Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Hyde describes calls for Hastert's resignation an 'overreaction'
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Henry Hyde, R-Illinois, described calls for House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, to resign in the wake of the Foley page scandal "an overreaction," and dismissed suggestions he serve as the interim speaker. "Calls for Speaker Hastert to step down from his leadership position are an overreaction based on what we know," Hyde wrote in a letter to the Washington Times in response to the newspaper's editorial calling for Hastert to resign. The Times also suggested Hyde should serve as interim speaker until the end of the year. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida, resigned last week when it was learned he had sexually explicit correspondence with underage House pages. "Speaker Tip O'Neill was not asked to resign when scandals involving pages with both a Democrat Congressman and a Republican Congressman surfaced in 1983," Hyde also wrote. "It would be unfair to cast blame on the Speaker and others in the Republican Leadership for the despicable actions of one man." Hyde, who has served in the House of Representatives since 1975, is retiring at the end of this year. Attorney: Foley "denies he ever had sexual contact with a minor"
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida, was molested by a clergyman when he was between the ages of 13 and 15, his attorney said Tuesday amid allegations that the congressman exchanged inappropriate e-mails and instant messages with teenage congressional pages.
Attorney David Roth said Foley never had sexual contact with a minor and added that any assertion Foley is a pedophile is "categorically false." Roth would not release details of the alleged molestation, saying only that making it public "is part of Mark's recovery" and that Foley would discuss it further when he is released from a center where he's being treated for alcoholism and mental issues. It will be at least 30 days before he is discharged, Roth said. Full story Attorney: Foley was molested, is gay
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CNN) -- Former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida, was molested by a clergyman between the ages of 13 and 15, and is gay, his attorney told reporters Tuesday.
The attorney said Foley "never had sexual contact with a minor." How is the Foley page scandal playing in Peoria?
From CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Illinois, is arguably one of the best politicians to assess the old political question, "How is it playing in Peoria?" LaHood after all represents Peoria, which is widely known as the average American city. And LaHood tells CNN the Foley page scandal is not playing well. "It is not good," he said. "The first three questions I get from everyone I see [are] about Foley, the page program and our leadership." "It must be very difficult for the members in tough races right now," LaHood added. Ad of the day
Today, we look at an ad from the Ohio Senate race that pits Republican Sen. Mike DeWine against Democratic Rep. Sherrod Brown.
View ad Christian Coalition stands behind Hastert
From CNN Congressional Producer Ted Barrett
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Christian Coalition Tuesday expressed support for embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, who is being criticized for his handling of the investigation into former Rep. Mark Foley's, R-Florida, sexually explicit correspondence with a House page. "Christian Coalition of America stands behind you as you seek a full and an exhaustive investigation, including an FBI inquiry, regarding the disappointing actions by Congressman Mark Foley," Christian Coalition Chairman Roberta Combs wrote in a letter to Hastert Tuesday. The Washington Times editorial page, which is know for promoting conservative policies, called on Hastert to resign in Tuesday's edition. Poll: Bush speeches fail to rouse support for Iraq war
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush has been unable to reassure Americans
about the war in Iraq, with nearly 60 percent of those surveyed in a new CNN poll saying his administration has "deliberately misled" the public about the progress of the war. Despite a recent speaking tour aimed at bolstering support for the conflict, only 32 percent told pollsters they approve of Bush's management of the war. And support for the war itself slipped to 38 percent, down from 40 percent in a CNN poll last week. The survey, conducted for CNN by Opinion Research Corporation, questioned 1,014 adults from Friday through Monday. It had a sampling error of 3 percentage points. See full poll results First ad on Foley scandal hits the airwaves
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Democratic candidate Patty Wetterling went on the air Tuesday with an ad accusing GOP leaders of "covering up" former Rep. Mark Foley's Internet communication with underage House pages. This is the first television campaign ad to cite the Foley scandal. "Congressional leaders have admitted covering up the predatory behavior of a congressman who used the Internet to molest children," an announcer says at the top of the 30-second ad. "For over a year they knowingly ignored the welfare of children to protect their own power." Evan Tracey of TNSMI/Campaign Media Analysis Group said the ad could be effective. "The most common crime spot of the 2006 election right now is stopping Internet sexual predators," Tracey, a CNN's consultant on advertising spending, said. "Now this spot has a face, and it is Republican Congressman Mark Foley." Wetterling's 11-year-old son was abducted in 1989 and has never been found. She is running for the seat being vacated by Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minnesota, who is running for Senate. The Republican candidate is state Sen. Michele Bachmann. Wetterling's ad can be viewed at her website For more midterm election coverage, check out America Votes 2006 The latest on the Foley fallout ahead on CNN
