June 2009

Norm Coleman concedes:

And Al Franken celebrates:

In an interview this afternoon with On Call, MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) said that he finds SC Gov. Mark Sanford's (R) predicament "pretty sad and troubling," but that "somebody who is involved in that kind of situation would have a hard time making it as a candidate" for the WH.

"I don't think any party would want to knowingly nominate somebody with that kind of baggage," Pawlenty said when asked if adultery should disqualify a WH candidate. But he added: "I think that's up to the voters, ultimately."

Pawlenty has been in Washington since Saturday for the Global Education Competitiveness Summit and is slated to return to MN this evening. He spoke with On Call shortly before today's long-awaited MN Supreme Court decision naming entertainer Al Franken (D) the winner of the MN SEN contest. The interview was also conducted before an AP report quoted Sanford saying he had "crossed lines" with women other than his Argentinean mistress.

Pawlenty called ex-Sen. Norm Coleman (R) a "very dynamic leader" and a "great thinker" who will "have unlimited opportunities inside or outside of politics." He also told On Call that while he's not endorsing anyone yet in the next MN GOV race, if Coleman did become governor, "he'd be a good one."

Pawlenty, a potential '12 presidential candidate, added that he has not met with any members of the nat'l GOP leadership during his visit to the nation's capital.

(FELICIA SONMEZ)

In a victory speech after the MN Supreme Court announced him the winner of the state's '08 SEN contest, entertainer Al Franken (D) told supporters outside his Minneapolis home that it's time for the state unite and that he's grateful for the patience of voters.

"I am so excited to finally get to work for the people of Minnesota," he said.

Franken said he received a "very gracious call" from ex-Sen. Norm Coleman (R) and that the two "agreed that it is time to bring this state together."

"Over the last eight months," Franken continued, "Minnesotans have earned the right to take pride in the transparency and the thoroughness of our process and in the integrity of our election officials."

With wife Franni by his side, Franken said he is "thrilled and honored" by the faith voters have placed in him and humbled by the responsibilities of the office. Though Franken will provide Dems with a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, he said his priority is to represent Minnesotans.

"The way I see it, I'm not going to Washington to be the 60th Democratic senator," he said. "I'm going to Washington to be the second senator from the state of Minnesota, and that's how I'm going to do this job. I promise to do my best, to work hard, to stand on principle when I believe I must, and yes, to compromise when I believe that that is in the best interest of the people of Minnesota."

RNC Chair Michael Steele weighed in on Norm Coleman's decision to concede the MN SEN race, saying he is "deeply disappointed" in the decision made by the state Supreme Court and shares the "frustration" of MN's voters.

"At the core of our democracy lies two concrete principles: No valid vote should go uncounted and all votes should be treated equally," he said. "Sadly, those principles were not adhered to during this election. While I would have proudly stood behind Norm Coleman had he chosen to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, I know that his decision to withdraw from this race was not an easy one, but one that he felt was the best decision for the people of Minnesota. For the last six years, Norm represented the people of Minnesota with distinction, earning a much deserved reputation as one of the hardest-working members of Congress. I, on behalf of all Republicans, thank him for his service and will miss his leadership in Washington."

Sources say Dem Al Franken will be sworn in early next week.

Developing.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) says he will certify Al Franken (D) as the winner of the '08 MN SEN contest:

"The Minnesota Supreme Court has today addressed the issues surrounding the accuracy and integrity of our election system during the 2008 U.S. Senate race in Minnesota. In light of that decision and Senator Coleman's announcement that he will not be pursuing an appeal, I will be signing the election certificate today as directed by the court and applicable law.

"I would like to thank Senator Coleman for his service. As state solicitor general, Mayor of Saint Paul and United States Senator, he has been an extraordinary leader and public servant for Minnesota.

"I also want to congratulate Al Franken and wish him well as he serves the people of Minnesota."

The WH waited until after ex-Sen. Norm Coleman (R) conceded to issue a statement congratulating Sen.-elect Al Franken (D).

Pres. Obama: "I look forward to working with Senator-Elect Franken to build a new foundation for growth and prosperity by lowering health care costs and investing in the kind of clean energy jobs and industries that will help America lead in the 21st century."

Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) today ended his '08 re-election bid after a pricey eight-month legal fight against Dem Al Franken.

"I will abide by its result," Coleman said of the MN Supreme Court decision issued earlier this afternoon. "I join all Minnesotans in congratulating our newest United States senator, Al Franken," he added, noting that he had called the ex-SNL star to wish him well and concede.

Coleman said he's "forever grateful and humbled that the people of Minnesota have given me the honor to represent them." He said that times are challenging and that he "never believed my service is irreplaceable."

"We all need to focus on the future and the future today is that we have a new United States senator," he said.

Coleman also thanked Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and her staff for shouldering the burden over the last six months of representing the state without a partner in the Senate. He called Klobuchar "an extraordinary public servant."

"I don't reach this point with any big regrets," Coleman addedd.

His future, including a potential gubernatorial bid but, he said, "that's a subject for another day."

Coleman said his only focus now is whether he can catch some fish this summer.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

The MN Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in the MN SEN contest this afternoon, ruling that entertainer Al Franken (D) should be certified the winner of the Nov. '08 Senate race.

In a 5-0 decision, the court rejected ex-Sen. Norm Coleman's (R) argument that flaws in Election Day vote-counting violated due process and the constitutional guarantee to equal protection.

"Because we conclude that appellants have not shown that the trial court's findings of fact are clearly erroneous or that the court committed an error of law or abused its discretion, we affirm," the judges wrote in the decision. "... We affirm the decision of the trial court that Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled ... to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota."

National Republicans are saying quietly that the decision likely marks the end of the eight-month recount and legal process that has kept a pivotal Senate seat vacant. If Franken is certified, the Dems will have a 60-vote filibuster-proof majority in the Senate, giving the party -- and the Obama adminstration -- a critical advantage in pushing sweeping energy and health care initiatives, among other preferred legislation.

"I congratulate Senator-elect Al Franken, the next Senator from the state of Minnesota," said Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid in a statement. "The people of Minnesota will now finally get the brilliant and hardworking new senator they elected in November and the full representation they deserve. ... The Senate looks forward to welcoming Senator-elect Franken as soon as possible.

Reid urged MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) to certify Franken as the contest's winner. Pawlenty, as he considers his own political future and a possible '12 presidential bid, has said recently that he will abide by the decision of the state's highest court.

"I once again encourage Governor Pawlenty to respect the votes of his constituents and the decisions of his state's highest court," Reid added. "He should put politics aside, follow his state's laws and finally sign the certificate that will bring this episode to an end."

More than 2.9M Minnesotans cast ballots in the November general election, including approximately 300K who voted or attempted to vote by absentee ballot. At the end of November, the State Canvassing Board issued a report showing Coleman with a 206-vote edge, less than one-half of one percent of the total. After a recount, however, the advantage swung to Franken, who had a 312-vote lead, a measure that a three-judge panel affirmed in April. It is that count that the state's highest court today upheld.

Coleman has indicated a willingness to push the matter in federal court, but it seems the appetite among national Republicans for a prolonged battled has soured. Attentions are beginning to turn to the '10 midterm contests.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), chairman of the NRSC, has not yet issued a statement on the decision. But sources say privately the MN Supreme Court ruling will likely spell the end of the fight for Coleman, who must consider his career options -- including a possible bid for MN governor -- when he weighs how long to fight.

Pawlenty, in an interview with On Call today before the ruling was issued, said he was "hopeful" the state Supreme Court ruling would fall to Coleman, but that his future is bright regardless.

"He certainly would be a great governor," Pawlenty said. "I'm not endorsing anybody for governor because there's about ten Republicans running, and they're all my friends. ... That process will have to work itself out. I'm not sure Norm has expressed an interest in running for governor, but if he became governor, he'd be a good one."

Meanwhile, Coleman and Franken will hold press availabilities later this afternoon.

Loyola Law School prof. Richard Hasen, who specializes in election law and has been following the Coleman-Franken case closely, told On Call that the decision was "what we expected it was going to be." As for Coleman's next step, Hasen said there "will be pressure on him to concede."

Hasen said that Coleman has a 10-day window within which to either petition for a re-hearing with the State Supreme Court -- a move which Coleman likely won't take due to the slim chance for success -- or to ask for a stay of judgment with the SCOTUS. That request would be made to the designated justice for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, Justice Samuel Alito, who could then likely refer it to the full court. After the 10-day window, the MN Supreme Court's decision becomes final.

