Weather | Sports | Forums | Comics | Classifieds | Calendar | Movies

Congress to add $50-million for conventions

WASHINGTON - Congress is on the brink of granting an additional $50-million in federal funds to both the Democratic and Republican National Conventions to defray escalating security costs. Split equally between the two conventions, the money would double the $25-million the government has already given each city to guard against a potential terrorist attack.

Mayor Thomas Menino and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, with the help of Sens. Edward Kennedy and John Kerry, asked Congress for more money in June, citing Attorney General John Ashcroft's warning that al-Qaida intends to "hit the United States hard" in the next few months. Tuesday the additional funds were included in the final version of the defense appropriations bill, expected to pass the House and Senate by the end of the week.

The new grant would bring the total price tag of the Democratic National Convention to more than $130-million, at least $40-million more than the Los Angeles convention four years ago.

WASHINGTON - After protests from the party's conservative wing, the Republican National Committee has invited several conservative Republicans to speak during the presidential nominating convention, which begins next month in New York.

New additions include Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa.; Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan.; and House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., three of the most prominent conservatives in Congress.

Originally, the party announced a lineup of speakers heavy on moderates, such as Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger of California and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who support abortion rights and oppose a constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage.

That raised the ire of social conservatives such as Paul Weyrich, chairman of the conservative Free Congress Research and Education Foundation.

"If the president is embarrassed to be seen with conservatives at the convention, maybe conservatives will be embarrassed to be seen with the president on Election Day," Weyrich wrote earlier this month.

Republican National Committee spokeswoman Christine Iverson denied Tuesday that the new speakers were added to appease conservative critics.

"We had said all along that members of Congress would play a major role in the convention," she said, noting that seven of the nine new names on the list are members of the House or Senate. "We announced the members of Congress and other speakers as soon as we had more names to announce."

Other members of Congress added to the list are: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.; Sen. Elizabeth Dole, R-N.C.; Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M.; and Rep. Anne Northup, R-Ky.

In addition, two prominent African-Americans - Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele and Miss America 2003 Erika Harold - have been scheduled to address the delegates.

Other previously scheduled speakers include: first lady Laura Bush; Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne Cheney; Secretary of Education Rod Paige; Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.; Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga.; New York Gov. George Pataki and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

Iverson said more additions to the lineup are expected in the coming weeks. The convention is to begin Aug. 30.

ATLANTA - Rep. Johnny Isakson built a 2-to-1 lead over his nearest challenger Tuesday in the Republican primary for the seat held by maverick Democratic Sen. Zell Miller, whose retirement has given the GOP an excellent opportunity to pick up a Senate seat.

Eight Democrats vied for the nomination, but face an uphill battle in a state that has experienced a sudden shift to the right in the last two years. Freshman Rep. Denise Majette led the field and was assured of at least a spot in a runoff in three weeks.

In North Carolina, former Clinton chief of staff Erskine Bowles faced no opposition and five-term GOP Rep. Richard Burr cruised to the nomination in the race for Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards' Senate seat. Six Republicans sought the state's gubernatorial nomination to run against Democratic Gov. Mike Easley, who overwhelmingly won the nomination.