4 PM ET, The Situation Room
-Former Republican Congressman J.C. Watts and talk radio host Bill Press will weigh in with the latest on the Foley fallout in today's strategy session. 5 PM ET, The Situation Room -Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tennessee, will discuss the effect of the Foley Scandal on the upcoming midterm elections. -Wendy Wright, president of concerned women for America, will voice her opinion on calls for House Speaker Denis Hastert's, R-Illinois, resignation. 9 PM ET, Larry King Live -Larry will talk with journalists, congressmen, and political experts about the latest in the Foley scandal. Larry's guests include Rep. Robert Wexler, D-Florida, Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, newly appointed Rep. Joe Negron, R-Florida, Newsweek's Michael Isikoff, and political commentator David Gergen. Only 1 point difference between the two Tennessee Senate candidates
From CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
WASHINGTON (CNN)--The latest poll in the battle for retiring Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's R-Tennessee, seat shows the race is a dead heat five weeks before Election Day. Republican candidate Bob Corker is in a virtual tie with Democratic Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. with 16% of voters still undecided. The poll was conducted by Middle Tennessee State University from September 19 through September 30, 2006. Corker (R) 43% Bush 'dismayed and shocked' with Foley
STOCKTON, California (CNN) -- President Bush said he was "dismayed and shocked" at former Rep. Mark Foley's, R-Florida, sexually explicit correspondence with a House page, adding that he is confident House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, will work with federal law enforcement officers to fully investigate the matter.
"I know Denny Hastert," Bush told reporters in brief remarks outside the George W. Bush Elementary School. "I meet with him a lot. He's a father, a teacher, a coach and he cares about all the children of this country." Bush added that Hastert "wants to ensure that these children who serve Capitol Hill are protected. I'm confident that he will provide any leadership he can to law enforcement in this investigation." The president also expressed his anger with Foley's actions. "I was dismayed and shocked to learn about Congressman Foley's unacceptable behavior," Bush said. "I was disgusted by the revelations and disappointed that he would violate the trust of the citizens who placed him in office." Full Story LaHood blames speaker's staff for mishandling Foley situation
From CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- One of House Speaker Dennis Hastert's, R-Illinois, closest allies, sharply criticized the Illinois Republican's staff for failing to inform him about Rep. Mark Foley's, R-Florida, inappropriate correspondence with a House page. "The speaker's staff let him down," Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Illinois, told CNN. "They knew about it. They should have made sure the speaker knew about it and had him talk to Foley." "If this were my staff, heads would roll," LaHood later added. LaHood said he believes Hastert, who has said he does not remember Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-New York, telling him about Foley's contact with the page. "The speaker talks to 25 to 30 members a day," LaHood said. "I believe him when he says he doesn't remember." But LaHood added that ultimately it is Hastert's responsibility to ensure the House pages are safe when they come to work on Capitol Hill. "This is his program," LaHood said. "The only way to get to become a young page is for the speaker to sign off on it. This happened on his watch." Scalia's controversial remarks highlight high court case over immigrant crimes
From CNN Supreme Court Producer Bill Mears
WASHINGTON -- Justice Antonin Scalia opened the Supreme Court's new term Tuesday by questioning whether a man deported to Mexico would be "abstaining from tequila" for fear of violating his U.S. parole terms, in a case involving a state/federal conflict over the seriousness of drug crimes involving immigrants. Toledo-Flores was deported in April, his lawyer Timothy Crooks told the justices in oral arguments, but rejected suggestions the case is moot as a result. His client was still subject to "supervised release", a form of parole that, technically at least, could have him under U.S. jurisdictional control over his behavior. Scalia appeared incredulous. "No one thinks your client is abstaining from tequila for fear of being" sent back to the United States, he said. Supervision "is impossible once he leaves the country. This is an ingenious exercise of the conceivable." Neither Crooks nor the other justices reacted visibly to Scalia's remarks, and there was no immediate reaction from immigrant rights activists, many of whom were in the courtroom. AP: Lamont writes $500,000 check for campaign
WASHINGTON -- Democrat Ned Lamont, seeking to erase Sen. Joe Lieberman's double-digit lead, is turning to his campaign's biggest financial backer for another infusion of cash: himself.
