Swift Boat Vet Got $40 Million From Bush

Misleader: The Bush White House has denied any connection to the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth - the group that has been airing factually unsupportable smear ads against Sen. John Kerry's war record. But a new report today shows that one of the key accusers in the smear ads was a lobbyist for a company that recently received a massive federal contract from the Bush administration. As the Washington Post reports, Rear Admiral William L. Schachte Jr., the man who claims Kerry was not under fire when he received his first Purple Heart, is a top lobbyist for a defense contractor that recently won a $40 million grant from the Bush administration. According to a March 18 legal filing by Schachte's firm, Blank Rome, Schachte was one of the lobbyists working for FastShip's effort to secure federal contracts. On February 2, FastShip announced the Bush administration had awarded it $40 million.
Schachte has other connections to the Bush administration. The Washington Post notes David Norcross, Schachte's colleague in the Washington office of Blank Rome, is chairman of this week's Republican convention in New York. Records show that Schachte gave $1,000 to Bush's 2000 and 2004 campaigns. Additionally, Schachte helped organize veterans' efforts against Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and for Bush in the 2000 South Carolina primary. This is not the first member of the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth who has been revealed to be connected to the President. The Bush-Cheney campaign's top outside lawyer was forced to resign after he admitted providing legal services to the veterans group. The Bush-Cheney campaign's veterans adviser was also featured in one of the smear ads.

The Bush Promises: Then And Now

Do four years make a difference ? On August 3, 2000, Texas Governor George W. Bush stood before thousands of GOP delegates in Philadelphia to accept his party’s nomination to run for president. In a speech carefully scripted to appeal to millions of voters, Bush delivered a raft of campaign promises meant to address the most pressing issues of the day. More than four years later, MediaChannel.org weighs candidate Bush’s 2000 promises against President Bush’s 2004 track record:

ON EDUCATION
Bush 2000: “Seven of 10 fourth graders in our highest poverty schools cannot read a simple children’s book. And still this administration continues on the same old path, the same old programs, while millions are trapped in schools where violence is common and learning is rare. This administration had its chance. They have not led. We will.”
America 2004: The president’s 2005 budget provides an additional $138 million for the Reading First and Early Reading First initiatives. But the administration is also proposing to eliminate Even Start, a $247 million literacy program designed to increase academic achievement of young children and their parents by helping them learn together. With this proposed elimination, Bush’s FY2005 budget actually proposes an $8 million cut to overall reading programs. (Source: House Budget Committee)

ON POVERTY
Bush 2000: “And we will extend the promise of prosperity to every forgotten corner of this country: to every man and woman, a chance to succeed; to every child, a chance to learn; and to every family, a chance to live with dignity and hope.”
America 2004: According to the Department of Labor, in the last 12 months, wages and salaries grew at the slowest rate in over 20 years. In the first two years of the Bush administration, real income has dropped by almost $1,500 per household. (Source:US Department of Labor; US Census)

ON TAXATION
Bush 2000: “Another test of leadership is tax relief. The last time taxes were this high as a percentage of our economy, there was a good reason; we were fighting World War II. Today our high taxes fund a surplus. Some say that growing federal surplus means Washington has more money to spend. But they’ve got it backwards. The surplus is not the government’s money; the surplus is the people’s money.”
America 2004: The $5.6 trillion ten-year surplus projected in January 2001 is gone, replaced with $2.74 trillion in deficits over the next ten years. By 2004, Bush’s three tax cuts reduced revenues by $276 billion. In 2003, Bush’s tax cuts contributed to 44 percent of the $375 billion deficit. (Source: Congressional Budget Office)
Bush 2000: “On principle, no one in American should have to pay more than a third of their income to the federal government, so we will reduce tax rates for everyone in every bracket. On principle, those with the greatest need should receive the greatest help, so we will lower the bottom rate from 15 percent to 10 percent and double the child credit. Now is the time to reform the tax code and share some of the surplus with the people who pay the bills.”
America 2004: Since 2001, President Bush’s tax cuts have shifted federal tax payments from the richest Americans to a wide swath of middle-class families, the Congressional Budget Office has found. Wealthiest taxpayers saw their share of federal taxes drop from 64.4 percent in 2001 to 63.5 percent this year. Middle-class families saw their tax burden jump from 18.7 percent to 19.5 percent of federal taxes. (Source: The Washington Post, 8/13/04)

