Thursday, March 01, 2007
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Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... McCain, who has had a presidential exploratory committee, made the declaration on the "Late Show with David Letterman." "I am announcing that I will be a candidate for president of the United States," McCain told Letterman. "We are going to formally announce it in early April," John Weaver, a top advisor to McCain, told CNN. Weaver said the time and location will be announced at a later date. Link to video of McCain's appearance on Letterman here . McCain "may have additional motives for using the late-night comedian's show, as he tries to rekindle some of the spontaneity and unpredictability from his first campaign." (Washington Post) President's Schedule: At 1:50 pm ET, Bush has lunch with Louisiana elected officials in New Orleans, then visits NOLA's Samuel Green Charter School at 3:25 pm ET. The president will make remarks at the school at 4:05 pm ET. Also on the Political Radar: She'll be accompanied by Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Deputy Commerce Secretary David Sampson and Jim Connaughton, head of the president's Council on Environmental Quality. (Honolulu Star-Bulletin) ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) DEM PLAN WON'T CUT OFF FUNDS, WILL REQUIRE BUSH TO ACKNOWLEDGE PROBLEMS: House Democratic leaders are developing an anti-war proposal that wouldn't cut off money for U.S. troops in Iraq but would require President Bush to acknowledge problems with an overburdened military. The plan could draw bipartisan support but is expected to be a tough sell to members who say they don't think it goes far enough to assuage voters angered by the four-year conflict. Bush "hasn't to date done anything we've asked him to do, so why we would think he would do anything in the future is beyond me," said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., one of a group of liberal Democrats pushing for an immediate end to the war. AP via Yahoo! News: Democratic leaders revamp anti-war plan COMPLAINTS ABOUT WALTER REED GO BACK "MORE THAN THREE YEARS": Top officials at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, including the Army's surgeon general, have heard complaints about outpatient neglect from family members, veterans groups and members of Congress for more than three years. A procession of Pentagon and Walter Reed officials expressed surprise last week about the living conditions and bureaucratic nightmares faced by wounded soldiers staying at the D.C. medical facility. But as far back as 2003, the commander of Walter Reed, Lt. Gen. Kevin C. Kiley, who is now the Army's top medical officer, was told that soldiers who were wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan were languishing and lost on the grounds, according to interviews. Washington Post: Hospital Officials Knew of Neglect ADMIN "PUBLICLY SOFTENING" POSITION ON NORTH KOREA URANIUM ENRICHMENT: Last October, the North Koreans tested their first nuclear device, the fruition of decades of work to make a weapon out of plutonium. For nearly five years, though, the Bush administration, based on intelligence estimates, has accused North Korea of also pursuing a secret, parallel path to a bomb, using enriched uranium. That accusation, first leveled in the fall of 2002, resulted in the rupture of an already tense relationship: The United States cut off oil supplies, and the North Koreans responded by throwing out international inspectors, building up their plutonium arsenal and, ultimately, producing that first plutonium bomb. But now, American intelligence officials are publicly softening their position, admitting to doubts about how much progress the uranium enrichment program has actually made. The result has been new questions about the Bush administration's decision to confront North Korea in 2002. New York Times: U.S. Concedes Uncertainty on North Korean Uranium Effort "TURMOIL" MARKS FIRST DAY OF DEBATE ON ANTI-TERRORISM LAWS: White House veto threats and a fight over national standards for driver's licenses marked the opening Wednesday of a Senate debate over anti-terrorism legislation. The Improving America's Security Act of 2007, which would follow a version passed by the House, would implement recommendations of the bipartisan commission that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. It includes measures to bolster emergency communications and international cooperation on anti-terrorism technology. But it would also give the nation's 43,000 airport screeners collective bargaining rights. That provision - strongly backed by labor's Democratic allies - prompted President Bush to issue the veto threat and