The multimillionaire businessman, who trailed by 10 percentage points in a recent poll, wrote a $500,000 check to his campaign this week, an aide said Tuesday. Just last week, Lamont had tapped his personal wealth for $750,000 to help fund the race. He has spent $6,751,500 of his own money to unseat the 18-year incumbent. Rep. Gerlach cancels fundraiser with Boehner
From CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pennsylvania Rep. Jim Gerlach, a centrist Republican locked in a tight race for re-election, told CNN that he postponed a fundraiser with House Majority Whip John Boehner last night, R-Ohio, because of "unresolved issues" regarding former Rep. Mark Foley's sexually explicit text message correspondence with House pages. "There are a lot of unresolved issues about the Foley situation," Gerlach told CNN. "It would have been inappropriate to move forward with the fundraiser last night." Protesters meet Bush in California
From CNN Washington Bureau Deputy Bureau Chief Steve Redisch
STOCKTON, California (CNN) -- As President Bush arrived at a "Richard Pombo for Congress" breakfast at the Stockton Memorial Civic Center Tuesday , he was greeted by protesters chanting "Hey, hey, ho, ho, George Bush has got to go." The protesters, numbering less than 100, were gathered in a small carried anti-war signs. An almost equal number of officers lined the front of the civic cen Boehner: 'I disagree with the editorial board of the Washington Times'
From CNN Political Editor Mark Preston
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Hours after telling a Cincinnati radio station the Foley page scandal is House Speaker Dennis Hastert's, R-Illinois, "responsibility," House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, sent a letter to the Washington Times telling them he disagrees with their call for Hastert to resign. "Had Speaker Hastert or anyone else in our leadership known about Mr. Foley's despicable conduct, I'm confident the Speaker would have moved to expel Mr. Foley immediately and turn him over to the appropriate authorities," Boehner wrote in a letter to the Editor in response to the Times editorial today calling on Hastert to step down. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida, resigned from office last week after it was revealed he had sexually-explicit instant message conversations with congressional pages. Full letter Oregon Governor's race is a toss up
From CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The race for governor in Oregon is going down to the wire with both candidates in a virtual tie and 20% of registered voters still undecided. Republican challenger Ron Saxton is neck-and-neck with Democratic Gov. Ted Kulongoski. This is according to the Riley Report poll, which was conducted from September 20 through September 29, 2006.
Gonzales: "We consider these allegations very seriously"
From CNN Correspondent Susan Roesgen
NEW ORLEANS (CNN) -- Attorney General Albert Gonzales told CNN Tuesday the Department of Justice is pursuing an investigation of former Rep. Mark Foley's e-mail correspondence with House pages, but declined to offer specifics about the case. "We notified the Speaker that the FBI and the Department of Justice are in the process of gathering up facts," Gonzales said in a brief interview before delivering a speech to the 2006 National Conference on Human Trafficking in New Orleans. "The protection of our children is a top priority. Obviously we consider these allegations very seriously but it's early in the process and so please allow us to do our jobs and help children remain safe." Dianne Feinstein has 28 point lead in CA Senate Race
From CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
WASHINGTON (CNN) - California's U.S. Senate race remains a lopsided contest with Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein far ahead of her Republican challenger, Richard Mountjoy, in the latest Field Poll. The poll was conducted from September 14 through September 24, 2006.
