• Cheney says if Kerry is elected, "we'll be hit in a way that will be devastating from the standpoint of the United States, and that we'll fall back into the pre-9/11 mind-set, if you will, that in fact these terrorist attacks are just criminal acts and that we are not really at war." Bush connects Kerry's new slogan to Dean. [WP, NYT, LAT, BG, WT, BG, USAT]
• Bush skipped two guard commitments, reexamination shows. [BG]
• Pentagon releases 17 pages of records regarding Bush's guard service; he flew 336 hours and ranked in the middle of his class. [NYT]
• BC04 unlikely to accept debate in Missouri with audience of undecided voters. [WP]
• Kerry: The "only legitimate reason" for invading Iraq was WMDs. [WT]
• CBO says it is nearly impossible to halve the deficit within five years, as Bush pledged; Kerry attacks. [NYT, BG]
• In August, Kerry repeatedly played into Republicans' hands. Kerry may apologize for comments during Vietnam War protests. Coelho: "You are paying these guys a lot of damn money. If Kerry is screwing up, where is our Karl Rove?" [WP]
• Johnson, Lockhart, Wolfson, Whouley take leave from consulting firms to help KE04. [WP]
• Bush selectively uses Kerry's quotes in campaign rhetoric. [NYT]
• Bush increasingly taking a page from Truman. [LAT]
• Crop of advisors shift from 527s to official campaigns. Shays: "It smells real bad." [NYT]
• New 527 group to question Bush's guard service in new ad campaign. [LAT, USAT]
• Senator Graham accuses White House of covering up ties between Saudi Arabia and 9/11 hijackers. [NYT]
• Cheney keeps calm, reserved presence on trail. [LAT]
• Kitty Kelley set for three-part interview on "Today," as well as Matthews, Imus, possibly O'Reilly; Newsweek declines excerpts over sourcing. Bartlett: "Kitty Kelley's allegations make Michael Moore look like a factual documentarian." [WP]
• Florida vote could depend on satisfaction of hurricane aid. [WSJ]
• Log Cabin Republicans won't endorse Bush or Kerry. [NYT, LAT]
• Carter blasts Miller for "unprecedented disloyalty." [WP]