ON THE MILITARY
Bush 2000: “The world needs America’s strength and leadership. And America’s armed forces need better equipment, better training and better pay.”
America 2004: In a 542-page self-assessment of the Iraq war, the Army concluded that American forces prevailed in the Iraq war despite supply and logistical failures, poor intelligence, communication breakdowns and futile attempts at psychological warfare. The Los Angeles Times characterized the findings of the report: American soldiers who defeated the Iraqi regime 15 months ago received virtually none of the critical spare parts they needed to keep their tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles running. They ran chronically short of food, water and ammunition. (Source:The Los Angeles Times, 7/3/04)

ON MEDICARE
Bush 2000: “America has a strong economy and a surplus. We have the public resources and the public will, even the bipartisan opportunities to strengthen Social Security and repair Medicare... Medicare does more than meet the needs of our elderly; it reflects the values of our society. We will set it on firm financial ground and make prescription drugs available and affordable for every senior who needs them.”
America 2004: Congress passed a $534 billion Medicare bill in fall 2003 that offered seniors a drug discount card, along with the option of prescription drug coverage starting in 2006. It is the most significant change to Medicare in decades. But in a national survey of 1,223 seniors released in August 2004, seniors identified several serious flaws in the program. The survey, conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, found that most seniors felt that the plan offers far less relief than they had asked for, and primarily benefits drug companies. (Source: The Oregonian, 8/17/04)

ON BIPARTISANSHIP
Bush 2000: “I don’t have a lot of things that come with Washington. I don’t have enemies to fight. I have no stake in the bitter arguments of the last few years. I want to change the tone of Washington to one of civility and respect... I work with Republicans and Democrats to get things done.”
America 2004: Capitol Hill in 2004 turned into a “sinkhole for the unfinished business on Bush’s agenda,” according to a report in The Los Angeles Times. Bush and his Republican allies blame the Democrats for the stalemate, as the minority party has become more united and stubborn in its opposition to White House initiatives. Some Republicans argue that the legislative stalemate will not hurt Bush politically because Congress already has produced a broad array of major legislation since 2000: big tax cuts, a Medicare prescription drug subsidy, and the Patriot Act. (Source: The Los Angeles Times and The Washington Post, 7/19/04)

ON ABORTION
Bush 2000: “When Congress sends me a bill against partialbirth abortion, I will sign it into law.”
America 2004: In November 2003, Bush signed the Partial Birth Abortion Ban Act , to prevent a procedure where a living fetus is partially removed from the womb. In June 2004, in a challenge brought in San Francisco by Planned Parenthood Federation of America, US District Judge Phyllis Hamilton ruled the act was an unconstitutional limitation on a woman’s right to choose. (Source: US District Court, San Francisco)

Polls: Bush Ahead

Five polls have been conducted this week and it shows that the race has tightened up. 2 polls with Bush ahead, 2 with Kerry ahead and one tied. 4 out of 5 have Kerry going down slightly and have Bush going up slightly (via Daily Kos):

CNN/Gallup Likely Voters - 8/25 (Prev: 8/1)
Bush 50% (51)
Kerry 47% (45)

FOX News Likely Voters - 8/25 (Previous: 8/4)
Bush 43% (43)
Kerry 44% (47)
Nader 3% (2)

Economist Registered Voters - 8/25 (Prev: 8/18)
Bush 44% (41)
Kerry 47% (48)
Nader 2% (2)

L.A. Times Registered Voters - 8/24 (Prev: 7/21)
Bush 47% (44)
Kerry 44% (46)
Nader 3% (3)

IBD/TIPP Registered Voters - 8/23 (Prev: 8/5)
Bush 43% (42)
Kerry 43% (45)
Nader 5% (5)

NBC/WSJ Registered Voters - 8/23-25 (Prev: 7/19-21)
Bush 47% (47)
Kerry 45% (45)
Nader 3% (2)

