Today: Ciro's back in ....Another House Republican turns on Rumsfeld.... Allan Litchman's "Letter From A Baltimore Jail"....and much more...
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The Brunch is an exclusive Saturday political news digest and tip sheet from the editors of the Hotline.
WHAT'S BREWING
A key line from the "gloomy" Pentagon report: "Sustained ethno-sectarian violence is the greatest threat to security and stability in Iraq." The violence killed 72 yesterday. Overall, a steep rise in the number of casualties.
The dip in the unemployment rate is being called "welcome news" for the White House.
The House Democratic leadership agrees on a campaign tactic. From a letter sent to Speaker Hastert: "For Members of Congress to hit the campaign trail while urgent national needs remain unmet would be a serious abdication of our responsibilities as elected officials. We reject assertions that the people's business can wait until after the November election. Therefore, until Congress passes legislation that meets the real needs of the American people, House Democrats will actively resist adjournment."
Look, we understand that most of the big picture stories in today's Brunch are not positive for the GOP. This trove of bad news suggests that a bandwagon effect is being generated, and the press can't help but pile on. Here's another: "Voter Discontent In Indiana Could Hurt GOP."
The New York Times ponders why Karl Rove's word is "no longer gospel" in the GOP. "The diminishment in Mr. Rove's influence reflects the fact that his power is to some extent a function of Mr. Bush's popularity. In some cases, Republican candidates have made a deliberate strategic decision that the way to win is to distance themselves from the White House. But a central problem, Republicans said, is that Mr. Rove is seen as juggling two potentially conflicting agendas: Protecting the president's legacy and taking steps to help Republican candidates win re-election." Also:
"They have decided to focus the majority of White House resources on defending embattled Republican House and Senate members in six crucial states, said party officials who did want to be identified discussing internal deliberations. As of now, those states are Connecticut, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington, though officials said the battle lines could shift in the coming weeks."
It's a little weird that the only Democrat we've seen condemn that "Death of the President" film is ex-MO gov/MO Dem chair Roger Wilson.
Bob Novak's Saturday column has items on George Allen, President Bush's legislative wish list, and Howard Dean.
Meet has Santorum/Casey. George has Biden and goes on the road with Chafee and Laffey. Face hosts McConnell and Howard Dean. Wolf has Shays, James Hoffa and Iraqi deputy PM Barham Salih. Fox News Sunday has Dole and Schumer.
Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) hopes that his state's tough new regulations on stem cell research will head off an Orwellian future. *** Romney "secret" vacation partner in Alaska: Gov. Matt Blunt of MO.
Mark Barabak asks whether a "recast" HRC -- a bipartisan deliverer for her state -- can win over the nation?
Ex-VA Gov. Mark Warner tours Ames, IA. *** In Cedar Rapids, IA, Sen. Maj. Leader Bill Frist touts his support of an online gambling ban. *** Homestate love for Gov. Tom Vilsack's renewable energy record. *** Nevada basks in the spotlight of its new caucus.
RNC senior adviser/BC04 pollster Matthew Dowd participates in an RNC bookcast. Dowd's Applebee's America, co-authrored with ex-AP political reporter Ron Fournier and Doug Sosnik, is in bookstores now.
Cultural critic Lee Seigel has been suspended by The New Republic for pseudonymously defending his own work. (Sock puppetry strikes again.)
Are voters becoming free agents?
Labor's political mobilization: "A Perfect Storm On A Perfect Map?"
The Hotline congratulates ABC News political correspondent Jake Tapper on his wedding to the lovely Jennifer Brown. The two will be joined in matrimony tomorrow at the Clubhouse on Baltimore in Kansas CIty, MO. The two met at the Hotel Ft. Des Moines on caucus night in 2004. Carrying the chuppah will be the Washington Post's Terry Neal , Max Culhane of ABC News, MSNBC's Tucker Carlson and AU law student Abigal Tibbs.
'06 SENATE RACES
The Club For Growth may not be as optimistic about RI SEN (for Laffey) as many Laffey partisans are. The Club just pumped another $165K into the race, and exec. dir David Keating doesn't seem to think that Laffey is doing everything he can to win. Meanwhile, the Club promises three new Senate endorsements on Tuesday.
WA: There's more to the '93 DUI incident than Mike McGavick may have said, according to the Seattle Post-Intelligencer. More evidence of the "smart voter" phenom: Friday self-oppo dumps just don't work anymore.
