Forbes endorses Bush

Steve Forbes endorsed George W. Bush Tuesday evening, saying, according to the Washington Times, Bush "is on the right side in refusing to back down on his proposed tax cut, on Social Security -- in allowing people to invest part of their income in a taxfree savings account for retirement -- and in wanting a strong defense, as Clinton and his crowd does not."

Who's the education candidate?

Bush proposed a five-year, $5 billion plan Tuesday that would ensure that "every child" could read by third grade.

Chris Lehane, spokesman for Al Gore, responded that Bush's plan didn't go nearly far enough. "We need smaller classrooms, more teachers, modernized classrooms and an emphasis on pre-kindergarten education," he said, adding that Bush's proposed tax cut -- estimated at between $1.3 and $2 trillion over a decade -- "leaves no money for domestic programs."

But who has the better ideas for improving education? According to most experts, both candidates have part of the solution: Bush is right to emphasize accountability; Gore is right to emphasize significant investment in schools.

The press has done Gore wrong

The Washington Monthly takes a look at how the press has been treating Gore: An "examination of dozens of these articles, which purport to detail the chief cases of Gore's exaggerations and lies, finds journalists often engaging in their own exaggerations or even publishing outright falsehoods about Gore." Robert Parry blames the New York Times, the Washington Post and other major news outlets for taking out of context comments Gore made to make it look as though he had claimed to have discovered the toxic-waste problems at Love Canal, N.Y.



Can Bush lump Gore with Clinton?

Maureen Dowd weighs in with an answer: "If W. keeps banking on disgust with Clinton-Gore to propel him to the White House, he'll lose." She then quotes a Gore advisor as saying, "It won't work to connect Gore to Clinton. It didn't even work to connect Clinton to Clinton."

Giuliani to appear in court

The New York Times reports that New York's public advocate and candidate for the 2002 mayoral race, Mark Green, obtained a court order Tuesday directing Rudy Giuliani "to show by next week why he should not be held legally accountable for the release of Patrick M. Dorismond's sealed court records." (Dorismond is the unarmed civilian shot to death by New York police a few weeks back.) Immediately after the shooting, Giuliani released Dorismond's criminal records -- even juvenile reports -- sparking a storm of protest. Giuliani responded Tuesday, noting that the law "says nothing about prohibiting the release of those records after a person is dead."

Bush going for fund-raising record

The Associated Press reports that Bush is expected to collect a single-day record of $15 million for the Republican Party in a fund-raiser April 26.

"Soft money" ad hits California

The New York Times reports that a campaign ad funded by "soft money" has started airing in California. The ad features a game show patterned after "Jeopardy" called "Hypocrisy," with the following exchange: "He says he supports campaign finance reform, but held an illegal fund-raiser at a Buddhist temple." The contestant replies, "Who is Al Gore?"

Senate GOP agrees on a budget

The Washington Post reports that Senate Republicans, led by Budget Committee Chairman Pete Domenici, announced a $1.8 trillion budget, "largely along the lines of the plan approved last week by the House." The budget calls for increased spending on the military and prescription drug coverage in Medicare while also calling for $190 billion in tax cuts over five years.

Talking heads

(All EST and all guests tentative)