"Even putting aside the political implications of intervening in the election," Hasen said, "the legal arguments Coleman made were given a fair airing. His main argument relied on a pretty expansive reading of Bush v. Gore, and that's a case the U.S. Supreme Court has not touched with a ten-foot pole."

(FELICIA SONMEZ)

Norm Coleman will hold a media avail at his St. Paul home at 4 p.m. ET, and Dem Al Franken will address reporters on the steps of his Minneapolis abode at 5:15 p.m. ET.

Eight months after the '08 election, will these events mark the last dueling pressers between the rivals?

We think so. GOPers are quietly saying this is the end of the road. Especially with a unanimous decision.

No word yet from NRSC Chair John Cornyn.

SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R) tells the AP -- just as long awaited word breaks of the MN Supreme Court's decision in the state's contested Senate contest -- that he has "crossed lines" with women other than his Argentinean mistress over the course of his marriage.

The AP:

SC Gov. Mark Sanford says he "crossed lines" with a handful of women other than his mistress -- but never had sex with them.

The governor says he "never crossed the ultimate line" with anyone but Maria Belen Chapur, the Argentine at the center of a scandal that has derailed Sanford's once-promising political career.

During an emotional interview at his Statehouse office with The Associated Press on Tuesday, Sanford said Chapur is his soul mate but he's trying to fall back in love with his wife.

He says that during the other encounters he "let his guard down" with some physical contact but "didn't cross the sex line." He wouldn't go into detail.

Sanford said the casual encounters happened outside the U.S. while he was married but before he met Chapur.

When exactly will we hear the bell tolling?

Can you say Gov. Andre Bauer?

DSCC Chairman Robert Menendez says MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) should "do the right thing, follow the law" and certify Dem Al Franken's victory.

"Congratulations to Senator-elect Franken for today's courtroom victory affirming his electoral victory. As we've seen over the past 238 days, no matter how many times Norm Coleman goes to court, the result of the election never changes: Al Franken earned more votes than Norm Coleman. Al Franken was elected to the Senate and he ought to be able to get to work for the people of Minnesota. We've always said that Norm Coleman deserved his day in court, and he got eight months. Now we expect Governor Pawlenty to do the right thing, follow the law, and sign the election certificate. From health care to the Supreme Court to getting our economy moving again, the challenges facing us are complex and we need Al Franken in the Senate. In this historic and urgent moment in our history, Minnesotans have gone long enough without full representation. Al Franken will be an (sic) critical voice on the issues before us and it's time to let him get to work."

Read the MN Supreme Court decision affirming Al Franken's (D) win in the '08 Senate contest.

(Star Tribune photo)

Decision was 5-0 in favor of Dem Al Franken over GOPer Norm Coleman in the MN Senate race, according to sources. More to come ...

Maybe Gov. Mark Sanford was so overwhelmed by his own emotions upon first confessing to an extramarital affair that he forgot when mention all the meetings with his eventual mistress:

In a lengthy and emotional interview with The Associated Press in his Statehouse office, the governor described five meetings with Maria Belen Chapur over the past year, including two romantic, multi-night stays with her in New York before they met there again intending to break up.

He said he met her two other times - their first meeting in 2001 at an open-air dance spot in Uruguay and a coffee date in New York in 2004 during the Republican National Convention. He said neither time was romantic.

For those waiting for a firm and resounding cry across SC politics for Sanford to step down, this latest development is probably not the other shoe dropping. But any misstatement of fact by the governor inspires questions about other details possibly missing from Sanford's tale.

Read on.

Al Gore sent a fundraising appeal to the DSCC email list today in which he suggests that Pres. Obama's "change" agenda could be in jeopardy in the midterm elections:

In 1992, Democrats had finally regained the White House and had control of Congress. Everything was in place to bring about historic change.

But in 1994 - just two years later - the Republicans surged back, capturing the Senate and the House. As a result, every bit of progress was a struggle, and Republicans blocked many important initiatives entirely.

We can't let it happen again, but history is not on our side. In all but three midterm elections since the Civil War, the president's party has lost seats.

I guarantee you that the other side will be organized - I've seen it before. If they do it again, the results would be disastrous.

For a $5 donation, supporters will receive a "Change Starts With Me" car magnet. Gore's full email is available after the jump.

Given VF's tell-all piece today about Gov. Sarah Palin's penchant for taking disagreements personally and seeking vengeance, we think her most recent Tweets, each written about 18 hours ago, are worth a read:

Palin: "TN proceedings begin tomorrow re: democrat lawmaker's son's hacking my & my family's personal, private email then broadcasting them on net."

Palin: "Is it ok to hack emails? Go thru someone's mail & broadcast what you stole? Nope, not ok to most Americans.TN proceedings tomorrow to decide"

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Don't miss today's finer stories:

Dana Milbank ably charts Justice David Souter's final day on the SCOTUS:

Because of Souter's quiet ways (he uttered all of 200 words in his farewell yesterday), it's easy to forget how different the country would be today if this unmarried recluse from the North hadn't decamped long ago to join the court's liberal wing. Had he remained the conservative that President George H.W. Bush thought he was getting when he nominated Souter in 1990, there's every possibility that abortion would be illegal in the United States today, that the Ten Commandments would be displayed throughout schools and courthouses, and that the law of the land on any number of issues -- guns, terrorism, race -- would be different.

Members of Sen. John McCain's '08 team lament the selection of Sarah Palin as his runningmate, reported by VF's Todd Purdum:

As Palin has piled misstep on top of misstep, the senior members of McCain's campaign team have undergone a painful odyssey of their own. In recent rounds of long conversations, most made it clear that they suffer a kind of survivor's guilt: they can't quite believe that for two frantic months last fall, caught in a Bermuda Triangle of a campaign, they worked their tails off to try to elect as vice president of the United States someone who, by mid-October, they believed for certain was nowhere near ready for the job, and might never be. They quietly ponder the nightmare they lived through. Do they ever ask, What were we thinking? "Oh, yeah, oh, yeah," one longtime McCain friend told me with a rueful chuckle. "You nailed it." Another key McCain aide summed up his attitude this way: "I guess it's sort of shifted," he said. "I always wanted to tell myself the best-case story about her." Even now, he said, "I don't want to get too negative." Then he added, "I think, as I've evaluated it, I think some of my worst fears ... the after-election events have confirmed that her more negative aspects may have been there ... " His voice trailed off. "I saw her as a raw talent. Raw, but a talent. I hoped she could become better."

The AP writes that Gov. Mark Sanford's paramour is private and no pushover:

Maria Belen Chapur has successfully eluded the news media since South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford revealed their yearlong affair last week. Friends and family have enfolded her and her boys in a protective cocoon, and the only image of her is a grainy, 8-year-old video from her brief moment in front of the cameras as a television reporter in New York.

Other than a 200-word statement denouncing a hacker's "evil act" of leaking her passionate e-mail correspondence with Sanford, Chapur has maintained her silence.

"I won't speak about my private life as it just belongs to me," she wrote to a former television colleague. "It has already been made too public during these last days, bringing to me even more pain."

And The State, in an opinion piece, suggests SC LG Andre Bauer should stay in his job and not, despite his efforts to push Sanford out of office, ascend to gov:

Nor is it responsible to overlook what we know about Mr. Bauer as a person. Mr. Sanford acted in a grossly irresponsible way for one week. Mr. Bauer's fits of irresponsibility and self-dealing have been a hallmark of his tenure: He intimidated the Transportation Department into paying him more than double its original offer for a sliver of land to widen a highway, and then "forgot" to report that sale as required by law. He barreled down Columbia's Assembly Street at speeds up to 60 mph, running two red lights and so startling a police officer that he felt the need to pull a gun on Mr. Bauer. He used a police radio to try to call off troopers when he was driving 101 mph on his way home from a political event in a state car and, when that failed, escaped without even a warning by making the trooper think he was a high-ranking law enforcement officer. Even before he was elected, he sent out campaign flyers designed to make it look like all the GOP gubernatorial candidates had endorsed him (they had not), and then bragged about his trickery.

"World News" and "Evening News" both led with the Bernie Madoff sentencing. "Nightly News" led with Michael Jackson's death.

