Wednesday, February 28, 2007
McCain will run for president
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Setting aside any doubt about his presidential aspirations, Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, announced Wednesday he would seek the GOP presidential nomination. McCain, who has had a presidential exploratory committee, made the declaration on the "Late Show with David Letterman." "I am announcing that I will be candidate for president of the United States," McCain told Letterman. "We are going to formally announce it in early April," John Weaver, a top advisor to McCain, told CNN. Weaver said the time and location will be announced at a later date. Watch McCain's announcement on Letterman -- CNN Political Editor Mark Preston
FEC slaps conservative '527' group with $750,000 fine
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Federal Elections Commission slapped a conservative group that raised several million dollars in the 2004 election with a steep fine Wednesday in relation to alleged campaign finance violations.
The Progress for America Voter Fund -- which raised $45 million in the 2004 election cycle -- has agreed to pay the FEC $750,000 "to settle charges that it failed to register and filed disclosure reports as a Federal political committee and accepted contributions in violation of Federal limits and source prohibitions," according to a statement released from the FEC. The FEC said the group should have registered as a federal political committee -- subject to contribution limits -- since "its major purpose is involvement in campaign activity." Instead the group registered as a '527' organization and was therefore tax exempt and free from contribution limits. The fine is the third largest civil penalty ever leveled by the commission, according to the statement. Despite agreeing to pay the fine, the Progress for America Voter Fund says it is not admitting to "any wrong doing," and blames poor FEC guidance for the infractions. "Despite Congressional pressure to impose some set of rules or provide guidance for so called '527' groups, the FEC still refuses to do so," the group's legal counsel Benjamin Ginsburg said in a statement posted on the groups website. "Given the ambiguous legal nature of this situation and the cost of litigating this dispute, PFA-VF has decided it is a more prudent use of its resources and energy to conclude this proceeding." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney Senators try to revive immigration debate
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Months after last year's immigration reform effort died in Congress, senators are trying to revive the debate.
The Senate Judiciary Committee heard Wednesday from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez in a hearing about the state of illegal immigration and proposals to fix the problems. Both men echoed administration support for a guest worker program, a stance they share with Democratic leaders in Congress but a position which splits Republicans. Senators pointed to a wealth of serious issue from enforcement red tape to the ease of obtaining fake documents. "Could I get a Social Security card illegally by midnight tonight?" Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, asked Chertoff. "I don't know if you could," replied Chertoff, sparking laughs throughout the room, "but I think probably an illegal immigrant can." Hovering over the complex issue is the question of whether Congress will act at all this year. Chertoff insisted changes need to be made to the system now or the American people will be in a "very difficult situation." But freshman Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-Rhode Island, expressed doubts, pointing to the lack of agreement among Republicans. "If there isn't a really serious and sincere effort to get there, then this is all a lot of talk," he said. -- CNN's Lisa Goddard
Clinton raises $1 million on the internet in week
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton wants you to know it is not just the deep pocketed Democratic donors who will be fueling her presidential bid. The New York Democrat told supporters Wednesday that she raised over $1 million from donors in a weeklong Internet fundraising drive.
"Nearly 15,000 grassroots supporters from all 50 states responded to the one-week challenge," according to an issued statement from the campaign. In the note she added, "It was an incredible success, and it means so much to me knowing that I have so many friends all over the country who are committed to our campaign." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Lieberman criticizes Bush over first-responder funding
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Connecticut, most known for his avid support of President Bush's policy in Iraq, sharply criticized the Bush administration's proposals to cut funds for first-responders Wednesday, likening it to cutting funding for troops in a war."For four years running now, this administration has proposed cuts for first responders," Lieberman said. "For three years, even though Congress has restored some of those proposed cuts, first responder funding has decreased." "This is effectively like under funding or cutting support for front line troops for a war," he added. Lieberman, the chairman of the Homeland Security Committee, along with Michigan Democratic Sen. Debbie Stabenow, introduced a bill aiming to further implement several of the 9/11 committee's recommendations, specifically the funding for domestic first responders. --CNN's Hida Fouladvand and Alexander Mooney House GOP to object to Jefferson's Homeland Security seat
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- House Republican Whip Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, announced Wednesday that Republicans will object on the House floor to Rep. William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, getting a seat on the House Homeland Security Committee.Jefferson is entangled in a federal bribery investigation related to his dealings with a telecommunications company. Federal investigators found $90,000 in cash in his freezer in 2005 after Jefferson allegedly accepted a $100,000 bribe from an FBI informant. Despite the investigation, Jefferson was re-elected to a ninth term to his New Orleans' seat in a run-off election in December. Blunt called the move by the Speaker Pelosi, who trumped ethics reform in last fall's congressional campaign, "such a contradiction to what the Speaker said she stood for during the campaign." House Majority Whip James Clyburn, D-South Carolina, defended Pelosi, pointing out Jefferson hasn’t been charged with any crime. "Since when did an allegation become an indictment? There are still allegations here, and how many allegations have been leveled against Republicans, that they don't seem to remove them from any committee?" Clyburn asked. After the House Democratic caucus approved the committee assignment last night, the matter moves to the House floor. Typically committee assignments are passed unanimously on the floor without recorded votes. But Blunt told reporters on Wednesday that Republicans will object when the issue comes up on the floor and request a recorded vote. Blunt said, "I think our side will generally think that this is not only not a good idea but totally inconsistent with the major point that the Speaker made when she wanted to be the Speaker - that this would not be allowed, that there were penalties on their side. And the idea that Homeland Security is somehow less important than the tax-writing committee I think is a ludicrous idea." A senior Democratic aide accused Republicans of being hypocritical. "Look at the list of senior Republicans under investigation who continue to receive intelligence briefings. This just shows that this is a ploy from the Republicans and is nothing more that political bomb throwing," the aide added. Blunt conceded that Republicans do not have the votes to block Jefferson's appointment to the committee. -- CNN Congressional Producer Deirdre Walsh Ridge gets behind McCain
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge said Wednesday he would support Sen. John McCain's bid for the Republican presidential nomination and has signed onto the Arizonan's campaign as a national co-chair.Ridge, who also served as the nation's first head of the Department of Homeland Security, told CNN in an interview that while he has other "friends" running for the GOP nomination such as former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani he is backing McCain based on his "personal experience and relationship with somebody who I admire." "I worked with him a lot," Ridge said of McCain. "I respect and admire his courage, his candor, his character, and I think as we look to 2008, he's an individual who will be prepared to lead on day one, and so it's pretty easy for me to support him because I think he'd be a terrific president." McCain launched his presidential exploratory committee last November. He has yet to formally announce a run for the White House. -- CNN's Katie Ross
'08ers on the trail: Wednesday
Jefferson gets seat on Homeland Security Committee
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House Democratic Caucus voted on Tuesday night to give Rep. William Jefferson, D-Louisiana, a seat on the House Homeland Security Committee. This comes after the caucus stripped Jefferson of his seat on the powerful Ways and Means committee last June.
