On The Trail: Whose Tax Cut Is Bigger?

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, campaigning in Delaware on Friday, accused Gov. George W. Bush of distorting the Democrats’ tax cut proposal, saying it was time for “an honest debate” on the subject.

Making his first solo campaign foray as Al Gore’s running mate, Lieberman sought to take advantage of the trouble Bush has had in selling his tax cut plan, a central plank in his platform. He has proposed an across-the-board tax cut totaling about $1.3 trillion over the next decade, while the vice president has called for a targeted $500 billion tax cut package.

Bush said this week that he had done a poor job of explaining his plan. To that end, he appeared Thursday in New Orleans with the Bechac family, an in-the-flesh example who he said would save money under his plan, but not under Gore’s.

But in fact, the couple could potentially save more money under Gore’s plan, but only if they took advantage of college and retirement savings programs Gore has proposed. Appearing before 300 cheering supporters at a community center here, Lieberman cited an article in Friday’s Wall Street Journal that contradicted Bush’s claims.

Anti-Semitic grafitti

Someone scrawled an anti-Semitic message in the local Gore-Lieberman campaign headquarters in Chico, Calif., a Democratic Party activist says.

Bob Ray, president of the Democratic Action Club, said he arrived at the office Thursday and found “No Jew in the White House” had been written in ink in large letters across two large erasable boards and a planning calendar.

Police Lt. Mike Simpson said investigators were told a campaign worker left the office unlocked Wednesday night, and there were no suspects.

Cheney has meter running

Journalists who want to tag along on campaign swings with Republican vice presidential nominee Dick Cheney must pay more than double what they would pay to cover Gov. Bush.

A three-day, five-city trip with Cheney next week will set back news organizations $12,110 per person. Or they can opt for the $5,550 package with Bush.

“You would think that with a $20 million golden parachute, it would cost a little less to cover Dick Cheney,” said Gore spokesman Jano Cabrera, referring to Cheney’s severance package from Halliburton Co. “Unless of course, they don’t want the American people to focus on his poor record on working families.”

The Bush-Cheney campaign denies trying to deter coverage by national news organizations. If more wanted to travel with Cheney, the cost per person would drop. The campaign expects that to happen in a week or two, once the governor takes delivery of a 757 jet and passes his smaller 727 to Cheney.

“Secretary Cheney looks forward to many long conversations with reporters in the back of a plane,” said spokeswoman Juleanna Glover Weiss. But in response to a request for an interview, a press aide said such meetings are limited to three minutes.