Wednesday, December 13, 2006
South Dakota senator in hospital for 'stroke-like symptoms'
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Tim Johnson, D-South Dakota, was hospitalized Wednesday after he suffered stroke-like symptoms, his staff told CNN.
Johnson, 59, was taken to George Washington University Hospital by ambulance about 11:30 a.m. A spokeswoman told CNN he was still undergoing tests and will stay overnight, but would not characterize his condition. "We're taking one day at a time," Julianne Fisher said, "saying a lot of prayers and waiting until morning." A statement issued by Johnson's office said he was suffering from a "possible stroke." "At this stage he is undergoing a comprehensive evaluation by the stroke team," the statement said. Staffers told CNN Johnson was conscious when he was transported to the hospital. -- CNN's Dana Bash and Ted Barrett
Potential vacancy could determine Senate control
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- News of Sen. Tim Johnson's possible stroke has raised the possibility that the balance of power in the Senate could tip back to the Republicans if the South Dakota Democrat is unable to complete his term.
Under state law, South Dakota's Republican Gov. Mike Rounds has the authority to fill a Senate vacancy with a successor of his choosing. If Rounds decides to appoint a fellow Republican to the post, the Senate would be evenly split between Democrats and Republicans with Vice President Dick Cheney casting the tie-breaking vote in the GOP's favor. The process for filing senate vacancies is not uniform from state to state. In 43 states -- including South Dakota -- the governor has the power to appoint whomever he chooses. In five states -- Alaska, Arizona, Hawaii, Utah and Wyoming -- the governor must appoint a member of the departing senator's party. In only two states -- Oregon and Wisconsin -- a special election is required to fill a vacant seat. -- CNN's Alexander Mooney and Richard Shumate
Reid issues statement on Johnson
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, issued the following statement Wednesday regarding Sen. Tim Johnson's potential stroke.
"Senator Johnson is a dear friend to me and to all of us here in the Senate. Every member of the United States Senate sends our best to him and to his family at this difficult time, and we wish him a full recovery." Is Obama a "Marxist leftist"?
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Barack Obama's office is responding to charges from former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay that the Illinois Democrat is attempting to conceal his liberal views and that his record in the Senate is comparable to that of a "Marxist Leftist." DeLay is also urging conservative bloggers to begin digging into Obama's past. A spokesperson for the senator says voters want to "move beyond" Delay's "name-calling." "Former Congressman DeLay's rhetoric is exactly the sort that the American people rejected so resoundingly in November," Obama spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement. "They want us to move beyond the name-calling and slash-and-burn politics that have served this country so poorly and deal with the real challenges we face." DeLay made the comments to a group of conservative bloggers at a weekly lunch hosted by Human Events and the Heritage Foundation, according to Robert Bluey of HumanEvents.com, who attended the meeting. Following this week's launch of TomDeLay.com, the Texas Republican is stepping up his efforts to reach out to bloggers and grassroots activists. DeLay also warned conservatives at the meeting that "Hillary [Clinton] will be the next president of the United States because [liberals] have built a coalition." A spokesperson for Sen. Clinton, D-New York, declined to comment. -- From CNN's Peter Hamby
Giuliani taps RNC Political Director
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former New York GOP Mayor Rudy Giuliani is tapping the political director of the Republican National Committee to head his presidential exploratory committee, Giuliani aide Anthony Carbonetti announced Wednesday.
