Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Obama not looking to be No. 2
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, isn't looking to play a supporting role in the 2008 presidential contest, if he decides to run for the White House. "Well, you don't run for vice president," Obama told Wolf Blitzer during an interview on "The Situation Room," when asked where his political sights are focused. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Social conservatives react to Mary Cheney's pregnancy
Focus on the Family
Carrie Gordon Earll, Focus on the Family's director of Issue Analysis "Mary Cheney's pregnancy raises the question of what's best for children. Just because it's possible to conceive a child outside of the relationship of a married mother and father doesn't mean it's the best for the child. Love can't replace a mom or a dad. Over the last 30 years, thousands of studies confirm that children do best when they have a married mother and father. There is no reputable evidence to say children fair as well in same-sex homes. Children deserve the very best we can offer and gay adoption - by definition - intentionally denies children either a mother or a father. Adoption laws should put the needs of children first, above the desires of adults." *** Concerned Women for America Dr. Janice Shaw Crouse, Senior Fellow of the Beverly LaHaye Institute "For a woman as educated as Mary Cheney to deliberately bring a child into the world who will never know a father, flies in the face of the experts' agreement that, for a child's well being, it is best (not just good) to be raised in a married mother-father family. "Even with all her privilege, Mary Cheney will be unable to do anything about the gaping hole in her child's family. In addition, her child will be vulnerable to a whole variety of negative outcomes -- drug use, juvenile delinquency, school drop-out -- not to mention the anger and other emotional problems that are typical of children whose fathers are absent while they are growing up. "Mary Cheney is the face of the tragic and burgeoning trend of adult women who don't want a father in the picture, but want to have a baby. Thirty-seven percent of America's babies now are born to single mothers; the ramifications for all of us are disastrous. There will be a whole generation of little girls who will look for love in the wrong places and little boys will have no role model except the bad-boy celebrities on MTV." Parties amassed debt in election effort
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Both political parties assumed millions of dollar in debts in the waning days of the congressional campaign as the election intensified and the prospects of a power shift became more apparent.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee is trying to pay off a $10 million debt and the National Republican Senatorial Campaign is more than $1 million in the red. Other party committees also were expected to report various levels of debt in documents to be filed Thursday with the Federal Election Commission. It's not unusual for parties to end an election cycle in debt -- in 2004, the DCCC and the NRSC finished the year in a deficit. But the spending by the political parties in this election was a record for a midterm election, a testament to the number of competitive contests and the political power struggle at stake. Kilpatrick elected as Congressional Black Caucus chair
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Congressional Black Caucus on Wednesday tapped Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick as its chairwoman for the next two years, when black lawmakers will wield more power in Congress than ever.
Kilpatrick, D-Michigan, a former school teacher and the mother of Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, was chosen unanimously. She succeeds Rep. Mel Watt, D-North Carolina. Senate approves Gates as new defense chief
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Senate confirmed Robert Gates as secretary of defense Wednesday evening, putting the university president and former CIA director in the Pentagon hot seat as the Bush administration considers how best to change course in Iraq.
Riding a wave of bipartisan support, Gates, 63, was approved by a vote of 95-2, after a speedy confirmation process that took less than month and involved just eight hours of hearings. He will replace Donald Rumsfeld, who resigned Nov. 8, the day after Republicans took a thumping in midterm elections dominated by the Iraq war. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pennsylvania, and Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Kentucky, were the two senators who voted against the Gates nomination. -- CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
McCain cautions about negotiating with Iran and Syria
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, said Wednesday he may support U.S. discussions with Iran and Syria but warned such talks cannot be seen as a U.S. endorsement of their interests.