Last night's guests weighed in on the SCOTUS reversing the New Haven firefighters case decision endorsed by SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

FNC's Hume, on why the ruling is "likely to deal no more than a glancing blow" to Sotomayor's confirmation prospects: "For one thing, the court was narrowly divided with four justices basically agreeing with Judge Sotomayor's position. That hardly constitutes a stinging rebuke. Sotomayor had also been criticized for failing to address serious constitutional questions raised by this case, in which white firefighters were effectively denied promotions based on their skin color. But the Supreme Court did not address those constitutional questions either."

More Hume: "I just think that on the basis of this case, the court, short of affirming what she had done, did her about as much good as they could do" ("Special Report," 6/29).

NBC's P. Williams: "While the majority does reverse her today, they don't come down on her like a ton of bricks. There's no wording in this ruling today saying, man, were they ever wrong" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 6/29).

CNN's Borger: "It does give her critics some new ammunition to say that she's a judicial activist, that she rules based on empathy rather than the law. However, her supporters will say that what this proves today is that it's just the opposite. That, in fact, the Second Circuit, including Judge Sotomayor, followed precedent, and that what the Supreme Court did today was offer a new interpretation of the civil rights law. So, this is clearly something we're going to be hearing more about" ("Situation Room," 6/29).

After the jump, WH press sec. Robert Gibbs on "Don't ask, don't tell" and SC LG Andre Bauer's (R) pressure on SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R) to resign.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

The SEIU of VA endorsed Dem state Sen. Creigh Deeds' bid for GOV today, saying he would be a better advocate for working families.

"The national economic crisis has left too many families in the Commonwealth reeling, despite the fact that Virginia is currently in much better shape than much of the nation," said SEIU Sec.-Treas. Anna Burger. "Hardworking women and men simply cannot afford to slip any farther behind in this economy, and they want their next governor to not just understand their concerns but to fight for them. Senator Deeds has an impressive record fighting on behalf of working families and has earned his reputation as a consensus builder who the working families of Virginia can count on."

The endorsement is not surprising, of course. SEIU typically endorses Dems; during VA's contested Dem primary, SEIU local with members in VA, 32BJ, backed rival Terry McAuliffe for GOV.

SEIU in VA has 5K members.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

With calls for SC Gov. Mark Sanford's ouster coming from just a smattering of Dem lawmakers, LG Andre Bauer (R) raised the stakes today in an effort to improve his chances to replace the gov., suggesting he would serve out Sanford's term but not run in '10 for the state's top job.

"We are at an impasse now because it's all about 2010 and the next governor's race, and I don't see anyone being an adult," Bauer told CNN today in an exclusive interview.

Bauer, one of at least four GOPers considering a GOV bid, told CNN that he had spoken with GOP leaders in the state Senate, many of whom are staunch opponents of Sanford.

"What it would do is it would get the politics out of it," Bauer said. "The people that are so concerned for their own political future about running for governor, would no longer be worried if I came in and became governor, because I would just say, 'You know what? This is bigger than politics. I will go and lead in for the next 18 months and not run for re-election.'"

Bauer has few fans, though, in Columbia. Whispers about his lack of maturity, reckless driving and bachelor status are rampant. And many observers believe that lawmakers will ultimately opt to keep the devil they know, a philandering gov, over the devil they don't. Bauer.

"With only a little over a year left in his administration, we wouldn't have time to break in an administration and orient a new governor," said Richard Quinn, the well-known SC consultant, in an interview with On Call.

Quinn, some say, is a key figure in the underground push to keep Sanford, who hasn't given any indication that he intends to resign. Quinn has worked in the past for state AG Henry McMaster (R), a likely candidate for GOV next year, and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC). McMaster has kept mostly mum about the Sanford affair revelations, even though his office could be at the helm of any investigation. Should Bauer become gov and abandon his promise today not to seek another term, he'd have the benefit of incumbency on his side in next year's election.

Meanwhile, Graham has offered critical support for Sanford, saying again today that he deserves another shot at winning voters' trust.

"I'm asking people to give him a chance," Graham said. "If he wants to stay on, I support him. I think we can move past this as a state."

Everyone in SC with a possible say in Sanford's fate is assessing the 'Should he stay or should he go?' query through the prism of the upcoming election, said Will Folks, editor of the SC political blog Fitsnews.com.

Folks, who was Sanford's spokesman from '01 to '05, told On Call that McMaster and others have downplayed any talk of an investigation because they "don't want to throw any bit of weight on the scale that would force the governor to resign." Folks said he has told Sanford privately to step down, but he said, too, that Bauer "would set the reform movement in South Carolina back decades."

"At no point has he ever embraced any of the ideas that the governor has pushed for," Folks said.

Others view Bauer's maneuvering as a crass play to boost the cry for Sanford's resignation - an effort to change the storyline from 'Should he resign?' to 'What happens when he resigns?'

"I think the question is I think it sort of preempts the more fundamental question about whether Sanford should resign," Quinn said. "That's the first question to consider. Whether the situation that exists is one that should cause Sanford to resign."

Tim Pearson, a spokesman for Republican Nikki Haley's '10 gubernatorial campaign, said Bauer would be a "step backward" for the reform movement and that allowing him to become governor would "not a good thing for the state."

GOPers also said Bauer's suggestion is premature. It requires a two-thirds vote of the state House and Senate to impeach in SC. And while that might by a longshot be achievable in the Senate, it's unlikely in the House.

Bauer's declaration today, while timed to the week's events, wasn't his first to limit his service to SC. In May '06, while a candidate for re-election as LG, Bauer told The Greenville News that after his second term as LG he would walk away from politics.

"You're going to be looking at David Wilkins, Bobby Harrell and Gresham Barrett race, and it's going to cost millions and millions of dollars," he said of the '10 contest. "That just isn't my fight. I'd love to go out as the lieutenant governor who really changed the lifestyles of seniors in South Carolina."

He added: "I wouldn't say that sometime later on in life I wouldn't look at another office, but I don't think it wouldn't (sic) be governor. There are other areas than governor I'd rather serve."

So Bauer said then that he wouldn't look past the LG job. And now he's suggesting 18 months in the gov's mansion would be plenty.

Who's buying?

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

As the ongoing CA budget crisis threatens to bring the world's fifth-largest economy to the brink of meltdown, CA Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has been using Twitter this weekend to repeat his threat to veto any deal that doesn't balance the state's budget. And as their GOP colleagues have done with major policy battles in the Congress, members of the GOP minority in the state legislature are using Twitter to broadcast their message over the heads of the usually dominant voice of the Dem majority.

The combined GOP effort is aims to stoke the fire of the base as lawmakers consider a looming state shutdown.

For their part, the few state Dems WOTT could find on Twitter are also acting much like their counterparts in DC, largely staying out of the debate on the microblogging service and (presumably) leaving the message war to their leaders and more traditional outlets.

A look at the GOP tweets from the past 24 hours (all times EST):

State Sen. George Runner (R-17): "http://twitter.com/georgerunner/statuses/2375900468" 6/28, 4:20 PM

Assemblyman Anthony Adams (R-59) "More than ever, we need you Guv. The illegal taxes and fees are apparently coming your way. Veto, veto, veto." 6/28, 9:15 PM

Schwarzenegger "Eating a boxed dinner in my office at the Capitol. It's crunch time now and we have to work until we have a budget." 6/29, 12:22 AM

Schwarzenegger: "I won't sign a budget that raises taxes. I'd like to hear the legislature explain why they're doing drills the day before our deadline" 6/29, 1:17 PM

Assemblyman Ted Gaines (R-4): "The guv is right by saying: why is the legislature doing partisan tax drills the day before the budget deadline??" 6/29, 1:59 PM

State Sen. Bob Huff(R-29): "We are debating SB16xxx which is a majority vote version of the 2/3 version voted down last week. Lacks $5B in addtl cuts put up by Governor" 6/29, 2:21 PM

Ball's In Your Court, Arnie

An example of a CA Dem tweet:

Assemblyman Tony Mendoza (D-59): "Just got home from our Budget Session votes. Sent majority vote budget bills to the Senate. Then Gov decides if he wants to veto or approve" 6/29, 2:48 AM

WOTT provides a carefully selected slice of tweets written by political leaders, ex-politicians and candidates for office nationwide. Hotline subscribers can read the best overnight tweets in our AM edition.

Do you have a favorite political tweep you think should be added to our list? Email us at hotlinetwitter@nationaljournal.com.

