Washington Wrap: Campaign shocker: Bush and Cheney raise money

President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney were both out fundraising on Friday. Cheney was in Raleigh, North Carolina, with GOP Senate candidate Elizabeth Dole. Mr. Bush was a little closer to home. He rode up Connecticut Avenue to the Marriot Wardman Hotel for a lunch for moderate Republican Maryland Rep. Connie Morrella. He then headed off to Camp David for the weekend.

Cornyn Shuns WorldCom: GOP Senate candidate and Texas attorney general, John Cornyn, has moved his July 13 fundraiser, which was originally to be hosted by WorldCom Inc.'s chief operating officer, Ron Beaumont, and his wife Linda at Beaumont Ranch, near Grandview.

According to Cornyn spokesman David Beckwith, the decision to move the fundraiser to a ranch owned by Walter Mize, an oil and cattleman, was a "mutual decision" following the SEC’s action this week of filing fraud charges against the long-distance carrier. WorldCom admitted to having wrongly listed $3.8 billion on its books as capital expenses in 2001 and 2002.

Cornyn said, "The apparent fraudulent conduct of WorldCom is highly disturbing, and my office will use every legal tool we have to protect the interests of the people of Texas and to bring justice to all those whose improper or illegal actions have hurt Texas taxpayers, public employees, investors and honest, hardworking WorldCom employees in Texas."

According to campaign records, WorldCom's political action committee has donated $7,000 to the Senate hopeful. In addition, Cornyn accepted at least $5,250 from the company and its executives during his past two years as attorney general. Beckwith said Cornyn is considering whether to return the money.

Townsend Hopes Former Admiral Will Help Her Sail To Victory: Maryland lieutenant governor and likely Democratic gubernatorial nominee Kathleen Kennedy Townsend has named a retired four-star admiral as her running mate.

The announcement of Charles Larson, a retired four-star admiral and former superintendent of the Naval Academy, as Townsend’s running mate surprised political observers, especially since Larson was, until recently, a registered Republican. Townsend’s likely opponent, Rep. Bob Ehrlich, also attempted to cross party lines to recruit his running mate, but his courtship of Nancy Grasmick, the Democratic superintendent of schools, failed.

Larson described himself as conservative on national security and foreign policy issues, but "moderate to liberal" on domestic and social issues. He supports abortion rights and what he called "reasonable gun control." Ehrlich has been the target of attack ads from the Brady Campaign for what they call his "extremist" views on guns.

Larson’s military bona fides are designed to bring an aura of gravitas to the Townsend campaign. Maryland Democratic leaders praised Townsend's choice, saying his experience is a comfort post-September 11.

"Some folks who were good Democrats wanted to vote for her – they were just a little uneasy. There was a sense that she wasn’t solid. You pick somebody like Larson, he’s solid," state Sen. Barbara Hoffman told the Washington Post.

But Ehrlich campaign spokesman Paul Schurick disagreed that the choice of Larson would lure Republican voters.

"Her candidacy and her campaign have little appeal to Republican households. Finding a Republican who switched parties doesn’t add anything to that appeal," he said.

Tipper’s Chipper About a Repeat Run: As the housekeeping staff at The Peabody Hotel prepares fresh linens for Al Gore’s weekend guests at his "Memphis Retreat," Tipper Gore is reportedly prepping to tell the Democratic power brokers that she'd "love to see my husband run again" for president.

There has been some speculation in Washington about Mrs. Gore's enthusiasm for a third White House bid by her husband, but in an interview with the Memphis Commercial Appeal, she said the Bush administration's policies have convinced her that Al Gore would make a better president than the man who beat him in 2000.

"I know it's a huge undertaking, but I think it could be very exciting," Mrs. Gore said. She plans to tell the Memphis gathering of policy wonks, major donors and politicos her feelings this weekend.

In the interview, Gore also revealed that she'd consulted with her psychiatrist about a possible re-emergence of the depression she struggled with following the 1989 car accident that nearly killed the couple’s son, Albert III. Between the stress of losing the 2000 race and the death of her mother in October, Mrs. Gore was concerned about her mindset.

"I asked, 'Am I clinically depressed' and she said 'No, this is a normal response to what happens in tough times," Gore said.

The Gores also closed on a $2.3 million house in Nashville this week. The columned, white clapboard house sits on more than two acres in the posh Belle Meade neighborhood.

Political Week Ahead: Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., is also wooing donors and politicos this weekend at a retreat in St. Simon's Island, Ga. Another Democratic 2004 hopeful, Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts, hits the trail in Iowa at the Truman Day dinner in Cedar Rapids.

Fri 6/28-6/30 – Al Gore holds his “Memphis Retreat” for donors and supporters at The Peabody Hotel.

Fri 6/28-6/30 – Sen. John Edwards holds retreat for donors and supporters in St. Simon’s Island, GA.

Fri 6/28 – President Bush campaigns in Maryland for Rep. Connie Morella, R-Md., in the Washington suburbs.

Fri 6/28 – Vice President Dick Cheney campaigns in North Carolina for U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth Dole.

Sat 6/29 – Former Vice President Al Gore headlines “Kennedy Day” dinner for the Shelby County, Tenn. Democratic Party.

Sat 6/29 – Gov. Howard Dean, D-Vt., in Seattle for meeting with King County Democratic Central Committee.

Mon 7/1 – Vice President Dick Cheney campaigns in Texas for Rep. Henry Bonilla, R-Texas.

Thu 7/4 – Sen. John Edwards, D-N.C., holds his annual “beach walk” in Wrightsville Beach, N.C.

Fri 7/5 – President Bush travels to Walker’s Point, the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine through Mon 7/8.

Sun 7/6 – Kickoff of NAACP Annual Convention in Houston. Convention to last through 7/11.

Quote of the Day: "They're college students on summer break. It's hot outside. Duh!" – A source sympathetic to the Bush twins, who were spotted drinking Budweisers this at DC’s Texas-themed saloon, Stetson’s.

Democratic National Committee email...

Republican Fundraising to Reach Over $100 Million by End of June! As the economy continues to sink and your Social Security and Medicare trust funds are being raided, President Bush and Vice President Cheney have raised a staggering $100 million from the corporate special interests just in the past six months alone.

Democrats will never match the Republicans dollar-for-dollar when it comes to fundraising, but to ensure victory in the 2002 elections we must do everything we can to compete -- that's why we are asking for your direct immediate help today.

In just a few short days, the fundraising quarter ends and our finances will be released by the press and scoured over by our opponents. We must have an influx of money today -- by the end of June -- to show our strength and prove that we are competitive in races throughout the country.

This show of strength not only gives our candidates the resources they need to win, but also gives them the momentum to carry their message of fighting to protect America's working families.

Please make as generous a contribution as you can afford right now online and help the Democratic Party reach our June 30th fund-raising goals. Do your part to elect Democrats in 2002 by contributing to the Party today!

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee

ROFLOL!!! In other words...PLEASE!!! Give us some money so we can waste it on stupid ads and lies.

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