2004 U.S. Presidential Election...

· Stogies and Scepter Are on Gov.'s List of Gifts.  Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger holds millions of dollars worth of real estate and investments, and was given cigars, cufflinks and even a scepter last year by admirers, including Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and King Abdullah II of Jordan, according to the governor's financial disclosure statement. 

· Wrong John Kerry Gets NY Electoral Votes.  Even John Q. Public knows the middle initial of losing presidential candidate John F. Kerry. But New York's 31 electoral college votes are currently on the books for some guy named John L. Kerry.  State officials acknowledged the mistake Tuesday after the official "certificate of vote" appeared on the Web site of the National Archives. 

· Florida Kerry supporters meet for group therapy.  Twenty John Kerry supporters met for their first group therapy session in South Florida Thursday, screaming epithets at President Bush as they shared their emotions with licensed mental health counselors. 

· Kerry Says UBL Tape Cost Him Election.  John Kerry believes he lost to President Bush because of the video from Usama bin Laden that surfaced just days before the Nov. 2 presidential election. 

· Democrats question Kerry's campaign nest egg.  Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than $15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country. 

· Post-Election, Hollywood Seen as Liability to Left.  Hollywood is licking its wounds after an election that saw voters not only reject the candidate it anointed -- Democrat John Kerry - but repudiate the values that the liberal stronghold cherishes.  Political analysts said that polarizing figures such as Michael Moore -- whose "Fahrenheit 9/11" documentary bitterly attacked President Bush - alienated Middle America as much as they galvanized the faithful. 

· Bush wins; Kerry concedes.  Sen. John Kerry conceded defeat to President Bush on Wednesday and asked the country to put the bitter divisions of the election behind them. 

· Bush wins a second term in office.  President Bush on Wednesday emerged as the victor in fiercely fought race for the White House after Sen. John Kerry decided against contesting the vote in the battleground state of Ohio.  Kerry's decision was relayed to NBC News by a senior adviser, who said the senator had phoned Bush to concede and would make a concession speech at 1 p.m. Wednesday. 

· Bush wins in landslide victory.  The nation's first election day votes were cast and counted just after midnight in Dixville Notch, New Hampshire.  Of the 26 town residents who voted, 19 votes went for President Bush, and 7 votes went to Senator Kerry. 

· Superstitious John Kerry Supporters Get Welcome Omen Sunday.  If you look at sports history, since 1936, the result of the Washington Redskins' final home game before the presidential election has always accurately predicted the White House winner.  If the Redskins win, the incumbent party wins. If they lose, the incumbent party is ousted.  Sunday, on Halloween, the Redskins played the Packers - and lost 28-14. 

· Exploding battery sends Edwards' plane back to airport.  More plane trouble for Senator John Edwards while campaigning for the Democratic ticket.  A nine-volt battery exploded into flames in his jet's press cabin soon after takeoff from Raleigh, North Carolina. An emergency was immediately declared, and the plane turned around. 

· What Zogby tells me: Kerry wins.  Pollster John Zogby, in a telephone interview with Sidney Zion yesterday, predicted that John Kerry will win the election. "It's close," he said, "but in the last couple of days things have been trending toward Kerry - nationally and in the swing states. Between this and history, I think it will be Kerry." 

· Heinz Kerry Asks if Laura Bush Ever Had 'Real Job.'  Teresa Heinz Kerry questioned whether first lady Laura Bush ever had "a real job," but later apologized after the Bush campaign struck back saying "Teaching is a real job. Working as a librarian is a real job. Staying at home and rearing a family is a real job." 

· Bush Asked to Stop Using 'Still the One.'  The songwriter who helped pen the 1970s hit, "Still the One," is demanding that President Bush stop using the tune at campaign events, arguing that he's no fan of the Republican incumbent and the campaign never got permission to use the song. 

· Matt ready to put money where vote is.  Matt Damon doesn't rest when it comes to politicking for his presidential pick John Kerry - even while in Germany. "I would pay $1 million to have Kerry in the White House," the actor said at the premiere of "The Bourne Supremacy" in Berlin. 

· Muslim American Vote Shifts Toward Kerry.  Zogby International and Georgetown University's Project MAPS on Tuesday released a survey that showed, despite the fact that a plurality of Muslims supported Bush in 2000, 76 percent now support Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry and only 7 percent support the incumbent. 

· Court Throws Nader Off Pennsylvania Ballot.  A state court knocked Ralph Nader off Pennsylvania's presidential ballot Wednesday, citing legal problems with his nomination papers that left him thousands of signatures short of the number he needed.  James Garner Colins said "In reviewing signatures, it became apparent that, in addition to signing names such as `Mickey Mouse,' 'Fred Flintstone,' 'John Kerry,' and the ubiquitous 'Ralph Nader,' there were thousands of names that were created at random and then randomly assigned either existent or nonexistent addresses by the circulators." 

· Cheney, Edwards' Debate Takes Spotlight.  Vice President Dick Cheney and Democratic rival John Edwards slugged it out over Iraq, jobs and each other's judgment in their one and only debate Tuesday night before heading for the battleground state of Florida and its 27 electoral votes. Cheney was appearing Wednesday in Tallahassee, Edwards in West Palm Beach. 

