Edward Kennedy "talks with (John) Kerry daily by phone when the candidate is on the road," reports USA Today. "Friends of both senators say Kennedy rises early to read the morning newspapers and often calls Kerry's cell phone by 7 a.m. with advice." Not, of course, that there was any coordination between the Kerry campaign and Kennedy's latest verbal assault on the president, according to Kerry spokeswoman (and former Kennedy press secretary) Stephanie Cutter. Still, the media don't call Kennedy "a leading cheerleader and warm-up act" for the Kerry campaign for nothing.