Follow Hotline on Twitter: twitter.com/thehotline.

On Call aside: all tweets are reproduced exactly as they appeared.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

FL Gov. Charlie Crist (R), the establishment's pick to fill Sen. Mel Martinez's seat, issued a fundraising request wrapped around this weekend's July 4th celebration.

In the email request Crist reminds voters that it's he, not Marco Rubio, the other GOPer in the contest, who has the support of national Republicans:

I am honored to have the support of Republican leaders such as U.S. Senators Lamar Alexander, John Cornyn, Mitch McConnell, Mel Martinez, John McCain, Lindsey Graham, and my friend and mentor former U.S. Senator Connie Mack.

The full letter is available after the jump.

A judge sentenced Bernie Madoff, convicted of conducting the largest Ponzi scheme in history, to 150 years.

The New York Post's headline:

"Bernie Madoff To Rot In Jail" ...

The SCOTUS ruled today in favor of the white New Haven firefighters who were denied promotions because of their race, overturning a lower court decision made by Pres. Obama's SCOTUS appointee Sonia Sotomayor and handing Republicans a potentially charged issue in advance of her confirmation hearings.

The GOP has been digging for a matter around which members could rally against Sotomayor, and while the Ricci case is hardly a slam dunk, it might have legs for two reasons:

1. It shows that the majority of Sotomayor's would-be colleagues disagreed with her verdict; and,

2. The matter, freighted with racial implications, could be pitched by the GOP to harken back to the other item still hovering over Sotomayor's thus far smooth rollout -- her remarks about the ability of a "wise" Latina woman to make a "better" decision than a white man.

The Supreme Court's 5-4 ruling "could alter employment practices nationwide and make it harder to prove discrimination when there is no evidence it was intentional," according to the New York Times.

The RNC has already released a statement suggesting that the nation's highest court has only upheld two of seven of Sotomayor's decisions to reach the SCOTUS on appeal.

Certainly the Democrats have the numbers still to push through the appointment -- especially if Al Franken (D) is certified and seated as MN's second U.S. senator before the hearings commence. But the right was looking desperately for substantive fodder to use to oppose the woman who would be the first Hispanic on the court. And this, at least, provides entry to a line of questioning about affirmative action and race that the GOP wouldn't have had otherwise.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

The House passed the Dem climate-change legislation late today by a slim 219-212 margin, largely with the help of the eight GOPers who voted for it. NJ provided three of the GOP votes for the measure, and the only surprise on this list is Rep. Chris Smith (NJ-04), who while he keeps a relatively moderate vote record on fiscal issues, his CD went for John McCain in '08. Still, Dems hoped to target him in '08, and may do so again in '10.

For Dems, the list is a mix of the usual conservative votes, along with a few liberals like Rep. Dennis Kucinich (OH-10), who thought the bill didn't go far enough on the issue. Otherwise -- besides the size of the list -- there aren't too many surprises on this list.

The full list of Dem "No" votes and GOP "Yes" votes is included after the jump.

House Race Hotline editor Tim Sahd takes a look each Friday at the top five House stories of the week. Here are this week's big newsmakers, brought to you by Friday House Cleaning.

5. AL-02: No Love

'08 nominee Jay Love (R) decided against a rematch against Rep. Bobby Bright (D) this week, meaning he won't face highly touted Montgomery Councilor Martha Roby (R) in the primary. This wasn't an unexpected move, but surely comes as welcome news for a party that will need all the breaks it can get if it's going to knock off the conservative Bright.

Roby, like Love hails from Montgomery. That's both a blessing and a curse. In '08, Bright cleaned up in Montgomery, and also performed well enough in the conservative "Wiregrass" region to hold on to a 2K-vote CD-wide win. Bright has roots in that region, and if Roby is going to win, she'll need to perform much better than Love did in that area, as well as take more votes out of Bright's base of Montgomery.

Here are the scheduled guests for the Sunday public affairs shows and other weekend programs:

SUNDAY:

Meet the Press hosts WH sr. adviser David Axelrod, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney, and features a roundtable with New York Times' David Brooks, Washington Post's E.J. Dionne, GOP strategist Mike Murphy and ex-WH press sec. Dee Dee Myers.

Face the Nation hosts U.N. Amb. Susan Rice and MS Gov. Haley Barbour (R).

This Week hosts Axelrod and features a roundtable with New York Times' Paul Krugman, Wall Street Journal's Peggy Noonan, The Nation's Katrina vanden Heuvel.

Fox News Sunday hosts HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell and Gen. Ray Odierno.

State of the Union hosts Odierno, MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R), GOP strategist Mary Matalin, Dem strategist James Carville, BP Capital chair/CEO T. Boone Pickens (see below for guests on SOTU's Reliable Sources segment).

See other weekend shows after the jump.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with Michael Jackson's death.

When Michael Jackson's death wasn't being discussed, talk centered around SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R), and the revelation he visited his Argentine mistress during a state-funded trip to South America in '08.

CNN's Hill: "A day after confessing to an extramarital affair, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford today admitting he saw his mistress in Argentina a year ago, while there on a government-funded trip. In a statement he promised to reimburse the state for what he called a mistake" ("AC 360," 6/25).

CNN's Yellin: "The fact that he has now acknowledged that he visited with this woman while he was on a taxpayer-funded trip certainly raises the political stakes for him and the pressure on his future in politics" ("Situation Room," 6/25).

CNN's Borger, on whether the issues are "over" for Sanford if he reimburses the state for his '08 Argentina trip: "No, I don't think it is, because what it is an admission that he did something that he should not have done. And I think this gives his political opponents, many of whom are in the Republican Party in that state, an opportunity to perhaps say that we ought to impeach him. And while it's early to talk about that, nobody has called for that at this particular point, I think that this does give them an opening" ("Situation Room," 6/25).

After the jump, more on Sanford and the possibly nat'l implications of his indiscretions.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

Mark Sanford paid for last week's trip to Argentina and intends to build back the trust of South Carolinians.

But his trade mission "rendezvous" with Maria might hamper that process.

NJ gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie (R) defended his record as U.S. attorney during a "testy" congressional hearing.

The SCOTUS ruled that a 13-yr-old girl's rights were violated when she was strip searched at school. Officials thought she was hiding ibuprofen in her underwear. The decision was 8-1.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) said he'll vote against Sonia Sotomayor's appointment to the SCOTUS.

Sandy Berger and Madeline Albright link their shops.

And in celebrity news, a pair of untimely deaths. Actress Farrah Fawcett, 62, died today following a long and painful battle with cancer. And Michael Jackson went into cardiac arrest and died this afternoon. Weeks shy of a comeback tour. He was 50.

As South Carolina buzzes about the fate of the state's adulterous governor, Mark Sanford, there's a collection of politicians watching the salacious scandal with intense but quiet interest: the '10 candidates for the state's top job.

Sanford might decide, as other embattled lawmakers have before him, to try to keep his day job and fix his private life on the side. But as the story trickles out - perhaps pictures of the Argentinean mistress or her children are discovered - the state will remain transfixed by the torrid details and distracted from the business of fixing a staggering 12 percent unemployment rate and subpar public schools. Meanwhile, those Republicans - there are at least four of them - interested in succeeding Sanford could be branded with a Scarlet Letter.

"I think it's a continuing scandal in the party that hurts anyone running under the 'R' label," said David Woodard, the Strom Thurmond professor of politics at Clemson University.

Of the Republicans looking to lead the state, only one has made hay publicly of the governor's mess - Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer. The lieutenant governor is elected separately from the governor, and while Bauer is a GOPer, he and Sanford are not close. Bauer pushed Sanford's story in the media early this week, ratcheting up the call for answers about Sanford's whereabouts.

Political observers say Bauer would love nothing more than to see Sanford step aside so that he can assume his office, which would allow him to run next year as the incumbent.

That said, Bauer will likely face stiff opposition in a primary - no matter Sanford's decision. Calls to Attorney Gen. Henry McMaster and Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC), each a contender for governor, were not returned. And state Rep. Nikki Haley, Sanford's pick to replace him, issued a statement yesterday, but a call for further comment was not returned.

Haley, in the statement on her campaign Web site, said "today's revelations go well beyond politics" and she called Sanford's revelations "a tragic situation" for the family.