Michael DuHaime, currently head of the RNC's political operations, will serve as executive director of Giuliani's exploratory committee. "His national political knowledge garnered from his years of Republican field organization work coupled with his service as the RNC political director make him a great asset to the team," Carbonettti said. Giuliani, who officially formed the exploratory committee over three weeks ago, has said he will decide on a presidential run in the new year. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Draft Obama ad set to hit New Hampshire airwaves
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- DraftObama.org, a grassroots organization urging Sen. Barack Obama to throw his hat into the 2008 presidential race, will hit the airwaves next week with a 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." Drafobama.org -- which officially launched two weeks ago and is not endorsed by the Obama -- has yet to buy airtime for the ad, but a spokesperson tells CNN they plan to buy time on cable stations in New Hampshire and Washington, DC as well as on New Hampshire affiliate WMUR. Ben Stanfield, founder of DraftObama.org, says he hopes the ad will show the Illinois Democrat the level of support 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. "so the organization commissioned a TV ad conveying Obama's message of hope." -- CNN's Alexander Mooney and Julie Hofler
Bush says he will not be rushed
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush said Wednesday he will not be rushedinto a decision on "a new way forward in Iraq," but pledged that his new strategy will give troops there all the tools they need to "complete their mission."
Bush made remarks after a meeting with top Pentagon officials to hear their views as he seeks a new strategy for Iraq. He met with Vice President Dick Cheney, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "I am listening to a lot of advice to develop a strategy to help you succeed, a lot of consultations," he said in a message meant for the troops serving in Iraq. "I will be delivering my plans after a long deliberation, after steady deliberation. I'm not going to be rushed into making a decision." The president said he wanted incoming Defense Secretary Robert Gates, who will be sworn in Monday, "to have time to evaluate the situation" and come up with his own ideas on how to proceed in the "war that we now find ourselves in." Full story Levin urges president to consider Iraq timetable
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- As President Bush contemplates a new strategy in Iraq, incoming Senate Armed Service Committee Chairman Carl Levin, D-Michigan, urged him Wednesday to set a timetable for troop withdrawal.
"We cannot create a country for them. Only they can do that," Levin told reporters in a press conference. "And if the president would just simply say that to the Iraqis -- that this is not an open-ended commitment, and it is not in the hands of the Iraqis how long our troops stay. It is in our hands how long our troops stay." But Levin did not criticize Bush for delaying his announcement of a new strategy until January. "I'd rather the right conclusion be reached in January than the wrong conclusion be reached in December," Levin said. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Dodd announces Middle East trip
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Chris Dodd, D-Connecticut, announced Wednesday he will embark on a trip to the Middle East this weekend. The Connecticut lawmaker will make stops in Iraq, Syria, Israel, Lebanon and Jordan on the week-long trip. He will be joined by Sen. John Kerry -- a potential rival for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination -- for portions of the trip, a Democratic aide tells CNN. -- CNN Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash
Influential 2004 political organizations agree to heavy FEC fines
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Three influential '527' political organizations have agreed to collectively pay the Federal Election Commission nearly $630,000 for campaign finance violations during the 2004 presidential elections, the FEC announced Wednesday.
The three groups, Swift Boat Veterans for Truth, MoveOn.org, and the League of Conservation Voters, "failed to register and file disclosure reports as federal political committees, and accepted contributions in violation of federal limits," according to an FEC statement. Swift Boat Veterans for Truth -- the group that made controversial allegations about then-presidential candidate John Kerry's military service -- agreed to pay nearly $300,000. MoveOn.org will pay $150,00 and the League of Conservation Voters agreed to pay $180,000. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
U.S. congressional delegation visits Iraq
BAGHDAD (CNN) -- Iraq's prime minister and a U.S. congressional delegation met Wednesday in Baghdad.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki received the delegation, which included Sens. John McCain, R-Arizona, Joe Lieberman, D-Connecticut, and four others. The prime minister's office said the lawmakers are renewing their support of Iraq's political process and the government's efforts to establish security and stability. Al-Maliki said the government is moving ahead with the process of national reconciliation, reconstruction plans, and expanding its political base. He also spoke of new security measures, including the acceleration of arming and training Iraqi security forces with the goal of having those troops take over security throughout the country. Al-Maliki also said he rejects militias and said weapons should only be in the hands of the government. Shiite militias have been in the middle of Iraq's sectarian warfare. The U.S. Embassy's Office of Public Affairs said the delegation will take part in a media roundtable on Thursday. Along with McCain and Lieberman, the others in the delegation are Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine; Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina.; John Thune, R-South Dakota; and Rep. Mark Kirk, R-Illinnois, the embassy said. Leahy promises 'real' oversight of FBI, Justice Department
WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration should expect tougher oversight of its war-on-terrorism strategy and perhaps some all-expense-paid tickets to Iraq to help train the corrupt police force there, the incoming chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee said Wednesday.
