Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Bush stumps for GOP in Georgia, find lots of empty seats
PERRY, Ga. (AP) -- President Bush on Tuesday spent a second day in a row campaigning in rural Georgia, targeting a shrinking slice of America where Republicans think he still can help their election cause.
Bush is spending the final days of the midterm campaign in small town venues, where White House officials hope he can inspire people to vote GOP next Tuesday. He didn't fill the arena at the Georgia National Fairgrounds -- plenty of seats were empty in the back along with nearly half of the vast floor space. But those who came out for the Halloween night rally were enthusiastic, applauding his call for tax cuts and against gay marriage. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Bush on Kerry remark: U.S. troops are 'plenty smart'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush joined GOP lawmakers Tuesday in blasting Sen. John Kerry for telling a group of college students they could either work hard in school or "get stuck in Iraq."
"Even in the midst of a heated campaign season, there are still some things we should all be able to agree on, and one of the most important is that every one of our troops deserves our gratitude and respect," Bush said. Kerry told reporters in Seattle, Washington, that the remark was a "botched joke" meant to target the president, not U.S. troops. Full story Democrats' confidence rises
WASHINGTON (AP) -- After a decade in the political wilderness, Democrats are beginning to predict confidently if quietly that they will win control of the House in next week's elections, and
possibly emerge with a relatively robust majority. The optimism coincides with a Republican retreat Tuesday in three costly, highly competitive races in Pennsylvania, Colorado and Ohio, as well as polls showing continued public dissatisfaction with President Bush and the war in Iraq. In addition, fundraising is running significantly stronger than two years ago, $104.5 million through Oct. 18. That represents an increase of more than 30 percent, and has allowed Democrats to launch late-campaign television advertising in several districts in recent days in an attempt to maximize their gains on Election Day. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Parties target competitive races in Pennsylvania
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The national campaign committees have spent $18 million combined on a few House races in Pennsylvania, a state Democrats see as critical to their hopes of capturing control of the House.
The spending is more than the $12 million combined spent in Ohioor the $9 million combined dedicated to Connecticut, the other top states with several competitive House races. The independent expenditure money primarily pays for television ads and can make the difference in competitive races -- particularly if a candidate is short on cash. Democrats must gain 15 seats in next week's election to win control of the House. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Kentucky Republican in toss-up House race
LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) -- Democrats have been targeting Republican Rep. Anne Northup for a decade to no avail, but that hasn't stopped them from betting once again that her political luck is about to run out.
Northup, a five-term incumbent, has a lot of advantages, including a prized seat on the House Appropriations Committee. She has raised twice as much money as her Democratic opponent. But her ties to President Bush, mounting casualties in Iraq and her district's penchant for leaning Democrat has made the race against Louisville businessman John Yarmuth a virtual toss-up. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Scandal rocks Nevada Governor's race
RENO, Nevada (AP) -- Nevada's race for governor was barely a contest at all until it took a scandalous turn a few weeks ago, when a cocktail waitress accused Rep. Jim Gibbons of trying to sexually assault her in a parking garage after a night of drinking just off the Las Vegas Strip.
The lurid allegations in the closing weeks of the campaign have put the race back in play and put the one-time Republican front-runner on the defensive. Policy issues have taken a back seat to dueling news conferences, a burgeoning criminal investigation and a mystery over what exactly is on the parking garage's surveillance video. Gibbons, a conservative five-term congressman from Reno and the only member in the House to have served in both the Vietnam and Persian Gulf wars, had held a nine-point lead in September over liberal Democrat Dina Titus, a state lawmaker and political science professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Lamont faults Bush praise for Lieberman
HARTFORD, Connecticut (AP) -- Democrat Ned Lamont questioned Sen. Joe Lieberman's independence after President Bush praised the incumbent for his support of the Iraq war.
"Clearly President Bush and Dick Cheney are out there campaigning for Joe Lieberman," Lamont said Tuesday during a campaign stop. "They think it's a vote that they can count upon in a pinch ... The president is out there speaking loud and clear on behalf of Joe." In a television interview on Monday, Bush said Lieberman has not wavered in his support of the war, unlike some Democrats who have voted to support it but have since turned against it. Several Republican senators also have raised questions about the U.S. direction in Iraq. For CNN's coverage of key races, check out America Votes 2006 Heckler subdued at George Allen event
RICHMOND, Virginia (AP) -- A heckler who confronted Sen. George Allen at a campaign appearance Tuesday was put in a chokehold and slammed to the floor by three of the Republican's supporters in an incident captured on video.
Mike Stark, a liberal blogger and first-year University of Virginia law student, approached Allen at an event in Charlottesville, loudly asking, "Why did you spit at your first wife, George?" according to witnesses. Three men, all wearing blue Allen lapel stickers, immediately grabbed Stark, dragged him backward and slung him to the carpet outside a hotel meeting room, according to video captured by WVIR-TV in Charlottesville. For CNN's coverage of the midterms, check out America Votes 2006 Bush to criticize Kerry for remarks
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a speech in Georgia at 5 pm Tuesday, President Bush will sharply criticize Sen. John Kerry for the Massachusetts Democrats' controversial comments in which he said students who do not take their academics seriously will get "stuck" in Iraq.
"The senator's suggestion that the men and women of our military are somehow uneducated is insulting and shameful," Bush is expected to say. "Our troops did not enlist because they did not study hard in school or do their homework. The men and women who serve in our all-volunteer Armed Forces are plenty smart and are serving because they are patriots -- and Senator Kerry owes them an apology." The White House released Bush's prepared remarks Earlier in the day, Kerry described his comments as a "botched joke" and sharply condemned GOP critics who have called for him to apologize. Ahead on CNN
4 p.m. ET, The Situation Room
-Democratic strategist James Carville and Bay Buchanan, Chairperson of Team of America PAC, will square off on Sen. John Kerry's, D-Massachusetts's, controversial comments. 5 p.m. ET, The Situation Room -Rep. Charlie Rangel and Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, join Wolf to discuss the midterm election campaigns. 7-9 p.m. ET, Special primetime edition of The Situation Room -Arianna Huffington of Huffingtonpost.com and Democratic Rep. Ben Cardin, who is in a tight race for Maryland's open Senate seat with Lt. Gov. Michal Steele, join Wolf to discuss the 2006 elections. 10 p.m. ET, Anderson Cooper 360 -Political columnist Andrew Sullivan and political commentator David Gergen will discuss White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove's role in the final week of the midterm election campaigns. Gard and Kagen in dead heat in WI-08
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican John Gard is in a statistical tie with Democrat Steve Kagen in Wisconsin's 8th Congressional District Race. The Green Bay-area district is a traditional Republican stronghold. The poll was conducted by St. Norbert College.
Polling Dates: Oct. 17-25, 2006 Sample Size: 400 Likely VotersMargin of Error: +/-5% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
Sali and Grant in close race for ID-01
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Bill Sali (R) is in a virtual tie with Democratic nominee Larry Grant. The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon for the Idaho Statesman and KIVI-TV.