Clinton in Virginia helping Webb
From CNN Political Editor Mark Preston
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-New York, heads to Northern Virginia this afternoon to help raise money for former Navy Secretary Jim Webb, a Democrat challenging Republican Sen. George Allen. Clinton is to appear at a "Women for Webb" lunch in Alexandria that is expected to draw about 100 people, according to the Webb campaign. A campaign spokeswoman said they do not have an estimate of how much will be raised, but noted the lunch will be "a full house with all goals met." Dick Wadhams, Allen's campaign manager, challenged Clinton to ask Webb about an article he wrote in 1979 in which he argued that women should not be allowed to attend the United States Naval Academy. In the same article published in Washingtonian Magazine, Webb also described the dormitory as a "horny woman's dream." "I think it is an opportunity for her to ask James Webb why he made those disrespectful, disparaging remarks about women at the Naval Academy," Wadhams said. "Why he referred to a Naval Academy dorm as a ‘horny woman's dream.’ This is a great opportunity for our opponent to respond to questions like that." Spokesman: Rice didn't 'brush off' terror warnings
JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia (CNN) -- In July 2001, then-national security adviser Condoleezza Rice did have a meeting with CIA Director George Tenet about the threat posed by al Qaeda, but the information presented to her was not new, her spokesman said Monday.
A new book by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward says Tenet and Cofer Black, then the U.S. counterterrorism chief, demanded a snap meeting with Rice to warn her of a growing al Qaeda threat to U.S. interests and possibly the U.S. homeland. The meeting took place July 10, 2001, two months before al Qaeda suicide hijackers attacked New York and Washington, killing nearly 3,000 people. According to Woodward's book, "State of Denial," Tenet and Black left the meeting with the sense that Rice had given them "the brush-off." And the meeting was never reported to the independent commission that investigated the attacks, Woodward writes. Read full story Boehner: Foley scandal is Speaker's "responsibility"
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Majority Whip John Boehner, R-Ohio, says House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, assured him he had taken care of the matter involving former Rep. Mark Foley's, R-Florida, inappropriate e-mails to a congressional page, when he first learned of the situation last spring. "I believe I talked to the speaker, and he told me it had been taken care of, and, and, and in my position, it's in his corner, it's his responsibility," Boehner told the Mike McConnell Show on Cincinnati's WLW 700, this morning. "The Clerk of the House who runs the page program, the Page Board, all report to the speaker, and I believe that it had been dealt with." Boehner said he first heard of the emails during a brief conversation on the House floor last spring with Rep. Rodney Alexander, the GOP Louisiana Congressman who sponsored the page, but did not learn specifics of the e-mails' content. "There were no specifics about the nature of the contact, so at the time, the conversation didn't raise any alarms," Boehner said. Rep. Alexander regretful he did not protect page
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Rodney Alexander, the Louisiana Republican who sponsored the former congressional page at the center of the scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley, told CNN he regrets his failure to protect the teenager and his family. "My job was to do what I can to protect this young man and his interests, and I failed, and I apologize for that," Alexander told CNN's Sean Calebs. Alexander said he notified the GOP leadership about Foley's questionable emails soon after he learned of their existence from a reporter last November. Alexander says he first contacted House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office after the reporter called, and then notified New York Rep. Tom Reynolds, chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee, two months later when a different reporter contacted his office. Alexander said the GOP leadership decided not to file charges or take significant actions when they learned the page's parents wanted to keep the matter private. "They (the GOP leadership) asked me if there was any kind of problem, if the parents were going to press charges," Alexander said. "I said no, the parents want this to go away. Their concern is to protect the child and we understand that concern. They weren't going to press charges so we didn't feel this was our job to press charges." Alexander also said he does not think Hastert should heed calls to resign from the speaker post. "I think Speaker Hastert is a great man. I think he is a fine gentleman," Alexander said. "I don't think he would let anything get out of hand if he felt like it were a problem." AP: Bush Says Democrats Shouldn't Be Trusted
STOCKTON, Calif. (AP) -- President Bush, on a campaign swing in the West, is telling voters that the Democratic Party is weak-kneed on national security and shouldn't be trusted to hold the reins of Congress.