Sen. Patrick Leahy's agenda includes a look at about a dozen recommendations by the Iraq Study Group to send law enforcement officials from the FBI and other offices in the Justice Department to the war-torn nation to boost a police force riddled with corruption. Leahy noted that over the weekend that Iraqi police allegedly helped Saddam Hussein's nephew, Ayman Sabawi, escape from a prison near Mosul. "The police force has proven to be one of the worst failures of the occupation," Leahy, D-Vt., said Wednesday. "I look forward to the Judiciary Committee contributing to these efforts by exploring the dozen recommendations relating to the Iraqi justice system and the training of Iraqi police forces." Leahy also revealed that Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., will chair a new subcommittee on human rights. The new panel's agenda will include overseeing legislation on torture and detainee treatment. 109th Congress a success at naming buildings
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Despite criticism for adjourning last week without acting on several major legislative initiatives, members of Congress can boast significant achievements in at least one area of federal lawmaking -- naming post offices.
Of the 383 pieces of legislation that were signed into law during the two-year 109th Congress, more than one-quarter dealt with naming or renaming federal buildings and structures -- primarily post offices -- after various Americans. Three post offices were named after entertainers. Ray Charles, the late singer and musician, was honored with a post office in Los Angeles in July 2005 in a bill sponsored by Rep. Diane Watson, D-California Rep. Henry Waxman, D-California, authored a law naming another Los Angeles post office after actor and former American Express pitchman Karl Malden. And in March, Congress passed and the president signed legislation naming a Smithfield, North Carolina, post office after actress Ava Gardner. The bill was sponsored by Rep. Bob Etheridge, D-North Carolina. Several members of the U.S. military killed in Iraq or Afghanistan were honored with post offices, and the late civil rights leader Rosa Parks was honored with a federal building in Detroit, Michigan. Some federal facilities were named after deceased members of Congress. The late Rep. Robert Matsui, D-California, was honored with a courthouse in Sacramento. A Brooklyn, N.Y., post office was named after former Rep. and one-time candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination Shirley Chisolm, D-New York. And one of the final actions Congress took before adjourning early Saturday was naming a Delaware bridge after that state's long-time GOP Sen. William Roth. -- CNN Political Research Director Robert Yoon
Poll: Hevesi should quit, maybe
WASHINGTON (CNN)-- A new poll from Quinnipiac University shows New Yorkers are split on whether Alan Hevesi, New York's State Comptroller, should quit. Hevesi admitted using a state employee to chauffer his wife on private business. Hevesi, a Democrat, is the state's chief fiscal officer and in charge of auditing state operations. Should Hevesi stay in office or resign from office? Stay 45% Resign 43% Polling Dates: December 5 - 11, 2006 sample Size: 1,144 New York State registered voters Margin of Error: +/- 2.9% --CNN Political Researcher Xuan Thai McCain gauges grassroots support
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Having formed a presidential exploratory committee nearly a month ago, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, has begun to solicit donations in an effort to gain grassroots support.
In a letter to supporters of his exploratory committee website -- www.exploremccain.com -- Campaign Manager Terry Nelson asks supporters to "stand with us from the beginning." "There are only a few weeks left in 2006, and in order to ensure Senator McCain starts 2007 with the strong backing from supporters across the country, we need your help," Nelson wrote in the email. McCain has said he will decide on an official run for the presidency early in the new year. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Romney signs agreement allowing state police to detain illegals
BOSTON (AP) -- Gov. Mitt Romney, who is weighing a White House bid, signed an agreement Wednesday that allows Massachusetts State Police troopers to detain illegal aliens they encounter over the course of their normal duties.