Jefferson is entangled in a federal bribery investigation related to his dealings with a telecommunications company. Federal investigators found $90,000 in cash in his freezer in 2005 after Jefferson allegedly accepted a $100,000 bribe from an FBI informant. Despite the investigation, Jefferson was re-elected to a ninth term to his New Orleans' seat in a run-off election in December. Jefferson said after the meeting the caucus vote was "not contentious" and added there was "no dissent." -- CNN Congressional Producer Deirdre Walsh
Obama: I don't need to prove myself to black leaders
"You know, I really don't," Obama, a black Democrat from Illinois, said during an interview to air Wednesday on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition." "The notion that right now I'm not dominating the black vote in the polls makes perfect sense because I have only been on the national scene for a certain number of years, and people don't yet know what my track record is," he said. His leading rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, is popular with black voters. Obama, 45, was a state senator for eight years before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 2004. While acknowledging that many candidates in both parties are concerned about education, Obama said how he feels about education as well as civil rights and other issues would be influenced by his experience as a black American. "I feel great pain knowing that there are children in a lot of schools in American who are not getting anything close to the kind of education that will allow them to compete," he said. "When I know that a lot of those kids look just like my daughters, maybe it's harder for me to separate myself from their reality. Every time I see those kids, they feel like a part of me." Related: Obama getting a cool reception from black America Official: Cheney returns to U.S.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in the United States early Wednesday and is expected to meet with President Bush later in the morning, a senior administration official said. Cheney's plane touched down around 4 a.m. and he is expected to return to work around 7:40 a.m. He returns a day after a security scare at Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, where a suicide car bomber struck the base's main gate, killing at least 15 people. The Taliban later claimed responsibility for the Tuesday morning attack and reportedly said Cheney was the target. Cheney -- who was at least a half mile from the site of the bombing -- briefly took cover in a bomb shelter as a precaution. Cheney's trip included stops in Australia, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. -- CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry CNN Political Ticker AM
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Compiled by Stephen Bach CNN Washington Bureau Making news today... Instead of debating the war this week, the chamber will complete a homeland security bill that implements the recommendations of the 9/11 commission. That means the Senate will not debate the Iraq war for at least two weeks. In the House, meanwhile, Democrats Tuesday backed away from a plan to force President Bush to bring U.S. troops home from Iraq with legislation that would set conditions on war funding. (See the full story at CNN.com) On her recent tiff with Dick Cheney: "The vice president is in a place that is out of touch with the American people, out of touch with what the generals -- former generals are saying -- and out of touch with even the bipartisan majority in the Congress of the United States." Also, Rudy Giuliani "holds a 2 to 1 advantage over [Sen. John] McCain among Republicans, "more than tripling his margin of a month ago." (Washington Post) President's Schedule: Also on the Political Radar: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) WH OPENS DOOR TO TALKS WITH IRAN, SYRIA ON IRAQ: The United States agreed yesterday to join high-level talks with Iran and Syria on the future of Iraq, an abrupt shift in policy that opens the door to diplomatic dealings the White House had shunned in recent months despite mounting criticism. The move was announced by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in testimony on Capitol Hill, after Iraq said it had invited neighboring states, the United States and other nations to a pair of regional conferences. "I would note that the Iraqi government has invited all of its neighbors, including Syria and Iran, to attend both of these regional meetings," Rice told the Senate Appropriations Committee. "We hope that all governments will seize this opportunity to improve the relations with Iraq and to work for peace and stability in the region." Washington Post: U.S. Will Join Talks With Iran And Syria REID, PELOSI FACE CRITICISM FROM DIVIDED CAUCUSES: Senate Democrats are accusing their leaders of mismanaging the twin efforts to block President Bush's troop surge in Iraq and force a quicker end to the war. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Tuesday postponed for at least a week action on a Democratic plan to rewrite the 2002 congressional resolution authorizing the war, imposing new wartime restrictions on the administration. Reid is facing criticism from both flanks of his party... In the House, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is confronting a similar problem -- a caucus deeply divided over a plan, masterminded by anti-war Rep. Jack Murtha (D-Pa.), to limit Bush's options by placing new restrictions on troop deployments. Compounding problems for Democrats, Pelosi and Reid have yet to agree on an overall strategy for ending the war without undermining the troops. The Politico: Democrats Snipe At Senate Leaders over Handling of Iraq Issue WARY OF GOING TOO FAR AND NOT GOING FAR ENOUGH: By most measures, congressional Democrats should have the political wind at their backs on the Iraq war. They swept to power last November because of the public's dissatisfaction with the conflict and poll numbers show a majority of the public wants to bring the troops home. Instead, Democrats in the House and Senate are struggling to find the best way to express congressional disapproval of the war and President Bush's troop buildup. They are wary both of going too far and not going far enough as they try to strike a balance that most Democrats, and perhaps some Republicans, can support. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was unequivocal on funding for U.S. forces. "Let me be very clear: Congress will fund our troops," she said. Chicago Tribune: Democrats seek balance on Iraq war EDWARDS SAYS 2002 IRAQ VOTE WAS "A MISTAKE": Democrat John Edwards said Tuesday that honesty and openness were essential qualities for a president, and that he was proud to acknowledge his 2002 vote authorizing the invasion of Iraq was a mistake. Trolling for campaign cash on a three-day visit to New York - home of his chief Democratic rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton - Edwards spoke to reporters after attending a union-sponsored workshop on eradicating poverty. Asked whether his repeated apologies for his vote would be a turnoff to voters over time, the 2004 vice presidential nominee said that after six years of President Bush, voters craved a president willing to acknowledge errors and change course if necessary. AP via Yahoo! News: Edwards apologizes for 2002 war vote NEW DNI SAY IRAN COULD BUILD NUCLEAR WEAPONS BY 2015: Iran's development of nuclear arms is "very dangerous," and Tehran could deploy the weapons within the next several years, the nation's most senior intelligence official told the Senate yesterday. "We assess that Tehran seeks to develop nuclear weapons and has shown greater interest in drawing out the negotiations rather than reaching an acceptable diplomatic solution," said retired Vice Adm. Michael McConnell, the new director of national intelligence. "This is a very dangerous situation, as a nuclear Iran could prompt destabilizing countermoves by other states in this volatile region," he told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. Iran could have the capability to build nuclear weapons by 2015 and about the same time will be able to mount a nuclear warhead on a missile, Mr. McConnell said in response to a question from Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, New York Democrat. Washington Times: McConnell fears Iran nukes by 2015 MEEHAN SEEKS TO REPEAL "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL": Brian Fricke, a former Marine sergeant who served nine months in Iraq's Anbar province, wasn't thrown out of the military for being gay. He left when his enlistment was up because he was tired of pretending he wasn't. The "don't ask, don't tell" policy allows lesbians and gay men to serve if they keep quiet about their sex lives. Commanders are barred from asking subordinates about their sexual