"I will continue to bring my message of trust and accountability to the people of our state over the weeks and months ahead," she said. "More importantly, I hope to be able to help heal the wounds that have been created in South Carolina by today's news."

She also removed a photo of Sanford from her Web site.

Though the Republicans are remaining relatively mum, waiting for Sanford or the General Assembly to make a move, some are stepping to the governor's defense. Matt Moore, executive director of South Carolina's Club for Growth, said he doesn't think the scandal will hurt the party in next year's election and that Sanford's core governing principles remain a draw for voters.

"South Carolinians chose Governor Sanford for a reason -- they believe in his vision of lower taxes, smaller government and personal responsibility," Moore said. "Governor Sanford's friends and supporters, including me, remain committed to turning that vision into good public policy."

He added, "I think the Republican Party is best positioned to deliver that."

The General Assembly, which meets for the first six months of the year, recently disbanded. It would have to call for a special session to embark on impeachment proceedings. And lawmakers, strapped with budget constraints, might be reluctant to make that costly decision. Then again, if the Sanford situation becomes an untenable distraction and he is unwilling to step down, the Republican-dominated legislature might rather push him out to kill the story.

But the Sanford situation appears to be too hot for even the Democratic contenders for governor. Attorney Mullins McLeod, a Democratic candidate for governor from Charleston, also shied away from any call for Sanford to resign.

"I 'm not going to comment on whether he should step down, certainly not at this point," McLeod said. "My main concern is what the leadership in our state is going to do to create jobs, put people back to work and reinvest in a public education (system) that they have neglected for many, many years."

And state Sen. Vincent Sheheen (D), also a candidate for governor, did not return a call for comment.

Thus far, two lawmakers have called publicly for Sanford to resign: state Reps. Bakari Sellers (D) and J. Todd Rutherford (D).

"I don't care about the whole affair deal, that's not my issue," Rutherford told On Call. "It's just that he was gone and didn't tell anyone where he was going."

In a state that leans solidly Republican - Sanford won his '02 race by about five percentage points and his '06 re-election campaign by 10 percentage points - the Democrats have suddenly been handed a charged campaign issue.

"The Democrats plan for next year is planning to run hanging Mark Sanford around Republicans' necks," Rutherford said, "and that was before this."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

More information about Gov. Mark Sanford's mistress, described in a FNS report as "a beautiful brunette with big eyes who plays tennis on a nearby lawn and runs every morning in her neighborhood."

She is identified as Maria Belen Shapur, an employee of the international agribusiness firm Bunge y Born.

Pols have been largely silent on Twitter about Gov. Mark Sanford's bombshell announcement yesterday of his yearlong affair with an Argentinean woman, but Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) stepped up today with proclamations worthy of a James Taylor tune.

Inglis: "I haven't always agreed with Governor Sanford's policies or politics, but today I want more than ever to be his friend." 12:39 PM

Inglis: "Not one of us is capable of fully living the truths we proclaim. Each of us is dependent on grace. I'm praying Psalm 51 for Mark Sanford." 12:40 PM

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Ex-Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick (D) and his ex-CoS Christine Beatty engaged in a love affair via text message that led to the mayor's political downfall. We learned yesterday that SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R) did the same over email with an Argentinean gal named Maria. While we are in no way comparing the two situations or politicians -- Kilpatrick's text were, of course, introduced as evidence in his perjury trial, and Sanford has not been accused of any legal wrongdoing -- here's a juxtaposition of their, er, varied wooing styles.

Call it new love in a new media age.

Sanford: "You have a particular grace and calm that I adore. You have a level of sophistication that so fitting with your beauty."

Kilpatrick: "I really Love You.! Focus on the strategy. White Men will never define you the way you want. They WILL respect you!"

Sanford: "I could digress and say that you have the ability to give magnificent gentle kisses, or that I love your tan lines or that I love the curve of your hips, the erotic beauty of you holding yourself (or two magnificent parts of yourself) in the faded glow of the night's light."

Kilpatrick: ""TOO MANY WHITE PEOPLE! TOO MANY QUESTIONS"

Sanford: "there is something wonderful about listening to country music playing in the cab, air conditioner running, the hum of a huge diesel engine in the back ground, the tranquility that comes with being in a virtual wilderness of trees and marsh, the day breaking and vibrant pink coming alive in the morning clouds."

Kilpatrick: "OK, I SOLD WEED IN COLLEGE!"

Sanford: "In all my life I have lived by a code of honor and at a variety of levels know I have crossed lines I would have never imagined. I wish I could wish it away, but this soul-mate feel I alluded too is real and in that regard I sure don't want to be the person complicating your life. I looked to where I often look for advice and counsel, and in I Corinthians 13 it simply says that, 'Love is patient and kind, love is not jealous or boastful, it is not arrogant or rude, Love does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice in the wrong, but rejoices in the right, Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things.'"

Kilpatrick: "You make me feel like a King! There has been NOBODY in my life who makes me feel more special."

"World News," Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with SC Gov. Mark Sanford's (R) admission of an affair.

All angles of the Sanford affair were covered on last night's TV coverage. One of the remaining questions is whether Sanford will resign as gov.

Syndicated columnist Charles Krauthammer: "He is toast politically. And resigning from the Republican Governors' Association chairmanship is not going to do it, and the reason is that there is a dereliction of duty here. ... The governor of the state is chief executive, and if there is a disaster in the state, and this guy is incommunicado ... you cannot recover from that. I think he doesn't last a week in the office of governor."

More Krauthammer: "And the idea that he could actually have an affair in Argentina as an acting governor is sort of insane. ... You can't hide it. I don't want to play psychiatrist on the show every night. However, the oddity of this and the self-destructiveness would suggest even to a layman that this is a near intentional political suicide" ("Special Report," FNC, 6/24).

Politico's Allen: "He may wind up resigning. This is South Carolina. This is not going to play. This is not David Paterson in New York. ... In every way, he showed that there was no survival plan here. The fact that he went out there without his wife. That's disastrous in South Carolina" ("Ed Show," MSNBC, 6/24).

Ex-Sanford CoS/SC state Sen. Tom Davis: "I don't think he should resign. ... In his statement ... he says he wants to devote his energy and the time remaining in office to building back the trust of the people of the state. And I think he deserves that shot. I think that South Carolinians, in particular, and Americans in general, have a tremendous capacity for forgiveness, if the person is truly contrite."

More Davis: "I also think those same individuals can spot a hypocrite. And so I think the burden is on the governor to go forward and to make his peace and to build his trust with the people of South Carolina. And I think he deserves that chance. And I take him at his word when he says he's going to try" ("LKL," CNN, 6/24).

More after the jump.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Check out this '02 gubernatorial campaign ad from none other than Mark Sanford:

"Jenny and I try our best to teach our four little boys Christian values, character and honesty. You'd like to think that those values apply to government, too. And that starts with keeping your word. ... South Carolina needs a return to real honest leadership in the governor's office."

The television ad was titled, "Boys."

The State has Gov. Mark Sanford's emails to woman named Maria.

Former MA Gov. Mitt Romney, who hasn't ruled out another bid for the Republican presidential nomination in '12, got some encouragement from a new poll conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press 6/10-14, in which his favorable ratings have shot up since he ended his '08 bid for the GOP nod.

Among self-described conservatives as well as moderate-to-liberal Republicans, Romney's favorable rating rose nine percentage points each since a Pew poll conducted last February. Conservative Republicans now give Romney a 61% favorable rating (18% have an unfavorable opinion) while 52% of moderate-to-liberal Republicans rate favorably (and 19% rate him unfavorably). Among all Republicans, Romney had a 57% favorable rating and an 18% unfavorable mark.

"Romney's rise is probably due in part to Republicans are being true to form and rallying behind the candidate who came in second," said GOP lobbyist Cesar Conda who was a policy adviser to Romney in 2008.

(Some may quibble with Conda and note that former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was the last man standing against Sen. John McCain of Arizona in the 2008 GOP contest, but Romney did capture more primaries and caucuses.)

"And as the economy continues to struggle, maybe Republicans are warming up to Romney's 'turnaround artist' attributes," added Conda referring to Romney's comfort with economic issues dating back to his days as a head of the investment firm Bain Capital.

"His profile has matured nicely, largely as the result of his willingness to focus on helping rebuild the party as well as focus on substantive issues," explained strategic communications consultant Kevin Madden, who was national press spokesman for Romney's 2008 campaign. "Also, the current matrix of issues and challenges facing the country are ones that he has an identifiable record of success on, namely the economy, health care, budget reform and the need for fiscal accountability."