Bush Tries to Hide Poverty Number

Misleader: Anticipating the release of devastating new poverty and health care statistics, the Bush administration today took the extraordinary step today of trying to bury the numbers. Specifically, the Administration had its top political appointee at the Census Bureau release the numbers a month earlier than usual, during the August congressional recess when many reporters and Americans take their summer vacations. The rescheduling of the announcement also means that the bad numbers will not come out in September immediately after the Republican National Convention, when they have traditionally been released. With the President's economic and health care agenda leaving millions behind, the Associated Press reports, "the statistics today show the number of Americans living in poverty increased by 1.3 million last year, while the ranks of the uninsured swelled by 1.4 million."
This is not the first time the White House and Republicans have gone to great lengths to hide damning information. As CBS News reported, President Bush released his military service records late on a Friday night on the eve of a three day weekend in order to make sure the story about his poor attendance was seen by as few people as possible. In Congress, GOP leaders regularly pass the most controversial bills in the middle of the night. Those included bills to slash veterans benefits and health/education funding, as well as spending $87 billion on war in Iraq and passing the President's Medicare bill.

More Bush Connections To Smear Ads

While aides to President Bush continue to claim "we weren't involved in any way in these ads" against Senator John Kerry (D-MA) by Swift boat vets, more evidence emerged yesterday to disprove those denials.
First, the Washington Post reports that a "top lawyer in President Bush's reelection campaign acknowledged that he has been advising the veterans group." Benjamin L. Ginsberg, the "chief outside counsel to the Bush campaign" admitted "I've done some work for" the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. Ginsberg has long been a top adviser to Bush. The L.A. Times reports he represented the Bush campaign in 2000 and became a prominent figure during the Florida recount. In the current presidential campaign, his law firm has been paid $256,635 for his services3 by the Bush campaign. That figure does not include any cash Ginsberg made in his work with the Swift Boat Veterans.
Additionally, the Dallas Morning News yesterday reported that the man bankrolling the smear ads is hosting President Bush's top political adviser at a fundraiser in New York during the Republican National Convention. Robert Perry, the top Bush-Cheney fundraiser who is financing the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth ads, "is listed as the co-host" of an event whose guest list includes Karl Rove on September 1.
This news follows revelations earlier this week that one of the veterans smearing Kerry in the ads is actually a member of the Bush-Cheney campaign.5 It also follows news that the Bush-Cheney campaign headquarters in Florida is distributing fliers promoting the group smearing Kerry.

Dead Heat Race

The presidential race is getting closer. The latest Economist poll shows Sen. John Kerry's lead over President Bush slipping to just three points, 47% to 44%. The Rasmussen Tracking Poll shows a dead heat: Kerry 47%, Bush 47%.

Meanwhile, the Electoral Vote Predictor shows Kerry just barely ahead, as a recent poll gives Florida to Bush. "We may have to wait until all the votes are counted - several times - before we know."

Here are the latest state polls:
New Jersey: Kerry 49%, Bush 39% (Quinnipiac)
Washington: Kerry 48%, Bush 43% (Strategic Vision)
Indiana: Bush 52%, Kerry 40% (Bellwether)
Florida: Bush 49%, Kerry 47% (Rasmussen)

Update:
Michigan: Kerry 48%, Bush 45% (Survey USA)
Maine: Kerry 49%, Bush 44% (Survey USA)

National Security Tops Economy

"For the first time since the Vietnam era, foreign affairs and national security issues are looming larger than economic concerns in a presidential election," according to a new Pew Research Center Poll.
The September 11 attacks 'and the two wars that followed not only have raised the stakes for voters as they consider their choice for president, but also have created deep divisions and conflicting sentiments over U.S. foreign policy in a troubled time.'
'Nowhere is the partisan divide more evident than in views of America's global standing. Fully 80% of Democrats and 74% of independents say the U.S. is less respected by other countries than in the past. Only about half of Republicans (47%) believe the U.S. has lost respect.'" (via Political Wire)

Big demand for jobs in L.A.