Under the terms of the agreement, made with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, an initial group of 30 troopers will receive five weeks of specialized training next year, paid by the federal government. The troopers will be drawn from the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Squad, the Criminal Investigation Section, the Anti-Gang Unit, the Drug Enforcement Unit and the Community Action Team. The governor, who has been burnishing his conservative credentials in anticipation of a campaign for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, has advocated building a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border to staunch the flow of illegals into the country. Kerry to discuss Middle East trip
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John Kerry will discuss his upcoming trip to the Middle East Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. ET.
The Massachusetts Democrat plans to embark on the trip -- which will include stops in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, and Israel -- this weekend. Kerry told the Associated Press he does not expect to find U.S. troops upset over his 'botched joke' last month. "I've talked to plenty of guys who've come back from Iraq, who are there now, who understand exactly what happened," Kerry told the Associated Press Tuesday. "They laugh at it." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Bush, Pentagon officials meeting on Iraq
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Bush meets Wednesday with top Pentagon officials to hear their views on the way forward in Iraq.
He is sitting down with incoming Defense Secretary Robert Gates, outgoing Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, and the members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. A major question is whether Bush should dispatch more troops to Iraq to try to restore order and help push forward political amity. That would go against the advice of the Iraq Study Group, which opposed deploying more troops. Bush is studying the group's report and gathering the analysis of others in the government before he decides on what to do next in Iraq. Abdullah to Cheney: Saudis will back Sunnis if U.S. quits Iraq
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah warned Vice President Cheney that his nation would back Sunnis in Iraq if the United States pulled out, according to a source.
A senior American official says Abdullah read the "riot act" to the vice president when the two met a few weeks ago in Riyadh and said that Abdullah was very tough on Cheney. Abdullah, according to the source, told Cheney that the Arabian Kingdom would be forced to step in and support "like-minded Sunni Arabs" if the situation in Iraq fell apart and the Sunni minority's safety in Iraq was in jeopardy. In the same meeting, Abdullah also voiced strong opposition to the United States pursuing talks with Iran, as recommended in the Iraq Study Group report. Full story Bush decides general Iraq plan, as staff delves into details
WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush has decided the general direction he wants to take U.S. policy on Iraq and has asked his staff to work out the details as he wraps up a highly public review of the war and its aims.
Having met with military commanders Tuesday, Bush scheduled a session Wednesday with senior defense officials at the Pentagon. Gen. John Abizaid, the top U.S. commander in the Middle East, and Gen. George Casey, the leading general in Iraq, want more armored vehicles, body armor and other critical equipment for the Iraqis, said a defense specialist familiar with the meetings, who requested anonymity because the discussions were private. The message to Bush, the defense specialist said, is that the United States cannot withdraw a substantial number of combat troops by early 2008, as suggested in the Iraq Study Group report, because the Iraqis will not be ready to assume control of their country. Bush is delaying making public his new Iraq policy plan in part to allow officials to work out the funding, he said. Reid dodges Senate rules rebuke on free boxing tickets
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Incoming Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid did not break Senate rules in accepting free ringside seats at boxing matches from the Nevada Athletic Commission, the Ethics Committee has concluded.
The Associated Press reported earlier this year that Reid, D-Nevada, attended three Las Vegas fights between 2003 and 2005 without paying, using credentials provided by the Nevada Athletic Commission, a state agency. Reid was supporting legislation during this period to create a federal agency to oversee boxing, something the commission opposed. The legislation passed the Senate but died in the House. At the time Reid defended attending the matches, saying it helped him understand boxing regulations, but he acknowledged it didn't look right and said he wouldn't do it again. Senate rules bar senators from accepting gifts worth more than $50 but make an exception for anything paid for by federal, state or local government. The rules also specify that senators should be wary of accepting any gift where it appears there is a desire to influence official action. New Hampshire voters: Come back, Barack
CONCORD, New Hampshire (AP) -- Sen. Barack Obama had a good first date in New Hampshire this week -- he was a little late, but wore a nice suit, had interesting things to say and used a little flattery.
