Democrats
From NBC's Mark Murray
First Read has confirmed that former President Bill Clinton will host a fundraiser for New York Rep. Carolyn Maloney -- which is certainly interesting given that Maloney is challenging incumbent Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
A Clinton source insists that this doesn't mean he's endorsing Maloney, and says the former president is raising money for her "as a way of saying thanks for Maloney's help" during Hillary's failed 2008 presidential bid.
Bill Clinton, in fact, helped raise money for Gillibrand earlier this year.
Still, the news that Clinton is assisting Maloney here probably isn't welcome news to the Obama administration (which includes Clinton's wife) and establishment Democrats backing Gillibrand.
From NBC's Mike Viqueira
Confirming here that Henry Waxman was admitted yesterday to Cedars-Sinai. His committee spokeswoman in Washington says he "felt unwell" and was "admitted for routine testing."
Waxman remains as a patient at the hospital, but "is feeling much better now," says spokeswoman Karen Lightfoot.
When last seen in Washington, Waxman managed the energy bill through the House for that close vote late last Friday. As chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce committee, he has jurisdiction over both the energy bill and the health care bill.
Waxman ousted fellow Democrat John Dingell, the longest serving member of the House in American history, as chair of the committee last January.
From NBC's Chuck Todd
If you needed any more evidence that Republicans are starting to collectively believe Chris Dodd is the single most vulnerable Democratic senator seeking re-election, here's yet another leaked poll. This survey, conducted by the GOP firm Wilson Research Strategies, was conducted last week on behalf of potential Republican candidate Peter Schiff, a financial commentator who was credited with predicting the current economic downturn.
Here are the bare bones of the survey among 400 likely voters:
-- Dodd leads Schiff 42-38.
-- Former Rep. Rob Simmons (who is already announced and raising money and is the NRSC's preferred candidate) leads Dodd 47-38.
Taking the poll at face value, here's what I see: There is a strong anti-Dodd sentiment out there if a guy with very little name I.D. came end up in a statistical tie with Dodd. It conforms with other public surveys we've seen where Dodd is struggling. Simmons, with a tad more name I.D., not surprisingly, has a bigger lead.
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Roll Call: “The Laborers’ International Union of North America is targeting Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) with a television ad urging the two Senators to resist taxing health insurance benefits as a means to pay for health care reform.”
Note that Democratic House chairman Henry Waxman, who helped write the energy bill and is also playing a key role in the health-care debate, has a book that’s coming out this week entitled “The Waxman Report: How Congress Really Works.” The book is co-authored by Atlantic Monthly writer (and First Read friend) Josh Green.
From NBC's Mark Murray
National Journal's Ron Brownstein has a very interesting break down of Friday's narrow 219-212 House vote approving the energy/climate change/cap-and-trade legislation. According to Brownstein, politics perhaps played a bigger role than geography did in determining who voted for the bill.
"Of the 49 House Democrats who represent districts that McCain carried last year, fully 29 voted against the measure. By contrast, just 15 of the 207 Democrats from districts that Obama carried last year voted against the bill... Put another way, while 59 percent of the Democrats from districts that McCain carried voted no, just 7 percent of Democrats in Obama-majority districts opposed the White House on the vote."
Video: Senior White House adviser David Axelrod discusses President Barack Obama’s energy legislation with NBC’s David Gregory on “Meet the Press.”
More: "Similarly, seven of the eight Republicans who supported the measure represent districts that backed Obama last November... Still, in contrast with the Democrats from split districts, 27 of the 34 Republicans from Obama-districts held with their party and voted against the legislation. California crystallized that trend: Of the eight Republicans there in districts that Obama carried last year, only
Mary Bono Mack from Palm Springs supported the bill."
From NBC's Mike Viqueira
The debate on the energy bill is wrapping up. It's going to be close, but House Democratic leaders are now slightly more confident that they can pass the measure.
Evidence that the high pressure whip effort by President Obama and Democratic leaders is paying dividends. Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), who had taken the floor just this morning to disparage the bill in no uncertain terms and who later voted against the procedural measure to bring it to the floor, has now changed his mind.
Doggett took to the floor moments ago and said he will support it.
From NBC's Mark Murray
Earlier this morning, we warned you to expect MoveOn and other progressive groups to press North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan, after she suggested she wasn't ready to support a public/government option to compete against private health insurers.
Well, right on cue, here's MoveOn:
Given recent comments showing that Sen. Hagan is not supporting the public health insurance option, MoveOn.org will be making clear that our 115,000 members in North Carolina -- many of whom volunteered for or donated to her campaign last year -- believe the public option is the heart of true health care reform. We'll run ads in North Carolina and D.C. asking that she advocate for the public option and support the President in truly solving the nation's health care crisis.
From NBC's Mike Viqueira
We have the potential for legislative drama on the House floor today, as Nancy Pelosi and Democrats are still scrambling for votes in support of the energy bill.
The pressure is on wavering members, especially majority Democrats. Rep.
Lloyd Doggett, a left-leaning member from Austin who is opposing the measure on the grounds that it has been excessively watered down in an effort to attract moderates, had an audience with the entire first family in the Oval Office last night.
Doggett was on the grounds to attend the congressional picnic when he was pulled aside by staff and brought into the Oval. The president was there, waiting to twist his arm, and so were Michelle, Sasha, Malia, and Bo, all of whom had gathered in preparation to go outside and join the festivities.
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From NBC's Mark Murray
Pegged to the upcoming July 4 holiday, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee says it will begin airing radio ads against some targeted House Republicans -- including GOP Reps. Ken Calvert (CA), Charlie Dent (PA), and Lee Terry (NE) -- for voting against the recent war supplemental bill.
The ads will begin July 1 and will run for a week.
Here's a sample of one of the ads: "When
George Bush asked, Congressman Terry voted to fully fund our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan," a narrator says. "And last year he said, quote, 'We must give our military every resource it needs.'"
It continues, "Seems like Congressman Terry is playing politics now. Last month Congressman Terry voted AGAINST funding for those same troops... It’s a shame. Call Lee Terry. Ask him why he voted against our troops. Ask him: What changed?"
Republicans who voted against the legislation say they supported the troops, but opposed it because it contained unnecessary spending, like money for the International Monetary Fund.
From NBC's Mike Viqueira
A House leadership source says that, as of right at this moment, the votes are not there yet to pass the energy bill that the president is talking about this afternoon.
A full-court press in effect. House Democrats want to vote tomorrow, but won't put it on the floor if the votes aren't there to put it over the top.