· Campaigns worry about last-minute surprise.  In the presidential campaign's closing weeks, Democrats are bracing for an "October surprise," an event so dramatic it could influence the election's outcome. The capture of Osama bin Laden, for instance. 

· Networks balk at Bush-Kerry debate agreement.  Although the Bush and Kerry camps have meticulously crafted an agreement on the rules for this year's presidential debates, the television networks broadcasting them refuse to go along with the plans.  Specifically, the networks object to provisions in the agreement that place limits on their cameras, including prohibitions on shots of one candidate while the other is answering questions. 

· Polls Suggest a Double-Digit Bush Lead.  Bush and Kerry Clash on Vitality of Job Market; Polls Give President an 11-Point Advantage. 

· Kerry aides: Judgment error on swift-boat ads.  John Kerry's campaign leaders acknowledged Thursday that they initially failed to grasp the political dangers of anti-Kerry ads by swift-boat veterans but insist that any damage hasn't fundamentally weakened the Democrat's position heading into the decisive phase of the campaign. 

· Dem Zell Miller makes big hit with GOP.  Text of speech by Democratic Sen. Zell Miller of Georgia as delivered Wednesday at the Republican National Convention. 

· Plot thickens after checking records.  In the midst of the controversy between the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth and Kerry campaign representatives about Kerry's service in Vietnam, new questions have arisen.  The DD214 form, an official Defense Department document summarizing Kerry's military career posted on johnkerry.com, includes a "Silver Star with combat V."  But according to a U.S. Navy spokesman, "Kerry's record is incorrect. The Navy has never issued a 'combat V' to anyone for a Silver Star." 

· Furious Kerry orders staff shakeup.  Sen. John Kerry is angry at the way his campaign has botched the attacks from the Swift boat veterans and has ordered a shakeup that puts former Clinton aides in top positions. 

· Nader criticizes gambling on campaign stop through Vegas.  In an unsuccessful bid to sway Nevada voters, presidential candidate Ralph Nader made his first campaign appearance in Las Vegas saying "No presidential candidate should visit Las Vegas without condemning organized gambling," he said. It's the "seduction of people who come here as hopefuls and leave here as losers." 

· Schwarzenegger: U.S. Is Back.  California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger drew on his childhood in Soviet-occupied Austria to endorse President Bush's war on terror. "Terrorism is more insidious than communism," the bodybuilder-turned-politician said Tuesday in a speech to the Republican convention. 

· GOP has dol-fun with Dems.  The Republican National Committee has deployed staffers and volunteers to impersonate TV dolphin Flipper. It's to lampoon John Kerry and his alleged flip-flops on the issues. 

· Terminator to be activated as Bush's secret weapon.  Senior Republicans are hoping at last to unveil a potentially devastating weapon in the tight presidential battle between George W. Bush and John Kerry: the Terminator on the stump. 

· Zogby Poll Shows Democratic Ticket Up 5 Points.  While the Democratic National Convention was under way, the Republican ticket of George W. Bush and Dick Cheney lost some ground to John Kerry and John Edwards, a poll showed. 

· Bank scam con may rattle Kerry closet.  As John F. Kerry tries to bounce out of Boston and into a decisive fall campaign lead, a skeleton from the past will slink out of jail - possibly looking to score headlines and undercut the new nominee. David Paul, a central figure in a 1980s savings and loan scandal, is set to be sprung from a halfway house in Miami Sunday - a decade after his conviction on 97 counts of banking fraud.

David Bossie, who interviewed Paul for a new book that is very critical of Kerry, titled ``The Many Faces of John Kerry,'' said the former banker may have a lot more to say about Kerry. ``There's no question he's holding cards, there's no question there's more out there,'' Bossie said. Paul did not return calls. 

· Parody Pokes Fun At Bush, Kerry.  One of the hottest sites on the Internet is an animated parody that mocks both President George W. Bush and challenger John Kerry. 

· Kerry slams Bush - vows to be a uniter in NAACP address.  Sen. John Kerry promised civil rights leaders Thursday he will be a "uniter," bringing opportunities and justice to those he said have been left out in the cold by the Bush administration. 

· Whoopi raises hackles at Kerry fundraiser.  The Democratic presidential ticket netted a cool $7.5 million at a star-studded concert but had to squirm through a wickedly irreverent monologue from comic Whoopi Goldberg to do it. 

· Kerry Picks Edwards to Be Running Mate.  Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry selected former rival John Edwards to be his running mate, picking the smooth-talking Southern populist over more seasoned politicians in hopes of injecting vigor and small-town appeal to the Democratic presidential ticket, The Associated Press learned Tuesday. 

· Bush campaign wants church lists.  President Bush, seeking to mobilize religious conservatives for his reelection campaign, has asked church-going volunteers to turn over church membership directories, campaign officials said. 

· Stars Come Out For Kerry.  Comedian Billy Crystal called it "Woodstock for really, really rich people" as Hollywood's artists came out to raise $5 million to put Democrat John Kerry in the White House. 

· Crooks for Kerry: Lefty group hires ex-cons to canvass.  A left-wing group with ties to Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential campaign is hiring convicted sex offenders and batterers to go door-to-door to register voters in several battleground states. 