But Romney isn't at the top of the GOP pile yet. The same poll showed that AK Gov. Sarah Palin had a stronger favorable rating among Republicans, 73%. But Palin remains a very polarizing figure among the electorate as a whole--45% of those surveyed by Pew have a favorable view of her and 44% have an unfavorable view. Romney has a lower 40% favorable rating among the entire electorate, but also a much smaller 28% unfavorable rating--down from 44% last February.

One reason for that drop is that Romney has made his most significant gains among self-identified independents: 44% now view him favorably compared to 25% who view him unfavorably. Last February those numbers were practically flipped when just 29% of independents viewed him favorably and 46% viewed him unfavorably.

"I was very encouraged by the independents' data," said Madden. "After all, Obama's real base is the big middle."

(National Journal's JIM BARNES)

In a conversation with Bloomberg TV, MI Gov. Jennifer Granholm reflects on the Gov. Mark Sanford mess, and after offering the requisite 'thoughts are with the family' stuff hits the question many women might be asking this evening:

"What's with you men?"

Transcript, per Hotline's Katherine Lehr:

COOK: All right. While I got you, I need to ask you about the other big story this afternoon. Governor Sanford someone you know well from your time as a governor, he served the head of the Republican Governor's Association, stepping down from that position. Your reaction to the news about what is transpiring there? And, should he step down as governor?

GRANHOLM: Well, governor -- I don't know. My reaction is really about his wife and kids. I mean, they are friends of ours and I'm just -- I am floored by this. I would never -- if I were betting, I would be the first person in the pool to say that is not him. This is really -- I am just really shocked by it. And, my heart goes out to Jenny and the kids. And, I hope people can at least give them their privacy. What is with you men?

COOK: I'm going to leave that one untouched right there. Governor Granholm, we appreciate you taking time out to talk with us here at the White House.

GRANHOLM: Appreciate it. Thank you.

COOK: Governor Jennifer Granholm of Michigan. Here at White House meeting with President Obama to talk health care and we will send it back to you, Matt, in the studio.

Jenny Sanford, in a statement issued late this afternoon, said a "trial separation was agreed to with the goal of ultimately strengthening our marriage."

Per The State:

"When I found out about my husband's infidelity I worked immediately to first seek reconciliation through forgiveness, and then to work diligently to repair our marriage. We reached a point where I felt it was important to look my sons in the eyes and maintain my dignity, self-respect, and my basic sense of right and wrong. I therefore asked my husband to leave two weeks ago.

"During this short separation it was agreed that Mark would not contact us. I kept this separation quiet out of respect of his public office and reputation, and in hopes of keeping our children from just this type of public exposure. Because of this separation, I did not know where he was in the past week."

People For The American Way notes that Gov. Mark Sanford has also been removed from the confirmed list of speakers for the '09 Values Voter Summit.

Gov. Mark Sanford's admission today of an extramarital affair has to be the death knell for the GOP's informal tag: 'The family values party.'

Wouldn't the public rather pay for the Obamas' regular date nights?

It's no wonder public faith in politicians is at an all-time low. Through tears, Sanford, a proclaimed man of faith, said he's carried on a year-long long-distance dalliance with an Argentinean woman. She's married, no less. With children.

Last week we learned that Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), whose extracurricular activity is advocating as a Promise Keeper for the sanctity of marriage, cheated on his wife with a former campaign staffer who was married to an actual staffer.

And Republican Gov. Sarah Palin's teenage daughter had a baby out of wedlock with a young man, not even out of high school, who is still making the media rounds in an effort to make a buck off his fleeting fame.

David Vitter's appearance in the DC Madam's book. Newt Gingrich's affair with a congressional staffer. Need I list more?

Certainly, the GOP hasn't cornered the market on adultery. See John Edwards or Elliot Spitzer. Or Bill Clinton.

But the latest round of flaws and foibles and public displays of icky private stuff belongs almost exclusively to the party of Ronald Reagan. Frankly, it's getting excessive. And it couldn't come at a worse time for the sputtering, leaderless, message-deficient GOP. After all, isn't politics really about trust? Don't voters want to believe in the sincere efforts of their leaders to make this country a better place?

If their homes are in shambles, their primary relationships a wreck and personal promises broken, how will Republican politicians rekindle the public's affections?

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

"I've got my Ensign/Sanford 2012 bumper sticker."

SC Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler issued a second, less pointed statement following Gov. Mark Sanford's admission of an extramarital affair:

"Our thoughts are with the Governor's family at this time. Mark Sanford should be given time to focus on his family right now. There will be other opportunities in the weeks ahead to discuss his effectiveness as our state's governor," said Fowler.

Her earlier remarks can be read here.

Bob McDonnell, the GOP nominee for governor of VA, is airing a new television ad downstate. I've snagged a first look.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

MS Gov. Haley Barbour (R) will assume the duties of RGA chairman, effectively immediately, according to an RGA statement.

Barbour on Gov. Mark Sanford's admission of an extramarital affair: "The news revealed today hurts all of us who have gotten to know Governor Sanford over the years and so it is with regret that the RGA accepted Governor Sanford's resignation as chairman.

"While this news is deeply disappointing, I also know it's important to remain focused on the future and Governor Sanford's resignation allows him and us to do just that.

"The RGA has an important task over the next two years. I am committed to seeing it through and confident we will succeed."

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Governor Sanford and his family, and I wish them the best as they try to heal this wound," said DGA exec. dir. Nathan Daschle.

If the Dems are smart, they won't touch this. Too raw.

Saying that he has let down his family in a "profound way," Gov. Mark Sanford admitted to an affair with an Argentinian friend this afternoon. He said the relationship of eight years developed into something more over the last year, and Sanford added that he and his wife will embark on the first step in what will be "a long process" of sorting out their marriage.

His admission was frank and disarming, coming on the heels of Sen. John Ensign's announcement last week of an extramarital affair. Ensign spoke from prepared remarks. Sanford, bowing his head at times to fight back tears, said that he's a "bottom line kind of guy" and that the announcement was "going to hurt."

He apologized to his wife and four boys, to his friends and to the people of South Carolina.

"I have been," he said, "unfaithful to my wife."

Sanford said he and wife, Jenny, were not formally separated, but that they were not literally together either. He said he's spent the last five days crying in Argentina.

He also said that what he has found in this job is that he "desperately needs a break from the bubble." The stimulus battle, too, he noted before admitting to the affair, he said: "at an emotional level, I found it exhausting."

Sanford took several questions but walked away from the microphone as a reporter shouted after him. Would he resign?

No answer.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

"Well, obviously not."

-- SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R), asked by a reporter if he was alone in Argentina.

SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R) said during his 2pm presser that he's "been unfaithful" to his wife, Jenny, and resigned as RGA chair. Fighting back tears, Sanford apologized to his wife and four sons, his friends and the constituents of SC. More to come ...

SC Democratic Party Chair Carol Fowler weighs in on the Gov. Mark Sanford shenanigans:

"It is the height of irresponsibility for the Governor to walk out on his solemn duty to the people of South Carolina, and to be completely out of touch without making arrangements for those responsibilities to be handled in his absence.

"When it comes to the real needs and concerns of South Carolinians, Mark Sanford has been pretty much missing in action for the last 6 and a half years. But it is not acceptable for him to be actually missing.

"However, as disturbing as it is to walk out on your responsibilities without telling anyone, what's more troubling is that the Governor and his staff have been less than truthful about his whereabouts.

"The people of this state are eager to hear a full explanation of the erratic behavior of the governor and his staff over the last few days."

More fallour from Gov. Mark Sanford's undisclosed trip to Argentina:

Apparently he hadn't notified the American embassy in Argentina of his visit. And his preferred successor in '10, State Rep. Nikki Haley, has taken Sanford's photo and any mention of him off of her Web site.

Emily's List's Ellen Malcolm isn't one to shy away from a Dem primary fight. EL has supported pro choice women against incumbent Dem office holders in the past. But when it comes to the NY Senate seat once held by Hillary Clinton and filled by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Malcolm is urging one potential Dem primary challenger, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, to stand down.

Malcolm recently spoke with Politics Daily's Jill Lawrence:

PD: Is (New York Rep.) Carolyn Maloney actually running (for the Democratic Senate nomination) against Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.)? What's going on there?

