Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Hastert spokesman: 'matter has been referred to the Standards Committee'
From CNN Congressional Correspondents Ted Barrett and Deirdre Walsh:
The following is a statement from Ron Bonjean, House Speaker Hastert's spokesman, in response to former congressional aide Kirk Fordham's statement today: "This matter has been referred to the Standards Committee and we fully expect that the bipartisan panel will do what it needs to do to investigate this matter and protect the integrity of the House." Ad of the Day
Today, we look at an ad from Ohio's 1st congressional district pitting GOP Rep. Steve Chabot against Democratic challenger John Cranley, a Cincinnati city councilman.
View ad AP: Rep. Ron Lewis cancels event with Hastert, cites page scandal
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - U.S. Rep. Ron Lewis said Wednesday he has canceled a fundraiser that was to feature House Speaker Dennis Hastert, who has come under fire in the Mark Foley scandal.
Hastert was to attend a $50-per-person fundraiser for Lewis next Tuesday in Shelby County. The speaker has come under attack in recent days over his handling of the complaint that Foley, a former Florida congressman, sent inappropriate e-mails to a young male page. "I'm taking the speaker's words at face value," Lewis told The Associated Press. "I have no reason to doubt him. But until this is cleared up, I want to know the facts. If anyone in our leadership has done anything wrong, then I will be the first in line to condemn it." Read full story Appearing on CNN tonight
5 p.m. ET, The Situation Room Fordham claims to have told senior GOP staffers about Foley "prior to 2005"
From CNN Congressional Correspondent Ted Barrett
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former congressional aide Kirk Fordham claimed Wednesday to have told senior House Republican staffers "prior to 2005" about Rep. Mark"Foley's inappropriate behavior" with House pages. Fordham also denied allegations he took steps to protect the Florida Republican from an investigation into his e-mail and instant message correspondence with the pages. Fordham made this new, shocking revelation in a statement released late this afternoon by his attorney. He resigned as chief-of-staff to Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-New York, earlier in the day. Fordham's full statement First lady campaigns for Reynolds
From CNN Political Editor Mark Preston
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- First lady Laura Bush called Rep. Tom Reynolds, R-New York, a "wonderful leader" during a campaign stop Wednesday in New York, but made no mention of the ongoing Foley page scandal that has rocked the nation's capital. Bush delivered her remarks at about the same time Reynolds' chief of staff, Kirk Fordham, announced his resignation. Fordham held a similar position with Rep. Mark Foley, R-Florida, who quit last week after it was revealed he had inappropriate e-mail and instant message conversations with underage pages. Fordham's decision to step down comes amid allegations that the staffer tried to protect Foley from congressional inquiries into his contacts with the pages. Reynolds is coming under fire for acknowledging that he knew Foley had contacted a page before the news broke last week, but he denies knowing the exact content of the messages. At the fundraiser, Bush specifically praised Reynolds for his work on behalf of children and called on his supporters to "to redouble your efforts between now and November to make sure Tom Reynolds is reelected to the United States Congress." Bush's full comments CNN Poll indicates Bush may be a drag on GOP come November
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Although President Bush has been campaigning for local
Republican candidates this week, he actually may hurt more than help his party come November, according to results of a new CNN poll released Wednesday. Fifty-seven percent of 1,014 adult Americans surveyed by Opinion Research Corporation on behalf of CNN said they will be more likely to vote for a candidate who opposes Bush, as compared to 37 percent who said they will likely cast their ballots for candidates who support the president. Asked about issues which may play a role in their vote, 50 percent of poll respondents said they disapproved of how Bush is handling terrorism, compared with 48 percent who approve. AP: Republican congressman calls for Rumsfeld's resignation
STAMFORD, Conn. (AP) -- A Republican congressman who's battling
for re-election against an anti-war candidate is calling for Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld to resign. Chris Shays of Connecticut has been a longtime supporter of the Iraq war. But now he says he's "losing faith" in U-S strategy, and that Washington needs to do more to put Iraqis in charge. Shays also accuses the Pentagon of withholding information from Congress. He says defense officials stopped cooperating with his congressional subcommittee after he proposed setting a timeline for American troop pullouts. Shays says Rumsfeld's resistance "has crossed the line." Shays switched his position to support a withdrawal timeframe after making a 14th wartime trip to Iraq. AP: Fordham says he told Hastert's office about Foley's conduct 2 years ago
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A senior congressional aide said Wednesday
