A group of political correspondents said the 2004 presidential election would be one of the closest in history at a panel discussion at the National Press Club Monday night.
The pundits spoke to a crowd of about 200 at an installment of the GW-sponsored Kalb Report, which is named after its moderator, renowned journalist Marvin Kalb.
"It's going to be a one- or two-point election," said Susan Page, Washington bureau chief for USA Today. "Wouldn't you be surprised if someone won with 55 percent of the vote?"
Panelists said they based their predictions by visiting swing states and talking to residents. Peter Maer, a CBS News White House corespondent, said he expects some Republicans to vote for Sen. John Kerry, the probable Democratic nominee, this November.
"One man told me, 'I've always voted Republican, but this time I'm not. I don't like being conned, and I've been conned about weapons of mass destruction,'" said Maer, referring to the failure to find biological and chemical weapons in Iraq.
Ron Fournier, head White House correspondent for the Associated Press, said voters would focus on the quality of Iraqi war intelligence and an economy that isn't as strong as it was during President Clinton's tenure.
He also said voters will be particularly interested in the findings of the September 11 commission and allegations by Richard Clarke, a former White House aide, who said President Bush ignored warnings about the terrorist attacks.
"These allegations cut at the heart of President Bush's strong suit: the war on terrorism," he said in an interview after the event. "Anything that undermines that is pretty dangerous."
The panelists also commented on the Bush administration's campaign to discredit Clarke's allegations. In recent weeks, administration officials have appeared in a variety of television interviews to refute Clarke's claims.
"The amount of time that top presidential aides have spent on this issue ... is suggesting they are scared," Maer said.
The pundits spoke to a crowd of about 200 at an installment of the GW-sponsored Kalb Report, which is named after its moderator, renowned journalist Marvin Kalb.
"It's going to be a one- or two-point election," said Susan Page, Washington bureau chief for USA Today. "Wouldn't you be surprised if someone won with 55 percent of the vote?"
Panelists said they based their predictions by visiting swing states and talking to residents. Peter Maer, a CBS News White House corespondent, said he expects some Republicans to vote for Sen. John Kerry, the probable Democratic nominee, this November.
"One man told me, 'I've always voted Republican, but this time I'm not. I don't like being conned, and I've been conned about weapons of mass destruction,'" said Maer, referring to the failure to find biological and chemical weapons in Iraq.
Ron Fournier, head White House correspondent for the Associated Press, said voters would focus on the quality of Iraqi war intelligence and an economy that isn't as strong as it was during President Clinton's tenure.
He also said voters will be particularly interested in the findings of the September 11 commission and allegations by Richard Clarke, a former White House aide, who said President Bush ignored warnings about the terrorist attacks.
"These allegations cut at the heart of President Bush's strong suit: the war on terrorism," he said in an interview after the event. "Anything that undermines that is pretty dangerous."
The panelists also commented on the Bush administration's campaign to discredit Clarke's allegations. In recent weeks, administration officials have appeared in a variety of television interviews to refute Clarke's claims.
"The amount of time that top presidential aides have spent on this issue ... is suggesting they are scared," Maer said.