Polling Dates: Oct. 23-25, 2006 Sample Size: 625 voters Margin of Error: +/-6% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
Kerry says White House distorting his words
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, described his controversial remarks at a political rally Monday as a "botched joke" and sharply condemned GOP critics who have called for him to apologize.
"My statement yesterday, and the White House knows this full well, was a botched joke about the president, and the president's people, not about the troops," Kerry Tuesday said at a news conference in Seattle. "The White House's attempt to distort my true statement is a remarkable testament to their abject failure in making America safe." Kerry came under fire Tuesday from Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, White House spokesman Tony Snow and other Republican leaders for saying students who do not take their academics seriously will get "stuck" in Iraq. "You know our education, if you make the most of it, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well," Kerry said at the political rally for California gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides. "If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Otter and Brady in dead heat in Idaho
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. C.L. "Butch" Otter is neck-and-neck with Democratic nominee Jerry Brady in Idaho's governor's race. The poll was conducted by Mason-Dixon for the Idaho Statesman and KIVI-TV.
Polling Dates: Oct. 23-25, 2006 Sample Size: 625 votersMargin of Error: +/-4% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
Murphy has four-point edge over Johnson in CT-05
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Connecticut Democratic state Sen. Chris Murphy has an edge over Republican Rep. Nancy Johnson in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District race. The poll was conducted by the Hartford Courant/University of Connecticut.
Polling Dates: Oct 24-28, 2006 Sample Size: 762 likely votersMargin of Error: +/-4% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
Kerry aide: Senator 'mangled' prepared statement
WASHINGTON (CNN) --An aide to Sen. John Kerry told CNN Tuesday the Massachusetts Senator "mangled" a prepared statement when he said students who do not take their academics seriously will get "stuck" in Iraq.
According to the aide, Kerry meant to say: "I can't overstress the importance of a great education. Do you know where you end up if you don't study, if you aren't smart, if you're intellectually lazy? You end up getting us stuck in a war in Iraq." While speaking Monday at a campaign rally for California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides, Kerry set off a political firestorm when he said students who do not make an effort in school may end up in Iraq. "You know our education, if you make the most of it, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well," Kerry said at the Angelides rally held at Pasadena City College. "If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." --CNN Congressional Correspondent Andrea Koppel
Blagojevich has lead over Topinka
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Gov. Rod Blagojevich has a double digit lead over Republican Judy Baar Topinka in the race for the governor's house in Illinois. The poll was conducted by the Chicago Tribune and WGN-Ch. 9.
Polling Dates: Oct. 27-29, 2006 Sample Size: 600 likely voters Margin of Error: +/-4% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
McCain, Snow call on Kerry to apologize
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts, came under fire from Republicans including Sen. John McCain Tuesday for saying at a political rally that students who do not take academics seriously get "stuck" in Iraq.
While speaking Monday at a campaign rally for California Democratic gubernatorial candidate Phil Angelides, Kerry said students who do not make an effort in school may end up in Iraq. "You know our education, if you make the most of it, you do your homework, and you make an effort to be smart, you can do well," Kerry said at the Angelides rally held at Pasadena City College. "If you don't, you get stuck in Iraq." The Arizona senator called on Kerry, a fellow Vietnam veteran, to apologize for the comments as did White House spokesman Tony Snow and House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. "Senator Kerry owes an apology to the many thousands of Americans serving in Iraq, who answered their country's call because they are patriots and not because of any deficiencies in their education," McCain said in a statement released by his political action committee. Prior to the McCain rebuke, Snow described Kerry's comments as "an absolute insult." But Kerry defended himself saying his remarks were misinterpreted. And, specifically addressing Snow's criticisms, described them as "despicable Republican attacks." "If anyone thinks a veteran would criticize the more than 140,000 heroes serving in Iraq and not the president who got us stuck there, they're crazy," Kerry said in the statement. "This is the classic G.O.P. playbook. I'm sick and tired of these despicable Republican attacks that always seem to come from those who never can be found to serve in war, but love to attack those who did." --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Menendez has edge over Kean
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Bob Menendez has a five-point advantage over Republican candidate Tom Kean, Jr. The poll was conducted by Quinnipiac University.
Polling Dates: October 23 - 29, 2006 Sample Size: 887 likely votersMargin of Error:+/- 3.3% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
Murphy and Johnson are neck-and-neck in Connecticut
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic challenger Chris Murphy is in a dead heat with Rep. Nancy Johnson (R) in Connecticut's 5th Congressional District race. This survey was conducted by Research 2000 for the New London Day and Manchester Journal Inquirer.
Polling Dates: Oct. 27 – 29, 2006 Sample Size: 600 likely votersMargin of Error: +/-4% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
Farrell and Shays close in Connecticut
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Democratic candidate Diana Farrell has a four-point edge over Rep. Chris Shays (R) in Connecticut's 4th Congressional District race. The poll was conducted by Research 2000 for the New London Day and Manchester Journal Inquirer.
Polling Dates: Oct. 26-28, 2006 Sample Size: 600 likely voters Margin of Error +/-4% Millions spent on negative political ads
WASHINGTON (AP) -- So far this campaign, the political parties have exposed voters to nearly $160 million in ads attacking congressional candidates. How much spent painting a positive image? About $17 million. That's nearly $1 of nice for every $10 of nasty.
The message ingrained in such a disparity in numbers: Don't vote for a candidate; vote against the opponent. Negative ads are the coin of the realm in politics. With one week left in the campaign, voters will continue to be bombarded on television, in the mail and over the phone as political strategists make their closing arguments to a shrinking pool of those who haven't made up their minds. For more of CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 On the campaign trail with potential '08ers
Obama heads to Wisconsin Tuesday
Who: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois What: Campaign rally with Gov. Jim Doyle, D-Wisconsin. Details: -Will speak at a rally for Doyle's reelection bid in Milwaukee Zell Miller leads Democratic coalition for Santorum
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Sen. Zell Miller, a Georgia Democrat who supported President Bush in 2004, will head a new group of Democrats supporting Pennsylvania GOP Sen. Rick Santorum's reelection bid.
"I am not involved in any other race in the country," Miller said during a radio interview Monday, according to a news release from Santorum's campaign. "I am only doing this for Rick Santorum. I believe in Rick Santorum's leadership that much." Santorum is trailing in public polls to his Democratic challenger Bob Casey, Jr. Miller alienated his Senate Democratic colleagues two years ago when he endorsed Bush and campaigned for him in his successful reelection bid against Sen. John Kerry, D-Massachusetts. And in a fiery speech at the 2004 Republican National Convention, Miller criticized Kerry's military strategy. "This is the man who wants to be the Commander in Chief of the U.S. Armed Forces," Miller said. "U.S. forces armed with what? Spitballs?" --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
On the campaign trail with potential '08ers
Romney heads to the Northwest Tuesday
Who: Massachusetts GOP Gov. Mitt Romney What: Campaign rally for Rep. Butch Otter, R-Idaho, as well as a campaign appearance with Oregon Republican gubernatorial candidate Ron Saxton. Details: -Will attend campaign rally for Otter in Boise, Idaho -Will Campaign with Saxton in Portland, Oregon Bush 'pleased' with North Korea's return to talks
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said he was 'pleased' Tuesday that North Korea indicated it would resume nuclear negations, but added he would still press the nation to comply with the U.N. Security Council sanctions.
