Bush and Blair to speak on IraqIt is not quite prime time, but President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair will likely receive high ratings when they appear tonight at a joint news conference to discuss Iraq.
No new initiatives or specific timetables for withdrawal of coalition troops will be unveiled when Bush and Blair stand before the cameras at 7:30 p.m. ET, but rather they are expected to discuss the progress being made with the establishment of the new Iraq government. White House Press Secretary Tony Snow told reporters yesterday that the new government "really does mark a new era" and praised Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for being a "very aggressive, take-charge kind of guy."
Maliki declared yesterday that Iraq military forces would be able to take over full security responsibilities by the close of 2007.
In an interview on CNN's Lou Dobbs Tonight, Snow said he expected Bush and Blair "to talk in very practical terms about how to make that happen, not in terms of skedaddling out of Iraq, but how to strengthen the Iraqi people so that you really do have a success story."
And Snow said Bush is still firmly against setting a timetable for reassigning and withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq.
"The President would like to be able to move U.S. forces into support roles, but you're going to do that as conditions on the ground dictate," Snow told CNN host Lou Dobbs. "You're not simply going to say, 'You know what, we're going to do it in March, we're going to do it in April.'
"You have to find out the shifting realities on the ground, and as the Iraqis become more capable of providing peace, security, prosperity and becoming reliable allies in the war on terror. As the president's often said, as they stand up, we're going to stand down," Snow added.
***The Senate is expected to approve an immigration reform bill favored by Bush, but opposed by many House Republicans. The Senate bill will include a guest worker provision as well as a defined path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Opponents of the Senate bill describe the latter as amnesty. Groups such as Team America PAC and the American Conservative Union are urging its members to contact their senators and representatives telling them to reject the bill. Expect the Capitol Hill switchboard to be busy today.
***Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona) has returned $20,000 in political contributions from a powerful Texas family that is under federal investigation for the unlawful use of offshore tax shelters.
McCain's political action committee, Straight Talk America, returned $5,000 to Charles Wyly, $5,000 to his brother Sam, $5,000 to Sam's wife Cheryl and $5,000 to Charles' son Charles III, according to the PAC's most recent Federal Election Commission filing.
"We have a vetting process here at Straight Talk America," said Craig Goldman, the PAC's executive director. "When that vetting process indicates there is any controversy with a donor, we return the check."
The Wylys were original hosts of a May 15 Dallas fund-raiser for McCain, but Goldman said the PAC asked that they not attend and the family complied.
Goldman said he is not sure how much money McCain, who is considering another run for the White House in 2008, raised at the event.
The Wylys' support of McCain caught many people by surprise, because just six years earlier not only did they back George Bush, then the governor of Texas, in the Republican presidential primary, but they also worked aggressively against McCain.
The brothers formed "Republicans for Clean Air" in the 2000 campaign and used the 527 organization to run $2.5 million worth of ads criticizing the Arizona Republican's environmental record.
Charles Wyly is the chairman and Sam Wyly is the vice chairman of Michaels Stores, which the company describes as the "nation's largest retailer of arts and crafts materials."
McCain appeared on CNN's Larry King Live. Some of the highlights include:
On his hot temper: "My anger did not help my campaign (in 2000). It didn't help. People don't like angry candidates very much."
On running for the White House in 2008: "I think I'll make that decision in the year 2007. My effort and my focus should be for the 2006 election -- all Republicans, it should be. Because we're going to have a tough election."
Thinking about running: "Of course. Of course, one thinks about it. And I've been asked several times, and this has been kind of skewed. I ran into somebody that said, 'Do you want to be president?' Sure. I'd like to be president. The question is, 'Do you want to run for president? And do you think that you can have a viable candidacy?' There are very few Senators I know that wouldn't like to be president."
On his health: "It's excellent ... Very good."
***House Speaker Dennis Hastert and the Justice Department are denying an ABC report broadcast last night that the Illinois Republican is being investigated in connection with the Jack Abramoff corruption probe. Hastert is seeking a full retraction, but ABC is standing by its story. We expect to hear more on this today.
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DAYAHEAD: Events making news in Washington today... President Bush delivers 11 a.m. ET remarks at the "Change of Command Ceremony for the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard" at Fort Lesley J. McNair. At 5:05 p.m. ET, Bush greets British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the two heads of state hold a joint news conference at 7:30 p.m. ET.
The U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations John Bolton was scheduled to appear before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee at 9:30 a.m. ET on the issue of United Nation's reform. Bolton was expected to be asked about Iran.
Senate Democrats kicked off a daylong "Homeland Security Summit" this morning at 9:45 a.m. ET in room 902 of the Hart Senate Office Building with opening remarks by Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-New York) and Richard Durbin (D-Illinois). Highlights include a 10 a.m. discussion on "improving crisis communication" with Delaware Gov. Ruth Ann Minner (D) and 9-11 Commissioner Jamie Gorelick; at 12:30 p.m. former Senator/9-11 Commissioner/now New School President Bob Kerrey (D-Nebraska) delivers the keynote address; and the summit closes with a 2 p.m. ET discussion on "post-Katrina emergency preparedness."
The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee and Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hold a 10 a.m. ET hearing on recent revelations that the VA lost the records of 26.5 million veterans and their spouses. Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson, Veterans Affairs General Counsel Tim McClain and Veterans Affairs Inspector General George Opfer will testify at the hearing being held in room 342 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building. The House Veterans' Affairs Committee held a hearing on the same issue at 9 a.m. ET this morning.
Treasury Secretary John Snow joins House Republican Conference Chairman Deborah Pryce (R-Ohio) and other Republicans to talk taxes at 10 a.m. ET on the terrace of Cannon House Office Building.
The Business Industry Political Action Committee (BIPAC) holds a 10:15 a.m. ET news briefing on "why the business community should support its allies on both sides of the aisle -- not hedge its bets on which party wins majority in November." The event is being held at BIPAC's offices, 888 16th Street, NW.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-California) holds her weekly news conference at 10:45 a.m. ET in room H-206 of the Capitol
Sen. Sam Brownback (R-Kansas) -- a potential 2008 presidential candidate -- holds a hearing on the "consequences of legalized assisted suicide and euthanasia" at 1 p.m. ET in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
House Republicans gather at 1 p.m. ET on the West Front Steps of the Capitol to "pay tribute to America's veterans and active military at (a) Memorial Day rally."
Congressional Democratic leaders visit a gas station at 2 p.m. to criticize Republicans for pursuing a social agenda instead of working to lower energy prices and focusing on other pressing issues. Democrats will meet at the Capitol Hill Exxon, 339 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE.
The Clintons -- former President Bill and Sen. Clinton, a potential 2008 presidential candidate -- attend the Sons of Italy Foundation's 18th Annual National Education and Leadership Awards Gala at 9 p.m. ET in the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington.
And Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is tonight's guest on Larry King Live at 9 p.m. ET.
