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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 News Political Reporter



The Stevens fallout begins

Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008 3:49 PM by Domenico Montanaro
Filed Under: ,

From NBC's Ken Strickland
The political fallout over Sen. Ted Stevens' (R-AK) indictment started today on Capitol Hill. His Republican colleagues weren't exactly throwing him under the bus, but they didn't push him out of its way either as Stevens faces a tough reelection in November.   

Sen. John Ensign, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, declined to endorse Stevens' campaign for reelection. The NRSC describes itself on it's Web site as "the only political committee solely dedicated to electing Republicans to the U.S. Senate."

VIDEO: Guest host Mike Barnicle talks about the ten U.S. senators indicted while in office in the Hardball Big Number.

Ensign, instead of endorsing the longest serving Senate Republican in history, said he wanted to wait for the results of Alaska's Republican primary on August 26th. Stevens faces six opponents. 

"The candidates are on the ballot right now, and we're going to wait to see how that whole thing plays out," Ensign said.

"Do you still endorse Sen. Stevens?" a reporter asked Ensign. 

"I've said exactly what I was going to say," Ensign responded. "We'll wait and see how the process plays out."

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, another member of the Senate's GOP leadership team, was also noncommittal. 

"He has every right [to fight the indictment] as any American citizen would do and to continue with his life and his career," she said. 

Does that in include running for re-election? 

"Look, he's had one day to absorb this," Hutchinson continued. "So I'm going to support his ability to do what he needs to do to protect himself and his reputation."

As for Stevens himself today, it was business as usual: he showed up for work in his office this morning, attended a Senate committee hearing and voted on the floor.

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Comments

Crooks, liars, thieves, all of them!  Sick and disgusted of them all!  
The longer you stay in a political office the greater the temptation for corruption. Don’t be surprised if this is but the first of many in the Bush regime. Time for a change.
Sen. Stevens, Karl Rove are the GOP's best and brightest!  America has so much to look forward too with these great Americans.  With McWar waiting in the wings I hope we can elect someone who wants to restore our values to our political sysytem.
He will deny to the end what he did was wrong.  If they could prove there was a tit-for-tat plan (work on his house for steering government work to VECO) then the charges would include bribery.  If it were any other citizen doing this kind of thing, then it would be called bribery and the person would be in jail.  
As for Stevens himself today, it was business as usual.

Doesn't even need a punch line.
You know he is an old man. I am not sure that at 86, I would really be on the ball. He should bow out. If not, I am glad that Congress is going after him. I know a few more that they should also throw under the bus.  
Repubs running like roaches.

So many of them are persona non grata these days that avoiding the one another looks like roaches playing pinball. Ding....ding.....ding ding ding!

PS.  I love Axelrod, he is a political genius.  The primary map that Tim Russert got a hold of was truly brilliant.  It's nice to be on the 'thinking man's' team.

GoBama

When Bill Clinton lied about his relationship with Monica Lewinsky the MSM called it what it was:  a lie.

Republicans were "shocked" that the POTUS had "lied to the American people."

These were the headlines screaming from TV and every other news source: lying.

Yet the MSM has rarely, if ever, called Bush or Cheney or Rumsfeld or Rove or the most pathetic of the public liars, Gonzales, on the plain and simple truth that they lied over and over and over.

Long ago, in journalism school, I seem to remember the course on journalistic ethics.  Don't laugh.

There were mistakes, then there were misspeaks, then prevarications, then there was dissembling... at last there were... lies.

We were taught to go through the the list very carefully, each category was defined.  Don't remember them all, but I do remember the definition for lying:

"To knowingly make a false statement (or statements) with conscious attempt to deceive."

I am appalled and deeply disturbed at the behavior of the MSM during the Bush administration.

Perhaps not since Richard Nixon have we been lied to as a people about so many critical issues.

Yet, even now, the MSM seems to give the Republicans free reign with the truth.

This is a central factor in the decline of our nation, in the political, spiritual, and economic bankruptcy of America.

Call a lie a lie.  President Clinton lied.  It seemed easy then to call him on it.  Why?  Why not now?

Call a lie a lie; whether it is Obama or Hillary Clinton or Larry Craig or Senator Stevens or Senator McCain. Lying is non-partisan.

Do it for your kids, for posterity, for America.

Call a lie a lie.


http://twocanpete.blogspot.com
This is going to be so much fun. We're finally going to find out if 'snowball' acutually does have a chance in hell.
At least he didn't try to pick up guys in bathroom stalls. Frankly, given the nature of all the Republican scandals in recent years, a good ol' fashioned money and access scandal is kind of refreshing.
And now your worried that there's a few more of them in Iraq? Take a deep breath, and try to grow up. David Miller, Tulsa OK (Sent Wednesday, July 30, 2008 3:27 PM)  (another thread)

Actually, David, I meant Afghanistan, but I was in a hurry to beat moderation.  And I AM worried about “a few more of them” in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and you should be, too.  

I’ll never grow up, David, so don’t even bother.  But, bless his heart, C A already gave you the response I would have given you, so I don’t have to.  

And C A, thanks for your response to me and the kind words in your response to David.  Don’t think I was being critical of you in any way.  Let’s just say I’ve known you WAY too long for that.  I don’t post here often because of the fast moderation, but I enjoy reading what you and the other great bloggers here have to say.  Keep up the terrific work.  Always nice to talk to you.  
GOP, the party of ideas and principles.  The idea is grab what you can.  The principle is hold on to power to maximize what you can grab.  No honor among thieves.
And  the McCain campaign takes in over a million dollars from oil lobbyists!
Fallout for Stevens, sure. But I'm anticipating some hits on the broader Republican Party election effort. And when does McCain get involved in attacking Stevens?  

http://www.political-buzz.com/
if stevens is convicted bush will pardon him but bush will not pardon American workers, how else can he get your $$$.


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