Sunday, December 24, 2006
CNN Ticker on a short break
The CNN Political Ticker is taking a short break for the holidays and will resume publishing on Jan. 2. Continue to check back with http://www.cnn.com/POLITICS/ for the latest breaking news.
Schwarzenegger breaks leg while skiing
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger broke his leg while skiing with his family Saturday morning in Sun Valley, Idaho, a spokesman said.
Schwarzenegger, 59, was taken to a hospital for X-rays and was discharged with a fracture to his right femur, said Adam Mendelsohn, the governor's Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications. He will have surgery to repair the bone when he returns to Los Angeles, Mendelsohn said. The governor remained at his Sun Valley home Saturday night and still planned to spend Christmas there. No one else was involved in the accident, Mendelsohn said. The fracture was the second medical problem the governor suffered in a year. He spent several hours at a University of California, Davis, hospital last December with a rapid heartbeat after coming down with a stomach flu. Pelosi denies CSPAN's request for cameras on House floor
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, denied a request Friday by CSPAN to install its own cameras on the House floor.
Under the current arrangement, the House cameras are solely operated under the discretion of the speaker, CSPAN Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Brian Lamb told CNN. The speakers sole control of the cameras "does a disservice to the institution and to the public," Lamb said in a letter to Pelosi requesting a change. In a letter to CSPAN, Pelosi responded, "I believe that the dignity and decorum of the United States House of Representatives are best preserved by maintaining the current system of televised proceedings." CSPAN also was unable to convince the GOP of the same request in 1995. "Every chance you get you have to ask...we want more access," Lamb told CNN. -- CNN's Alexander Mooney and Julie Hofler
Draft Obama ad set to air in Hawaii
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In between football games and holiday programming, Sen. Barack Obama might see a television ad urging him to jump into the 2008 presidential race while he vacations in Hawaii over the holidays. DraftObama.org, a grassroots organization urging the Illinois Democrat to run for president, will begin airing an ad in Obama's birth state of Hawaii, the group announced Friday. The ad is currently airing on local cable in New Hampshire and Washington, D.C. as well as on New Hampshire station WMUR in what a spokeswoman called a "moderate rolling ad buy." Called "Believe Again," the ad scrolls through still photographs of Obama while clips his from past speeches are played. It begins with the words "We can replace fear with hope," and ends with "Believe again." The group says the ad will now run on "several stations in Honolulu" and is timed to coincide with Obama annual trip there. "All I really want for Christmas this year is for Barack Obama to run for president," Ben Stanfield, founder of DraftObama.org, said in a statement. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Webb: White House leaked hostile exchange
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In an upcoming interview with the New York Times, Sen.-elect Jim Webb accuses the White House of leaking his somewhat hostile and widely-publicized exchange with President Bush at a White House gathering last month in an attempt to define the Virginia Democrat before he is sworn in, according to the Editor and Publisher trade journal.
In the now infamous exchange, Webb said he would like to see the troops return from Iraq after the president asked how his son, who is currently on a tour of duty there, was doing. "I didn't ask you that," Bush reportedly snapped back. "This was something that emanated from the White House," Webb told the New York Times Magazine in an interview to be published Sunday. "I did not say anything about this for two weeks. I said nothing publicly at all." When asked why he thought the White House would leak the exchange Webb said, "Probably as an attempt to try to define me between the election and the beginning of the Congress," Webb replied. "And that's all I am going to say." Full story -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Poll: Bush not trustworthy, doesn't share values, no longer inspires confidence
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush faces some discouraging poll numbers as the year many have called the most challenging of his presidency comes to an end.
A majority of the American people, 55 percent, no longer believe Bush shares their values. They also are not sure if he is honest and trustworthy or if he understands complex issues, a CNN poll released Thursday reports. The poll was conducted for CNN by the Opinion Research Corporation and has a margin of error of plus or minus three percentage points. Nearly 53 percent say he is not honest and trustworthy, and the same number believes he does not understand complex issues. Fifty-one percent also say he is not a strong leader. Only 37 percent believe that the president inspires confidence, compared to 61 percent who say that he does not. In 2005, 46 percent thought the president inspired confidence. Bush fared much better in this category in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks, when 75 percent said that he inspired confidence. Full poll results -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Bush touched by 'courage and bravery' at Walter Reed
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Saying he was touched by their "courage and bravery," President Bush thanked injured troops Friday in his annual Christmas-time visit to the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
"Every time I come to Walter Reed I am moved by the courage and bravery of the people I meet," Bush told reporters following his visit. "And so on behalf of a grateful nation, I want to thank, thank our military families, thank the folks here who are wrapping gifts for the military families, and ask for God's blessings on our citizens." Bush also said the American people owe the troops "a huge debt of gratitude." "We owe them all we can give them, not only for when they're in harm's way but when they come home," Bush said. "To help them adjust if they have wounds or help them adjust after their time in service. We owe a huge debt of gratitude for incredible men and women." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Kobe urges Sen. Clinton to 'go for it 110 percent'
NEW YORK (AP) -- Call Kobe Bryant an undecided voter. Appearing with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and a dozen fellow NBA players at a holiday food giveaway in Harlem, the Los Angeles Lakers star said he was interested in a potential Clinton presidential candidacy but wasn't ready to commit.
"I'm a firm believer that if you have a dream and if you want to accomplish something, go for it 110 percent," Bryant told reporters. Clinton has said she would disclose her political plans early next year. Asked which candidate he'd support for president in 2008, Bryant said it was too early to decide. "I follow it just like everyone else. I'll see how it comes out in the wash," he said. The event, sponsored by Feed the Children, provided 80,000 pounds of food to 10,000 families. NY comptroller resigns -- accepts plea deal
NEW YORK (CNN) -- New York State Comptroller Alan Hevesi resigned Friday to avoid a felony indictment by a New York State grand jury charging him with defrauding the government by having staffers drive his wife and assist her in with personal matters from 2003-2006.
Hevesi pleaded guilty to a lesser felony charge of defrauding the government, a Class E felony, and will pay a $5,000 fine. Hevesi admitted the wrongdoing when allegations surfaced in November, and has repaid the state more than $200,000. After accepting the plea deal, Hevesi read a statement in court citing security concerns for having state employees drive his sick wife during those three years, but he admitted that there was a brief period of time where he ordered employees to assist his wife with matters not related to her security. Hevesi was recently re-elected as comptroller despite the growing scandal, and his second term would have begun on January 1. Friday, December 22, 2006
State of the Union address set for Jan. 23
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush's State of the Union address is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 23.
White House spokeswoman Dana Perino on Friday confirmed the date of the annual address. Bush to meet with Gates, Rice, Hadley at Camp David
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush on Saturday will meet with new Defense Secretary Robert Gates and other top administration officials, the White House said.
The meeting -- which will be held at 8:20 a.m. EST at Camp David -- comes after Gates' trip this week to Iraq and as President Bush ponders a new strategy in the Iraq war. Others at the meeting will be Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, National Security Adviser Stephen Hadley and Hadley's deputy, J.D. Crouch. White House spokeswoman Dana Perino released the details. It is unclear what will unfold and come out of that meeting. On Thursday, a National Security Council meeting will be held in Crawford, Texas. Perino said this meeting will involve further consultations on matters at hand and is not expected to result in major decisions. Site selection for Bush library narrows to SMU
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The committee selecting a site for President Bush's future presidential library has narrowed its focus to Southern Methodist University in Dallas, the alma mater of first lady Laura Bush, although a final decision has not yet been made.
