President Bush will return in June to Cincinnati for a fund-raiser at a private house, according to Bush's chief fund-raiser, Mercer Reynolds of Indian Hill. Details to come. Bush last landed in Cincinnati on May 4 to wind up his "Yes, America Can" bus tour.

Surrogate city

The Bush campaign often uses Rep. Rob Portman as its spokesman on Ohio matters, siccing him on reporters via conference calls. Meanwhile, the John Kerry campaign is relying increasingly on Stephanie Tubbs-Jones of Cleveland, a former prosecutor and judge. She was tapped for a call this week on Bush's plan to form a task force on cleaning up the Great Lakes. (Less study, more action, she said.)

Pulling ranks

The Bush campaign ranks its volunteers on how well they're completing five tasks: recruiting volunteers, signing up friends for Bush e-mails, registering voters, calling talk shows and writing letters to the editor. Some Ohioans are among those excelling, according to the Bush campaign. One Columbus man has recruited 63 volunteers, a Lucasville man has written 148 letters to papers, and an Apple Creek man claims to have called talk radio shows 144 times.

News conference, no news

Rep. Mike Turner, who represents northern Warren County, got House Speaker Dennis Hastert to join him and others for a 45-minute press conference Wednesday to tout the "Saving America's Cities" working group, which Turner chairs.

But the working group's only news was coming up with five goals for the group. It included such controversial goals as "ensuring cities are clean, attractive, and safe."

Springer back in news

Snippets from CNN last week about former Cincinnati Mayor Jerry Springer being named an Ohio delegate to the Democratic National Convention:

Conservative Robert Novak, on CNN's Crossfire: "No wonder the Democrats haven't won a major election in Ohio in ages."

Democrat Paul Begala, responding to Novak: "Did he run Halliburton or trade with Iraq and Iran and Syria, the way Dick Cheney did? Did he lie to the American people about a war, the way President Bush did? Did he say there was weapons of mass destruction? I'll take Jerry Springer over this crowd that's running the White House any day of the week, Bob."

CNN's Anderson Cooper: "To get Springer's vote, the presidential candidate will have to not only show great leadership skills but also look good in drag."

They said it

"The future of our civilization may very well rest on the outcome of this debate."

Sen. Jim Bunning on Massachusetts granting marriage licenses to gay couples.

They said it II

"You know, people ask me: What's going to happen, you know, come July 1? And I just tell them that it's going to be jump ball."

Sen. George Voinovich on what happens after the June 30 handover of sovereignty in Iraq.

E-mail cweiser@gannett.com or call 202-906-8134.