that he alerted the House Speaker Dennis Hastert's office two years ago about worrisome conduct by former Rep. Mark Foley with teenage pages. Kirk Fordham told The Associated Press that when he was told about Foley's inappropriate behavior toward pages, he had "more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene." The conversations took place long before the e-mail scandal broke, Fordham said, and at least a year earlier than members of the House GOP leadership have acknowledged. "The fact is even prior to the existence of the Foley e-mail exchanges I had more than one conversation with senior staff at the highest level of the House of Representatives asking them to intervene when I was informed of Mr. Foley's inappropriate behavior," Fordham said. Read full story McCain adds South Carolina GOP leader to political action committee
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain added another South Carolina lawmaker to his Straight Talk America political action committee Wednesday, as the Arizona senator continues to lock down support for a potential presidential bid in the influential Palmetto State. State Sen. Glen McConnell, who lives in Charleston and serves as the president pro tempore in the Senate, will be a co-chair on the PAC. "Glenn has been fighting for the conservative cause for many years," McCain said in a statement released by the PAC. "No one is more effective or more courageous." McCain has acknowledged he is considering another run for the White House Fundraiser-in-chief on western campaign swing
From CNN Deputy Washington Bureau Chief Steve Redisch
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush completes his three-day West Coast campaign swing Wednesday, attending two fundraisers for GOP candidates facing tough races. Bush appeared with Arizona Rep. Rick Renzi, a two-term incumbent in a competitive race for reelection, at an event that raised $450,000 in Scottsdale, Arizona. The president is also slated to appear with Colorado Rep. Bob Beauprez, who is giving up his House seat in order to run for governor. The event, in Englewood Colorado, is expected to raise $550,000. Wetterling to give Democratic response to presidential radio address
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Democratic candidate Patty Wetterling, who hit the airwaves Tuesday with the first television campaign ad citing the Foley page scandal, will deliver the national Democratic response to President Bush's weekly radio address. Wetterling, whose 11-year-old son was abducted in 1989 and has never been found, is expected to focus on child safety issues in the wake of former Rep. Mark Foley's, R-Florida, inappropriate correspondence with a teenage House page. Wettering is in a competitive race for the seat being vacated by Rep. Mark Kennedy, R-Minnesota, who is running for Senate. State Sen. Michele Bachmann is GOP nominee in the House race. For more of CNN's coverage on key races, check out America Votes 2006 AP: McCain calls for independent investigation into handling of Foley emails
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Sen. John McCain of Arizona called for a group of former senators and others to investigate how the House handled the affair. "We need to move forward quickly and we need to reach conclusions and recommendations about who is responsible," McCain said during a campaign speech for Sen. Lincoln Chafee in Rhode Island. "I think it needs to be addressed by people who are credible." Reynolds top aide resigns
From CNN Political Editor Mark Preston
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Tom Reynolds' senior aide resigned Wednesday, the first person to fall in the wake of the Foley page scandal. "I have resigned today from Congressman Tom Reynolds' office," Kirk Fordham said in a statement released by Reynolds' congressional office. "It is clear the Democrats are intent on making me a political issue in my boss's race, and I will not let them do so." Before serving as Reynolds chief-of-staff, Fordham served as Rep. Mark Foley's top aide. When news first broke last week that Foley had e-mail and instant message conversations with House pages, Fordham provided private advice to him. Kirk Fordham's statement Rep. LaHood calls for suspension of page program
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Illinois, a longtime ally of embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, called again for a temporary suspension of the Congressional page program as shockwaves of the Foley scandal continue to reverberate across Capitol Hill. "It's an antiquated system," LaHood, appearing on CNN's American Morning, said Thursday. "My idea is let's suspend it, send the pages home and have some scholarly people in Washington really evaluate the program and bring it into the 21st Century. It's a program that simply is flawed. It has its flaws. We should fix it. If it's a valuable program, perhaps bring it back." LaHood told CNN's Dana Bash Tuesday that he would immediately call his children back home if any one of them was serving as pages. "If one of my kids were a page right now, they'd already be back in Peoria," he said. LaHood, who promptly came out in support of Hastert yesterday amid resignation calls, again defended his colleague. "He's been a good leader, a good speaker," LaHood said. "This idea he should resign is absolute nonsense and it's just a lot of political fodder for people who want to make hay 35 days before the election." Spitzer has 52 point lead in NY Governor's race
From CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer has a seemingly insurmountable lead against Republican candidate John Faso in the New York Governor's race. A new Quinnipiac University poll conducted from September 26 through October 1, 2006 shows Spitzer with a 52 point lead over Fason.
