Meanwhile, Dick Cheney continues campaigning throughout the West, which the Republicans hope to dominate in November.
From The New York Times:
"When Vice President Dick Cheney was handed a Utah Jazz jersey at a fund-raising lunch here Wednesday, he turned the conversation to John Kerry. 'I am not sure I should put that on,' Mr. Cheney joked. 'I might look like John Kerry did yesterday in that suit down at Cape Canaveral,' he said in an allusion to Senator Kerry's appearance in a blue protective suit during a visit to the NASA facility. Mr. Cheney broke the tradition of lying low during the opposing party's convention by heading out on a four-day tour through the West, warming up the crowd at each stop by comparing his own balding, septuagenarian look with the youthful appearance of the Democratic vice-presidential candidate, Sen. John Edwards. Alluding to talk that Mr. Edwards was 'charming, good looking and sexy,' Mr. Cheney asked, 'How do you think I got this job?' In Salt Lake City, he hammed it up, adding, 'It always bothers me when people laugh at that line.'"
David Postman reports on a Kerry Western states campaign briefing he received this morning. The Kerry campaign is paying particular attention to the Spokane TV market, they said, because Bill Clinton won there by a sliver in 1996, whereas Al Gore lost by 17 points in 2000. They think having former Astronaut John Glenn (check out this Onion story) and Gen. Wesley Clark, campaign there, will help them, as will Kerry's more gun-friendly attitude.
Also, Kerry will be coming to Seattle next month, at the tail end of a coast-to-coast tour. From here on out, Kerry can only spend the $76 million he gets in public financing. Bush will face the same restraints, but not until after his convention in early September. So Kerry's people said they'll go dark in August, relying on free media, state campaigns, and private groups to get their message out. They're likely subverting the spirit, if not the letter, of the campaign finance law, but you won't hear liberals complaining. Relatedly, The Wall Street Journal reports (subscription required) nationally what Postman and Justin Mayo reported statewide here earlier in the week. The story says Kerry and the Democrats have achieved parity with the Republicans via new money -- young, tech friendly, socially liberal Dems.
Postman also reports a P. Diddy sighting this morning on the convention floor. He was wearing a "Vote or Die" T-shirt and surrounded with a healthy entourage. He's shoo-in to be a mayoral candidate in New York City, and you heard it here.
When Puff was giving a solo interview with Ron Brownstein of the LA Times, Postman said he took a digital photo, and took out his notebook. The bodyguard shooed him off, calling it "rude." Others were met with the same treatment. The bodyguard apologized and said he had to say that. "If I don't say that, I get in trouble." Since when are interviews in the FleetCenter "private"?
A young woman had tears in her eyes waiting to meet him, Postman said.
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