Wednesday, September 20, 2006
The Morning Grind
 (A first look at today's political news) POTUS meets with the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at 9:30 am ET at the Waldorf-Astoria in New York City.
***PROGRAMMING NOTE: President Bush will sit down with CNN's Wolf Blitzer today for an interview airing in The Situation Room at 4pm and 7pm ET.*** The wide-ranging interview will be taped in New York City today at 11:30 am ET, and will cover Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan, North Korea, U.S. interrogation policy and the upcoming mid-term elections.
On the Hill today, the Senate Commerce Committee will hold a hearing at 2:30 pm ET to consider the nomination of Mary Peters to be Secretary of Transportation.
The Senate Radio-Television Correspondents' Gallery Daybook
The House Radio-Television Correspondents' Gallery Daybook
Political newcomer Deval Patrick "swept to victory" in yesterday's Democratic gubernatorial primary in Massachusetts, "becoming the first African-American to win a major party's nomination for the top job in the state," reports the Boston Globe. "Patrick had 50 percent of the vote, [Christopher] Gabrieli 27 percent, and [Thomas F.] Reilly was a distant third with 23 percent of the vote."
The Hill reports former DNC Chairman Terry McAuliffe, the "top money man in Democratic politics," "has told business associates and Democratic donors that he will chair Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) presidential campaign next year."
Sen. George Allen (R-Virginia) "acknowledged his Jewish ancestry, a day after angrily ducking a question about possible Jewish forebears in a debate with his Democratic challenger," reports the Richmond Times-Dispatch. Allen said in a statement, "I embrace and take great pride in every aspect of my diverse heritage, including my Lumbroso family line's Jewish heritage, which I learned about from a recent magazine article and my mother confirmed."
And why are some of Ned Lamont's latest campaign ads leaving some political analysts "perplexed?" Find out in Hot Topics below!
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Political Hot Topics
(Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country)
BUSH TO IRANIANS - "YOUR RULERS HAVE CHOSEN TO DENY YOU LIBERTY": President Bush yesterday told Iranians they deserve a better government than they are getting, and he told Muslims worldwide to ignore radical "propaganda and conspiracy theories" that incite them to killing and terrorism. But just hours later, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad told the U.N. General Assembly that the world's conflicts are the result of aggression by the U.S., Israel and other wealthy nations, and said the set-up of the United Nations is fundamentally unfair. The biggest security crisis in the world took center stage as the two leaders spoke in the diplomatic version of the Lincoln-Douglas debates. Mr. Ahmadinejad called out the U.S. and Britain by name, and taunted Mr. Bush, saying "the occupiers are incapable of establishing security in Iraq." Washington Times: Bush warns Iranians of 'liberty' denied
TEXT OF BUSH'S SPEECH (via WhiteHouse.gov)
BUSH MEETING "A SHOW OF SUPPORT FOR ABBAS' MODERATE POLITICS": President Bush, who says peace in the Middle East is one of the prime objectives of his presidency, is sitting down with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas for some of the hard work it will take to turn those words into action. Bush's meeting Wednesday was a show of support for Abbas' moderate politics and his standing in the peace process, even though Abbas was weakened by the victory of rival Hamas militants in parliamentary elections earlier this year. The Bush-Abbas meeting comes on the same day that the United States and other would-be Mideast peacemakers hold their first session since this summer's fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. AP via Yahoo! News: Bush to meet with Palestinian leader
"ANTI-HILLARY" BECOMES MAJOR INTERNATIONAL PLAYER: On Monday, Laura Bush convened an international conference on literacy. Tuesday, she hosted a roundtable aimed at prodding the United Nations into action on the humanitarian crisis in Burma. Wednesday, she will address the Clinton Global Initiative. And Thursday, she is to receive a major international award. By any measure, it is a busy week. It is particularly so for a first lady praised by some admirers as the "anti-Hillary" for her seeming preference for eschewing controversy and for embracing a more traditional role as first lady... [H]er sustained presence at the center of the world stage is unprecedented, which White House aides are promoting in the belief that her emerging profile can only help bolster President Bush's sagging popularity. Washington Post: First Lady Is Playing a Major Role on the World Stage
"DOUBTS" ABOUT AL-MALIKI: Senior Iraqi and American officials are beginning to question whether Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki has the political muscle and decisiveness to hold Iraq together as it hovers on the edge of a full civil war. Four months into his tenure, Mr. Maliki has failed to take aggressive steps to end the country's sectarian strife because they would alienate fundamentalist Shiite leaders inside his fractious government who have large followings and private armies, senior Iraqi politicians and Western officials say. He is also constrained by the need to woo militant Sunni Arabs connected to the insurgency. New York Times: Doubts Increase About Strength of Iraq's Premier
