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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC Political Researcher



Van Hollen to head DCCC

Posted: Tuesday, December 19, 2006 12:31 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: , ,

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.

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If the American people forget what a screwed up mess the Republicans made of the Government, they'll have the next two years worth of trials to remind them. Mostly GOP scammers are targeted with a few Demos, though not too many Dems were hit on, since they had no 'Juice' with the White House (the Refrigerated ninety-thou is all I can remember). When Clinton was elected, the Republicans began digging and dug for eight years. If the Dems start doing the same with stuff just rumored, the list of 'Jailbird Prospects' could even grow a bit more. Better forget '08 for now, keep watching for '07.
In order to straighten up the mess, the scammers and thieves of both parties must be cleansed from our leadership. If the Dems led Congress HONESTLY cleans up the cesspool, are willing and able to be non-partisan, and put in place preventative measures to make it more difficult to 'raid the panty", they will be a long way toward holding onto both houses for the next couple of cycles. If the names and party affiliation changes, but the results remain the same, they will not endure. I have a hunch a great deal of the Repubs are in C.Y.A. mode at present. Their teflon has been removed, they have to oil up. The Dems must clean up any of theirs whom 'smell of cheese', however, since they have been publicly chastised and under the microscope for years, they have had less opportunity to transgress. JUST "gimme some truth" John Lennon
Watch the Scooter Libby trial, which begins in January. The investigations have just begun.
Amazing how Cedar Falls has time for 24/7 commentary for most, if not all, boards under First Read. Then again, with food stamps, free public housing and welfare cheese supplied by his favorite leftist ilk, who needs to work for a living?
Frankly, 'First Read' writers/talking heads - I think it is nuch, nuch too early to speculate about ANY 08 race simply because the next year's events surrounding Iraq, Bush, Congressional hearings, WH stonewall and prblic reaction to Bush, "Staying the Course" and flushing the US down the crapper will shape the 08 political landscape. So your speculations are just so much 'Crystal Ball' babble.
Does he play guitar? Just joking.
I agree with jbeeaz; it's too early to really speculate with any degree of certainty. It's kind of like picking a World Series winner before the season starts; you know five or six who will probably make the playoffs but another contender could come out of nowhere and take it all. Personally, I don't care who it is as long as the last name isn't Bush, Chaney, Frist, McCain, Giuliani, or has an (R) behind his title. This administration has turned me from a die-hard Independent into a diehard anyone else but a Republican. And to think, I once had an AuH20 bumber sticker on my family's car.
I liked them better when they had David Lee Roth.
John Seattle, why do you make such hateful remarks. Why do you assume, and we all know what assume means, the worst of your fellow american. Why do you hate so much. Have you ever been on food stamps? Do you even know what is required to be on welfare. Keep blaming the poor for all of today's problems. Yeah it is the welfare cheats that got us in the Iraq War. It is the food stampers that caused the massive debt we currently are in. Yeah free public housing is why we could not help the people of New Orleans. Yeah you are right John, we should ship all the poor people to Iraq. At least they could die for you John. I know that this would make you happy. You hate poor people and you can kill 2 birds with one stone by sending poor people over to Iraq. What I can not figure out is why you hate and belittle your fellow americans. Why don't you save all that hatred for the terrorists. Oh wait forgot, poor people are terrorist in your mind. They are draining money from the economy, because they are all to lazy to find work. Did I get it right John. I too was a heartless, hate mongering,smear machine republican until I got married and went to college. What an eye opening experience when you learn to respect all people's different cultures and opinions. See that is your problem John. You think you are always right and if anyone disagree's with you, they are unpatriotic. Instead of debate and exchange, it is smear and fear.
bobf, maybe they are uneducated.
bobf, what do expect from people who were raised in a society that declares war on its social problems as if the vicitims of those problems were the enemy?
I just found out from another poster under another entry that John Edwards is planning to announce his candidacy from New Orleans' Lower 9th. I wonder why that isn't on the Political Calendar.
"Amazing how Cedar Falls has time for 24/7 commentary for most, if not all, boards under First Read. Then again, with food stamps, free public housing and welfare cheese supplied by his favorite leftist ilk, who needs to work for a living? " If this isn't a scuzzy, skanky and pointless attack on a poster, what the hell is?


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