"On the issue of a regional conference with countries in the region, as long as we understand that the interests of Iran and Syria are not the same as ours," McCain told reporters regarding the prospect of negotiating with Iraq's neighbors. "And if the price of negotiations with Iran is acquiescence to their nuclear weapons program, then that's not good enough. And if the price of negotiations with Syria is their control of Lebanon, we cannot accept that." The Iraq Study Group report released earlier Wednesday recommends the U.S. engage in diplomatic talks with Iran and Syria, in hopes the two countries will put pressure on the Iraqi government to stabilize its political climate. McCain also renewed his call for more U.S. troops to be sent to the region, despite the Iraq Study Group's recommendations that military troops be withdrawn by 2008. "It is very obvious the status quo is not satisfactory and the Iraqi Study Group said that," McCain said. "We must have more troops over there; that has to be accompanied by a larger Marine Corps and Army -- maybe 20,000 more Marines and 80,000 more Army troops -- so we can handle whatever's necessary." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
FEMA continues to squander millions in Katrina aid, audit says
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government is squandering tens of millions of dollars in Hurricane Katrina disaster aid, in some cases doling out housing payments to people living rent-free, investigators said Wednesday.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has recouped less than 1 percent of the $1 billion that investigators contend it squandered on fraudulent assistance, according to the Government Accountability Office. Its report shows the disaster relief agency's struggles, one year after the deadly storm, to rush aid to those in need while also preventing abuse. Chicago Tribune urges Obama to run
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The 2008 presidential election is slightly less than two years away, but the Chicago Tribune has already picked its candidate to succeed President Bush -- Sen. Barack Obama of Illinois.
"When a leader evokes the enthusiasm that Obama does, he should recognize that he has something special to offer, not in 2012 or 2016, but right now," the Tribune editorial states. The Tribune argues no other presidential aspirant -- Democrat or Republican -- can unite Americans behind a hopeful message. "No one else has shown a comparable talent for appealing to the centrist instincts of the American people--instincts that often go unsatisfied as each party labors to rally its most uncompromising factions," the editorial states. "After the divisive events of the last decade, the nation may be ready for a voice that celebrates our common values instead of exaggerating our differences." Obama, who has said he will decide shortly on a presidential run, heads to New Hampshire this weekend to celebrate midterm victories with key Granite State Democrats. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Ahead on CNN
4 p.m. ET, The Situation Room
-Democratic Strategist Paul Begala and Terry Jeffrey, editor of "Human Events," will discuss the Iraq Study Group report. -Vernon Jordon, a member of the Iraq Study Group, will discuss its findings. 5 p.m. ET, The Situation Room -Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, will discuss his political future. -Dan Bartlett, counselor to the president, will discuss the Iraq Study Group's findings. 6 p.m. ET, Lou Dobbs Tonight -Former Defense Secretary William Perry and former Sen. Alan Simpson -- both members of the Iraq Study Group -- will discuss the group's report. 9 p.m. ET, Larry King Live -Former Secretary of State James Baker and former Rep. Lee Hamilton -- the chairmen of the Iraq Study Group -- will discuss their conclusions. -White House Press Secretary Tony Snow will weigh in on the Iraq Study Group's report -Former Secretary of State Madeline Albright will discuss the Iraq Study Group's report. -Former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell will weigh in on the Iraq Study Group's findings. Cheney's gay daughter expecting
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Dick Cheney's openly-gay daughter is expecting a baby, his spokeswoman told CNN Wednesday.
"The vice president and Mrs. Cheney are looking forward with eager anticipation to the arrival of their sixth grandchild," spokeswoman Lee Ann McBride said. Mary Cheney, who is a strong advocate for the legalization of same-sex marriage, served as an aide to her father during the 2004 campaign. Snow: ISG report not a rejection of Bush's policies
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Though Democrats insist the Iraq Study Group's conclusions constitute a rejection of the president's Iraq policy, White House spokesman Tony Snow insists the report should not be seen as a critique of past decisions.
"They are not trying to score partisan points or to look back," Snow told reporters during the White House daily briefing. "The one thing is they're not doing a look-back." Snow also insisted the President changed his "stay the course" policy long before the ISG report was released. "'Stay the course' is not the policy," Snow said. "And you know the president's been saying that for months. While the bipartisan report expresses doubt the war in Iraq can end successfully, Snow said the president is confident the power of a democratic government will ultimately lead to victory. "The president believes in the transformational power of liberty," Snow said. "And he talks about it a lot. It's not a throwaway line." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Bayh echoes ISG's call for troop withdrawals
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Evan Bayh -- the Indiana Democrat who formed a presidential exploratory committee earlier this week -- said Wednesday the Iraq Study Group's conclusions prove President Bush's Iraq policy is not working and that a significantly different approach is needed.