COUP D'ETAT IN THAILAND: The army commander Gen Sonthi Boonyarataglin staged a coup d'etat Tuesday evening (Thailand time) and ousted the government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. A so-called "Democratic Reform Council" declared itself in control and declared martial law nationwide. Terse announcements said it included the commanders of all three armed forces and the police. It said the coup was necessary to correct "unprecedented division in the country." The Council said there seemed to be widespread corruption, and independent agencies were subverted by politicians, apparently a reference to the Thaksin government. "The national government through the current administration has caused conflicts and undermined the harmony of the people as never before in history." Bangkok Post: COUP D'ETAT IN THAILAND
WH DROPS KEY PROVISION IN NEGOTIATIONS ON DETAINEES: Seeking a deal with Senate Republicans on the rules governing the interrogation of terrorism suspects, the White House has dropped its insistence on redefining the obligations of the United States under the Geneva Conventions, members of Congress and aides said Tuesday. The new White House position, sent to Capitol Hill on Monday night, set off intensified negotiations between administration officials and a small group of Republican senators... The two sides were said to be exchanging proposals and counterproposals late Tuesday in a showdown that could have substantial ramifications for national security policy and the political climate heading toward Election Day. New York Times: White House Drops a Condition on Interrogation Bill
FRIST SIGNALS FILIBUSTER IF THEY CAN'T STRIKE A DEAL: Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist signaled yesterday that he and other White House allies will filibuster a bill dealing with the interrogation and prosecution of detainees if they cannot persuade a rival group of Republicans to rewrite key provisions opposed by President Bush. Frist's chief of staff, Eric M. Ueland, called the dissidents' bill "dead." With Congress scheduled to adjourn in nine days, delaying tactics such as a filibuster could kill the drive to enact detainee legislation before the Nov. 7 elections, a White House priority. Washington Post: Dissidents' Detainee Bill May Face Filibuster
NEY WOULD BE 4TH HOUSE MEMBER IN PRISON: With Rep. Bob Ney's (R-Ohio) guilty plea on federal corruption charges last Friday and a stint in prison looming for the lawmaker, the House suddenly finds the ranks of its alumni behind bars growing to a level not seen in a decade. When Ney heads off to prison, likely sometime next year, he will become the fourth Member to be locked up for criminal behavior, and the Ohio Republican may not be the last. Ney will join ex-Reps. James Traficant (D-Ohio), Duke Cunningham (R-Calif.) and Frank Ballance (D-N.C.), all of whom currently are being held in federal correctional facilities. Ney will appear in front of a federal judge on Oct. 13 to formally plead guilty to conspiracy and making false statements. Roll Call: House to Big House
DEVAL PATRICK EASILY WINS IN MA'S DEM GOV PRIMARY: Deval L. Patrick, who rose from poverty in Chicago's South Side to corporate boardrooms and a top post in the Clinton administration, swept to victory in the Democratic Party primary for governor yesterday, becoming the first African-American to win a major party's nomination for the top job in the state. Patrick won half the primary votes cast yesterday, far outpacing his two better known rivals, businessman Christopher Gabrieli and Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly. He made strong showings in blue-collar urban enclaves, in liberal and conservative suburban towns, and in Western Massachusetts. He also carried Cape Cod. With 98 percent of the state precincts reporting, Patrick had 50 percent of the vote, Gabrieli 27 percent, and Reilly was a distant third with 23 percent of the vote. Boston Globe: Patrick roars to nomination
CANTWELL VS. McGAVICK IN WA: Incumbent Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell was cruising toward an easy win against four primary rivals Tuesday, ending speculation that strong anti-war sentiment might hobble her campaign. Her best-known Republican rival, former insurance executive Mike McGavick, was beating five opponents in the early returns, setting up the final showdown between the two. Seattle Times: Cantwell, McGavick heading to Round 2 in clash for Senate
McAULIFFE WILL CHAIR HILLARY'S '08 CAMPAIGN: Former Democratic National Committee Chairman Terry McAuliffe has told business associates and Democratic donors that he will chair Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's (D-N.Y.) presidential campaign next year, according to several Democratic sources. Together, Clinton, the favorite to win the Democratic nomination, and McAuliffe, the top money man in Democratic politics, have a good chance of raising $100 million before the first official contest, the Iowa caucuses in January 2008. While Clinton and her staff insist she is focused solely on winning reelection in New York this November, the decision over who will be in charge of getting her elected to the White House is already settled. The Hill: McAuliffe to join Clinton
BLOOMBERG HEARS '08 WHISPERS IN CALI: As Mayor Bloomberg arrives in California today for a two-day trip, many [CA] voters said they want to see him make a run for the White House. Bloomberg is [in L.A.] to meet with Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and attend a San Jose fund-raiser for Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Rumors that Bloomberg is considering a presidential run dog him everywhere he goes... A recent New York Post/Fox News Channel poll found that 81 percent of Americans would consider voting for a qualified independent White House contender. New York Post: MIKE 'RUNS' - TO CALIF.