Approximately 250000 applications have poured in for 3000 temporary jobs at the ports of Los Angeles and Los Beach, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Report Shows Bush Ignoring Chemical Security

Misleader: President Bush this week said, "We're going to do what's necessary to protect this country."1 But according to a comprehensive new report, the Bush administration has not only failed to safeguard vulnerable terrorist targets at home, it has actively blocked government initiatives to safeguard the most dangerous materials that could be used in a terrorist attack. According to the nonpartisan Working Group on Community Right-to-Know, the Bush administration has blocked an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) initiative to impose security measures for extremely hazardous chemicals stored at power plants across the country. As a result, some 3.5 million people living near these non-nuclear power plants continue to face the danger that a terrorist attack could send a cloud of toxic and lethal gas into their neighborhoods. The report also details how opposition from chemical manufacturers has derailed a bill in Congress, the Chemical Security Act, which would have required facilities using the most dangerous chemicals to consider safer technologies and use them where practicable. Since 2000, the chemical industry has donated more than $17 million to President Bush and Republican congressional candidates. These companies have also given more than $6 million in soft money to the Republican National Committee.

Poll: Kerry margin widening in California

According to the San Franciscio Chronicle Democrat John Kerry has opened up a 16 percentage-point lead over President Bush in California, his candidacy boosted by strong support from independents, Hispanics and women, a poll found Monday. Kerry's commanding 54-to-38 percent margin in the poll by the Public Policy Institute of California represented a 5-point jump from July, when he held an 11 percentage-point lead over the president.

Kids would vote for Kerry

There you have it. Even kids have their opinion about this year's election. Members of the biggest online gaming community Neopets.com (age 8-17) were asked briefly after the Democratic convention who they would vote for if they could. The result: 44 percent of the respondents would vote for John Kerry if the election was held today. 38 percent would vote for George W. Bush. 1 percent would vote for Ralph Nader. The survey's conclusion: "Young people represent the most media savvy and sophisticated generation
in history."

Report Shows How Bush Is Squeezing Middle Class

Misleader: President Bush is now barnstorming the country claiming his record shows that he cares about America's middle class. On everything from taxes to health care to workers wages, the President says he has fought for average Americans. But a new comprehensive report shows that in almost every key economic area, he has actually gone to bat for his wealthiest contributors, at everyone else's expense.
According to a cover story in this month's American Prospect, Bush has pushed policies that benefit the major special interests funding his campaign, while rejecting commonsense, bipartisan proposals that would help the middle class. On taxes, for instance, Bush has claimed, "If you're struggling to get into middle class and you feel like you're paying plenty of taxes, take a look at my agenda."1 Yet, as the Prospect report points out, Bush's tax policies have actually shifted more of the tax burden off of the wealthy, and onto the middle class.2 His policies have also raised federal fees on the middle class, and forced state and local governments to raise middle class taxes to deal with the record federal deficits.

On health care, Bush has said he is working "to help more American families get health insurance."3 Yet, as the Prospect report shows, the only major initiative Bush has offered is an industry-backed proposal that experts say could further raise health insurance premiums and deductibles for average Americans. Similarly, Bush has refused to support real legislation to lower the price of prescription drugs in America. (More here how Republicans have defended big business like they’ve never before.
On wages, Bush has said he wants to help Americans earn better paychecks - but as the Prospect report shows, he has simultaneously refused to support a minimum wage increase while pushing to eliminate overtime pay protections for millions of workers.

Polls show Kerry surge

Is there a single battleground state that isn't showing a Kerry surge the past few weeks? Quinnipiac's latest Florida poll offers more good news.

Quinnipiac University. 8/5-10. MoE 3%. (6/23-27 results)

Kerry 49 (46)
Bush 42 (44)

Kerry 47 (43)
Bush 41 (43)
Nader 4 (5)

Bush's job approval rating

Approve 44 (46)
Disapprove 54 (52)

Via Daily Kos.

Election 2004

To many red states...

This are the election predictions of the website Race2004.net. Its comment: "If Nader is on the ballot, Kerry wins the presidency with 318 electoral votes. Bush places second with 207 electoral votes.
If Nader is not on the ballot, Kerry wins the presidency with 307 electoral votes. Bush places second with 231 electoral votes.
The state of Virginia is lacking sufficient polling data to determine a winner."

Election 2000

Election 2000, originally uploaded by marcwest13.

Interesting comparison: the chart of the election outcome four years ago with the current 2004 election prediction. Reminder: Al Gore won the popular vote - Bush won the electoral vote. For detailed state by state check out this great chart.

