Trail Bytes

As the presidential race heads into the home stretch, CBS News reporters are out on the road traveling with the Bush-Cheney and Kerry-Edwards campaigns.

Read their dispatches and keep up with the latest campaign news in Trail Bytes, updated daily on CBSNews.com

PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH

The White House was ready to fire back at John Kerry, denying his charge that the Bush campaign was in some way linked to the group questioning Kerry's war record.

"Senator Kerry knows that his latest attack is false and baseless," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

McClellan would not say the president condemns the specific ad in question. But the spokesman said Mr. Bush condemns "all of the ads" by those the White House views as "shadowy groups" using sums of unregulated political money.

Briefing reporters in Crawford, Texas, McClellan portrayed Mr. Bush as the most aggrieved party in this matter, saying he's been the target of $62-million worth of "negative false attacks" in ads by anti-Bush political groups.

McClellan challenged Kerry to join the president in shutting down the operations of these groups, which Mr. Bush thought were barred by the campaign finance bill he signed into law.

As for the attacks on Kerry's military service in Vietnam, McClellan said neither the White House nor the Bush campaign will raise questions about it. "We haven't and we won't," he said.

President Bush remained remains out of sight at his ranch. McClellan said the president received his usual national security briefing yesterday and went for a bike ride. He continues to work on the acceptance speech he'll deliver to the Republican National Convention on August 2.
--Mark Knoller

SEN. JOHN KERRY, D-MASS.

When Democratic presidential nominee arrived at his hotel in downtown Charlotte, N.C., last night he was greeted by a lobby full of enthusiastic supporters. Kerry didn't disappoint – he shook hands, greeted voters, and even jumped up on the front counter to show his appreciation. And the room loved him for it.

"I got to shake his hand," shrieked one older woman.

But a few blocks away, at an even larger gathering not staffed by a portion of Kerry's advance team, East Coast Entertainment was throwing its weekly "Sin or City After 5" outdoor happy hour. Every Thursday in the summer, hundreds of young professionals gather in downtown Charlotte for beer, festival food and live music – this time, a Guns 'n' Roses cover band.

Finding a Kerry supporter in the crowd was no easy task. There was Katie, serving the beer, a 22-year-old who planned to vote for Kerry, but then...

"It's all about money," said Tim, a 35-year-old Charlotte resident. Tim said he agrees with Kerry on social issues but believes the Democrat will raise his taxes; so come November, he's casting a vote for Bush.

"Kerry's gonna raise taxes right away," agreed 24-year-old Joe, who works in sales and marketing. Joe said he can't stand Kerry and especially likes Vice President Dick Cheney. He'll be voting for the Bush ticket.

As will merchandise assistants Crystal and Heather. Both young women appreciate George Bush's values. Neither goes to church regularly, but each described herself as "very religious ... Christian." Crystal confessed that her grandfather pressures her on how to vote and she follows his lead.

Throughout the crowd, the support for Bush continued: 22-year-old Lee didn't know why she was voting for Bush, but knew that she would. Shawn., a 26-year-old financial rep was adamant: "There's only one person running," he said. "Kerry has a lot of ideas but no plans."

Investment adviser David, 28, said he is a "Republican by trade," and liked Bush on "the war thing."

Joey, a 26-year-old plaintiff's attorney, is leaning toward Bush but says he is undecided, largely because of Kerry's running mate. As a fellow North Carolina trial lawyer, John Edwards appeals to Joey. But in a nod to the way the Swift Boat Veterans ads attacking Kerry's Vietnam service may be working, Joey said he had a problem with Kerry's medals. To be sure, he appreciates that Kerry served in the military, he just thinks the candidate is talking about it too much.

Earlier in the day at a front porch event in Derry, New Hampshire, Kerry had been talking about prescription drugs and President Bush's seemingly wavering position on the issue of importation.

"He can't even make up his mind about importing drugs from Canada," Kerry said of the president. Kerry said he worked in the Senate to get importation into a bill, but was thwarted by the administration.

The issue played well in New Hampshire, but at happy hour in North Carolina, none of the young voters mentioned health care or prescription drugs at all. The issues they talked about were taxes, the war and values.

The band led off with a cover of the Terminator 2 theme song, "You Could be Mine," but when they hit "Sweet Child of Mine," the response was much better. Metaphor? Not really.
--Eric Salzman

SEN JOHN EDWARDS, D-N.C.

When Sen. Edwards toured a jobs training center in downtown New Orleans, only a press pool was allowed in to observe due to space restrictions. Since much of the discussions between Edwards and those in the center were out of the poolers' earshot, reports forwarded to reporters provided such details as how many times Edwards said, "Nice to meet you." (Eleven; twelve if you add the word "very.")

Thankfully, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin, who walked with the senator through the center, provided some more insight. Calling Edwards a "rock star," the mayor revealed, "He was walking around and of course all the ladies wanted to talk to him, touch him, get his autograph."

The candidate then transformed a roundtable at the jobs facility into a venue to discuss an issue near and dear to the Democrats' heart -Halliburton. The much maligned company popped up in the news when it was discovered the company was keeping money that was intended to be withheld by the government, and Edwards responded.

"Did somebody make a phone call? I don't know whether that happened, but something happened," Edwards said, indicating the company could have gotten some help from Vice President Dick Cheney. "Halliburton's getting their money, but the jobs centers aren't getting theirs. Now how 'bout somebody making a call for the jobs centers and the career centers?" he continued as he segued back into jobs, the intended issue of the day.

And while the senator can't fix unemployment one job at a time, he can offer campaign jobs to at least a few. Bessie Cunningham, a well-educated and unemployed participant described being turned down for work because she is "overqualified," and ignored when she sent her resume to Sen. Kerry. "Give me your resume today and I'll get you an answer," Edwards told her. Look for a new name on the Kerry/Edwards payroll soon.

Edwards stopped by New Orleans' Loews Hotel for a $600,000 fundraiser before returning to Washington for two days with no public events.
--Bonney Kapp

VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY

Vice President Cheney likes the "town hall" style campaign stops and enjoys the Q&A sessions. He's done three of them recently sitting by himself in the center of several hundred people. Last week, though, he made it a family affair.

He was introduced by his daughter Liz Cheney Perry to the audience in Joplin, Missouri, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in this hotly contested state.

"On the way here on the plane I asked my Mom and Dad, 'You know, I'm going to be introducing you. Do you have any words of wisdom?" she opened. "They came up with this very loving parental advice: 'Liz, Missouri is so important, please don't screw this up.'"

The crowd laughed but soon erupted in cheers as the vice president and Lynne took the stage, grabbed the two mics and sat down. They let everyone know that they were both there to answer questions.

"This is really fun for us because, you know, it's kind of unpredictable, unexpected," she said.

Both of Cheney's daughters and his wife have taken active rolls in the campaign this election year. Lynne often introduces the vice president before rallies, treating the audience to cute stories about how the two met or their early dating life back in Wyoming forty years ago.

Cheney's daughter Mary is part of his staff and at times can be seen pacing just offstage as her father addresses supporters.

But it's his eldest daughter Liz that literally brings a little special something to this week's campaigning. Philip Richard Perry, the vice president's five-week-old grandson is participating in his first election. Liz carries him on and off Air Force Two in his infant car seat, and he was spotted offstage today, enjoying a bottle during his grandpa's speech.

It didn't matter that it was the vice president of the United States speaking: it was time for Philip's fill-up.
--Josh Gross