"If you listen closely to some of the leaders of the Democratic Party, it sounds like _ it sounds like _ they think the best way to protect the American people is, wait until we're attacked again," Bush said Monday at a $360,000 fundraiser in Reno, Nev., for state Secretary of State Dean Heller's congressional campaign. Read full story Could Foley's follies hurt the GOP?
From CNN Senior Analyst Jeff Greenfield
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Well, it's October, so -- surprise! The most politically explosive writing to hit Washington last week wasn't what's in Bob Woodward's pages. It was those alleged e-mails between Mark Foley and at least a couple of congressional pages and what the House Republican leadership did or didn't do back last fall. If you want one clue about the political fallout from all this, you can look back more than 20 years ago. Read full story Hastert ignores call to resign amid Foley fallout
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, ignored a call by a conservative Washington newspaper for him to resign as fallout continued from the political scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley and his explicit instant messages.
"The Speaker has and will lead the Republican conference to another majority in the 110th Congress," Hastert spokesman Ron Bonjean said in a statement that comes a little over a month ahead of midterm elections. Read full story CNN Political Ticker AM
For the latest, breaking political news: The CNN Political Ticker. All politics, all the time.
Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... President's schedule: Also on the Political Radar today: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) WASHTIMES CALLS FOR HASTERT TO STEP DOWN OVER FOLEY REACTION: "House Speaker Dennis Hastert must do the only right thing, and resign his speakership at once. Either he was grossly negligent for not taking the red flags fully into account and ordering a swift investigation, for not even remembering the order of events leading up to last week's revelations -- or he deliberately looked the other way in hopes that a brewing scandal would simply blow away. He gave phony answers Friday to the old and ever-relevant questions of what did he know and when did he know it? Mr. Hastert has forfeited the confidence of the public and his party, and he cannot preside over the necessary coming investigation, an investigation that must examine his own inept performance." Washington Times: Resign, Mr. Speaker PELOSI CALLS FOR GOP LEADERS TO TESTIFY UNDER OATH: House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has asked for Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and other top Republicans to be questioned under oath by the ethics committee regarding their handling of the Foley scandal, including what they knew, and when, about a series of July 2005 e-mails from Foley to a 16-year-old former Congressional page and how they responded to the incident... "Republican Leaders admitted to knowing about Mr. Foley's abhorrent behavior for six months to a year and failed to protect the children in their trust," Pelosi said in a statement released by her office. "Republican Leaders must be investigated by the Ethics Committee and immediately questioned under oath." Roll Call: Pelosi Wants GOP Leaders' Testimony FOLEY'S EFFECT AT THE POLLS: Republican strategists said yesterday that public revulsion over the sexually graphic online conversations between Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and former House pages could compound the party's problems enough to tip the House to the Democrats in November -- and could jeopardize the party's hold on the Senate as well. As House GOP leaders defended their role in handling revelations that forced Foley on Friday to give up his House seat, party strategists said the scandal threatens to depress turnout among Christian conservatives and could hamper efforts to convince undecided and swing voters that Republicans deserve to remain in the majority. Washington Post: After Foley, New Fears For the GOP FOLEY AND WOODWARD... A "PERFECT STORM" FOR THE GOP: Republicans are scrambling to contain the damage of two separate political headaches that share a common theme - accusations that the GOP is hiding the truth. At the White House, President Bush's team is rebutting a new book that suggests he misled the country about the severity