orientation... Fricke will be on Capitol Hill today when Democratic Rep. Marty Meehan of Massachusetts reintroduces his Military Readiness Enhancement Act. The bill would repeal the policy President Clinton approved in 1993 as a compromise between ending a ban and gays serving openly. That would leave gays free to serve without limits. USA Today: Bill targets 'don't ask, don't tell' CHERTOFF'S "CHARM OFFENSIVE" ON IMMIGRATION: For weeks, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff has waged a clandestine charm offensive on behalf of an immigration overhaul. He consulted with supportive lawmakers, listened to adversarial congressmen and slipped into the private offices of wary senators, the only sign of his presence the beefy security men waiting outside. Last week, Chertoff took skeptical members of Congress on a helicopter tour of the southern U.S. border to promote the administration's stepped-up enforcement measures. They gave chase to illegal immigrants, and at one stop the lawmakers picked up a welder and — with a spray of sparks — helped build the solid-steel barrier rising along parts of the border with Mexico. Today, Chertoff launches a higher-profile effort to win enough votes to pass a comprehensive overhaul when he testifies at the first Capitol Hill hearing on immigration legislation since Democrats took over. Los Angeles Times: White House pushes immigration overhaul AFTER "BIZARRE BEHAVIOR," TX GOV FEELS HEAT FROM CONSERVATIVES: Texas Gov. Rick Perry, elected with strong conservative support in November, has taunted that political base recently and could face serious opposition in the state Legislature amid a developing power struggle. Mr. Perry, a Republican, has begun to assert himself on several hot-button issues after a relatively quiet six years in office in a state where the constitution gives its governor little formal power. His executive order earlier this month ordering all Texas girls entering the sixth grade to be immunized against a venereal disease that causes cervical cancer provided the most heat and criticism from conservatives. But another Perry edict, to speed up state review of proposed coal-fired power plants, was checked by a state judge last week. And another Perry suggestion, that the state should sell its lottery to help fund cancer research and care, hasn't caught on. Washington Times: Perry's 'bizarre' moves vex conservatives DALEY GETS 71 PERCENT AS HE "CRUISES" TO SIXTH TERM: Richard M. Daley laid claim to history on Tuesday, steamrolling two opponents and winning a sixth term that promises to make him the longest-serving mayor in Chicago history. Another four years in the office will push Daley past the current record-holder—his father and role model, the late Mayor Richard J. Daley. With more than 95 percent of precincts reporting, Daley had received about 71 percent of the vote to defeat challengers Dorothy Brown and William "Dock" Walls. But Chicagoans apparently considered it a ho-hum election, with only about a third of the city's 1.4 million registered voters turning out to cast their ballots. Chicago Tribune: Daley cruises to 6th term NH DEMOCRATIC STATE HQ BURGLARIZED: Burglars have broken into Democratic Party headquarters. No, you're not having a flashback to 1972 and the infamous event that ultimately led to the greatest scandal in U.S. political history and the downfall of Richard Nixon's presidency. Instead of Washington's Watergate complex, this burglary took place at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's headquarters over the weekend. Neither police nor party officials will comment on what was stolen and whether the break-in was politically motivated. Office workers reported the break-in to police on Monday. Concord Police Sgt. Mike McGuire said some items were taken, but he declined to be more specific. The assessment was the same from Kathy Sullivan, the chairwoman of the state Democratic Party. "Some things were taken, but I don't really want to get into that right now," Sullivan said on Tuesday. AP via Yahoo! News: Thieves break into N.H. Dem headquarters GIULIANI MAKES A HAWKEYE HIRE: Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani has hired his first caucus campaign staffer and is planning a trip to Iowa in the coming weeks, aides to the Republican presidential contender said Tuesday. The steps are evidence that Giuliani is moving forward with a plan to compete in Iowa, although other candidates have been visiting and organizing supporters far longer in the state that kicks off the 2008 nominating cycle. Last month, Giuliani signed 2006 Republican gubernatorial nominee Jim Nussle as a top Iowa consultant. But the former mayor has not touched Iowa soil since forming his presidential exploratory committee in November. "Mayor Giuliani understands how important Iowa is to the primary process, which is why he'll be back in the state many times," spokeswoman Maria Comella said. Des Moines Register: Giuliani hires first Iowa staffer, plans visit OBAMA CLOSES IN ON HILLARY: The opening stages of the campaign for the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination have produced a noticeable shift in sentiment among African American voters, who little more than a month ago heavily supported Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton but now favor the candidacy of Sen. Barack Obama. Clinton, of New York, continues to lead Obama and other rivals in the Democratic contest, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. But her once-sizable margin over the freshman senator from Illinois was sliced in half during the past month largely because of Obama's growing support among black voters. In the Republican race, former New York mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, who recently made clear his intentions to seek the presidency, has expanded his lead over Sen. John McCain of Arizona. Giuliani holds a 2 to 1 advantage over McCain among Republicans, according to the poll, more than tripling his margin of a month ago. Washington Post: Blacks Shift To Obama, Poll Finds WILL SMOKING HURT YOU AT THE POLLS? Illinois Sen. Barack Obama better stick with his Nicorette. A new poll shows voters don't care if you are black or a woman, but a smoker? No, thanks. Race and gender were the two smallest liabilities in the ABC News poll - good news for Democrats Obama and Hillary Clinton. American voters are far more skeptical of Mormons, septuagenarians and the twice-divorced - bad news for Republicans Mitt Romney, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani. Only 6% would be less inclined to vote for a black candidate (and 7% would be more inclined), but one in five says he won't pull the lever for a smoker. New York Daily News: Smoking gun in latest Prez poll FULL POLL RESULTS: (via washingtonpost.com) Tuesday, February 27, 2007
White House confident market's decline is normal correction
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The White House is confident the steep decline on Wall Street Tuesday was a normal correction to a market that has experienced steady growth since July, a senior administration official tells CNN.
The administration official also told CNN that President Bush called Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson this afternoon "to get his take" on why the market dropped sharply. The official would not comment on the specifics of the situation, but added that other signs like job growth and consumer confidence "are sound...nothing out there is flashing red." -- CNN White House Correspondent Ed Henry
Romney spends valuable time in Washington
 BOSTON (AP) -- Republican Mitt Romney focused his attention on the nation's capital Tuesday, meeting with members of Congress and attending two fundraisers that his aides hoped would raise nearly $1 million more for his presidential campaign.During the second of two days in Washington, the former Massachusetts governor took part at a midday fundraiser that took in about $450,000, said one top adviser. Many of the attendees were lawyers and lobbyists, along with former Massachusetts residents and colleagues from Bain Capital, the venture capital firm Romney started. An evening event in Maryland, hosted by the J.W. Marriott family, was expected to raise a similar amount. Romney's given first name is "Willard" in honor of his late father's friendship with John Willard Marriott, namesake for the Marriott hotel chain. Romney also met with assorted members of the House and Senate, as well as political reporters for all the major news networks. The Republican formally launched his candidacy little more than two weeks ago. Last month, he raised an estimated $6.5 million in a single day. Spartanburg, South Carolina a popular stop for GOP presidential hopefuls
SPARTANBURG, South Carolina (AP) -- The hottest destination in South Carolina for Republican presidential candidates the last two weeks is Spartanburg County.
