Washington Wrap

Dotty Lynch, Douglas Kiker, Beth Lester and Clothilde Ewing of the CBS News Political Unit have the latest from the nation's capital.

Tuesday's Headlines

* Another Day, Another Battleground State for Bush

* Convention Confusion Continues

* Republicans Answer Democrats With a 527 of Their Own

* Nader: Impeach Bush

* Kerry's New Plane

Bush Hits the (Battle)ground Running: Fresh off his speech on Iraq on Monday night in Carlisle, Pa., President Bush heads to Youngstown, Ohio on Tuesday to discuss his administration's proposal to expand community health centers for low-income citizens.

The Youngstown event – Mr. Bush's 17th visit to Ohio since becoming president – is technically an "official" event, meaning taxpayers, not the Bush-Cheney campaign, will be picking up the tab.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports: "Bush today is unlikely to mention this year's rival for the White House. He will talk about his goal of continuing expansion of community health centers and his desire, announced in 2001, to create 1,200 health centers by 2006, said White House spokesman Jim Morrell. The event is not open to the public, though a number of health professionals have been invited. Bush has requested $1.8 billion in next year's budget for community health centers, enough to help 1.6 million more patients."

Also on Tuesday, the Bush campaign unveiled its latest ad, which attacks John Kerry for his stance on the USA Patriot Act, a law he voted for in the wake of 9/11 but now says needs to be changed to be more effective and less intrusive of civil liberties. The campaign previewed the 30-second TV spot (which will air in 18 states and national cable outlets) on a conference call with reporters on Tuesday with Campaign Manager Ken Mehlman, senior strategist Matthew Dowd and former NYC Police Commissioner Bernard Kerick.

The script of "Patriot Act":

President Bush:
I'm George W. Bush and I approve of this message.

Voice Over:
President Bush signed the Patriot Act giving law enforcement vital tools to fight terrorism.

John Kerry? He voted for the Patriot Act, but pressured by fellow liberals, he's changed his position.

While wire taps, subpoena powers and surveillances are routinely used against drug dealers and organized crime, Kerry would now repeal the Patriot Act's use of these tools against terrorists.

John Kerry. Playing politics with national security.

For its part, the Kerry campaign dismissed the ad. In a conference call organized for reporters, Kerry campaign surrogates Admiral William Crowe (Ret.) and former Clinton Administration Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder rejected the ad's claims. Crowe said, "If it wasn't so serious it would be laughable. ...The administration had made a series of mistakes in Iraq. ... misrepresenting the situation in Baghdad for political gain at home. It is ludicrous to accuse Kerry of playing politics with war." And Holder, who admitted that he had not seen the ad, said, "what strikes me is that the Patriotic Act by its own terms requires reexamination in 2005. Given that, why have ads at all? This is an attempt by political operatives in White House and in the campaign to use the Patriot Act as a wedge issue."

Later this week, Bush meets with the presidents of Gabon (Wednesday) and El Salvador (Thursday) at the White House. Also on Thursday, Bush travels to Tennessee for another health care event and a fund-raiser for Victory 2004, the Republican Party's get-out-the-vote effort for the fall. On Friday, he meets with the prime minister of Denmark. Over Memorial Day weekend, Bush speaks at the World War II Memorial dedication ceremony on Saturday and lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday.

Convention Confusion: As questions about how the Democratic National Convention will function continue, John Kerry said Monday, "One thing I can tell you is that on Wednesday night, the [candidate for] vice president of the United States will be nominated and give a speech, and on Thursday night I will give my speech," reports the Boston Globe. Pushed to specify if his speech would be an acceptance one, Kerry "winked and leaned back in his seat as his campaign charter jet flew from Hanscom Field to Dulles International Airport outside the nation's capital."

Although Kerry was winking, there are some major issues to deal with as his campaign considers whether to delay accepting the nomination. Not the least is $15 million in federal funds to pay for the convention, which Democracy 21's Fred Wertheimer tells the Globe could be illegal to use if the convention does not nominate Kerry. "They received the money to conduct a nominating convention, and a nominating convention tends to include the concept of a nominee," said Wertheimer. "At a minimum, they face real legal questions."

And Rep. Martin Meehan, D-Mass., one of the House sponsors of the landmark McCain-Feingold campaign finance legislation, also told the Globe the federal funds could be at risk.

Even if the money is secured, as The New York Times reports, Kerry's potential delay has many Bostonians in a lather. Martin Bono told the Times, "Does it make any sense to disrupt the lives of millions of people in the Boston area for 15,000 people in the FleetCenter and the whole point of it might not happen? It kind of leaves a sour taste in my mouth."