The Clinton Library is online

The website of the Clinton Presidential Center (which will open in 98 days) hast been launched today. Great digital archive with 20000 documents in 400 categories - and tons of other information.

Corporate America for Kerry

In a sign from Corporate America of support for their campaign, John Kerry and John Edwards were endorsed by 200 business leaders. This is an impressive list.

Pro-Kerry Groups Tops in Ad Spending

LAT: "Although Sen. John F. Kerry has essentially stopped advertising, the Democratic National Committee and like-minded organizations kept the presidential candidate's mess- age on television in battleground states and spent more than twice as much as the Bush campaign during the first week of August. President Bush surged back to the airwaves after the Democratic National Convention, spending nearly $4.4 million on television advertising in 19 states, after going dark during the Boston nomination for Kerry. But organizations backing the Massachusetts senator outpaced the president by spending more than $11 million on ads during the same period. A report released Monday by the ad tracking firm TNS Media Intelligence/CMAG showed that from Aug. 1 to Aug. 7 the DNC spent just over $8 million to buy ads in 19 states, while the Media Fund, an independent group that supports Kerry, spent $3.1 million in seven states. Once candidates are officially nominated by their parties, they must limit their campaign spending to the approximately $75 million they receive in public funds for the general election."

Bush Administration Exposes Secret Source

Misleader:
The Department of Justice has strenuously argued that it could not release the names of detainees - even those who had not been charged or accused of terrorism - because doing so would harm national security. In a sworn affidavit, James Reynolds, then a top Justice Department official, argued that when people detained as part of a terrorist investigation are publicly identified, "terrorist organizations with whom they have a connection may refuse to deal further with them. This could eliminate valuable sources of information for the investigation. It would similarly impair the government's ability to infiltrate terrorist organizations engaged in ongoing criminal activities."1 Apparently, this does not apply if the disclosure suits the administration's political agenda.
Last week, the administration was desperate to justify their decision to raise the threat level to orange in three states based on activity that occurred over three years ago. National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice admitted yesterday that the administration - during a background briefing to reporters - identified Mohammed Naeem Noor Khan as the source of the information that prompted the terror alert.2 According to Reuters, Khan "had been actively cooperating with intelligence agents to help catch al-Qaida operatives when his name appeared in U.S. newspapers". His identification by the administration likely "cost the United States a valuable source.

New polls

Here the latest state polls on the presidential race:
• Florida: Kerry 47%, Bush 45% (Rasmussen)
• Pennsylvania: Kerry 46%, Bush 45% (Rasmussen)
• New Jersey: Kerry 52%, Bush 32% (Star-Ledger/Eagleton)
• Ohio: Bush 47%, Kerry 44% (Columbus Dispatch)

U.S. - the drunken sailor

"The US continues to behave like a drunken sailor spending money with the Japanese girlfriend providing the cash."
- Dr. David Wyss, economist at Standard & Poor's, saying that while nations like China and Japan were financing the deficit by pumping in money allowing the US to live beyond its means by selling of assets, this could not go on.

Bush caused a 5.2 million job gap

USWA: The job-loss recovery under the Bush administration has caused a 5.2 million "job gap" that the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston says will not likely be filled unless the economy begins creating at least 350,00 new jobs every month between now and January 2006.
The study also estimates that 7.3 million jobs will need to be created in order to eliminate the job gap by January 2006 and at the same time accommodate projected growth in the labor force between now and then. Of the 350,000 new jobs per month required to overcome the job gap, nearly 150,000 is needed just to accommodate growth of the labor force. The Bureau of Employment Statistics reported that only 112,000 jobs were created in June.

Big bucks from Pro-Kerry music stars

The Vote for Change tour - with 20 all-star artists, among them Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam and the Dixie Chicks - could take in up to $44 million, before expenses. Co-organizer MoveOn.org hopes proceeds surpass the $120 million raised by 1985's Live Aid concert. Plus: Vote for Change tour schedule.