"I am pleased, and I want to thank the Chinese for encouraging the meeting that got the agreement to get the six-party talks restarted," Bush told reporters in the Oval office. "I've always felt like it is important for the United States to be at the table with other partners when it comes time to addressing this important issue. However the president cautioned there is still "a lot of work to do," and indicated he would go ahead with his plan to send envoys to the region to enforce the U.N. Security Council sanctions. "We'll be sending teams to the region to work with our partners to make sure that the current United Nations Security Council resolution is enforced, but also to make sure that the talks are effective; that we achieve the results we want, which is a North Korea that abandons their nuclear weapons programs, and her nuclear weapons, in a verifiable fashion in return for a better way forward for her people," the President added. --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
McCain adds several South Carolina sheriffs to PAC
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain added 11 South Carolina county sheriffs to his political action committee Tuesday, the latest in the Arizona Republican's ongoing effort to build support in the Palmetto state ahead of a potential presidential run.
The 11 sheriffs, representing a majority of the GOP sheriffs in South Carolina, will form a "Law Enforcement Advisory Committee" to assist McCain's efforts in the southern state. "These eleven sheriffs are recognized as highly respected leaders," McCain said in a statement. "By protecting the lives, safety and security of South Carolina's citizens, they honor the highest and most noble calling of public service. I am truly humbled to have their support and advice." --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
CNN Polls: 4 key Senate races tight
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- With a week to go before voters cast their midterm election ballots, four key Senate races remain statistical dead heats, and Republican Sen. Mike DeWine faces uphill sledding in his re-election battle in Ohio, according to new CNN polls released Tuesday.
The polls were conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corporation in Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia, all of which have hard-fought Senate races that could determine whether Democrats manage to wrest control of the upper chamber from Republicans. Full story Full poll results America Votes 2006 Pentagon developing public relations response team
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Pentagon has begun a new "rapid response" operation to quickly respond to news media stories critical of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and the war in Iraq, as well as other stories the Defense Department leadership doesn't like. The operation is similar to those used in political campaigns, but officials say the new organization was not started specifically because of rising criticism of the war. Defense Department Press Secretary Eric Ruff could not immediately provide statistics regarding the cost of the new operation or the number of people involved. He confirmed, however, that it is expected some of the new staff members will be political appointees or contractors. -- CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr Bush back on the stump in Georgia
WASHINGTON (AP) -- At one week and counting until Election Day, President Bush stumps in Georgia again today as Iraq remains the campaign's overriding issue.
For the second straight day the president's appearing in heavily Republican Georgia with a former GOP congressman looking to recapture his old seat. But Bush's focus remains defending his policy of persevering in Iraq, while lampooning Democrats for finding new ways to describe pulling out. Bush says the Democratic approach in Iraq comes down to the terrorists winning and America losing. Undeterred, Democrats are making plans to air more campaign ads portraying Republican candidates as slavishly following Bush to disaster on Iraq. Laura Bush, Bill Clinton stump for Tenn. candidates
(AP) -- The campaign for a Senate seat from Tennessee picks up some star power this week with first lady Laura Bush and former President Clinton scheduled to join the fray.
Mrs. Bush campaigns today for Republican nominee Bob Corker, while Clinton will appear in Memphis tomorrow with Democrat Harold Ford Junior. Ford is trying to become only the sixth black senator in U.S. history and the first black senator elected from the South since the 1870s. Corker yesterday accused his opponent of suggesting that onlyDemocrats love God. The Corker campaign showed an online video of Ford quoting Scripture in a speech and saying Democrats "don't go using our Bible to go judge people." Ford says the real intent is the thought of how faith can be infused into how public policy is shaped. CNN Political Ticker AM
For the latest, breaking political news, check for updates throughout the day on the CNN Political Ticker. All politics, all the time.
Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Just one week until Election Day! Making news today... The polls were conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corporation in Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. The sampling error for likely voters was plus or minus 4 percentage points; for registered voters, plus or minus 3 percentage points. Key results: In Missouri, Republican Sen. Jim Talent and his Democratic challenger State Auditor Claire McCaskill are tied at 49 percent support among LVs. Among RVs, McCaskill led 51-43 percent. In New Jersey, Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez held a 51-44 percent edge among LVs over his GOP challenger, state Sen. Tom Kean Jr. Among RVs, Menendez led 50-38 percent. In Tennessee, Democratic Rep. Harold Ford Jr. trailed his Republican opponent, Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker, by a margin of 52-44 percent among LVs. Among RVs, Corker's lead was 47-45 percent. In Virginia, Republican Sen. George Allen trailed his Democratic challenger, former Navy Secretary Jim Webb, by 50-46 percent among LVs. Among RVs, Webb led 48-46 percent. In Ohio, Sen. Mike DeWine trailed his Democratic rival, Rep. Sherrod Brown, by a margin of 54-43 percent among LVs. Among RVs, Brown's lead was 51-43 percent. Full poll results: (pdf) Hunter's announcement "was greeted with skepticism by political analysts, most of whom were caught off guard by Hunter's move and seemingly amused by his long-shot prospects," reports the San Diego Union-Tribune. President's Schedule: This afternoon, Bush heads back to the Peach State for a 5 pm ET Georgia Victory 2006 Rally at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agricenter in Perry, GA. FLOTUS then attends two Tennessee Victory 2006 Rallies. First at 12:40 pm ET in Kingsport, TN, then 2:25 pm ET in Franklin, TN. Also on the Political Radar: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) "THE DEMOCRAT GOAL IS TO GET OUT OF IRAQ. THE REPUBLICAN GOAL IS TO WIN IN IRAQ": President Bush said terrorists will win if Democrats win and impose their policies on Iraq, as he and Vice President Cheney escalated their rhetoric Monday in an effort to turn out Republican voters in next week's midterm elections... Faced with potential GOP defeat in both chambers, Bush and Cheney aimed to avert that by convincing voters that they cannot risk giving the opposition party any power in Washington. "However they put it, the Democrat approach in Iraq comes down to this: The terrorists win and America loses," Bush told a raucous crowd of about 5,000 GOP partisans packed in an arena at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro, one of his stops Monday. "That's what's at stake in this election. The Democrat goal is to get out of Iraq. The Republican goal is to win in Iraq." Washington Post: Bush Says 'America Loses' Under Democrats "$1 OF NICE FOR EVERY $10 OF NASTY": So far this campaign, the political parties have exposed voters to nearly $160 million in ads attacking congressional candidates. How much spent painting a positive image? About $17 million. That's nearly $1 of nice for every $10 of nasty. The message ingrained in such a disparity in numbers: Don't vote for a candidate; vote against the opponent. Negative ads are the coin of the realm in politics. With one week left in the campaign, voters will continue to be bombarded on television, in the mail and over the phone as