December 2006 - Posts
First Read is taking a little holiday breather. Although we'll be posting here as political news warrants over the next week, we will be back in earnest with our daily morning missive and updates on January 2. We wish everyone happy and healthy holidays --
Huma, Mark and Elizabeth
From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
So for John Edwards the day has finally come to say he's in the race. Sure, all the signs have been there as he prepared to launch a new campaign, but one quirky clue goes back to March 2004.
I had been covering Edwards' campaign, tracking him on planes and buses from Iowa's surprise second-place finish through Super Tuesday, when his hope for the nomination fell apart. Those of us in his press corps headed for North Carolina, where Edwards dropped out and threw his support to John Kerry. His speech was in the gym of the high school his late son had attended. It was the end of the line for him and also for those of who wrote about his campaign.
Before heading our separate ways, a bunch of us planned one last dinner together at a Raleigh restaurant. We had a back room to ourselves making it easier to laugh and swap stories. Then came a surprise knock on the door of that back dining room. John and Elizabeth Edwards had the same idea. They had a booth in the restaurant, heard we were there and came by to send us off.
Both seemed upbeat considering very big aspirations had been dashed. They tried to show good humor as they noted how quickly they were back in civilian life. The Secret Service detail was already gone. After brief good wishes to everyone. Elizabeth Edwards turned to her husband and said "Should we tell them?" He nodded in agreement. Elizabeth explained that something unexpected happened when they checked in to their hotel the night before dropping out of the race. She set up the punch line and then delivered the big, foreshadowing hint. Their hotel room number was 2008.
Of course, we saw them again in July when he joined the Kerry ticket. But we already knew he had a key that opened the door to 2008.
From NBC's Elizabeth Wilner
Former Sen. John Edwards (D) told NBC's Matt Lauer on TODAY this morning that he's running for president to urge people to take action to change things and make the country better. He rejected the suggestion that his lack of foreign policy experience will be a problem, arguing that the current Administration has a wealth of foreign policy experience and it hasn't helped them figure out what to do about Iraq. And he repeated his earlier repudiation of his vote in favor of the war.
In an e-mail sent to supporters overnight, Edwards emphasized a new approach he's taking in this second attempt to win the presidency: posting video clips of himself on YouTube as he goes about his campaign in an effort to let supporters get a look at him that's unfiltered by the media. One emerging theme of Edwards' is that he spent too much time during his first campaign listening to his paid consultants tell him what to do and say, and not enough time letting people see the real him. This is evident even in Edwards' statement yesterday about the passing of President Gerald Ford: "President Ford once said, 'At times it feels as if American politics consists largely of candidates without ideas, hiring consultants without convictions, to stage campaigns without content… It doesn't have to be this way.' He was right."
It's a theme that could serve Edwards well if he has to campaign for the Democratic nomination against "real, unvarnished" Barack Obama -- and against Sen. Hillary Clinton, who seems to strike some voters as too cautious and politically calculating. From New Orleans, Edwards sets off on a series of town halls in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada and South Carolina.
From NBC's Elizabeth Wilner
We'll take a wild guess and say that former Sen. John Edwards (D) is about to announce his candidacy for president. Edwards e-mailed his supporters over the holiday weekend, titling the e-mail "The big decision" and writing that he's going to try to "bring Americans together in all fifty states to tackle the big challenges facing our country, from poverty and lack of health care, to energy and global warming." (Edwards didn't talk much about global warming when he ran in 2003-2004, but the topic seems to be a hit among Democrats considering the presidency these days after Al Gore found success with his film "An Inconvenient Truth.")
Edwards also has a live TODAY interview scheduled for tomorrow morning from New Orleans' Lower Ninth Ward. And the New York Times pretty much reports today that he will indeed pull the trigger tomorrow.
With Edwards' entry, the political press corps will have to resist the temptation to cast the Democratic primary as a two-person race between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Newsweek covers notwithstanding. The most recent NBC/Wall Street Journal poll shows that Edwards, rather than Clinton or Obama, is the only Democratic contender who beats Sen. John McCain (R) in a nationwide head-to-head match-up. Edwards defeats the presumed GOP frontrunner by 43% to 41%. That said, he placed third in the Democratic primary trial heat, with Clinton far ahead at 37%, Obama at 18%, and Edwards at 14%.
