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.
Monday's Headlines
* Brown v. Board of Education Anniversary Spawns Bush v. Kerry Speeches in Topeka
* Poll Watch: A Statistically Significant Lead?
* Veep Watch: McCain, McCain, McCain
* Nader and Kerry Still Having "Scheduling Problems" on Meeting
* Oregon: Kerry's First Visit and Kucinich's Last Stand
* Jerry Springer: Democratic Delegate
Kerry and Bush Commemorate Brown Anniversary: Both President Bush and his Democratic rival John Kerry travel to Topeka, Kan., on Monday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's historic Brown v. Board of Education decision, which invalidated the doctrine of "separate but equal" in ruling school segregation unconstitutional.
Bush and Kerry's visits will not overlap, but both candidates' speeches are loaded with political rhetoric befitting a tight campaign. Kerry spoke on Monday morning; Bush speaks in the afternoon. The L.A. Times reported that David Stremming, president of the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority said: "The Kerry people want to be out of here before the president arrives. Because once Air Force One enters our air space, no other traffic is allowed within a 30-mile radius."
Kerry – who was joined by several prominent black politicians, including Jesse Jackson and Reps. John Conyers and Elijah Cummings - said much work remains to be done 50 years after the historic decision. The nation, Kerry said, is still divided along racial lines in areas ranging from income to health care.
"We should not delude ourselves into thinking for an instant that because Brown represents the law we have achieved our goal, that the work of Brown is done when there are those who still seek, in different ways, to see it undone - to roll back affirmative action, to restrict equal rights, to undermine the promise of our Constitution," Kerry said. "We have certainly not met the promise of Brown when, in too many parts of our country, our school systems are not separate but equal, but separate and unequal."
Kerry also said the centerpiece of Bush's education plan, No Child Left Behind, is an unfunded mandate that perpetuates inequality. "You cannot promise no child left behind and then pursue policies that leave millions of children behind … Because that promise is a promissory note to all of America's families that must be paid in full."
Kerry's campaign got into the act too, sending out a press release criticizing the administration for appointing "radical right wing" judges and not vigorously prosecuting civil rights cases.
When he visits Topeka later on Monday, President Bush also plans to talk about education issues. The AP reports: "His administration describes the No Child Left Behind Act as an extension of the Brown case because it seeks to end what Bush calls a bigotry of low expectations for minorities. But the president increasingly finds the law he championed to be a tough sell, as schools struggle to meet goals and lawmakers, mainly Democrats, say much more federal money is needed. An aide said in advance that Bush would not turn his Brown commemoration into a speech about the law, instead focusing on the nation's broader progress in race relations and what still must be accomplished."
Bush is scheduled to be joined onstage by a member of the pop group Destiny's Child. School Principal Gies said he wasn't sure which high-powered personality would thrill grade-schoolers the most. "It's not every day a student gets to see a sitting U.S. president," he said. "But truthfully, they'll probably be more excited to see the singer from Destiny's Child."
Poll Watch: Good News for Kerry: Three new polls show John Kerry opening up a small lead in the presidential race while a fourth poll shows a dead heat.
A poll from Zogby (conducted May 10 through May 13, margin of error 3.2 percent) shows Kerry with a five-point lead, 47 to 42. This is Kerry's largest lead in months, although Zogby notes that, "While Kerry shows no change over the past month, Bush drops two points."
A new CNN/Time Magazine latest poll (conducted May 12 through May 13, margin of error 4.1 percent) has Kerry with a 51 to 46 lead. This is a major change from the poll's findings in January, when Bush led Kerry 54 to 43. When Ralph Nader is added, Kerry leads Bush 49 to 44, with Nader at 6 percent.
And the latest Pew Research Center poll (conducted May 3 through 9, margin of error 3 percent) also give Kerry an edge, 50 to 45. As Pew notes, "President Bush's overall job approval rating also has dropped into negative territory: 44% approve of his job performance, while 48% disapprove."
In slightly less good news for the Kerry campaign, the newest Newsweek poll (conducted May 13 through 14, margin of error 3 percent) is a touch less glowing. Although it shows bad news for Bush (an approval rating of just 42 percent), Kerry is only leading Bush 46 to 45, a statistical dead heat. When Ralph Nader is added to the equation, Kerry leads Bush 43 to 42, with Nader at 5 percent. As Newsweek explains, "Kerry has been unable to leverage increasing discomfort over Bush's Iraq policies into a real lead over the president."
Zogby (985 likely voters)
Bush 42
Kerry 47
Undecided 8
CNN/Time (563 likely voters)
Bush 46
Kerry 51
Undecided 3
With Ralph Nader
Bush 49
Kerry 44
Nader 6
Pew Research Center (1465 registered voters)
Bush 45
Kerry 50
Undecided 5
Newsweek (1010 registered voters)
Bush 45
Kerry 46
With Nader
Bush 42
Kerry 43
Nader 5
Undecided not reported
Despite Denials, Kerry-McCain Speculation Continues: No matter how many times John McCain says he wouldn't accept an offer to be John Kerry's running mate, dreamful Democrats, restive Republicans and bored political reporters continue to beat the party-switching McCain as VP drum. This weekend was no different, with a New York Times story on Saturday reviving the speculation and McCain the following day issuing his now-familiar denial about being Kerry's number two.
The Times kicked off the chattering on Saturday by reporting: "Despite weeks of steadfast rejections from Senator John McCain, some prominent Democrats are angling for him to run for vice president alongside Senator John Kerry of Massachusetts, creating a bipartisan ticket that they say would instantly transform the presidential race. The enthusiasm of Democrats for Mr. McCain, an Arizona Republican, is so high that even some who have been mentioned as possible Kerry running mates — including Senator Bill Nelson of Florida and Bob Kerrey, the former Nebraska senator — are spinning scenarios about a 'unity government,' effectively giving Mr. Kerry a green light to reach across the political aisle and extend an offer."
