NATION

Kerry responds to vets group: Sen. John Kerry released a television advertisement Sunday blaming President Bush for a campaign by Swift Boat Veterans for Truth that Kerry said had smeared his Vietnam record. President Bush's advisers called it a "false charge," saying Bush and his campaign had no connections with the veterans group.

More "Swift Boat" fallout: A top lawyer for President Bush's re-election campaign, Benjamin Ginsberg, resigned Wednesday after acknowledging that he had advised Swift Boat Veterans for Truth. A Navy report filed five days after a disputed incident in Vietnam supports John Kerry's version. The report, which surfaced Wednesday, contradicts critics who say the Democratic presidential nominee never came under enemy gunfire when he won two medals.

Cheney differs with Bush on gay marriage: Vice President Dick Cheney on Tuesday spelled out his differences with President Bush on the issue of gay marriage. Cheney said the question of same-sex marriage should be left to the states to decide. Bush has endorsed a constitutional amendment preventing states from recognizing such marriages.

MINNESOTA

Kerry hosts town hall meeting: Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry held a town hall-style meeting at the Anoka Technical College in Anoka on Thursday to outline his plans to improve the nation's health care system. Among his proposals: letting the government pick up 75 percent of catastrophic health care costs, which he says reduce Americans' premiums; and instituting employer tax credits to cover up to half their employees' insurance premiums. He proposed to pay for the plan by rolling back Bush's tax cuts for those earning more than $200,000 per year.

Kerry also defended his military and voting records, and challenged President Bush to a series of one-on-one debates. "Let's meet every week from now until the election and talk about the real issues facing Americans," Kerry said. The visit, his fifth to the state this year, also included an impromptu stop at the Minnesota State Fair.

Ventura opposes use of Guard troops in Iraq: Former Gov. Jesse Ventura on Tuesday said he disagrees with the current use of National Guard troops in Iraq. "They are designed to protect us here in the United States of America and in our homeland — not to be occupying nations halfway around the world," Ventura said. A former Navy SEAL, Ventura is serving as an advisory board member for a new group called Operation Truth, a nonprofit organization that wants to serve as an advocate for troops who serve in Iraq.

Schools report out: Almost a quarter of Minnesota's public schools failed state achievement goals set up under the federal No Child Left Behind law. The schools — 472 in all — generally did not make adequate yearly progress in testing results. For most of the schools it was their first violation, but a small handful of repeat offenders may be forced to revise curriculum or teaching methods.

WEB SITE OF THE WEEK

The American Political Science Association has pulled together an online guide for the 2004 elections. Click on www.politicalsciencenews.org for the latest research and issues briefings from political scientists. For example, see why two Princeton University political scientists argue that cancellation of the DARPA proposal to allow investors to bet on future political events in the Middle East — the infamous "market for terrorism futures" — occurred too quickly and without proper scholarly analysis.

POLL WATCH

For the first time this year in a Los Angeles Times Poll, President Bush led John Kerry in the presidential race, drawing 49 percent among registered voters, compared to 46 percent for Kerry. The Times' previous poll, just before last month's Democratic convention, had given Kerry the advantage by 2 percentage points.

COMING THIS WEEK IN POLITICS

The Republican National Convention in New York will dominate political news for the week. President Bush will accept his party's nomination Thursday night.

VERBATIM

"You'd be amazed at the number of people who want to introduce themselves to you in the men's room. … It's the most bizarre part of this entire thing."

— John Kerry offers a little-known aspect of running for president, during an interview on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show."

"This is not with an eye toward a Senate run. … I like going to Minnesota and to the State Fair."

— Comic and St. Louis Park native Al Franken dismisses speculation about his return to Minnesota this weekend.

This report, compiled by politics news assistant Michael Krieger, includes information from the Associated Press and the Knight Ridder Washington Bureau.