As I mentioned in the previous post, I can be reached at shawn@warroomalerts.com. If you would like to stay updated on the status of War Room Alerts, please send me your email address. I’ll keep it private, and you can be removed from the list at any time.
This will be my last day actively blogging. Some of my readers have noted that I have written far fewer posts lately. I’ve been busy the past few weeks looking at new opportunities, and I chose to pursue one of them. I’ll be moving away from the DC area soon.
Thank you to everyone for supporting this blog. My experience running War Room Alerts has taught me more than I ever would have expected.
I’ll be leaving the blog online and continuing to make occasional posts; however, morning news clips will no longer be offered. In the future, I may re-launch the site, so stay tuned.
I’m putting together an email list. If you would like to stay updated on the status of War Room Alerts and the next steps in my career, send your email address to shawn@warrroomalerts.com. Anyone is welcome to sign up.
I’m excited for the path I decided to take. I will certainly miss Washington and all my friends that live here, but I’ll be back to visit frequently.
As some of my readers know, I think the 90’s were the best decade of music. Right now I find “Closing Time” to be fitting. This is one of my favorite songs, and it’s appropriate whenever one makes a transition in life. As Semisonic explains, “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” It’s sad to leave behind parts of our lives, but we never know what may lie ahead.
ACLU Hits Single-Payer
Aug 14
The ACLU has a frightening web animation predicting the future of pizza delivery in a society that shows complete disregard for the right to privacy.
Josh Gerstein at Politico wonders if the references to national health insurance aren’t a critique of a single-payer system.
Morning Clips: 8/14/09
Aug 14
TOP STORIES:
Pork-barrel spending increases in 2009; Alarkon THE HILL
Deficit Plays Into Health Reform; Montgomery WASHINGTON POST
Supporters of Health-Care Change Prepare Counterattack; Maher, Bendavid WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Great ‘Prevention’ Myth; Krauthammer WASHINGTON POST
Obama’s Senior Moment; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL
HOUSE:
At Indiana Forum, Skepticism of Overhaul Reigns; Belkin WALL STREET JOURNAL
Suspension lifted for contractor tied to Murtha; Yost ASSOCIATED PRESS
E-mails from public overload House Web site; Flaherty ASSOCIATED PRESS
Town halls too heated for some; Kiely USA TODAY
Members March Through Dozens of Town-Hall Meetings; Geier ROLL CALL
Hoekstra Says Michigan Officials Should Tour Gitmo; Bendery ROLL CALL
Boehner Pits Pelosi Against Obama in Health Care Debate; Bendery ROLL CALL
GOP Launches Site to Track Federal Spending; Kucinich ROLL CALL
Michigan GOP lawmakers don’t want Gitmo prisoners; McCaffrey THE HILL
GOP lawmaker criticizes Nazi talk; Hooper THE HILL
Congress moves to extend unemployment benefits; McCaffrey THE HILL
Estate Tax, Expiring Tax Breaks Await Congress; CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
HOUSE ELECTIONS:
GOP Unlikely to Land Top Recruit Against Space in Ohio; Whittington ROLL CALL
Bachmann Compares Herself to Palin in New Fundraising Appeal; Kurtz ROLL CALL
New Independent Poll Shows California Special Is Wide Open; Kurtz ROLL CALL
Biden and lobbyist don’t mix at Grayson fundraiser; Blake THE HILL
Rice Campaign Builds Momentum in South Carolina 3; Cadei CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
SENATE:
U.S. Senator to Meet Myanmar Leader; Stolberg, Otterman NEW YORK TIMES
Senators Investigate Hospital Purchasing; Walsh NEW YORK TIMES
Sen. Webb to Visit Burma in Wake of American’s Arrest; Lynch WASHINGTON POST
Are Dems losing August?; Lerer POLITICO
Senate committee scraps healthcare provision that gave rise to ‘death panel’ claims; Parsons, Zajac LOS ANGELES TIMES