political strategists make their closing arguments to a shrinking pool of those who haven't made up their minds. AP via Yahoo! News: Millions spent on negative political ads IF DEMS WIN, MORE WOMEN, MINORITIES, SENIOR CITIZENS IN POWER: A Democratic takeover of the U.S. House would put more women and minorities in positions of power, as well as more senior citizens. That much is certain. What else a Democratic majority might bring is a topic of heated debate as the campaign for control of Congress moves into its final days. Democrats say it will mean longer workweeks in the House of Representatives to pass tax cuts for the middle class and to devise a strategy to get U.S. troops out of Iraq. They promise more time in the hot seat for members of the Bush administration. "We have a broad agenda," says Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., a co-chairman of his party's House campaign. USA Today: If Dems take over the House... VOWING TO "FLEX THEIR SUBPOENA AND INVESTIGATIVE MUSCLES": Both political parties say America's safety requires the next Congress to improve mass-transit security and intelligence efforts, but Democrats think it must immediately address fraud and waste at the Department of Homeland Security. Democrats vow to flex their subpoena and investigative muscles if elected to lead Congress next month and will take on President Bush's use of wiretaps. "We have not had significant issues addressed from an oversight standpoint -- we've not issued one subpoena," said Rep. Bennie Thompson, the Mississippi Democrat who as ranking member of the House Homeland Security Department is in line to lead the panel. "Leadership, in agreement with the chairman, just decided that it [investigations] was not a priority," Mr. Thompson said. "That will not be a problem with the new Congress." Washington Times: Democrats wait in the wings with subpoenas POTENTIAL BATTLE OVER LEADER, WHIP POSTS: As Democrats enter the final days of their push to take back control of the House in next week's election, two divisive backroom leadership fights are brewing within the party, raising fears that Democratic unity could be fraying even before the first votes are cast. For some Democrats, the battle between Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (Md.), the minority whip, who had been expected to ascend to majority leader without opposition, and Rep. John P. Murtha (Pa.) threatens the party's efforts to appear ready to govern. In what could be another high-profile showdown, Rep. Rahm Emanuel (Ill.), the ambitious former White House aide who runs the Democratic campaign arm of the House, may seek the third-ranking post of majority whip, pitting him against Democratic Caucus Chairman James E. Clyburn (S.C.), the only African American in a leadership position. Washington Post: Fights Brew Over House Posts ROLL CALL SOURCES SAY LOTT HAS HIS EYE ON WHIP SLOT: With leadership elections just two weeks away, Sen. Trent Lott (Miss.) appears to have begun a quiet campaign for the GOP Whip position in the 110th Congress should his ally, Sen. Rick Santorum (Pa.), fail to win re-election next Tuesday. Several Republican Senate sources said Monday that Lott has called a number of GOP Senators in recent days to express interest in the No. 2 leadership job and sought their support. The one-time Majority Leader has hinted at a return to the Republican Senate hierarchy for months but has kept his intentions closely guarded. "He was making calls [Sunday] night indicating he's running for Whip," one knowledgeable GOP Senate aide said. But sources close to Lott dismissed talk of an active leadership campaign by the Mississippi Republican and insist he is 100 percent behind Santorum's twin bids to win re-election and become the GOP Whip next year. Lott allies say he will not challenge Santorum under any circumstances. Roll Call: Calls Hint at Lott Whip Bid DEMS COULD REDRAW CDS IF THEY TAKE MAJORITY OF STATE CAPITOLS: More than 6,000 state legislative seats in 46 states are on the Nov. 7 ballot, and like the seismic state elections in 1994 and 1974 the cumulative impact of the outcomes could be immense, with Democrats possibly gaining control of a majority of state capitols for the first time in a decade... Most significantly, the groundwork for redrawing Congressional districts after the 2010 census will be done under the 50 capitol domes, and the party in power will set the table for those discussions in ways favorable to its interests. Gains made this year, analysts say, will help give incumbents a leg up in the final elections leading up to the redistricting. New York Times: Democrats Are Seen to Gain in Statehouse Races CHENEY AND RANGEL IN "BITTER WAR OF WORDS": Rep. Charles Rangel yesterday blasted Dick Cheney as a "son of a bitch" after the vice president said the Harlem lawmaker would raise taxes and destroy the economy if Democrats take control of the House. The bitter war of words escalated to the point where the bombastic Rangel even questioned whether the tightly wound Cheney needed professional treatment - and mocked him for accidentally shooting his hunting buddy ealier this year. Cheney fired the first shot when he predicted that Rangel - who is poised to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee if the Democrats seize the House next week - wouldn't continue "a single one" of President Bush's tax cuts. "I think that would be bad for the economy," Cheney said on CNBC News. "I don't know if the stock market would like it." He then got in a major hit, saying on the Fox News Channel, "Charlie doesn't understand how the economy works." New York Post: RANGEL & VEEP IN ALL-OUT WAR OFF THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL, HASTERT "GOING SLIGHTLY STIR CRAZY": [House Speaker J. Dennis] Hastert, 64, had planned to be on the road in October, campaigning for Republican House members. But most of those events were canceled after Representative Mark Foley's sexually explicit e-mail messages to House pages became public and Mr. Hastert was criticized as not doing more to stop them. "Sure, it bothers you," Mr. Hastert said in an interview in his headquarters. "But I understand, if I've got 15 television trucks sitting outside my house, and I've got a helicopter looking in the window, you probably don't want to bring that into somebody else's district." Friends say Mr. Hastert is in decent spirits, if going slightly stir crazy at times. "He absolutely misses the campaigning," said Tom Cross, the Republican leader in the Illinois House of Representatives and a former student of Mr. Hastert. New York Times: Controversy Gives Hastert Time at Home "COACH" MAY STEP ASIDE EVEN IF GOP RETAINS MAJORITY: House Speaker Dennis Hastert is expected by many Republicans to step aside as the GOP's leader if Democrats win big in next week's election. He may be on his way out even if the GOP emerges with a narrow majority. The No. 2 House Republican, Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio, is looking very much like a candidate to fill Hastert's shoes even though some Republicans appear to be agitating for fresh faces all around, win or lose. There's lots of grumbling among Republican insiders over real and imagined leadership lapses. Not the least of those is the way Hastert's office handled - mishandled, some critics say - the Mark Foley page scandal. AP via Yahoo! News: Hastert post seen in jeopardy HUNTER '08: Rep. Duncan Hunter, who has championed national defense and border security during a quarter-century in Congress, announced yesterday he will retire from Congress in 2008 and run for the Republican presidential nomination. The surprise decision came from a veteran lawmaker who has never exhibited any political ambitions beyond advancing through the House of Representatives hierarchy. "This is going to be a long road. It's a challenging road. There's lots of rough-and-tumble. But I think it's the right thing to do for our country," Hunter told a hastily assembled gathering of friends and supporters yesterday morning on San Diego's Broadway Pier. San Diego Union-Tribune: GOP's Hunter will run for presidency in 2008 WATCH OUT FOR POTENTIAL AUTHORS: It used to be that telling tales out of the White House was declasse, even tawdry. Loyalty meant you served your president, suffering in silence. Any mistakes committed by the administration were the result of staff or Cabinet error. A president was held blameless. Times have changed. These days, book parties have replaced cocktail hours in Washington social circles, and power is no