A daily dose of online news from beyond the Beltway.

Seeking a solution to an increasingly front-loaded presidential primary process that this year yielded a party nominee before most states had a chance to vote, a Republican Party advisory committee issued a proposal this week that would dramatically overhaul the system. Under the "Delaware Plan," states would be divided into four voting blocs based on population, with the least-populous groups voting first. However, the plan, which must pass a rules committee before receiving consideration at the GOP national convention this summer, leaves in doubt a very traditional rite of presidential politics – the first-in-the-nation caucuses and primary in Iowa and New Hampshire, respectively.

"I think it undermined some of his credibility, particularly with Republicans and fiscal conservatives." Texas Gov. George W. Bush (R), in a "20/20" interview scheduled to air Friday, on his father's decision to endorse a tax increase and break his "no new taxes" pledge as president. (Houston Chronicle, May 5)

• GOP Primary Plan Puts Iowa Back in Pack
(The Des Moines Register, May 3)
• GOP Committee: Start Primaries With Smaller States
(San Jose Mercury News, May 4)
• GOP Primary Plan Favors Small States
(The Washington Post, May 4)

Meantime, a Democratic rules committee unanimously voted last weekend to endorse a report affirming the traditional lead-off roles of Iowa and New Hampshire and warned that any overhaul of the selection process would result in a worse system.
• Vote Affirms Iowa Caucuses
(The Des Moines Register, April 30)

Embattled Illinois Gov. Takes to the Road
With his popularity diminished in the wake of a high-profile bribery scandal, Gov. George Ryan (R-Ill.) hit the road this week, holding a series of public forums throughout the state to give residents a chance to "connect" with government.
• Gov. Ryan Gets Mixed Reviews
(Peoria Journal Star, May 4)
• Ryan Grilled on License Fees
(Chicago Sun-Times, May 4)

Court Ruling Upholds Legality of Mississippi State Flag
The Mississippi state Supreme Court ruled Thursday against an NAACP challenge to the constitutionality of the state flag, saying it is an issue that must be resolved by the executive and legislative branches of government. The flag has caused division in recent years because it features a small Confederate battle flag in one corner.
• Flag Rights Issue Rejected
(The Clarion-Ledger, Jackson, Miss., May 5)
• High Court Says State Flag Is OK
(The Sun Herald, Biloxi, Miss., May 5)

In South Carolina, where the symbol of the Confederate flag has turned into the state's most dominant issue, the House of Representatives plan to open debate Tuesday on a Senate proposal that would move the flag from atop the state capital building to a nearby Confederate monument.
• House Is Set to Begin Debating Flag Tuesday
(The State, Columbia, S.C., May 4)

N.Y. Governor Rules Out Senate Run
As the U.S. Senate campaign of New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R) moves forward, Gov. George Pataki (R) said Thursday he would not step into the Senate race if Giuliani eventually ends his bid due to the demands of cancer treatment.
• Run for Senate? No Way Says Pataki
(New York Daily News, May 5)