Specter Faces Heat at Latest Town Hall; Toeplitz ROLL CALL
Gillibrand Urges Kansas Senators to Lift Hold on McHugh Nomination; Stanton ROLL CALL
Finance Committee to drop end-of-life provision; O’Brien THE HILL
McConnell Wants To ‘Kill’ Warming Bill; CONGRESS DAILY
SENATE ELECTIONS:
Simmons, Foley Dueling Early For GOP Nod; McPike CONGRESS DAILY
POLITICS/CAMPAIGNS:
Host Loses Some Sponsors After an Obama Remark; Stelter NEW YORK TIMES
Allen Tries to Shake Off the ‘Macaca’ Shadow; Somashekhar WASHINGTON POST
Overlooking a Revolution; Ravindran WASHINGTON POST
Newt’s advice for Palin comeback; Cummings POLITICO
Bill: ‘New era of progressive politics’; Mahtesian POLITICO
Giuliani: Obama failing to lead; Barr POLITICO
California: Whitman, Brown Lead for Governor; CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
Corzine targets rival over talks with Rove; Santi ASSOCIATED PRESS
ADMINISTRATION:
Clinton Supports President of Liberia; Gettleman NEW YORK TIMES
Clinton Dismisses Flap, Calls Africa Trip ‘Great’; Sheridan WASHINGTON POST
Hagel Climbing the Ladder in Obama White House; Kamen WASHINGTON POST
In Africa, Clinton Balances Criticism, Praise; Childress, Solomon WALL STREET JOURNAL
From ‘Yes, We Can,’ to ‘No! Don’t!’; Noonan WALL STREET JOURNAL
Sharpton, Gingrich push Obama’s school reforms; Quaid ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hamas looks at Obama plan ‘positively,’ with condition; Johnson THE HILL
SCOTUS:
No Coverage
BAILOUT/ECONOMY:
Invigorated by Clunker Cash, Ford Moves to Increase Output; Vlasic NEW YORK TIMES
France, Germany Fend Off Recession; Faiola WASHINGTON POST
Obama Wants Big Banks To Pay More for Oversight; Cho WASHINGTON POST
Optimism Bypasses Consumers; Shin, Mui WASHINGTON POST
Rethinking the Fed Chairmanship and Weighing Who’s Right for the Job; Pearlstein WASHINGTON POST
‘Clunkers’ Plan Needs a Tuneup; Mitchell, Linebaugh WALL STREET JOURNAL
Europe Recovers as U.S. Lags; Walker, Gauthier-Villars WALL STREET JOURNAL
Geithner Sees Good Vital Signs; Solomon WALL STREET JOURNAL
Retail Sales Fell in July Despite Clunkers Program; Murray, Alini WALL STREET JOURNAL
Bernanke in the Cross-Hairs; Strassel WALL STREET JOURNAL
Dealers Can Reserve Vehicles to Cover Clunker Trade-Ins; ASSOCIATED PRESS
HEALTHCARE:
False ‘Death Panel’ Rumor Has Some Familiar Roots; Rutenberg, Calmes NEW YORK TIMES
Obama Proposal to Create Medicare Panel Meets With Resistance; Pear NEW YORK TIMES
How an Agency Affected Policy; NEW YORK TIMES
Ad Campaign Counterattacks Against Overhaul’s Critics; Seelye NEW YORK TIMES
Republican Death Trip; Krugman NEW YORK TIMES
Obama to Take On Health-Care Critics; Kornblut WASHINGTON POST
‘Death Panel’ Sideshow; Editorial WASHINGTON POST
At the Town Halls, Trivializing Evil; Gerson WASHINGTON POST
Can Obama keep town halls cool?; Lee POLITICO
Massive campaign for Obama hits air; Allen POLITICO
Palin doubles down on ‘death panels’; Barr POLITICO
Dean responds to ‘outlandish’ claims; Heitz POLITICO
Obama visits mountain West, knowing vulnerability; Sidoti, Wyatt ASSOCIATED PRESS
White House uses e-mail to counter health critics; Werner ASSOCIATED PRESS
Bill Clinton: GOP promotes fear over health care; Nephin ASSOCIATED PRESS
Palin stands by ‘death panel’ claim; Daly ASSOCIATED PRESS
Gordon Brown ‘tweets’ in defense of health care; ASSOCIATED PRESS
Health care showdown shifts to TV ads; Fritze, Jackson USA TODAY
Healthy debate; Editorial USA TODAY
Grand Junction a microcosm of efficient healthcare; Riccardi LOS ANGELES TIMES
White House deal with drug firms draws flak; Hamburger LOS ANGELES TIMES
Democrats Orchestrate Town-Hall Counterpunch; Stanton ROLL CALL
Obamacare’s backroom deal; Editorial WASHINGTON TIMES
Palin target renounces care rationing; Ward WASHINGTON TIMES
STIMULUS:
Major Carriers Shun Broadband Stimulus; Kang WASHINGTON POST
Analysts Give Stimulus Mixed Reviews; CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