Donald Evans, the former Bush commerce secretary who heads the selection committee, and SMU President Gerald Turner both announced Thursday that the committee would enter into exclusive negotiations with the university for the project after the first of the year. "We do not know how long these discussions will take," Turner said a statement. "We are obviously delighted to have reached this final stage of the selection process." The committee had been looking at possible sites at SMU, the University of Dallas and Baylor University in Waco, which is near the president's ranch in Crawford. Mrs. Bush, who earned bachelor's degree in education from SMU in 1968, serves on the university's board of trustees. The Bush library, which will be built with private funds but operated by the National Archives, will be the third presidential library in the Lone Star State. George H.W. Bush's library is located at Texas A&M University in College Station; Lyndon B. Johnson's is in Austin. CNN Political Ticker AM
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Compiled by Stephen Bac CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... On "The Situation Room" yesterday, Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to Congress, told Wolf Blitzer that Goode "has a lot to learn about Islam." Find out what's planned in Hot Topics below! President's Schedule: At 11:35 am ET, they take part in a "Holiday Service Project" at Walter Reed. The family will spend the Christmas weekend at Camp David. ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) 4 CHARGED IN HADITHA KILLINGS: Four marines were charged yesterday with murder in the killings of two dozen Iraqi civilians, including at least 10 women and children, in the village of Haditha last year, military officials said at Camp Pendleton, Calif. Military prosecutors also charged four officers, including a lieutenant colonel in charge of the First Marine Regiment's Third Battalion, with dereliction of duty and failure to ensure that accurate information about the killings was delivered up the Marine Corps' chain of command. A military investigation has found evidence that Marine officers may have obscured certain facts in the case. New York Times: Marines Charge 4 With Murder of Iraq Civilians PUSH TO INCREASE SIZE OF MILITARY CAME FROM TOP BRASS: President Bush only acceded to a jump in the number of U.S. Army and Marine Corps ground troops after intense pressure from senior officers, active and retired, including the Joint Chiefs, defense sources said. Mr. Bush, who announced Wednesday that he will increase an active force that now stands at 1.4 million personnel, this month heard about the stressed Army and Marines Corps from a group of retired officers at the Pentagon. But the deal-clincher came when he traveled to the Pentagon and met with the six-member Joint Chiefs inside the super-secret "tank." There, the commander in chief listened to a request for more combat forces from Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, and Gen. James T. Conway, the Marine commandant, said defense sources briefed on the meeting. Washington Times: Bush caved to pressure on troops GATES HOPES TO REPORT "THIS WEEKEND" ON WHAT HE LEARNED IN IRAQ: Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Friday that he hopes to give a report to President Bush this weekend on what he learned during his three days of meetings with military and political leaders [in Iraq]. Gates declined to say whether he plans to recommend a short-term increase in U.S. troop levels. But he said he believes the U.S. and Iraqis have "a broad strategic agreement between the Iraqi military and Iraqi government and our military." "There is still some work to be done," Gates said. "But I do expect to give a report to the president on what I've learned and my perceptions." Speaking to reporters at Camp Victory, with the sounds of artillery fire and jet aircraft in the background, Gates said that "clearly there are more discussions that need to take place in Washington and more specific recommendations." AP via Yahoo! News: Gates plans report to Bush on Iraq MALIKI SAYS HE'LL "LET U.S. GENERALS DECIDE" ON SENDING MORE TROOPS: Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki told visiting Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates that he would let U.S. generals decide whether there is a need for a "surge" in U.S. troops deployed in Iraq, according to Iraqi officials with knowledge of the meeting. In a news conference, Gates said his conversation with the Iraqi prime minister and defense minister included "no numbers... We were really talking in broader terms." Washington Post: Iraqi Prime Minister Tells Gates He'll Let U.S. Decide on Troop 'Surge' THE NEW GUY... FIRST IMPRESSIONS: Where [Donald] Rumsfeld was volcanic and opinionated, [Robert] Gates has come across as humble and open-minded. Where Mr. Rumsfeld fought to keep troop levels in Iraq low, Mr. Gates is assumed to be inching toward recommending increasing American troop levels, even as he professes not to have made up his mind. When Mr. Gates vowed, as he has several times, to rely heavily on advice from the uniformed military, it was seen as a subtle signal that he would not run roughshod over the Pentagon brass the way Mr. Rumsfeld was widely criticized for doing. How valid these early impressions of Mr. Gates will prove to be, though, is still an open question. New York Times: At Pentagon, a New Personality Faces the Same Tough Calls GOODE WON'T APOLOGIZE FOR MUSLIM CRITICISM: Amid a political storm that now includes threatening phone calls, U.S. Rep. Virgil H. Goode Jr. reiterated yesterday that he will not apologize for a letter he wrote that laments the influx of Muslims to America and the use of the Quran in Congress. In a news conference at the Franklin County courthouse where a contingent of deputies guarded the doors, Goode, R-5th, told reporters that he will not back down from the views he expressed in the letter, which include his fear that one day "many more Muslims" may be "elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran [an alternate spelling]." On Tuesday, the Council on American-Islamic Relations called for Goode to apologize, and since then other Islamic groups have sought an apology. "I do not apologize, and I do not retract my letter," Goode said in a rising voice. Richmond Times-Dispatch: Goode refuses to apologize for letter ELLISON RESPONDS ON SITROOM: The Virginia lawmaker criticized for writing an "Islamophobic" letter to his constituents would be wise to learn more about Islam, the first Muslim elected to Congress said Thursday. Minnesota Rep.-elect Keith Ellison told CNN that he is not angry about a letter Virginia Rep. Virgil Goode wrote that said Ellison should not be allowed to place his hand on the Quran during his unofficial swearing in ceremony. "I think the diversity of our country is a great strength," Ellison told CNN's Wolf Blitzer. "It's a good thing that we have people from all faiths and all cultures to come here." CNN: Ellison: Lawmaker has 'a lot to learn about Islam' PELOSI WILL CELEBRATE SWEARING-IN WITH 4-DAY CELEBRATION: On a scale associated with presidential inaugurations, Nancy Pelosi is planning four days of celebration surrounding her Jan. 4 swearing-in as the first female speaker of the House. She will return to the blue-collar Baltimore neighborhood where she grew up, attend Mass at the women's college where she studied political science, and dine at the Italian Embassy as Tony Bennett sings "I Left My Heart in San Francisco." But the hoopla is more than just a party. Pelosi is grabbing the moment to present herself as the new face of the Democratic Party and to restore the party's image as one hospitable to ethnic minorities, families, religion, the working class and women. Washington Post: Pelosi Aims To Recast Self, Party NEW FEMALE SPEAKER MAY ADDRESS "POTTY PARITY": The members-only House men's room, with its shoeshine stand, fireplace and television tuned to floor proceedings, is nestled a few paces from the House chamber, beside the speaker's lounge, flanked by Capitol police. How convenient. Reaching the women's equivalent is more challenging. It entails traversing a hall where tourists gather, or entering the minority leader's office, navigating a corridor that winds past secretarial desks and punching in a keypad code to ensure restricted access. Not so convenient. So when Speaker-designate Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., takes the gavel, she may revisit, along with the Iraq war and raising the minimum wage, the question of potty parity. McClatchy News: As House gets its first female speaker, 'potty parity' is revisited DEM FRESHMEN WILL GET HELP FOR '08 WITH "INCUMBENT RETENTION PROGRAM": When newly elected Democratic members of Congress showed up here last month, they were taken on the traditional round of orientation, civic-minded lessons on how Congress works, tours of the Capitol and receptions with their new colleagues and leaders. But about 12 were singled out for a special type of orientation that has continued through this month. It is the "incumbent retention program," a detailed plan worked out after Democrats gained control of Congress to fortify the most politically shaky with plum committee assignments, prized bill sponsorship and an early start on fund-raising — all in preparation for their 2008 re-election campaigns. Yes, their 2008 re-election campaigns. New York Times: Eyeing '08, Democrats Nurse Freshmen at Risk CENSUS PROJECTIONS MAY SPELL TROUBLE FOR NEW DEM MAJORITY: Two weeks before Democrats take control of the U.S. House for the first time in 12 years, new Census estimates suggest they may have to battle demographic tides to keep it. Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, Texas and Utah are projected to gain seats in Congress after the 2010 Census, according to an analysis by Election Data Services. All six tilt Republican: President Bush won all in 2004, ranging from 50% of the vote in Nevada to 72% in Utah. Even more significant, Republicans control both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office in five of those states, which gives the party the upper hand when state elected officials redraw congressional district lines every decade. (Arizona relies on a non-partisan commission.) USA Today: Growth trends could mean power shift in Congress after 2010 Census CONGRESS MAY TAKE UP MEDIA SHIELD LAW IN '07: The Bush administration is increasingly at odds with some Republicans over its efforts to make journalists reveal confidential sources. The controversy is reaching a flashpoint in San Francisco, where the Justice Department is expected to file papers today urging that two San Francisco Chronicle reporters face jail if they refuse to reveal their source for confidential grand-jury proceedings concerning baseball slugger Barry Bonds's alleged use of steroids. The issue also is expected to re-emerge on Capitol Hill next year, where two influential Republicans, Sen. Richard Lugar and Rep. Mike Pence, both of Indiana, plan to reintroduce legislation limiting the government's power to force journalists to disclose confidential sources. Many Democrats, whose party will control Congress next year, also support extending protection to reporters' sources and are expected to co-sponsor the legislation. Wall Street Journal: Media-Sourcing Debate on Deck at Capitol COURT RULING CREATES "LOOPHOLE" FOR ISSUE ADS: A divided three-judge court ruled yesterday that ads advocating for an issue and mentioning candidates can run during an election, creating a loophole in the law that sought to control the power of big money in elections. In a 2 to 1 ruling, the court found that the government had no compelling justification to regulate television ads such as the ones Wisconsin Right to Life Inc. broadcast in July 2004, which advocated stopping congressional filibusters against President Bush's judicial nominees. The ads ran when Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) was running for reelection and had opposed some of Bush's nominees. The ads made no mention of Feingold's record, instead urging Wisconsin residents to call their senators to express their dissatisfaction. Washington Post: Issue Advocacy Ads May Run During an Election, Three-Judge Court Rules BUSH "QUIETLY" TAPS "OUTSPOKEN CONSERVATIVE" FOR CPB BOARD: President Bush quietly appointed television sitcom producer Warren Bell to the board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting this week, overriding opposition from public broadcasting advocates who fear the outspoken conservative will politicize the post. Bell's nomination had been stalled since September because of concerns about his qualifications among several members of the Senate Commerce Committee, which must approve nominees to the board of the CPB, the private nonprofit that distributes federal funds to public television and radio stations. But Bush was able to circumvent the need for Senate approval by naming Bell to the board Wednesday evening as a recess appointee. His term will last about a year, unless a permanent nominee for the seat is confirmed before then. Los Angeles Times: A feud over Bush's pick PATRICK WILL RESCIND MA IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT LAW: Governor-elect Deval Patrick said yesterday that soon after taking office he will rescind a just-signed agreement between Governor Mitt Romney and federal authorities that allows State Police troopers to arrest illegal immigrants. Speaking with reporters after a luncheon reception with state legislators, the incoming governor said for the first time that he believes he has the authority to overturn his predecessor's agreement. He said he believes that state troopers have enough to do without being required to enforce federal immigration laws. "If I have that power, I'm going to rescind that agreement," Patrick, a Democrat, told reporters. He added: "I do believe I have that power." Boston Globe: Patrick set to rescind plan for troopers CAN GOP RELIGIOUS ACTIVISTS RECONCILE ROMNEY'S MORMONISM? As a clean-living, church-going father and grandfather, Gov. Mitt Romney has a natural appeal among conservative Christians. The Massachusetts Republican, though, faces a delicate dilemma: How does a devout Mormon woo religious activists critical to winning the GOP presidential nomination when many of those same activists are openly hostile to a faith they consider no more than cult? For his all-but-announced presidential bid to succeed, Romney must win primary votes across the Bible Belt from people whose churches have a historical antagonism with his own Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. AP via Yahoo! News: Will Christians back a Mormon candidate? EDWARDS WILL VISIT IOWA NEXT WEEK AS PART OF NATIONWIDE SWING: Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards plans to announce his candidacy for president next week during a nationwide swing scheduled to include a stop Thursday in Des Moines, Democratic activists in early nominating states said... Thursday's news included that Edwards, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee, will visit Iowa and traditional first primary state New Hampshire, as well as Nevada and South Carolina, scheduled to hold early nominating events. The travel plans followed weekend news reports that Edwards, who waged an unsuccessful bid for the 2004 presidential nomination, planned to kick off his second White House campaign from an area of New Orleans hardest hit by Hurricane Katrina last year. Des Moines Register: Edwards to enter race, visit Iowa VILSACK ASKS SUPPORTERS TO PROTEST McCAIN'S PUSH FOR MORE TROOPS: Democratic presidential hopeful Tom Vilsack is going after potential 2008 contender Sen. John McCain, saying the Republican's call to send more troops to Iraq is a mistake. It's an Iraq policy strategy other Democrats seeking the presidency have mostly avoided -- instead, they are attacking President Bush or criticizing one another. Mr. Vilsack, the outgoing governor of Iowa, is asking his supporters to petition Mr. McCain in protest of his support for increasing deployments to Iraq. "We can't afford to make a big mistake even bigger," he said. "To me it's very clear. Deploying more troops to Iraq is not an option." Washington Times: Vilsack hits McCain's support for troop surge BROWNBACK SAYS "THERE'S ROOM IN THE FIELD" FOR A CONSERVATIVE LIKE HIM: Sam Brownback said Thursday that conservative values like opposition to abortion and gay marriage will distinguish him from others vying for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination. "I think there's room in the field for someone with full-scale conservative values," the Kansas senator told about 80 people at a conference room of a branch of the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. "I don't think that end of the field's crowded." Brownback's visit comes one day after another possible GOP contender for the White House - former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating - visited South Carolina. Brownback, who said he will announce next month whether or not he will run, also spoke about this early voting state's importance in the nomination process. AP via Yahoo! News: Brownback touts conservative values FELLOW REPUBLICAN CALLS ON NY SEN. MAJORITY LEADER TO STEP ASIDE: Embattled Joseph Bruno came under fire for the first time yesterday from a fellow Republican, who called on him to step aside as state Senate majority leader during a just-revealed criminal investigation. Orange County Sen. John Bonacic said Bruno shouldn't lead the Senate while he is under investigation by federal authorities for his private business dealings. "He's been damaged and this ongoing investigation will impair his ability to lead," Bonacic told the Times Herald-Record of Middletown. "He should step down as majority leader, even if it's temporarily, until the cloud is removed." Bonacic is widely seen as a political ally of Sen. Dean Skelos (R-Nassau), who Bruno aides have long suspected has been plotting to oust their boss. New York Post: GOPER IN REBELLION VS. BRUNO Thursday, December 21, 2006
Muslim Congressman: Goode 'has a lot to learn about Islam'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Congressman-elect Keith Ellison, a Democrat from Minnesota and the first Muslim elected to Congress, defended his choice Thursday to use the Koran during his upcoming private congressional swearing-in ceremony while brushing aside criticisms from Virginia GOP Rep. Virgil Goode.
"Diversity of our country is a great strength," Ellison told CNN's Wolf Blitzer in "The Situation Room." "It's a good thing that we have people of all faiths and cultures that come here and we all support one constitution." In a letter released to CNN Wednesday, Goode wrote in part to a constituent, "I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran." "He has a lot to learn about Islam," Ellison responded when asked if he thought Goode was a bigot. Ellison said he did not know Goode well enough to label him with that term but urged the Virginia Republican to reach out to faiths different than his own. "I would urge Congressman Goode to have his congregation reach out to a synagogue or a mosque and start some inter-faith dialogue so we can increase understanding among each other as Americans of different faiths," Ellison said. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
CNN obtains NARA report detailing Berger's document smuggling
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- CNN has obtained the report issued by the National Archives and Records Administration concluding former National Security Advisor Sandy Berger removed classified documents from the National Archives and later tried to dispose of them while preparing to testify before the 9/11 Commission.