of the violence in Iraq. On Capitol Hill, House Republican leaders are facing questions of what - and when - they knew about former GOP Rep. Mark Foley's inappropriate electronic communications with teenage males who had worked as pages. "These two events have a chance to be a cloud over the entire Election Day," said Scott Reed, a Republican strategist, who lamented the terrible timing for Republicans with just five weeks before the Nov. 7 election. Added Tony Fabrizio, another GOP consultant: "It's almost like the perfect storm forming against us." AP via Yahoo! News: Foley fallout knocks GOP off message TENET TOLD COMMISSION OF MEETING WITH RICE IN JULY '01: Former CIA director George Tenet told the 9/11 Commission that he had warned of an imminent threat from al-Qaeda in a July 2001 meeting with Condoleezza Rice, adding that he believed Rice took the warning seriously, according to a transcript of the interview and the recollection of a commissioner who was there. Tenet's statements to the commission in January 2004 confirm the outlines of an event in a new book by Washington Post Assistant Managing Editor Bob Woodward that has been disputed by some Bush administration officials. But the testimony also is at odds with Woodward's depiction of Tenet and former CIA counterterrorism chief J. Cofer Black as being frustrated that "they were not getting through to Rice" after the July 10, 2001, meeting. Washington Post: Tenet Recalled Warning Rice RICE RECALLS MEETING... "NO NEW INFO ABOUT AN IMPENDING TERRORIST THREAT": The State Department said late Monday that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice had met with then CIA director George Tenet "on or around July 10, 2001." But Tenet presented no new information about an impending terrorist threat to the United States. Spokesman Sean McCormick issued a brief statement to reporters in an effort to quell controversy over a new book by Bob Woodward alleging that Rice brushed off warnings two months before 9/11. Rice said earlier Monday that it was "incomprehensible" that she would have ignored an urgent warning from the CIA director that al Qaeda was planning to attack the United States. "I don't remember a so-called emergency meeting," Rice said in addressing several claims in State of Denial by Bob Woodward of The Washington Post. Woodward based his account on interviews with unnamed officials. USA Today: State Department confirms Rice met with Tenet; disputes terrorist threat information INDEPENDENT ORGS. "SHELLING OUT DOLLARS FASTER THAN IN ANY PREVIOUS MIDTERM": As the race for control of Congress turns toward its final sprint to Election Day, independent organizations with ideological or commercial stakes in the outcome are pouring record amounts of money into the closest contests -- in some cases eclipsing the spending of the candidates themselves... Politically active groups on both the left and the right are shelling out dollars faster than in any previous midterm election and focusing them intensely on the races that are up for grabs. Even with five weeks to go in the campaign, the $34 million in "independent expenditures" so far is nearly double the amount spent in the entire 2002 midterm election, according to PoliticalMoneyLine.com. This year's figure includes spending by the parties' House and Senate campaign committees, which unlike in 2002 are no longer allowed to coordinate directly with candidates for major ad buys, and by the "527" groups that emerged after an overhaul of funding laws that year. Washington Post: Outside Groups Shoveling Cash Into Tight Races BUSH RAISES $325K FOR HELLER IN RENO: President George W. Bush stopped by to see Dean Heller on Monday - a quick trip to Reno to help energize and enrich the campaign of the Republican candidate for Nevada's 2nd Congressional District. The Bush visit added $325,000 to Heller's war chest, which had run low because a tough primary campaign against former Reno Assemblywomen Sharon Angle and Dawn Gibbons. Heller's fundraising had also stalled because of Angle's attempt to get a District Court judge to order a new primary election because of voting irregularities in Washoe County. Bush provided the means to boost Heller's finances by posing for pictures at $2,100 a pop. Reno Gazette Journal: Bush's Reno stop gives Heller $325,000 boost ALLEN BUYS 2 MINUTES OF TV, FROM 7:58-8 PM ET, ON FIVE STATIONS: Trying to revive his campaign, U.S. Sen. George Allen paid for advertising on five state television stations last night to tout his record as Virginia's governor and as a senator. With his wife, Susan, at his side, Allen said some of the problems "I've brought on myself." But, he said, "negative personal attacks and baseless allegations" have not allowed the campaign to focus on "issues, ideas and my proven record of performance."