"We need to try a different approach, one that puts pressure on the Iraqi people to make the tough decisions that only they can make if they are to succeed," Bayh said in a statement. "The Baker-Hamilton Commission accomplishes this through a number of steps, including its recommendations for troop withdrawals, which sends a concrete signal to the Iraqis that we will not remain there indefinitely." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Hoyer hopes ISG report will lead to change of policy
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Incoming House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Maryland, expressed hope Wednesday the Iraq Study Group's report will lead President Bush to change his policy in Iraq.
"Clearly, it is long past time for a major course correction in Iraq," Hoyer said in a statement. "The President of the United States must adjust his thinking and his policy, which is failing. Hopefully, the Iraq Study Group's report will help instigate the real change that is needed." Huckabee says in welcoming new Hispanics, US can overcome past
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) -- Gov. Mike Huckabee said Wednesday the nation is being given a chance to make up for past racism by the way it handles the influx of Hispanics.
Huckabee, a Republican who is considering a run for president in 2008, said Arkansas has made progress on racial justice and has a fresh opportunity to do the right thing in the way it welcomes the growing Hispanic population. "One of the great challenges facing us is that we do not commit the same mistakes with our growing Hispanic population that we did with African Americans 150 years ago and beyond. We're still paying the price for the pathetic manner in which this country handled that," Huckabee said at a meeting of the Political Animals Club in Little Rock. The club meets monthly to hear from political figures and experts. "I think, frankly, the Lord is giving us a second chance to do better than we did before," Huckabee said. Edwards needs to show the money to stay in the top tier
WASHINGTON (AP) -- He's well positioned in early polling and organization, but John Edwards will have to raise some quick cash if he wants to remain in the top tier of contenders for the
Democratic presidential nomination. The former North Carolina senator has collected no donations for a presidential campaign, while three Democratic rivals have more than $10 million in their political accounts. Fundraising prowess will be one of the chief factors in separating the leaders in a long list of candidates for the White House. The slate is filled with experience, drive and ideas for governing, but there's a limited amount of money available to go around. Vilsack urges president to enact ISG's recommendations
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Iowa Democratic Gov. and presidential candidate Tom Vilsack praised the Iraq Study Group's recommendations Wednesday but noted the president is the only person who can enact them.
"The good news is that the report is good, serious work with some sensible ideas. The bad news is that it is not a strategy," Vilsack said. "Only the President can make strategy and the fact that this group even exists is proof that the American people and even the President's own advisers have lost faith in his ability to set policy." ISG: The Iraq war has badly divided the U.S.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Iraq war has badly divided the United States, and President Bush will have no success in turning the situation around without a consensus that involves the American people, Iraq Study Group member Leon Panetta said Wednesday.
"We have made a terrible commitment in Iraq in terms of our blood and our treasury, and I think we owe it to them to take one last chance to make Iraq work," said the former White House chief of staff under Democratic President Bill Clinton. Reid pledges strong Senate oversight on change of Iraq policy
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, praised the Iraq Study Group's report Wednesday and pledged strong Senate oversight to ensure President Bush changes course in Iraq.
"The Senate will do its part next year and conduct strong oversight to ensure the President carries out an effective change in policy," Reid said in a statement. ISG: Panel aimed to set achievable goals
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Iraq Study Group "took a very pragmatic approach" in forming its recommendations by trying to set achievable goals, former Rep. Lee Hamilton, co-chair of the panel, said Wednesday.
In addition, it is crucial for the United States to enter into a dialog with Iran and Syria, because of their impact on Iraq and the region, he said. "If we don't talk to them, we don't see much progress being made," he said. "You can't look at this part of the world and pick and choose which countries you're going to deal with." ISG report: 3 main recommendations
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- "The situation in Iraq is grave and deteriorating" and the Iraqi people are "suffering great hardship," said former Rep. Lee Hamilton, one of the joint chairmen of the Iraq Study Group
The group's three most important recommendations: a change in the primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq that will allow the United States to move forces out responsibly; prompt action by the Iraqi government to achieve milestones, particularly reconciliation; and new diplomatic actions there and the region. Read full report Pelosi: ISG report show Bush's Iraq policy 'failed'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi, D-California, said Wednesday the Iraq Study Group's findings constitute a rejection of the President Bush's Iraq policy.