From NBC's Ken Strickland
Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson's office has issued a statement on his status. He remains in critical condition in intensive care. He "is recovering as expected from brain surgery and his brain pressures continue to be in the normal range," Anthony Caputy, M.D., Chairman, Department of Neurosurgery, at the George Washington University Hospital. "Senator Johnson is sedated to allow his systems to rest and recover from the hemorrhage and we anticipate no further tests or procedures in the near future," says Vivek Deshmukh, MD, neurosurgeon. "This is expected to continue through the holidays."
From NBC's Elizabeth Wilner
After former Gov. Mark Warner (D) abandoned his fledgling bid and Sen. George Allen (R) lost his seat on election day, it looked like Virginia wasn't going to be represented in the 2008 presidential field, after all. But former Gov. Jim Gilmore (R) plans to change that on January 2 when, per a press release from his law office, he expects to form an exploratory committee.
Gilmore is trying to fill the shoes that Allen had intended to fill as the mainstream conservative candidate in the GOP field. "It is my intention to fill that void," he says in the release. "For the Republican party to be successful we need electable candidates who can articulate a positive, mainstream conservative message that can reach all Americans." But it's unclear (to doubtful) whether Gilmore can raise the necessary money and campaign apparatus in what now seems like a relatively short period of time, since rivals John McCain and Mitt Romney have been in the race for months.
Gilmore served as governor of Virginia from 1998 until 2002 after campaigning famously on cutting the state's car tax. The press release also touts that Gilmore, who was governor when the Pentagon was attacked on September 11, 2001, chaired "the Congressional 'Gilmore Commission' from 1999 to 2003 to assess America's terrorism response capabilities." He's also a former chairman of the Republican National Committee.
From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Elizabeth Wilner
President Bush will hold a news conference this morning just after 10:00 am ET. Topics will include an update on Bush's "consultative process on the new way forward in Iraq" and his "inclination" to increase the size of the US military. He's also certain to be asked about his comment to the Washington Post that the Iraq war is now in a stalemate (after having asserted just recently that the United States is winning the war), and also about Gen. John Abizaid's resignation.
Bush also will discuss the economy and his "commitment" to work in a bipartisan way with the new Congress.
This will be the President's 30th solo news conference and the 18th of his second term. The last was November 8, when he announced the resignation of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
From NBC's Mark Murray
The biggest political story of 2008, of course, will be the wide-open presidential race. However, a lesser -- yet equally important -- story will be whether Democrats can hold onto their majorities in Congress. The man who will be in charge of keeping control of the House is Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D) of Maryland, whom incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi today tapped to succeed Rahm Emanuel as chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
Van Hollen was elected to Congress in 2002, when he beat incumbent Rep. Connie Morella (R). In the 2008 battle for the House -- Democrats will be holding onto a 233-202 advantage -- Van Hollen will square off against Rep. Tom Cole (R) of Oklahoma, who was elected chair of the GOP House campaign committee last month.
From CNBC's Karin Caifa
Former Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson thinks the most dominant issue in the 2008 presidential campaign, next to the war on terror, will be health care. He adds that those issues along with geography could give him an edge in the race.
"It looks good. It looks very promising and encouraging," Thompson said of a potential bid in an interview with cnbc.com this morning. Thompson announced last month that he would form an exploratory committee and has made about 10 trips to the crucial caucus state of Iowa so far.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC Des Moines affiliate WHO-TV's Dave Price
Outgoing Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) does The Daily Show tonight. "Host Jon Stewart's been poking fun at the Gov's last name. He uses the AFLAC insurance duck's quacks whenever he talks about Vilsack. All that national exposure ain't nothing to quack about (sorry, had to do it). More than a million people tune into the show each night. Expect Vilsack to ruffle a few feathers during his visit, I'm told, both literally and metaphorically. Don't miss the beginning of the show."
From NBC News sources
Former Speaker Newt Gingrich told NBC's Tim Russert yesterday that he may jump into the presidential race this fall if there's still room in the GOP field. Sen. Hillary Clinton (D) told NBC's Meredith Vieira she's still seriously considering a bid and will decide after the first of the year. Another Democrat who also appears to be leaning toward running and says he'll announce next month, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) hit New Hampshire this weekend.
While his event in New Ipswich didn't quite measure up to the 1,500-strong crowd who gathered to hear Sen. Barack Obama in Manchester a week before, Richardson nevertheless got a strong showing, per one unaffiliated Democratic activist who attended. About 200 people came to the catered party, complete with heated tent, bartenders, and live music. The crowd included not only local Democratic activists but a busload from Manchester and some from as far away as Rye.