OH: The DSCC helps Rep. Sherrod Brown call attention to the ways he's helped middle class taxpayers.
VA: Rev. Jerry Fallwell gives James Webb an A-. We're not sure if Fallwell still moves votes outside of Lynchburg, but still...
MD: Allan Lichtman's Letter From A Balitmore Jail. "I am a Democratic candidate for U. S. Senate in Maryland and a University professor, teaching for 33 years. Yet I write to you from a Baltimore County jail. I write from memory because the jailer allows no paper, no pen or pencil in his cell. I am in jail because I put my body on the line to uphold the right of the people to choose their United States Senator from Maryland, not have their Senator chosen for them by media chieftains or organization heads. I am in jail because I protested the arbitrary and restrictive decisions made by the Maryland League of Women Voters (MLWV), Maryland Public Television (MPT), and public radio station WAMU to exclude from the most important televised debate of the campaign, significant candidates with fresh ideas for the voters to hear and weigh: myself, Josh Rales, and Dennis Rasmussen."
'06 GOVERNORS RACES
GA: PeachPundit is covering what is turning into a remarkable story in Georgia: "The evidence is conclusive: In 2005, Georgia legislators quietly smuggled language into an otherwise routine tax bill that gave one particular Georgia taxpayer a special tax deferral worth more than $100,000. The taxpayer in question was Gov. Sonny Perdue, the man who signed the bill into law on April 12, 2005, and shortly thereafter signed his state tax return taking advantage of that special legislation."
FL: Does Rod Smith read his daily clips? Does he know that the FL press corps is doing everything it can to prevent Big Sugar from handing him a primary victory on 9/12?
WI: The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel editorial board agrees with Rep. Mark Green that the state election board's judgment against him was wrong.
AL: "The Alabama Democratic Party started airing an ad Friday that accuses Republican Gov. Bob Riley of lying about campaign contributions tied to gambling." (and Abramoff/Scanlon, in particular)
'06 HOUSE RACES
TX 23: Ex-Rep. Ciro Rodriguez does an about face: he's back in. "I'm basing this on a lot of heart and a lot of emotion. We might lose this thing. But if we don't make that effort, we can't say anything. Just shut up."
OH 12: Rep. Pat Tiberi: (R): "I can’t defend how the president laid out the need for [going to war in Iraq]. I don’t support Rumsfeld."
CO 05: Could a Democrat really win in the home district of Focus on the Family? Could outgoing Rep. Joel Hefley really endorse Dem Jay Fawcett? Maybe. Maybe.
NV 02: From Jon Ralston: "Failed congressional candidate Sharron Angle loses bid for new election, says she won't appeal."
A cookie-cutter AARP survey oopsie.
CROSSING OUR TRANSOM
What's the plan for next week? Ken Mehlman proposed the us v. them message back in '05, and it's stuck. Expect more of the same. Here's a line: "Republicans are for the tools that keep us safe, lower taxes, energy independence, fiscal restraint..." The Senate starts with DoD approps, then the Bolton nomination, then port security, the NSA wiretap/terrorist surveillance legislation, Hamdan/detainee legislation, and, possibly, appeals court judges.
Dems will pound the drums daily on national security. Here's a line: "This do-nothing congress has had 20 months to get the real work of the people done and they've been too busy focusing on Terri Schiavo, right wing judges, and a tax cut for the richest of the rich."
POTUS on Monday stops at the Paul Hall Center for Maritime Training and Education ctr in Piney Point, MD. Tuesday, Bush meets with the Amir of Kuwait and then delivers another speech about the war on terror. He meets with his cabinet Wednesday. There's another terror speech Thursday. Bush ends with the week his campaign appearances on behalf of Max Burns, Jim Talent and Mike Bouchard. On Sunday, 9/10, he's in New York City.
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Two stories I don't see here:
1. The Software Lumber Agreement, when the text is read closely, creates a $450 million slush fund for Bush. (That's the money for the October surprise, assuming the Canadian Parliament cooperates.)
2. London Times: Israel reorganizes Army, plans to attack Syria and Iran, blessed by Richard Perle. (That is the October Surprise.)
al Qaeda #2 caught in Iraq is ex Mukhabarat in Saddam Hussein's regime?
Yes, so were forty other al Qaeda leaders.
So much for the "they would NEVER work together" argument.
Links here...
http://regimeofterror.com/archives/2006/09/terrorizing_baghdad_together/
http://regimeofterror.com/archives/2006/05/former_baathists_found_working/