Pace of stimulus spending plummets; Dinan WASHINGTON TIMES
LABOR/EFCA:
No Coverage
ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT:
Coal Industry Group Responds to Markey but Offers Few Public Details; Palmer ROLL CALL
DEFENSE/WAR ON TERROR:
A Technocrat Shakes Up the Afghan Campaign; Gall NEW YORK TIMES
Afghan Election Race Narrows; Gall NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. to Resume Training Georgian Troops; Shanker NEW YORK TIMES
Iran Seeks Ban on Striking Atomic Sites; Worth NEW YORK TIMES
Blasts Kill 21 at a Cafe in North Iraq; Santora NEW YORK TIMES
Iraq’s Sunnis; Editorial NEW YORK TIMES
High-Stakes Opening and Closing Roles for a U.S. General in Iraq; Londoño WASHINGTON POST
With Karzai Favored to Win, U.S. Walks a Fine Line; Partlow, DeYoung WASHINGTON POST
U.S. Detains Journalist Fleeing Pakistan Threats; Aizenman WASHINGTON POST
Double Suicide Bombing Kills at Least 21 in Northern Iraq; Londoño, Brwari WASHINGTON POST
Gates: No Troop Request In Afghanistan Review; DeYoung WASHINGTON POST
U.S. Boots On Congo Ground; Michael O’Hanlon WASHINGTON POST
U.S. Seeds New Crops to Supplant Afghan Poppies; Dreazen WALL STREET JOURNAL
Killing of Militant Shows Cementing U.S.-Pakistan Ties; Seib WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Afghans Have a Referendum on Democracy; Marlowe WALL STREET JOURNAL
W.H. asks for $1B to add to Army; Rogers POLITICO
Poll shows Afghan vote headed for second round; Graff REUTERS
Gates: ‘A few years’ of combat in Afghanistan; Jakes, Gearan ASSOCIATED PRESS
EXCLUSIVE: General considers more Afghanistan fighters; Scarborough WASHINGTON TIMES
U.S. LOCAL:
Budget Deal Ending Need for I.O.U.’s in California; McKinley NEW YORK TIMES
California to Redeem IOUs Early; Woo WALL STREET JOURNAL
Michigan Prison Assessed for Possible Gitmo Transfers; ASSOCIATED PRESS
OF NOTE:
Former Aide to Bill Clinton Charged With Prison Breach; Barnes NEW YORK TIMES
World Trade Victory; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL
Analysis: Gov’t dallies, airline passengers suffer; Lowy ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOP BLOGS:
Montana stop could be rowdy; Lee POLITICO’S 44 BLOG
Matching e-mails with e-mails; Martin POLITICO’S SMITH BLOG
ACLU v. single-payer?; Gerstein POLITICO’S UNDER THE RADAR BLOG
Democrats highlight kinder, gentler town halls; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG
U.S. attorney docs ding Christie; Mahtesian POLITICO’S SCORECARD BLOG
McHenry: I really do believe Obama was born in USA; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG
New poll shows preference for raising taxes to preserve Soc Security; Martin POLITICO’S SMITH BLOG
W.H. waives ethics rules for 2 Obama lawyers; Gerstein POLITICO’S UNDER THE RADAR BLOG
Specter’s week; Mahtesian POLITICO’S SCORECARD BLOG
Morning Clips: 8/13/09
Aug 13
TOP STORIES:
Poll: Health care views take sympathetic tilt; Page USA TODAY
Americans aren’t going to buy health care spin, Mr. President; Rep. John Boehner USA TODAY
A Price to Pay for the Town Hall Rage; Broder WASHINGTON POST
Plan B for business groups; Frates POLITICO
Obama and the Permanent Campaign; Rove WALL STREET JOURNAL
Words count: Obama downplays war; Javers, Abrahamson POLITICO
Climate bill could cost 2 million jobs; Snyder THE HILL
U.S. Logs Monthly Budget Gap; Bater WALL STREET JOURNAL
Fed Views Recession as Near an End; Andrews NEW YORK TIMES
HOUSE:
More Evidence of a Scandal; Editorial NEW YORK TIMES
Rep.: Angry town halls are not new; O’Connor POLITICO
Rove testimony contradicts Wilson’s; Bresnahan, Gerstein POLITICO
Analysis: In attorneys probe, one burning question; Apuzzo ASSOCIATED PRESS
House Rules Chairwoman Takes Aim at Health Insurers; Dennis ROLL CALL
RSC Chairman Decries Choice of Robinson for Medal of Freedom; Bendery ROLL CALL
Pelosi, Frank urge clampdown on executive pay; Brush THE HILL
Rep. Cao to sit down with Obama on healthcare; Hooper THE HILL