Why Spartanburg? Although the primary is nearly a year away, GOP candidates will face their first test of the campaign with a countywide straw poll on Thursday. Republicans have traveled to this northern part of the state to campaign while residents' phones have been ringing with recorded messages and mailboxes have filled with glossy campaign brochures. Organizers expect some 2,000 people to cast ballots -- hardly a strong referendum on the GOP field. Still, it is a vote. "It's a wake-up call to who's actually out there trying to get the nomination," said Gary Towery, who is in charge of the poll being run by the county Republican Party. Ballots will be counted by the county auditor. Of the candidates, Rudy Giuliani recently spoke to firefighters and police officers in the county. Mitt Romney and Sen. John McCain have made the rounds. On Monday, Sen. Sam Brownback visited The Beacon, a customary stop for candidates swinging through this part of the state. "How many votes do I get for eating a chili-cheeseburger," he asked diners. He didn't eat one. The straw poll is being held as a way to lure residents to meetings that ultimately determine who represents the county at the state GOP convention. Deja vu all over again: Burglary at Democratic headquarters -- in New Hampshire
CONCORD, New Hampshire (AP) -- Burglars have broken into Democratic Party headquarters.
No, you're not having a flashback to 1972 and the infamous event that ultimately led to the greatest scandal in U.S. political history and the downfall of Richard Nixon's presidency. Instead of Washington's Watergate complex, this burglary took place at the New Hampshire Democratic Party's headquarters over the weekend. Neither police nor party officials will comment on what was stolen and whether the break-in was politically motivated. Office workers reported the break-in to police on Monday. Concord Police Sgt. Mike McGuire said some items were taken, but he declined to be more specific. The assessment was the same from Kathy Sullivan, the chairwoman of the state Democratic Party. "Some things were taken, but I don't really want to get into that right now," Sullivan said on Tuesday. There was no indication that any personal financial information was taken, said party spokeswoman Kathleen Strand. "We want to assure our donors that their personal financial information, as far as we can tell, has been protected, and we hope to find out who did this soon," she said. On the night of June 17, 1972, in the midst of Nixon's re-election campaign, five men were arrested during a break-in at Democratic National Committee headquarters at the Watergate building. In all, 25 people eventually went to jail for their roles in the break-in or the White House's attempt to cover it up. Edwards: Gore would be a 'very formidable candidate'
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- After meeting with union and community service leaders in New York City Tuesday, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards answered questions about the possibility of former Vice President Al Gore running for president."At this moment I'll take him at his word that he's planning not to run for president and I think that's true," Edwards said. "I know Al very well but he's like the rest of us, he could change his mind and I think it remains to be seen." "If he were to decide to run I think he could be a very formidable candidate," he added. Gore's film, "An Inconvenient Truth," was awarded the Academy Award for best documentary feature on Sunday. Edwards said he had seen Gore's film and "thought he was terrific." -- CNN's Lauren Kornreich
Gore defends energy saving efforts
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A day after actor Leonardo DiCaprio hailed Al Gore on the Oscar stage as a "inspirational leader in the fight against global warming," the former vice president was forced to respond to charges from a Tennessee organization that his home consumes significantly more energy than the national average .The Tennessee Center for Policy Research charged Monday that Gore's "mansion" "consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year." "The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh -- more than 20 times the national average," the group charged in a statement. "Al Gore has to be willing to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use," the groups president Drew Johnson said in the statement. But a spokesman for Gore quickly fired back Monday night, claiming, "The Gore's purchase all of their power through the local Green Powerswitch program -- it is 100 percent renewable power." "In addition, they are in the midst of a renovation which includes installing solar panels on their home, which will enable them to use less power," Gore's spokeswoman Kalee Kreider said in a statement. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Rice to announce U.S. support of Iraqi regional conference
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will officially announce the U.S. support of an Iraqi regional conference Tuesday in a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing.
"Success in Iraq requires the positive support of Iraq's neighbors," Rice will say according to prepared remarks released by the State Department. "This is also one of the key findings of the Iraq Study Group. So I'm pleased to inform you that the Iraqis are launching a new diplomatic initiative that we fully support." "I would note that the Iraqi government has invited Syria and Iran to attend both of these regional meetings," Rice will add. "We hope these governments seize this opportunity to improve their relations with Iraq -- and to work for peace and stability in the region." Rice is calling the conference a "new diplomatic offensive" that aims "to build greater support, both within the region and beyond, for peace and prosperity in Iraq." The committee hearing is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m. ET. -- CNN State Department Correspondent Zain Verjee
Negroponte takes new job
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- John D. Negroponte was sworn in Tuesday as deputy secretary of state, after leaving his Cabinet-level job as the nation's first director of national intelligence, a post he held for less than two years.
"One of my regrets is he won't be in the Oval Office every morning to share his wisdom with me, and he has plenty of wisdom to share," President Bush told reporters prior to the ceremony at the State Department. "He understands the importance of fighting the extremists with all elements of national power," the president said. "He's a good negotiator; it doesn't hurt that he can play a mean game of poker." Bush noted that Negroponte joined the foreign service in 1960, during the last days of the Eisenhower administration. "Some of you weren't even born then," the president said. Since then, Negroponte has held eight foreign service posts on three continents. The career diplomat served as deputy national security adviser to President Reagan, represented the United States at the United Nations under the current President Bush and served as the first U.S. ambassador to Iraq after Saddam Hussein, a job he held for less than a year. Negroponte's new boss, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, called her new hire "a legend of American diplomacy." "He will be a great leader to the men and women of American diplomacy," she said. Negroponte retired from the foreign service in 1997 to enter the publishing business. "All in all, I thought I had a pretty good run," he said. "Little did I know, Mr. President, that you would call me back to public life." Internal Romney blueprint shows concern about hair, flip-flopping
 BOSTON (AP) -- An internal document shows Mitt Romney's presidential campaign is concerned about his vulnerability to charges of flip-flopping, while suggesting he can differentiate from President Bush with a single word: "intelligence."Campaign advisers even fret that the former Massachusetts governor has too perfect hair, according to the 77-slide PowerPoint presentation, a copy of which was obtained by The Boston Globe. The document also outlines plans for positively branding the Republican contender, negatively framing rivals John McCain and Rudy Giuliani, and allaying voter concerns about his record and Mormon faith. One idea for dealing with the religious question is to address it head-on, perhaps as John F. Kennedy did in a 1960 speech amid concerns about his relationship to the Catholic Church. The document appears to raise the possibility of Romney speaking at the presidential library of Bush's father, George H.W. Bush. It is located outside Houston, the same city where Kennedy delivered his speech. The blueprint, dated Dec. 11, was drafted in part by Alex Castellanos, Romney's media adviser. It is similar to one for GOP rival Rudy Giuliani that was recently obtained and published by the New York Daily News. McCain is described as a war hero and maverick with a compelling narrative and a reputation for wit, authenticity, and straight talk. But he's also seen as "too Washington," "too close to (Democratic) Left," an "uncertain, erratic, unreliable leader in uncertain times." "Does he fit The Big Chair?" the document asks. Giuliani is called an outside-the-Beltway rock star and truth teller who earned the nation's trust for his leadership of New York City's response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But he is also described as a one-dimensional Lone Ranger whose social views -- he supports abortion rights and civil unions for gay couples -- could destroy the "GOP brand." "We can't disqualify Dems like Hillary (Rodham Clinton) on social issues ever again" if Giuliani is the nominee, the document states. Romney spokesman Kevin Madden declined to verify the document's authenticity in response to a request from The Associated Press. "Outside consultants routinely offer input and analysis -- both solicited and unsolicited -- on the dynamics of a political campaign all the time," Madden said. "But we cannot and will not verify any documents that are not marked Romney for President, Inc." Colorado governor vows to 'arm wrestle' for jobs
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter isn't letting new manufacturing jobs bypass his state without a fight -- literally.