"The bipartisan Iraq Study Group has concluded that the president's Iraq policy has failed and must be changed," Pelosi said in a statement. "As the November elections clearly demonstrated, that is an assessment shared by the American people." Pelosi also urged Bush to work with Democrats to change the course in Iraq. "If the president is serious about the need for change in Iraq, he will find Democrats ready to work with him in a bipartisan fashion to find a way to end the war as quickly as possible," Pelosi said. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Gates photos begin to appear in Pentagon
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A little more than 12 hours after receiving unanimous approval from the Senate Armed Services Committee to be the new Defense secretary, pictures of Roberts Gates began to appear on the walls inside the Pentagon.
His photos also were put on the Pentagon web site last night. Gates nomination still must be approved by the full Senate -- a vote likely to occur this week. -- CNN Pentagon Correspondent Barbara Starr Boehner warns against Iraq deadline and talks with Iran and Syria
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Majority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Wednesday he is pleased with the Iraq Study Group, but cautioned against setting deadlines for troop withdrawal or negotiating with Iran and Syria.
"We will not accomplish victory by setting arbitrary deadlines or negotiating with hostile governments," Boehner said in a statement Wednesday. The report calls for withdrawing military troops by 2008 and opening diplomatic channels with Iran and Syria. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Senate Dems to call for change in Iraq strategy
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Following a briefing with the Iraq Study Group, Senate Democratic leaders will renew their call for a change of course in Iraq at a 10:30 a.m. ET Capitol Hill news conference.
Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, incoming Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, incoming Intelligence Chairman Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia and several other Democrats will be on hand. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
The Iraq Study Group report: Key excerpts
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Here are some excerpts from portions of the Iraq Study Group report -- set to be released at 11 a.m., ET today.
*** "Our most important recommendations call for new and enhanced diplomatic and political efforts in Iraq and the region, and a change in the primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq that will enable the United States to begin to move its combat forces out of Iraq responsibly. We believe that these two recommendations are equally important and reinforce one another. *** "The United States should immediately launch a new diplomatic offensive to build an international consensus for stability in Iraq and the region. This diplomatic effort should include every country that has an interest in avoiding a chaotic Iraq, including all of Iraq's neighbors. Iraq's neighbors and key states in and outside the region should form a support group to reinforce security and national reconciliation within Iraq, neither of which Iraq can achieve on its own." *** "Given the ability of Iran and Syria to influence events within Iraq and their interest in avoiding chaos in Iraq, the United States should try to engage them constructively. In seeking to influence the behavior of both countries, the United States has disincentives and incentives available. Iran should stem the flow of arms and training to Iraq, respect Iraq's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and use its influence over Iraqi Shia groups to encourage national reconciliation. *** "The primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq should evolve to one of supporting the Iraqi army, which would take over primary responsibility for combat operations. By the first quarter of 2008, subject to unexpected developments in the security situation on the ground, all combat brigades not necessary for force protection could be out of Iraq. Bush: ISG report a chance to find 'common ground'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Promising to "take every proposal seriously" and "act in a timely fashion," President Bush Wednesday received the Iraq Study Group's much anticipated report on the war in Iraq.
