Presidential Elections 2004

Maybe it's time to start thinking about the Internet as the Swiss Army Knife of American politics. It is constantly demonstrating that it can be used in new ways. So far, the Internet has affected campaign 2004 most powerfully on the bottom line. Following the path blazed by the giant online liberal advocacy group MoveOn.org, former Vermont Gov.

Bill Bradley, who ran for president four years ago as a reformer and champion of universal health care, will endorse Howard Dean today at a joint appearance in New Hampshire, giving the former Vermont governor the backing of the two contestants in the often-bitter 2000 Democratic presidential contest. The support of Bradley, a former New Jersey senator and pro basketball legend, underscores Dean's transition from insurgent to odds-on favorite in the fight for this year's Democratic nomination.

In the maiden political foray of his reelection year, President Bush picked up $2.8 million at a fundraiser here Monday after paying a brief visit to an inner-city school to tout his credentials as an education president.

Retired Gen. Wesley K. Clark on Monday unveiled the most sweeping tax-reform plan of any of the Democratic presidential hopefuls, a plan he said would dramatically simplify tax returns and benefit 31 million families without increasing the budget deficit. Under Clark's proposal, a family of four making up to $50,000 a year would pay no federal income tax at all, and all families with children making up to $100,000 would see a reduction in their tax bill.

After a weekend debate in snow-draped Iowa, Democrat Rep. Dick Gephardt plunged northward into the frigid High Plains to forage for votes in a place where sightings of presidential candidates are about as common as balmy days in January.

Belittling recent signs of economic growth as a "Bush-league recovery" and emphasizing a populist message, Sen. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts on Monday offered several proposals to combat the transfer abroad of information technology jobs. In a speech to supporters here, the Democratic presidential candidate continued his recent effort to portray himself as a crusader against special interests.

The two men couldn't have looked more different, the lanky basketball legend bending down to embrace the onetime wrestler, whose head just reached the taller man's shoulder. But when former U.S. Sen. Bill Bradley offered Howard Dean his endorsement Tuesday, he saw something of himself in the Democratic front-runner and the campaign he is running.

Debating for the second time in three days, Democratic presidential hopefuls renewed their scuffling Tuesday over taxes and personalities, but they also addressed issues as disparate as obesity and restricting snowmobiles in national parks. Front-runner Howard Dean bore the brunt of the assaults, led by Sens. John F. Kerry of Massachusetts and Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. The two suggested that Dean's proposal to repeal President Bush's tax cuts -- a stance he shares with Rep.

In their final arguments to voters before the Iowa and New Hampshire contests this month, the Democrats chasing Howard Dean are attacking the front-runner on virtually every aspect of his temperament and agenda. Except one: the centerpiece issue of his presidential campaign. While peppering Dean daily over his views on issues like Medicare, trade and taxes and questioning whether he exudes too much anger to effectively run against President Bush, the main Democratic contenders except Sen.

Howard Dean's economic policies -- as well as his "latte-drinking, sushi-eating" supporters -- will come under a round of withering fire starting today from a group that supports conservative Republican candidates.