Rep. Green to require photo ID at town halls; Soraghan THE HILL
‘Ready! Fire! Aim!’ no way to govern; Rep. Peter Hoekstra WASHINGTON TIMES
HOUSE ELECTIONS:
NRCC Targets Kagen in New TV Ad; Whittington ROLL CALL
Parties Make Tactical Choices in N.Y. 23 Special; Rothenberg ROLL CALL
Wealthy Oilman Joins Kansas 4th District Fray; Kapochunas CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
SENATE:
Raucous Crowd Greets Cardin at Health-Care Town Hall in Hagerstown; Davis WASHINGTON POST
Mexico’s Drug War; Editorial WASHINGTON POST
At town halls, Grassley retreats; Lerer POLITICO
Steele laughs at Specter; Barr POLITICO
US senator set for historic meet with Myanmar ruler; AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
Jam-packed crowds press Grassley on health care; Glover ASSOCIATED PRESS
Georgia senator finds himself at center of health care debate; Abdullah MCCLATCHY NEWS
Grassley Downplays Legitimacy of Health Care Negotiations; Drucker ROLL CALL
Reid Fires Back Over Spoof Robocalls; Stanton ROLL CALL
Sen. Cardin hears an earful on healthcare; Rushing THE HILL
Anti-healthcare calls use Reid’s number; Wilson THE HILL
SENATE ELECTIONS:
At Town Hall, A Turning Point?; Cillizza WASHINGTON POST
NRSC Still Has Key Recruiting Holes to Fill; McArdle ROLL CALL
Giannoulias Consolidating Support in Illinois; Toeplitz ROLL CALL
Ayotte touts conservative cred; NRSC gives her space; Wilson THE HILL
Huckabee adviser to run for Senate in Arkansas; Blake THE HILL
Eye on the Senate: Specter Leads Sestak By 13; CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
Lowden More Likely to Run for Nevada Senate; Cadei CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
POLITICS/CAMPAIGNS:
Cheney Uncloaks His Frustration With Bush; Gellman WASHINGTON POST
McDonnell Proposes Drug Courts, Lifetime Sex Offender Tracking; Kumar WASHINGTON POST
Judge rules in Palin e-mail case; D’Oro ASSOCIATED PRESS
ADMINISTRATION:
Two Sides of Nigeria Addressed by Clinton; Gettleman NEW YORK TIMES
Clinton’s Flash of Pique in Congo; Gettleman NEW YORK TIMES
Envoy Sees New Role at U.N.; Zraick NEW YORK TIMES
Obama Gives Medal of Freedom to 16 Luminaries; Stolberg NEW YORK TIMES
Presidential Vacations Carry Heavy Baggage; Eggen WASHINGTON POST
Food Firms Warn of Sugar Shortage; Kilman, Cui, Brat WALL STREET JOURNAL
Expanding the Charter Option; Chaker WALL STREET JOURNAL
Poll: Higher marks for Bill Clinton; Falcone POLITICO
Obama’s surgeon general nominee advises Burger King; McElhatton WASHINGTON TIMES
SCOTUS:
Justice Sonia Sotomayor celebrated at White House; Loven ASSOCIATED PRESS
BAILOUT/ECONOMY:
W.T.O. Rules Against China’s Limits on Imports; Bradsher NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. Trade Deficit Widened as Imports Rose in June; Healy NEW YORK TIMES
Huge Bonus Hangs Over Pay Review; Labaton, Dash NEW YORK TIMES
Fed Starts Rollback Of Rescue Efforts; Irwin WASHINGTON POST
Working to Please the Pay Czar; Davis, Solomon, Fitzpatrick WALL STREET JOURNAL
Fed Set to Trim Major Lifeline; Reddy WALL STREET JOURNAL
Medicine is Working, but U.S. Economy Isn’t Healthy Yet; Wessel WALL STREET JOURNAL
U.S. Employers Grow More Optimistic; Needleman WALL STREET JOURNAL
Ford Boosts Output to Meet ‘Clunkers’ Demand; Bennett WALL STREET JOURNAL
No Exit; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL
Federal spending tops $3 trillion; Dickson WASHINGTON TIMES
HEALTHCARE:
Obama Injects Himself Into Health Talks, Despite Risks; Kirkpatrick NEW YORK TIMES
Thousands Line Up for Promise of Free Health Care; Steinhauer NEW YORK TIMES
Bound by Blood, Torn by Policy and Angrier by the Minute; Rutenberg NEW YORK TIMES
Health Reform and Small Business; Editorial NEW YORK TIMES
Gunning for Health Care; Collins NEW YORK TIMES
10 Steps to Better Health Care; Gawande, Berwick, Fisher, McClellan NEW YORK TIMES
Health-Reform Rhetoric Gets Personal for Britons; Adam WASHINGTON POST
Progress Over Perfection; Paul Begala WASHINGTON POST
