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Bush gala raises record amount

WASHINGTON - President Bush helped the GOP raise at least $38.5-million Wednesday at its annual gala - all of it in donations limited in size - and smash a one-night record set when political parties could rake in large corporate contributions.

The Republican National Committee can spend the money as it chooses, from general party get-out-the-vote efforts to direct support for Bush's re-election campaign and GOP candidates down the ticket.

The gala total tops the roughly $30-million Bush helped raise at a Republican congressional dinner and the RNC gala in 2002, the last year national party committees could collect "soft money" - business, union and unlimited donations.

LOBBYISTS' DONATIONS: President Bush has collected far more money from Washington lobbyists than Democratic rival John Kerry - roughly $1.1-million to the challenger's $305,000, according to a study by the nonpartisan Center for Public Integrity.

BUSH IN PRIME TIME: President Bush's participation in a National Day of Prayer ceremony with evangelical Christian leaders at the White House will be shown tonight, for the first time in prime-time viewing hours, on Christian cable and satellite TV outlets nationwide.

WASHINGTON - General Motors' sport utility vehicles generally have poor ratings in the government's frontal crash tests but perform well in side-impact crashes, according to results released Wednesday.

The 2004 Chevrolet Trailblazer, Buick Rainier, GMC Envoy, GMC Envoy XUV and Oldsmobile Bravada each earned three out of five stars in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's frontal crash tests. But they earned five stars on the side-impact tests.

Three stars means there is a 21 percent to 35 percent chance of serious injury in a similar real-world crash. NHTSA conducts the front-impact test at 35 mph and the side-impact test at 38.5 mph.

GM spokesman Jim Schell said none of the vehicles tested has been updated in the past two years.

The Saturn Vue, Toyota Highlander and Infiniti FX were the only SUVs of the 13 tested to receive five stars in the front- and side-impact tests.

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A historian who has spent 27 years working in presidential libraries was named director of the Clinton Presidential Library on Wednesday.

David Alsobrook has spent four years overseeing the preparation and archiving of tens of thousands of documents, memorabilia, gifts and photos from Bill Clinton's presidency for the $165-million library in downtown Little Rock, Ark. The library is scheduled to open Nov. 18.

Alsobrook spent three years as director of the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum in College Station, Texas.

WEATHER HELPS WITH WILDFIRES: Firefighters got help from cooler weather and diminishing winds Wednesday as they tried to contain a trio of wildfires that have burned more than 22,000 acres and destroyed at least 14 homes in Southern California.

"I hope the weather holds out," said Jane Scribner of the California Department of Forestry. "It really does make a difference."

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT MOVES FORWARD: A proposed constitutional amendment on replacing lawmakers killed or incapacitated in a terrorist attack was sent to the House by a committee that urged its defeat.

The House Judiciary Committee on a 17-12 partyline vote Wednesday reported the proposal "adversely" to the full House. It would amend the Constitution to allow for temporary appointment of House lawmakers if most of the 435-member body are killed or incapacitated by an act of terror or other disaster.