Election Recycling: Cheney Problem Edition
• Ricesays there is no need to apologize for 9/11 failures and now acknowledges thatBushmetClarkeon 9/12 to discuss Iraq;Clarkecalls for full declassification of his earlier testimony;White Housemay move to declassifyRice'sprivate testimony with the commission. [ WP and NYT ]
• Bush'sattacks onKerry'sdefense positions could backfire, hurting the president's credibility. [ WSJ ]
• Kerryvisits African-Americans at a Baptist church, saysBushneglects those less fortunate: "In too many ways our school systems all across this country, 50 years after that great decision was made by the Supreme Court, our school systems are still separate and unequal. We still have doors to open, we still have prayers to say, and we still have feet to move."Bushcampaign criticizes his "exploitation of Scripture for a political attack." [ NYT and LAT ]
• Kerryopts for elective shoulder surgery for a slight tear; denies a"Cheneyproblem." [ WP ]
• Karen Hughes'promotions of her new book andBushare one and the same; plans to travel full time with the campaign beginning in August. "I'll be on the road with the president as a friend and communications strategist," she said. [ WP and WT ]
• Kerrycollecting gold in California with help ofLeonardo DiCaprio, Ben Affleck, Warren Beatty, Barbra Streisand, Paul Newman, Francis Ford Coppola, Jamie Lee Curtis and Sharon Stone.[ LAT ]
• Kerryis the first recent candidate to not support the death penalty: "I know something about killing. I don't like killing. That's just a personal belief I have." [ WT ]
• Naderto meet withKerry; Peter Camejo, Green Party advocate, urges support ofNader.[ USAT and WT ]
•Protesters prepare for New York, and New York prepares for protesters. "Over 1,000 groups have filed applications for demonstration permits. Some are large, some are small. And we've got the people to handle this," said an advisor to the mayor. [ WT ]
•Crawford is no Ketchum, and the press won't forget it. [ NYT ]
[Leans both ways, really. AP Photo/Elise Amendola]