Election Recycling: Fascination with the Way He Said What He Said Edition

•Records showBushsought exit from National Guard, skipped required medical exam. One Colonel complained of effort to "sugar coat"Bush's evaluations. [ WP , NYT , LAT , WSJ , WT , BG , USAT ]

• Kerryblames cost of Iraq mistakes for problems with education, health care, job creation; plans to recall most troops by 2009.Lockhart: "This allows us to talk about domestic priorities and the mess in Iraq."BC04strategist: "As long as they're talking about national security, we're winning every single day and he's digging a deeper hole." [ WP , NYT , LAT , WT , WT , BG , USAT ]

• Bushnow supports "full budgetary authority" for new intel director. [ WP , NYT , WT , BG ]

• Kerry, Edwardsjump onCheney's comment.BC04flack: "Take away the fascination with the way he said what he said. It's a discussion about pre-emption." [ NYT , WP , NYT , BG , USAT ]

• Bushtours hurricane damage in Florida. [ WP , NYT , LAT ]

• Bushleads in Missouri, Ohio, according to Gallup. [ USAT ]

• KE04ads to air in 14 states. [ LAT ]

• Bush's policy agenda would likely impede effort to reduce deficit. [ WSJ ]

•Trade policies ofBush, Kerrydebated. [ WP ]

• Kerryhasn't had a press avail in a month. [ WT ]

• BushmeetsBakerto discuss debates. [ WT ]

•Crowd count findsBC04inflates figures. [ WP ]

•Mirroring nation, California's coast favorsKerry, inland prefersBush. [ LAT ]

•Middle America ground zero for campaigns. [ USAT ]

•NRA mocksKerryin new ads. [ USAT ]

• Sharon BushdeniesKitty Kelley's account of drug use byBush. [ WP , NYT ]

•32 of 35 nations pickKerryoverBush, according to poll. [ BG ]

[ AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty ]