job.

"Chambliss said that even if donations played a role in his recommendation, the man — a friend of his — did not receive the appointment."

"'Apparently, it doesn't work for us, because it didn't happen,' Chambliss quipped. 'There are a number of factors that are taken into consideration, and that [donations] may or may not be one of them.'"

The Los Angeles Times ' Elvin Halper and Jeffrey L. Rabin report that "Governor Gray Davis scrapped his original plan to deal with the state's fiscal crisis Wednesday and unveiled a new one that would go easier on the poor and schools but rely on extensive borrowing and steep tax increases to close a budget hole that has grown to $38.2 billion." LINK

"Along with the revised budget, the governor released an updated economic forecast that predicts slightly higher unemployment during the rest of this year and in 2004. State forecasters also see slower growth in the personal income of Californians. That growth is crucial because the income tax is the largest source of state revenue."

The L.A. Times' Michael Finnegan analyzes Davis' decision and finds that the "revised budget released Wednesday … held two key attractions for an unpopular Democratic governor who faces the threat of a special election to recall him from office." LINK

The Minneapolis Star Tribune's Neal Justin has an update on former Governor Jesse Ventura's developing career as a talking-head. LINK

Bush Administration strategy/personality:

The New York Times ' Dick Stevenson profiles top presidential lobbyist David Hobbs, casting him as good cop to Karl Rove's alleged bad cop, and getting blind GOP quotes from the Hill about the administration's posited heavy-handed, Bush's-way-or-the-highway posture. LINK

Lone Star face-off:

"Speaker Tom Craddick said Wednesday he likely will adjourn the Texas House today, allowing a group of errant Democrats to defeat a Republican proposal to redraw congressional district boundaries," the Houston Chronicle reports.

"Craddick said he is prepared for the Democrats holed up in Ardmore, Okla., to declare victory, but he does not see it that way."

"'I'm not sure that there's a victory. There's a loss,' Craddick told the Chronicle. 'The loss is to the people of Texas because it kills not one bill but a whole stream of bills.'"

"Rep. Jim Dunnam of Waco, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus and leader of the rebellion, said he has no feeling of 'triumph' over the probable defeat of the redistricting bill. And he said it was Craddick's fault that other bills died in the crossfire."

The New York Times views the tangle through the contact lenses of the House Majority Leader. LINK

"Mr. DeLay's reopening the Congressional districting process is a good example of the bare-knuckles politics he likes to practice. Congressional redistricting typically occurs only every 10 years, after the census. Undertaking it in between times, in what amounts to midstream, is aggressive and rare; Democrats say that except for a more modest effort this year by Colorado Republicans — an effort that is itself headed for the courts — they can find no other time in the last 50 years when a state engaged in midstream redistricting without a court order to do so."