• Bush "down, but not out," says Peter Hart of new WSJ/NBC poll. Dowd predicts Kerry bounce, but tie after GOP convention. Bush's approval rating at 45 percent; voters mostly split; Bush's support is stronger than Kerry's. [WSJ]
• Kerry raises $175 million, outpacing Bush's 2000 record. [BG]
• Kerry works on acceptance speech, announcement on running mate likely Tuesday: Vilsack, Edwards, Gephardt, Biden, Nunn. [BG and USAT]
• White House faces challenge of spinning rate hike. Republican strategist: "Economists know that's true. However, people's mortgage rates are going up; credit card rates are going up. It's hard to celebrate an interest rate increase from a political standpoint." [LAT]
• BC04 taps churches for directories and support. [WP]
• Kerry criticizes Bush for mismanagement of troops. [BG]
• Kerry opposes drivers' licenses for migrants. [LAT]
• RNC announces 62 "Super Rangers" who have raised over $300,000 each. [WP]
• Cheney used by Republicans to rally base, by Democrats to raise Bush's weaknesses; Cheney begins bus tour of battleground states. [LAT]
• Campaigns play dirty with online ads. "If it's outrageous enough, it gets picked up [by news media], and you get to have your cake and eat it too," says director of GWU program. [LAT]
• New ad portrays Kerry as pilot, hunter, hockey player, family man, veteran, and public servant. [NYT and LAT]
• Nader receives donations from top Republicans, uses Reform Party to get on ballots, will debate Dean on NPR. [NYT and BG and WP and LAT]
• Stern to push for Kerry. [USAT]
• Online games gain popularity in campaigns. [NYT]
• New site catalogs historical and current campaign ads. [NYT]
