Friday, November 10, 2006
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Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... "Republican officials" told The Washington Times that Michael Steele, who lost his bid for the U.S. Senate in Maryland on Tuesday, "has been sought out to succeed Mr. Mehlman as national party chairman. Those Republican officials said Mr. Steele had not made a decision whether to take the post, as of last night." Roll Call also reports Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee) "said Thursday that he has secured enough commitments from his fellow GOP Senators to win the position of Minority Whip in the 110th." President's Schedule: At 2 pm ET, Bush participates in a dedication of the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Quantico, Virginia. ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) "'A TERRIFIC OPPORTUNITY' TO RETHINK IRAQ": Robert M. Gates, President Bush's choice to become defense secretary, has sharply criticized the Bush administration's handling of the Iraq war and has made it clear that he would seek advice from moderate Republicans who have been largely frozen out of the White House, according to administration officials and Mr. Gates's close associates. The administration officials said that Mr. Bush was aware of Mr. Gates's critique of current policy and understood that Mr. Gates planned to clear the "E Ring" of the Pentagon, where many of Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld's senior political appointees have plotted Iraq strategy. Stephen J. Hadley, the national security adviser, said Thursday afternoon that Mr. Bush regarded his choice of Mr. Gates as "a terrific opportunity" to rethink Iraq. New York Times: After Rumsfeld: Bid to Reshape the Brain Trust TIMING OF RUMSFELD ANNOUNCEMENT "A SLAP IN THE FACE" TO SOME IN GOP: Donald Rumsfeld's abrupt resignation from the Pentagon the day after Republicans lost both chambers of Congress has infuriated some GOP officials on and off Capitol Hill. Members and staff still reeling from Tuesday's rout are furious about the administration's decision to dump the controversial defense secretary one day after their historic loss, they said in a series of interviews about the election results... "The White House said keeping the majority was a priority, but they failed to do the one thing that could have made a difference," one House GOP leadership aide said Thursday. "For them to toss Rumsfeld one day after the election was a slap in the face to everyone who worked hard to protect the majority." The Hill: GOP furious about timing of Rumsfeld resignation HEARINGS TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR DECEMBER 4: Republican leaders on Thursday set quick Senate confirmation hearings for Robert Gates, President George W. Bush's nominee as secretary of defense, hoping to get him confirmed by the end of the year. "I would look right now tentatively for the confirmation hearings to begin the week of December 4," said an aide to Senate Majority leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican. "It is our goal to get Gates confirmed before the end of the year, and we're hopeful, based on what we've heard from Democrats up to this point, that that will be able to transpire," said the aide, who asked not to be named. Reuters via Yahoo! News: Senate to start Gates hearings in December: aide "SMILES AND PLEDGES OF COOPERATION": President Bush, confronted face to face with the reality of divided government, broke bread with the two top House Democrats at the White House and vowed not to allow partisan divisions to hobble the remaining two years of his presidency. After meeting separately with his Cabinet and the outgoing GOP congressional leadership, Bush laid out an agenda for the lame-duck congressional session that begins next week, including a nuclear technology deal with India, a free-trade agreement with Vietnam and his plan to permit wiretapping of terrorism suspects without a court warrant... Pelosi and Bush offered smiles and pledges of cooperation as they faced reporters in the Oval Office after a lunch of pasta salad in the president's private dining room. "We won't agree on every issue," Bush said. "But we do agree that we love America equally, that we are concerned about the future of the country and that we will do our very best to address big problems." Washington Post: Bush Meets With Pelosi; Both Pledge Cooperation DID BUSH FORGET CHENEY WAS IN THE ROOM? It was no doubt inadvertent, but it was hard not to find some symbolism in the moment Thursday in the Oval Office when President Bush seemed to forget that Vice President Dick Cheney was in the room. Representatives Nancy Pelosi, the Democratic leader who is soon to become the first female speaker of the House, and Steny H. Hoyer, the Democratic whip, had come to the White House for lunch. As the two Democrats, Mr. Bush and Mr. Cheney sat in front of a fireplace, the president spoke about the importance of working together to get things done. "Both of us recognize - all three of us," Mr. Bush said, apparently referring to himself, Ms. Pelosi and Mr. Hoyer, "recognize that when you win, you have a responsibility to do the best you can for the country." The omission of Mr. Cheney, the embodiment of the administration's approach to national security, raised an intriguing question. As Mr. Bush grapples with the loss of his Republican majority in Congress, how far will he go to reinvent himself, and who - or what philosophies - is he willing to jettison along the way? New York Times: On a Shifting Playing Field, a Sense of Rising Expectations "THE PEOPLE OF VIRGINIA... THEY HAVE SPOKEN": Republican Sen. George Allen conceded defeat yesterday to Jim Webb, effectively handing control of the U.S. Senate to Democrats. Shortly after Allen's concession, Sen.