Unmarried woman could decide this election

22 million unmarried women did not vote in the last presidential election in 2000. Several organisations want to make sure that this is not going to happen again in 2004. Among them:
Woman's Voices - Women Vote intends to dramatically increase the political participation of unmarried women through a comprehensive, nationwide voter registration and get-out-the-vote campaign.
Vote, Run, Lead aims to show 18-to-35-year-old unmarried women that instead of grumbling about being on the sidelines of the political process, they can be agents of change by running for office themselves.
Mainstreet Moms Oppose Bush is a grassroots get-out-the-vote (GOTV) initiative supporting record-breaking voter turnout against Bush/Cheney, especially among women, and particularly in the battleground states. With the countdown, its news and action letter, it aims to inform, connect and mobilize women for the 2004 election who might not otherwise consider themselves politically active.

Berger Investigation Reveals Hypocrisy

Misleader: It has been a longstanding policy of the Justice Department not to comment on ongoing investigations. For example, when Deputy Attorney General James Comey, Jr. was asked to comment on the Justice Department investigation into the outing of Joe Wilson's wife as an undercover CIA operative, he said, "I can't tell you about the details of any ongoing criminal investigation because our goal is to make sure ... anyone who might not be charged with a crime isn't unfairly smeared."1 Now, in an effort to undermine the credibility of former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger, the Justice Department has abruptly changed its policy.
Initially, career prosecutors handling the Berger investigation advised employees at the National Archives of their policy: Don't discuss the details of an ongoing case. But according to a letter by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), on July 27, Republican staff members of the House Government Oversight Committee "contacted the Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legislative Affairs and asked him to intervene to overrule the judgment of the career prosecutors."2 Days later, the Justice Department reversed their policy and advised archive employees they were "in no way constrained" from discussing any details of the Berger case.
In short order, Republican Chairman of the Oversight Committee, Rep. Tom Davis (R-VA) has requested all written or electronic communications about Berger from the archive staff. Members of the staff have also been asked to submit to interviews by the committee. Berger admits he inadvertently removed some photocopies of classified documents from a government reading room. But Davis has decided to launch his expedition despite public statements by the 9/11 Commission General Counsel Daniel Marcus that Berger did not withhold any original material from the Commission.

The most expensive election in U.S. history

It's an open secret that the presidential election 2004 is the most expensive in the history of the United States. It is just staggering how much playdough the big boys have. As of June 30 President Bush raised a total of 228 million dollar, while Senator John Kerry raised 185 million. But surprise - which candidate was the more successfull fundraiser last month? Check out my chart.
And BTW: The 1996 elections cost around $2.4 billion. The 2000 elections cost around $3.2 billion. How much will the total costes of the 2004 elections be?

Polls: Big lead for Kerry in several states

The current election polls look very good for Presidential candidate John Kerry.

Survey USA (Augsut 5 results)

California
Kerry 53%
Bush 41%

Washington
Kerry 53%
Bush 41%

Michigan
Kerry 51%
Bush 43%

American Research Group (Mid-July numbers):

Florida
Bush- 43% (44%)
Kerry- 50% (47%)
Nader- 2% (3%)
undecided- 5% (6%)

New Hampshire
Kerry 49% (47%)
Bush 42% (45%)

Bush wants to find new ways to harm the U.S.

Finally. President Bush speaks the truth:
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we."
Bush misspoke at the signing ceremony for a $417 billion Defense spending bill in Washington, but no one in his audience of military brass or Pentagon chiefs reacted, according to the Associated Press. Plus: More Bushisms.

Despite Promises, Bush Refuses to Prosecute Leaks

Misleader: President Bush has promised to prosecute those who leak sensitive classified information, saying, "We can't have leaks of classified information."1 Attorney General John Ashcroft said, "leaks of classified information do substantial damage to the security interests of the nation."2 Ashcroft promised swift prosecution of leaks, saying, "Until those who, without authority, reveal classified information are deterred by the real prospect of productive investigations and strict application of appropriate penalties, they will have no reason to stop their harmful actions."3 But according to a new report, the Bush administration is refusing to prosecute a top Republican who leaked classified information.
As the Washington Post reports, "Federal investigators concluded that Sen. Richard C. Shelby (R-Ala.) divulged classified intercepted messages to the media when he was on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence." The Post also reports, "Though the FBI and the U.S. attorney's office pursued the case, and a grand jury was empaneled … the Justice Department decided to forgo a criminal prosecution."4
Also, AP reports Rep. Katherine Harris (R-FL) apparently divulged classified information about how many terrorist attacks have been thwarted, and about a terrorist threat on an Indiana community.5 Harris is the woman who as Florida Secretary of State helped deliver the election to President Bush. There is no word on whether the Bush Justice Department will investigate Harris.

