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Politics

Politics in brief

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published October 20, 2006

Washington

President stumps for Va., Pa. candidates

President Bush campaigned Thursday for a congressman who has confessed to adultery and a senator accused of racial insensitivity, seeking to boost incumbent Republicans once safe for re-election but now in peril.

Bush appeared with Rep. Don Sherwood in La Plume, Pa., and Sen. George Allen in Richmond, Va. "I think the president understands that it's important to set high standards," said White House spokesman Tony Snow.

Bush stuck with his theme that Democrats would go soft on the war on terror and raise taxes if handed a majority in the November elections. "Given the record of Democrats on our nation's security, I understand why they want to change the subject," Bush said.

Garden Grove, Calif.

Calif. GOP urges candidate to withdraw

From the beginning, Tan D. Nguyen's campaign for Congress had an unusual twist.

A Vietnamese immigrant, he was running against the daughter of Mexican immigrants, and the centerpiece of his campaign was to crack down on illegal immigration.

On Thursday, the Republican's campaign against Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez went from unusual to bizarre when his party's leadership demanded that he get out of the race after a threatening letter sent to Hispanic voters was linked to his campaign.

The letter, written in Spanish and mailed to 14,000 households, falsely stated that immigrants could be arrested if they tried to vote in the Nov. 7 election. State and federal officials are investigating the mailing for possible violations of election law.

Orange County Republican chairman Scott Baugh said that after speaking with the state Attorney General's Office and the private company that distributed the letter, he concluded "that not only was Mr. Nguyen's campaign involved in this, but that Mr. Nguyen was personally involved in expediting the mailer."

Washington

Judge orders Cheney visitor logs released

WASHINGTON - A federal judge has ordered the Bush administration to release information about who visited Vice President Dick Cheney's office and personal residence, an order that could spark debate over lobbyists' White House access.

While researching the access lobbyists and others had to the White House, the Washington Post asked in June for two years of White House visitor logs. The Secret Service refused to process the request, which government attorneys called "a fishing expedition into the most sensitive details of the vice presidency."

U.S. District Judge Ricardo M. Urbina said that, by the end of next week, the Secret Service must produce the records or justify why they are being withheld.

The Secret Service can still try to withhold the records, but, in a written ruling Thursday, Urbina questioned the agency's primary argument - that the logs are protected by Cheney's right to executive privilege.

Washington

Group's question: Why isn't Kerry helping?

WASHINGTON - Democrats have a chance to win the House and maybe the Senate next month. So why isn't John Kerry, the 2004 presidential nominee, opening his wallet to help?

That's the question raised on a Web site, heyjohn.org, which says supporters gave more than $300-million to the Massachusetts senator's bid for the White House two years ago and argues Kerry should be more generous.

"He's still hanging on to $8,352,685 of our money, while Democratic candidates in competitive districts are short on funds," the Web site says.

Three Democratic senators facing re-election have contributed to the party's campaign committee. Hillary Clinton of New York gave $2-million, and Dianne Feinstein of California and Edward Kennedy of Massachusetts gave $1-million each.

Kerry is not up for re-election.

Associated Press

[Last modified October 20, 2006, 05:40:15]