-elect Webb said, "I'm walking into the United States Senate with the independence to represent the people who have no voice in the corridors of power." The appearances by Allen and Webb came about 90 minutes apart in Northern Virginia. "The people of Virginia, who I also call the owners of the government -- they have spoken. And I respect their decision," Allen told a few dozen supporters, reporters, photographers and 25 television cameras at the Carlyle House in Old Town Alexandria. "It is Virginia that turned the Senate blue," a joyful Gov. Timothy M. Kaine said as he joined Webb at a rally in Arlington after the Allen appearance. Richmond Times-Dispatch: Democrats rejoice as Allen concedes FROM '08 DARLING TO OUTGOING SENATOR: Allen began the campaign with a 16-point lead in the polls. As a wildly popular governor and then senator, he was considered a shoo-in for reelection. As Allen visited Iowa and New Hampshire and prepared for a 2008 presidential bid, the conventional wisdom in August was that a stunning victory in the Senate race would position him as the darling of the party. Then came the now-legendary "macaca moment." He called a Webb volunteer of Indian descent "macaca" and welcomed him to "America and the real world of Virginia." That was followed by his awkward handling of revelations about his Jewish heritage and accusations that he used racial epithets during and after college. He also got caught up in a tide of anti-GOP sentiment that cost Republicans control of the House and the Senate. Washington Post: After 2 Decades in Ascent, A Stunning Breakdown ARE YOU READY FOR SOME HEARINGS? It has been 12 years since Democrats were in control of both the House and Senate. But they are looking to make up for lost time, and in some cases, make the Bush administration and its business allies sweat. With control of every committee in Congress starting in January, the new majority will inherit broad powers to subpoena and investigate. And that is expected to translate into wide-ranging and contentious hearings. The agenda is likely to be dominated by the Iraq war, but could include probes into the Bush administration's warrantless surveillance, environmental policies and new prescription-drug program for seniors. Industries, such as oil companies, could also come under closer scrutiny. "The American people sent a clear message that they do not want a rubber-stamp Congress that simply signs off the president's agenda," said Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), who is in line to become chairman of the House Judiciary Committee. Los Angeles Times: Democrats are set to subpoena THE NEW SENATE LEADER: Harry Reid began Election Day with 50 situps and 80 push-ups (very red state of him) and 40 minutes of yoga (very blue state of him). He spent most of the momentous day in his Senate office, waiting. Just after 2 p.m., he finally heard some actual news: Britney Spears was filing for divorce. Few would peg Mr. Reid, 66, as someone with anything to say about Britney Spears or, for that matter, someone who would ever use the word "mojo." But he is a tricky figure to pigeonhole or predict, a Democrat who is a Mormon opposed to abortion and who looks more like a civics teacher than someone set to become the most powerful person in the Senate. New York Times: Harry Reid, an Infighter With a Sharp Jab MEHLMAN WON'T SEEK ANOTHER TERM AT RNC: Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman announced he is going to step down at the end of the year. The White House is already searching for a replacement or replacements to lead the party into the 2008 presidential campaign cycle, sources tell CNN. Two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Mehlman has made clear to close associates for some time he was likely to leave after the 2006 elections -- and that there is no dissatisfaction with his performance in the midterm cycle. One name that has come up as a possible replacement is outgoing Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele, who just lost a U.S. Senate race. One of the sources, though, said a more likely scenario is for Steele to join the Bush administration in another capacity after the first of the year when a few members of the Bush Cabinet and other senior officials are expected to leave. CNN: Mehlman stepping down as Republican Committee Chair STEELE MAY BE TOP CANDIDATE, IF HE'S NOT OFFERED A CABINET POST: Republican officials told The Times that Mr. Steele, who lost his bid for the U.S. Senate on Tuesday, has been sought out to succeed Mr. Mehlman as national party chairman. Those Republican officials said Mr. Steele had not made a decision whether to take the post, as of last night. Other Republican Party officials said some Republican National Committee (RNC) members, including state party chairmen, have mounted a