"Richardson spoke briefly, the usual talk about how New Hampshire is the best place to have the first primary, etc., and the usual introductory comments," the activist tells First Read. "He spoke about how he had a budget surplus in New Mexico, raised immunization rates of children, and the like. He mentioned that he met with some North Koreans on Friday night ‘to let them talk’ and that we should be talking to everyone, including North Korea, Syria, and Iran. He mentioned that he told President Bush that they should talk to North Korea. Bush said that North Korea is not a moral country," the activist recounted Richardson saying. "Richardson replied that if we were only talking to moral countries, the only country we would be talking to is the Vatican."
From NBC's Elizabeth Wilner
Democratic Sen. Evan Bayh of Indiana, who on paper looked like a formidable presidential contender in 2008 (former red-state governor with sizeable campaign bank account and extensive political network), has announced that he will not, in fact, seek his party's nomination. "After talking with family and friends over the past several days, I have decided that this is not the year for me to run for President and I will not be a candidate for the presidency in 2008. It wasn’t an easy decision but it was the right one for my family, my friends and my state. I have always prided myself on putting my public responsibilities ahead of my own ambitions," he said in a written statement.
Why, if so strong on paper, did Bayh conclude this wasn't in the cards? Probably because three contenders are sucking up so much oxygen: Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John Edwards, who plans to announce his candidacy in late December, per the AP. (Of these three, Edwards was the only one to defeat GOP Sen. John McCain in a hypothetical match-up in the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll.)
"The odds were always going to be very long for a relatively unknown candidate like myself, a little bit like David and Goliath," Bayh goes on to say in his statement. "And whether there were too many Goliaths or whether I’m just not the right David, the fact remains that at the end of the day, I concluded that due to circumstances beyond our control the odds were longer than I felt I could responsibly pursue."
Bayh's considerable campaign apparatus is now up for grabs.
From NBC's Elizabeth Wilner
A top aide to Sen. Barack Obama (D) told us that Obama's big appearance in New Hampshire last Sunday would be his final big "testing-the-waters" move of the year. But just because Obama is at home these days doesn't mean he isn't still sending signals about what seems more and more like a presidential campaign. He recently told the editorial boards of both the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times that he believes he'd be a "viable" candidate and can see his way clear to winning the nomination. The Tribune reports that he'll make his intentions known after a two-week family vacation, while the Sun-Times says he's already giving thought to security concerns and how a security detail would conflict with his preference for traveling without much of an entourage.
From NBC's Ken Strickland and Elizabeth Wilner
Democrats nabbed the Virginia governorship in 2005 and one of the state's two Republican-held Senate seats in 2006, but their chances of snagging the other in 2008 will hinge to a large degree on whether Sen. John Warner (R) seeks re-election or not. For several reasons, including his age (he'll be 80 in February) and the fact that he's having to give up the top GOP slot on the Senate Armed Services Committee, Warner was thought to be considering retirement in 2008. But now he has informed his party's leadership in writing that he is "strongly considering" seeking another term -- precisely because Democrats have been racking up wins in his home state.
In a letter to Senate Republican leaders about committee assignments, Warner says the 2006 election results weighed heavily on him: "Given its forceful impact on Virginia, I am now strongly considering running for reelection to the Senate in 2008."
Should Warner seek re-election, we could see a repeat of the Warner-vs-Warner face-off we saw between the Senate Republican and then-tech entrepreneur Mark Warner (D) in 1996. Since then, Mark Warner has gotten a successful term as governor under his belt, as well as a fledgling run for president in 2008, which he ended a few months ago. Such a rematch would be a battle of the titans.
From NBC's Ken StricklandSen. Tim Johnson's office just released this statement: "Admiral John Eisold, Attending Physician of the United States Capitol said, 'Senator Tim Johnson has continued to have an uncomplicated post-operative course. Specifically, he has been appropriately responsive to both word and touch. No further surgical intervention has been required.'"
From NBC's Courtney Kube and Mark Murray
Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld has taped a good-bye message to the members of the U.S. military that began airing on the Pentagon channel this afternoon. In it, Rumsfeld thanks the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces, who he says "define the American spirit." He brings up the elections in Iraq and the seating of the first democratically elected President in Afghanistan. "You made them possible," he says.