Sample Size: 1,263 likely voters Margin of Error: +/- 2.8% Two more influential conservatives stand behind Hastert
From CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Two influential conservative House members added their names to a growing list of GOP members standing behind House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, amidst a call for his resignation over the Foley scandal. While Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, Chairman of the Republican Study Committee, and Pennsylvania Rep. Joe Pitts, Chairman of the Values action team, question Hastert's initial handling of the Foley matter, they do not think the speaker should resign. "Regardless of our reservations about how this matter was handled administratively, we believe Speaker Hastert is a man of integrity who has led our conference honorably and effectively throughout the past eight years." Pence and Pitts said in a statement Wednesday. Pence, who was the first conservative lawmaker to issue a statement expressing concern over the unfolding Foley Scandal Saturday, made several calls yesterday to fellow members and conservative activists as he tried to get as sense of how much support was coalescing behind Hastert, according to a GOP strategist. Pence and Pitt, considered members of the "new guard" of House conservatives, join "old guard" conservatives, including Illinois Rep. Henry Hyde and Arizona Rep. John Shadegg, who are standing by the Speaker. Hastert targets different audiences with tailor-made messages
From CNN Congressional Correspondent Andrea Koppel
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, is engaging in a carefully orchestrated campaign to target various audiences with tailor-made messages on the GOP leadership's handling of the Foley scandal, according to a GOP leadership aide. Hastert targeted mainstream America Monday as he granted several interviews with national print and broadcast networks including CNN and sought to spell out exactly "what" he knew, and "when" he knew it. On Tuesday, Hastert's audience was the GOP's conservative base as the Speaker appeared on several conservative talk radio shows, including Rush Limbaugh's program, with its 20 million regular viewers. Hastert also spent much of yesterday reaching out to conservative leaders and organizations, as well as to his GOP colleagues. The speaker's office was barraged with calls yesterday, overwhelmingly in support of Hastert, according to spokesman Ron Bonjean. Hastert is reaching out his own constituents Wednesday, granting interviews to Chicago radio and television stations. Biden heads to South Carolina
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Senator Joe Biden, D-Delaware, continues his busy travel pace this election season as he heads to South Carolina Wednesday to campaign with state party members. He will attend a private South Carolina House Democratic Caucus reception a 5:30 p.m. and then head to a reception for South Carolina gubernatorial candidate Tommy Moore. Biden is openly seeking his party's 2008 presidential nomination. The Palmetto State's early presidential primary makes it a popular stomping ground for would-be presidential candidates. Shadegg says Hastert Resignation calls 'unwarranted and fundamentally unfair'
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Arizona Rep. John Shadegg describes calls for the resignation of House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Illinois, "unwarranted and fundamentally unfair." Shadegg, an influential member of the House GOP, also said in a in a letter sent to House colleagues Tuesday night that Hastert and Illinois Rep. John Shimkus, the GOP chairman of the Page Board, acted appropriately when they learned of former Rep. Mark Foley's questionable emails to a House page. "The Speaker's staff and Congressman Shimkus acted promptly when they were informed of former Congressman Foley's inappropriate behavior," Shadegg wrote in the letter. Shadegg also echoed President Bush's comments Tuesday that Hastert is a man who cares about the protection of children. "Before coming to Congress, he both taught and coached high school students," Shadegg wrote. "In Congress, he has fought vigorously, and at times almost single handedly to protect America's youth from the scourge of illegal drugs. His lifelong declaration to America's youth is unquestionable. Read Rep. Shadegg's letter Mehlman heads west to raise money
From CNN Ticker Producer Alex Mooney
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlan heads to California Wednesday for two fundraisers and a speech at Stanford University, as the Republican Party faces rising conservative anger over the unfolding Foley scandal. Mehlman is to appear at a breakfast for Nevada State treasurer candidate Mark Destefano and a luncheon for Ohio Senator Mike DeWine who is facing a tough reelection bid against Ohio Rep. Sherrod Brown. Mehlman is also slated to deliver remarks at Stanford University later Wednesday. For more of CNN's coverage on key races, check out America Votes 2006 AP: R.I. Senate Rivals Bound by Dads, History
PROVIDENCE, RI (AP) -- One of the closest races for the U.S. Senate is being waged by two men whose fathers were lifelong friends.