move to have Mr. Steele succeed Mr. Mehlman. But they said that President Bush's political adviser Karl Rove, who is Mr. Mehlman's mentor, would rather see Mr. Steele serve in the president's Cabinet, perhaps as secretary of Housing and Urban Development. These officials said no one has actually offered Mr. Steele either the RNC post or a Cabinet post. Washington Times: RNC asks Steele to replace Mehlman WIRETAPS BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT: The Bush administration escalated its defense of the National Security Agency's domestic wiretapping program on Thursday, even as Democrats in Congress vowed to investigate the program aggressively once they assume power. In Washington, President Bush urged that during the lame-duck session that starts next week, Congress pass a bill effectively authorizing the program. And in San Francisco, the Justice Department told a federal court that public scrutiny of the operation risked "exceptionally grave harm to national security." But Democrats sounded impatient to begin getting more answers after what they characterized as 11 months of stonewalling by the administration since the program was publicly disclosed last December. New York Times: With Power Set to Be Split, Wiretaps Re-emerge as Issue BOLTON'S CONFIRMATION CHANCES ESSENTIALLY DEAD: John Bolton's prospects for staying on as U.N. ambassador essentially died Thursday as Democrats and a pivotal Republican said they would continue to oppose his nomination... On Thursday, the White House resubmitted Bolton's nomination to the Senate, where the appointment has languished for more than a year. Bush appointed him to the job temporarily in August 2005 while Congress was in recess, an appointment that will expire when the Congress adjourns, no later than January. Sen. Lincoln Chafee R-R.I., who was defeated by Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse on Tuesday, told reporters in Rhode Island that he would continue opposing Bolton. That would likely deny Republicans the votes needed to move Bolton's nomination from the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to the full Senate. AP via Yahoo! News: Bolton unlikely to win Senate approval EMANUEL TO RUN FOR CAUCUS CHAIR; DeGETTE TO CHALLENGE CLYBURN FOR WHIP: Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) announced Thursday that he will run to become chairman of the Democratic Caucus in the 110th Congress, quelling speculation that he would enter the race for House Majority Whip. Rep. Diana DeGette (D-Colo.) is expected to announce that she will enter the race for the third-ranking leadership post, challenging Democratic Caucus Chairman James Clyburn (S.C.), who declared his candidacy for Whip on Wednesday. DeGette currently serves as the Chief Deputy Minority Whip under Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who is himself seeking the Majority Leader's office. In a statement, Emanuel said he would run for Caucus chair on a ticket with Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.), the current Caucus vice chairman. Roll Call: Emanuel Announces for Caucus Chair; DeGette Expected to Enter Whip Race SCHUMER TO STAY ON AS DSCC CHAIR UNTIL '08: Sen. Charles Schumer will serve as the political consigliere for the Senate's top Democrat with the job of preventing the party from making a hard left turn, The Post has learned. Sources said Schumer has agreed to Senate Majority Leader-in-waiting Harry Reid's request that he stay on as head of the Democratic campaign committee for another two years, partly to counter the growing influence of liberals like Sen. Ted Kennedy and Rep. Nancy Pelosi. Reid and other party bosses believe Schumer's middle-of-the-road strategy in recruiting a fistful of moderate candidates to knock off GOP incumbents in red states is the only way for Democrats to hold onto or increase their power. New York Post: CENTER STAGE FOR SCHUMER, THE NEW 'DON' OF THE DEMS ALEXANDER SAYS HE HAS WHIP JOB LOCKED UP: Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said Thursday that he has secured enough commitments from his fellow GOP Senators to win the position of Minority Whip in the 110th Congress. Alexander, a first-term Senator, former governor and presidential hopeful, would not give specific numbers, but asserted in an interview that he has a majority of Republican Senators behind his bid to be the No. 2 leader in the Conference. With 49 Republican Senators set to serve next Congress, Alexander would have to have the backing of at least 25 Senators to secure the Whip post. "Today, I have a majority of votes within the Republican Conference and I am working on a consensus," Alexander said. "I hope to win by not just a bare majority but by a consensus and I am going to keep working toward that." Roll Call: Alexander Claims 'Majority of Votes' for Whip Post FLORIDA RECOUNT: As national attention focuses on voting results in the hotly contested 13th Congressional District race, election officials will work through the three-day weekend preparing for impending recounts. Sarasota County Supervisor of Elections Kathy Dent called on state officials for help. Democrats and voters' rights activists have questioned the results of the race, in which there was a large undervote and a 368-vote margin between Republican Vern Buchanan and Democrat Christine Jennings. The state Division of Elections pledged to audit the county's voting system after any recounts to see why more than 18,000 voters -- 13 percent -- who showed up at the polls voted in other races but not the Buchanan-Jennings contest. Gov. Jeb Bush called the 13th district results "an unusual anomaly" on Thursday. Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Sarasota elections office braces for 'intense' recount WYOMING'S SENATOR CRAIG DIAGNOSED WITH LEUKEMIA: U.S. Sen. Craig Thomas has been diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, an aggressive form of cancer of the blood and bone marrow. Thomas, 73, who won re-election Tuesday to a six-year Senate term, has already begun treatment and will remain in the hospital for at least a month. In a statement, the Republican said he's strong and ready to take on this challenge with grit and determination. "I am joining all of the thousands and thousands of other cancer survivors in Wyoming," he said in a statement. "I certainly didn't expect this diagnosis, but I will be back by the January session ready for full service in the new Congress. Susan and I thank you for all of your good wishes." Casper Star-Tribune: Leukemia strikes senator CHAFEE MAY LEAVE GOP: In his first interview since losing the Republican U.S. Senate seat that has been in his family for three decades, Lincoln D. Chafee yesterday said a lot of people had been coming up to him "and saying, 'We're sorry you lost, but glad the Congress switched' " from GOP to Democratic Party control. Asked if deep down, despite his personal disappointment about the outcome of Tuesday's election, he felt the same way, Chafee looked into the TV cameras and said: "To be honest, yes."... In a free-wheeling interview, a serene Chafee did not rule out a return to the political arena at some point; half-joked that he now has a house in Providence that would enable him to run for mayor there if an opening presents itself. He also left the door open, again, to possibly changing his party affiliation. Providence Journal: Anger at his own party CAN VILSACK STAND OUT AMONG DEM "GIANTS"? Gov. Tom Vilsack's entry into the 2008 presidential campaign Thursday rippled through the national political scene, even as Democratic activists in his own pivotal home state said he is not guaranteed to win Iowa's lead-off nominating caucuses. National party insiders said that his candidacy, like the candidate, was viewed as serious and that its biggest obstacle was becoming better known among a field of prospects that includes superstar names such as Clinton and Obama. "He might be going up against people who I call giants," said Donna Brazile, who ran Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign. "What Vilsack has to be mindful of is, as he builds his name ID, a national network and war chest, is what he has learned about connecting to people. That's what he brings to the table." Des Moines Register: Underdog Vilsack opens '08 campaign DENVER HOPES FOR '08 DEM CONVENTION: The Mile High City is hoping that a rising Democratic tide in Colorado and the West will lift its chances of hosting the party's 2008 convention. Officials involved in Denver's bid for the convention say their prospects against rival New York City improved on Tuesday as Colorado voters put a decidedly Democratic stamp on the state. "I think our chances are now better," says Denver City Council member Rosemary Rodriguez, who serves on the city's convention bid committee. If held in Denver, it would be the first Democratic convention here since 1908, when William Jennings Bryan was nominated. USA Today: Denver wooing Democrats for '08 MA LAWMAKERS RECESS BEFORE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE VOTE: State lawmakers yesterday again refused to vote on a proposed ban on same-sex marriages, a move that activists on both sides said effectively killed any chance that the measure would appear on the 2008 statewide ballot. The House and Senate, meeting in a special joint session, voted to recess before taking up a proposed amendment to the state constitution that would limit the legal definition of marriage to the union of one man and one woman. Lawmakers voted to adjourn the session until Jan. 2, the last official day of the session. The 109-87 vote to recess dealt a crushing blow to opponents of same-sex marriage looking to override the landmark court decision three years ago that put Massachusetts on the vanguard of gay rights. The Supreme Judicial Court ruled in a 4-3 decision in 2003 that gays and lesbians could legally marry under the state constitution. Boston Globe: Legislature again blocks bid to ban gay marriage |
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 Senator admits 'serious sin'  Bush opens new briefing room What the Iraq war costs youNEW IN THE TICKER
• Snow: Dem's provide 'opportunity' for bipartisansh...• Tester says his priorities match Congressional Dem... • Gutierrez and Jackson pass on Daley challenge • Bolton unlikely to win Senate approval • Roll Call: Pelosi Takes Hastert's Other Office • Emanuel to seek Democratic Caucus chairmanship • Ahead on CNN • Roll Call: Alexander Claims 'Majority of Votes' fo... • Conservative bloggers want say in GOP elections • Mehlman likely to leave RNC SUBSCRIBE
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