longer measured in proximity to the Oval Office but in phone time with Bob Barnett, book agent to Bob Woodward and other aspiring political literary stars. Things have gotten so bad that the 8 a.m. staff meetings at the White House have reportedly gone chilly, with participants reluctant to express their views for fear someone at the table is taking notes or planning revenge - by the book. Los Angeles Times: Revenge by the book: It's the rage CURT WELDON'S ITALIAN ADVENTURE: In November at the five-star Hotel Splendido overlooking the harbor in Portofino, a playground of the Italian rich, Representative Curt Weldon was the center of attention. The second-ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, Mr. Weldon was a main speaker at a conference sponsored in part by the Italian military giant Finmeccanica. At the gathering of Italian, British and American political leaders, Mr. Weldon, of Pennsylvania, spoke on behalf of Italian arms makers who were seeking a bigger share of Pentagon contracts. Taxpayers paid for Mr. Weldon's stay. He received a $1,153 daily expense allowance from the federal government and flew over on a military jet. For Mr. Weldon, the conference was a victory lap. After several years of promoting Italian military contractors, the Italians had scored some big victories at the Pentagon. But Mr. Weldon's efforts were equally beneficial for his district, his family, his friends and his campaign coffers. New York Times: Italian Arms Contractor and a Pennsylvania Congressman Share Close Ties "TOTALLY GEEKED OUT" TO GET THE VOTE OUT IN VA: A group of 20-somethings who were huddled around four computers at Democrat James Webb's campaign headquarters in Clarendon yesterday think they hold the key to determining Virginia's next U.S. senator. The volunteers are extracting data, crunching numbers and directing an estimated 15,000 Webb workers to their "get-out-the-vote" assignments between now and the Nov. 7 election. "We got computer people who are totally geeked out to get things done," said Josh Chernila, Webb's grass-roots coordinator. "They can drill down by precinct, by age, by area, by congressional district. Whatever I say, the people here can do and direct people to where they need to be." A few miles away at Allen headquarters near Shirlington, Allen supporters are just as confident their skills will translate into hundreds of thousands of votes for the Republican. Washington Post: Allen, Webb Camps Shift Focus to Turnout BLAGO CALLS CRITICS "NEANDERTHAL AND SEXIST": Responding to questions about some of his wife's business dealings, Gov. Rod Blagojevich said Monday that anyone who suggests she got private real estate deals with a state contractor because he is governor is "Neanderthal and sexist." The governor's comments were his first on the matter since the Tribune reported First Lady Patricia Blagojevich received more than $113,000 in real estate commissions through a woman who holds a long-standing no-bid state contract and whose banker husband has business pending before state regulators. But following an event in Downstate Godfrey, north of St. Louis, the governor told reporters his wife has every right to run her business as she sees fit. Chicago Tribune: Governor lashes out at 'Neanderthals' DESPITE SUPPORTING NED, HILLARY STILL GETS THUMBS-UP FROM JOE: Sen. Hillary Clinton abandoned Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut after he lost the Democratic Party's nomination for reelection this summer - but Lieberman said yesterday he still supports the former First Lady. "I do support her bid for reelection," said Lieberman, when asked about Clinton, a Democrat, during a campaign swing with Mayor Bloomberg, a Republican, at the Metro-North station in Stamford, Conn. Lieberman, a three-term incumbent and the Democratic Party's vice presidential nominee in 2000, lost to challenger Ned Lamont by 10,117 votes in the August primary. Lieberman is now fighting for his political life as an independent in next Tuesday's general election. Yesterday, Bloomberg, who has spent the better part of this year burnishing his national image as a nonpartisan leader, joked that Lieberman has had his fill of "fair-weather" friends. New York Daily News: Hil yes, sez Lieberman GIBBONS ACCUSER SIGNS CRIME REPORT; CANDIDATE WANTS GARAGE VIDEO: Show us the video. That's what Rep. Jim Gibbons' lawyer will demand of the Metropolitan Police Department this morning. Attorney Don Campbell is scheduled to go before District Judge Douglas Herndon at 11 a.m. with a legal petition asking that surveillance videos be produced. Gibbons has said they will prove he is innocent of accusations he assaulted a local woman in a parking garage the night of Oct. 13. Police have reopened the case and are proceeding with an investigation after Gibbons' accuser, Chrissy Mazzeo, 32, came to police headquarters and signed a crime report Monday, Deputy Chief Greg McCurdy said. Gibbons, at a Republican fundraiser Monday with former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, said he welcomed the investigation. Las Vegas Review-Journal: PARKING GARAGE ALLEGATIONS: Gibbons' lawyer to seek video CONGRESSWOMAN TOLD SHE'S ON THE TERRORIST WATCH LIST: A California congresswoman said she was briefly denied access to a United Airlines flight last week because her name appeared on a "no fly list" set up after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Rep. Loretta Sanchez, a Democrat who has been a critic of the no-fly list, said her staff had booked her a one-way ticket from Boise, Idaho, to Cincinnati through Denver. But they were prevented from printing her boarding pass online and at an airport kiosk. Sanchez said she was instructed to check in with a United employee, who told her she was on the terrorist watch list. The employee asked her for identification, Sanchez said. "I handed over my congressional ID and he started laughing and said, 'I'm going to need an ID that has your birthday on it,'" Sanchez said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. The employee used Sanchez's birth date to determine she was not the same Loretta Sanchez on the list, and she was able to board her flight, she said. AP via Yahoo! News: Congresswoman has no-fly list troubles Monday, October 30, 2006
Steele endorsed by African-American Democrats
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Prince George's County Executive Wayne Curry and five sitting council members crossed party lines Monday and endorsed Maryland Lt. Gov. Michael Steele's senate bid.
Curry, who is black, charged that Prince George's African-American community has been long overlooked by the Democratic Party. "We have been neglected, overlooked and disparaged in the sanctums of the Democratic Party...Prince George's County has been geographically redlined and stratified," Curry said in his endorsement remarks. "It is the place where there is more Democratic voting than any other place in Maryland..." The council members: David Harrington, Samuel Dean, Camille Exum, Tony Knotts and Marilyn Bland are also black. The county's black population is nearly 66 percent, according to most recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Steele, the first black to serve in a Maryland state-wide office, is hoping to carry this blue state by appealing to a mix of Republicans, Independents and black voters who historically have backed Democrats. Steele faces Rep. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, next week in the battle for retiring Sen. Paul Sarbanes', D-Maryland, seat. --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Fox hits campaign trail in Ohio
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Michael J. Fox campaigned for Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Sherrod Brown Monday, saying the country needs leaders who support scientific research.
Fox, who has Parkinson's disease, has been campaigning around the country for candidates who favor federal funding for embryonic stem-cell research, which he supports as a possible cure. Brown, a congressman from northeastern Ohio, is challenging Sen. Mike DeWine, who opposes federal money for such research. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Authorities probe GOP candidate for Nevada governor
LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The district attorney said Monday that authorities have reopened their investigation into a cocktail waitress' claim that a Republican congressman running for governor assaulted her in a parking garage after a night of drinking.