· Kerry raises $100 million in three months.  John Kerry raised a Democratic record $100 million from March through May, lifting his presidential campaign to more than $140 million so far. 

· Boots made for backin' Bush.  Nancy Sinatra may wear boots made for walking, but she rode to the White House yesterday on the back of a motorcycle.  The daughter of Frank Sinatra was part of a delegation of Rolling Thunder officials and others who met President Bush near the South Portico of the White House. 

· Update: Kerry Gets Google-Bombed.  With the Democratic presidential nomination clinched, John Kerry was bound to get Google-bombed.  An effort by conservative bloggers has pushed the candidate's campaign website to the top of the result list when the word "waffles" is typed into Google. But Kerry's campaign is trying to capitalize on the prank. 

· Donahue Ditches Nader for Kerry.  Phil Donahue is not supporting Ralph Nader this time around. He's behind John Kerry, although he didn't sound too convincing.  "Did you hear John Kerry say on TV that maybe there are weapons of mass destruction? Did you hear him? He might as well be helping Bush!" 

· Jerry Springer Named Democratic Delegate.  Ohio Democrats have chosen talk-show host Jerry Springer to be an at-large delegate for the Democratic National Convention in Boston. 

· Kerry Cites McCain for Defense Chief.  Democratic challenger John Kerry said on Wednesday his first choice as defense secretary would be Republican Sen. John McCain as he criticized the Bush administration for failed policies in Iraq. 

· Kerry Wants Depp as Vice President.  Presidential hopeful and Massachusetts Senator John Kerry today announced he has offered Johnny Depp first refusal of the coveted VP spot in his Democratic bid for the White House. 

· Kerry hires online chief from MoveOn.  John Kerry has hired an Internet-savvy Democrat to run his presidential campaign's online communications, a move that raises new questions about the link between his campaign and the independent groups that run TV ads on his behalf. 

· John Kerry Collects Hollywood Support.  John Kerry collected the support of Hollywood stars including Meg Ryan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston, Kevin Costner and Barbra Streisand during a fund-raiser that capped a two-day swing through Calif. 

· Bored Boy Behind President Gets Nationwide Attention.  The son of Orange County Chairman Rich Crotty is getting nationwide attention after being featured on David Letterman's "Late Show" yawning, twisting his head and falling asleep at a rally for President George W. Bush. 

· H.J. Heinz Co. Seeks to Disavow Kerry Connection.  H.J. Heinz Co. has launched an election-year campaign of its own, this one to distance the ketchup maker from what is shaping up to be an acrimonious presidential race. 

· Documents on FBI's surveillance of Kerry stolen.  FBI documents detailing government surveillance of John Kerry in the early 1970s have been stolen from the home of a historian in a suburb of San Francisco, California. 

· Kerry Promises to Create, Keep Jobs in U.S.  John Kerry said Friday that if elected president he would slash corporate taxes by 5 percent and eliminate tax loopholes that push jobs overseas. 

· Bush Pushes Broadband Rollout by 2007.  President Bush on Friday proposed 2007 as the goal for universal availability of high-speed Internet access to keep America competitive and innovative. 

· A Rested Kerry Returns to Campaign Trail.  After nearly a week on the ski slopes of Idaho, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry resumes active campaigning Thursday, picks up endorsements from a major union and a former rival, and celebrates his status as head of the Democratic Party. 

· Senator Kerry gets boost from surprising sources.  Ex-Bush aide criticizes president in book, and GOP lawmakers come to senator's defense. 

· Walter Cronkite speaks out to Kerry.  In the interests of your campaign and your party's desire to unseat George W. Bush, you have some explaining to do. During the primary campaign, your Democratic opponents accused you of flip-flopping on several important issues. 

· Kerry flopped day before, too.  JUST hours before Sen. John Kerry boldly announced, "I don't fall down," on a Sun Valley ski slope, he fell down. 

· Nader Says He May Sue Oklahoma.  Independent presidential candidate Ralph Nader said Sunday that he might sue Oklahoma for policies that discourage third-party candidates from being listed on the ballot. 

· Vacationing Kerry 'doesn't fall' on slopes.  Kerry was snowboarding when he unexpectedly fell down.  Moments later, Kerry said sharply, "I don't fall down," then used an expletive to describe the agent who "knocked me over." 

· Dems try to raise Kerry $10M in 10 days.  Former President Clinton, New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Democratic congressional leaders are trying to raise $10 million for presidential nominee-to-be John Kerry in 10 days. 

· Bush, Kerry to Spend Almost Half-Billion.  President Bush and Democratic nominee-to-be John Kerry are on track to spend nearly a half-billion dollars vying for the White House this year, making it the most expensive presidential race in history. 

· Ralph Nader looms as lethal threat to Dems.  The candidacy of Ralph Nader looms as a potentially lethal threat to Democratic hopes of regaining the White House: With Mr. Nader in the race, Mr. Bush leads Mr. Kerry by 46 percent to 38 percent, with Mr. Nader drawing 7 percent of the votes. 

· Kerry camp hiring 'assassin'?  A Vietnam veteran who plotted to kill members of Congress in 1971 is reportedly ready to accept a position working in the presidential campaign of John Kerry. 