The message runs about five minutes, with Rumsfeld looking straight into the camera with an American flag and the Secretary of Defense seal over his shoulders. "You will remain in my thoughts and prayers," Rumsfeld says.
Tomorrow, President Bush heads to the Pentagon to participate in an Armed Forces full honor review that honors Rumsfeld.
From NBC's Jennifer Yuille
Reprising her role as defender-in-chief, Laura Bush stood by her husband's Iraq policy and blamed the media for his low approval ratings this morning. "I understand why those polls are like that because of the coverage that we see every single day in Iraq. And it is not encouraging coverage, for sure, there's no doubt about it," she told NBC's Norah O'Donnell in an interview. She went on to say that "the drumbeat in the country, from the media from the only way people know what is happening unless they happen to have a loved one deployed there. It's discouraging and I know the facts are not as discouraging."
According to the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 69% of those surveyed say that they are less confident there will be a successful conclusion in Iraq.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Huma Zaidi
Speaking to reporters on the Hill just a few moments ago, Sen. Harry Reid said he feels "confident" that Sen. Tim Johnson will make a "good recovery." Reid, who has been visiting Johnson at the George Washington University Hospital, added, though, that he would not comment further on Johnson's medical condition because no matter what he says it "would not be enough for [the press]."
Asked what Johnson's condition might mean for the balance of power in the Senate, Reid said things are proceeding as normal on the Hill. "There isn't a thing that's changed," Reid said.
From NBC Des Moines affiliate WHO-TV's Dave Price
Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack (D) just turned 56. It turns out December's a crowded month for the crowded prez field. In fact, December's the most crowded month of all. Five candidates or potential candidates have December birthdays: John Kerry (D), Vilsack, Tom Tancredo (R), Wes Clark (D), and Evan Bayh (D).
So what is it with this Sagittarius crowd? Perhaps, it's in the stars. Astrocenter.com says this:
Sagittarius is well-suited to any career in which communication skills, knowledge, and inspiration are important. This is an employee who will be versatile, adventurous, and knowledgeable. They tend to be easygoing and good-natured and able to adapt easily to change.
The Archer enjoys a workplace that is lively and stimulating. They are not temperamentally suited to a job that is boring or with no opportunity for growth and learning. Sagittarius prefers a career that allows them the opportunity to expand their horizons, travel, and explore. Sagittarius natives do not like to be constricted in their daily routine or have to adhere to a lot of rules. Motivated by challenges and the chance to prove their abilities, this sign will become a life-long learner and will always be looking for new avenues to pursue. They may change careers several times in their life.
No rules. No problem. Be president.
From Elizabeth Wilner, Mark Murray, Huma Zaidi, and Jennifer Colby
Denizens of the political world are getting whiplash as, after five weeks of adjusting to the concept of Democratic majorities in both houses of Congress, the sudden, serious illness of a Senate Democrat raises the prospect that the expected 51-49 chamber in the 110th Congress could instead be 50-50, with Vice President Cheney in position to break a tie vote for Republicans. Along with everyone else in Washington, our hearts go out to Sen. Tim Johnson and his family; at the same time, our minds can't help but turn to the ramifications should Johnson become unable to serve.
Under South Dakota law, in the event of a vacancy, Republican Gov. Mike Rounds would appoint a replacement for Johnson to serve until the next general election, which in this case happens to coincide with the end of Johnson's second term in 2008. Rounds would not be legally or otherwise obliged to appoint a Democrat. Neither state law nor the Constitution provides a course of action in the event of a serious illness, and there is precedent for incapacitated members of the Senate to remain in office. Johnson, who suffered from symptoms of a stroke yesterday, underwent surgery at a Washington hospital last night. At this writing, his condition is critical.
CONTINUED >>
NBC Newschannel's Steve Handelsman hears that Johnson is talking this morning. NBC's Donna Inserra reports that per Johnson's office, he was in the Senate recording studio yesterday talking to South Dakota media when his speech pattern changed, but he recovered and then walked back to his office. He then said he didn't feel very well, a Capitol physician did a quick check, and he was put in a wheelchair and taken to George Washington University Hospital. Johnson's wife happened to be coming to the Capitol for something unrelated yesterday and accompanied him in the ambulance. Reid spent much of yesterday at the hospital and was expected to go back last night.