District Attorney David Roger said the case involving Rep. Jim Gibbons -- which had been closed after the woman, Chrissy Mazzeo, dropped charges -- is under investigation again. Mazzeo, a Las Vegas Strip casino waitress, accused Gibbons, 61, of pushing her up against a wall Oct. 13 and propositioning her. Mazzeo, 32, said she had been pressured and offered cash from people linked to the Gibbons campaign to drop the charges. The five-term congressman, who is in a close race with Democratic state Sen. Dina Titus for Nevada's open governor's seat, has denied wrongdoing and sued Monday to force police to release surveillance videos he said would disprove Mazzeo's claim. A judge set an emergency hearing for Tuesday. Poll: Public loves Fox over Limbaugh, but stem cell stance unchanged
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Actor Michael J. Fox trumps radio talker Rush Limbaugh 3-to-1 in popularity, but their public dispute involving stem cell research does not appear to have swayed many Americans on the issue, according to a new CNN poll.
The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, found 54 percent of Americans support federal funding for stem cell research. That's up 3 points from August, but within the poll's sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Three-quarters of respondents said they have a favorable opinion of Fox; only 26 percent felt that way about Limbaugh, while a majority, 58 percent, said they have an unfavorable opinion of the conservative talk-show host. Fox, who suffers from Parkinson's disease, did a commercial last month for Missouri's Democratic senatorial candidate Claire McCaskill, who supports federal funding for research on embryonic stem cells. Limbaugh, on his program, commented on the extent to which Fox was shaking in the commercial, and suggested the 45-year-old was "either off his medication or acting." Limbaugh said he would apologize if proven wrong. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Rep. Hunter to explore presidential bid
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California, a vocal supporter of President Bush's efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, announced Monday he will explore a bid for president.
"I am going to lay out what I believe in for this country and ask the people who support those ideas and principles to support me," said Hunter, who serves as chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. Hunter, who was first elected in 1980 and is seeking re-election to a 14th term next Tuesday, was immediately endorsed by Rep. Trent Franks, R-Arizona. Hunter brushed off suggestions that his decision to make this announcement one week before Election Day was a sign that he thinks Democrats are going to win back the House majority. The California Republican said he has always made it a practice to make his political future known. "I have always told my constituents what I planned to do for the next couple of years," he said at a news conference in San Diego. "Well, it is seven days before the election and I haven't laid it out. So, I thought that today I would come down and lay my cards on the table. I have always done that." Hunter also predicted Republicans would maintain the House majority after next week's election. -- CNN Political Editor Mark Preston Cheney heads to Montana Wednesday
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Dick Cheney heads to Montana Wednesday to rally GOP voters ahead of a Senate contest that may determine which party controls the chamber in January. Cheney will speak at a get-out-the-vote rally in Kalispell, Montana -- where three-term GOP Sen. Conrad Burns is fighting for his political life against his Democratic challenger John Tester. Recent polls indicate that Burns, plagued by connections to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff, trails Tester -- but the GOP is hoping Burn's money advantage will give the Montana Republican an edge in the crucial final week of campaigning. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney Ahead on CNN
4 p.m. ET, The Situation Room
-Democratic strategist Paul Begala and former GOP congressman J.C. Watts will square off on how the midterm elections are shaping up. 5 p.m. ET, The Situation Room-Rep. Duncan Hunter joins Wolf to discuss his announcement Monday that he is throwing his hat into the 2008 presidential race. 6 p.m. ET, Lou Dobbs Tonight -Bay Buchanan, Chairman of Team America PAC, will discuss the upcoming midterm elections. 7-9 p.m. ET, Special primetime edition of The Situation Room -Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, will discuss the upcoming elections. On the Campaign trail with potential '08ers
Obama drops in Monday on Minnesota Senate race
Who: Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois What: Campaign rally for Democratic Minnesota Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar Details: -Will speak at a rally for Klobuchar in Rochester, Minnesota. GOP chairman takes first steps toward '08 bid
SAN DIEGO, California (AP) -- Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, known in the military's echelon for his congressional role but hardly a national name, said Monday he was taking the initial step in a 2008 presidential bid.
"This is going to be a long road, it's a challenging road, there's going to be some rough and tumble, but I think it's the right thing to do for our country," Hunter, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, said at a waterfront news conference. The declaration to form an exploratory committee allows the 13-term California congressman to begin raising money and organize supporters in early Republican primary states such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. Hunter is a familiar face on Capitol Hill and at the Pentagon as chairman of the powerful panel that oversees military policy. Not so beyond Washington and San Diego, and his White House bid surprised many Republicans. Full story On the campaign trail with potential '08ers
Clinton to speak Tuesday at the Council on Foreign Relations
Who: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-New York What: Speech at the Council on Foreign Relations Details: -Will speak at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City Casey has double digit lead in Pennsylvania senate race
WASHINGTON (CNN)--Bob Casey (D) has a 16-point lead over Sen. Rick Santorum (R) in Pennsylvania's senate race. The poll was conducted by Temple University/Philadelphia Inquirer. Casey (D) 54% Santorum (R) 38% Undecided 6% Polling Dates: Oct 16-25, 2006 Sample Size: 698 Likely Voters Margin of Error: +/-3.8% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai First lady to visit 10 states in final week
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush isn't the only member of the first family set for a busy week of stumping on the campaign trail -- first lady Laura Bush plans to speak at 11 get-out-the-vote rallies in 10 different states over the next four days.
The first lady delivered remarks at Pennsylvania victory rally in Pittsburgh ahead of a scheduled trip to a similar rally in Manchester, New Hampshire, Monday. On Tuesday, Bush plans to attend rallies in North Carolina and Tennessee. The first lady is also slated to speak at get-out-the-vote rallies in Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, and California Wednesday and Thursday -- her final week to energize the Republican base and attract crucial moderate voters to the GOP camp. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Targeting key races, Bush campaigns in friendly territory
STATESBORO, Ga. (AP) -- President Bush, faced with polls that show his party's hold on Congress slipping, said Monday that Democrats haven't won anything yet.
"You know what I know -- this election is far from over," Bush said at a Republican rally at Georgia Southern University, campaigning for House candidate Max Burns. He mocked talk of Democrats already considering which offices they'll take if they win control of Congress. "You might remember that about this time in 2004, some of them were picking out their new offices in the West Wing," Bush said of his own re-election bid. "The movers never got the call." For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Poll: Bush approval remains low
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush's popularity has not been buoyed by a series of public events in recent days, a new CNN poll has found.
Bush's approval rating still hovers in the high 30s, where it has been throughout the month. The poll, conducted by Opinion Research Corporation, found 37 percent of Americans approve of how Bush is handling his job as president; 58 percent disapprove. The president's approval dropped slightly from the poll taken a week earlier, from 39 percent down to 37 percent, but the change was within the poll's sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. A total of 1,014 adult Americans were interviewed for the latest poll between October 27 and 29. McCaskill and Talent tied in Missouri
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Jim Talent (R) and Democratic nominee Claire McCaskill are locked in a dead heat in Missouri's senate race with 4% undecided a week before the midterm elections. The poll was conducted by Research 2000 Missouri Poll for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KMOV-TV.