· Kerry Officially Wraps Up Nomination.  John Kerry locked up the Democratic presidential nomination Saturday, reaching the magic number of delegates needed to become President Bush's chief rival in the general election, according to an Associated Press tally. 

· Kerry ran from the enemy, claims former Vietnam crewman of Democrat candidate.  John Kerry, the Democratic challenger for the White House, is embroiled in fresh controversy over his much-vaunted Vietnam war record, after one of his crew members accused him of cowardice and making strategic mistakes in battle. 

· Man suspended for anti-Bush message.  A maintenance worker was suspended for displaying a sign with the word "traitor" on his state snowplow while helping provide security for President Bush's motorcade, officials said. 

· Kerry sweeps 4 Southern states.  Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts easily swept four Southern primaries Tuesday, putting the presumptive Democratic nominee tantalizingly close to the number of delegates he needs to clinch his party's presidential nomination. 

· Sen. McCain Open to Being Kerry's VP.  Republican Sen. John McCain allowed a glimmer of hope Wednesday for Democrats fantasizing about a bipartisan dream team to defeat President Bush.  "Obviously I would entertain it," McCain said. 

· Kerry’s Web site keeps FCC on the run.  The obscenity backlash that stung Howard Stern and Janet Jackson has had no apparent effect on presidential-wannabe John Kerry - his campaign Web site is littered with the F-bomb and other naughty words. 

· Bush's Ad Outrage Has Kerry Connection.  The people supposedly outraged about president Bush's ads using a brief image from Ground Zero turns out to be a tiny group called 'Peaceful Tomorrows,' whose parent group, the San Francisco-based Tides Foundation, coincidentally has received $millions from foundations controlled by John Kerry's heiress wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry. 

· Kerry called Yasser Arafat a "role model."  Democratic presidential nominee-to-be John Kerry called Yasser Arafat a "statesman" and a "role model" in a 1997 book that Kerry cites as proof of his own foresight about foreign policy. 

· Check Out !#%Ï.COM.  Internet surfers who log onto presumed presidential nominee John Kerry's official campaign Web site can access documents containing obscenities. 

· Revealed: how 'war hero' Kerry tried to put off Vietnam military duty.  Senator John Kerry, the presumed Democratic presidential candidate who is trading on his Vietnam war record to campaign against President George W Bush, tried to defer his military service for a year, according to a newly rediscovered article in a Harvard University newspaper. 

· New AP Poll shows Nader can be spoiler once again.  President Bush and John Kerry are virtually tied, while independent Ralph Nader has captured enough support to affect the outcome in the race for the presidency. 

· Not-So-Kissing Cousins.  President George W. Bush and Sen. John Kerry are related. Well, sort of. They're ninth cousins, twice removed. So what's a little competition between family? 

· Giuliani defends Bush's use of 9/11 images.  Former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, who won worldwide acclaim for his handling of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that devastated his city, said Thursday that using images from that day in campaign ads for President Bush is both "appropriate" and "relevant." 

· Some 9/11 Relatives Angered by Bush Ads.  President Bush's campaign commercials - on the air just one day - have angered several relatives of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, and a firefighters union that has endorsed Democratic rival John Kerry demanded the ads be pulled. 

· Kerry Wins 9 States; Edwards to End Run.  Super Tuesday proved to be a massive night for John Kerry and the end of the road for John Edwards, but front-runner Kerry has already set his sights on a tough campaign against President Bush. 

· Dems Debate Gay Marriage.  Democratic rivals John Kerry and John Edwards differed on the use of the death penalty Thursday night, but found common ground in opposing gay marriage in a debate five days before the biggest primary night of the campaign season. 

· 'Doonesbury' offers $10,000 for proof Bush served.  The frequently irreverent "Doonesbury" comic strip is offering $10,000 to anyone who can show that President Bush served in the Alabama Air National Guard. 

· Dem rivals have a 'wealth' of experience.  While John Edwards built his fortune as an ambulance-chasing personal injury attorney, John Kerry got his by saying "I do," marrying the $600 million woman - Teresa Heinz - heiress to the ketchup empire.  Heinz was a big step up from Senator Kerry's first wife - Julia Thorne - whose endowment is reportedly worth only $300 million. 

· Dean Campaign Calls It a Day.  On the day after a presidential campaign ends, the candidate’s headquarters has the eerily familiar feel of the last day of school, after exams are over. 

      » Dean campaign debt to exceed $500,000.  Despite raising a record $50.3 million, former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's presidential campaign was in debt when Dean withdrew from the race. 

· It's official:  Nader running for president.  As we reported here two days ago, consumer advocate Ralph Nader officially announced this morning on NBC's Meet The Press, that he is running for president again - most likely at the expense of the Democrats. 

· LA Times: Dean to End Campaign, Stay in Race.  Howard Dean returned home to Burlington, Vermont, early on Wednesday carrying a decision to quit his presidential campaign but remain in the race for the nomination, the Los Angeles Times reported in Wednesday's editions. 

· Kerry ekes out Wisconsin win over Edwards.  Sen. John Kerry won Tuesday's primary in Wisconsin, but a closer-than-expected second-place finish by a surging Sen. John Edwards may have put a chink in the Democratic front-runner's armor, with a huge batch of contests just two weeks away. 