NBC's Pete Williams notes that Rounds isn't required to fill a vacancy with a Democrat just because Johnson is one. Has it happened that the governor has appointed someone from a different party to fill a vacancy? Secretary of State Chris Nelson tells Williams, "It's been a long time since a vacancy has been filled this way... We're not sure." Here's what the state law says, per Williams: "Temporary appointment by Governor to fill vacancy in United States Senate. Pursuant to the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America, the Governor may fill by temporary appointment, until a special election is held pursuant to this chapter, vacancies in the office of senator in the Senate of the United States. The statute contains no partisan limitation."
CONTINUED >>
USA Today: "One of the proposals developed by top U.S. commanders in Iraq would significantly redeploy troops from a combat role to training and advising Iraqi forces, according to four administration officials. The proposal... calls for changing the mission during the next several months."
The Washington Post says the Joint Chiefs "do not favor adding significant numbers of troops to Iraq... but see strengthening the Iraqi army as pivotal to achieving some degree of stability. They also are pressing for a much greater U.S. effort on economic reconstruction and political reconciliation." Although Bush "has made no final decisions on how to proceed in Iraq... the new disclosures suggest that military planning is well underway for a major change."
CONTINUED >>
The new NBC/Journal poll shows that despite media's urge to cast the two open presidential primaries as a pair of mano-a-mano contests (so to speak), both races are more complex than that.
In the Democratic primary, where all the heat and light lately has been between Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, Clinton remains the far-and-away favorite with 37%, with Obama performing half as well at 18%. Close behind Obama, at 14%, is former Sen. John Edwards. Asked which Democrat has the best chance of winning the general election, Clinton still ranks first with 35%, followed by Edwards at 18% and Obama at 13%. (Sen. John Kerry ranked fourth on both questions.) "It would seem that people haven't exactly bolted from Senator Clinton," comments Hart.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Ken Strickland, Mark Murray, and Elizabeth Wilner
Democratic Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota has apparently suffered a stroke, two sources tell NBC. Unclear how serious it is. Johnson's office confirms that he was not feeling well this morning and was taken to George Washington University Hospital in DC, where he is being evaluated.
The top concern, of course, is for Johnson and his family, with all of Washington wishing them well. From a procedural standpoint, with control of the currently 51-49 Senate hanging in the balance in the event of a vacancy, reporters are doing due diligence and checking into South Dakota law.
Per South Dakota Secretary of State Chris Nelson, the governor of South Dakota may appoint a replacement if a Senate seat is vacant. The appointment would last until the next general election -- in this case, 2008. Johnson's term happens to expire in 2008, so we would be talking about the remainder of his term. The governor of South Dakota is a Republican, Mike Rounds.
However, this is *if* there's a vacancy. Johnson's seat is not vacant at this time, of course. Nelson says there's nothing in state law that deals with whether one of their members of the Senate is incapacitated. He said the answer would likely come from federal law or the US Constitution.
From NBC's Ken Strickland
NBC News has learned that South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson (D) has suffered an apparent stroke.
From Elizabeth Wilner, Mark Murray, Huma Zaidi, and Jennifer Colby.
Voters rebuked House Republicans in the 2006 midterm elections one last time yesterday, ousting Republican Rep. Henry Bonilla from Texas' 23rd district in favor of Democrat Ciro Rodriguez, a former member who lost his seat and lost his first attempt to return to Washington. Democrats complete the 2006 cycle without having lost a single seat, and now claim 233 members of the House to Republicans' 202. Bonilla's loss also is another nail in the coffin for former Rep. Tom DeLay's Texas redistricting plan.
Five weeks later, the Democratic wave that struck on election day remains forceful enough to sweep from office a Republican incumbent who had received 49% on November 7 and needed only to break 50% to win the runoff. Compare that to scandal-plagued Democratic Rep. William Jefferson's win in his runoff last Saturday with 57%, despite getting just 30% of the vote on November 7.
CONTINUED >>
Today's presidential meeting on Iraq is with senior officials at the Pentagon, after which Bush will make a statement. The AP reports that "Bush has decided the general direction he wants to take U.S. policy on Iraq and has asked his staff to work out the details as he wraps up a highly public review of the war and its aims." An unnamed defense specialist tells the AP that "Bush is delaying making public his new Iraq policy plan in part to allow officials to work out the funding."