Bush heads to two races Monday, plans busy week
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush plans to make the case for continuing GOP control of Congress and rally the party faithful when he visits some of this season's most closely -ought races during the final eight days of the midterm election campaigns.
Bush dropped in on Georgia's 12th district Monday for a public rally on behalf of Max Burns, the former GOP Rep. who is seeking to reclaim the seat he lost in 2004. The president is then slated to make a trip to former GOP Rep. Tom Delay's district in the southern suburbs of Houston, Texas, where Republican voters must write in the GOP candidate, Shelley Sekula-Gibbs. The White House says Bush will keep a flexible travel schedule in the coming week as his strategists determine in which closely fought districts the president is likely to do the most good. "The political team is constantly getting assessments and data and information that help them make decisions on where's the best place to go," White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said Monday. "The point of the president going is to maximize turnout." --CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Blagojevich ahead in the Illinois governor's race
WASHINGTON (CNN)—Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) is ahead in a three way race for the Illinois governor’s seat. Blagojevich has a nine-point lead over the Republican nominee Judy Baar Topinka, and a 36-point lead over the Green Party nominee Rich Whitney. The poll was conducted by Research 2000 Illinois Poll for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and KMOV-TV.
On the campaign trail with potential '08ers
Giuliani heads to Arizona Monday
Who: Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani What: Campaign event for Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona Details: -Giuliani will appear with Arizona law enforcement and first responders at a campaign event for Kyl's Senate reelection bid in Phoenix. NY Post endorses Clinton, says there is little other choice
NEW YORK (AP) -- The New York Post endorsed Democratic Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton for re- election on Monday, saying her Republican challenger, John Spencer, "isn't a credible alternative."
"Surprised? Well, so are we -- a little," said the editorial in the Post, which has a conservative editorial page. "But, then, there really isn't much of a choice in this race." And what about Clinton's reported White House aspirations? "...We think she's done such a good job these last six years that she'd do well to serve six more. If not 12," said the Post. "Re-elect Hillary. In 2012." Clinton won her Senate seat despite a concerted effort by the Post to attack her candidacy. The Post even ran a pleading headline, "Don't Run!" before Clinton joined the race. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 New York mayor praises Lieberman's independence
STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Republican New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg praised Sen. Joe Lieberman's independence Monday, saying the three-term Democrat is willing to work across party lines in an era of partisan gridlock.
"I think the voters of Connecticut understand they need proven independent leadership. Joe Lieberman provides that," Bloomberg said at a news conference after greeting commuters with Lieberman at the Stamford train station. "I think people of all parties are just tired of the political bickering." The event was a chance for both men to showcase their bipartisan credentials. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Wyoming House race tightens
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) -- The Democratic candidate in the race for Wyoming's only House seat has nearly caught up to Rep. Barbara Cubin after a third candidate accused the Republican of threatening to smack him, a poll published Sunday found.
Cubin, who is seeking a seventh term, leads Democrat Gary Trauner 44 percent to 40 percent, according to a telephone poll commissioned by the Wyoming Tribune-Eagle of 539 likely voters. In the poll, 5 percent of voters said they would vote for Rankin, 8 percent said they were undecided and 3 percent refused to answer or said they supported another candidate. The margin of error was plus or minus 4 percentage points. Libertarian candidate Thomas Rankin, who has multiple sclerosis and uses a wheelchair, said that after a debate, Cubin "walked over to me and said, 'If you weren't sitting in that chair, I'd slap you across the face." Senate candidates debate in Minnesota
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Minnesota Republican Senate candidate Mark Kennedy has questioned the honesty of Democratic frontrunner Amy Klobuchar.
During a debate last night, Kennedy brought up the flap over one of his ads that possibly was stolen and leaked to the Klobuchar campaign. He suggested that Klobuchar waited several days before reporting the incident to the F.B.I. Klobuchar says she reported the incident immediately after learning about it and fired her chief spokeswoman. She contrasted her response to that of Republican leaders after they learned that former Congressman Mark Foley had sent inappropriate e-mails to House pages. The two candidates also disagreed on the war in Iraq. Kennedy says that if U-S troops are withdrawn now, it would make Iraq a breeding ground for terrorists. But Klobuchar says new strategies are needed. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 Congressman wages uphill battle in Oklahoma's gubernatorial race
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Things have not gone as planned for Republican Rep. Ernest Istook, who is giving up a safe seat in the U.S. House to wage a lonely, uphill fight to oust Oklahoma's
popular governor. Istook trails Democratic Gov. Brad Henry by more than 20 percentage points as the Nov. 7 election nears, according to public opinion surveys. The social conservative has had fundraising problems and has aired only one television ad in his general election campaign, while Henry's well-funded campaign has aired a slew of slick commercials. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 GOP California congressman set to launch White House bid
SAN DIEGO (AP) -- Rep. Duncan Hunter has shown little interest in seeking higher office during his 26 years in Congress. Suddenly, he is positioning himself for a presidential bid.
A Republican official said Hunter, who chairs the House Armed Services Committee, planned to announce Monday that he was considering a run for president in 2008. The announcement would allow the lawmaker to begin raising money and organize supporters in early Republican primary states such as Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina. The official didn't want to be named ahead of Hunter's announcement. Hunter spokesman Joe Kasper would not comment on Hunter's plans, other than to say that he would be holding a news conference in San Diego at 11 a.m. PST Monday regarding electoral plans for 2008. Voting machine companies say no ties to Chavez
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A U.S. company that makes touch-screen voting machines said it requested a federal investigation to dispel what it called baseless rumors of ties to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.
Sequoia Voting Systems Inc. said it asked the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, or CFIUS, to investigate it and its parent software company, the Smartmatic Corp. The request comes after news articles suggested improper ties. "Sequoia and Smartmatic are not connected, owned or controlled by the Venezuelan government whatsoever," Jeff Bialos, a Washington attorney representing the two companies, said in a telephone interview. Carter helps son in longshot Senate bid
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (AP) -- Jimmy Carter stepped out of a restaurant on a recent afternoon to find a dozen or so people waiting to greet him. The 82-year-old former president flashed his famous grin and smoothly worked the crowd.
Following in his footsteps, a man with the same grin struggled for the same reception. He reached at the hand of a distracted potential voter. "I'm Jack Carter. I'm the one who's running," he said. Such is the blessing and the curse of the Jack Carter for Senate campaign. For CNN's coverage of the midterm elections, check out America Votes 2006 'Big Daddy' Byrd eyes record 9th Senate term
CHARLESTON, West Virginia (AP) -- Leaning on two canes, Sen. Robert C. Byrd hardly looks like a billion-dollar industry -- or "Big Daddy," as the 88-year-old Democrat calls himself.
