Howard Kurtz of WaPo gives a selective detailed history of Kerry’s career.

The chairman of the Tennessee Democratic Party, Randall A. Button, gives his thoughts on the two southern candidates.

And the latest from AP following the candidates.

Kurtz

“Between 1985 and 1990, Kerry’s first five years in the Senate from Massachusetts, he pocketed annual amounts slightly under the limits for speaking fees set by Congress. Unlike many colleagues, he donated a speaking fee to charity only once, according to annual financial disclosure reports reviewed by The Associated Press.

“One of the companies to pay Kerry $1,000 for a speech in 1987, Miami-based Metalbanc, was later indicted, along with two executives, on charges it helped the Cali drug cartel in Colombia launder money in the United States. The charges eventually were dropped because the firm was defunct.

“At the time of the 1987 speech to Metalbanc, Kerry was chairman of the Senate subcommittee that investigated drug trafficking and money laundering.

“Kerry, now the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination, said he didn’t learn about the drug connection to the company or its executives, who also gave him political donations, until The Boston Globe informed him of it in 1996. He donated several thousand dollars to charities to make amends.”

Button

“They are both Southerners that have a message that resonates with Southerners,” Mr. Button said. If they lose, he said, “it’s gotten down to this: Let’s move ahead to our objective, and our objective is unseating George W. Bush.”

AP

In a fresh sign of growing strength, the Massachusetts senator also gained an endorsement from Sen. Herb Kohl of Wisconsin, one week ahead of that state’s primary.

Clark made the rounds in Nashville, delivering doughnuts to volunteers at polling places around the city. “I’m helping the people who are helping me change the country,” he said. “We can do it.”

Edwards paid a visit to a morning polling place in northern Virginia and made plans to fly to Wisconsin later in the day in a show of determination to remain in the race. His campaign manager, Nick Baldick, told reporters the campaign has enough money to compete through the end of the month.

Howard Dean made little effort in the day’s primary states, focusing his efforts on Wisconsin.