Presidential candidate ringtones

Noe to self: Maybe I need some Presidential candidate ringtones on my cell phone...

Report Proves Bush Knew He Was Lying About Iraq

In These Times: Earlier this week, President Bush claimed "we all thought we would find
stockpiles of weapons"[1] in Iraq, and claimed that he had no inkling that
his pre-war claims about the Iraqi threat were weak. But as a major new
story released today shows, the President and other top administration
officials were repeatedly warned before the invasion that its case for war
was weak.
The cover story for this month's In These Times analyzes declassified
government documents and intelligence reports given to the White House
before the war. These documents either warned the administration about its
WMD and Iraq-al Qaeda claims, or totally debunked them. In some cases,
intelligence experts explicitly warned top officials not to make the claims
they were making, and yet they were ignored. The story wholly refutes
assertions by the White House and Republicans that it was the intelligence
community to blame. In fact, as the data shows, the White House deliberately
ignored intelligence to mislead America.

Battleground poll: big Kerry lead

The latest Battleground poll by Zogby Interactive shows John Kerry ahead in 13 of the 16 battleground states. That is his biggest lead - in terms of the number of states - since Zogby began conducting twice-a-month online polls in late May.

New polls with mixed results

Two polls released over the weekend - Gallup and Newsweek - give conflicting information about whether Sen. John Kerry received a post-convention bounce. DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe has predicted an 8% to 10% jump in the polls for Kerry.

Update: A new CBS News Poll also finds the convention "did not generate a bounce" for Kerry but "apparently solidified the slim lead the pair held going into Boston." Kerry leads Bush 49% to 43%, just one point more than the previous CBS News poll.

The Wall Street Journal notes that the "consensus among analysts remains that this will be a close contest to the end, with both sides spending considerable time and money in about 18 swing states, particularly in the Midwest."

Meanwhile, an Economist poll conducted during the final days of the convention show Kerry leading Bush, 45% to 44%. More striking, however, are the very low approval levels President Bush received.

Update II: In a new American Research Group poll, Sen. John Kerry and President Bush "remain in a statistical tie among Americans registered to vote." Kerry gets 49% to Bush's 46%. This poll also shows very little effect from the convention.

Update III: A new ABC News/Washington Post Poll shows Kerry "took a tepid bump in support out of his nominating convention, gaining an advantage over President Bush among registered voters -- but not so among those most likely to vote." However, Kerry leads Bush as "better qualified to be commander-in-chief," by 52% to 44%.

Latest states poll

Here are the latest states polls from the presidential race:

* Massachusetts: Kerry 56%, Bush 30% (Merrimack)
* Alabama: Bush 56%, Kerry 33% (Capital Survey Research)

Kerry's Plan for America

John Kerry and John Edwards have released a book outlining their plan to make America stronger at home and respected in the world. The overview:

Restore America's Respect in the World and Make us Independent of Mideast Oil

Today, we face four great challenges above all others - First, to win the global war against terror; Second, to stop the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons; Third, to promote democracy, freedom, and opportunity around the world, starting by winning the peace in Iraq; Fourth, end our dependence on Mideast oil. To meet these challenges, Kerry and Edwards will:

Launch and Lead A New Era Of Alliances.

The threat of terrorism demands alliances on a global scale - to utilize every available resource to get the terrorists before they can strike us. Kerry-Edwards will lead a coalition of the able - because no force on earth is more able than the United States and its Allies.

Modernize The World's Most Powerful Military To Meet New Threats.

Kerry-Edwards will ensure that our forces are fully prepared for the dangerous and vital missions they may face, and that America's military always remains second to none. We must extend our capabilities to better face new threats of terrorism, failed states and homeland defense.

Deploy All That Is In America's Arsenal.

