Election Recycling: Well, Duh, Edition
•Iraq possessed no WMDs or facilities to create them, concludes final report; news could dentBush's image. [ WP , WP , NYT , USAT ]
•With 26 days to go, timing of intel report bad forBush. [ WP ]
• Bushdebuts harsh stump speech, assertsKerrywill "weaken America and make the world more dangerous." [ WP , NYT , USAT , LAT , WSJ , BG ]
• Kerrygains ground onBushin tracking poll; minority says they are better off economically underBush. [ WP ]
•Veep debate language continues on campaign trail.Lynne: "Don't you think the senator ought to go to the Senate once in a while?"Edwards: "The struggle with the truth is not just about whether we met before. They struggle on the most basic issues facing America today." [ WP , NYT , USAT , LAT ]
• KE04concedes Missouri, Arizona, Louisiana;BC04may give up on Washington, Maine.Cookestimates 11 states with 123 electoral votes remain open. [ WSJ ]
•Webmasters of Factcheck.com had their own rapid response; logged 50,000 hits in first two hours. [ WP , USAT , LAT ]
•43.6m viewers tuned to veep debate, largest in 12 years. [ NYT , WSJ ]
•Poll respondents curious aboutKerry's faith, but subject makesKerryuncomfortable. Scholar: "What you're looking for in a campaign is the candidate talks a certain way and the voter says, 'Yeah, I get it.' I think maybe an opportunity is being missed." [ NYT , BG ]
• Cheneyswiftly outmaneuveredEdwardson jumbled charges concerning Halliburton. [ WP ]
•During debates, candidates avoid crossing "the line" by smiling and using codewords such as "mislead," not lie. [ WP ]
• Kerryrecalls making teacher cry by drawing the birthing process.TeresatoDr. Phil: "This campaign has really given my boys a chance to see their mother in a situation that isn't mom. . . being the witch of the household. It's, all of a sudden, it's mom out there, really taking it in the chops every now and then." [ USAT ]
•Race for hearts of Iowans is the longest fight. [ NYT ]
• Elizabeth Edwards: "Well, duh. The world has changed, and you need to do something about it." [ USAT ]
•SBVFT backers forNader. [ WP ]
• Kerrywin would up bond prices,Bushreelection would encourage equity investment;Bushgood for oil/autos,Kerrywould enact environmental regulations, etc. [ WSJ ]
• GoretermsBush's environmental policies "truly radical and breathtakingly irresponsible." [ BG ]
•"Liberal" line of attack returns. [ BG ]