By Juliet Eilperin

Wednesday, August 20, 2003; Page A06

Ohio Republicans may take a cue from state legislators in Texas and Colorado and tinker with the lines that shape their congressional districts.

Ohio Democrats emerged unscathed from redistricting after the 2000 census when district lines were redrawn to reflect changes in population -- even though the GOP controlled the entire process. The reason? Republicans did not want to anger Rep. Sherrod Brown (D), who threatened to run against Gov. Bob Taft if his district was changed.

Now some Republicans are looking at carving up northeast Ohio, which would reshape the seats of Brown, Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich (D), and possibly other House members. "I've seen some plans floating around to do some line adjustments," state GOP Chairman Bob Bennett said.

Brown said the new effort is a White House ploy to expand the GOP's majority in the House. "The question is: How partisan do they want to look in one of the key states in a presidential election?" he said. "There will be a political price to pay for them. That's not a threat; it's an observation."

Bennett said the idea of redrawing the state's congressional lines was sparked by local Republicans who feel marginalized, not by Bush administration officials, though he added that he "might have said something to Karl Rove" about the plan.

The man who led Centcom's communications during the Iraq war will be directing the Republican Party's communications at next year's convention. James R. Wilkinson, the director of the U.S. Central Command's strategic communications office, was named communications director for the 2004 Republican National Convention. Wilkinson, a Navy reservist, was a deputy communications director in the White House until he joined Gen. Tommy R. Franks's staff in Tampa before the war in Iraq.

Does this prove the inverse of Carl von Clausewitz's theory that war is the continuation of politics by other means? The loquacious Wilkinson had no comment

That wacky John Kerry. The Massachusetts senator and Democratic presidential candidate is not known as a wild man or party animal. So it came as some surprise that an e-mail from his campaign yesterday to supporters was titled, "John Kerry says, 'Get crazy!' " The e-mail was about such items as a "Win a Day on the Campaign Trail with John Kerry." Lucky winners get transportation, accommodations and food for a day campaigning with Kerry in Iowa and New Hampshire. If they are crazy enough.

Staff writer Dana Milbank contributed to this report.