The state's Democrats say the Illinois senator still has got some courting to do. He'll have to get in line with the rest of the Democrats vying for their attention. Voters in the nation's first presidential primary state are a demanding lot. And while party activists were clearly excited about Obama's speeches in his first visit to New Hampshire Sunday, they made it clear he'll have to keep coming back for more intimate chats if he wants their support. "New Hampshire people," explained Gov. John Lynch, a Democrat, "they expect candidates to come to the living rooms and the kitchens, meet with them in small groups and have discussions on the issues." Sen. Clinton hosts 'intimate evening' for Iowa activists
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) -- Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, in yet another signal of her interest in seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, held an "intimate evening" with a handful of key activists with Iowa ties to talk about the unfolding race.
Those attending were leery of discussing details of the dinner conversation Tuesday night in Washington, but they came away with the impression that the discussion is only beginning. "She definitely wants to continue to dialogue about Iowa," said JoDee Winterhof, a Democratic consultant based in Washington who has long ties to the state and its leading political figures. "She had lots of good questions and lots of good discussion. ... It was a small group and an intimate evening." The dinner was the second such gathering Clinton has held in Washington with activists from a state that holds an important early test of strength. She met Sunday night with people from New Hampshire to talk about politics in the state that holds the nation's first primary. CNN Political Ticker AM
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Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... "Overall, 52 percent now say, the United States is losing the war, up from 34 percent last year. Three in 10 say the United States is making significant progress in restoring civil order; nearly half thought so in June. And 41 percent say Iraq is now in a civil war, up from 34 percent in August," the Washington Post reports. President's Schedule: Also on the Political Radar: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) IRAQIS OFFER PLAN TO TAKE OVER SECURITY IN BAGHDAD: Iraq has presented the United States with a plan that calls for Iraqi troops to assume primary responsibility for security in Baghdad early next year. American troops would be shifted to the periphery of the capital. Mowaffak al-Rubaie, Iraq's national security adviser, said in an interview that the plan was presented during the meeting in Amman, Jordan, on Nov. 30 between President Bush and Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. "I think it is extremely important they reduce their visibility and they reduce their presence," Mr. Rubaie said of the American troops in Baghdad. "They should be in the suburbs within greater Baghdad." New York Times: Iraqi Army Plans for Wider Role in Security of Baghdad STRATEGY ANNOUNCEMENT DELAYED UNTIL '07: The White House said yesterday that President Bush will not lay out his plan to chart a new course in Iraq until early next year, as new polls showed Americans are more pessimistic than ever about the nation's ability to win the nearly four-year war. The president held a second day of talks with top officials, this time U.S. military commanders on the ground and the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, and plans another round today, meeting with Pentagon brass. In the days after the Iraq Study Group report was released last week, the White House said it planned to release a new comprehensive plan before Christmas. "That is not going to happen until the new year," press secretary Tony Snow said. "He decided that, frankly, it's not ready yet." Washington Times: Bush delays Iraq plans until 2007 POST/ABC NEWS POLL - 52 PERCENT OF AMERICANS THINK US LOSING IN IRAQ: Most Americans think the United States is losing the war in Iraq and support a bipartisan commission's key proposals to change course, according to a poll released yesterday. But the Iraq Study Group's report has become a political orphan in Washington with little backing from either party. Nearly eight in 10 Americans favor changing the U.S. mission in Iraq from direct combat to training Iraqi troops, the Washington Post-ABC News survey found. Sizeable majorities agree with the goal of pulling out nearly all U.S. combat forces by early 2008, engaging in direct talks with Iran and Syria and reducing U.S. financial support if Iraq fails to