End-of-Life Provision Loses Favor; Adamy WALL STREET JOURNAL
Emanuel’s Brother Becomes a Target; Bendavid WALL STREET JOURNAL
Billy and the Beanstalk; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL
Calling all crazies: Obama needs you; Simon POLITICO
Palin says Obama brushes off reform concerns; ASSOCIATED PRESS
Just who are these health care protesters?; Werner ASSOCIATED PRESS
GOP Has Health Care Ideas but Prefers Attacks on Obama; Kondracke ROLL CALL
Insurers Try to Make Their Voices Heard in Health Debate; Ackley ROLL CALL
Former exec: Insurers fomenting town hall chaos; Soraghan THE HILL
Critics: Co-ops Are Disguised Public Plan; Dann CONGRESS DAILY
AARP wields its power in health care debate; Haberkorn WASHINGTON TIMES
Town hall face-offs erode health support; Lambro WASHINGTON TIMES
Rationing away medical care; Editorial WASHINGTON TIMES
Obamacare’s tax hikes; Editorial WASHINGTON TIMES
STIMULUS:
Stimulus Aid Planned for Two City Projects; Cardwell NEW YORK TIMES
Small-Business Stimulus Loans Slow to Trickle; Mandelbaum NEW YORK TIMES
Small Businesses Chase Big Stimulus Money; Knight WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Lessons of the ‘Stimulus’ Bill; McCrory WALL STREET JOURNAL
Some states get share of stimulus faster; Kelley, Heath USA TODAY
LABOR/EFCA:
No Coverage
ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT:
Bush Mining Rule to Stand; Dean NEW YORK TIMES
An ‘Increase’ in Big Storms May Just Be Better Detection; Dean NEW YORK TIMES
Auto Parts Makers Change Tack, Seek Fair Winds; Hedgpeth WASHINGTON POST
Cap-and-Trade’s Unlikely Critics: Its Creators; Hilsenrath WALL STREET JOURNAL
Food Firms Fret Over Potential Impact of Climate Bill; Etter WALL STREET JOURNAL
SPIN METER: $3 billion buys not-so-green vehicles; Blackledge ASSOCIATED PRESS
Green Groups Kicking Off Ad Campaign; Goode CONGRESS DAILY
DEFENSE/WAR ON TERROR:
A Window Into C.I.A.’s Embrace of Secret Jails; Johnston, Mazzetti NEW YORK TIMES
Iraqi Immigrants Face Lonely Struggle in U.S.; Semple NEW YORK TIMES
As Afghan Vote Nears, Taliban Intimidation Rises; Gall, Khapalwak NEW YORK TIMES
Bomb Wounds 2 Journalists in Afghanistan; Rahimi, Cowell NEW YORK TIMES
New Army Handbook Teaches Afghanistan Lessons; Shanker NEW YORK TIMES
In Afghanistan, A Test of Tactics; Tyson WASHINGTON POST
Why Are Afghans Smiling?; Graham, Shapiro WASHINGTON POST
Marines Raid Taliban-Controlled Town in Helmand Province; Montesquiou ASSOCIATED PRESS
Best Afghanistan defense: MRAPs + locals; Vanden Brook USA TODAY
U.S. LOCAL:
Michigan Prison Is Considered for Detainees; Saulny NEW YORK TIMES
Caution on Fighting Marriage Ban; McKinley NEW YORK TIMES
Terrorism Trials May Be at New Va. Court; Markon WASHINGTON POST
‘Fastest Dying Cities’ Meet for a Lively Talk; Belkin WALL STREET JOURNAL
CA gay rights group: Wait for 2012 to attack ban; Donald ASSOCIATED PRESS
OF NOTE:
Tighter Cellphone Laws Might Face Static; Halsey WASHINGTON POST
MOUNTAIN OF DEBT: Social Security crisis looms; Raum ASSOCIATED PRESS
Poll finds cultural morals gap; Sorokin WASHINGTON TIMES
TOP BLOGS:
Grassley on death panels: ‘You have every right to fear’; Lerer POLITICO LIVE
McCaskill says Rep. Scott’s racism charge ‘irresponsible’; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG
FBI, Capitol Police investigate swastika at Rep. Scott’s office; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG
Cardin’s tough town hall; Kraushaar POLITICO LIVE
Dingell reaches out to man from town hall fight; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG
Isakson and the ‘end of life advisory board’; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG
DCCC raises money off Palin ‘death panel’ comment; Kady POLITICO’S THRUSH BLOG
The Crist charm offensive; Kraushaar POLITICO’S SCORECARD BLOG
Biden fundraising for Grayson; Isenstadt POLITICO’S SCORECARD BLOG
Of all the outrageous townhall videos, this is at the very top of the list.
