Campaign Notebook
McCain criticizes ad attacking Kerry

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The White House declined.

"It was the same kind of deal that was pulled on me," McCain said, comparing the ad to tactics in his bitter primary fight with George W. Bush in 2000.

The 60-second ad, by the Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, is scheduled to air in a few markets in Ohio, West Virginia and Wisconsin. It features Vietnam veterans who accuse Kerry of lying about his decorated Vietnam War record and betraying fellow veterans by opposing the conflict later. "When the chips were down, you could not count on John Kerry," one of the veterans, Larry Thurlow, says in the ad. Thurlow didn't serve on Kerry's swiftboat but says he witnessed events that led to Kerry winning a Bronze Star and the last of his three Purple Hearts. Kerry's crewmates support the candidate and call him a hero.

McCain, chairman of Bush's campaign in Arizona, said the Bush campaign has denied involvement and added, "I can't believe the president would pull such a cheap stunt."

In 2000, Bush supporters sponsored a rumor campaign accusing McCain of everything from hypocrisy to fathering illegitimate children. The latter charge was linked to a Bob Jones University professor who admitted he was wrong, but the strategy helped Bush win the South Carolina primary and secure the nomination. Many of McCain's supporters never have forgiven the Bush team.

Retired Adm. Roy Hoffmann of Swift Boat Veterans for Truth said he respected McCain's "right to express his opinion and we hope he extends to us the same respect and courtesy, particularly since we served with John Kerry, we knew him well and Sen. McCain did not."

The general counsel for the Kerry campaign and the Democratic National Committee sent television stations a letter asking them not to run the ad because it is "an inflammatory, outrageous lie" by people purporting to have served with Kerry.

President offers new "Bushism" in speech

WASHINGTON — President Bush offered up a new entry for his catalog of "Bushisms" yesterday, saying his administration will "never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people."

Bush misspoke as he delivered a speech at the signing ceremony for a $417 billion defense-spending bill.
 
"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we," Bush said. "They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we." No one in Bush's audience of military brass or Pentagon chiefs reacted.

Keyes accepts GOP nomination for Senate

CHICAGO — Maryland conservative Alan Keyes, a former Republican presidential contender and talk-show host, has agreed to accept the nomination as the Illinois GOP nominee for Senate and plans a public rollout for his campaign Sunday, several Republican sources said yesterday.

"He [Keyes] indicated he wanted to come back on his own terms, bring some of his supporters with him and didn't want to have to walk out the door [Wednesday night] bombarded with questions about everything," said one member of the Illinois Republican State Central Committee. "He just wanted a few days to organize things."

Keyes would replace March primary winner Jack Ryan on the ballot. Ryan dropped out of the race amid sex-club allegations.

Keyes will have to establish residency in Illinois by Election Day, according to federal law.

Also

The national Democratic Party's top religion adviser resigned this week after being denounced by religious conservatives for opposing the Pledge of Allegiance. The Rev. Brenda Bartella Peterson, 56, former pastor of Newtown Christian Church in Scott County, Ky., and an ordained Disciples of Christ minister, quit after less than two weeks on the job.