• Battleground poll: Bush, 43 percent, Kerry, 41 percent; Bush approval at 50 percent. [WT]
• Kerry, at Rainbow/PUSH, promises broader access to colleges for minorities: "Well, I say, the most pessimistic thing that you can say is that we can't do better in the United States of America." [NYT and WP and LAT and BG and USAT]
• Kerry faced with decision of paying off his personal loan to the campaign with campaign contributions or with his own income. [NYT and LAT]
• Cheney booed at Yankee Stadium. [NYT]
• Some Republicans think Ashcroft is too polarizing, may not return for second term; complains that he focuses on his own agenda. [NYT]
• Kerry on releasing his divorce records: "I have no intention of doing that at all. There's no reason whatsoever. It's history, ancient history." [LAT]
• Pollster Peter Hart: "Behind John Kerry's name right now is a huge question mark. He's going to need a very firm handshake with the American people." At a focus group of military families, "voters go blank when asked to identify Mr. Kerry with any issue." [WSJ]
• Teresa speaks of "very sad day" when her first husband died. [BG]
• Kerry's decision not to cross picket line shows long-term focus on victory, writes Glen Johnson. [BG]
• Laura Bush campaigns for a second term doing "the hardest unpaid job in the world." [USAT]
• Conservative groups allegedly violated election regulations by their methods of helping Nader; Groups admit helping, deny wrongdoing. [LAT]
• ACT under fire for door-to-door practices. [WT]
• Conservatives reeling, unsure how to knock "Fahrenheit 9/11." [WSJ]
• Democrats concerned about picketing during convention. [NYT]
• Electronic voting in dire need of repairs. [NYT and WT]
• Parties embrace MTV, Comedy Central, internet for convention coverage, but "The idea that someone wants to go online to participate in the convention is dubious." [WSJ]
• Sharpton to host reality show on Spike TV: "I'm the working man's Trump. He brings people into the penthouse. We bring them into the house." [WP]