Berger, who was National Security Advisor under President Clinton, pleaded guilty over a year ago to illegally removing the documents. He was fined $50,000 and ordered to complete 100 hours of community service. CNN has posted a memo that recounts Berger's interview with the NARA. Read the Berger memo Related: Clinton aide stashed classified documents under trailer Brownback says conservative values set him apart in 2008
GREER, South Carolina (AP) -- Sam Brownback said Thursday that conservative values like opposition to abortion and gay marriage will distinguish him from others vying for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination.
"I think there's room in the field for someone with full-scale conservative values," the Kansas senator told about 80 people at an office of the Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. "I don't think that end of the field's crowded." Brownback's visit comes one day after another possible GOP contender for the White House --former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating -- visited South Carolina. Brownback, who said he will announce next month whether or not he will run, also spoke about this early voting state's importance in the nomination process. "There's a good probability South Carolina will make the determination of who the Republican nominee is," he said. Congressman frets about Muslims in U.S.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A Virginia congressman who said in a letter to constituents that without immigration reform "there will be many more Muslims elected to office demanding the use of the Koran" won't apologize for that and other remarks, the congressman's spokesman said Wednesday.
Republican Rep. Virgil Goode's letter also warns that without immigration reform "we will have many more Muslims in the United States." Spokesman Linwood Duncan said Goode's letter was written in response to complaints his office received about Minnesota Congressman-elect Keith Ellison's request to be sworn in using the Koran. Ellison is the first Muslim to be elected to Congress. Goode's office released the letter to CNN Wednesday. In it, Goode wrote in part, "When I raise my hand to take the oath on Swearing In Day, I will have the Bible in my other hand. I do not subscribe to using the Koran in any way. The Muslim Representative from Minnesota was elected by the voters of that district and if American citizens don't wake up and adopt the Virgil Goode position on immigration there will likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran. CNN EXCLUSIVE: Wolf Blitzer will interview Congressman-elect Ellison, 4 p.m. ET, The Situation Room Ahead on CNN
4 p.m. ET, The Situation Room
- Congressman elect Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota, the first Muslim elected to Congress, will react to Virginia GOP Rep. Virgil Goode's disparaging comments about the potential for more Muslim congressmen. -Democratic strategist Paul Begala and Bay Buchanan, chairperson of Team America PAC, will weigh in on today's political hot topics. 5 p.m. ET, The Situation Room -Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-California, will discuss Iraq and his presidential ambitions. 6 p.m. ET, Lou Dobbs Tonight -Ret. Gens. Paul Eaton and David Grange, along with Ret. Col. Thomas Hammes, will discuss the latest developments in Iraq. New Mass. governor rescinding immigration arrest deal with feds
BOSTON (AP) -- Gov.-elect Deval Patrick said Thursday he will rescind a new agreement between the state and federal authorities that allows State Police troopers to arrest illegal immigrants.
Speaking with reporters after a lunch meeting with state legislators, the incoming governor said he believes the troopers have enough to do already without having to also enforce immigration laws. "If I have that power, I'm going to rescind that agreement," Patrick, a Democrat, told reporters. He added: "I do believe I have that power." The change would mark the second split with the Romney administration in two days. On Wednesday, Patrick said he cannot support a plan to remove tolls on the western portion of the Massachusetts Turnpike because he does not believe it is economically feasible. On Dec. 13, Gov. Mitt Romney signed an agreement with federal authorities allowing troopers to arrest and seek deportation of suspected illegal aliens they encountered during their normal duties. Under the terms of the deal with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, an initial group of 30 troopers was to receive five weeks of specialized training next year, paid by the federal government. Patrick takes office on Jan. 4. Will conservative Christians support a Mormon for president?
BOSTON (AP) -- As a clean-living, church-going father and grandfather, Gov. Mitt Romney has a natural appeal among conservative Christians.
The Massachusetts Republican, though, faces a delicate dilemma: How does a devout Mormon woo religious activists critical to winning the GOP presidential nomination when many of those same activists are openly hostile to a faith they consider no more than cult? For his all-but-announced presidential bid to succeed, Romney must win primary votes across the Bible Belt from people whose churches have a historical antagonism with his own Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Romney also will angle for support from millions of Americans whose own preachers have criticized past Mormon practices such as polygamy, as well as the Mormons' refusal to allow black priests until 1978. Yet he just may be able to overcome those concerns because of two things: his family-oriented lifestyle, and a primary campaign that could pit him against rivals like Sen. John McCain of Arizona and former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. Not only have both of them have been divorced, but Giuliani harbors liberal social views antithetical to many evangelicals, and McCain has clashed in very public fashion in the past with the religious right. "Most Americans are pragmatists. There will be a fraction of evangelical Protestants who will be vociferous in their opposition to Romney, but depending on who the other candidates are, that could be a very small fraction," said Mark Noll, an evangelical expert who teaches American religious history at Notre Dame. 'Emotional' Lewinsky earns masters degree in psychology
NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Former White House intern Monica Lewinsky, whose sexual relationship with U.S. President Bill Clinton led to his impeachment, has graduated from the London School of Economics, her publicist said on Wednesday.
Lewinsky, who was 21 when she became involved with Clinton, is interviewing for jobs in Britain, publicist Barbara Hutson said. When Lewinsky, 32, received her Masters of Science degree in Social Psychology last Thursday "the audience of students and parents erupted in spontaneous applause. ... It was a very emotional moment for her," Hutson said in a statement. Hutson said Lewinsky spent the past year studying and "staying away from the London social scene." She completed a thesis entitled "In Search of the Impartial Juror: An exploration of the third person effect and pre-trial publicity." Vilsack learns about his past, grapples with whether to learn more
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Tom Vilsack, the first candidate of either party to announce he is running for president in 2008, is now grappling with another decision -- whether to learn more about the circumstances of his birth.
The outgoing Iowa Democratic governor, who launched a presidential run three weeks ago, told Iowa's Quad City Times that he received a letter last weekend from an orphanage administrator in western Pennsylvania who said Vilsack was born there and that he has certain non-identifying information about the politician's birth mother, the newspaper reported Thursday. "I'm 56 years old, I didn't know where I was born until Sunday," he told the newspaper's editorial board. Vilsack, orphaned at birth in Pittsburgh and adopted in 1951, told the board that the orphanage administrator said he had learned of Vilsack from a newspaper article. Asked if he would search for more answers about his past, Vilsack told the Times he was still weighing what to do. "This is not something where you make a snap decision," he said. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
3-judge panel says issue ads OK during election season
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The federal government cannot prohibit advocacy groups from running issue advertisements during peak election season, a panel of federal judges ruled Thursday.
The 2-1 ruling was issued in a case involving a Wisconsin anti-abortion group that challenged congressional restrictions on ads by corporations, labor unions and other special interest groups that mention candidates two months before a general election. Some lawmakers have predicted such a ruling would create a loophole in the 2002 McCain-Feingold campaign law, which attempted to reduce the influence of big-spending special-interest groups in elections. The case automatically heads to the Supreme Court for review. The three-judge panel upheld the government's right to prohibitmcorporate and union-sponsored advertisements that attempt to influence voters but said organizations have a First Amendment right to speak out on genuine political issues. McCain taps former Bush, Schwarzenegger aide
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain has recruited his latest Bush presidential campaign veteran for a top post in his possible White House bid, his exploratory committee announced Thursday.