make enough progress. Washington Post: Americans Say U.S. Is Losing War FULL POLL RESULTS (via WashingtonPost.com) LAT/BLOOMBERG POLL - MOST WANT "FIXED TIMETABLE" FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL: A majority of Americans favor setting a fixed timetable for bringing troops home from Iraq, and just 12% would support a plan to increase troop strength, an option under serious consideration by the military, a Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll has found. A month after a watershed election that switched control of Congress to the Democrats, respondents expressed low confidence in President Bush's ability to resolve the conflict in Iraq. By a hefty margin they said Iraq should be the top priority for the new Congress. A plurality of 45% said they had more trust in Democrats to handle the war; 34% said they had more confidence in Bush, who has rejected the idea of setting any timetable for withdrawing troops. Nearly two-thirds said they believed Iraq had descended into "civil war," which Bush has denied. Los Angeles Times: Majority of Americans support timetable for withdrawal FULL POLL RESULTS (pdf via LATimes.com) HOW WILL HISTORY VIEW BUSH? History's view of George W. Bush will be harsh, Americans predict. In a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Friday through Sunday, a 54% majority says Bush will be judged as a below-average or poor president, more than double the negative rating given any of his five most recent predecessors. Just 19% expect him to be seen as outstanding or above average, placing him last among the six. Bush, re-elected in 2004, now trails three presidents who were rejected by voters when they sought second or full terms, including his father, George H.W. Bush. USA Today: Majority say history won't be kind to Bush OLMERT'S "NUCLEAR" GAFFE: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's apparent inclusion of Israel in the nuclear club and confirmation that the country has nuclear weapons could prove disastrous to Israel's strategic standing, senior defense officials said Tuesday. According to the officials - responsible for planning Israel's long-term defense strategy - Olmert's comment could eventually lead to renewed pressure to open up the country's nuclear installations to international inspections. Egypt has repeatedly called for International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections of the Dimona nuclear facility as well as Israel's signature on the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Jerusalem Post: 'PM's comments may prove harmful' RODRIGUEZ DEFEATS GOP INCUMBENT BONILLA IN TX-23: Former Congressman Ciro Rodriguez completed a stunning political turnaround Tuesday with an upset win over incumbent Republican Henry Bonilla that topped off the Democratic takeover of Congress. Rodriguez overcame a huge financial disadvantage with the help of national party officials, who overhauled his campaign and spent aggressively on his behalf. Bonilla, a 14-year incumbent, phoned Rodriguez to concede at about 9 p.m... The election sends Rodriguez back to Congress after a two-year hiatus prompted by the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature redrawing of the state's congressional districts in 2003. San Antonio Express-News: Rodriguez upsets incumbent Bonilla DEMS MAY PROPOSE INDEPENDENT ETHICS WATCHDOG GROUP: House Democrats are seriously exploring the creation of an independent ethics arm to enforce new rules on travel, lobbying, gifts and other issues that Democrats intend to put in place on taking power next month. Senior party officials said Tuesday that Representative Nancy Pelosi of California, the incoming speaker, had consulted with Representative John A. Boehner of Ohio, the minority leader, on forming a bipartisan group to examine outside enforcement. The goal would be to have the group report back in the spring. An independent Congressional watchdog, if approved, would be a major break with tradition. Some lawmakers say House and Senate members have sole responsibility for policing themselves when it comes to internal rules. Some lawmakers have said an independent entity could be unconstitutional. New York Times: Democrats Consider Outside Ethics Panel JEFFERSON ON "SUSPENSION" FROM WAYS AND MEANS PENDING OUTCOME OF PROBE: House Democratic leaders declared Tuesday that Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.) will remain on "temporary" suspension from the Ways and Means Committee in the 110th Congress, pending the outcome of a Justice Department corruption probe focused on the eight-term lawmaker. Incoming Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who orchestrated