The president, while not commenting specifically on any proposals, said the report was "an opportunity to come together" and end the "purely political bickering" that has marred the political discourse about the war. "This report will give us all an opportunity to find common ground for the good of the country, not just for the Republican Party or the Democratic Party, but for the entire country," the president said. Bush thanked the 10-member commission, chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker, a Republican, and former Democratic Rep. Lee Hamilton, for their months of work on the report. 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... The bipartisan panel, however, will stop short of a specific timetable for withdrawal. From the report: "The primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq should evolve into one of supporting the Iraqi Army." Gore: "I'm not making plans to do it. I have no intention to do it. I haven't completely ruled it out at some point in the future." Lauer: "Will you rule it out? You won't sit here and say 'Matt, I will not run in 2008?'" Gore: "No, but that's merely because I'm - I was in it for a long time. I'm in the process of sort of shifting gears on this, but I do not - I seriously do not have any intention of doing it." President's Schedule: At 10:45, Bush huddles with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez in the Oval Office. Also on the Political Radar: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) "PRIMARY MISSION... SHOULD EVOLVE INTO ONE OF SUPPORTING THE IRAQI ARMY": In a highly anticipated report being released Wednesday, the Iraq Study Group will call for a dramatic shift in war policy by urging the Bush administration to set a target of moving most U.S. troops out of their combat roles by early 2008, according to two sources who have seen the executive summary of the report. The bipartisan panel, however, will stop short of a specific timetable for withdrawal. "The primary mission of U.S. forces in Iraq should evolve into one of supporting the Iraqi Army," says the report. It adds: "It's clear the Iraqi government will need U.S. assistance for some time to come, especially in carrying out new security responsibilities. Yet the U.S. must not make open-ended commitments to keep large numbers of troops deployed in Iraq." CNN: Iraq Study Group: Pull most troops from combat by '08 GATES: BUSH UNDERSTANDS "THERE NEEDS TO BE A CHANGE... WHAT WE ARE DOING NOW IS NOT WORKING": Defense Secretary-designate Robert M. Gates yesterday said the U.S. is not winning in Iraq, but he declined to endorse any one of scores of new options floating in Washington for ending the stalemate and the American troop commitment. Mr. Gates' Iraq assessment before the Senate Armed Services Committee, which later gave its unanimous approval to his nomination, came in response to a question from Sen. Carl Levin, Michigan Democrat, who asked, "Do you believe that we are currently winning in Iraq?" "No, sir," answered the man who is likely to become the president's chief military adviser on overhauling Iraq strategy. Mr. Gates later testified that he agreed with Gen. Peter Pace, Joint Chiefs chairman, who has said the U.S. is neither winning nor losing at this point... Mr. Gates said of the president, "I also believe that he understands that there needs to be a change in our approach in Iraq, that what we are doing now is not working satisfactorily." Washington Times: Gates says U.S. isn't winning Iraq war HOUSE DEMS WILL "ATTACH CONDITIONS" TO WAR SPENDING BILL: House Democrats sent a strong signal to President Bush on Tuesday that they will attach conditions he is likely to find unpalatable, perhaps even unacceptable, to his anticipated request early next year for another $100 billion or more to pay for the war in Iraq. At the least, Speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco and other leaders of the incoming Democratic majority said they will seek to enforce greater transparency for the billions of dollars in contracts that the Pentagon pays private firms to perform numerous functions in Iraq. Amid reports of corruption and missing funds from government contracts, the Democrats also want to establish a special committee patterned after the World War II-era panel that Sen. Harry Truman chaired to root out waste and fraud in war contracting. But some of the most outspoken anti-war voices in the House said they want to go much further and use the supplemental spending bill -- the special bill passed by Congress to pay for the expense of the war -- to force Bush to bring home the 140,000 U.S. military personnel in Iraq. San Francisco Chronicle: Dems warn Bush on Iraq funding BLAIR IN DC FOR MEETINGS WITH BUSH: President George W. Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair meet in Washington this week with the limits of their power on full display and the end of their terms on the horizon. The war in Iraq will dominate Blair's meetings today and tomorrow with members of Congress and his session with Bush. He arrives in Washington the same day as the release of a report by the independent Iraq Study Group, which Congress created to assess U.S. strategy and recommend a way forward. The two leaders leaned on the close U.S.