GOP GOVERNORS TAKING "A LIBERAL TURN": Across the nation's 36 races for governor, Republican candidates in states heavy with moderate or Democratic voters are playing up their liberal positions on issues including stem cell research, abortion and the environment, while remaining true to their party's platform on taxes and streamlining government. In Massachusetts, Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey, who is seeking to fill the seat that will be vacated by Gov. Mitt Romney, has openly split with Mr. Romney on abortion rights and stem cell research; her views are shared by the Republican candidate for governor in Illinois, Judy Baar Topinka, who also supports civil unions for same-sex couples. In Maryland, the Republican incumbent, Robert L. Ehrlich Jr., is pushing for increasing state aid for programs for the disabled and imposing tighter restrictions on coal-fired plants; the Republican governor of Hawaii, Linda Lingle, opposes the death penalty. In Connecticut, Gov. M. Jodi Rell also parts ways with the Republican Party on civil unions and financing for stem cell research. New York Times: For Governors in G.O.P. Slots, a Liberal Turn
GEORGIA JUDGE THROWS OUT VOTER ID LAW: A state judge has thrown out the latest version of Georgia's law requiring voters to show photo ID, ruling that it violates the constitutional rights of the state's voters. Fulton County Superior Court Judge T. Jackson Bedford Jr. issued the ruling Tuesday, nearly three weeks after lawyers argued both sides of the issue, which is likely headed for the Georgia Supreme Court before the Nov. 7 general elections. Bedford said the photo ID requirement disenfranchises otherwise qualified voters and adds a new condition to voting that violates the state constitution. AP via AJC: Judge voids voter photo ID law
TIED IN JERSEY...: The Senate race in New Jersey, which a Republican hasn't won in 34 years, remains virtually tied with less than two months before Election Day, a poll released Wednesday shows. Among likely voters, including those leaning toward a candidate, Republican challenger Tom Kean Jr. holds a 48-45 percent edge over Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez, the Quinnipiac University poll showed. Six percent remain undecided. This survey of 688 likely voters has an error margin of plus or minus 3.5 percentage points. Among the 1,233 registered voters surveyed, Menendez has a 41-38 percent edge. This survey has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points. AP via Yahoo! News: Poll shows N.J. Senate race a dead heat
... AND NECK-AND-NECK IN RHODE ISLAND: Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee (news, bio, voting record) and Democratic challenger Sheldon Whitehouse are neck-and-neck two months before an election that could help decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate, according to a new Brown University poll. If the election were held Tuesday, 40 percent of voters said they would select former attorney general Whitehouse, compared to 39 percent for Chafee. That lead is negligible because the telephone poll, conducted between Saturday and Monday, questioned 578 likely voters and has a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. AP via Yahoo! News: Poll: R.I. Senate race neck-and-neck
ALLEN CONFIRMS HE IS PART JEWISH AFTER CRITICIZING REPORTER FOR ASKING: U.S. Sen. George Allen, R-Va., yesterday acknowledged his Jewish ancestry, a day after angrily ducking a question about possible Jewish forebears in a debate with his Democratic challenger. Allen said in a written statement that his mother, Etty, confirmed he is part Jewish after he read an Aug. 25 article by the Jewish Daily Forward exploring his roots. The article followed the controversy over Allen's alleged racial remark to an Indian-American volunteer for Democrat Jim Webb. He said in an interview that he was aware of his heritage when asked about it during the nationally televised debate Monday with Webb sponsored by the Fairfax County Chamber of Commerce. Allen did not directly answer a panelist's question on his lineage but sternly criticized her for asking about religion. Richmond Times-Dispatch: Allen tells of his Jewish heritage
ALLEN STATEMENT: "I was raised as a Christian and my mother was raised as a Christian. And I embrace and take great pride in every aspect of my diverse heritage, including my Lumbroso family line's Jewish heritage, which I learned about from a recent magazine article and my mother confirmed." (via GeorgeAllen.com)
LAMONT'S "TURNCOAT" ADS A SURPRISING STRATEGY: On the ground, Ned Lamont is focused this week on the costs and availability of health care - and votes Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman has missed on the issue. But on the air, Lamont is delivering a different message with two television commercials branding Lieberman a "turncoat" for pursuing an independent candidacy since losing the Democratic primary in August. The ads indicate that Lamont, who defeated Lieberman in the primary, 52-48 percent, still is chasing the Democrats who didn't vote in August. Turnout was 43 percent. Some analysts are surprised at Lamont's strategy, saying they expected he would be using his paid media by now to court the largest segment of the Connecticut electorate: unaffiliated voters. Hartford Courant: Lamont's Approach Leaves Some Perplexed
OPRAH NOT HOT ON DRAFT CAMPAIGN: If nominated, Oprah Winfrey will serve...a cease and desist letter. Lawyers for the talk show host are threatening legal action against a retired Kansas City teacher who has mounted a one-man campaign urging the star to run for president in 2008. The entertainer does not want Patrick Crowe, 69, to use her name and image, according to a letter from Winfrey attorney Jerry Glover, a copy of which you'll find below. Through counsel, Winfrey contends that Crowe's use of the Oprah name "falsely implies" that she and her firm, Harpo, Inc., sponsor or endorse the campaign. Along with a self-published book urging a Winfrey White House bid, Crowe has established a web site--Oprah08.net--to push her candidacy. The Smoking Gun: Oprah Seeks To Avoid 2008 Draft
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