Steve Schmidt, a former spokesman for the Bush-Cheney '04 campaign and most recently campaign manager of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's successful re-election bid, will join McCain's operation as a senior adviser. He has previously served as deputy assistant to the president and counselor to the Vice President in the Bush White House, and as communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee. Schmidt is the latest Bush-Cheney campaign operative to sign on with McCain, who lost the 2000 Republican presidential nomination to Bush. Others include former Bush campaign political director Terry Nelson, who now serves as McCain's campaign manager, and Mark McKinnon, the president's long-time media strategist who will serve a similar function for the Arizona Republican. "Steve Schmidt's professionalism, strategic vision and political acumen have brought success to nearly every organization he's been a part of," McCain said in a statement. "I am excited to have him as part of our team." McCain has said he will announce his presidential plans after the new year. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Romney to party with party activists in New Hampshire
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Rumored top-tier GOP presidential candidate and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney will visit New Hampshire today, hosting two holiday parties today with Republican activists.
At 12:30 p.m. ET, Romney's political action committee, the Commonwealth PAC, hosts a party in Manchester. Afterwards, the governor will head 30 miles east to another holiday reception, beginning at 5 p.m., with GOP activists in Exeter. Nevada Dems urge West's "favorite son" Richardson to seek presidency
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Seventy notable Nevadans, including a former chief of staff to incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, urged New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to seek the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, according to a statement released Thursday.
Reynaldo Martinez, Reid's former top aide and co-chair of the "Draft Richardson Committee," called the former Energy Secretary and U.N. ambassador "the best choice to lead our party. "Bill Richardson is the favorite-son of the West, and the West beginning with Nevada can lead the Democrats to the White House in 2008," Martinez said. "We call on Governor Richardson to run for President. Nevada and America are ready for his leadership." The committee cited Nevada's more prominent role in the upcoming election cycle, calling the state "a lynch-pin in the Democratic Presidential nomination process." Nevada will hold its nominating caucus January 19, 2008 -- five days after Iowa's caucus and three days before New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation presidential primary. Study: 'Robo-calls' reached 2 of 3 U.S. voters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) -- Nearly two out of three U.S. voters received the much-despised prerecorded "robo-calls" from political candidates during the past election, according to a survey released on Wednesday.
The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that the automated messages trailed only direct mail among "get out the vote" techniques used by political candidates in the November elections. "Direct mail can go from the mailbox to the wastebasket, but with a robo-call at least you've picked up the phone," said Pew Director Lee Rainie. "The chance of capturing even a sliver of people's attention is somewhat greater, I would guess." Phone calls from actual human beings were less common, the survey found. Sixty-four percent of registered voters surveyed said they had received a robo-call before the last election, while 24 percent said they had received a political call from a live person. New Jersey governor set to make gay unions official
TRENTON, New Jersey (AP) -- New Jersey's gay couples are gaining all the rights and responsibilities of marriage as the state moves to become the fifth in the nation to institute civil unions.
Gov. Jon S. Corzine, a Democrat, was to sign a civil unions bill on Thursday. The law will take effect February 19. The civil unions bill passed the Legislature on December 14 in response to an October state Supreme Court order that gay couples be granted the same rights as married couples. The court gave lawmakers six months to act but left it to them to decide whether to call the unions "marriage" or something else. Gay couples welcome the law, but some argue that not calling the relationship "marriage" creates a different, inferior institution. Bush extends 20 tax breaks, trade perks in $40 billion bill
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush revived some 20 tax breaks, extended trade benefits for developing countries and protected doctors from a big cut in Medicare payments by signing sweeping tax and trade legislation Wednesday.
The bill is a patchwork of must-do items that were left for the lame duck Congress. It was bundled together and passed by the House and Senate just before adjourning earlier this month. "This is a good piece of pro-growth legislation," said Bush, just before putting his signature to the legislation at a White House ceremony. Republican budget hawks bridled at the measure's approximately $40 billion price tag, and textile state senators objected to trade provisions benefiting Haiti. CNN Political Ticker AM
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Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... "The military's request, if embraced by President Bush and approved by Congress, would boost this year's budget for those wars to about $170 billion." "Still unresolved in the inspector general's report is one lingering mystery in the episode: Whether, as Mr. Berger's critics have charged, he was so cavalier as to stuff classified documents in his socks," the New York Times reports. A Nancy Pelosi spokesman "called the filing 'appropriate' but signaled a wish the matter be resolved by the state courts." "I know there are some people who would say, 'Your position is inconsistent,' but I don't believe it is," Romney said. President's Schedule: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) "VICTORY IN IRAQ IS ACHIEVABLE": At an end-of-the-year news conference, Bush said he agrees with generals "that there's got to be a specific mission that can be accomplished" before he decides to dispatch an additional 15,000 to 30,000 troops to the war zone. But he declined to repeat his usual formulation that he will heed his commanders on the ground when it comes to troop levels. Bush sought to use the 52-minute session, held in the ornate Indian Treaty Room in a building adjacent to the White House, to sum up what he called "a difficult year for our troops and the Iraqi people" and reassure the American public that "we enter this new year clear-eyed about the challenges in Iraq." Asked about his comment to The Washington Post this week that the United States is neither winning nor losing the war, Bush pivoted forward. "Victory in Iraq is achievable," he said. Washington Post: President Confronts Dissent on Troop Levels "WE'RE NOT WINNING. WE'RE NOT LOSING" - WHAT DOES IT MEAN? First there was the "mission accomplished" banner. Then, last year, there was a "plan for victory" and, just this past October, the presidential assertion, "Absolutely, we're winning." Now that President Bush is seeking "a new way forward" in Iraq, he is embracing a new verbal construction to describe progress there: "We're not winning. We're not losing." The latest shift in the official language of the war is begging the question: Well, which is it? A tie? A draw? Something else? New York Times: A New Phrase Enters Washington's War of Words Over Iraq PENTAGON WANTS $99.7 BILLION MORE FOR IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN: The Pentagon wants the White House to seek an additional $99.7 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, according to information provided to The Associated Press. The military's request, if embraced by President Bush and approved by Congress, would boost this year's budget for those wars to about $170 billion. Military planners assembled the proposal at a time when Bush is developing new strategies for Iraq, such as sending thousands of more U.S. troops there, although it was put together before the president said the troop surge was under consideration. Overall, the war in Iraq has cost about $350 billion. Combined with the conflict in Afghanistan and operations against terrorism elsewhere, the cost has topped $500 billion, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service. AP via Yahoo! News: Pentagon wants $99.7B more for wars CIA SIMULATION CONCLUDES U.S. LOSS IN IRAQ "WOULD EMBOLDEN AL QAEDA": The CIA this month conducted a simulation of how the Iraq war affects the global jihadist movement, and one conclusion was that a U.S. loss would embolden al Qaeda to expand its ranks of terrorists as well as pick new strategic targets, according to sources familiar with the two-day exercise. CIA spokesman Mark Mansfield confirmed to The Washington Times yesterday that the simulation took place in Northern Virginia. He declined to discuss its findings, saying that a final report is not finished and that the report will not be the intelligence community's official view. It will, however, be circulated within the community and possibly to U.S. policy-makers. The exercise involved 75 CIA analysts and outside specialists. It was conducted by the CIA's Office of Terrorism Analysis, within the agency's Counterterrorism Center. A source familiar with the simulation said it was a "red team" exercise in which participants played the role of global jihadists and war-gamed how the U.S. involvement in Iraq will influence their terror movement. Washington Times: CIA exercise reveals consequences of defeat SEND MORE TROOPS, SOLDIERS TELL GATES: Defense Secretary Robert Gates and the rest of the Bush administration may be undecided on whether to send more troops to Iraq, but several soldiers he met with at Camp Victory here on Thursday morning here said extra