Shortly after fellow Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick urged new clean energy manufacturing plants to open in his state, the Colorado Democrat vowed to "arm-wrestle" Patrick for the job opportunities. "We're going to arm wrestle you for those jobs because we want those same manufacturing plants," Ritter said. "It's a good thing to have two governors competing for those jobs, competing in this industry to build out the turbines, competing to have the wind farms located in their state. That's the right way for us to think about it." The two Democratic governors spoke Monday at a clean energy summit in Washington, DC. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Bush launches fundraising campaign for '08 candidates
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Returning to campaign mode, President Bush on Monday began his fundraising drive to help Republicans regain the power they lost less than four months ago.
"My political agenda is this: more Republican governors, take back control of the House and the Senate and make sure we keep the White House in 2008," Bush told cheering donors at a private reception for the Republican Governors Association. The annual event raised a record $10.4 million for GOP gubernatorial candidates. Bush said Republicans belong to "the party of ideas" and predicted voters would come back if they see results. "That's how we got the majority, and that's what it's going to take to get the majority back -- standing on principle," Bush said. Voters last November put Democrats in control of the House and Senate, weakening Bush's ability to push through legislation. The 2006 election also saw Republican governors lose the majority of governorships they had held since 1994. Bush, despite sagging popularity, still raised more than $193 million at about 90 events in the last election season. His final fundraising chapter as president continues Friday with an event in Kentucky for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. In his 25-minute speech at the cavernous National Building Museum, Bush energetically defended his agenda. "I'm proud of our foreign policy," Bush said. "And for the next two years, I will conduct it with all my soul, with all my might, because I believe it's in the best interests of the United States of America." Obama promises to spend 'a lot of time in Ohio'
HIGHLAND HILLS, Ohio (AP) -- On his first campaign trek across Ohio, Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama promised that he'd return -- a lot.
The senator from Illinois raised more than $450,000 at fundraisers in Cincinnati and Columbus on Monday before collecting even more at an appearance in suburban Cleveland. A message seeking the amount raised was left at Obama's campaign headquarters in Chicago. "I'm going to be spending a lot of time in Ohio so that people are familiar with me, so that by the time I'm the Democratic nominee they don't feel like I'm just parachuting in but that they've heard me and had a chance to kick the tires and lift the hood," Obama told reporters after the event in Columbus. In his three stops to the state's largest cities, Obama covered a wide range of topics, including ending the war in Iraq -- which received the loudest cheer at the Cleveland-area rally -- developing universal health care and improving early childhood education. More than 1,700 people filled a community college gymnasium in Highland Hills with chants of "O-bama!" A large banner overhead read "Obama Rocks!" First Lady: Iraq war is 'wearing'
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- First Lady Laura Bush acknowledged that she has found the Iraq war and its aftermath "wearing," but told CNN she fully agrees with the president that a troop withdrawal would be a "serious mistake.""Of course it's wearing, worrying. There's no doubt about it, and I understand how the American people feel and that they feel like things aren't going like we want them to there," she said when asked by CNN's Larry King in an interview that aired Monday night if the war had worn her down. "On the other hand I know how important it is for us to continue to help the Iraqis, and to leave now would be a serious mistake. And I really agree with the president on that," she added. The First Lady also admitted to sometimes disagreeing with her husband but said the two rarely fight. "We really don't anymore. I mean when we were newlyweds, I think we used to argue a lot," she said. "But now after almost 30 years of marriage, we really don't argue very much. Even though we have differences of course and see issues in different ways, I think we both really understand each other." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney 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... Cheney said he "heard a loud boom " around 10 a.m. (12:30 a.m. ET) and was told the base's main gate was attacked. "As the situation settled down and they (secret service) had a better sense of what was going on, I went back to my room," Cheney said. The attack killed more than 15 people and injured 20 others, an Afghan police official at Bagram said. Bagram military officials reported four deaths, including the bomber, a U.S. servicemember, a coalition member and a U.S. government contractor, whose nationality was unknown. (CNN wire) As McCain "seeks to secure religious and social conservatives by espousing a hard line against homosexual 'marriage' and abortion, independents are abandoning him in droves." (Washington Times) The views of Romney "causing concern inside his campaign": "His hair looks too perfect, he's not a tough war time leader, and he has earned a reputation as 'Slick Dancing Mitt' or 'Flip-Flop Mitt.'" (Boston Globe) President's Schedule: At 10:25 am ET, Bush participates in the ceremonial swearing-in for new Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte. At 3:45 pm ET, the president photo-ops with the Miami Heat, the 2006 NBA champs, in the East Room. Also on the Political Radar: ================================================================= Political Hot Topics (Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country) 53 PERCENT FAVOR SETTING A DEADLINE FOR TROOP WITHDRAWAL: With Congress preparing for renewed debate over President Bush's Iraq policies, a majority of Americans now support setting a deadline for withdrawing U.S. forces from the war-torn nation and support putting new conditions on the military that could limit the number of personnel available for duty there, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Opposition to Bush's plan to send an additional 21,500 troops to Iraq remained strong. Two in three Americans registered their disapproval, with 56 percent saying they strongly object... The Post-ABC poll found that 53 percent of Americans favored setting a deadline for troop withdrawals. Among those who favored a deadline, 24 percent said they would like to see U.S. forces out within six months and 21 percent called for the withdrawals to be completed within a year. Washington Post: Majority in Poll Favor Deadline For Iraq Pullout FULL POLL RESULTS (via washingtonpost.com) REID TO PRESENT IRAQ PLAN TO CAUCUS: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) will huddle with his fellow Democrats today to gauge support for reworking the Iraq War authorization — and to bring a more united front to the debate with Republicans, Senate aides said Monday. Although a number of top Democrats — including presidential hopeful Sen. Joseph Biden (Del.) and Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (Mich.) — have endorsed the plan and began publicly pushing for it during the Presidents Day recess, it has not yet been presented to the full Democratic Caucus, making it unclear whether Reid could even muster a majority of support within his own party. Today's weekly Caucus luncheon marks the first time Reid will be able to meet with his rank-and-file membership to discuss the issue following the surprise announcement of the reauthorization strategy more than a week ago. Roll Call: Reid Looks for Edge on Iraq WILL DEMS RISK "OWNING THE OUTCOME" IN IRAQ? Democrats face a crucial question as an Iraq war-spending bill begins moving through the House: Can Congress continue to fault U.S. policy from a distance, or must lawmakers take hold of it and risk owning the outcome? The new Democratic majority has followed the politically safer course of nonbinding resolutions and a Senate proposal to revisit the 2002 war authorization. But with action needed on a $93.4 billion Iraq-spending request, harping from the sidelines may no longer be enough to satisfy independent voters who looked to Democrats in the 2006 elections to effect real