Morning Clips: 8/12/09
Aug 12
TOP STORIES:
Guide to the 2010 House Races; Benenson CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
What They’re Really Arguing About; Balz WASHINGTON POST
Dem healthcare talking points: Change over status quo; Rushing THE HILL
Dems face senior angst on health care; Frates, McGrane POLITICO
Change We Can’t Believe In?; Marcus WASHINGTON POST
A President as Micromanager: How Much Detail Is Enough?; King, Weisman WALL STREET JOURNAL
‘A Recovery Only a Statistician Can Love’; Shin WASHINGTON POST
HOUSE:
E-Mail Reveals Rove’s Key Role in ’06 Dismissals; Lichtblau, Lipton NEW YORK TIMES
Miers Told House Panel of ‘Agitated’ Rove; Johnson WASHINGTON POST
Sticking Point; Editorial WASHINGTON POST
House Leaders Pare Pentagon Jet Order Amid Growing Outcry; Mullins, Cole WALL STREET JOURNAL
Air Congress Hits Turbulence; Fund WALL STREET JOURNAL
Lawmakers Seek ‘Clunker’ Vouchers for Out-of-Stock Cars; Mitchell WALL STREET JOURNAL
Consumer Product Destruction; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL
Democrats Tweaking Town-Hall Formats; Bendery ROLL CALL
David Scott’s District Office Defaced With Swastika; Bendery ROLL CALL
Liberals urge Obama to do more in Honduras; Soraghan THE HILL
HOUSE ELECTIONS:
Palin clan helps Idaho GOP hopeful for Congress; ASSOCIATED PRESS
NRCC Targets Vulnerable Democrats on Gitmo; Bendery ROLL CALL
GOP State Senator Will Run in Connecticut 4; Cadei CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
Ohio’s 12th District (Central — Eastern Columbus and suburbs); CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
SENATE:
Senator Goes Face to Face With Dissent; Urbina, Seelye NEW YORK TIMES
Specter Faces Raucous Crowd at Town Hall Meeting; Rucker WASHINGTON POST
Going to the Mat On Health-Care Bill; Montgomery WASHINGTON POST
More Cap-and-Trade War; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL
White House irked by GOP tactic; Allen POLITICO
Specter faces fury: ‘You work for us!’; Barr POLITICO
Lawmakers face angry crowds on health care; Werner ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dodd undergoes surgery for prostate cancer; Miga ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dodd Undergoes Prostate Surgery; Brady ROLL CALL
Specter Requested Capitol Police Assistance at Town Hall; Yehle ROLL CALL
Activists Head to Iowa to Press Grassley on Health Care; Drucker ROLL CALL
Watchdog Group Releases Documents on Senators’ Requests for Jets; Yachnin ROLL CALL
Sen. Nelson responds to critics with healthcare ad; Swanson THE HILL
SENATE ELECTIONS:
GOP officials: Heller won’t take on Reid; Freking ASSOCIATED PRESS
Senate Race in Florida: Governor Crist Eyes Seat; Padgett TIME
Heller Won’t Challenge Reid in 2010; McArdle ROLL CALL
Rep. Heller won’t take on Reid; Blake THE HILL
Many Pa. Dems mum on Specter-Sestak race; Shalleck-Klein THE HILL
POLITICS/CAMPAIGNS:
Wireless Firms Dial Up Lobbyists; Schatz WALL STREET JOURNAL
Santorum dips toes in 2012 Iowa waters; Martin POLITICO
GOP targeting Dem voters in Garden State; Wilson THE HILL
Huntsman out as guv, takes new post as ambassador; Loomis SALT LAKE TRIBUNE
ADMINISTRATION:
Napolitano Focuses on Immigration Enforcement; McKinley NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. Bares ‘Alien Files’ Kept on Immigrants; Lorber NEW YORK TIMES
Clinton Presents Plan to Fight Sexual Violence in Congo; Gettleman NEW YORK TIMES
Presidents to the Rescue; Griffith NEW YORK TIMES
Obama Follows Clinton’s Lead On Creating Labor Council; Davidson WASHINGTON POST
