Election Recycling: Now How Can This Happen in the Way It Happens Edition
•White House tries to soften threat ofClarkeby saturating media. "They are vulnerable, which is why they are attacking so hard. You have to go back to Vietnam or Watergate to get the same feel about the structure of argument coming out of the White House againstClarke'sstatements," says scholar.Dan Bartlett: "At face value, based on his résumé and experience, you would think this guy is credible. Particularly because of how egregious the accusations are, you couldn't let them stand." [WP ]
•Democrats accuseBushof being insensitive after his remarks about WMD. White House responds, "There's no question about the seriousness with which this president approaches this issue. It's traditional at events like this dinner for the president to poke fun at himself." [ WP and NYT ]
• Kerryto propose deduction in corporate taxes to create 10 million jobs by 2009 and encourage domestic hiring.Kerryeconomic advisor: "The most salient feature, or at least symbolic feature, is the corporate tax rate [cut]. When is the last time you saw a Democrat propose a corporate tax cut?" [ WP and NYT ]
• Bushdeclares he would have "used every asset, every resource, every power of this government" to prevent 9/11 had he been warned. [ WP ]
• Riceunder pressure as contradictions appear; agrees to meet with 9/11 panel in private and not under oath.Bob Kerrey: "My gosh, I think she was on every single network the day the commission opened its hearing this week, attacking our witnesses." [WP and NYT and NYT ]
• Kerry'sdeviations from his concise speeches hurt his message: "Now how can this happen in the United States of America in the way that it happens?" [ WP ]
• Bushraises $1.2 million just blocks fromKerry'sBoston townhouse; attacksKerryfor supporting higher taxes. [ NYT and WT ]
• Kerryfundraiser, with top Democrats, rakes in $11 million;Kerry: "Above all, this country of ours, which we love, deserves leadership that faces the truth and tells the truth that trusts the American people and knows that when we live up to our values, the United States of America never goes to war because it wants to we only go to war because we have to." [NYT and LAT ]
•NewBushad saysKerrywill raise taxes by $900 billion in his first 100 days. [ NYT and LAT ]
•For both campaigns, surrogates make the point. [ LAT ]
•Poll finds interest in race; 63 percent think the election "really matters." [ WT ]
[And that's her "happy" face. AP Photo/Charles Dharapak ]