· Democratic spoiler prepares presidential bid.  Ralph Nader, the consumer advocate who ran for president in 2000 as a Green Party candidate, will enter the 2004 race for the White House as an independent candidate, his advisers said. 

· John Kerry Wins Caucuses in Nevada, D.C.  Democratic presidential front-runner John Kerry scored victories east and west Saturday, swamping his rivals in Nevada and the District of Columbia caucuses to build his advantage in delegates needed for the nomination. His opponents pinned their hopes on the coming Wisconsin primary to try to slow him down. 

· Edwards Is the Talk of 'Tonight Show'  Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards was the talk of NBC's "Tonight Show," even before he walked on stage Friday night. During his opening riff, host Jay Leno joked about Edwards' tradition of taking his wife to Wendy's for a Valentine's Day dinner. 

· Kerry Says He's Ready for GOP Onslaught.  John Kerry, attacked by President Bush's campaign as a pretend foe of the special interests, said Friday he is "ready to fight back" in the battle for the White House. Former candidate Wesley Clark offered to help the front-runner oust the Republican incumbent. 

· John Kerry girl denies affair allegations.  Breaking her silence four days after the allegations surfaced on the Internet, Alexandra Polier issued a statement to The Associated Press, saying, "I have never had a relationship with Senator Kerry, and the rumors in the press are completely false." 

· Bush military records cause concern.  Bill Burkett, then a top adviser to the Texas National Guard commander, said he overheard conversations in which superiors discussed "cleansing" the [Bush] file of damaging information, including possible records of previous arrests. 

· You're as corrupt as Bush, Dean tells Kerry.  The trigger for the outburst was a report that one of Senator Kerry's campaign fund-raisers, former senator Robert Torricelli, donated $US50,000 to a secretive group that aired anti-Dean ads before the Iowa caucuses. The former Vermont governor ended up finishing third, behind Senator Kerry and John Edwards. 

· Kerry wins in South, Clark to quit.  Sen. John Kerry took two victories in southern primaries Tuesday which drove one of his rivals with roots in the South out of the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. 

· Kerry looks to Tennessee, Virginia.  Democratic front-runner Sen. John Kerry is looking toward Tuesday's primaries in Tennessee and Virginia after taking three weekend victories in Michigan, Washington and Maine. 

· CNN Says It Overplayed Dean's Iowa Scream.  It probably means little now to Howard Dean, but CNN's top executive believes his network overplayed the infamous clip of Dean's "scream" after the Iowa caucuses. 

· Dean paid $7.2 million to aide's company.  As Howard Dean's presidential campaign tore through the millions it raised last year, nearly a quarter of it went to the company owned in part by his former campaign manager. 

· Edwards Delivers Letterman's Top 10 List.  Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards took his turn at late-night comedy Wednesday in hopes of building on his success in winning the South Carolina primary. Edwards taped an appearance on CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" in which he presented the Top 10 list. 

· Dean Says He Must Win Wisconsin or Be 'Out of Race.'  Democrat Howard Dean said on Thursday his once high-flying U.S. presidential bid would be over if he did not win the Wisconsin primary on Feb. 17, declaring "the entire race has come down to this." 

· Kerry rolls, wins five states; Edwards takes S.C.  Building on his momentum, Sen. John Kerry picked up five of the seven states holding contests for the Democratic presidential nomination Tuesday. Sen. John Edwards kept his White House dream alive with a win in South Carolina and a surprisingly strong showing in Oklahoma. 

· Kerry, Edwards Look Forward; Lieberman Backs Out.  John Kerry focused on a national campaign after a near sweep Tuesday night, while John Edwards and Wesley Clark looked to the South to build on newly built momentum. 

· Lieberman Said Conceding if Winless Tues.  Democrat Joe Lieberman, facing an uncertain showing in his must-win state of Delaware, was making contingency plans Tuesday to withdraw from the presidential race, according to sources close to the campaign. 

· Polls smile on Kerry.  An overnight survey found little change going into Tuesday's Democratic presidential primaries, with Sen. John Kerry maintaining commanding leads in two states and statistical dead heats in two others. 

· Democrat Dean Hints at Rival's Wrinkle Rumors.  The Democratic presidential candidates have been squaring off over taxes, the Iraq war and special interest money, but on Sunday Dean appeared to resurrect speculation that the front-runner has been getting Botox injections to smooth out wrinkles. 

· Kerry Fires Back at Dean Charges of Cronyism.  Democratic Sen. John Kerry on Saturday rejected charges his votes in the U.S. Senate were influenced by campaign contributions, saying he had spent his whole career battling special interests. 

· Dems Bash Bush, Dean Hits Kerry in S.C. Debate.  As the seven Democratic candidates inched closer to the new round of primaries next Tuesday, they all vowed during a debate in South Carolina that they can and must compete successfully against President Bush this fall in the South. 

· Clark appealed to group suspected of terror link.  Retired Gen. Wesley Clark sought the political support of a Muslim group that is under FBI investigation for terror ties. 

· Kerry says threat of terrorism is exaggerated.  Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts said during last night's Democratic presidential debate that the threat of terrorism has been exaggerated. 

· Dean Skips Airing Ads in 7 Primary States.  Howard Dean will not air ads in any of the seven states holding elections next week, officials said Thursday, a risky strategy that puts him at a distinct disadvantage with high-spending rivals for the Democratic nomination. 

