Election Recycling: Listing Names Edition
•With campaigns trading jabs, party strategists focus on 18 states that will decide the election. "At the presidential level, it still might be very, very close to even-steven, particularly with a nominee likeKerry,who has gotten off to such a good start and who doesn't have the negatives that aDeancandidacy would," says analystRhodes Cook.[ WP and LAT ]
• Kerrycamp, racing to define their candidate beforeBush,plans tours on jobs and health care. "The president can't come out now and say, 'O.K., I finally have a plan to fix the economy.' Where have you been for the past three years?John Kerrycan," says his communications director. [ NYT ]
•Spanish voters oust key U.S. ally in defeat toBush."We don't know that what happened in Spain marks a broader trend. But I wouldn't be telling the truth if I said this is the kind of outcome we might have wished for," says one senior official. [ NYT and WP ]
• PowellchallengesKerryto name foreign leaders who support him: "If he can't list names, then perhaps he should find something else to talk about." [ WP and NYT ]
• Deanis not taking his ball and going home: "John Kerrygets to be the captain of the team. And the question is, do you want to be on the team and work for change or do you not? And I do want to be on the team." [ AP/Yahoo ]
• Kerryintroduces health care plan: "The millions and millions of Americans with and without health insurance who fear opening their medical bills are the unheard majority in this debate. They're not silent, they've just been ignored." [ WT ]
•Online video campaign ads gain popularity as cheap and effective way to raise money and promote candidacy outside of the boundaries of regulations. [ WP ]
• Powell, Rumsfeld, Ricehit talk shows to defend Iraq war. [ WT ]
•Black caucus disagrees withKerrythat gay marriage is a civil rights issue. [ WT ]
• Kerry'sprimary opponents now key fundraisers. [ USAT ]
• Kerry'ssupport of NAFTA could hurt him in Ohio, where job losses mount. [ USAT ]
•Campaigns wary of misusing 9/11;Giulianidoesn't mention it when he visits Iowa and New Hampshire. [ NYT ]
• Bushkeeps steady schedule: up at 5, down at 10. "One gets a sense of time being ordered and directed," says one guest. [ NYT ]
AP Photo/NBC News, Alex Wong, HO