Washington Wrap
Dotty Lynch, Douglas Kiker, Beth Lester, Clothilde Ewing, Dan Furman, Cody Kucharczyk and Nathaniel Franks of the CBS News Political Unit have the latest from the nation's capital.
Tuesday's Headlines
* Kerry Heads Back to D.C.
* It's Getting Green in Milwaukee
* South Carolina Senate Runoff
* Jack Ryan's Candidacy May Be Whipped
Kerry Heads Back to D.C.: Scrapping plans to spend Tuesday in Albuquerque, N.M., Sen. John Kerry headed back to Washington, D.C., late Monday night, arriving in the nation's capital around 3 a.m. Kerry's abrupt change in plans allows him to be in town to vote on an amendment being offered by Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D. Daschle's amendment to the defense authorization bill would make veterans' health care funding mandatory instead of part of the yearly (and thus variable) budget process.
According to a statement from Kerry released by the campaign: "I have met thousands of veterans as I travel across this country who fought with pride and honor, but still don't have the quality health care they need. I will return to Washington to fight for them."
After the Senate vote, Kerry will resume his campaign schedule, flying to San Francisco on Tuesday night to attend a fund-raiser first thing Wednesday morning. Later on Wednesday, Kerry will focus on health care technology during a speech at the SEIU's national convention.
Kerry's return to D.C. has sparked interest in whom he might meet with during his visit. Last week's time in Washington resulted in meetings with vice-presidential possibilities Rep. Richard Gephardt and Florida Sen. Bob Graham. Graham is on the Hill for the vets vote, as is North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, who also cleared his schedule to return for the vote, CBS News has learned. No meetings are confirmed but there's lots of buzz. Kerry told the pool reporter on his way into the Capitol that he had "lots of meeting scheduled for today."
Another hopeful, Virginia Gov. Mark Warner, is in town for a speech to the DLC. Wesley Clark is back in D.C. today and Sen. Evan Bayh is on the Hill and planning to vote on the vets bill, as well. Not in town town are the midwesterners. Gov. Tom Vilsack is home in Iowa for the week, while Rep. Gephardt is in California preparing for his daughter's wedding. Kerry and Gephardt met for 90 minutes on June 16.
As Kerry takes to the Hill, new television ads will be taking to the airwaves. The campaign announced a new ad called "Paperwork" on Tuesday morning, which will begin airing on Wednesday in 13 states: Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, New Mexico, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. "Paperwork" focuses on lowering health care costs by eliminating paperwork. The ad is part of the campaign's June advertising buy of approximately $18 million.
In other news from Kerryland, the campaign announced that famed Washington lawyer and Clinton pal, Vernon Jordan will lead the candidate's negotiations for the fall presidential debates.
All Eyes on Milwaukee: Calling him a "a man who has put his principles in practice," Ralph Nader chose popular Green Party activist Peter Camejo as his vice presidential running mate on Monday, giving further shape to Democrats fears that Nader will spoil the election for them in November.
The announcement, which came just days before the Green Party selects its presidential candidate, will likely boost Nader's efforts to win the group's endorsement, Scott McClarty, Green Party spokesman, tells CBS News. If he succeeds, he could win ballot access in 22 states and Washington, DC.
Camejo, who ran twice as the Green Party's candidate for governor of California and once for president as a Socialist, is not new to the political stage and is among the Green Party members who believes that Nader should aggressively campaign in all 50 states. "The American people are tired of having to vote against a candidate instead of for one," he said.
Nader's, and now Camejo's, decision has deeply divided the party between those who support Nader and his 50-state approach, and David Cobb, a lesser-known Green who supports a "safe state" strategy with two main objectives: defeating Bush and building the Green Party.
The Washington Post reports "Camejo, a Venezuelan American who is fluent in Spanish, has backed Nader's presidential bid for months. He said he would attend the party's convention this week in Milwaukee, urging his colleagues to support a compromise in which the party would endorse both Nader and Cobb - and allow individual states to decide which candidate to place" on the Green Party line.
The decision will ultimately be made on Saturday, as Green Party delegates gather in Milwaukee for their national convention, which begins on Wednesday, reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune.