· Kerry Wins New Hampshire Primary.  The Massachusetts senator won 39 percent of the vote with 48 percent of precincts reporting as of 9:05 p.m. EST, according to Fox News projecting. Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean took second place. 

· Decision Day.  New Hampshirites hit the polls, casting votes that could designate a clear front-runner or further muddle the Democratic race. 

· Primary Day Arrives in N.H.  Wesley Clark won the initial votes cast Tuesday morning in New Hampshire's Democratic presidential primary, but final pre-primary polls rated Sen. John Kerry the favorite. 

· Company unveils new 'Howling Howard' doll.  A Connecticut company that specializes in celebrity action figures has just unveiled a howling Howard Dean doll for 36 bucks. 

· Clark: GOP agenda at play in New Hampshire debate.  Presidential candidate Wesley Clark on Friday complained that one of the moderators in Thursday night's debate was carrying out a Republican agenda by Brit Hume asking him "when he had first realized he was a Democrat." 

· Dean fails to rebound in N.H. debate.  The seven remaining Democrats avowedly seeking the presidential nomination were walking on eggshells Thursday night in the final debate before the New Hampshire primary Tuesday. 

· Gephardt Drops Out of Presidential Race.  Dick Gephardt, the former House Democratic leader and 14-term congressman, said Tuesday he was abandoning his second bid for the presidency after a poor, fourth-place showing in the Iowa caucuses. 

· Blowout for Kerry.  (97% reporting), Kerry 38%, Edwards, 32%, Dean 18%, Gephardt 11%. 

· Kerry Wins Iowa Caucus in 11th Hour Surge.  John Kerry rode an 11th-hour surge to victory in Iowa's kickoff presidential caucuses, upsetting Democratic front-runner Howard Dean and stunning caucus favorite Dick Gephardt. 

· Martin Sheen, Rob Reiner in Iowa for Dean.  Actor Martin Sheen, currently the star of television's "The West Wing," and director Rob Reiner, who appeared on the legendary television show, "All in the Family," will be in Council Bluffs Tuesday to campaign for Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean. 

· Democrats testy in last Iowa debate.  In their last debate before the January 19 caucuses here - the first voting of the 2004 campaign - the eight Democratic presidential contenders who participated offered little new in the way of policy positions, but a few showed a new testiness and crankiness.  

· Alternative News Gaining Influence.  People are shifting from traditional news sources such as newspapers and nightly network news for information about the presidential campaign, a poll found. 

· While he was governor, Dean accepted speaking fees, gifts from special interests.  While governor of Vermont, Howard Dean accepted personal pay from special interests at least five times for speeches and also received more than $60,000 in checks and pledges for his charity fund from insurers who benefited from a state tax break, according to documents and interviews. 

· Gephardt Aide Accuses Dean of Caucus Fraud Plan.  Democrat Richard Gephardt's manager accused Howard Dean's presidential campaign on Thursday of planning to slip non-Iowans into the Jan. 19 caucuses to pose as state residents and support Dean. 

· Dean promises to lift the veil on his private wife.  Howard Dean, frontrunner for the Democratic presidential nomination, has promised to lift the veil on his wife, who is shaping up as the most invisible would-be First Lady in history. 

· Critics Attack Efforts to Link Bush and Hitler.  It sounded like a fun way to expand participation in this year's presidential election, at least for those opposed to re-electing President Bush. The left-leaning Internet group MoveOn.org sponsored a contest, "Bush in 30 Seconds," inviting people to submit television advertisements about Mr. Bush, with the best to be determined by a vote of visitors to the site. 

· Candidates' curses stir debate.  Call it the potty-mouth primary.  With two Democratic presidential candidates uttering obscenities in public forums this month and the nine-candidate field trying to one-up each other in attacking President Bush, some observers are wondering whether political discourse is hitting new lows in coarseness. 

· Dean Rebuked for Statement Implying Brother Served in Military.  Howard Dean came under criticism from an Iowa newspaper last weekend for an answer to a questionnaire in which he implied that his brother was serving in the military when he disappeared in Laos 29 years ago. His brother had been traveling in Southeast Asia as a tourist. 

· Some ask why Iowa always goes first.  Voters in Iowa and New Hampshire, site of the first primary, get the rare opportunity of meeting with candidates face-to-face at small cafes and at community festivals. 

· Nader Says There Is A 'High Probability' He Will Run.  "We're testing the waters," Nader said in an interview with CNN. "It's a high probability but that is yet to be determined." 

· Gore to Endorse Dean.  Former Vice President Al Gore plans to back Democratic presidential front-runner Howard Dean. 

· Estrich:  Politics of hate won't beat Bush.  Anyone up for a "Hate Bush" meeting in Hollywood? Doesn't it sound like just the sort of thing conservatives would invent to make liberals look stupid and open the conservative spigots? 

· Unions Accuse Gephardt Aide of Threats.  Prominent labor leaders on Wednesday accused a St. Louis-based aide to Democratic presidential candidate Dick Gephardt of threatening retaliation against state employees if two prominent unions assist rival Howard Dean in the 2004 Missouri primary. 

