Inside Politics

Kerry’s grades

It turns out President Bush, who jokes about being a “C student” in school, was not the worst student running for president last year.

Sen. John Kerry has finally authorized release of his military files, and the Boston Globe reported yesterday that the records include Mr. Kerry’s grades while an undergraduate at Yale University. According to the Globe, Mr. Kerry scored four D’s his freshman year, and averaged a 76 for his four years. Mr. Bush, meanwhile, averaged a 77 for his first three years, while his fourth year he was graded under a nonnumerical system.

Mr. Kerry apparently executed Standard Form 180, authorizing release of his records to the Globe. The paper reported that the other records released were essentially the same as Mr. Kerry himself provided during last year’s presidential campaign.

David Wade, Mr. Kerry’s Senate office spokesman and former campaign spokesman, said the release of the records put the issue of his war record to rest.

“This issue is over, and what’s clear for the 300th time is that the partisan smear artists who made the 180 the holy grail of attack politics are still liars,” Mr. Wade said. “John Kerry has given unprecedented access to his military and medical records. In fact he has given more access than any candidate in modern history. End of story.”

He said the campaign refused to sign the form last year because it didn’t want to give in to calls from “the same partisan operatives who were lying about his record on a daily basis on the Web and in the right-wing media.”

Mr. Wade did not say whether Mr. Kerry would authorize similar access for The Washington Times or other press outlets.

Harris for Senate

Republican Rep. Katherine Harris, who as Florida’s secretary of state was both praised and vilified for her part in the 2000 presidential recount, said yesterday she will run for the Senate next year against Democratic incumbent Sen. Bill Nelson.

Her announcement brings a major name to the race, along with the potential to raise a lot of money.

“The time has come to launch a campaign for the U.S. Senate,” Mrs. Harris told the Associated Press.

Mrs. Harris, who is serving her second term in Congress, is a top fundraiser and a popular figure among Republicans. But she is also despised by Democrats for her role in overseeing the recount that ultimately gave Florida and the White House to George W. Bush over Al Gore.

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