Washington Wrap

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

Wednesday's Headlines

* Cheney and Kerry Go Head to Head on Opposite Coasts

* Pennsylvania On My Mind

* Dean Just Can't Help Making News

* Bush Ads Spin Hard?

* Illinois Senate Primaries Round-up

* A Tale of Two Limericks

Head to Head from Coast to Coast: On the one-year anniversary of the ultimatum to Saddam Hussein and his sons, John Kerry and Dick Cheney are laying out battling foreign policy plans on opposite coasts. Kerry hits the stage first in Washington, where he will give a speech entitled, "Protecting Our Military Families in Times of War."

In reference to the continuing conflict in Iraq, Kerry is expected to have tough words for the administration. "The lesson here is fundamental: At times, conflict comes, and the decision must be made. For a President, the decision may be lonely, but that does not mean that America should go it alone," Kerry will say according to excerpts received by CBS News.

Joining Kerry on stage will be former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, Clinton Defense Secretary William Perry and former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. John Shalikashvili. He is also expected to unveil his plans for a Military Bill of Rights, saying, "We have a sacred obligation to do our part for those who have borne the burdens of battle... This is about the character of our nation and who we are as a people; it is about keeping America's promise, about love of country, and the debt we owe to those who defend it."

Cheney follows Kerry from the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, where he is expected to give his most detailed critique yet of how Kerry's foreign policy differs from the administration's position, sources tell CBS News. Speaking to the Reagan-friendly audience, Cheney will compare Bush's leadership to Republican hero Reagan. "We must support those around the world who are taking risks to advance freedom, justice, and democracy -- just as President Reagan did," Cheney will say, according to excerpts received by CBS News.

The idea of Cheney dedicating what appears to be a whole speech to Kerry's ideas was not lost on Kerry, who told reporters, "It's all about me? I'm flattered... Let's have the argument. Bring it on."

Pennsylvania Here They Come: As presidential candidates head to Pennsylvania, a new Quinnipiac University poll (conducted March 9 through March 15, margin of error 3.1 percent) has President Bush leading John Kerry 44 percent to 40 percent, with independent candidate Ralph Nader making all the difference with 7 percent. As the poll notes, however, "in a head-to-head race, without Nader," Kerry leads Bush 45 to 44.

Perhaps because of the closeness of the race and the state's 21 electoral votes, Bush made his 26th visit as president to Pennsylvania on Monday, a state he lost in 2000 by just 4.17 percent. Bush visited Ardmore, Pa., where he met a new home owner, Pearl Cerdan, and participated in a town hall forum. Bush's decision to pick suburban Ardmore was likely motivated by his need to "improve his showing in the suburban Philadelphia counties, where moderate Republicans have been more receptive to Democratic candidates in recent years," reports the Philadelphia Inquirer.

Kerry has spent significantly less time in Pennsylvania. He's been there only twice since the embarrassing food moment in August 2003 when he asked for Swiss cheese on his Philly Cheesesteak. On Sunday, Kerry visited Allentown and Bethlehem. He did make one trip to Pittsburgh for the Heinz Foundation awards, but it was not an official campaign event, notes CBS News reporter Steve Chaggaris.

Kerry, who has visited 30 states and the District of Columbia in his quest to win the nomination, will no doubt spend much more time in the battleground state now that the nomination is well in hand. For more on what Pennsylvania swing voters will decide, stay tuned for CBS News special election year project on the voters of Allentown, Pa.

Dean Causes a Flap over Spain: Even though his own campaign is over, Howard Dean made news Tuesday, this time at the expense of John Kerry. Dean, who held a Kerry-organized conference call with reporters ostensibly on "George Bush's latest misleading attack ad," instead came under fire for remarks he made about the link between Iraq and the terrorist attacks in Spain. Dean told reporters, "The president was the one who dragged our troops to Iraq, which apparently has been a factor in the death of 200 Spaniards over the weekend."

When pressed by CBS News about his statement, Dean claimed that he was "simply repeating" claims that had been made on a tape by a supposed al-Qaeda member found over the weekend in Madrid. Late on Tuesday, Dean issued a statement to the AP saying, "Let me be clear, there is no justification for terrorism. Today I was simply repeating what those who have claimed responsibility for the bombings in Spain said was the reason they carried out that despicable act."

Despite Dean's clarification, neither the Bush-Cheney nor and Kerry campaigns felt that went far enough. Wednesday morning, Bush-Cheney campaign chair Gov. Marc Racicot called on Kerry to retract Dean's comments, saying, "If Senator Kerry understands the nature of this threat and the need to take on terror, then he should immediately repudiate these troubling comments, and stop all efforts on behalf of his surrogates to blame America for these attacks."