· What’s in Howard Dean’s Secret Vermont Files?  Howard Dean has blasted President Bush for excessive secrecy, but his records as governor remain locked up. 

· Nader Raising Money for Possible Campaign.  Ralph Nader has not yet decided whether to make another run for the White House, but he's authorized a new exploratory committee to raise money for a potential bid. 

· Billionaires Bundle Funds for Democrats.  Defeating President Bush in 2004 has become a central focus in the life of billionaire George Soros, and he's ready to put his money where his mouth is. Soros has pledged $15 million of his personal wealth to activists working to undo Bush's presidency. 

· Dean, Gephardt Battle for Iowa Voters.  With Howard Dean surging back into the lead over Dick Gephardt in the latest Iowa caucus poll, the Missouri representative took the opportunity Monday to attack Dean for budget cuts he approved as governor of Vermont. 

· GOP Rolls Out First Bush TV Ad.  Concerned about President Bush's fading popularity and the continuing criticism from Democrats who want his job, the GOP is rolling out its first TV ad of the presidential race. 

· Kerry camp loses another top staffer.  A third member of Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential campaign staff has resigned, citing personal reasons. 

· CNN planted question at debate, student says.  The student had her own question for the Democratic candidates, but was told by a CNN producer that she couldn't ask her alternative "because it wasn't lighthearted enough and they wanted to modulate the event with various types of questions." 

· Kerry Shakes Up Campaign.  Democratic candidate John Kerry was in Iowa Monday trying to jump-start his campaign one day after he dismissed his campaign manager and replaced him with a staffer borrowed from the office of fellow Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy. 

· Nader Blasts Democrats As 'Whiners.'  Former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader called Democrats "chronic whiners" for continuing to accuse him of spoiling the 2000 presidential election for Al Gore. 

· Clark Contradictions Raise Questions.  Democratic presidential candidate Wesley Clark, a four-star general and strategic military thinker, is a longtime opponent of war in Iraq. At least, that's his story and he's sticking with it. 

· Dean courts wide spectrum.  Dean declared himself a "metrosexual," the buzz phrase for straight men in touch with their feminine sides, as he touted his accomplishments in "equal justice" for gay and lesbian couples. 

· Bush a big man on campuses, says Harvard survey.  A distinct voting bloc has taken a shine to President Bush: 61 percent of college students approve of Mr. Bush's job performance, according to a Harvard University Institute of Politics survey. 

· Clark, Lieberman To Skip Iowa.  Joe Lieberman and Wesley Clark, a lagging candidate and a late entry, have opted to skip past Iowa's leadoff precinct caucuses to focus their time and money on other contests opening the presidential nominating season.  

· Lieberman Heckled at Arab-American Political Conference.  Democratic presidential candidate Joe Lieberman was heckled Friday by several Arab Americans angry with his support for Israel as he spoke about restoring peace and trust in the Middle East. 

· Dems Blast Clark During Campaign Debate.  Democratic presidential hopefuls focused fire on Wesley Clark in campaign debate Thursday night, deriding the retired general as a belated convert to their party - and indecisive to boot. 

· UPDATE: Clark Gives Up Paid Speeches, Returns Fees.  Retired Gen. Wesley Clark will give no more paid speeches, the Democratic presidential candidate's spokesman said on Wednesday after the Washington Post reported he may have broken the law by touting his 2004 run for the White House. 

· Clark May Have Broken Law in Paid Speeches.  Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark may have violated federal election laws by discussing his presidential campaign during recent paid appearances, according to campaign finance experts. 

· Clark's Campaign Manager Quits.  Wesley Clark's campaign manager quit Tuesday in a dispute over the direction of the 3-week-old Democratic presidential bid, the latest setback for a team struggling to mesh its Internet-savvy founders with a corps of Washington insiders assuming more power. 

· Bob Graham Drops Presidential Bid.  Florida Sen. Bob Graham ended his bid for the presidency after struggling to gain momentum or raise cash in the crowded Democratic field, while leaving open the possibility of another Senate campaign or even a vice presidential run if asked. 

· Dean Spared So Far From Political Clashes.  Howard Dean has up until now avoided serious attacks from his Democratic presidential primary opponents, but some campaign experts suggest the former Vermont governor may soon be in store for a political pounding. 

· Clark Enters Presidential Contest.  The field of nine Democratic presidential candidates grew by one Wednesday as retired Army Gen. Wesley Clark entered the contest to take on President Bush in 2004. 

· Kerry Campaign Communications Director Resigns.  John Kerry's communications director has resigned over differences in the direction of the Democrat's presidential campaign. 

· Gephardt Attacks Dean on Old Medicare Remarks.  With a friendly crowd of Teamsters listening in — many of them senior citizens — Missouri Rep. Dick Gephardt went on the offensive for the first time Friday against one of his Democratic rivals who he claims will be a nightmare for social programs like Medicare and Social Security. 

· Dean Flip-Flops Invite Criticism.  Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman renewed his criticism of rival Howard Dean on Wednesday, reiterating remarks made at a debate Tuesday night in which he lambasted the former Vermont governor for suggesting the United States not take sides in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 

· Sharpton: Black Voters Tired of Being Democratic Party's 'mistress.'  The Rev. Al Sharpton cautioned the Democratic Party that it can't treat black voters as its "mistress" and rebuked rap artists for lyrics that that degrade black women. 

