• Candidates spar over the environment on Earth Day. Bush: "Good conservation and good stewardship will happen when people say, 'I'm just not going to rely upon the government to be the solution to the problem.'" Kerry: "He's actually proven himself very good at recycling. He just recycled the deficit, the bad economic policies, the bad environmental policies, the bad foreign policies." [WP and NYT and LAT]

• DNC considers establishing independent unit to run pro-Kerry ads. [LAT]

•Kerry's four month tour of duty is praised and criticized. [WP and LAT]

• On anniversary of Kerry's '71 testimony, House GOP members attack his antiwar activities. Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Tex.): "What he did was nothing short of aiding and abetting the enemy." [WP]

•Kerry faces challenge of getting support of staunch antiwar voters. [BG]

•Rumsfeld likely to continue post if reelection succeeds; rejects draft effort. [NYT and WT]

•Specter-Toomey race tightens; turnout expected to be low. [NYT]

• Ballots still expected to present problems on election day; California panel unanimously suggests banning use of touch-screen voting. [WSJ and NYT and WSJ]

•Teresa files for tax extension; details come out about Kerry's lobbyist meetings. [NYT and LAT]

• House passes continuity bill. [WP and USAT]

• Man charged with threatening Kerry through Wolf Blitzer. [USAT]

•Dean still collects cash; $626,615 last month. [USAT]

[Tiiiiiimberrrr! AP Photo/Steven Senne]