Occasional morsels from Campaign 2000

Caught in the Web

Texas Gov. George W. Bush gleefully unveiled his new Web site last week, showing off its hipper design and its personalized features.

But at least one unflattering feature of the old site made it to the new one. In an archive of news releases, Bush boasts of having the support of disgraced California Insurance Commissioner Chuck Quackenbush, who resigned during an investigation into how his department handled settlement money for earthquake victims.

On Bush’s old Web site, his campaign had been quick to remove Quackenbush’s name from lists of supporters, but the former commissioner somehow sneaked back into version 2.0.

Quackenbush was among just two high-ranking California Republicans in a state run almost entirely by Democrats. Secretary of State Bill Jones, who is now the only Republican in a top elected office, also endorsed Bush in a June 30 news release.

During the primary campaign, Jones surprised Republican leaders by backing Bush’s rival, Sen. John McCain of Arizona.

Strip search

Wanting to make their delegates feel welcome in Philadelphia, planners of the Republican National Convention recently mailed out a guide of the historic city’s attractions.

There are listings for steakhouses, the ballet, a cigar bar and Club Risque, “Philadelphia’s newest and most exciting gentleman’s club.” Happy hour there, according to the guide, “is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.”

That’s good, because faces at the party of family values turned a little red when they were alerted to the ad.

A spokesman for the convention said the guide was produced by Philadelphia’s tourism bureau and was not “official.” (The convention committee did, however, mail the guide out.)

He also pointed out that an online ad for a Los Angeles strip club is just a few links away from the site promoting the city as host of the Democratic National Convention.

Ben Austin, spokesman for the L.A. convention’s hosts, said their official guide lists no strip clubs. “I’m sure delegates will find those places on their own. They won’t be aided by us.”

By the numbers

64--Percentage of Protestant pastors who plan to vote for George W. Bush in November, according to a poll by Ellison Research.

15--Percentage who expect to vote for Al Gore.

Quote file

“If you liked the video from Tennessee, you are going to love the movie from Long Beach.”

--Russ Verney, advisor to Ross Perot, promising that the fractious Reform Party’s Aug. 10-13 convention will be even wilder than a Nashville meeting at which fighting broke out.

Compiled by Massie Ritsch from Times staff and wire reports