Nader has insisted he will run as an independent, but he will gladly accept the party's endorsement, which could give him access to the Greean ballot lines. Cobb leads the delegate count with 194.5 delegates and Camejo (who was also on the ballot) follows with 112. There are at least five other candidates with delegate support in the running, some of whom support Nader. Cobb and Camejo are scheduled to speak at the convention. Nader has no plans to attend.
Last Call in South Carolina: It is down to the wire for Republican Senate candidates Jim DeMint and David Beasley. The Associated Press reports that DeMint and Beasley are making final rounds, and "squeezing in one last radio debate" before polls open across South Carolina Tuesday.
Beasley and DeMint are going toe to toe in a two-man battle for a spot on the ballot this fall in the race to fill the seat of retiring Democratic Sen. Fritz Hollings. Since neither received 50 percent of the vote in the six-way primary held June 8, a runoff has been scheduled to determine who will face Democrat Inez Tenenbaum in the general election.
Both candidates bring considerable experience to the table, Beasley as a former governor and DeMint as a three -term congressman. This experience has given Beasley and DeMint a good name of recognition among voters. Although two former GOP Senate candidates have endorsed DeMint, Francis Marion University political scientist Neal Thigpen warns that voter turnout will be key because Beasley supporters "are passionate for him."
Along with turnout, voters' opinions on trade policies will be of particular interest. Beasley has attacked DeMint's votes to send jobs overseas, saying, "we have unfair foreign trade taking place." DeMint continues to stand by his votes contending that his position has helped "open more opportunities for South Carolina businesses."
A Political Nightmare for Ryan: Republican U.S. Senate nominee Jack Ryan's divorce papers were released after he and his wife made a joint decision not to appeal a ruling opening the papers to the public. Ryan and ex-wife actress Jeri Ryan fought to keep the records sealed in order to, they said, protect their son.
The Chicago Sun Times reports that the records revealed a number of incidents where Ryan took his ex-wife to sex clubs where he insisted that she have sex and participate in other sexually related activities with him while others watched. Jeri Ryan described one of the places as a "a bizarre club with cages, whips and other apparatus hanging from the ceiling." The trips to the clubs were part of what Jeri Ryan said were supposed to be "romantic getaways."
The candidate dismissed her allegations as "ridiculous accusations" and "smut" in a statement released soon after the allegations were made in the divorce preceding. He also said that she was dishing out without concern about how it would make their young son "feel about his parents or himself."
Ryan declined to revisit the allegations, saying he stands by his earlier court response. The records were released by Ryan, himself, to reporters at an hour-long news conference on Monday.
The Chicago Tribune also printed a statement by Jeri Ryan extolling her ex- husband's relationship with their son and faithfulness. She went on further to say that, "Jack and I were married for almost eight years. We both tried very hard to make our marriage work, unfortunately our lives moved in different directions, and we were ultimately unable to save the marriage." She also said that there was never any physical abuse to her or their son and that she wishes him all the best.
The revelations shocked at least three top Republicans in the state of Illinois. Judy Topinka, state party chairwoman and state treasurer, was reported by sources close to her to have asked Ryan flatly whether there was anything embarrassing in the file. He stated to her that there wasn't. The same source said she thought that he had misled her. Individuals close to Former Gov. Jim Edgar said that, "Edgar kind of feels like he took this guy at his word and is kind of stunned it could be different from what he was told."
The most negative response from a Republican came from U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood of Illinois: "In the interest of saving further embarrassment for him and his family, he needs to immediately withdraw from the race."
Other Republicans said they do not believe that the papers will sink the campaign. State Rep. Paul Froehlich said that he didn't think much will come of the papers. State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger, who lost to Ryan in the primary also, said that he didn't think that information would be that harmful. Outgoing GOP Sen. Peter Fitzgerald called Ryan "a good and decent man," and pledged to "support him with enthusiasm and confidence."
Ryan also claims the continued support of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Ryan continues to say he will stay in the race. Recent polls have shown him trailing Democrat Barak Obama by 20 points.
Quote of the Day: "The religious right doesn't understand why we would have the twins in our advertising. But I've had an equal number of people come up and say, "Boy if you took the twins on the campaign trail, we'd really vote for you.'" --Columnist Al Lewis quoting Colorado Republican U.S. Senate candidate Pete Coors about why he has the "big, busty Coors Light Twins" in his campaign ads. (Denver Post)