Democrat Sheldon Whitehouse is challenging Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee in a campaign crucial to the balance of power in the Senate, where Republicans hold the majority. The late Sen. John Chafee and Ambassador Charles Whitehouse were roommates at Yale University in the 1940s, the beginning of enduring ties between the two families Read full story Check out CNN's coverage of key races at America Votes 2006 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... President's schedule: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) BUSH BACK IN 30s... FOLEY, WOODWARD TAKE A BITE OUT OF GOP NUMBERS: After what they have seen and heard over the past few weeks -- events including the news of a Republican congressman's improper correspondence with a teenage page and the recent release of journalist Bob Woodward's unfavorable portrayal of the Bush administration's handling of Iraq - respondents to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, by more than a 2-to-1 ratio, say they have a less favorable impression of the Republicans maintaining control of Congress. What's more, a strong plurality believes the Iraq war is hurting the country's ability to win the war on terrorism, a significant shift from a month ago... In the poll, Bush's job approval rating is at 39 percent among registered voters, a drop of three points since September, when his rating had increased to its highest level in months after he gave a series of speeches on national security. NBC News: Sex scandal, Iraq book take toll on Bush, GOP MORE NBC NEWS/WSJ POLL RESULTS (pdf via MSNBC.com) "BEHIND THE SCENES" GOP WEIGHING IF HASTERT CAN "SURVIVE THE SCANDAL": Backed by measured words of support from President Bush, Speaker J. Dennis Hastert opened an intense drive on Tuesday to hold on to his post, but behind the scenes senior Republicans weighed whether he could survive the scandal surrounding former Representative Mark Foley. Among the options being considered by senior Republicans is for Mr. Hastert to announce that he will stay on as speaker through this year but not seek re-election to the post assuming Republicans retain control of the House, said people on and off Capitol Hill who were involved in the discussions. They said the advantage of such a step would be to postpone a disruptive leadership fight until after Election Day. New York Times: Hastert Fights to Save His Job in Page Scandal BUSH OFFERS "WORDS OF SUPPORT" FOR HASTERT: "I know Denny Hastert. I meet with him a lot," Bush said, speaking to reporters outside an elementary school in Stockton, Calif. "He is a father, teacher, coach, who cares about the children of this country. I know that he wants all the facts to come out." Bush would not answer direct questions on whether Hastert should step aside, despite being asked on two occasions during the day. The president said he was "disgusted" by the electronic messages that then-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) sent to underage male pages. Chicago Tribune: Bush voices support for Hastert ETHICS CMTE. RETURNING THURSDAY TO LAUNCH PROBE: Members of the House ethics committee will return to Washington, D.C., on Thursday and are expected to approve an investigation into the sex scandal surrounding ex-Rep. Mark Foley (R-Fla.) and his contacts with former Congressional pages, according to House insiders. Reps. Doc Hastings (R-Wash.) and Howard Berman (D-Calif.), chairman and ranking member on the Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, announced last night that the panel's 10 members would return to Washington Thursday morning. While the meeting's agenda has not been made public, House sources said the panel is expected to launch a probe of the Foley matter. Roll Call: Ethics Expected to Launch Foley Investigation FOLEY SAYS HE WAS MOLESTED AS A TEEN: Former U.S. Rep. Mark Foley says a clergyman molested him when he was a teenager in the 1960s. Foley made the announcement Tuesday through his attorney, David Roth, who also said Foley "wants you to know that he is a gay man." It was the first time in nearly 30 years of public life that Foley has declared openly that he is gay. The twin announcements, made outside the West Palm Beach Library, started another jarring chapter in a saga that began Friday when Foley was forced to resign from Congress in disgrace because of sexually explicit instant messages he exchanged with teenage boys who had worked as congressional pages. The alleged molestation of Foley took place between the ages of 13 and 15, said Roth, who did not name the clergyman, the denomination or where the sexual contacts took place. Roth said Foley wants to release those details but was advised not to do so until he completes treatment for alcoholism and mental illness at an undisclosed substance