change... In the wake of their election losses in November, Republicans have their own divisions over the president's policy. But Democrats face greater pressure, and the debate exposes internal politics and warring personalities, especially in the House. Wall Street Journal: Democrats Battle Over Policy on Iraq PAKISTANIS' STATEMENT REVEALS "DEPTH OF TENSIONS" WITH U.S.: Just hours after Vice President Dick Cheney delivered a stiff private message to President Pervez Musharraf in Pakistan, the Pakistani government lashed out Monday with a series of statements insisting that "Pakistan does not accept dictation from any side or any source." The unusual outburst, later toned down, revealed the depth of tensions between General Musharraf and Washington over what administration officials say have been inadequate efforts by Pakistan in combating Al Qaeda and the Taliban. New York Times: Cheney Warns Pakistan to Act Against Terrorists DST CHANGE EXPECTED TO CAUSE HEADACHES ON THE HILL: Congress is confronting a Y2K-like mess of its own making, two years after voting to start daylight-saving time (DST) three weeks early - the change goes into effect March 11 and Hill staffers are scrambling. Congressional technology officials are hurriedly reprogramming computers, cell phones, landlines and BlackBerrys to spring forward one hour on March 11 and fall back on Nov. 4. "People were not aware of the implications this would have as much as they were aware of Y2K," the director of technology on the House Administration Committee, Sterling Spriggs, said, referring to fears that computers would be unable to read dates containing the year 2000. DST's early start won't shut down computer systems, but it could lead to scheduling headaches. The Hill: Congress's spring forward presents a Y2K problem LIBBY CASE WILL GO FORWARD WITH JUST 11 JURORS: The judge presiding over the perjury trial of I. Lewis Libby Jr. dismissed one of the jurors in the midst of deliberations Monday and ruled that the case should go forward with the remaining 11-member jury. The judge, Reggie B. Walton, said the dismissed juror had improperly learned some information about the case outside of the courtroom, but he did not explain further. Judge Walton said it appeared the juror had not done so intentionally but through some unspecified misunderstanding. After questioning the jurors, Judge Walton said no one else had been tainted by the information. Jurors are supposed to decide cases solely on the evidence and testimony presented in the trial. Deliberations resumed after the juror was dismissed and are to continue on Tuesday. New York Times: Judge Dismisses Juror in Libby Trial FORMER NEY C.O.S. PLEADS GUILTY TO ACCEPTING FAVORS: The top aide to convicted former Rep. Bob Ney pleaded guilty Monday to federal conspiracy charges stemming from a congressional bribery scandal that downed his boss. Smiling nervously at times, William Heaton, 28, acknowledged accepting a golf trip to Scotland, expensive meals, and tickets to sporting events between 2002 and 2004 as payoffs for helping clients of disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff. Heaton worked for Ney, R-Ohio, from September 2001 to July 2006, ultimately serving as his chief of staff. AP via Yahoo! News: Ney aide pleads guilty to conspiracy THE "INSIDER" WHO "MAKES THE TRAINS RUN ON TIME": At 67, [House Majority Leader Steny] Hoyer seems the very image of the Washington political insider, with his starched white shirts and patrician cap of silver hair. He is known as a pragmatist, skilled at navigating the legislative maze and wooing K Street lobbyists. A workaholic who makes the trains run on time. Yet there is another side: The man who quietly fought for Soviet Bloc dissidents. The husband of a teacher devoted to the poor. The idealist who keeps a bust of Kennedy in his office. The one-time pol from Prince George's County now stands at a historic juncture, as he tries to steer the resurgent Democrats' agenda through Congress. With a record as a moderate consensus-builder, he could be key to keeping the party together and coaxing Republicans to cross the aisle. Washington Post: For Hoyer, a Life Of Quiet Victories, Redefined Purpose DALEY LOOKING FOR ANOTHER TERM IN WINDY CITY: Voters across Chicago go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether to give Mayor Richard Daley a record sixth term. In a number of wards, voters also will make their picks in City Council races pitting veteran aldermen against challengers backed by labor unions. If Daley wins and completes another four-year term, he would surpass the record tenure of his father, who ran City Hall from 1955 until his death in 1976. Challenging Daley's re-election bid are two African-American candidates: Dorothy Brown, clerk of the Cook County Circuit Court, and William "Dock" Walls, who was an aide to former Mayor Harold Washington. Chicago Tribune: Chicago goes to the polls today GORE CRITICIZED FOR HIGH ENERGY BILL: A day after a film about his efforts to combat global warming won an Oscar, former Vice President Al Gore was called a hypocrite by a Tennessee group that said his Belle Meade home is consuming too much energy. The home's average monthly electric bill last year was just under $1,200, according to bills that The Tennessean acquired from Nashville Electric Service. "As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk (the) walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use," said Drew Johnson, president of the Tennessee Center for Policy Research, identified as a free-market think tank. Gore's power bill shows, however, that the former vice president may be doing just that. Gore purchased 108 blocks of "green power" for each of the past three months, according to a summary of the bills. The Tennessean: Group questions level of energy use at Gore home TCPR RELEASE: Al Gore's Personal Energy Use Is His Own "Inconvenient Truth" STATEMENT ON TCPR RELEASE (FROM GORE SPOKESWOMAN KALEE KREIDER): "Every family has a different carbon footprint. And what Vice President Gore has asked is for families to calculate that footprint and take steps to reduce and offset it. The Gores purchase all of their power through the local Green Powerswitch program - it is 100 percent renewable power. In addition, they are in the midst of a renovation which includes installing solar panels on their home, which will enable them to use less power. Of course, they also use compact fluorescent bulbs and other energy efficiency measures and then they purchase offsets for their carbon emissions to bring their carbon footprint down to zero." GORE FANS HOLD OUT HOPE DESPITE REPEATED DENIALS: Backstage and at post-Oscar parties, the 2000 Democratic presidential nominee repeated his longtime assertion that he is not "planning" to run again. Political players read Gore's statement as falling short of an ironclad pledge to stay out. "He's obviously left a little crack in the window or the door," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic strategist and Gore's 2000 campaign press secretary. "At no time did he say, 'I'm not running,' just three little words," said Monica Friedlander, spokeswoman for DraftGore.com, one of several grass-roots groups pushing for a Gore candidacy. USA Today: Some fans clamor for Gore sequel, but he says no "A SVELTE GORE IS A PRESIDENTIAL GORE": Al Gore doesn't seem to be watching his weight these days, but Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's people certainly are. Some members of Clinton's team, concerned that the global warming warrior might jump into the 2008 race despite his denials, have been monitoring the former vice president's girth. A svelte Gore is a presidential Gore, they reason. But they might not have much to worry about, judging from the stressed seams on Gore's Ralph Lauren tuxedo Oscar night. "If he's running, he'll start losing weight fast," said a Clinton insider, who didn't want to be identified. "Judging from where he is now, I'd say he's not running ... But that could change fast." Newsday: Sizing up the odds for a run CA "IS THE PLACE YOU GO TO GET POLITICAL MONEY": Last week alone, Democrats Barack Obama, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Christopher Dodd and Joseph Biden made the trek. Republican Sen. John McCain was also [in California], following his rival, Rudolph W. Giuliani, who had been here the week before, while Republican Mitt Romney will be here next month. "It is the place you go to get political money," said Sheila Krumholz, director of the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics in Washington, D.C. Californians spent at least $502 million on federal campaigns in the last four years, federal