The Kerry campaign also distanced itself from Dean. CBS News' Steve Chaggaris reports that Kerry told reporters on his campaign plane that Dean had backed off that statement and "it's not our position." Even with Dean not running his own campaign, it appears his penchant for from-the-hip remarks can still get him in trouble.

Bush Ads More Spin than Substance?: The Bush-Cheney campaign released its newest television ad, "Troops," on Tuesday. CBS Early Show contributor Craig Crawford has this analysis:

The new Bush advertisement attacking Kerry's Iraq War votes distorts the truth without actually lying. This is what we call spin.

"Though John Kerry voted in October of 2002 for military action in Iraq ..."
--Congress did not vote to go to war. It merely authorized the President to make the decision. Congress passed the buck on the final decision, so it is not accurate to say Kerry voted FOR MILITARY ACTION. Giving authority is not the same as favoring its use.

"... he later voted against funding our soldiers."
--The White House and Republican Congressional leaders set a trap with the $87 billion spending bill after the Iraq War began. They refused to hold separate votes on funding for soldiers and less popular funding for reconstruction costs. There was only one up-or-down vote on the entire $87 billion package. Those, like Kerry, who were determined to vote against the "no-bid" reconstruction contracts for Halliburton and others were then forced to also vote against funding for soldiers.

NARRATOR: "Body armor for troops in combat."
SENATE CLERK: "Mr. Kerry:"
ANNOUNCER V/O: "No."
--The irony here is that this provision was only in the bill because military officials admitted to Congress during the war that the Administration had sent 40,000 troops into battle without the best-grade body armor.

NARRATOR: "Higher combat pay."
SENATE CLERK: "Mr. Kerry:"
ANNOUNCER V/O: "No."

NARRATOR: "And, better health care for reservists and their families..."
SENATE CLERK: "Mr. Kerry:"
ANNOUNCER V/O: "No."

--Like the body-armor claims, the above excerpts make it seem that Kerry cast separate votes against the most popular portions of the bill. There were no separate votes on these items. The main debate over the bill was the inclusion of "no-bid" reconstruction contracts, which is what provoked Kerry to vote against the overall package.

Obama and Ryan Win Primaries: As polls predicted, State Sen. Barack Obama won the Democratic primary for Illinois's U.S. Senate seat with 55 percent of the vote, easily trouncing seven other candidates including his nearest rival, State Comptroller Dan Hynes, who had 22 percent of the vote, the Chicago Tribune reported. Obama, seeking to be just the third black U.S. senator in a century, shot to victory winning a large part of Chicago while attracting white progressives in the suburbs and down state.

On the Republican front, investment-banker-turned-teacher Jack Ryan had a smaller margin of victory with 36 percent of the votes, winning by 12 points rather than the 30 point lead pre-primary polls had marked, the Chicago Sun-Times reported. Ryan outscored seven other opponents, despite having his campaign marred with controversy over his sealed divorce papers. Capitol Fax reported that unnamed Democrats have a copy of the Ryan documents under debate and will release them before the general election.
Meanwhile, Democratic turnout almost doubled the Republicans', with 1,217,977 votes compared to the GOP's 638,502. Obama, with 642,305 votes, won more than all eight Republican candidates combined.

John Kerry sailed through the Presidential primary with 72 percent. John Edwards was next with 11 percent.

A Tale of Two Limericks: Although most celebrations in Washington, D.C. involve successful legislation, investigation or triangulation, the two national political committees got into the St. Patrick's Day spirit by releasing a set of limericks lampooning the other's nominee.

The Republican National Committee, whose Chairman Ed Gillespie will be marching in New York City's St. Patrick's Day parade, showed great Irish-American spirit releasing a "limerick in tribute to Democratic nominee John Kerry."

RNC Limerick:
There once was a man from Nantucket
Whose misstatements could fill up a bucket.
Oft the truth he has bent,
Like his "Irish descent."
Of his record he says, "I'll just duck it."

Not to be outdone, the Democratic National Committee's new spokesman Jano Cabrera fired back in poetic style. The DNC, whose release dryly noted, "With apologies to the bard, and reference to the fact that President George W. Bush is also by birth a New Englander," responded by saying:

DNC Limerick:
There also was a yank from Connecticut,
Who utterly lacked any etiquette.
He claimed Texas blood,
Threw the truth in the mud,
Think his word is his bond? Don't bet on it.

Irish eyes, or at least those of politically obsessed Americans, are certainly shining today.

Quote of the Day: "'You sold out, you mother f------, you sold out!'" --alleged remarks by then-Hillary Rodham to lawyer Joseph Califano Jr. before a Senate hearing on July 24, 1970. (New York Daily News)