forces would help. "Sir I think we need to just keep doing what we're doing," Spc. Jason T. Green, with the 101st Military Intelligence Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division, told Gates during a breakfast session with about 15 U.S. soldiers. "I really think we need more troops here. With more presence on the ground, more troops might hold them off long enough to where we can get the Iraqi Army trained up." The troops may be somewhat at odds with military commanders, who worry that rushing thousands more Americans to the battlefront could prompt Iraqis to slow their effort to take control of their country. AP via Yahoo! News: Troops-to-Gates: Extra forces would help EXPANDING THE MILITARY... WHAT IT WILL TAKE: Meeting President Bush's goal of a larger Army and Marine Corps will require more time and money to recruit volunteers, retain the officers needed to lead them and outfit new units. Bush said Wednesday that he asked Defense Secretary Robert Gates to quickly come up with a plan for expanding U.S. ground forces, not just for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan but for the larger struggle against what he called "extremists and radicals." He pledged to work with Congress "to see that this becomes a reality." The Pentagon has increased incentives and lowered standards in recent years to keep the military at its current size, particularly as recruiting fell short of goals. Enlarging the military will require more of that, experts say. USA Today: Cost, effort, time of military expansion plan likely to have 'enormous' impact PENTAGON PLANS "AFRICOM": President Bush is expected to create a new military command for Africa, for the first time establishing an independent operations headquarters that will focus on anti terrorist operations and humanitarian aid, according to administration officials. The US Africa Command, or AFRICOM, would oversee strategic developments and military operations across the entire continent, where a combination of problems -- natural disasters, civil wars, chronic disease, and the growing presence of Islamic radicals -- has destabilized some countries and created an increasing threat to global security, White House and Defense Department aides said. The Pentagon proposal, which the White House is expected to approve in coming days, is overdue, according to Africa specialists. Boston Globe: Pentagon plans new command to cover Africa KERRY AND DODD MEET WITH SYRIA'S ASSAD: Sens. John Kerry and Christopher Dodd met with Syrian President Bashar Assad on Wednesday and discussed the need for Damascus to cooperate with efforts to maintain the unity and stability of war-ravaged Iraq, state media reported. The U.S. Embassy in Damascus said the meeting, which lasted two and a half hours, covered "a full-range of topics relating to U.S.-Syrian relations and regional issues." "I feel quite confident in saying this was a conversation worth having and that the (Bush) administration ought to pursue it," Kerry said in a telephone interview with the Associated Press from Jerusalem where he traveled after the meeting with Assad. "I feel very strongly about that...It's worth following up on a number of avenues." Kerry said he told Assad the new Democratic-controlled Congress has serious concerns about issues such as the flow of "money, weapons and terrorists" through Syria into Iraq and Lebanon. AP via Yahoo! News: Kerry, Dodd meet with Syria president VA REP. TAKES SWIPE AT HOUSE'S FIRST MUSLIM: In a letter sent to hundreds of voters this month, Representative Virgil H. Goode Jr., Republican of Virginia, warned that the recent election of the first Muslim to Congress posed a serious threat to the nation's traditional values. Mr. Goode was referring to Keith Ellison, the Minnesota Democrat and criminal defense lawyer who converted to Islam as a college student and was elected to the House in November. Mr. Ellison's plan to use the Koran during his private swearing-in ceremony in January had outraged some Virginia voters, prompting Mr. Goode to issue a written response to them, a spokesman for Mr. Goode said. In his letter, which was dated Dec. 5, Mr. Goode said that Americans needed to "wake up" or else there would "likely be many more Muslims elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran." New York Times: Congressman Criticizes Election of Muslim BROOKS BROS. BENEFITS FROM PORK-LADEN "END-OF-SESSION" BILL: Christmas arrived Wednesday for the kidney dialysis industry. That's when President Bush signed into law the last major piece of legislation approved by the outgoing Congress. It was a lavish hodgepodge that included a $100 million-a-year boost in the Medicare reimbursement rates for dialysis providers who proved to be generous contributors to important legislators, notably House Ways and Means Chairman Bill Thomas of Bakersfield. The dialysis folks were among many special interests benefiting from a piece of legislation that was designed to simply extend existing tax cuts and credits - but ended up freighted with billions of dollars in new spending earmarks for the coal industry, Brooks Brothers and various other interests... Brooks Brothers, an upscale clothing purveyor, walked away a winner. The company was part of a coalition that won about $32 million in refunds of tariffs that it said had penalized the declining domestic shirt-manufacturing industry. The measure also aids domestic cotton growers, many of which are in California. Los Angeles Times: Congress closes with a pork-filled flourish THE STUFFED-SOCK QUESTION REMAINS: Samuel R. Berger, the former national security adviser to President Bill Clinton, went to such lengths to conceal his theft of classified material from the National Archives that he hid some of the documents under a trailer at a construction site, according to a government report released Wednesday. The report, prepared by the National Archives inspector general, provided new details about an episode that caused a brief stir in the 2004 presidential campaign and led to a guilty plea to a misdemeanor charge by Mr. Berger a year later... Still unresolved in the inspector general's report is one lingering mystery in the episode: Whether, as Mr. Berger's critics have charged, he was so cavalier as to stuff classified documents in his socks. New York Times: Report Details Archives Theft by Ex-Adviser BUSH BACKS WAGE HIKE: President Bush for the first time endorsed a specific plan for raising the federal minimum wage yesterday, as he embraced Democratic calls to boost it by $2.10, to $7.25 an hour, over two years. The president's backing greatly enhances the prospects for congressional approval next year of the first hike in the federal minimum wage since 1997. He stressed, however, that it should be accompanied by tax breaks and regulatory relief that would cushion the blow for small businesses. "I believe we should do it in a way that does not punish the millions of small businesses that are creating most of the new jobs in our country," Bush said during a news conference. "So I support pairing it with targeted tax and regulatory relief to help these small businesses stay competitive and to help keep our economy growing." Washington Post: Bush Supports Democrats' Minimum Wage Hike Plan BUSH PLEDGES TO WORK WITH DEMS TO HELP U.S. OIL ADDICTION: President George W. Bush pledged to reach across the partisan divide next year and work with the Democratic-controlled Congress to wean the U.S. from oil imports by spending more to develop other sources of fuel. "There is a consensus that we need to move forward with continued research on alternative forms of energy," Bush said at a press conference in Washington. "The American people expect us to reduce our dependence on foreign oil." The U.S. Congress didn't approve any major legislation in 2006 aimed at heeding Bush's State of the Union call last January, when he declared the U.S. "addicted" to oil and set a goal of cutting Middle Eastern oil imports by 75 percent by 2025. To accomplish that target, he asked Congress for a 22 percent increase in research spending on fuel from solar, wind, nuclear power, ethanol and hydrogen power. Bloomberg: Bush Pledges to Work With Democrats in 2007 to Cut Oil Imports FL-13 DEM WANTS CONGRESS TO INVESTIGATE UNDERVOTE: The dispute over the congressional seat once held by Rep. Katherine Harris landed in the nation's Capitol on Wednesday, with Democrat Christine Jennings asking Congress to investigate "pervasive malfunctioning" of Sarasota's voting machines, and possibly order a second election. The move came as Jennings fights the November election in the Florida courts and Republicans stepped up calls for her to give up the contest. But Jennings, in Washington to personally deliver the papers calling for an investigation into why 18,000 votes went missing, remained undaunted. "Thousands of people had no voice in this election," Jennings said in an interview. "It's a good thing, what we're doing. It's a good thing for the people of this country." A spokesman for incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the filing "appropriate" but signaled a wish the matter be resolved by the state courts. Miami Herald: Jennings to Congress: Vote machines 'malfunctioned' MORE E-VOTING HEADACHES... PAPER JAMS: The paper ballots and hanging chads that marred the 2000 presidential election have almost vanished from polling places, replaced by electronic-voting machines that are supposed to eliminate recount chaos. But now election directors have a new worry: printer jams. The new machines spool out a small paper receipt of each vote cast to verify the machine correctly recorded the vote and to provides a hard copy during a re-count. Some states like Maryland have been using paperless systems using touch-screen ATM-like computers that record and tabulate votes. But that has produced its own problems and legislation is likely to be filed in Maryland next year to switch from touch-screen to optical-scanning devices, leaving a paper trail. AP via Yahoo! News: Paper jams a problem for electronic voting HILLARY ON "THE VIEW": Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday stumbled on to the national stage - literally. In her rush to gab