Clinton Condemns Attacks on Civilians in E. Congo; Sheridan, McCrummen WASHINGTON POST
Student’s Nerves Are Cited in Clinton’s Reply; Solomon WALL STREET JOURNAL
Israel clouds Obama’s nuclear summit; Gerstein POLITICO
U.S. Freezes Assets of North Korea Bank; ASSOCIATED PRESS
SCOTUS:
No Coverage
BAILOUT/ECONOMY:
A Clunker of a Program?; Sanger NEW YORK TIMES
Study Shows Rise in Average Borrowing by Students; Lewin NEW YORK TIMES
A Chance to Return the Favor; Editorial NEW YORK TIMES
Lying Low After a Layoff; Gowen WASHINGTON POST
Clunkers Program Clears Out Car Lots; Hedgpeth WASHINGTON POST
Fed Meeting Likely to Signal Fate of Intervention Programs; Irwin WASHINGTON POST
Bill Proposed to Regulate Derivatives Trade; Goldfarb WASHINGTON POST
Derivatives Overhaul Seeks to Reduce Risk; Lynch WALL STREET JOURNAL
Economists Call for Bernanke to Stay, Say Recession Is Over; Izzo WALL STREET JOURNAL
Fed likely to leave rates at lows to aid recovery; Aversa ASSOCIATED PRESS
Obama Proposes Rules on Trading in Derivatives; BLOOMBERG NEWS
HEALTHCARE:
Survey Finds High Fees Common in Medical Care; Kolata NEW YORK TIMES
Obama Offers Reassurance on Plan to Overhaul Health Care; Cooper NEW YORK TIMES
Obama Faces ‘Scare Tactics’ Head-On; Kornblut, Shear WASHINGTON POST
Behold, a National and Rational Conversation on Health Care; Pearlstein WASHINGTON POST
Easing The ‘Death Panel’ Fear; Parker WASHINGTON POST
Under Pressure, Obama Defends Health-Care Plan; Weisman WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Truth About Health Insurance; Editorial WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Whole Foods Alternative to ObamaCare; Mackey WALL STREET JOURNAL
Obama takes aim at health foes; Henderson POLITICO
Obama looks West, to the Web in health care fight; Elliott ASSOCIATED PRESS
Analysis: Health care debate a long-running story; Mears ASSOCIATED PRESS
What protests? Obama faces no town hall outbursts; ASSOCIATED PRESS
Ezekiel Emanuel, Obama’s ‘Deadly Doctor,’ Strikes Back; Scherer TIME
Many seniors aren’t sure healthcare system needs repair; Graham, Hook LOS ANGELES TIMES
Insurers Try to Make Their Voices Heard in Health Debate; Ackley ROLL CALL
Obama Says Getting Health Reform Done Trumps Bipartisanship; Koffler ROLL CALL
Republicans Charge Democrats With Confusing Constituents; Kucinich ROLL CALL
AFSCME Launches Push for Health Care Reform; Palmer ROLL CALL
A New Low in Support for Health Care Overhaul; Bettelheim CONGRESSIONAL QUARTERLY
Potemkin town halls; Editorial WASHINGTON TIMES
STIMULUS:
Inspector General Questions Value of Some Airport Stimulus Projects; Cooper NEW YORK TIMES
LABOR/EFCA:
No Coverage
ENERGY/ENVIRONMENT:
GM Says New Car Is Capable of 230 MPG; Whoriskey WASHINGTON POST
EXCLUSIVE: Energy bill requires doubling nuke use; Dinan WASHINGTON TIMES
DEFENSE/WAR ON TERROR:
2 U.S. Architects of Harsh Tactics in 9/11’s Wake; Shane NEW YORK TIMES
Shiites in Iraq Show Restraint as Sunnis Keep Attacking; Nordland NEW YORK TIMES
Kuwait Arrests 6 in Plot to Hit a U.S. Base; Worth NEW YORK TIMES
U.S. Ambassador Seeks More Money for Afghanistan; DeYoung, Jaffe WASHINGTON POST
Iran Exiles Accuse U.S. Of Ignoring Its Pledges; Cody WASHINGTON POST
The Keeper of the Keys and the Mystery of the Bactrian Gold; Wonacott WALL STREET JOURNAL
Bombs Kill 9 Civilians in Afghanistan; ASSOCIATED PRESS
US Marines storm Taliban-held town in Afghanistan; Montesquiou ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. Strikes Mehsud’s Stronghold In Pakistan; Becatoros, Ahmed ASSOCIATED PRESS
US, Syria resuming talks about ’stability’ in Iraq; Schweid ASSOCIATED PRESS