abuse center. Palm Beach Post: Foley: I was molested ALCOHOL TREATMENT RAISES SUSPICIONS: When disgraced former Rep. Mark Foley announced he was entering rehab for treatment of alcoholism and "other behavioral problems," some of those who have known him for years were shocked and suspicious, saying they rarely saw him drink. Another longtime friend, though, agreed that Foley had a drinking problem, and a psychiatrist who specializes in addiction noted that it's not unusual for alcoholics to hide their drinking. Among the skeptics, Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., a former colleague, said on Fox News Channel: "I don't buy this at all. I think this is a phony defense. The fact is, I think he's responsible for what he did here and I think it's a gimmick." AP via Yahoo! News: Foley acquaintances question alcoholism WARNINGS ABOUT FOLEY GO BACK A DECADE: In 1995, male House pages were warned to steer clear of a freshman Republican from Florida, who was already learning the names of the teenagers, dashing off notes, letters and e-mails to them, and asking them to join him for ice cream, according to a former page. Mark Beck-Heyman, now a graduate student in clinical psychology at George Washington University, and more than a dozen other former House pages said in interviews and via e-mail that Rep. Mark Foley was known to be extraordinarily friendly in a way that made some of them uncomfortable. Beck-Heyman, who was a Republican page and is now a Democrat, said the attention was "weird," and he provided a handwritten letter that Foley sent him after the page left Washington to return home to California. The note suggested that they get together during the Republican National Convention in San Diego in 1996. Washington Post: Some Say They Felt Uneasy About Representative's Attention EMBRACING FOLEY'S NAME "AS IF IT WERE HIS OWN": While most politicians are running as fast as they can from Mark Foley, one South Florida Republican is embracing the disgraced ex-congressman's name as if it were his own. Joe Negron, a state representative from Stuart, is going to spend every moment he can summon, every dollar he can raise, urging voters to cast their ballots for the name now tied to one of the nation's most sordid political scandals. Because a vote for Foley will be, quite literally, a vote for Negron. Florida law says Foley's name cannot be removed from the ballot because it has already been mailed to some absentee voters. So Negron, selected by the state Republican Party to run in Foley's place, will get all the votes that go to the former congressman. Miami Herald: Ballot name pesters Foley's fill-in "VALUE VOTERS" MAY "JUST DECIDE TO STAY HOME": Republican campaign strategists and conservatives fear former Rep. Mark Foley's sex scandal will depress turnout among the party's "value voter" base in November, further complicating Republican efforts to keep control of Congress. "A social conservative may think, 'Well, Democrats aren't going to represent the legislation I want to see passed, but the Republicans aren't representing me,'" said Tom McClusky, vice president of government affairs at the Family Research Council. "They may just decide to stay home," according to Mr. McClusky, who said many conservative voters are rightly "disgusted." Washington Times: Conservatives worry scandal will hit 'value voter' turnout MN'S WETTERLING LAUNCHES FOLEY-BASED AD: Congressional candidate Patty Wetterling has rushed out a television ad focusing on the Mark Foley scandal. In the ad, DFLer Wetterling reminds viewers that child protection has been her cause for 17 years. She calls for "a criminal investigation and the immediate expulsion of any congressman involved in this crime and coverup." State Sen. Michele Bachmann, Wetterling's Republican opponent, put out a press release calling Foley's conduct "unacceptable and abhorrent." Minneapolis Star-Tribune: Wetterling ad focuses on Foley scandal VIEW WETTERLING AD "CRIMES" (via PattyWetterling.com) $20 MILLION ON HOLD FOR VICTORY CELEBRATION IN IRAQ: Even as the Bush administration urges Americans to stay the course in Iraq, Republicans in Congress have put down a quiet marker in the apparent hope that V-I Day might be only months away. Tucked away in fine print in the military spending bill for this past year was a lump sum of $20 million to pay for a celebration in the nation's capital "for commemoration of success" in Iraq and Afghanistan. Not surprisingly, the money was not spent. Now Congressional Republicans are saying, in effect, maybe next year. A paragraph written into spending legislation and approved by the Senate and House allows the $20 million to be rolled over into 2007. New York Times: In Bill's Fine Print, Millions to Celebrate Victory RICE REACTS TO N. KOREA NUKE TEST: North