Republican senators to promise to sustain his veto. Senators also set the stage for a second battle with the administration, introducing an amendment to delay implementation of a controversial law that sets new requirements for driver's licenses. Los Angeles Times: Senate anti-terrorism debate starts with turmoil "FIELD GENERAL" McCONNELL "LOOKS MORE LIKE A BOOKKEEPER THAN A POWER BROKER": President Bush tomorrow will raise money for his political field general, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who has stymied Democrats at almost every turn of the Iraq war debate. "We think Mitch McConnell is a terrific and able minority leader," said White House spokesman Tony Snow, who declined to comment on how Democrats have fared in their attempts to halt the president's surge of troops to Iraq... Mr. McConnell, 65, who looks more like a bookkeeper than a power broker, is "savagely political," according to one high-placed Democratic source. The Kentucky Republican has twice defeated Majority Leader Harry Reid's attempts to push through an anti-war measure that would have shut out Republican amendments. Washington Times: McConnell fighting Bush's battles in Senate BERNANKE SAYS "ECONOMY IS BASICALLY SOUND": A day after a sharp stock market correction roiled financial markets, fears of a deeper plunge subsided Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke assured Americans the U.S. economy is basically sound. Other economic analysts echoed Bernanke's calming remarks before the House Budget Committee, where he said financial markets are "working well" and the economy appears likely to grow at a sustained but slower pace this year. Wall Street rallied with a modest gain of 52.39 points in the Dow Jones industrial average, partly on Bernanke's words and partly on a bounce in other stock exchanges around the world, including Shanghai, where stocks had plunged 8.8 percent Tuesday and triggered the global correction. Chicago Tribune: Fed chief: Economy is sound MEMBERS WILL GO ON THE RECORD ON JEFFERSON: House Republicans plan to force a floor vote on the appointment of Rep. William J. Jefferson (D-La.), who is the subject of a federal bribery investigation, to a seat on the Homeland Security Committee.The decision to put Jefferson on the panel was made by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), and House Democrats endorsed the move at a private meeting Tuesday night, but his appointment must be confirmed by a vote on the House floor. Such an action would normally be a formality, but Republicans said yesterday that they would pursue a rarely used maneuver to force a recorded vote on the matter. "This is a terrible mistake by the Democratic leadership, to take someone with serious ethical allegations against him and put him on one of the most sensitive and important committees in Congress," said Rep. Peter T. King (N.Y.), the ranking Republican on the committee. Washington Post: House GOP Pushes Floor Vote For Rep. Jefferson Appointment "NEVERMIND," SAYS LIBBY JURY AFTER ASKING FOR CLARIFICATION: Jurors in the perjury and obstruction trial of Lewis "Scooter" Libby got back to work late Wednesday morning, after resolving a question about the wording of one of the five charges against the former vice presidential aide. As court adjourned Tuesday, jurors had passed U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton a note asking for "clarification" of count three of the Libby indictment. That count charges that Libby lied to FBI investigators about his conversation with Time magazine reporter Matthew Cooper. Cooper testified that Libby told him that Valerie Plame, who is married to Iraq war critic Joseph Wilson, worked for the CIA. Libby said he only told Cooper he'd heard that but didn't know if it was true. In their note, jurors asked whether the lying charge referred to the "content" of Libby's statement or the fact that the statement was made. On Wednesday morning, Walton asked jurors to "clarify" their question. Instead, jurors sent back a note indicating that they had resolved their confusion and that "no further clarification (was) needed." USA Today: Libby jury asks, then figures it out PROGRESS FOR AMERICA TO PAY $750K FINE TO FEC: The Progress for America Voter Fund will pay the Federal Election Commission (FEC) a $750,000 penalty for failing to register, file and accept contributions as a federal political action committee, under a settlement announced yesterday by the FEC. The penalty is the third-largest civil penalty in the FEC's 32-year history. The Progress for America Voter Fund raised $45 million leading up to the 2004 general election, with $41 million coming from individual contributions that exceeded federal limits. It spent more