EM: I assume she's going to run. She's certainly doing everything that looks like a candidate. I have had conversations with her where I've suggested that she's been a good leader in the House. She finally has enough seniority where she can get things done. I would hope she'll continue doing that. Because obviously if she runs for the Senate she's going to lose her House seat. It reminds me of Bella Abzug, Liz Holtzman, Gerry Ferraro - all these women in New York who were real leaders, political leaders, on issues that were important to women. They ran for higher office, we lost them in the House and never got them back.

PD: You're not saying women shouldn't try for higher office.

EM: No, I'm not saying that, I'm saying Carolyn Maloney has a lot of good work to do that she could get accomplished in the House. I think Kirsten on the other hand is the senator from New York and I think she's doing a phenomenal job ... In a political sense I do not want to see the Republicans give a hard look at this seat because of a divisive primary.

As we eagerly await word from Gov. Mark Sanford about his South American journeying, here are additional questions to add to our Top 10 list:

By the by, who paid for the Argentina trip?

And assuming you covered the costs personally, but because there has been so much confusion about your whereabouts, would you be willing to make the receipts public - to help put the matter to rest?

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Dick Cheney, 68, has secured a $2M deal to write a book covering his long career in government, according to the AP.

"I'm persuaded there are a lot of interesting stories that ought to be told," Cheney said. "I want my grandkids, 20 or 30 years from now, to be able to read it and understand what I did, and why I did it."

The memoir, published by the conservative wing of Simon & Schuster, will be released in Spring '11, a few months after George W. Bush's book is expected to be in stores. The AP notes that Cheney is writing his book in longhand and on computer with the help of daughter Liz Cheney.

SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R), back from his clandestine visit to Argentina, will speak with reporters at 2 p.m. ET. The presser will be held in his office, and a staffer tells On Call he will take questions and that the event will be televised.

My Top 10 questions for the governor:

1. Why would you go away and not tell anyone where you're going?

2. Who was running the state while you were gone?

3. Which members of your staff knew of your whereabouts?

4. Did your staff knowingly mislead reporters when they relayed that you were hiking along the Appalachian Trail?

5. What should we deduce about your family life that you decided to leave your wife and children over the Father's Day holiday?

6. Why wouldn't you tell your wife where you were going?

7. Who do you know in Argentina?

8. What did you do and where did you stay?

9. How do you think this episode impacts your political future in SC?

10. And your '12 WH hopes?

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with Pres. Obama's fourth news conference. "World News" also featured a taped interview with Obama.

During a joint appearance on "NewsHour," Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) were asked for their thoughts on Obama's response to Iran during the news conference.

Graham: "The president did today what I was hoping he would do before because he is the leader of the free world, not me. His voice does matter. He's an eloquent spokesman for freedom, and I think what he said today will penetrate in Iran, and I'd like to see the U.N. Security Council, led by us, condemn the Iranian regime. I'd like to see more sanctions. And I'd like to see the president continue to speak out about freedom in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon, because he is such a strong voice for these ideas. So that was my criticism."

Kerry, asked if he heard something materially different from Obama today: "The president has been absolutely square on and correct in his statements about Iran. You know, there's a difference between politics and statesmanship. And the president has to be a statesman and the leader of our nation in terms of foreign policy."

After the jump, more Iran, interview with Obama on health care and the return of SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R).

(KATHERINE LEHR)

So it turns out SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R) wasn't hiking after all ... The State has the story.

Bob McDonnell, the GOP nom for governor in VA, will air new television ads later this week downstate, according to campaign sources. McDonnell, who is vying with Dem state Sen. Creigh Deeds for the state's top job, will launch the ads in Richmond, Roanoke, Norfolk, Harrisonburg, Charlottesville and Bristol markets.

Deeds, of course, hails from downstate -- rural Bath County.

McDonnell's campaign hasn't yet released the ads.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

CBS' Bob Schieffer, ABC's George Stephanopoulos and NBC's David Gregory traded stories, WH '12 predictions and interviewee wish lists this evening during a wide-ranging "Sunday Show Summit" hosted by the Center for Strategic and Interational Studies (CSIS).

On WH '12, Gregory named no names, but predicted, "I don't think the challenge to Obama will come from Washington. It'll come from the ranks of governors."

Schieffer said that MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) "may wind up as the strongest Republican candidate" due to his blue-collar background, his biography and his charm. "He can sometimes say the same thing that, say, Rush Limbaugh says," but say it in a way that people will nod their heads, Schieffer noted. He cautioned, though, that the GOP is "getting its leaders mixed up with its cheerleaders" right now.

Stephanopoulos said that ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) looks like the strongest candidate at the moment, in part because he "went out there and got beat" in '08.

On the topic of health care reform, Stephanopoulos said that it's going to be "almost impossible" to get all Americans covered. From today's Obama presser, he noted, it is becoming clear that the president will "be willing to compromise just about anything" to get health care reform passed, including a bill without a public option.

Gregory said that Obama "needs a signature legislative achievement" on his domestic agenda, which is why health care reform has become such a priority. He added that the admin. has not been successful so far in selling the public on the notion of gov't intervention, so GOPers now have a "roadmap" to oppose Obama on health care and other proposals.

Asked to name their "most sought-after" Sunday show guests, Schieffer said he'd "love to hear from" Sec/State Hillary Clinton. Stephanopoulos and Gregory pointed to FLOTUS Michelle Obama.

And Schieffer quipped: "Even better would be that dog." That dog is Bo Obama, of course.

(FELICIA SONMEZ)

Earlier, we let Mark McKinnon, an adviser to the Bush administration, make a case against the arbitration argument used of late by supporters of the Employee Free Choice Act. Now, Josh Goldstein, a spokesman for American Rights at Work, pushes back against some of McKinnon's claims:

Labor law reform must ensure that workers who want to join a union are able to do so without facing harassment and stall tactics from corporations. The Employee Free Choice Act without mediation and arbitration is like a shiny new sports car without an engine - it might look good but it won't get you anywhere. Yet Big Business will say and do anything to prevent workers from getting the fair pay and benefits they deserve. That's why they're pouring millions of dollars into front groups like the Workforce Fairness Institute and operatives like Mark McKinnon to mislead the public on the Employee Free Choice Act..

McKinnon now claims that arbitration is the most egregious provision in the legislation, yet he has spent the past several months arguing that the measure eliminated workers' rights to a secret ballot - an accusation that has been proven totally false. Now McKinnon and other visible opponents of this critical middle-class policy solution have moved on to try to hysterically brand another provision as 'Armageddon.'

Before acknowledging the 'end of days' rhetoric from the opposition on arbitration, it's critical to underscore why this provision is even needed. Simply put, corporations use stall tactics during contract negotiations to prevent workers from ever getting the fair wages and benefits and better working conditions that they are seeking. One year after a successful union election, more than half of employers deny their workers a contract. And get this, after the employer has stalled for a year, they can attempt to remove the union. Guess how? Through card check. The procedure which the Employee Free Choice Act would allow workers to use to form a union, is already currently allowed for workers to get rid of their union. Now isn't that the ultimate irony?

In fact, Big Business supports using arbitration in cases where they hold all of the power and control. That is why the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has labeled arbitration "efficient" and "effective" for resolving disputes with consumers over credit cards, telephone service, or home construction transactions and contracts. When it's one individual against a large and wealthy corporation, arbitration suits them just fine. Yet when the parties in a dispute are on a more even playing field, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce argues that arbitration is an "anathema."

The Employee Free Choice Act will help level the playing field and end those unfair stall tactics by giving both workers and companies the right to bring in an outside mediator and then an arbitrator if they can't settle a contract. It's a fair and effective way for workers to reach an agreement with their employers for better pay, benefits, and working conditions.

And the fact is, mediation and arbitration work. Major corporations like General Electric, Borders, Pepsi Cola, and Princeton University have all recently used mediation to successfully negotiate contracts. Even in those places where arbitration is currently the law, like the public sector, 90 percent of cases are settled without the need for arbitration. The reality is there is no 'forced' arbitration. Just as with mediation, if negotiations are going well, the parties can agree not to use arbitration. Furthermore, if both parties agree, they can even choose to not accept the terms of the arbitrated contract.

