If Kerry delays nomination GOP may seek equal time

[Spin Police]

[url[http://news.bostonherald.com/national/view.bg?articleid=29122[/url]

GOP: We’ll crash party: Repubs want equal time if Kerry snubs nomination
By Andrew Miga
Monday, May 24, 2004

WASHINGTON - President Bush's campaign yesterday threatened to hold four days of campaign rallies to yank the media spotlight from Boston's Democratic National Convention if Sen. John F. Kerry [related, bio] delays accepting his party's nomination.
 
     ``Certainly, we would give strong consideration that there be (Bush) rallies all four nights of their four-day political rally in Boston, should Kerry decide to delay his nomination,'' said Bush campaign spokesman Steve Schmidt.
 
     The Kerry camp, already catching flak from some party officials complaining the delay could render the Hub event irrelevant, brushed off the Bush threat.
 
     ``We would expect that the Bush campaign is going to try and run counter-activities during the convention,'' said Kerry campaign spokesman Michael Meehan.
 
     Republicans said if Kerry stalls on the nomination, the four-day Boston gathering should be considered a political rally, not a convention.
 
     If Kerry opts for delay, the Bush campaign would seek to blunt media coverage of the July 26-29 Boston convention by demanding TV networks abide by federal laws requiring equal time for both parties, a Republican source said.
 
     ``It would be our expectation that our rallies receive the same coverage as the Democratic convention,'' a GOP official said. ``What happens if Kerry has 15,000 people in Boston for a speech and we have a Bush rally in Minnesota with 25,000 people?''
 
     Kerry, who floated a trial balloon Friday about delaying the nomination to raise money for five more weeks to cut into Bush's fund-raising advantage, is expected to request an advisory opinion from the Federal Election Commission soon, a Kerry source said.
 
     ``It's a brilliant strategy,'' said U.S. Rep. Michael Capuano [related, bio] (D- Somerville). ``There's only one goal now: Beat George Bush, whatever it takes.''
 
     Bay State Gov. Mitt Romney [related, bio] declined to comment yesterday on Kerry.
 
     Capuano denied that Kerry's move would be a snub to Bostonians being asked to make huge sacrifices due to heavy security and commuting nightmares.
 
     ``Politics is a bloodless battle, it is not a genteel sport,'' Capuano said. ``Those who play by genteel rules, generally don't win. The average guy in the street could not care less what Kerry is doing . . . it will be a coronation without the crown going on his head.''
 
     If Kerry accepts the nomination July 29 in Boston, he will have to begin spending $75 million in public general election funding.
 
     The advantage would go to Bush, who would not have to begin doing so until five weeks later on Sept. 2.