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The Morning Grind / DayAhead |
Nader's running mate?
By John Mercurio
CNN Political Unit
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|  VIDEO |
 CNN's Kelly Wallace on Bill Clinton and his book.
 CNN's Elaine Quijano on Dick Cheney and the 9/11 panel.
 CNN's Ed Henry on the buzz on Capitol Hill.
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Finally, the day we've all been waiting for. At 1 p.m. ET Monday, we'll learn his choice for vice president.
Ralph Nader's choice, that is. Who, we assume, won't be John McCain.
Nader unveils his running mate at the National Press Club after an 11:45 a.m. ET meeting, notably perhaps, with the Congressional Black Caucus.
Meanwhile, John Kerry's VP deliberations will continue, sources say, for at least another two weeks, which should allow just enough time for the Nader buzz to die down. (Quick: Who was Nader's VP pick in 2000?.)
Other buzz-worthy events going down this week:
The Associated Press reports that Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland will announce his resignation Monday night, amid a federal corruption investigation and a growing move to impeach him. The AP, quoting an administration source, says the governor is planning to announce his resignation on a live television address to the state at 6 p.m. Bill Clinton's book tour. Mayhem officially begins Tuesday at 12:01 a.m. ET at bookstores in Harlem and midtown Manhattan. There's a book party tonight in The City for Clinton's closest 1,000 friends, which presumably won't include Michiko Kakutani, the New York Times critic who called his 950-page tome "sloppy, self-indulgent and often eye-crossingly dull." The wide release of Michael Moore's "Fahrenheit 9/11," scheduled for Friday.The GOP Senate runoff in South Carolina tomorrow -- a classic brawl between establishment candidate David Beasley, a former governor who led the primary vote, and conservative upstart Jim DeMint, an upstate congressman who has led the buzz since then.Kerry's fund-raiser/gala Thursday featuring Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Willie Nelson and Billy Crystal at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. When he's not interviewing potential running mates or schmoozing with Barbra and Billy, Kerry will be focusing on science and technology.Today, Kerry travels to Colorado, where he attends a 1:30 p.m. ET fund-raiser in Aspen and delivers a 5 p.m. ET speech at the Greek Theater at Civic Center Park in Denver.
Camp Kerry says he'll present a plan in the Aspen speech to invest in science to cure diseases, lower health care costs and invest in new research and technologies that will create good paying jobs. He'll also receive the endorsement of 48 Nobel Laureate scientists, including three who'll participate in a 1:30 p.m. conference call.
President Bush will return to Cincinnati to wade into the sticky battle over gay marriage, specifically talking about "strengthening American families" by promoting "traditional marriage." Later, he'll headline a $25,000-a-couple fund-raising dinner at the home of investor Bill DeWitt.
Also today, Sen. Pat Leahy will hold an 11:15 a.m. ET conference call with reporters to discuss Dick Cheney and his ties to Halliburton. This call will kick off the Democratic National Committee's week-long focus on Cheney and Halliburton.
We're also monitoring with interest the AP report that Kerry's campaign collected a $2,000 check from the recently arrested son of South Korea's disgraced former president, and some of its fund-raisers met several times with a South Korean government official who was trying to organize a Korean-American political group.
Kerry senior adviser Michael Meehan told CNN's Sasha Johnson that the check was returned last week. Meehan said the campaign received the check in August 2003, before Chun Jae-yong was arrested earlier this year. He said it's impossible for the campaign to vet every single check, although it does fall on the fund-raising team to make sure all checks were in order. The campaign does, however, have a formal vetting process for hosts and vice/co-chairs of money events.
For those of you still reading, we have an added reward this morning: Nader's 2000 running mate was Winona LaDuke.
Potential VP sightings
In the past several months, Kerry has appeared publicly with Democrats who may or may not be on his VP short list. CNN's Steve Brusk has compiled a list of the key events, for your VP tea-leaf-reading enjoyment.
Edwards
April 20: He flew with Kerry on a campaign swing to Florida. (Graham and Nelson were on the plane, too). He got off the plane with Kerry in Miami and appeared on stage with John and Teresa Kerry in Bel Harbor.March 25: He appeared on stage with Kerry, Bill Clinton, Al Gore, other former rivals at the DNC unity event in Washington.Gephardt
April 30: He introduced Kerry at a fundraiser in St. Louis.March 25: On stage with Kerry, et al at the DNC unity event in Washington.February 6: He endorsed Kerry in Detroit.Vilsack
April 25: He appeared with Kerry at a rally in Des Moines.Clark
May 12 and 13: He appeared with Kerry at Little Rock airport rally and a health care event. At both events, someone in crowd asked about Clark as a VP contender. Kerry reacted both times, and joked with Clark about it on stage.March 25 On stage with Kerry, others at DNC unity eventWarner
May 31: He attended a Memorial Day Parade in Chesapeake, Virginia, with Kerry.February 8: He attended church with Kerry in Richmond, and later held news conference with him outside the Governor's Mansion, where he endorsed Kerry.Graham
April 20: On a plane with Kerry, Edwards and Bill Nelson to Miami.March 3: He campaigned with Kerry and Nelson in Orlando.Nelson
April 20: With Kerry, Edwards and Graham deplaning in Miami at fund-raiser in Bel HarborMarch 8: At Kerry rally in West Palm.March 3: With Kerry and Graham in Orlando.Biden
January 30: Introduced Kerry at rally at New Castle, Delaware. During his remarks at the event, Kerry makes references on stage to "Biden Country."Bayh
May 7: At a DLC event where Kerry spoke in Phoenix.Breaux
May 19: He met with Kerry, Robert Byrd and Jay Rockefeller on Capitol Hill.March 5: He attended a Kerry rally in New Orleans 