The Chicago Tribune writes that “strong support has coalesced in the Pentagon behind a military plan to ‘double down’ in the country with a substantial buildup in American troops, an increase in industrial aid and a major combat offensive against Muqtada Sadr… Military officials, including some advising the chiefs, have argued that an intensified effort may be the only way to get the counterinsurgency strategy right and provide a chance for victory.”
CONTINUED >>
The new Gallup Poll for USA Today shows "a 54% majority [saying] Bush will be judged as a below-average or poor president, more than double the negative rating given any of his five most recent predecessors... Overall, Republicans rate Bush third, below Reagan and the elder Bush but above Ford and the two Democrats. They rank Clinton last. Democrats rank Clinton first and Carter second, followed by Reagan, Ford and the elder Bush. The current president is last."
The Washington Post's Milbank looks at Tony Snow's increasing reliance upon the response, "I don't know." "When Snow took over as White House press secretary earlier this year, reporters found it refreshing that he was willing to admit when he didn't know something. This has become rather less refreshing as Snow, while claiming access to Bush's sanctum sanctorum, continues to use the phrase -- more than 400 times so far in televised briefings and interviews... Unsurprisingly, this method has done some damage to briefer-questioner relations."
Apart from the color of skin, Sen. Barack Obama also is distinguished by his name, MSNBC.com's Tom Curry notes. Republican operative Ed Rogers recently caused a stir on MSNBC’s Hardball by mentioning Obama’s middle name, “Hussein.” In every speech, Obama brings up his membership in the United Church of Christ. (He also explains that he borrowed the phrase “audacity of hope” from his UCC pastor in Chicago.) Could he be doing this partly to dispel any mistaken notion that some people might have that he’s a Muslim?
Yes, said Michael Fauntroy, who teaches political science at George Mason University and is the author of the new book "Republicans and the Black Vote." Fauntroy said, “The United Church of Christ is among the more liberal churches in America. Obama is saying that he’s a member of that church to make it known that he’s a Christian. And he is also sending a message to Democrats and leftward people that his policies are guided by a leftward interpretation of faith.”
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The New York Times reports that House Democrats “are seriously exploring” creating an independent ethics watchdog. “Senior party officials said Tuesday that Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the incoming speaker, had consulted with Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the minority leader, on forming a bipartisan group to examine outside enforcement. The goal would be to have the group report back in the spring.”
Pelosi announced yesterday that Jefferson will remain on temporary suspension from his Ways and Means Committee seat until his legal issues are resolved, Roll Call says. As we've reported before, a federal judicial panel recently extended the deadline for briefs in Jefferson's case until mid-April, with oral arguments to come after that.
Rep. Artur Davis, an African-American who is considering a Senate bid in his home state of Alabama, has been awarded the vacant committee seat.
CONTINUED >>
"Americans overwhelmingly say the growing gap between rich and poor has become a serious national concern, a sentiment that may bolster Democrats' plans to narrow the income divide when they take control of Congress," says Bloomberg of their new poll with the Los Angeles Times.
Congressional Democrats have named former Clinton economic advisor Peter Orszag to head the Congressional Budget Office, "the nonpartisan agency that provides lawmakers with cost estimates for legislation and other budgetary analyses."
The San Antonio Express writes up Rodriguez’s upset win yesterday over Bonilla. “Andy Hernandez, a political scientist at the University of Texas at San Antonio and a former [DNC] staffer, said Rodriguez's victory was in step with last month's Democratic upheaval. ‘You have to see this as part of the national trend where Republicans lost in swing districts,’ he said. ‘This anti-Republican trend, which Hispanics had a big part in, played out here.’”
As we've written before, voters might have rejected the Republican party in last month's midterm elections, but they weren't exactly giving the Democratic party a ringing endorsement, either. Some pundits who gathered yesterday at a seminar sponsored by the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, including Democratic strategist James Carville and Rep. Tom Davis (R), expressed the same sentiments as they conducted a post-mortem of the election.
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From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell
Outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was at the White House today and has been participating in the President's consultations on Iraq -- making some of his comments from a December 7 interview with Cal Thomas on FOX rather notable. The official transcript was released today. For starters, Rumsfeld said he had not read the Iraq Study Group report:
Q: Yeah. The Iraq Study Group Report -- you've read it, I'm sure.
RUMSFELD: I haven't.
Q: You haven't?
CONTINUED >>
From CNBC's Karin Caifa
As soon as news hit the wires yesterday afternoon that Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D) would make another bid for the presidency in 2008, I was immediately bombarded with e-mails, text messages, and instant messages. Most of them to the tune of, "He's baaaaaaaack," or, "Are you ready for your second tour of duty?"
