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Political Recycling: Going Begging Edition
• Bush'sapproval numbers at new low; historical comparisons indicateKerrywill win; top advisors complain of "perpetual debate" about changing strategy.Matthew Dowd: "We're in that place where no presidential reelection campaign has ever been. . . It's both a referendum on the president but also a referendum on the alternative." [WP and NYT and LAT ]
•FEC rejects limits for 527s. Says commissioner, "The election of 2004 is going to be the Wild West. We are going to see a dramatic escalation of soft-money spending by organizations on both sides of the aisle."McCain, Feingold, Gillespie, Racicotwarn of dangerous consequences. [ WP and NYT and LAT ]
•Lawmakers complain about vagueness of military funds request;Wolfowitztakes heat from Democrats; $25 billion expected to be approved. [ NYT and WP and WP ]
• Rumsfeld,in Iraq: "The United States government is going to take care of the people who end up being convicted of some wrongdoing. The justice system of the United States is serious, professional, and it's underway." [ NYT and WT ]
• Bushcampaign marks $200 million -- enough to send 5,000 students to Harvard or 3.5 million to Disney World. [ USAT ]
• Bushon the defensive, talks education: "See, if you can't read, these jobs of the 21st century are going to go begging." [ WP and WT ]
•Republicans see Democratic attacks backfiring.Terry Holt: "To blame the prison abuse on the president and the military as a whole is to blame all Americans for the actions of a few. It's really striking to see how easily Kerry can manipulate serious news into campaign fodder." [WT ]
•Roman Catholic bishop says communion should not be given to a Catholic who votes against church positions on abortion, marriage, and stem-cell research. [ NYT ]
•Candidates' biggest policy difference is on health care;Kerrytries to stay on the issue. [ NYT and USAT ]
•In Arkansas,Kerrytastes voters' admiration ofClinton.[ LAT ]
•Unhappiness with Iraq does not translate to support ofKerry.[ WT ]
•Democrats double number of gay delegates. [ WT ]
•In fear, someNadervoters in New Hampshire switch toKerry.[ BG ]
•Swing town profile: Webster Groes, Mo. "It's hard to get engaged until there's an honest candidate and a real slate," says one voter. [ NYT ]
• Bush'sonline store "overwhelms"Kerry's.[ WSJ ]