Washington Wrap

Dotty Lynch, Douglas Kiker, Steve Chaggaris, Clothilde Ewing, Nicola Corless, Smita Kalokhe and Joanna Schubert of The CBS News Political Unit have the latest from the nation's capital.

Political allies of the former NFL star and conservative activist reportedly were testing the waters yesterday on a possible gubernatorial bid.

Kemp, 68, was in the House of Representatives for 18 years from upstate New York. He was also secretary of housing and urban development in the first Bush administration. Kemp, a native Californian, was raised in Los Angeles and went to Occidental College there. He also played quarterback for several years for the San Diego Chargers.

Although Kemp is based in Washington, he reportedly owns property in California, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Meanwhile, the White House seems to be keeping its distance from the recall, reports CBS News' Peter Maer. At his morning press gaggle, press secretary Scott McClellan told reporters, "This is a matter for the people of California."

It's been speculated that the administration's reticence is based, in part, on the potential political advantage for Mr. Bush in 2004 if the unpopular Davis remains in office.

Soft Money Lives: Briefly banned from making large political contributions, big companies and unions are now back in the game since the Federal Election Commission decided Thursday to keep the soft money flowing to fund the 2004 party conventions. According to the AP, the FEC ruled that the strict campaign finance laws did not apply to the fundraising activities that help the parties put on their large-scale conventions.

The decision comes just in time for the Boston Host Committee, which is having a tough time raising the $49.5 million needed to pull off the Democratic Convention, set for July 2004. Republicans plan to hold their convention in New York and have received pledges for $60 million of their $64 million goal.

But Democracy 21 founder Fred Wertheimer calls the FEC's decision "ludicrous" and plans to add the convention rule to the lawsuit challenging the FEC regulations that they say create loopholes that compromise politics. On the flip side, FEC chairwoman Ellen Weintraub said convention fundraising is not a partisan activity. "Businesses contribute because they want the promotional benefit," she told the AP.

Things may be looking up for opponents of campaign finance reform since the Democrats have proposed replacing FEC commissioner Scott Thomas, a proponent of reform, with Robert Lenhard, a labor lawyer who has challenged the new law. Pro-Democratic groups like Planned Parenthood, the AFL-CIO and the NAACP are backing his appointment, as is Emily's List, the organization that gives huge amounts of money to pro-choice Democratic women candidates. Emily's List takes advantage of one of the biggest campaign finance loopholes still remaining, the "bundling" of campaign contributions.

According to the Washington Post, Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., criticized the Democrats for naming Lenhard, whom he called a "dedicated opponent of campaign reform, someone who would use his position not to enforce the law but to weaken it." Lenhard says that's not quite accurate. He admits he's part of the AFL's team challenging specific sections of the law, but says he will "forcefully interpret the provisions of the entire statute" as an FEC commissioner.

Something To Talk About: House members head off on their five-week August recess Friday night, and, if party leaders have anything to say about it, it won't be all play. In fact, each party has armed members with a list of issues and talking points to focus on while at home.

The House Republican Conference on Thursday distributed its "resource kit," which has each week in August focused on a different issue: the Medicare prescription drug benefit, Iraq and homeland security, education and, finally, the economy.

Republican leaders also suggested members spend next week, while the Senate is still in session, focusing on their party's accomplishments in the House this year, pointing out their "significant number of domestic policy successes," such as welfare, so-called "partial birth abortion," and the Medicare prescription drug benefit, said Greg Crist, spokesman for GOP Conference Chair Deborah Pryce, R-Ohio.

Crist also told CBS News that "this will be the most coordinated resource kit that we'll have in the 108th Congress." He added that the House Republicans have closely coordinated their plan with the Senate's recess message, which begins Aug. 4, and the White House.

Meantime, Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has chosen four issues for her members to attack President Bush and the Republicans with: protecting national parks, education, Medicare prescription drugs and the economy/unemployment.

The Dems' "recess packet" suggests tying each issue to a specific date or event, for instance, on education: "As part of a 'back to school' communications initiative, Democrats should schedule events at local schools or Head Start centers to contrast the Democratic education agenda with the Republicans' record of broken promises."

They recommend using a "summer vacation" theme for talking about national park funding and scheduling their economic events around the August 1st unemployment numbers. Like the Republicans, the Democrats are also proposing that their members tie their Medicare events around its 38th anniversary on July 30th.

Overall, Pelosi said the goal is to convince constituents about what the Democrats are doing on Capitol Hill. "The Democrats are here fighting in Congress for America's working families, that we want to build a better future for our country, investing in education for our children, building infrastructure, creating jobs immediately and contributing to our homeland security and commerce by building that infrastructure."