Korea vowed yesterday to conduct a test of its nuclear weapons, claiming it faces "an extreme threat of nuclear war" from the U.S. Any such test would be "a very provocative act," Secretary of State Rice said yesterday at a press conference in Egypt's capital, her second stop on a Middle East tour. The top U.S. diplomat said the U.S. would have to assess its options should such a test be carried out, but she did not elaborate. Rice stressed that a North Korean test was an issue "for the entire neighborhood" - a reference to North Korea's neighbors in Asia - and not just the U.S. New York Daily News: N. Korea says it'll test nuke FRIST CRITICIZED FOR TALIBAN COMMENTS: Democrats accused Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of waving a white flag of surrender for saying the Afghan war against Taliban guerrillas can never be won militarily and favoring bringing "people who call themselves Taliban" into the government. Frist, who was traveling in Afghanistan, said Monday that Taliban fighters were too numerous and too popular to be defeated. "You need to bring them into a more transparent type of government," he said. "And if that's accomplished, we'll be successful." The comments from the Tennessee Republican, a potential 2008 presidential candidate, come as President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney have accused Democrats of being weak on national security and adhering to a policy of retreat. AP via Yahoo! News: Democrats assail Frist's Afghan comments AN EXPENSIVE PROSPECT... DEMS ATTEMPT 11 PICKUPS IN TOP MEDIA MARKETS: Democrats will have to overcome the high cost of TV advertising to win pivotal races in their bid to control Congress. They're trying to pick up 11 House and Senate seats held by Republicans in expensive media markets. Republicans are attempting only four takeovers in top markets, a USA TODAY analysis shows. The contrast underscores one of the chief difficulties Democrats face in their drive to win congressional majorities: raising enough money to make it happen. In Philadelphia - where Democrats are going after House seats held by Republicans Jim Gerlach, Curt Weldon and Michael Fitzpatrick - a typical 30-second ad during a local newscast on a network affiliate costs about $2,100, according to the non-partisan Campaign Media Analysis Group. In Waco, Texas, where Republican Van Taylor is trying to oust Democratic Rep. Chet Edwards, a similar ad costs about $250. USA Today: Expensive ad markets hike campaign costs MD'S CARDIN, STEELE SQUARE OFF IN FIRST DEBATE: The first public debate of the general election campaign for U.S. Senate was a combative two-hour session in Baltimore last night during which Democrat Benjamin L. Cardin said his opponent stands with the president on issues from Iraq to tax cuts to embryonic stem cell research. Republican Michael S. Steele said Cardin should learn to "shut up and listen." "What you just witnessed is the problem of Washington," Steele, the lieutenant governor, said after Cardin's opening remarks pinned the GOP nominee to the President Bush's policies. "They run their mouths, but they do not listen. They do not take the time to look around to see who else is in the room... He still has not learned to first look around the room and shut up and listen." Steele's comments were met with a mix of applause and boos. Cardin, a 10-term congressman and former speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates, later responded: "I've had more town hall meetings in the last several years than you've had in your whole public life." Baltimore Sun: Senate hopefuls launch tough talk WEBB GETS A BOOST FROM HILLARY: One day after urging a return to issues, Republican Sen. George Allen indicated he will continue running ads attacking Democrat Jim Webb's stance on women at the military academies. Meanwhile, Webb picked up the official endorsement yesterday of U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, the frontrunner for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination. Clinton appeared at a "Women for Webb" fundraising luncheon in Old Town Alexandria at the French restaurant La Bergerie. A sell-out crowd of 100 raised between $50,000 and $75,000 for Webb. Allen yesterday said his campaign ad, in which female former midshipmen assert Webb's comments 27 years ago subjected them to harassment, addresses the issue of respect for women. Richmond Times-Dispatch: Allen will continue TV ads attacking Webb HEALEY GETS AGGRESSIVE IN WESTERN MA: Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey last night assailed Democrat Deval L. Patrick as cozying up to Beacon Hill lawmakers, and he accused her and Governor Mitt Romney of letting the state down during their nearly four years in office. In the first debate of the campaign to be held in Western