... It is unusual for a candidate to pay for an infomercial to help bolster his campaign. The Allen campaign paid $50,000 for the taped, two-minute commercial, shown on TV stations in Northern Virginia, Richmond, Roanoke, Norfolk and Bristol between 7:58 and 8 p.m., when prime time begins... The commercial was filmed in the den of Allen's home in the Mount Vernon area of Northern Virginia. A portrait of his famous football coach father, George Allen, is in the background. Richmond Times-Dispatch: Allen uses TV ad to focus Senate race on record VIDEO (note Skins helmet, portrait in upper left). GOV CANDIDATES SQUARE OFF IN IL: Democratic Gov. Rod Blagojevich and Republican challenger Judy Baar Topinka questioned each other's ethical credentials Monday night in a debate reflecting a campaign increasingly focused on the issue of who can gain voters' trust. Topinka contended candidates across the Nov. 7 ballot were facing public cynicism as a result of the actions of Blagojevich and his predecessor, disgraced former Republican Gov. George Ryan. Blagojevich defended his administration's record on ethics by creating an investigative inspector general, and he labeled Topinka "Gov. Ryan's treasurer" for not standing up to her fellow Republican during his scandal-tarred tenure as governor. Topinka again contended Blagojevich is the unnamed "Public Official A" cited in a plea agreement involving allegations of corruption related to the state's teacher retirement board, something the governor has denied. Chicago Tribune: A clash over conduct ROMNEY A "POLITICAL LIABILITY" FOR HEALEY? He has been the state's most prominent politician over the last four years, but now Governor Mitt Romney finds himself in an awkward position -- he may be a political liability. His popularity in Massachusetts is at an ebb, and a recent poll suggested that his association with his lieutenant governor, Kerry Healey, is dragging down her chances of beating Democratic nominee Deval L. Patrick. Idaho Statesman: Helen Chenoweth-Hage dies in rollover accident in Nevada Former congressional pages using web to talk about Foley scandal
From CNN Internet Reporter Abbi Tatton
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Web pages and online message boards used by current and former congressional pages were dominated Monday by discussion of former Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida. Much of the chatter about the page program stressed what a positive experience it can be, and there was concern the entire program will suffer as a result of this scandal. While many posts on Foley were filled with shock and disgust at the content of the instant messages now circulating online, some comments emerged from former pages that Foley had made them uncomfortable. Online mentions of Foley by pages go back several years. The House Page Alumni Association's web site has recently been taken offline, but CNN has identified archived pages including a 2004 mention of Foley's sexual orientation, and a story about Foley going out of his way to learn one page's name after a late night vote. In one 2005 exchange, a prospective page posted his intention to apply to Mark Foley's office, and the response from a House Page Alumnus was simply 'Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Foley.' McCain lends a hand to Chafee
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, heads to Rhode Island Wednesday to help fellow GOP maverick Sen. Lincoln Chafee raise money for his tough re-election contest. While the two senators differ on many issues of politics and policy, McCain and Chafee are bonded by their shared nonconformist streak that at times is a major source of frustration for Republican leaders. McCain will attend a fundraising lunch in Providence for Chafee, who faces Democrat Sheldon WhiteHouse, a former state attorney general, in November. |
About the CNN Political Ticker