campaign records show -- 24 percent more than runner-up New York and about 13 percent of all federal campaign funds raised nationally. Los Angeles Times: They rush for California's gold CLINTON TEAM SAYS MISSING CHARITY DISCLOSURE IS "OVERSIGHT": Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton and former president Bill Clinton have operated a family charity since 2001, but she failed to list it on annual Senate financial disclosure reports on five occasions. The Ethics in Government Act requires members of Congress to disclose positions they hold with any outside entity, including nonprofit foundations. Hillary Clinton has served her family foundation as treasurer and secretary since it was established in December 2001, but none of her ethics reports since then have disclosed that fact. The foundation has enabled the Clintons to write off more than $5 million from their taxable personal income since 2001, while dispensing $1.25 million in charitable contributions over that period. Clinton's spokesman said her failure to report the existence of the family foundation and the senator's position as an officer was an oversight. Washington Post: Clintons' Charity Not Listed On Senate Disclosure Forms HARD LINE ON IRAQ COSTING McCAIN CROSSOVER VOTERS: In a turn that's nearly Shakespearean, McCain - Bush's chief rival for the Republican nomination in 2000 and a critic since then on everything from tax cuts to torture - finds his fate inextricably tied to the fortunes of his onetime adversary and the increasingly unpopular war he is prosecuting. McCain's unyielding stance on Iraq has bolstered him with Republican regulars but eroded his standing among the independents and crossover Democrats who boosted his presidential bid seven years ago. In a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken Thursday through Sunday, one in four independents and two in three Democrats say they're much less likely to support him as a result. Last fall, McCain and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani were tied in the lineup of GOP hopefuls in the USA TODAY poll. Now Giuliani leads McCain 40%-24%. USA Today: McCain firm on Iraq war despite cost to candidacy "INDEPENDENTS ARE ABANDONING" McCAIN "IN DROVES": Sen. John McCain is playing both sides against the middle as he supports sending more than 21,500 additional troops to Iraq while trying to distance himself from President Bush by labeling the war a "train wreck." But election analysts and pollsters say the new tack is costing him independent voters, once his strong suit. As the Arizona Republican, long popular among the liberal media, seeks to secure religious and social conservatives by espousing a hard line against homosexual "marriage" and abortion, independents are abandoning him in droves, a trend election analysts say could be fatal to his 2008 presidential hopes. "It's almost bipolar," said pollster John Zogby, who has done work for Mr. McCain in the past. Washington Times: McCain strategy courts middle GLOBE OBTAINS ROMNEY CAMPAIGN STRATEGY DOC: Here are some views of Mitt Romney causing concern inside his campaign: His hair looks too perfect, he's not a tough war time leader, and he has earned a reputation as "Slick Dancing Mitt" or "Flip-Flop Mitt." Romney and his advisers have identified those perceptions as threats to his bid for the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, according to an exhaustive internal campaign document obtained by the Globe. The 77-slide PowerPoint presentation offers a revealing look at Romney's pursuit of the White House, outlining a plan for branding himself, framing his competitors, and allaying voter concerns about his record, his Mormon faith, and his shifts on key issues like abortion. Dated Dec. 11, the blueprint is wide-ranging and analyzes in detail the strengths and weaknesses of Romney and his two main Republican rivals, Senator John McCain of Arizona and Rudolph W. Giuliani, former mayor of New York. Boston Globe: Document shows Romney's strategies ROMNEY RACING TO DEFINE HIMSELF BEFORE McCAIN AND GIULIANI "DO IT FOR HIM": Republican Mitt Romney titled his book on how he saved the scandal-ridden 2002 Olympics "Turnaround." Now, as he runs for president, he's trying to fight the perception that he's committed a few too many turnarounds. The former Massachusetts governor's equivocations on major issues - and outright position changes on others - threaten to derail his nascent 2008 campaign. As previous White House hopefuls have learned, once a candidate is perceived to have a pattern of inconsistency, labels like flip-flopper and waffler are extremely difficult to shake. AP via Yahoo! News: Romney trys to overcome inconsistencies Monday, February 26, 2007
Giuliani defends switch from Democrat to Republican
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who was once a registered Democrat and is now seeking the GOP nomination for president, defended his political evolution during a speech at the Hoover Institute Monday.Quoting former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, Giuliani said, "If you're not a liberal when you're 20, you have no heart. But if you're not a conservative by the time you're 40, you have no brain." Giuliani citied the Democrats' position on the economy as the chief reason why he switched his affiliation, arguing that Democrats do not understand that "we are essentially a private economy." "Maybe way back then, in the era of Kennedy, they understood it, too," Giuliani said. "And they did, but they have kind of lost that -- one of the reasons I used to be a Democrat and am now a Republican. -- CNN's Lauren Kornreich
Schwarzenegger: Politicians need to 'schmooze' with each other
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger implored Washington politicians to act more like those from his home state, during a speech that stressed bipartisanship at the National Press Club Monday."Division is what Washington has come to represent," he said. "For too long this town has been about divide and conquer. Find an issue that splits our country in half, then crack it just enough so you can come out ahead." Schwarzenegger also suggested Democrats and Republicans in Washington spend more time socializing with each other. "I asked myself the question, how come Republicans and Democrats out here don't schmooze with each other?" he said. "You can't catch a socially transmitted disease by sitting down with people who hold ideas that are different from yours." The former actor even suggested President Bush should get himself a "smoking tent" where members from both parties can meet. "I have a politically incorrect smoking tent -- I don't know if you have heard about that one," Schwarzenegger said. "People come in there, Democrats and Republicans, and they take off their jackets and rip off their ties and they sit down and they smoke a stogy and they talk and they schmooze." -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Obama, Gore get valuable air time with fake presidential announcements
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Vice President Al Gore's faux-presidential announcement at last night's Academy Awards harkened back to a similar stunt pulled by Sen. Barack Obama last December.
In both cases, the two men received very valuable media exposure to large audiences. Obama introduced a December 11 Monday Night Football match-up between his hometown Chicago Bears and the St. Louis Rams. During the minute-introduction Obama told viewers, "After a lot of thought and a good deal of soul-searching, I'd like to announce to all of America that I'm ready... for the Chicago Bears to go all the way!" At last night's Oscars Gore said, "My fellow Americans, I'm going to take this opportunity right here and now to formally announce my intention..." before the Oscar orchestra strategically cut him off. Obama's appearance reached over 11 million viewers and would have cost the Illinois senator nearly $400,000 in airtime. Gore got nearly five minutes on stage, an appearance that would have cost the former vice president over $5 million. Full Oscar ratings are not in yet, but early overnight numbers say in 55 of the nation's top markets, the telecast was seen in 27.7 percent of total households and in 42 percent of households with TV's on. Obama's faux-announcement was followed up by a real announcement on February 10. No word if a real announcement from Gore is in the future. -- CNN's Steve Brusk and Alexander Mooney
'08ers weigh in on their favorite movies
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- It's Oscar time, so we asked some of the 2008 presidential candidates the question of the moment: what's your favorite movie?