There's Much More To Him: "I think people will be surprised by his intellect," said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., of famed talk show host Jerry Springer. According to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Cantwell fell short of endorsing Springer for the Ohio Senate seat, but was confident in his ability to serve.

Cantwell, who volunteered for Springer campaigns in 1977 and 1982, believes that Springer would make an excellent senator. "There's much more to him than his TV show. He's an incredibly smart person." However, the senator was careful to note that her statements were based on his political career and not his talk show, which is known for its rambunctious audience, scantly clad strippers and diehard skinheads.

According to Springer's political advisor, Mike Ford, the talk show host filed papers to run for U.S. Senate on Monday but has not actually decided to campaign for the Democratic nomination. That decision would be made later this month, said Ford.

Although she referred to Springer as a "policy wonk," Cantwell was careful to stay impartial. Ohio State Sen. Eric Fingerhut, a friend of Cantwell, has also been eyeing the Senate seat. When asked if she would be involved with the campaign, Cantwell replied, "Senators don't usually get involved in primaries. So I guess I'll have to wait and see."

What's Happening This Weekend:
First off, we should offer our congratulations to Karl Rove, who is receiving the Lee Atwater Award for Service from his young prodigies, otherwise known as the College Republicans, at their national convention in Washington. Now, let's move to the Democratic campaigns. Compared to last weekend, it seems that the candidates are slowing down just a tad. Joe Lieberman is taking a three-day break. Howard Dean seems to have packed enough activity into Friday so he could take off for the weekend. And Sen. John Kerry is hitting Iowa and California over the weekend. Out of the entire lot, only Sen. John Edwards is putting in time in both of the early primary states, Iowa and New Hampshire.

But Monday should prove to be a busy day at the National Urban League's Presidential Conference. Although they are still waiting for final confirmations from some of the candidates, President Bush, Carol Moseley Braun, Dean and Lieberman have already agreed to attend.

Friday: President Bush met with Palestinian Prime Minister Abbas at the White House. Howard Dean cycled a leg of the Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, then met with Iowa caucus goers in Monroe, Lucas and Clarke Counties; later, he officially opens his Iowa campaign office and meets with caucus-goers in Des Moines before addressing Iowa's AFSCME's annual convention in Four Points. John Edwards continues his Main Street Tour in Iowa and meets with Linn and Muscatine County Democrats. Dick Gephardt attended meet and greet, toured the Franklin C. Fetter Family Health Center and attended a Health Care Roundtable with Health Care Professionals in Charlestown, S.C. John Kerry meets with business leaders in Ames, Marshalltown and Des Moines, Iowa, and attends Iowa's AFSCME's annual convention in Four Points. Al Sharpton urged President Bush to send humanitarian aid to Liberia outside of the Liberian mission at the United Nations in New York. Others: Ed Gillespie elected new chairman at RNC Summer Meeting in NYC. House Majority Leader Tom Delay gives keynote speech at the opening of the College Republican convention and Karl Rove receives the Lee Atwater Award for Service in Washington, D.C. DSCC fundraiser featuring Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY., in Little Rock, Ark.

Saturday: Carol Moseley Braun gives keynote speech at National Association of Negro Business and Professional Women's Clubs Annual Banquet. Edwards campaigns in Davenport and Clinton, Iowa. Kerry campaigns in Indianola, Des Moines, Iowa, and then travels to San Francisco to address the Human Rights Campaign Gala dinner.

Sunday: Edwards holds a town hall meeting in Nashua and Peterborough, N.H. Braun attends Democratic Leadership Council meeting in Philadelphia. Kerry campaigns in San Francisco and Los Angeles, Calif. Rep. Dennis Kucinich takes part in Sen. Tom Harkin's "Hear from the Heartland" series in Ottumwa, Iowa. Other: United Food and Commercial Workers union annual meeting in San Francisco. DLC National Conversation, not a presidential forum.

Monday: President Bush, Braun, Dean and Lieberman address the National Urban League's Presidential Conference in Pittsburgh. Dean campaigns in Pennsylvania before the forum. Braun attends United Steelworkers of America Leadership conference in Pittsburgh before attending forum. Edwards attends town meeting in Laconia and then tours child health services and talks with health care workers before unveiling his health care plan in Manchester, N.H.

Quote of the Day: "We will fight against the Democratic Socialists and DLC in every state in the union next year. We will be sponsoring candidates in numerous Senatorial, Congressional, and statewide offices who will coordinate their campaigns in support of Jim and each other." – Supporters of a presidential bid by former Ohio congressman and current federal inmate Jim Traficant. (www.traficant2004.com)