-U.K. alliance and their personal relationship to press ahead with the invasion of Iraq more than three years ago at the risk of international isolation. By taking the risk both men were left weakened at home, said Toby Dodge, a senior Middle East analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Bloomberg: Bush and Blair Meet With Little Room to Maneuver on Iraq War MALIKI WANTS TO CONVENE CONFERENCE WITH NEIGHBORS: Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki said Tuesday that he would send envoys to neighboring countries to plan a conference on Iraq, adding momentum to calls for a regional approach to quell the increasingly anarchic war [in Iraq]... Publicly, the White House has resisted the idea of widening its own diplomatic channels with Iran and Syria, saying that even opening a regular dialogue would be a concession to two governments suspected of fomenting violence in Iraq. But senior Bush administration officials now say they are working out ways to talk to those countries without the White House appearing to have conceded on its principle of giving them the diplomatic cold shoulder. A State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, said the United States approved of Mr. Maliki's proposed conference. New York Times: Iraqi Premier Moves to Plan Regional Talks INCOMING INTEL CHAIR WANTS TO SEND MORE TROOPS: In a surprise twist in the debate over Iraq, Rep. Silvestre Reyes, the soon-to-be chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said he wants to see an increase of 20,000 to 30,000 U.S. troops as part of a stepped up effort to "dismantle the militias." The soft-spoken Texas Democrat was an early opponent of the Iraq war and voted against the October 2002 resolution authorizing President Bush to invade that country. That dovish record got prominently cited last week when Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi chose Reyes as the new head of the intelligence panel. But in an interview with NEWSWEEK on Tuesday, Reyes pointedly distanced himself from many of his Democratic colleagues who have called for fixed timetables for the withdrawal of U.S. troops. Newsweek: 'We Can't Afford to Leave' U.S. TO N. KOREA: DROP NUKE PLANS AND WE'LL SEND HELP: The United States has offered a detailed package of economic and energy assistance in exchange for North Korea's giving up nuclear weapons and technology, American officials said Tuesday. But the offer, made last week during two days of intense talks in Beijing, would hinge on North Korea's agreeing to begin dismantling some of the equipment it is using to expand its nuclear arsenal, even before returning to negotiations. It is unclear whether North Korea will accept the offer, which is more specific - in both the details and the timing - than a vaguely worded statement of principles that the North signed in September 2005, a year before its first nuclear test... The incentives offered by the United States include food aid from the United States, Japan and South Korea, a senior administration official said. New York Times: U.S. Offers North Korea Aid for Dropping Nuclear Plans GOP "PLANTING LEGISLATIVE LAND MINES... TO DISRUPT DEMOCRATIC AGENDA": Like a retreating army, Republicans are tearing up railroad track and planting legislative land mines to make it harder for Democrats to govern when they take power in Congress next month. Already, the Republican leadership has moved to saddle the new Democratic majority with responsibility for resolving $463 billion in spending bills for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1... The unstated goal is to disrupt the Democratic agenda and make it harder for the new majority to meet its promise to reinstitute "pay-as-you-go" budget rules, under which new costs or tax cuts must be offset to protect the deficit from growing. Wall Street Journal: Some Republicans Take a Scorched-Hill Tack HOUSE DEMS PLAN 5-DAY WORK WEEK (!!!): Forget the minimum wage. Or outsourcing jobs overseas. The labor issue most on the minds of members of Congress yesterday was their own: They will have to work five days a week starting in January. The horror. Rep. Steny H. Hoyer, the Maryland Democrat who will become House majority leader and is writing the schedule for the next Congress, said members should expect longer hours than the brief week they have grown accustomed to. "I have bad news for you," Hoyer told reporters. "Those trips you had planned in January, forget 'em. We will be working almost every day in January, starting with the 4th." Washington Post: Culture Shock on Capitol Hill: House to Work 5 Days a Week A CBC MEMBER WILL HAVE TO APPROVE "ALMOST EVERY PIECE OF LEGISLATION" DEMS BRING TO THE FLOOR: The Congressional Black Caucus today will announce its leadership team and agenda for the 110th Congress with Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, the group's chairman, expected to refocus on urban and poverty issues. The Michigan Democrat, whose son Kwame Kilpatrick is mayor of Detroit, could be one of the most effective CBC chairman in 20 years because many caucus members are likely to lead key House committees -- Judiciary, Homeland Security, Administration, and Ways and Means. Almost every piece of legislation that Democrats bring to the House floor will have to pass the approval of a CBC member. The group, composed of Democrats, also will benefit from almost 17 subcommittee chairmanships and former CBC Chairman James E. Clyburn, South Carolina Democrat, as the House majority whip. Washington Times: Black caucus ready to flex political muscle THE END OF THE "JUNKET?" In any