Bush team to focus on suburbs

WAUKESHA, Wis. - President Bush woke up in downtown Milwaukee on Wednesday, but his campaign bus promptly headed for the suburbs and even farther out - Republican territory where aides believe his re-election hopes can flourish this year.

Members of the Bush team say the rapidly growing suburbs and far-flung "exurbs" ringing cities such as Milwaukee and Green Bay, with their white, affluent, church-going populations, can counter the heavy Democratic turnout in urban areas and tip the balance in his favor.

"If you're somebody who moved into Fond du Lac or West Bend in the last year or two, you're just not revved into local politics like you will be after a visit like this," said Bush's chief political strategist, Karl Rove.

JOHN KERRY: The Democratic presidential candidate and his wife, Teresa, are returning to their summer home on Nantucket in Massachusetts for four days before he accepts his party's nomination. Aides said he'll work on his speech and other preparations for the convention, which begins July 26, during the Saturday-Tuesday respite.

DICK CHENEY: The vice president said Wednesday he cannot envision any circumstance in which he would not run for a second term.

"He's made his decision," Cheney said of Bush. "I've made mine. I suppose right now, because we're in the run up to the convention, people don't have much to talk about so you get speculation on that."

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