Even flat-out denials by the Arizona senator could not tamp down the dream team chatter. To wit:
1. "I have totally ruled it out," McCain told the Times on Friday.
2. "I categorically will not do it," McCain said on "Meet The Press" on Sunday.
It's comments like those made by Democratic Sen. Joe Biden, appearing on "Meet The Press" along with McCain, that seem to keep this train rolling. Biden said: "I think John McCain would be a great candidate for vice President … "Do I think it's going to happen? No. But I think it is a reflection of the desire of this country and the desire of people in both parties to want to see this God-awful, vicious rift that exists in the nation healed, and John and John could go a long way to heal in that rift."
(Biden also told the Wilmington News-Journal that he's apparently not on Kerry's radar as a VP pick, saying: "I think there's no possibility of my being picked as vice president … I haven't been asked for my tax returns or anything else the [Kerry] campaign would need as part of the vetting process. I think there's a fixation on who could help win the Midwest or win the South. Also, I've made it pretty clear that I'm not interested in the job.")
In other (more realistic?) Veepstakes news, CBS News' Steve Chaggaris reports that Teamsters chief James Hoffa urged Kerry on Sunday to tap longtime labor ally Dick Gephardt as his VP. After Hoffa said picking Gephardt could help Kerry get Teamster votes in November and called Gephardt a "fine man" and potential "great partner" for Kerry, the presumptive nominee said of his vanquished foe: "This particular leader is one of those who I think is one of the most decent, one of the most honest, one of the most committed and passionate advocates of the cause of neighbors, real citizens, people in the streets, people in the schools, people working hard to make a living in this country."
Hoffa also said of another A-List contender, Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, "I think Edwards is another person who's a fine man, I think he'd be a good candidate."
Edwards, doing his bit for Kerry in key battleground states, visits Cleveland, Ohio on Monday and Duluth, Minn. on Saturday, where he will speak to the DFL convention.
Kevin Zeese, Nader's campaign spokesman, tells CBS News to ask the Kerry campaign why they haven't met. He says that in the beginning it was a scheduling issue, the Kerry camp called with dates that Nader couldn't make and then Nader called with dates that Kerry couldn't make. But in the last couple of weeks, they haven't even been able to get their calls returned.
A Kerry campaign aide told CBS News they're still trying to work out a date for a meeting. But not trying too hard it seems.
Oregon or Die: Campaign funds are pouring in and the ad wars between Kerry and Bush are underway, but for one more day, the Democratic presidential primary in Oregon tomorrow will be on at least two candidates' minds. Kerry rallies for the first time in Oregon today with Howard Dean in tow. Dean, who had a strong following in the left coast state before dropping out and, throwing his support behind his former rival, reported the Associated Press. Dean also urged his supporters a few weeks ago not to support Ralph Nader's efforts to get on the Oregon ballot.
Meanwhile, Dennis Kucinich powers up his "half-forgotten, dead-but-still-twitching presidential campaign," The New York Times reports. He is hopeful, but not necessarily for the nomination. The Ohio congressman, who has won no primaries, expects to attend the Democratic National Convention with about 50 delegates and an additional 2,000 supporters—all in hopes of persuading Kerry and the Democratic Party to take an anti-war stance on Iraq. "I understand that Kerry has enough delegates to be nominated. I can count, but I can also figure," the second-to-last primary candidate remaining in the race said, reported the Times. "The reason I have not dropped out of the race is that we may have a nominee, but the future direction of the Democratic Party has not yet been determined."
But tomorrow's contest may be his last chance to plant his liberal stamp on the party's platform, the Los Angeles Times reported. With its historically strong liberal bent, Oregon is where Kucinich can find a foothold for his platform, which includes universal healthcare, gay marriage and the immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. Although he plans to support Kerry in the fall, he spent $100,000 on advertising and 30 days of the last two months campaigning in Oregon. Oregon is a vote by mail state so voting has been ongoing during Kucinich's time in the state.
"In a way, I feel like Johnny Appleseed," said Kucinich, reported the Times. "I'm planting seeds all over this country: seeds of peace, seeds of hope. At some point, maybe years from now, there will be orchards. So in a sense, it's about more than this election. It's about more than politics. It really is about envisioning a new America."
Springer Will Represent Ohio After All: Despite turning down a run for the U.S. Senate, controversial TV-host Jerry Springer will help Ohio Democrats come November. The former Cincinnati Mayor – will be an at-large delegate to the Democratic convention in July, reports the Cincinnati Enquirer.
Springer, who was selected by state party leaders, will be one of 159 delegates and 24 alternates from Ohio. "He's made 50 appearances at Democratic events this year. He's been an outspoken advocate for the party," said Dan Trevas, spokesman for the Ohio Democratic Party. And, just last weekend the party named Springer Democrat of the Year.
Springer recently moved back to Cincinnati where he was Mayor from 1978 to 1981 and is considering running in 2006 either for Ohio governor, when the seat will be open, or for the Senate, against Republican incumbent Mike DeWine.
Quote of the Day: "This town hasn't felt such ceremonial goose bumps since that July day in 1936 when Kansas Gov. Alfred M. Landon stood on the Capitol steps to accept the Republican nomination to face Franklin D. Roosevelt for the presidency." – The Los Angeles Times on the dual visit of President Bush and John Kerry to Topeka, Kan., on Monday.