• 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]