Massachusetts, all four candidates for governor targeted the political establishment on Beacon Hill and sought to portray themselves as outsiders willing to stand up to the Legislature and special interests. The debate, the second of the general election campaign, saw Healey moving more aggressively, after having been put on the defensive last week by repeated questioning from independent candidate Christy Mihos and Patrick. Boston Globe: Healey, Patrick blast away ARNOLD'S GOP ALLEGIANCE BECOMES CENTRAL ISSUE IN CA: As Schwarzenegger pressed ahead with his nearly yearlong effort to keep a measured distance from his own party, his Democratic rival, state Treasurer Phil Angelides, was portraying him as the very embodiment of the Republican Party's worst qualities. From the Iraq war to a GOP "jihad" to privatize pensions, Angelides said at a Sacramento news conference, "the Bush-Schwarzenegger agenda is shredding the fabric of our country and our state." The candidates' remarks Tuesday captured one of the main dynamics driving the gubernatorial race as Saturday night's debate, the only one of the campaign, approaches: a squabble over how much of a Republican Schwarzenegger really is - and whether voters should care. Los Angeles Times: Schwarzenegger's GOP Credentials Spur Debate WV CANDIDATE EMBARRASSED OVER PHOTOS: A state senator said he is evaluating whether to continue his bid for a second term after a Charleston television station aired revealing pictures of him last week. "My family has urged me not to withdraw from the election and I will work with them to make a decision in the immediate future," State Sen. Randy White, a Webster County Democrat, said in a letter to newspapers in his district. An apologetic White also wrote that he was "shocked" and "horribly embarrassed" after WCHS-TV aired photos depicting him and at least two other men wearing only body paint. "The pictures were taken approximately two years ago in private and were stolen from my personal computer," said White, 51, a married father of three. "I am not sure why they were given to the media, but I must assume for obvious political reasons." AP via Yahoo! News: W. Va. lawmaker embarrassed by photos Poll: Likely voters frown on congressional GOP
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Republicans trail Democrats by double digits when likely voters are asked which party they prefer in November's congressional elections, and just 38 percent of all Americans say most GOP incumbents should be re-elected, according to a CNN poll released Tuesday.
The poll, conducted Friday through Monday by Opinion Research Corporation, gave Democrats a 53-42 percent edge over Republicans in the so-called generic ballot, which does not survey individual congressional districts. The Democratic figure is down slightly from a poll conducted last week, which showed the party at 55 percent, while the GOP 's support remained static. The survey of 1,014 American adults, including 548 likely voters, was conducted for CNN from Friday through Sunday. It has a sampling error of 3 percentage points for all respondents and 4.5 percentage points for likely voters. Most Americans -- 57 percent -- said they believe their own congressman or woman deserves re-election. Thirty-three percent disagreed, while 10 percent had no opinion. The scandal over ex-Florida congressman Mark Foley's sexually explicit e-mails to teenage pages does not appear to have affected the approval ratings of his fellow GOP lawmakers. Nor have the controversies over a leaked intelligence estimate that gave a pessimistic view of the war on terrorism and journalist Bob Woodward's new book that accuses the Bush administration of hiding bad news about the war in Iraq -- allegations the White House vigorously disputes. But only 42 percent said most members of Congress deserved re-election, with 52 percent deeming them unworthy of being sent back to Washington. And just 38 percent said most Republicans should be re-elected, while 57 percent disagreed. While earlier polling has indicated a strong anti-incumbent bent among voters, Democrats fared better in the latest poll: Fifty-three percent of those polled said most Democrats in Congress deserve re-election, while 41 percent disagreed. Hastert, GOP stand together amid Foley scandal
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House and GOP leaders are standing together in supporting embattled House Speaker Dennis Hastert, under fire over the handling of the scandal involving former Rep. Mark Foley.
Four days after Foley, a Florida Republican, resigned amid allegations that he had inappropriate correspondences with teenage congressional pages, a conservative newspaper called on Hastert to follow suit Tuesday. Full story |
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. 