Jefferson's eviction from the exclusive committee in June, announced the decision Tuesday, as the Democratic Steering and Policy Committee issued recommendations for numerous committees, including the Ways and Means panel. The Louisiana lawmaker was expelled from his committee post by the House after the Democratic Caucus voted 99-58 to strip Jefferson of his assignment. Roll Call: Jefferson on 'Suspension' From Ways and Means as Panel Slots Handed Out CAP HILL GIFT SHOPS PULL "POTENTIALLY TOXIC" SOUVENIRS: Just in time for the holiday season, four gift shops in the Capitol and two congressional office buildings have stopped selling items found to contain dangerously high levels of lead. The potentially toxic trinkets included silver- and gold-plated bangles, an eagle pendant and a souvenir spoon that sold for $3-$8 apiece and a Capitol charm priced at $23. Investigators on the Democratic staff of the House Government Reform Committee bought the items and sent them to an independent lab for tests. The report said some items contained enough lead to deliver a lethal dose if ingested. Investigators focused on items most likely to end up in the hands - and therefore in the mouths - of young children. Gift shop officials said they didn't hesitate upon being alerted to the danger. USA Today: Hill gift shops pull items with lead off shelves 1,000 ICE AGENTS RAID MEATPACKING PLANTS IN SIX STATES: Federal agents targeting illegal immigrants raided meatpacking plants in six states yesterday, arresting hundreds of workers on the uncommon charge of identity theft and shutting down the world's second-largest meat processing company for much of the day. About 1,000 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents with search warrants entered plants owned by Swift & Co., of Greeley, Colo., charging that "large numbers" of workers illegally assumed the identities of U.S. citizens or legal residents by using their Social Security numbers to get work, ICE officials said. Washington Post: Illegal Workers Arrested In 6-State ID Theft Sweep KUCINICH SAYS US "SHOULD DEFUND THE WAR IMMEDIATELY": Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich raised the stakes for Democratic White House hopefuls yesterday, jumping into the 2008 race with a challenge to his own party -- end the war in Iraq. The Ohio Democrat making his second bid for the presidency called himself the only true antiwar candidate, saying the U.S. should defund the war immediately and bring the troops home. "My conscience calls me to action," Mr. Kucinich, 60, said at Cleveland City Hall. "I am not going to stand by and watch thousands more of our brave young American men and women killed in Iraq, or permanently injured, while our leaders are ready to take action to keep the war going." The other Democrats weighing presidential runs are in a tough spot, fearing Republicans would use an anti-war position to paint them as unsupportive of U.S. troops. But they were bolstered last week when the bipartisan Iraq Study Group suggested that most troops be withdrawn by early 2008. Washington Times: Kucinich to run on antiwar platform KERRY TO VISIT IRAQ, SYRIA, EGYPT, JORDAN, LEBANON, AND ISRAEL: Senator John F. Kerry today is leaving for a nine-day trip through Iraq and five other Middle Eastern nations, as he seeks to hone a regional approach to ending the Iraq war while entering the final stage of his deliberations about another run for president. Kerry said he hopes to use the regional trip, his first there in nearly year, to meet with political leaders and US troops in Iraq about solutions to the Iraq conflict. His meetings will include a session with President Bashar al-Assad of Syria, a country the Iraq Study Group recommended should be included in direct talks about the future of Iraq... In addition to Iraq and Syria, Kerry will visit Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, and Israel, and he will meet with the head of state in all of those countries. He said he plans to venture outside the heavily fortified Green Zone in Baghdad to talk to US troops stationed in the more volatile parts of the country, including the Sunni Triangle. Boston Globe: Kerry prepares for tour of Mideast DeLAY THINKS A CLINTON/OBAMA TICKET LOOKS GOOD IN '08: Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said today that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D.