than $30 million in communications such as TV and radio ads, some of which advocated reelecting President Bush or defeating Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) in the presidential race. Those expenditures were subject to the Federal Election Campaign Act (FECA), the FEC said. The Hill: Progress for America agrees to pay record FEC fine "SWEATIN'" STAR SIMMONS ON THE HILL: Just when things were getting a little too stuffed-shirt around the Capitol, enter fitness guru and "Sweatin' to the Oldies" star Richard Simmons to bring a little levity. Simmons was in the Capitol and House office buildings on Wednesday, spreading joy - and some unsolicited advice - to unsuspecting staffers. Simmons was dressed in an uncharacteristically sedate suit (alas, there were no short-shorts and terry-cloth headbands) although his signature wild hair was in effect. He accosted one group of House staffers leaving the Longworth cafeteria. "I need to check your lunches," Simmons announced, according to one of the surprised, sandwich-toting aides. "He approved of our sandwiches, but made me look him in the eye and promise not to eat my chips." Which the aide said he just couldn't bring himself to do. Roll Call: Lunch Police FLOTUS ON THE ROAD: First lady Laura Bush is scheduled to tour Midway Atoll tomorrow, getting a firsthand look at its wildlife and historical features, a day before a Honolulu ceremony bestowing a Hawaiian name on the marine national monument that her husband created last year. President Bush promised in June that the 140,000 square miles of islands, atolls and surrounding ocean in the near-pristine Northwestern Hawaiian Islands would be give an appropriate Hawaiian name as soon as possible. Laura Bush will be accompanied on her one-day tour of Sand and Eastern islands -- the two main islands of Midway Atoll -- by U.S. Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne, Deputy Commerce Secretary David Sampson and Jim Connaughton, head of the president's Council on Environmental Quality. Honolulu Star-Bulletin: First lady scheduled for 1-day Midway tour FORGET '08, CONSERVATIVES LOOK TO RECLAIM HOUSE, SENATE: Conservative activists are shifting their 2008 focus to recapturing the House and Senate, hoping that GOP control of at least one chamber of Congress would thwart liberal policies that could come either from a Democratic or moderate Republican White House. Conservative leaders, who are gathering in Washington today for the first Conservative Political Action Conference meeting since the Republican Party's electoral defeat last year, acknowledged in interviews that it will be difficult to reclaim control of Congress. But faced with a pack of GOP presidential contenders with spotty conservative credentials, the party's fiscal and social conservatives say they are making a special effort to reclaim power on Capitol Hill to hold the next White House in line. Boston Globe: Looking past the candidates McCAIN "DISSED" CPAC: Sen. John McCain is the only major Republican presidential candidate who will not address the nation's premier gathering of conservatives this year. Sponsors of the Conservative Political Action Conference, which begins today in Washington and brings together thousands of conservative leaders and grass-roots activists, say the Arizona Republican has "dissed" organizers by attempting to schedule a private reception for attendees after rejecting invitations to speak at the event. "It was a classical McCain move, dissing us by going behind our backs," said William J. Lauderback, executive vice president of the American Conservative Union. Washington Times: McCain rejects CPAC invite NEWT CALLS HILL, "NASTY," "RUTHLESS": Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich yesterday called Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton "a nasty woman" who runs an "endlessly ruthless" campaign machine. The conservative Republican made the surprising comments - after months of taking care not to trash the Democratic presidential front-runner - in a wide-ranging New York Post editorial-board interview. Asked whether Americans are ready to elect Rudy Giuliani - a leader, the questioner noted, whom Ed Koch had called a "nasty man" - Gingrich shot back, "As opposed to a nasty woman?" New York Post: NEWT RIPS 'NASTY' HILL SPORTS BETTING STANCE "EXPECTED TO HURT" EDWARDS IN NV: Former Sen. John Edwards's (D-N.C.) strong support of prohibiting gambling on college sports is expected to hamper his chances in the Nevada presidential caucus. Lawmakers in the Silver State have long criticized the legislation; in 2003, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) called it "anti-Nevada." "If Edwards stays firm on that, it will hurt him," said