A Big-Name GOP Crossover for Kerry

Sen. John F. Kerry can add an unlikely name to his roster of supporters: Eisenhower.

John Eisenhower, son of the Republican president and World War II commander, is bucking genetics to vote for the Democratic candidate in November.

Eisenhower revealed his disappointment with the Bush administration in a recent column in the Union Leader newspaper of Manchester, N.H.

“There are times when we must break with the past, and I believe this is one of them,” wrote Eisenhower, 82, a former White House staffer, ambassador and author.

He criticized the federal budget deficit and the “administration’s decision to invade Iraq unilaterally.”

“Recent developments indicate that the current Republican Party leadership has confused confident leadership with hubris and arrogance,” Eisenhower wrote.

The Bush campaign declined to comment.

Slacker Outreach

Michael Moore is at it again.

The controversial documentary filmmaker raised the hackles of Michigan Republicans this week when he offered local college students ramen noodles and clean underwear in exchange for a pledge to vote.

The state’s Republican Party asked Wayne County prosecutors to file charges against Moore, calling the offer bribery.

“We want everyone to participate in this year’s election, but not because they were bribed or coerced by the likes of Michael Moore,” Greg McNeilly, executive director of the state GOP, told Associated Press. Michigan election law prohibits an individual trading something of value for an agreement to vote.

“It’s ironic that Republicans have no problem with allowing assault weapons out on our streets, yet they don’t want to put clean underwear in the hands of our slacker youth,” Moore said.

The offer was part of Moore’s Slacker Uprising Tour targeting nonvoters in swing states.

Cheeseheads for Bush

After a campaign stop this week in Wausau, Wis., some of President Bush’s top strategists, including advisor Karl Rove and Chief of Staff Andrew H. Card Jr., donned foam cheesehead hats in honor of the dairy state.

They boarded Air Force One wearing the cheeseheads plastered with “Wisconsin Is Bush Country” bumper stickers, according to a White House pool report.

The yellow headwear wasn’t for everyone, though: National security advisor Condoleezza Rice and senior advisor Karen Hughes carried theirs.

Who’s Counting?

28: Years it has been since a presidential debate occurred on a Friday. The last Friday night matchup was in 1976 between Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.

$7,500: Total amount five donors to the anti-Kerry group Swift Vets and POWs for Truth have given to Ralph Nader.

354: Number of children’s authors and illustrators who have organized to buy print advertisements in support of Sen. John F. Kerry.

Duly Quoted

“Come on, you know I was stoned when I said that.” -- Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly on Comedy Central’s “Daily Show,” referring to his previous comment that the show’s viewers smoked marijuana.

“When they make campaign stops ... boys will have their Bush-Cheney sign held up with their own phone number written at the bottom.” -- Laura Bush, speaking about twin daughters Jenna and Barbara, on NBC’s “Tonight Show” Wednesday.

Compiled from staff, Web and wire reports by Times staff researcher Susannah Rosenblatt.