A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.
__ Endorsement Watch __ Through Election Day, Early Returns will collect and excerpt newspaper editorials that back candidates in some of this year's top political races. Other endorsements for: • Vice President Gore • George W. Bush • House, Senate, Governor
__ More Campaign Coverage __ • Howard Kurtz's Media Notes • CQ Races to Watch

New York's high-profile Senate candidates are hitting the airwaves as well as the road in the final days of the country's most-watched congressional contest.

First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and Republican Rep. Rick Lazio are focused intently on New York's upstate region, where voters traditionally lean toward the GOP but where Clinton is putting up a strong fight. In addition to old-fashioned stumping in the area, both candidates released a new round of television ads Monday aimed directly at the voters who will likely decide this election.
• Clinton, Lazio Embark Upstate for a Final Dash (Albany Times Union, 10/29/00)
• Flurry of Ads and Speeches in Last Week of Race (The New York Times, 10/31/00)
• Lazio, Clinton Fight for Swing Voters (Newsday, 10/31/00)
• Moynihan Shows Support for Hillary (Newsday, 10/31/00)

On the heels of being criticized for a round weekend phone calls to New York voters that suggested the first lady "supported terrorism," New York's Republican Party is considering more anti-Clinton calls – this time focusing on health care and taxes.
• GOP to Renew Anti-Clinton Calls (Albany Times Union, 10/31/00)
• GOP Ends Calls Linking Some Clinton Donors to Terrorism (The New York Times, 10/30/00)

Though a Zogby International tracking poll shows Lazio opening a small lead over Clinton, the first lady holds a large 49-41 point advantage in the latest New York Times/CBS News poll, a margin that has remained statistically unchanged since September.
• Poll Finds Little Voter Movement in Race (The New York Times, 10/30/00)
• Lazio Is Pulling Ahead (New York Post, 10/31/00)
• More Coverage: N.Y. Senate Race

In the endorsement watch, New York's major newspapers have split on whether Clinton or Lazio should be elected. The New York Times endorsed Clinton more than a week ago, praising her for a grasp of issues and saying she is "capable of growing beyond the ethical legacies of her Arkansas and White House years." Over the last few days, Clinton has also received backing from The Buffalo News and the Albany Times Union.

Excerpts from those endorsements, with links to the full editorial text:
• The New York Times: "Contemplating Mrs. Clinton's campaign convinces us that she fits into two important New York traditions. Like Robert F. Kennedy, she taps into the state's ability to embrace new residents and fresh ideas. She is also capable of following the pattern, established by the likes of Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Moynihan and Jacob Javits, that finds New York senators playing a role on the national and world stages even as they defend local interests. ...We are placing our bet on her to rise above the mistakes and difficulties of her first eight years in Washington and to establish herself on Capitol Hill as a major voice for enlightened social policy and vibrant internationalism." (10/22/00)
• The Buffalo News: "The decisive factor for Western New Yorkers in this tightly contested and closely watched race should be Clinton's early and strong grasp of the economic challenges faced by this region. ...Clinton ... would bring national stature and impressive intellectual depth to the state's Senate delegation. She would be far more effective than the average first-term senator in promoting this state's interests on Capitol Hill. In addition, she and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) a proven friend to upstate New York, would make an undeniably powerful team." (10/30/00)
• Albany Times Union: "Mrs. Clinton has emerged as clearly the better of the candidates to replace (Sen. Daniel Patrick) Moynihan. Her knowledge of this large and extremely diverse state and her advocacy for government policies on its behalf are most impressive. Both are the result of a tireless campaign where the early blunders have given way to a formidable savvy as a politician in her own right, not just in her husband's inner circle." (10/29/00)

Lazio, meanwhile, received a Sunday endorsement from the New York Post, which accused the first lady of being "openly disrespectful – indeed, contemptuous – of Congress for years," and today won backing from Newsday, which praised Lazio as being the candidate with "the best record, the best potential."

Excerpts from those endorsements, with links to the full editorial text:
• New York Post: "Congress has been eating the Empire State's lunch for years. Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan, the man Hillary presumes to succeed, calculates that New York now sends $15 billion more to Washington than it gets back every year. ...And it's going to get worse. Sometime next year, the results of the 2000 census will be announced – and New York may lose up to three congressional seats to the South and West. Given this, who's the best choice for the Senate? We believe it is Rick Lazio, a proven lawmaker who has demonstrated a talent for building bridges – and for working well even with those with whom he disagrees." (10/29/00)
• Newsday: "Lazio has unfortunately campaigned as though not being Hillary would be enough. But campaigning is not governing. When it comes to the actual work of Congress Lazio has excelled, racking up a record rich in accomplishments. ...Lazio is a decent man untouched by scandal; a skilled, tested legislative technician and a native son who can bring to the Senate a gut feel for New York that his opponent, by accident of birth, simply cannot match." (10/31/00)