A Labor Day thank you. To all those union members whose long-ago battles paved the way for the rest of us to take paid vacation, sick leave and a host of other workplace benefits for granted, we owe you.

This day belongs to America’s workers, but it’s also become a traditional marker in political campaigns.

Now begins the final push to the Nov. 7 election. Sixty-four days to go.

Here’s a passing glance at the landscape:

With Ben Nelson and Dave Heineman far ahead in the polls, some attention is straying from the big Senate and gubernatorial races to House battles.

Both the 1st and 3rd districts appear to be in play. 

In Omaha’s 2nd District, Democratic challenger Jim Esch seems to have settled on Iraq as a central issue in his contest with Rep. Lee Terry.  That’s a wild card with potential to bump the underfunded Esch into contention if growing concerns about the war suddenly catch fire.

Maxine Moul is viewed as  an exceptionally strong Democratic contender in her 1st District contest with freshman Rep. Jeff Fortenberry. Even though the odds must favor Fortenberry, both parties regard that as a highly competitive race.

Some Republican leaders will tell you they’re most concerned about the 3rd District contest between Adrian Smith and Scott Kleeb, the Democratic nominee.

Imagine that. The heavily Republican congressional district in western and central Nebraska.

But, lest we forget, Democrats almost won the seat two of the last three times it was vacant.  

The GOP has scouted Kleeb and considers him a legitimate threat.

While attention is straying to the House races, that’s not to suggest the focus won’t remain on the political prizes represented by the governorship and a U.S. Senate seat.

Those races are uphill for David Hahn and Pete Ricketts, but they’re a long way from over.

Just think what can happen in the next 64 days.

Don’t know?

Right.

Bang the drum loudly

Do you hear drums?

President Bush, speaking to the American Legion national convention in Salt Lake City last week:

“It is time for Iran to make a choice.  We’ve made our choice: We will continue to work closely with our allies to find a diplomatic solution — but there must be consequences for Iran’s defiance, and we must not allow Iran to develop a nuclear weapon.”

Vice President Cheney, speaking to the VFW convention in Nashville in 2002 and warning that Iraq soon would have nuclear weapons:

“We will not simply look away, hope for the best and leave the matter for some future administration to resolve.”

Here’s what Cheney said would be accomplished by a U.S. attack forcing Saddam Hussein from power, according to the AP story published on Aug. 27, 2002: “Bring freedom to Iraq, peace to the region, boost Arab moderates, cause extremists to rethink violence and help the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.”

Don’t blame me

Hey, I didn’t do it.

I didn’t write Strategic “Air” Command.

I didn’t write “if” the Omaha schools legislation is challenged in court.

Stories pass through several hands before they get into print.

And I know no other way than this to respond to anonymous phone mail critics who say I don’t know what I’m doing.

They may be right, but not in those instances. 

Finishing up

* White House political guru Karl Rove will be in Omaha on Sept. 22 for a fund-raising dinner for Pete Ricketts and in Lincoln the next day for a GOP event and a peek at the Huskers. 

* Jim Esch ain’t mincing words. Here’s what he said about Donald Rumsfeld: “It is time to abandon this failed policy in Iraq. I will not stand by and watch another U.S. soldier die so idiots like Don Rumsfeld can rewrite history.  The real war on terror is not in Iraq and the sooner we realize this, the better off we will all be.” In a later posting on his campaign blog, Esch said maybe “incompetent” would have been a better word.

* A voter survey being conducted by the Ricketts campaign asks respondents whether they consider taxes, the economy, jobs, health care or immigration to be the more important issue.  The survey also asks whether participants would give a favorable or unfavorable rating to Chuck Hagel.

* Senate debate in Omaha on Sunday.  Live on KETV at 6 p.m.

* Subway Series?

Reach Don Walton at 473-7248 or at dwalton@journalstar.com.