U.S. LOCAL:
No Coverage
OF NOTE:
Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Influential Founder of Special Olympics, Dies at 88; Baranauckas NEW YORK TIMES
Money Sent Home by Latin American Expatriates to Drop; Jordan WALL STREET JOURNAL
Officials see rise in militia groups across U.S.; Sullivan ASSOCIATED PRESS
TOP BLOGS:
On Private Conference Call, Tea Party Organizers Say No Reform At All Is Goal; Sargent PLUM LINE BLOG
AARP checks Obama; POLITICO’S 44 BLOG
Despite Bush urging, Heller won’t run; Martin POLITICO’S SMITH BLOG
Corzine still struggling; Kraushaar POLITICO’S SCORECARD BLOG
Liberals should know something is amiss in their thinking when a Democratic Senator pushes back against liberal ads with one of his own. Keep in mind Nelson is not even up for reelection next year.
Big day in Nevada Senate news.
First, a poll out this morning from Vitale & Associates shows that if Sue Lowden, the Nevada Republican Party chairwoman, were to run against Sen. Harry Reid, she would be favored by a margin of 48% to 42% (MoE 4.4%). Lowden has not yet decided to enter the race, but it’s being reported this afternoon that Rep. Dean Heller (R) has decided not to run. This comes as a surprise to some party insiders. Internal polling shows Heller nine points ahead of Reid, but with today’s poll indicating Lowden is also a threat to the Majority Leader, it’s likely she will jump into the race soon with the field cleared of her toughest primary opponent. While Reid plans to spend nearly $25 million on his campaign, this may not help him as his popularity continues to plummet.
Most noteworthy from the poll:
In three Reid-related categories — image, approval and whether they would vote to re-elect — respondents gave the senator a thumbs down. Just 39 percent viewed Reid favorably, and 34 percent said they would vote to re-elect him.
“All of those are very, very telling pieces of information,” said Vitale, who has been a pollster for 15 years. “I’ve never seen an incumbent with numbers this bad who hadn’t had some scandal.”
When a challenger boldly pursues the incumbent’s base, it’s typically a good sign an incumbent is in trouble. This is now the case in New Jersey, where Republican Chris Christie has polled far ahead of Gov. Jon Corzine (D) for months. As the candidates head into the home stretch of this campaign, the Republican Governors Association is sponsoring television ads targeting environmentally-conscious voters. The ad cites the Sierra Club’s criticism of Corzine. Additionally, the RGA is launching radio ads targeting Hispanic voters. With Christie already winning nearly one in five Democratic votes, the RGA’s ads will solidify his lead.
This is a significant development from a broader perspective, as well. Chris Cillizza explains:
The RGA would not release detailed expenditure information about their latest buy but the symbolism is clear: national Republicans view the New Jersey race as a chance to roll up a major victory in a blue state and, in doing so, send a message to party regulars and voters more broadly that GOP candidates can win even among traditionally Democratic groups.
By proving they are the party of ideas, Republicans can gain the edge in other blue states. New Jersey is an excellent test case for next year. Christie is offering Garden State voters a message of market-friendly environmental policies, tough spending controls, and government reform. These are issues that resonate across the spectrum. The Christie campaign’s message is one that other Republicans will want to replicate in 2010.