I covered Kucinich's 2004 campaign for NBC and MSNBC. Hey, everyone has to start somewhere. In retrospect, at 24, I was lucky to be covering any presidential campaign at all. Even one that consistently polled somewhere between zero and 2%.
CONTINUED >>
From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Elizabeth Wilner
Senior officials tell NBC News that the President's address on Iraq will more likely happen in early January. Advisors had said they hoped to be ready before Christmas, but that was not "locked down," and also had indicated that the week between the holidays did not make sense.
This could make two Bush speeches that 2008 presidential candidates will need to work around as a slew of them plan their own campaign announcements for January, since the State of the Union is expected to take place later in the month.
(To watch Kelly O'Donnell's video, click here.)
From Elizabeth Wilner, Mark Murray, Huma Zaidi, and Jennifer Colby.
Suicide bombings in Baghdad have killed at least 56 and injured over 200. During day two of his three-day listening tour/policy review on Iraq, President Bush takes part in a video teleconference with military commanders and the outgoing US Ambassador to Iraq, then meets with the Vice President of Iraq. Yesterday, White House spokesman Tony Snow said that while the White House hopes that Bush can deliver his "new way forward plan" before Christmas, the timing is "not locked down" and the various reviews are not yet complete, per NBC's Kelly O'Donnell.
Congress may have left for the holidays, but two House races still remain somewhat less than settled. One is the unusual case of Florida's 13th district, where Republican Vern Buchanan was declared the winner by 369 votes. Democratic candidate Christine Jennings (D) has not only sought a new, court-ordered election, but is asking the soon-to-be Democrat-run House Administration Committee to seat her instead of Buchanan. The committee is expected to make a recommendation in January.
The other race should be decided in a runoff today between Rep. Henry Bonilla (R) and former Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D), in Texas' massive 23rd district. Recent polls suggest that Rodriguez is closing in on Bonilla. The contest has gotten some national attention because the roots of its competitiveness lie in Tom DeLay's controversial Texas redistricting, because it's the last race still technically unsettled, and because it's a close one that could result in one final blow to the GOP in the 2006 midterm elections. The current breakdown in the House, counting Buchanan's win, is 232-202.
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"While seeking a new course in Iraq, President Bush has not changed his tone about the stakes involved in the war, the importance of victory or his definition of success," the AP observes. "His public remarks in recent days have given no hint of the new direction that White House officials expect Bush will announce in a speech before Christmas. The president's comments sound much as they did in the weeks before the November elections."
The New York Times: “Aides said that through this week’s meetings Mr. Bush was ‘approaching the conclusion’ of his deliberations. But officials said the semipublic nature of the meetings - which were put on Mr. Bush’s schedule last week - were also in part intended to show that he is urgently working on a solution to the worsening instability of Iraq at a time of heavy public pressure to show progress there.” More: “A poll released by CBS News on Monday showed Mr. Bush had his lowest approval rating ever on the war:" 21%."
CONTINUED >>
Sen. Hillary Clinton has dinner with Iowa Democrats at her Washington home this evening. Earlier in the day, she gives an interview to NPR on the role of the National Guard and Army Reserve in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The New York Daily News has former Iowa party chair Gordon Fischer offering some advice to her: visit every county and town before the primary, and stop being a "'control freak.'" Fischer, the paper adds, "is a fan of Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who is already in the White House race."
The Hartford Courant looks at how Obama's surge from out of nowhere into the public's consciousness as a possible leading contender hurts his colleague Chris Dodd's chances. "If Dodd runs for the White House, he will count on strong support from the African American community. He could also suffer because Obama hurts efforts to get attention as well as raise money for his possible presidential bid... Dodd's troops say that whatever moves Obama or anyone else makes will not influence" Dodd's decision, which "he hopes to make next month."
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CBN News blogs about a comment they got from Gov. Mitt Romney’s communications director in response to a 1994 letter in which Romney, who was challenging Sen. Ted Kennedy (D) at the time, "talks about equality for gays and lesbians." Romney's aide: "Over the past four years as governor, Mitt Romney has not implemented new or special rights in this area and he has not advocated or supported any change in the military's policies. As governor, he's been a champion of traditional marriage. He's fought the efforts of activist judges who seek to redefine marriage, and he's testified before the U.S. Senate in support of the Federal Marriage Amendment." CBN adds: "How quick will Romney be to go in front of the cameras on this topic. Family conservative activist groups like Family Research Council and Focus on the Family are not happy."