The war on terror cannot be won by military might alone. Kerry - Edwards will deploy all the forces in America's arsenal - our diplomacy, our intelligence system, our economic power, and the appeal of our values and ideas - to make America more secure and prevent a new generation of terrorists from emerging.

Free America From Its Dangerous Dependence On Mideast Oil.

To secure our full independence and freedom, we must free America from its dangerous dependence on Mideast oil. By tapping American ingenuity, we can achieve that goal while growing our economy and protecting our environment. Kerry-Edwards will create a new energy and conservation trust fund to accelerate the development of innovative technologies, such as more efficient cars and trucks, the development of biofuels, and creating clean, secure, hydrogen-based energy. Kerry-Edwards will also expand the supply of natural gas, assure 20% of electricity comes from renewable sources by 2020, and make clean coal part of our energy solution.

Create New Jobs, Strengthen the Middle Class, and Ensure Educational Opportunity

Reward Companies that Create Jobs in America.

The Kerry-Edwards plan will end tax breaks for companies that move jobs overseas and use the savings to reduce the corporate tax rate by 5 percent, cutting taxes for 99 percent of corporations. The Kerry-Edwards plan also includes a New Jobs Tax Credit for new hiring in manufacturing, other businesses affected by outsourcing, and small businesses.

Strengthen the Middle Class.

As incomes decline and costs rise, families are having a hard time paying their bills, let alone saving for tomorrow. Health care costs are up by nearly 50 percent, college tuition has increased by 35 percent, and gas prices have skyrocketed. A Kerry-Edwards administration will provide relief to middle class families by cutting taxes and investing in health care and education.

Invest in the Jobs of the Future.

To keep America competitive for the future, a Kerry-Edwards administration will invest in research and technology and provide tax credits to unleash innovation in broadband, energy and small business. They will also provide a tax credit on up to $4,000 for each of four years of college tuition. And they will work for responsible immigration laws that honor America's promise and strengthen America's economy and security.

Restore Fiscal Discipline to Washington.

Kerry and Edwards have a record of fiscal discipline that is absent in this administration, and they have promised to live within the budget principles that helped lead this nation to balance the budget. Their plan will cut the deficit in half in four years, increasing economic confidence and keep interest rates from rising.

Provide High-Quality Health Care, Improve Education, and Strengthen Families

Up to $1,000 of Health Care Premium Relief

The Kerry-Edwards plan will provide relief for employers who offer their employees quality health coverage by helping out with certain high cost health cases - saving families up to $1,000 per year.

A Health Plan for Every Child

The Kerry-Edwards plan will pick up the full cost of the more than 20 million children enrolled in Medicaid. In exchange, states will expand eligibility for children's health coverage and low-income adults and enroll every child automatically.

Manage Skyrocketing Health Care Costs

The Kerry-Edwards plan will improve health outcomes while reducing health care costs by cutting administrative costs, waste, fraud, and abuse; enhancing disease management efforts; and reforming malpractice insurance.

World Class Education

The Kerry-Edwards plan will support more resources and more reform in our schools. The plan will fully fund the No Child Left Behind Act so students have smaller classes and more textbooks. The plan will make reform work for our schools, supporting innovations in public schools like smaller schools, all-girls schools focused on math and science, and charter schools. And the plan will invest in afterschool programs so that 3.5 million children have a safe, quality place to go after school.

Every Classroom Has a Great Teacher

The Kerry-Edwards plan will raise teacher pay, especially in the schools and subjects where great teachers are in the shortest supply, and will improve teachers' professional development and training opportunities. At the same time, the plan will create rigorous new tests for new teachers; provide higher pay for teachers who have extra skills and excel in helping children learn; and ensure fast, fair procedures for improving or removing teachers who do not perform well on the job, while preserving protections from arbitrary dismissal.

Every Young Person Graduates

Today 3 in 10 young people do not finish high school, and half of Hispanics, African Americans, Native Americans don't graduate. Kerry-Edwards will keep better track of graduation rates to hold schools accountable for raising them; will offer more tutoring and mentoring to at-risk youth; will make big high schools smaller when they are not working for their students; and will strengthen the high school curriculum so all students can graduate with a meaningful diploma.

Full text version of Kerry/Edwards "Plan for America.