Election Recycling: Overwhelming Burden of High Expectations Edition

• KerrypraisesGephardt,reaches out to union supporters;James Hoffa Jr.urges selection ofGephardtfor vice president. [ NYT and WP and LAT and BG ]

•White House urged to expand investigation of prison abuse.Biden: "There is no accountability so far. It cannot be just those people in that prison. It doesn't seem rational, based on my experience." [WSJ ]

• Bush, Kerry,and anniversary of Brown vs. Board of Education converge on Topeka. Said mayor, "This is the biggest day in Topeka history, period." [ LAT ]

•EPA provided laundry industry lobbyists access to edit new guidelines, not to environmental groups or unions;Bush'sPioneers benefit in most federal agencies and departments. [ WP and WP ]

• Brownstein: Preemption policy a casualty of war. [LAT ]

•Iraqi turnover likely to benefitBush.[ WT ]

•Race is first a referendum onBush.[ USAT ]

• Michael Moorefilm includes images of civilian casualties of war not seen on U.S. television. [ NYT ]

•Parishioners react to bishop's letter saying they should not receive communion if they vote for liberal politicians. [ NYT ]

• Bush'scommencement speeches are politically calculated; compassionate conservative messages expressed. [ NYT ]

• Schwarzeneggerstays out of presidential race; likely to campaign forBush.[ LAT ]

• Kucinichstill campaigning, mostly to reform Democratic positions. "At this point, I am not suffering from the overwhelming burden of high expectations," he said. [ NYT ]

•Television interview withPowellis interrupted.Russert: It's "press management gone berserk." [NYT and WT ]

•GOP 527s play catch-up to liberal groups. [ WT ]

•Parties look to attract undecided Latino voters. [ USAT ]

•For Republican convention protesters, the first challenge is obtaining a permit. Yippie Party offered to provide cops with free medical marijuana; "We were denied in four days. We think that's a record," said a Yippie elder. [ WP ]

•62% of federal workers receive bonuses, despiteBush'scall for merit-based rewards. Said professor of government, "This is just going to further confirm what many Americans believe, that the federal government is somehow an island unto itself." [ WP ]

• Naderregularly providesKerrywith policy recommendations. [ BG ]

[ REUTERS/William Philpott ]