The Boston Globe's Canellos looks at some of the moves that have made Romney a serious contender for the Republican nomination.
Sen. Sam Brownback meets with grassroots leaders and activists at the Polk County GOP Christmas party.
Part of the challenge facing the Democratic majority: raising the public's estimation of members of Congress. Currently, members rank about on par with insurance salespeople, per the new Gallup Poll.
In a USA Today profile, Reid shrugs off Bush's recent attempt to bond with him over their shared Western roots. "Out here in Reid's wind-blown patch of the Mojave Desert, the Democratic senator from Nevada says he doesn't feel much kinship with the Republican president, regional or otherwise." More: "He hasn't talked with Bush since their White House meeting in early November, but he is encouraged by contacts from Bush's top aides." He also continues to say he did nothing improper in "his handling of a 2004 sale of Las Vegas property that netted a $700,000 gain."
Members of the Congressional Black Caucus are calling for Rep. William Jefferson to get his Ways and Means seat back, possibly putting Pelosi in an awkward position since Rep. Alan Mollohan (D), who also has had some ethical problems, has not been forced from his influential committee seat (though Mollohan did quit the Ethics Committee).
Incoming Senate Minority Leader tells Bloomberg in an interview that he "will work with the Democrats" on proposals "to limit the influence of lobbyists and increase the minimum wage, while demanding some say in crafting those measures" -- but will also "oppose key parts of the Democrats' 2007 agenda, including proposals allowing Medicare to negotiate lower drug prices and repealing oil-industry subsidies." He also "said he wants to work with Reid on bipartisan legislation bolstering the long-term solvency of Social Security and on a measure overhauling immigration law."
The Washington Post looks at the tough sell White House budget chief Rob Portman, a former House member, faces in trying to work with his old Democratic colleagues toward entitlement reform.
Former Rep. Tom DeLay is back in the mix with a new grassroots organization and a blog. The blog "will include DeLay’s comments, input from conservative bloggers and activists, as well as inside information and interviews," per the announcement. "Most importantly, the blog includes the activation of Tom DeLay’s GAIN - Grassroots, Action, and Information Network," which is "a national network of grassroots activists united for the common goal of shaping and motivating the current conservative movement."
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Pelosi plans to offer legislation to reform the House page program, Roll Call says, while the Washington Times cites the recent House ethics report in saying that Democratic campaign operatives pushed the Rep. Mark Foley scandal to the press and that the party's House campaign committee chief knew about the inappropriate e-mails as early as fall 2005.
The Los Angeles Times front-pages a long look at how GOP Rep. Gary Miller "brought his congressional muscle to bear on personal business matters, according to the former staff members and the correspondence from Miller's congressional office." More: "A real estate developer and one of the wealthiest members of Congress, Miller, 58, routinely asked his staff to handle personal errands, such as helping his children with schoolwork, searching for rock concert tickets and sending flowers to family members and friends... Federal law prohibits members of Congress from using their staff for anything other than official work."
CNBC's Patti Domm advises that the Fed is not expected to take action on interest rates at its latest meeting, but its statement this afternoon will be watched closely to see if it reveals new clues about its thinking on inflation and the economy. The
AP says, "“Many economists believe the Fed's first rate cut will occur around June of 2007, and they believe there could be two quarter-point reductions next year.”
From NBC's Huma Zaidi
Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) will make a formal announcement at noon tomorrow in Cleveland that he will run for president in 2008. According to the AP, Kucinich said he's running because he doesn't feel his party is doing enough to get the US out of Iraq.
Kucinich, who ran for president in 2004, received just 1% of the vote in both Iowa and New Hampshire. He was the last candidate to officially drop out of the race before endorsing Sen. John Kerry.
From NBC's Courtney Kube
Pentagon press secretary Eric Ruff provided a quick read-out of outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's surprise visit to Iraq over the weekend. Per Ruff, Rumsfeld did not meet with any Iraqi officials or receive any briefings while on the ground. He did, however, have dinner with about one dozen US officials in Iraq -- including top generals and Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. In all, Rumsfeld spent about 26 hours on the ground for his final trip to Iraq.
Ruff maintains that Rumsfeld went to Iraq to speak directly to the troops and thank
