Kentucky

Hollywood stars help Clooney dad in race

Some of Hollywood’s top draws, including Oscar winners Michael Douglas and Renee Zellweger are playing supporting roles in the candidacy of a Kentucky Democrat.

Their choice: Democrat Nick Clooney, father of actor George and brother of the late actress/singer Rosemary.

The 70-year-old Nick Clooney, a former TV anchor and newspaper columnist, raised nearly $500,000 in the first three months of this year, according to reports filed with the Federal Election Commission — more than the three Republican candidates combined. A good chunk of the cash came from Hollywood’s “A” list.

Washington

Book accuses Bush of “using” women

President Bush’s trusted adviser Karen Hughes is considered an asset to a White House that is, at the moment, flaunting its feminine side, touting its appointments of women to powerful positions and encouraging first lady Laura Bush to speak on such things as the plight of Afghan women.

Laura Flanders, the author of a new book highly critical of the White House, “Bushwomen,” contends that the Bush is using Hughes and other female appointees to create “a family-friendly facade on an extremist administration” that is seeking to roll back women’s rights.

White House senior adviser Karl Rove rejects such characterizations.

WASHINGTON

Ad mocks Bush press conference

The Democratic National Committee is trying to hang President Bush with his own words — and pauses.

A mocking ad posted on the party’s Web site Friday uses footage of Bush struggling at Tuesday’s news conference to answer a question from Time magazine’s John Dickerson on what has been his biggest mistake in office.

Internet ads, which cost little to produce, have become a way for both sides to draw free media coverage. The Republican National Committee have done an Austin Powers-style spoof of Kerry as an “International Man of Mystery.”