The only pro-delay bright spot came from Boston Mayor Thomas Menino. On Sunday, Menino had called for Kerry and his campaign to proceed with the nomination as planned. On Monday, he appeared to back away. As the Times explains, Menino, "a leading booster for the convention, said that the proposal to delay acceptance of the nomination demonstrated the need for a bipartisan effort to change campaign finance laws, which create a disadvantage for the party that holds its convention first." With Kerry telling the Globe, "We have so many ideas on the table, so many great suggestions, that it's hard to pick through them," there is obviously no decision on which option to pursue just yet.

Republicans Answer to Dems: Republican operatives have launched ambitious plans to raise unregulated "soft money" in an effort to compete with Democratic groups that have been fundraising for over a year. James Francis Jr., who put together the 2000 Bush Pioneers, has been asked to chair the lead GOP organization, called Progress for America (PFA), reports the Washington Post.

The Post reports: "Francis said in an interview that he is undecided whether to become actively involved with PFA and he is awaiting legal advice. 'I am not going to break the law, period, paragraph,' he said. 'I hope in the next week to get advice. If it's lawful, I may do it. If it's unclear or blurry, I probably won't.'

"Francis said he raised some money for Bush early in the current campaign but has not been active since then because he knew that he might be needed in helping out a separate, 'independent' campaign and it was important to keep his distance from Bush-Cheney '04."

Meanwhile, organization officials have indicated they are considering major television buys in the 18 battleground states that praise Bush administration policies. PFA and other conservative organizations are pledging to match or exceed fundraising by liberal groups, which have already spent millions to help John Kerry.

The Post reports that Tony Feather, political director of the 2000 Bush campaign, set up PFA the year before Congress enacted the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law prohibiting the political parties from raising soft money. PFA ran ads supporting Bush's agenda of tax cuts, conservative judicial nominees and energy legislation. PFA executive director Brian McCabe said that from 2001 through 2003 the group raised $2.1 million.

Nader Makes Waves: Ralph Nader, referred to President Bush as a "messianic militarist" who should be impeached for pushing the nation into a war in Iraq "based on false pretenses," reports The New York Times.

In a speech to the Council on Foreign Relations in Manhattan, Nader said, "The founding fathers did not want the declaration of war put in the hands of one man," referring to his belief that U.S. foreign policy goals are being compromised because the president tends to "talk like an out-of-control West Texas sheriff."

The Times says, "Mr. Nader also accused President Bush of exaggerating the threat of terrorism in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. 'To say that President Bush has exaggerated the threat of Al Qaeda is to trip into a political hornets' nest,' he said. But he said it was time to raise 'the impertinent question' about whether the threat had been 'exaggerated for a purpose.' Mr. Nader said he believed such a deception had taken place, and had been intended in part to draw popular support for more militaristic policies and to generate military contracts for companies with close ties to the Bush administration."

In ballot news, Nader's campaign submitted in excess of 77,000 signatures on Monday to the Texas secretary of state, which is more than enough to qualify him for the state's ballot in November should his lawsuit challenging the ballot access process succeed.

Nader failed to submit the required 64,076 signatures by May 10, as required by state law. Texas has one of the tougher access laws, requiring independent candidates to obtain more than 64,000 signatures in 60 days from registered voters who did not vote in either the Democratic or Republic primaries. Third party candidates meanwhile, have 75 days to collect 45,540 signatures. Nader has sued the state of Texas, claiming the law poses unreasonable and unconstitutional obstacles to independent candidates. A hearing is scheduled for July.

Kerry Travels in Style: After months of a revolving cycle of charter planes, the Kerry campaign yesterday unveiled its official campaign plane on Monday. As CBS News' Steve Chaggaris reports, the Boeing 757-200 is entirely outfitted for the job of ferrying around a presidential candidate, with two conference tables, eight phone lines, a copy machine, a printer, and a power outlet in every seat for laptops and cell phone charging. The plane can seat 94 people in five cabins: the first for Kerry and his family, the second for workspace, third for staff, and the last two are for reporters and Secret Service. And lest anyone feel the need to take a break, there is a stand-up bar in the plane's center.

The outside of the new ride is decorated in red, white, and blue and reads "John Kerry for President."

Quote of the Day: "Uselessly practicing French bashing for the purpose of playing politics." -- French Embassy spokeswoman Nathalie Loiseau responding to jokes told by Colorado Gov. Bill Owens, including, "You know why the new French navy has glass-bottom boats? So it can see the old French navy."