other year, dozens of lawmakers and staffers would spend the days after New Year's packing for a week in Las Vegas that mixes business and top-flight luxury at the annual Consumer Electronics Show. But this year, as new Democratic majorities in both chambers prepare to push sweeping lobbying and ethics reforms, a proposed ban on privately funded travel is sapping interest in the trip and many others like it, aides and lobbyists said... With lawmakers and staff canceling plans to participate in such trips even in advance of the ethics changes, the development could spell the end of what has become in recent years an increasingly popular and effective tool in the corporate lobbying arsenal: the junket. Roll Call: Members Shun Glitzy Junkets HILLARY TAPS PATTI SOLIS DOYLE AS CAMPAIGN MANAGER: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) is taking a series of concrete steps toward a likely campaign for president in 2008, settling on key members of her campaign team, recruiting potential new additions to her staff, and calling Democratic activists in states with early primaries and caucuses. No final decision on running is expected before the end of the year, according to sources knowledgeable about her thinking, as Clinton works methodically through a checklist of preparatory steps. But she and her inner circle are already ramping up for what could be a history-making bid for the White House. The latest move is the choice of longtime adviser Patti Solis Doyle as campaign manager. That follows the recent recruitment of three seasoned political operatives who, if she runs, would play key roles on what is now a rapidly expanding Clinton campaign organization. Washington Post: Hillary Clinton's Early Moves IA AND NH "BIGWIGS" TO DINE WITH CLINTON NEXT WEEK: Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is hosting Democratic players from key presidential primary states at a string of dinners at her Washington home as she moves closer to a 2008 run, invitees said yesterday. Clinton will hold dinner-table sitdowns with small clusters of party activists from Iowa and New Hampshire - both crucial presidential stomping grounds - starting next week, the sources said. It's the latest step in Clinton's series of calls and meetings with officials - including her recent outreach to people in Iowa and New Hampshire - as she moves toward a 2008 White House run. The dinner with the New Hampshire contingent is slated for Sunday night, and the Iowa meeting is set for Tuesday, according to sources who were invited. New York Post: KEY 'PREZ STATE' DEMS VILSACK FAVORS "TOUGH LOVE" FOR IRAQIS: Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said Tuesday he favors removing most American troops from the Baghdad area and southern Iraq while maintaining a smaller security force in northern Iraq for a limited period. Vilsack, who announced last week he would seek the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, said Iraq may have to endure a period of heavy violence following an American troop redeployment, but that it was the only way to force the Iraqi government to make the hard decisions about restoring order to the fractured country. "It's tough love, no question about it," Vilsack told The Associated Press in a wide-ranging interview. "It may very well require them to go through some chaotic and very difficult times for them to finally decide it is not in their interest to continue down that road." AP via Yahoo! News: Vilsack wants smaller U.S. force in Iraq EDWARDS HAS SOME FUNDRAISING TO DO: He's well positioned in early polling and organization, but John Edwards will have to raise some quick cash if he wants to remain in the top tier of contenders for the Democratic presidential nomination. The former North Carolina senator has collected no donations for a presidential campaign, while three Democratic rivals have more than $10 million in their political accounts. Fundraising prowess will be one of the chief factors in separating the leaders in a long list of candidates for the White House. The slate is filled with experience, drive and ideas for governing, but there's a limited amount of money available to go around. Edwards' ability to raise millions of dollars quickly helped separate him during the 2004 presidential campaign, and his team is hoping to surprise skeptics again after announcing a new run for the presidency early in 2007. Although he cannot legally accept donations for a 2008 bid until after filing paperwork with the Federal Elections Commission, Edwards and his team already are lining up support among donors. AP via Yahoo! News: Edwards needs money for presidential bid MARY CHENEY PREGNANT: Mary Cheney, the vice president's openly gay daughter, is pregnant. She and her partner of 15 years, Heather Poe, are "ecstatic" about the baby, due in late spring, said a source close to the couple. It's a baby boom for grandparents Dick and Lynne Cheney: Their older daughter, Elizabeth, went on leave as deputy assistant secretary of state before having her fifth child in July. "The vice president and Mrs. Cheney are looking forward with eager anticipation to the arrival of their sixth grandchild," spokesman Lea Anne McBride said last night. Washington Post: Mary Cheney and Partner Are About to Be Moms |
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• 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
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