The following are their choices and the corresponding plot outlines as described by the Internet Movie Database. Do any of the movies offer new insights into the candidates? -- CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider and CNN Producer Douglas Hyde
Clinton, Obama to speak at civil rights commemoration
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Vying for the support of a key Democratic constituency, presidential hopefuls Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama have signed on to speak at an annual civil rights commemoration in Selma, Ala., on Sunday at the same time and just a few doors down from each other.
State Democratic leaders and event organizers said they couldn't remember a time when two leading presidential candidates spoke at the Bridge Crossing Jubilee, held annually in honor of the 1965 Selma-to-Montgomery voting rights march. "It's a first," said Tarana Burke, a spokeswoman for Selma's National Voting Rights Museum and Institute, which sponsors the event. "Both of them are directly affected by the voting rights movement, and we're glad they appreciate that enough to come and help us commemorate." Clinton, a Democratic senator from New York, is scheduled to headline the 10 a.m. service at First Baptist Church and to represent her husband, former President Bill Clinton, at his induction into the museum's hall of fame, Burke said. Obama, a Democratic senator from Illinois who is black, is slated to speak at a "Unity Breakfast" and deliver the event's keynote address at the 10 a.m. service at Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church. Both churches were sites where organizers and marchers met in the historic protests that helped lead to greater ballot access across the South for blacks. State Democratic leaders estimated 40 to 50 percent of Democratic primary voters in Alabama are black. Organizers say several dozen members of Congress also plan to attend, along with former presidential candidates Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton. A spokesman for Clinton said the senator is still finalizing details of her visit. Snow 'happy' about Gore's Oscar
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Al Gore is garnering wide praise following his documentary's win at last night's Academy Awards -- even from White House Press Secretary Tony Snow.Asked in a press briefing Monday what he thought about Al Gore's documentary film, "An Inconvenient Truth," winning an Oscar, Snow said, "I'm happy for him," and mused, "It's good to have a second career." Snow was formerly a journalist and a radio talk-show host before being named White House press secretary last April. -- CNN's Kathleen Koch
Libby juror dismissed; 11 will continue deliberations
 WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A juror in the criminal trial of Lewis "Scooter" Libby was dismissed Monday after the judge determined she had been compromised by exposure to information about the case outside the courtroom.The third full day of deliberations continues with 11 jurors despite objections by the prosecution that were dismissed by Judge Reggie Walton. "Rather than throwing away the two days of their efforts to decide this case," Walton announced he would let 11 jurors continue their deliberations. Two alternate jurors who heard the entire trial were told to remain ready to substitute if needed, but if one joined the jury deliberations would have to begin anew. Walton told defense attorneys and prosecutors he got word Monday morning from the jury foreperson that "one of the jurors may have been exposed to information related to this case outside the courtroom, and that conceivably, others may, as a result of that, been exposed." Walton then headed to the jury room to get details and check the extent the information may have spread to others on the jury of eight women and four men. Of the three notes the jury is known to have sent out so far, this was the first to prompt a discussion in open court among the judge, the prosecutors and the defense. The first note came last Wednesday and involved office supplies in the hours after the jury was first sent back to deliberate. The second note, Thursday, was a request for pictures of the witnesses. -- CNN's Paul Courson
Govs. Perry, Rendell say they are not interested in No. 2 spot on 2008 ticket
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Governor or vice president? That's an easy choice, say two state leaders who have beentalked about for a possible spot on the 2008 ticket.
"I got the best job in the world. Ask President Bush," GOP Gov. Rick Perry of Texas said Sunday, dismissing speculation he might be interested in serving as a running mate to the eventual nominee. Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, a Democrat, also denied any interest in the No. 2 spot. "I like to be my own boss," Rendell said. The two were in the capital for a National Governors Association meeting. Texas is among several states considering moving its primary election up to have more of an influential role in the nominating process. Perry said that idea is gaining momentum back home. "It's an interesting concept, and I certainly want to see the legislation, but it's something that I think the Legislature is full well behind," Perry said. In 2004, Texas primary voters found themselves casting only symbolic votes in early March. Legislation would move the primary to February 2008. Several other big states, including California and Florida, also are considering a similar shift. Rendell said the current presidential nominating system makes little sense because it does not give large, populous states enoughinfluence. "Pennsylvania, which is one of the two or three most important states in the general election, we have no input at all into who the nominee is. Our primary is in late April. It's a mess," he said. The governors appeared on "Fox News Sunday." Warner endorses McCain's presidential bid
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. John Warner, R-Virginia, who has come out against the troop increase in Iraq and co-sponsored legislation against the policy, has endorsed Sen. John McCain's, R-Arizona, presidential bid, according to a statement released Monday by McCain's presidential campaign.
McCain, a proponent of the troop increase, serves with Warner on the Senate Armed Services Committee. -- CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney
Rice: Obama's run shows black progress
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice finds Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama appealing and says it won't be much longer before race isn't a barrier to becoming president.
Obama is a top-tier contender among Democrats and his wide support early in the 2008 race "just shows that we've come a very long way," Rice said Sunday. She and the Illinois senator are black. "I do think we've come a long way in overcoming stereotypes, role stereotypes about African-Americans. I will say race is still a factor. When a person walks into a room, I still think people still see race," Rice said. "But it's less and less of a barrier to believing that that person can be your doctor or your lawyer or a professor in your university or the CEO of a company. And it will not be long, I think, before it's no longer a barrier to being president of the United States," Rice said. Rice, a Republican, has said repeatedly she will not run for president despite high popularity ratings and measurable support in opinion polls. She noted that if she were to continue as secretary of state through the end of President Bush's term in January 2009, "we will not have had a white male secretary of state for 12 years - a white woman, black man and a black woman. That says something about how far our country has come, even though we can't deceive ourselves. Race is still a factor in this country." Rice discussed race in the United States when asked about Obama's candidacy. Obama, a first-term senator, is considered among the early front-runners for the Democratic nomination with Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards. Rice noted that Obama is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where the secretary often testifies. "I think he's very appealing and a great person. He's on my committee. And we've always had good exchanges. I think he's an extraordinary person," she said. Rice declined to say whether she thought he had enough experience, especially in foreign policy, to be president. "Oh, I'm not going to make that choice. The American people are going to make that choice," she said. Rice was interviewed on "Fox News Sunday." 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 visit comes just as "President Bush has decided to send an unusually tough message to one of his most important allies, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, the president of Pakistan, warning him that the newly Democratic Congress could cut aid to his country unless his forces become far more aggressive in hunting down operatives with Al Qaeda." (New York Times) "I couldn't describe the emotions that I've had over the last two or three days thinking about this... Everything from anger and outrage to reflection, and to some pride and glory." (Los Angeles Times) IN CASE YOU MISSED IT... NYDN front page Sunday: "SHOCK OF MY LIFE! Experts tell Al: Ancestors were slaves of Thurmond relatives." STORY: Slavery links families President's Schedule: At 2:30 pm ET in the East Room, Bush presents the Medal of Honor to Bruce Crandall, a Vietnam War helicopter pilot who landed under heavy fire to evacuate wounded U.S. soldiers. Afterwards, Bush participates in the presentation of the annual report to the nation by the Boy Scouts of America, 3:10 pm ET in the Oval Office. Tonight, Bush makes remarks at the 2007 Republican G |
