Campaign Notebook
Bush runs first round of negative ads

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"John Kerry: Wrong on taxes. Wrong on defense," says an announcer in a new 30-second ad that will begin airing in battleground states, including Washington and Oregon.

Kerry's campaign called the $900 billion figure "completely made up," and accused Bush of running away from his record.

A second Bush ad tells voters they face choices on the economy, health care and the war on terrorism. "We can go forward with confidence, resolve and hope. Or we can turn back to the dangerous illusions that terrorists are not plotting and outlaw regimes are no threat," Bush says in the second ad, without mentioning Kerry by name.

The Bush ads will begin airing in 18 states today. Bush also will begin running his first radio spot, and it will make the same high-taxes, soft-on-terrorism argument against Kerry.

The ads are certain to spark debate over negative campaign tactics, as well as Kerry's record on taxes and terrorism.

In response, Kerry's advisers said they began working on an ad titled, "Misleading America," to accuse Bush of distorting the Democrat's record. But they would not say how much money Kerry would spend to broadcast the ad nor the number of states it would run in, raising doubts about whether the ad would be a formidable response to Bush's blitz.

Sharpton to face probe into campaign's finances

WASHINGTON — The government delivered good news and bad news to Al Sharpton yesterday: The Democrat will receive $100,000 in public money for his presidential bid — and will face an investigation into his campaign's finances.

The Federal Election Commission (FEC) is examining whether the New Yorker spent too much of his personal money on his campaign. Presidential candidates who accept public financing agree to spend no more than $50,000 of their resources.

If the FEC finds Sharpton exceeded that limit, it could order him to pay back the $100,000, with any additional government grants his campaign may receive before the commission's inquiry is completed.
 
Bush raises $9 million for re-election last month

WASHINGTON — President Bush raised $9 million for his re-election campaign last month, enough to maintain his record fund-raising advantage over Sen. John Kerry, whose contributions in February almost doubled.

Bush received contributions from 12,073 donors last month, boosting the $145.6 million he raised through January. Kerry raised $8 million last month after raising $4.1 million in January, according to his spokesman, David Wade. The Massachusetts senator had raised $33 million overall through January.

Bush, with $104.4 million in cash to Kerry's $2.1 million through January, holds the largest funding edge in a presidential race since Richard Nixon ran against George McGovern in 1972, said Anthony Corrado, a professor at Colby College in Maine who studies campaign finance.

Bush makes appeal to evangelical Christians

WASHINGTON — President Bush told evangelical Christians what they wanted to hear yesterday, ticking off highlights of his "compassionate conservative" agenda, from halting late-term abortions to banning gay marriage.

Bush opened his address via satellite to the National Association of Evangelicals Convention in Colorado by lavishing praise on the group: "You're doing God's work with conviction and kindness," Bush said.

Bush placed special emphasis on his efforts to curtail abortion — a goal fervently pursued by conservative Christians.

"We're working to build a culture of life," he said, noting that he had taken "an important step" in November when he signed legislation outlawing certain late-term abortions.

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