with the ABC gals on "The View," the Democrats' 2008 presidential front-runner narrowly avoided an embarrassing face-plant as she misstepped on to the stage during her introduction. A smiling Clinton quickly made light of her foot fumbling, quipping, "I was laughing so hard backstage, I didn't think I'd get up" the step. Once safely on stage, Clinton jumped into the holiday spirit by waxing nostalgic about Christmas decorations, and chitchatted about the country's political mood - hinting it might be time for a mom to move into the Oval Office. "We've never had a mother who ever ran for or held that position," she said. Asked if many of the nation's woes could best be cured by a woman's touch, Clinton said, "We will never know that until somebody tries, because it's such a leap of faith and I am well aware of that - it is, like, way out there." New York Post: HILL'S CAMPAIGN 'TRIP' ROMNEY'S RIGHT TURN: As he prepares for a 2008 presidential campaign, Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) has championed the conservative principles that guided President Ronald Reagan, become an outspoken opponent of same-sex marriage and supported overturning the Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion. It was not always so. Twelve years ago, Romney boasted that he would be more effective in fighting discrimination against gay men and lesbians than Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Mass.), distanced himself from some conservative policies of the Reagan administration, and proudly recalled his family's record in support of abortion rights. The apparent gulf between the candidate who ran for the Senate in 1994 and the one getting ready to run for president has raised questions as to who is the real Mitt Romney. Washington Post: Mass. Governor's Rightward Shift Raises Questions ROMNEY DEFENDS POSITIONS IN IOWA: Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney affirmed his opposition to gay marriage while visiting Iowa on Wednesday. The stop marked the Republican presidential prospect's first trip back to the leadoff caucus state since questions about his gay-rights position re-emerged last week. "I feel very strongly that we should preserve traditional marriage and at the same time preserve our heritage of respect for people who make different choices in their life," said Romney, governor of the only state to have legalized gay marriage. "I know there are some people who would say, 'Your position is inconsistent,' but I don't believe it is."... Romney's opposition to gay marriage puts him in line with the views of Iowa's social conservatives, a group that factors heavily in the caucuses and has flexed its political muscle in helping President Bush carry the state in 2004. Des Moines Register: Romney courts social conservatives "NO TENGO FUTURO," SAYS JEB: The shadow of President Bush seemed to loom large over his younger brother on Wednesday, as the outgoing Florida governor ruled out any plans to return to elected office. "No tengo futuro (I have no future)," Jeb Bush told Spanish-language reporters in Miami, when asked about any possible political ambitions after he steps down next month. The popular, two-term governor has often been touted as a savvy politician with a good chance of following both his brother and father, George H.W. Bush, into the White House... Bush did not elaborate on his terse "no future" comment. But he has said repeatedly over the past year that he would not run for president in 2008 and has never seemed comfortable with talk about Bush III or the Bush presidential dynasty. Reuters via Yahoo! News: "I have no future" -- Jeb Bush tells reporters GIULIANI PLANS GRANITE STATE VISIT: Rudy Giuliani will pay a visit to first-in-the-nation primary state New Hampshire at the end of next month, part of his initial foray as he mulls a run for the White House in 2008, officials told The Post. The former mayor will address the New Hampshire Republican Party's annual meeting in Manchester on Jan. 27. State party Executive Director Andy Leach said several hundred people attend the yearly event, making it a broad early platform within the party. New Hampshire is a crucial proving ground where potential GOP rival Sen. John McCain had electoral success in the 2000 presidential primaries and has maintained deep ties. It is expected to be the first trip Giuliani will make to the Granite State since he formed his exploratory committee a few weeks ago. New York Post: GIULIANI WILL HIT ROAD FOR NEW HAMPSHIRE CANADA'S HARPER WON'T BE A PASSENGER ON HIS WIFE'S HOG: Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is regularly mocked by the media for his weight and dress sense, said yesterday he did not want to ride as a passenger on his wife's motorcycle because it would harm his image. Harper's wife Laureen, a generally more colorful figure than the prime minister, is fond of riding her Yamaha bike around town. Harper blanched when asked whether he planned to tag along as her passenger. "You've got to worry a little bit about image. I don't want to be on the back with my wife driving," he told CTV television in an interview. Reuters via Newark Star-Ledger: Wife's bike makes PM an uneasy rider Wednesday, December 20, 2006
Draft Obama ad hits New Hampshire, DC airwaves
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- DraftObama.org, a grassroots organization urging Sen. Barack Obama to throw his hat into the 2008 presidential race, hit the New Hampshire and Washington, DC airwaves Wednesday with sixty-second television ad called "Believe Again.
The ad, currently available on the organization's web site, scrolls through still photographs of Obama while clips his from past speeches are played. The ad begins with the words "we can replace fear with hope," and ends with "believe again."Draftobama.org -- which officially launched in late November and is not endorsed by Obama -- has bought airtime on local New Hampshire and Washington, DC cable as well as on New Hampshire affiliate WMUR. A spokeswoman for the organization called it a "moderate rolling buy," but would not provide the specific dollar amount spent. Ben Stanfield, founder of DraftObama.org, says he hopes the ad will show the Illinois Democrat the level of support that exists for his potential presidential run. "We want to show Senator Obama that there is a rapidly growing movement out there ready to support him if he runs for President," Stanfield said in a statement. -- CNN's Alexander Mooney and Julie Hofler
Report: Berger hid classified documents under a trailer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Clinton's national security adviser removed classified documents from the National Archives, hid them under a construction trailer and later tried to find the trash collector to retrieve them, the agency's internal watchdog said Wednesday.
The report was issued more than a year after Sandy Berger pleaded guilty and received a criminal sentence for removing the documents. Berger took the documents in the fall of 2003 while working to prepare himself and Clinton administration witnesses for testimony to the Sept. 11 commission. Berger was authorized as the Clinton administration's representative to make sure the commission got the correct classified materials. Berger's lawyer, Lanny Breuer, said in a statement that the contents of all the documents exist today and were made available to the commission. Wilson files to avoid testifying for Libby
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson has filed a motion to quash the witness subpoena issued last week for his testimony for the defense in the Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial, arguing the defense has no right to call a witness whose testimony would not be helpful to the defense.
"Mr. Wilson is such a witness," the motion to quash said. "He personally observed none of the events that led to Mr. Libby's indictment and he has no direct personal information regarding Mr. Libby's defense, i.e., the matters Mr. Libby worked on at the White House or Mr. Libby's memory or veracity. "Thus, Mr. Wilson's testimony would not be relevant or material to the defense and, therefore, should not be compelled." Libby's trial on charges of perjury, obstruction of justice and making false statements to investigators probing the 2003 disclosure of CIA officer Valerie Plame's identity is scheduled to begin in mid-January. He resigned as Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff on the day he was indicted in October 2005. Gilmore eyes 2008 run as 'Reagan conservative'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Calling himself a "Reagan conservative," former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore told CNN Wednesday he plans to form a presidential exploratory committee because the 2008 GOP presidential field is missing a "committed conservative."
"I think there is a void. I think there's a need for a committed conservative who is able to put together a national campaign," Gilmore told CNN's Bill Schneider. "I've been a Reagan conservative my entire political career. My record is definite." Gilmore, who served as Virginia's governor from 1998-2002, said Republicans have an opportunity "to re-grasp those longstanding principles and issues that have brought us into the opportunity to lead in the past." Gilmore brushed aside suggestions his low name recognition would hamper his chances, arguing his politics will appeal to a majority of Americans. "I think that a mainstream conservative can, in fact, draw all those people together and then take that message out to independents and even to Democrats and put together the majorities necessary to bring the country where it should be," he said. Gilmore was easily elected to Virginia's top post in 1997 on a strong anti-tax platform. Barred by state law from seeking a second term, he served as chairman of the Republican National Committee from 2001-2002. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Keating to decide on '08 run next month
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Former Oklahoma Gov. Frank Keating said Wednesday he would decide next month whether to join the growing Republican field for the 2008 presidential race.