· Dean Says He Has to Watch His Mouth.  Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said Friday he can be a bit too mouthy - then went out and proved his point. 

· Dem Candidates Prepare for Showdown.  In the first of six debates sanctioned by the Democratic Party through January when the primary voting gets under way, the candidates must show they have the right balance of international experience and economic knowledge. 

· Kerry Says Bush 'Dead Wrong,' Cries at Sad Story.  Maybe it was the ginger tea or the homemade brownies, but Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry ran a gamut of emotions on Wednesday, angrily denouncing President Bush as "dead wrong" on Iraq and shedding tears at a jobless woman's story. 

· Lieberman: Health plan would give insurance to 31 million.  Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman unveiled a $53 billion-a-year plan Tuesday to provide health insurance for children, laid-off workers and small-business employees. 

· Kerry to Announce Bid for Democratic Nod.  John Kerry dismisses polls showing him slipping in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination while vowing to take his campaign to a higher level. 

· Poll: Many voters unable to name Democratic candidates.  There's no shortage of Democrats running for president but two-thirds of voters don't know who they are. 

· Kerry Proposes Direct Aid to States.  Despite recent signs of economic recovery, gloomy days of "deficits, debt and doubt" will remain as long as President Bush holds office, Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry said in announcing a broad plan to boost the economy and create jobs. 

· Kerry criticizes Bush on Iraq, treatment of U.S. veterans.  Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry told veterans Monday that the Bush administration has failed U.S. troops in Iraq while neglecting soldiers who served in past wars.  

· Democrats Seek Alternative Campaign Support.  Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean's fund-raising prowess is earning kudos in the brave new world of campaign finance, in which Democrats in particular are struggling to find alternative methods of raising money to be competitive in the 2004 election. 

· Dean Makes Tracks in New Hampshire.  Former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean is the undisputed phenomenon of the 2004 Democratic presidential campaign. At diners, even on the street, he's setting the pace, agenda and routinely drawing enthusiastic crowds to campaign events. 

· Kerry to Launch Presidential Bid From South Carolina.  Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry will formally announce his bid for the Democratic nomination for president next Tuesday against the backdrop of the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown. 

· Bush Job Performance Continues to Slip.  President George W. Bush’s job performance rating has slipped to 52% positive, 48% negative, according to the Zogby poll. 

· Edwards' Strategy Is to Strike Late.  North Carolina Sen. John Edwards launched a six-day New Hampshire presidential blitz Wednesday, hoping to jump-start his lagging campaign before it's too late to catch up to top contenders for the 2004 Democratic nomination. 

· Lieberman's positions veer from his party's.  Joe Lieberman is on the presidential campaign trail, embracing his inner centrist. Wherever he goes, he calls himself "an independent-minded Democrat." His rivals, he says, are big spenders, weak on defense — or both. 

· Blackout Issue Could Return in Election 2004.  Though the power returned within a day to many areas darkened by the historical blackout of 2003, politicians are unlikely to forget the energy issue during the 2004 election. 

· Edwards at Do-Or-Die Stage of Campaign.  Jennifer Boggs' eyes are red with tears as she begs Sen. John Edwards to help her teenage son. The North Carolina lawmaker hugs her around the neck and whispers, "I'm here to help." 

· Kerry 'Gores' Dean.  Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts took another swing at Howard Dean last week, a week after accusing the former Vermont governor of supporting policy unbecoming of "real Democrats." 

· Nader Takes a Pie in the Face.  California's political scene was looking more and more like a circus on Wednesday, when former Green Party presidential candidate Ralph Nader took a pie in the face during an appearance in San Francisco. 

· Biden says he will not run for president.  Sen. Joseph Biden today ended speculation about his White House aspirations, saying he has decided not to seek the nomination for president. 

· Dean Says He Misspoke on Social Security.  Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean said that he misspoke when he told the AFL-CIO he never favored raising the retirement age for Social Security benefits to age 70. 

· Al Sharpton Criticizes White Media.  Veteran black activist Al Sharpton contends that the news media are dismissive of his presidential campaign because newsrooms are overwhelmingly white.  (No word yet on whether he wants Jayson Blair back at the NY Times - ed). 

· Gore's speech plans trigger speculation.  Former Vice President Al Gore will deliver a "major speech" on Iraq to a liberal activist group in New York tomorrow, fueling speculation that he will re-enter the race for the Democratic nomination for president. 

· U.S. Candidate Dean's Son Admits Role in Burglary.  Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean's son admitted he helped to steal alcohol in June from a country club. 

· Gore plans anti-war speech in New York.  Amid talk he's being urged to jump back into the presidential race, Al Gore has arranged to speak out on Iraq to a large anti-war group at New York University on Thursday. 

· Lieberman Warns Democrats of Isolation.  Presidential hopeful Joe Lieberman is warning that Democrats who advocate peace and expensive social programs "could send us back to the political wilderness," challenging the populist message being touted by insurgent candidate Howard Dean. 

· State Dept. Changes Seen if Bush Reelected.  Secretary of State Colin L. Powell and his deputy, Richard L. Armitage, have signaled to the White House that they intend to step down even if President Bush is reelected. 

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