-N.Y.) would be elected president in 2008 and would probably tap Senate colleague Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) as her running mate. DeLay met with conservative bloggers at a weekly lunch meeting hosted by HUMAN EVENTS and the Heritage Foundation. He is making the rounds in Washington to promote his new blog and activism website, TomDeLay.com. DeLay said he was motivated to start the blog and create the Grassroots Action and Information Network after observing the success of liberal organizations such as MoveOn.org, the Media Fund and Americans Coming Together... It's this liberal coalition, working in concert with the news media, that will propel Clinton to the White House in 2008, DeLay said. "Hillary will be the next president of the United States because they have built a coalition," he said. Human Events: DeLay: 'Hillary Will Be the Next President' PATTI SOLIS DOYLE - HILLARY CLINTON'S "RECLUSIVE" '08 ADVISER: As Bill Clinton embarked on his 1992 presidential run, he relied on the counsel of high-octane advisers like James Carville and Paul Begala, who embraced the spotlight and were given to hyperbole in what was a gutsy, if somewhat undisciplined and freewheeling, campaign. Now, as Hillary Rodham Clinton lays the groundwork for a similar bid, the person she is relying on to run things is a reclusive adviser who is intolerant of leaks, who demands strict loyalty from her staff and who, on those rare occasions that she speaks publicly, measures each word. Her name is Patti Solis Doyle, and the job of mapping out the senator's national political strategy falls to her. Indeed, as the news media buzz grows around Mrs. Clinton's political ambitions, Ms. Solis Doyle has worked in the shadows wooing prominent donors over dinners, meeting with some of the Democratic Party's top talent for potential campaign openings, and conferring with Mrs. Clinton on an almost daily basis. New York Times: Senator Clinton Adviser Stays in Shadows CLINTON HIRES EXPERT ON WINNING OVER EVANGELICALS: Burns Strider, one of the Democratic Party's leading strategists on winning over evangelicals and other values-driven voters, will join Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) as she prepares to launch her 2008 presidential campaign. Strider now heads religious outreach for the House Democratic Caucus, and is the lead staffer for the Democrats' Faith Working Group, headed by incoming Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.)... Strider's move to Clinton's camp suggests that Democrats will woo so-called faith voters in the 2008 election. The plan is buoyed by the Democrats' success in winning over religious voters in Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania in the midterm elections. The Hill: Clinton hires faith guru ROMNEY "HAS SOME EXPLAINING TO DO" ON SOCIAL ISSUES: Conservatives concerned about inconsistencies in Republican Mitt Romney's record on gay marriage and abortion said Tuesday the Massachusetts governor has some explaining to do. For now, at least, the potential presidential candidate isn't talking. The governor's office issued a brief statement last weekend amid reports of a 1994 letter in which Romney, then a Senate candidate, pledged to be a more effective champion for gay causes than his opponent, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass. The statement said the governor has been a "champion of traditional marriage." At a gathering of San Diego County Republicans on Monday night, Romney brushed aside a question from The Associated Press. "Thanks, I have other people to talk to right now," he said. An adviser to Romney's political action committee, Barbara Comstock, issued a statement Tuesday night saying that the governor defends traditional marriage and opposes "unjust discrimination against anyone" but doesn't see a need for new or special legislation. AP via Yahoo! News: Romney's record on gay rights questioned "DARK HORSE" DODD WILL DECIDE OVER HOLIDAYS ON '08: Sen. Chris Dodd said Tuesday he plans to have "a conversation with the mirror" over the Christmas holidays to decide whether he'll join a growing field of Democratic presidential contenders. But Dodd, a 25-year Senate veteran, added, "If I had to make a decision in the next thirty seconds, I'd say, 'Let's go.'" In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, the 62-year-old Dodd called himself a dark horse in a crowded field dominated by New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Illinois Sen. Barack Obama. Neither Clinton nor Obama has announced they will seek the presidency, but both lead every national poll of Democratic contenders. Yet with the early nominating contests still 13 months away, the Connecticut senator insisted he still has a chance to break through. AP via Yahoo! News: Sen. Dodd to decide on joining 2008 race |
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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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