"I'm very alarmed about what ails America and the challenge we face as a country," Keating said during an interview in the early voting state. Part of the nation's peril lies in the perception of the country abroad, said Keating, who contended the United States "is detested as a country right now" and is seen more as Iraq's occupier than liberator. "They need to come together and work through their problems" even with different political and religious views, Keating said. Keating, 62, a former FBI agent and prosecutor, served as Oklahoma governor from 1994-2002 and was in charge of the state during the deadly Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. He was a high-ranking official in the Justice and Treasury departments during the Reagan administration and considered a possible vice presidential choice by George W. Bush in 2000. Ahead on CNN
4 p.m. ET, The Situation Room
-Democratic strategist James Carville and former Congressman J.C. Watts will assess how the '08 presidential field is shaping up. 5 p.m. ET, The Situation Room -Sen. Carl Levin, D-Michigan, will react to President Bush's earlier press conference and discuss the latest developments in Iraq. Romney: Troop increase 'decision for the military'
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Gov. Mitt Romney, a potential presidential candidate, said Wednesday an increase in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq is a decision for the military.
During his 11th trip to Iowa since 2004, Romney told reporters he supports President Bush's stewardship of the war, but he brushed aside questions about a surge in forces deployed in Iraq to quell the sectarian violence. "I won't get into specifics about whether it should be 18,000, 20,000 or 15,000," he said. "That's for the generals and those on the front line to decide." Sen. Clinton: '08 Democratic race 'all thrown up, and that's good'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Calling potential '08 rival Sen. Barack Obama a "terrific guy," Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton said Wednesday she is excited about the potential Democratic presidential field.
"We're going to have a lot of good people running in the Democratic primary and I think that's exciting," she said during an interview with ABC's "The View." "In most elections it was accepted that someone was going to be the nominee and maybe the likely winner. This time that's all thrown up, and that's good." The New York Democrat also noted "we've never had a mother who ever ran for or held that position," while touting the potential benefits a woman would bring to the top office. "We can do a better job helping parents do their job, which is the most important one in society, and that is to really nurture and raise the next generation," the former first lady said. Clinton has said she will announce in January whether she plans to launch a 2008 run to return to the White House -- where she resided for eight years, as first lady. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Pelosi: Bush 'finally heeding the calls of Democrats'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Incoming House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said Wednesday she is pleased President Bush is "finally heeding the calls of Democrats" to increase military strength, but expressed doubt he was willing to change his policy there.
"The President gave no indication in his press conference today that he is willing to make the changes needed to reverse the disastrous situation in Iraq," Pelosi said in a statement. "Unless there is a fundamental change in policy and in the mission of our troops in support of that policy, events in Iraq are unlikely to improve." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Reid: Bush 'does not understand the need for urgent change in Iraq'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Incoming Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, said Wednesday he is pleased President Bush is supporting an overall increase in military troop strength, but expressed disappointment the president "does not understand the need for urgent change in Iraq."
"It is heartening to see that President Bush has reversed his position, rejected the failed Rumsfeld doctrine, and heeded Democratic calls to increase the size of the military," Reid said in a statement. "Unfortunately, it is troubling to see that he still does not understand the need for urgent change in Iraq. The President seems lost within his own rhetoric." At a press conference this morning, Bush indicated that he supported an overall increase in military troops, but said he had not decided whether more forces were needed in Iraq.(Full story) "We have an obligation to ensure our military is capable of sustaining this war over the long haul, and performing the many tasks that we ask of them," Bush said. "I'm inclined to believe we need to increase in the permanent size of both the United States army and the United States Marines. I've asked Secretary [of Defense Robert] Gates to determine how such an increase could take place, and report back to me as quickly as possible." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Brownback touring battleground states
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Kansas GOP Sen. Sam Brownback is spending the week before Christmas drumming up support in key states before he formally decides on a presidential run.
Brownback traveled to Iowa on Tuesday, making stops in Davenport and Dubuque to introduce himself to voters and meet with local conservative leaders. The Kansas Republican heads to Florida on Wednesday to deliver a speech in Coral Gables at a U.S.-Cuba Democracy Political Action Committee luncheon followed by a meeting with GOP activists in Miami. On Thursday Brownback makes his way to South Carolina, the first southern state to hold a presidential primary. After holding a press conference in Greer, Brownback is slated to meet with veterans and later tour a cancer center in Anderson. Brownback, who established a presidential exploratory committee earlier this month, has said he will decide on a presidential run after the new year. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Former Virginia Gov. Gilmore to consider '08 bid
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) -- Jim Gilmore, a tax-slashing former Virginia governor, announced he will explore a presidential bid in 2008. Citing what he said was the lack of a true conservative in the field of GOP White House prospects, Gilmore said Tuesday he will charter a federal committee in January that would allow him to assess his chances for the race himself.
"There is not a committed conservative in the field who can put together a national campaign. I am and I can. I have people on the ground right now in Iowa and in South Carolina," Gilmore, 57, said in a telephone interview from New York. His comments were directed not only at others preparing for a GOP presidential run, including Sen. John McCain of Arizona, former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and departing Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. It's also yet another of his many slaps at lavish federal spending by the current Republican administration and Congress. Obama to decide on '08 run this week
HONOLULU (AP) -- Sen. Barack Obama will decide this week in Hawaii if he'll seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008, his sister said Tuesday.
"He's going to make his decision here and announce it to us. Then he's probably going to officially announce his decision once he returns," Maya Soetoro told The Associated Press. Obama, a 45-year-old freshman senator from Illinois, was born in Hawaii and graduated from Honolulu's private Punahou School in 1979. He is staying in a hotel on Oahu with his family for the holidays and plans to spend a lot of time with his grandmother, said Soetoro. He'll also play golf and basketball with old friends and enjoy the ocean, she said. Soetoro, who teaches history and social studies at the University of Hawaii Lab School, said Obama hasn't scheduled any public events or interviews during his trip. Giuliani organizes for potential '08 run
NEW YORK (AP) -- Republican Rudy Giuliani went online with a Web site for his presidential exploratory committee Tuesday, the same day he held his first fundraiser for a potential White House bid.
The former New York City mayor is considering running for the Republican nomination and is part of a crowded GOP field. Giuliani leads in recent polls, but lags in organization when compared with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney. The Web site -- www.joinrudy2008.com -- emphasizes Giuliani's biography and credentials in fighting crime and cutting taxes. Earlier in the day, Giuliani addressed fundraisers from across the country in a private meeting at a hotel in Times Square. The evening reception, also at the hotel, was closed to the press. Giuliani aides refused to disclose the total raised at the reception, saying only they were "very pleased" and that the take will provide "seed money" for Giuliani as he continues to explore a potential run. Among the attendees, Jim Turley, the chairman and CEO of Ernst & Young, and Ken Langone, the founder of Home Depot. Bush: 'We're going to win'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- "I believe that we're going to win" in Iraq, President Bush told reporters Wednesday.
Bush said he has not yet decided whether to send more troops to Iraq, and that he was listening to commanders,to people in and out of government, to members of the Baker-Hamilton Commission "about coming up with a strategy that helps achieve our objective." He said he was considering all options. Bush supports increase in minimum wage
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday he supports a $2.10 increase in the minimum wage over the next two years, but "in a way that does not punish the millions of small businesses" in the country.
Bush calls for bigger Army and Marines
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday that he believes the United States needs to increase the permanent size of the Army and the Marines. He said he asked Secretary of Defense Gates "to determine how such an increase could take place and report back to me as soon as possibly."
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