Eric Herzik, a political scientist at the University of Nevada in Reno. The Hill: Edwards's gambling stance expected to hurt his chances in Nevada caucus HOW TO PRODUCE A POLITICAL BOOK IN LESS THAN 8 WEEKS: This week, less than a month after Mr. Obama formally announced his candidacy, Black Dog's "Hopes and Dreams: The Story of Barack Obama," is hitting bookstores nationwide. Black Dog has printed 100,000 copies of the book, written by Steve Dougherty, including paperbacks priced at $9.95 as well as a special hardcover edition for Barnes & Noble priced at $9.98. "People can't get enough of Barack Obama," said Bruce Lubin, vice president of book development at Barnes & Noble, the nation's largest book retailer. "We think there's an audience." Mr. Lubin declined to say how many books Barnes & Noble has ordered, but described the chain's commitment as "strong." The 128-page book, printed in a magazine-style size and full of photographs of its subject, is being offered in prime front-of-the-store locations and on current-events tables. Wall Street Journal: 'Instant Book' Bets on Obama Appeal WILL ROMNEY FARE WELL IN GRANITE STATE? Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney can campaign in New Hampshire and still sleep at night in his own bed in Massachusetts. Yet, the neighbor's edge has been less than a home-court advantage in the nation's first 2008 presidential primary state. The former Massachusetts governor is romancing an electorate that's already shown fondness for rivals John McCain and interest in Rudy Giuliani. Granite State residents are increasingly voting Democratic, and the expanding ranks of independents may decide they'd rather pick among Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards. "I think the real problem for him is that both he and John McCain are so busy courting the right wing and trumpeting their support for the war, that won't sell up here," said Linda Fowler, a government professor at Dartmouth College. "What may end up happening is that independent voters gravitate to the Democratic primary. That would leave (Romney and McCain) battling over the hardcore Republicans." AP via Yahoo! News: Romney losing edge in New Hampshire GIULIANI'S JUDGES... RED FLAG FOR THE RIGHT? When Rudy Giuliani faces Republicans concerned about his support of gay rights and legal abortion, he reassures them that he is a conservative on the decisions that matter most. "I would want judges who are strict constructionists because I am," he told South Carolina Republicans last month. "Those are the kinds of justices I would appoint -- Scalia, Alito and Roberts." But most of Giuliani's judicial appointments during his eight years as mayor of New York were hardly in the model of Chief Justice John Roberts or Samuel Alito -- much less aggressive conservatives in the mold of Antonin Scalia. A Politico review of the 75 judges Giuliani appointed to three of New York state's lower courts found that Democrats outnumbered Republicans by more than 8 to 1... Cumulatively, Giuilani's record was enough to win applause from people like Kelli Conlin, the head of NARAL Pro-Choice New York, the state's leading abortion-rights group. "They were decent, moderate people," she said. The Politico: Giuliani-Appointed Judges Tend to Lean to the Left LA MAYOR OFFERS TO MENTOR VANDAL: Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa offered Wednesday to mentor a high school student arrested on suspicion of writing graffiti on a bus carrying the mayor and superintendent of schools. The student's principal said the mayor would be subject to the same rules as any other mentor - including the requirement that he be fingerprinted. Speaking to reporters in North Hollywood, Villaraigosa said he agreed with the principal of the Santee Education Complex, Vince Carbino, that the vandalism earlier this week appeared to be a "cry for help" by a troubled youth. Given that, he said, "I'm willing to mentor him personally." But, following up remarks he made the day before, Villaraigosa added: "When you break the law, there's got to be consequences." Los Angeles Times: L.A. mayor offers to mentor tagging suspect |
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• McCain will run for president• FEC slaps conservative '527' group with $750,000 f... • Senators try to revive immigration debate • Clinton raises $1 million on the internet in week • Lieberman criticizes Bush over first-responder fun... • House GOP to object to Jefferson's Homeland Securi... • Ridge gets behind McCain • '08ers on the trail: Wednesday • Jefferson gets seat on Homeland Security Committee... • Obama: I don't need to prove myself to black leade... SUBSCRIBE
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