The CNN Political Ticker provides the latest political news.To sign up for our twice daily Ticker emails, visit CNN.com member services page. If you do not have a CNN.com account, you can register here. If you have any feedback, suggestions or news tips, drop us a line at politicalticker@cnn.com. NEW IN THE TICKER
• Hagel to announce decision on presidential bid Monday• Does Tiger Woods have a political future? • AFL-CIO makes push to keep unions united behind one presidential candidate • Obama: "No place for politics" in voter intimidation • Muslim congressman talks up 'American values' in State Department outreach • Year of the 'smaller' Pig • Pataki joins law firm • Bush 'sad' about Libby's conviction • House Dems urge colleagues to fund a withdrawal from Iraq • Romney recruits from the Sunshine State ARCHIVE
• Friday, September 22, 2006• Monday, September 25, 2006 • Tuesday, September 26, 2006 • Wednesday, September 27, 2006 • Thursday, September 28, 2006 • Friday, September 29, 2006 • Sunday, October 01, 2006 • Monday, October 02, 2006 • Tuesday, October 03, 2006 • Wednesday, October 04, 2006 • Thursday, October 05, 2006 • Friday, October 06, 2006 • Saturday, October 07, 2006 • Sunday, October 08, 2006 • Monday, October 09, 2006 • Tuesday, October 10, 2006 • Wednesday, October 11, 2006 • Thursday, October 12, 2006 • Friday, October 13, 2006 • Saturday, October 14, 2006 • Sunday, October 15, 2006 • Monday, October 16, 2006 • Tuesday, October 17, 2006 • Wednesday, October 18, 2006 • Thursday, October 19, 2006 • Friday, October 20, 2006 • Saturday, October 21, 2006 • Sunday, October 22, 2006 • Monday, October 23, 2006 • Tuesday, October 24, 2006 • Wednesday, October 25, 2006 • Thursday, October 26, 2006 • Friday, October 27, 2006 • Saturday, October 28, 2006 • Sunday, October 29, 2006 • Monday, October 30, 2006 • Tuesday, October 31, 2006 • Wednesday, November 01, 2006 • Thursday, November 02, 2006 • Friday, November 03, 2006 • Sunday, November 05, 2006 • Monday, November 06, 2006 • Tuesday, November 07, 2006 • Wednesday, November 08, 2006 • Thursday, November 09, 2006 • Friday, November 10, 2006 • Monday, November 13, 2006 • Tuesday, November 14, 2006 • Wednesday, November 15, 2006 • Thursday, November 16, 2006 • Friday, November 17, 2006 • Monday, November 20, 2006 • Tuesday, November 21, 2006 • Wednesday, November 22, 2006 • Monday, November 27, 2006 • Tuesday, November 28, 2006 • Wednesday, November 29, 2006 • Thursday, November 30, 2006 • Friday, December 01, 2006 • Saturday, December 02, 2006 • Monday, December 04, 2006 • Tuesday, December 05, 2006 • Wednesday, December 06, 2006 • Thursday, December 07, 2006 • Friday, December 08, 2006 • Monday, December 11, 2006 • Tuesday, December 12, 2006 • Wednesday, December 13, 2006 • Thursday, December 14, 2006 • Friday, December 15, 2006 • Saturday, December 16, 2006 • Monday, December 18, 2006 • Tuesday, December 19, 2006 • Wednesday, December 20, 2006 • Thursday, December 21, 2006 • Friday, December 22, 2006 • Sunday, December 24, 2006 • Tuesday, January 02, 2007 • Wednesday, January 03, 2007 • Thursday, January 04, 2007 • Friday, January 05, 2007 • Monday, January 08, 2007 • Tuesday, January 09, 2007 • Wednesday, January 10, 2007 • Thursday, January 11, 2007 • Friday, January 12, 2007 • Monday, January 15, 2007 • Tuesday, January 16, 2007 • Wednesday, January 17, 2007 • Thursday, January 18, 2007 • Friday, January 19, 2007 • Saturday, January 20, 2007 • Sunday, January 21, 2007 • Monday, January 22, 2007 • Tuesday, January 23, 2007 • Wednesday, January 24, 2007 • Thursday, January 25, 2007 • Friday, January 26, 2007 • Monday, January 29, 2007 • Tuesday, January 30, 2007 • Wednesday, January 31, 2007 • Thursday, February 01, 2007 • Friday, February 02, 2007 • Monday, February 05, 2007 • Tuesday, February 06, 2007 • Wednesday, February 07, 2007 • Thursday, February 08, 2007 • Friday, February 09, 2007 • Monday, February 12, 2007 • Tuesday, February 13, 2007 • Wednesday, February 14, 2007 • Thursday, February 15, 2007 • Friday, February 16, 2007 • Monday, February 19, 2007 • Tuesday, February 20, 2007 • Wednesday, February 21, 2007 • Thursday, February 22, 2007 • Friday, February 23, 2007 • Monday, February 26, 2007 • Tuesday, February 27, 2007 • Wednesday, February 28, 2007 • Thursday, March 01, 2007 • Friday, March 02, 2007 • Monday, March 05, 2007 • Tuesday, March 06, 2007 • Wednesday, March 07, 2007 SUBSCRIBE
|
External sites open in new window; not endorsed by CNN.com
Pay service with live and archived video. 