No matter: Voters once again are looking beyond Byrd's age to his political guile -- and the truckloads of federal dollars he's steered to West Virginia -- as they consider whether to give him a record ninth term in the Senate. Democrats and Republicans alike see the powerful member of the Senate Appropriations Committee as the state's Santa Claus. And they shrug off any suggestion that Byrd's age is a handicap: Byrd's longevity puts him in line to become committee chairman, if Democrats win control of the Senate. Full story CNN Political Ticker AM
For the latest, breaking political news, check for updates throughout the day on the CNN Political Ticker. All politics, all the time. Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... Charlie and Stu are also "baffled": "To say it's curious timing is quite an understatement. It is bizarre," said Stuart Rothenberg. "He may not be the only prominent committee chairman looking for something else to do after next week," said Charlie Cook. "But this is very strange timing." President's Schedule: At 5 pm CT, Bush makes an appearance in DeLay country at a Texas Victory 2006 Rally in Sugar Land. Mrs. Bush then heads to the Granite State for a 2:10 pm ET New Hampshire Victory 2006 rally in Manchester. ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) BUSH HITS THE TRAIL AS DEMS TALK TURNOUT: President Bush and his Democratic rivals plan to spend the final days of the campaign appealing to their most fervent supporters, calling turnout the key to winning a congressional majority on Nov. 7. At rallies today in Georgia and Texas, Bush focuses on Republican-friendly states and congressional districts. "We want the president in places where he can maximize turnout," White House political director Sara Taylor said... Sen. Charles Schumer of New York, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said his party has spent $25 million on voter-turnout activities, including preparing for the first time detailed files on potential voters in Montana and Missouri - two states Bush won in 2004. USA Today: Bush, Democrats now focus on getting out votes of their core supporters "DONALD RUMSFELD IS THE BEST THING THAT'S HAPPENED TO THE PENTAGON IN 25 YEARS": The No. 2 leader in the House on Sunday said Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld is "the best thing that's happened to the Pentagon in 25 years," sparking a debate with Democrats who said the comments show why the GOP should be voted out of power. Rumsfeld's leadership of the bloody mission in Iraq has become a divisive issue in the Nov. 7 elections. Many Democrats and a few Republicans are calling for his resignation, but President Bush repeatedly has defended him. So did House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, during an appearance Sunday on ABC's "This Week." "I think Donald Rumsfeld is the best thing that's happened to the Pentagon in 25 years," Boehner said. "This Pentagon and our military needs a transformation. And I think Donald Rumsfeld's the only man in America who knows where the bodies are buried at the Pentagon, has enough experience to help transform that institution." AP via Yahoo! News: GOP, Democratic leaders spar on Rumsfeld COULD KARL ROVE BE RIGHT? By many calculations, Democrats are ready to make big gains in the midterm elections, enough to take over the House and possibly the Senate. But White House Chief of Staff Joshua B. Bolten says there is one reason he is feeling upbeat amid so much Republican gloom. "I believe Karl Rove," Bolten said in an interview in his West Wing office Friday. "Karl Rove, somewhere inside that massive brain of his, has figured out the political landscape more clearly than the entire collection of conventional-wisdom pundits and pollsters in the entire city of Washington." That was true for two elections in a row, in 2002 and 2004, and President Bush's senior adviser has insisted to West Wing colleagues and party faithful alike that it will be again. But Rove is just eight days from having his genius designation revoked -- or upgraded to platinum status. Washington Post: Midterm Vote May Define Rove's Legacy '527'S GET $300 MILLION THIS CYCLE: Unions, corporations and wealthy individuals have pumped nearly $300 million this year into unregulated political groups, funding dozens of aggressive and sometimes shadowy campaigns independent of party machines. The groups, both liberal and conservative, air TV and radio spots, conduct polls, run phone banks, canvass door-to-door and stage get-out-the-vote rallies, with no oversight by the Federal Election Commission. Set up as tax-exempt "issue advocacy" committees, they cannot explicitly endorse candidates. But they can do everything short of telling voters how to mark their ballots. Because they can accept unlimited donations from any source, the committees - known as 527s - have emerged as the favored vehicle for millionaires and interest groups seeking to set the political agenda. Los Angeles Times: UNREGULATED GROUPS WIELD MILLIONS TO SWAY VOTERS GOTV=GETTING OUT THE VETS: With polls showing the Iraq war driving many voters' decisions in the Nov. 7 congressional elections, candidates are thrusting veterans -- or their own military service -- prominently into the campaign. Republican and Democratic candidates running for the House and Senate have been showcasing their support for and by veterans in their TV and radio ads, direct mail and campaign Web pages -- and in many cases knocking their opponents for not doing enough for the troops who have returned home. The popular strategy is being used even by self-avowed socialist Rep. Bernie Sanders, an independent from Vermont running for Senate. "Politics is a great deal about smoke and mirrors," said political scientist Larry Sabato, who runs the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia. "When it comes to the Iraq war and credibility as a candidate, you want to have the veterans adjusting the mirrors and blowing the smoke." San Francisco Chronicle: Candidates trot out vets to win votes BUSH WON'T TOUCH THE STUFF, BUT FOR WH, EMAILS A POWERFUL WEAPON: Every weekday at 8 a.m., right after President Bush meets with senior staff, his communications team huddles in a second floor West Wing office to plan new moves in the information war. Rob Saliterman, the White House director of rapid response, fires salvos throughout the day. His weapons: e-mails. The White House digital war room blasts thousands of electronic messages each day, aimed at more than 2,000 targets. They include journalists, Republican staffers in government, radio talk show hosts, television bookers, Internet bloggers and what White House communications director Kevin Sullivan described as other "interested parties." USA Today: As election closes in, e-mail a rapid-fire political weapon IF CONSERVATIVE DEMS WIN, CAN THE PARTY GET ALONG? In their push to win back control of the House, Democrats have turned to conservative and moderate candidates who fit the profiles of their districts more closely than the profile of the national party. One such candidate, Heath Shuler, was courted by Republicans to run for office in 2001. Mr. Shuler, 34, is a retired National Football League quarterback who is running in the 11th Congressional District in North Carolina. He is an evangelical Christian and holds fast to many conservative social views, like opposition to abortion rights... But if candidates like Mr. Shuler do help the Democrats gain majority control of Congress, it could come at a political price, which may include tensions in the party between its new centrists and its more liberal political base. New York Times: In Key House Races, Democrats Run to the Right PELOSI "A SEARING SYMBOL" OF U.S. PARTISAN DIVIDE: With the Republican ascendancy in Washington in peril and Ms. Pelosi in line to become the country's first female speaker of the House, she has emerged as a searing symbol of the country's deep partisan divide. For Republican strategists laboring to maintain control of Congress, she is the personification of liberal lunacy, an Armani-clad elitist who will help push lawmakers toward an agenda of multicultural, tax-raising appeasement. To many Democrats, Ms. Pelosi embodies their raw antipathy for a Republican Party that has held them largely to the margins for more than a decade, and their hope that a Democratic Congress could make trouble for a president with whom they are at bitter odds. New York Times: With the House in the Balance, Pelosi Serves as a Focal Point for Both Parties IN SAN FRANCISCO, SHE'S A "CENTRIST": To much of the country, Nancy Pelosi is the liberal embodiment of a city as crazy as its near-vertical hills. But here [in San Francisco], the Democratic House leader is seen as something else: sober, centrist and very much a part of the political establishment, for good or bad. For five years, ever since she entered the congressional leadership, Pelosi has balanced the interests of 200-plus colleagues of varied philosophies with the demands of a district about as far left politically as it is geographically. Los Angeles Times: Pelosi's liberal lab |
