Kasich vs. The Party

Budget-slasher John Kasich is the latest Republican warrior to fall afoul of some party leaders determined to show a united front in the fall campaign. In an exclusive interview with TIME, Congressman John Kasich seemed strained in his defense of Dole's economic plan, which emphasizes tax-cutting over Kasich's deficit-cutting credo. "Dole has a good record of making sure that the numbers add up," says Kasich, who called himself a "supply-side deficit hawk." Kasich reiterated that the Republican agenda is about reducing the size and scope of government and that this Congress was able to cut more government spending in its last few months than any other Congress in American history. As for Dole's promised half-billion-dollar tax cut: "It's not just about cutting taxes," said Kasich. "It is also about cutting government." It's also about joining ranks, to hear the troops in San Diego tell it, and some of them think Kasich is out of step.

Remember The House

Former President Gerald Ford told a group of top contributors at the Balboa Park botanical gardens that Monday's convention opener "was the best opening night of a Republican convention ever. And though I hate to admit it, I have been attending since 1940." But Ford reminded Republicans that while winning the White House is critical, it's not the most important house on the line. According to Ford, maintaining control of the House of Representatives is absolutely imperative.

- Lamia Abu Haidar