But what about that pesky other 10 percent? That has to be where those evil, union-biased federal government arbitrators that McKinnon loves to talk about come in, right? Hardly. Arbitrators are independent and are selected by both labor and business - similar to a jury of peers selected by their peers. An important piece of information corporate special interests strategically and repeatedly ignore.

It should come to no surprise that Big Business is once again saying and doing anything to protect policies that work for them, yet prevents workers from having the same choices, and the opportunity to get ahead. The reality is that our leaders have a simple choice to make - whose side will they be on? On the side of corporations protecting a system that has generated millions for CEOs while workers struggle to make ends meet? Or on the side of the President, Vice President, and majority of the American public who say it's time to make the economy work for everyone again?

SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R), who quietly snuck off last Thursday to hike along the Appalachian Trail without notifying his wife, staff or other state officials, will head back to work tomorrow. That guarantees another day of this bizarre story. Sanford will resume his responsibilities, much to the chagrin of SC Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer (R), who has done his part to keep interest high, but questions about the governor's whereabouts will persist. And the secrecy with which he decided to skip town has raised questions about his disposition and judgment -- and sparked murmurs in political circles about his suitability for the '12 campaign.

Was he stressed? Traveling with someone else? Someone, clearly, who isn't his wife? Why wasn't he reachable? How is his state of mind?

We asked several strategists to assess if Sanford has damaged his '12 GOP nomination for president. Opinions were mixed. Three years is a long time, and many politicians tagged with far worse have rehabilitated themselves, but it's certainly not good news for Sanford that some are pairing his fate with that of Sen. John Ensign, the NV Republican and possible WH hopeful who admitted last week to cheating on his wife with a campaign staffer.

The experts:

Leonardo Alcivar, GOP strategist:
"Governor Sanford has served with principle and skill throughout his two terms. That is why South Carolinians seem more willing to take this Governor at his word than do national political observers on what, at best, is a staff related blunder. While lapses such as these can happen to politicians in the latter stages of their terms, many of us hope the Governor wastes not one more media cycle in providing a more reasoned explanation. "

Peter Fenn, Democratic strategist:
"Truly bizarre.....an AWOL Governor, and more important, an AWOL father on Father's Day. The explanations and timing just don't add up. Two possible Presidential candidates bite the dust in one week, Sanford and Ensign."

Stacie Paxton, former DNC spokeswoman who also worked in SC during the '04 WH campaign, now with Hill & Knowlton:
"At best it's on life support. His actions certainly don't scream family values. Voters may not understand the minutiae of policy, but they sure understand a husband disappearing for days without telling his family. Gov. Sanford's wife didn't do him any favors in her response. Sure seems like someone didn't want to run for the White House."

That's just a sampling.

So what's Sanford's real story? And will it matter?

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

A new 60-second RNC ad airing on select national cable outlets tomorrow suggests Pres. Obama needs to work with Republicans to craft health care policy. A male narrator says Obama is "rushing into another government takeover."

Today's presidential presser, scheduled for the Rose Garden but held inside the WH -- despite the June sunshine and temperate weather -- produced several newsy bits on Iran, health care, the economy and Pres. Obama's not-so-clandestine relationship with tobacco.

1. IRAN Obama offered his toughest words yet about the post-election unrest in Iran, saying he is "appalled and outraged" by the violence there. He said the video of the shooting death of protestor Neda Agha-Soltan is "heartbreaking." He also said the Iranian people have a universal right to the freedoms of assembly and speech. Still Obama avoided reporters' entreaties to spell out the consequences for continued violence. And he ended on an optimistic note, suggesting that justice will prevail.

2. THE ECONOMY He all but plainly acknowledged that the economic stimulus package he signed into law isn't working. And he didn't rule out a second stimulus plan. He said he understands that Americans aren't satisfied with recovery so far. Stimulus funds, he said, have to be disseminated faster.

3. HEALTH CARE Obama said that private insurance companies shouldn't be worried about a public option if they do indeed offer, as they say they do, competitive plans. He said the administration won't draw lines in the sand about the shape of a bill but that, ultimately, reform has to control cost.

4. SMOKING The president, who signed a law this week giving the FDA sweeping regulatory authority over tobacco, said he's not a daily smoker. He noted that hedoesn't light up in front of his family. But he said he's "95 percent" cured and acknowledget that he does at times fall off the wagon.

My live blog of the 53-minute conference can be read here.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Pollster.com is tracking the latest surveys of the year's key contests -- the gubernatorial races in VA and NJ.

Here's the latest in VA, where state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R) are vying to lead the Commonwealth:

And here's the latest from NJ, where Gov. Jon Corzine (D) is trailing lawyer Chris Christie (R):

WOTT first reported yesterday that FL Senate candidate Marco Rubio curiously twittered that Iranian protestors would be better off armed.

Rubio's Tweet: "I have a feeling the situation in Iran would be a little different if they had a 2nd amendment like ours."

So Rubio spokesman Alex Burgos wrote to On Call today to clarify Rubio's intent:

"Marco Rubio believes the second amendment is a cornerstone of our democracy, as is the rest of our Constitution. He was expressing his concern about how courageous Iranians are virtually defenseless in the face of repressive, brutal and lethal government force. He is outraged and deeply concerned about the violence against unarmed, peaceful civilians. He believes America should be outspoken in the defense of freedom around the world."

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

During a discussion last night of Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), FNS' Sean Hannity remarked: "If you're going to be a family values candidate and a family values politician, and you don't live up to that, I think you should resign."

Logically speaking, doesn't that amount to a call for Ensign to step down?

1:23 p.m.

Q: Have you seen the video of Neda's shooting? Reaction?

Obama: "It's heartbreaking. It's heartbreaking. I think that anybody who sees it knows that there is something fundamentally unjust about that."

More on the general situation in Iran: "I think it's important for us to make sure that we let the Iranian people know that we are watching what's happening. That they are not alone in this process."

"We have to believe that ultimately justice will prevail."

1:21 p.m.

Q: People are criticizng the recovery plan, specifically African American unemployment rate will hit 20 percent by end of the year. Why not target intervention now to stop bloodletting in black unemployment rate?

Obama: Black and Latino unemployment rate consistently higher than the national average. The best thing that I can do for the African American or Latino communities is to "get the economy as a whole moving." "If I don't do that then I'm not going to be able to help anybody."

1:15 p.m.

Q: Unemployment is likely to reach double digits. Do you think you need a second stimulus package?

Obama: "Not yet. I think it's important to see how the economy evolves and how effective the first stimulus is." Stimulus package was one of the first things we did. Nobody understood then what the depths of this recession would look like. "It's not surprising then that we missed the mark in terms of our estimates." ... I think it's pretty clear that unemployment will go above 10 percent.

More: "In the absence of the stimulus, I think our recession would be much worse." More layoffs would have resulted. "People are going through a very tough time right now. And I don't expect them to be satisfied."

1:09 p.m.

Q: How many cigarettes a day do you now smoke? Do you smoke alone or in the presence of other people? And do you believe new law will help you quit?

Obama: New law is not about me, it's about the next generation of kids coming up. My smoking is "irrelevant" to new law.

More: "Have I fallen off the wagon sometimes? Yes. Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No. I don't do it in front of my kids. I don't do it in front of my family. I would say I'm 95 percent cured. But there are times when I mess up."

1:04 p.m.

Q: Jake Tapper restates earlier question (co-opts, Obama notes) about how private insurers will be able to compete with a public plan. Is it negotiable?

Obama: "We are still early in this process. We have not drawn lines in the sand other than that reform has to control cost." "Our position is that a public plan makes sense."

1:02 p.m.

Q (from NBC's Chuck Todd): Why haven't you spelled out consequences for actions of Iranian government?

Obama: "I think, Chuck, we don't know yet how this is going to play out."

2:59 p.m.

Q: Tougher talk today on Iran. Were you influenced at all by John McCain and Lindsey Graham calling you timid and weak?

Obama: "What do you think?" ... "Only I'm the president of the United States. I've got responsiblities in making certain that we are continually advancing our national security interests and that we are not used as a tool by other countries."

12:57 p.m.

Q: Will HC drive private insurers out of business?

Obama: I think that there's going to be some health debates in Congress about the shape that this takes. Legitimate concerns among private insurers that public plan should not be funded by taxpayers endlessly.

12:48 p.m.

Q (from FOX): What took you so long to be appalled and outraged (as Obama noted in his opening remarks) about the situation in Iran?

Obama: Not accurate. "We've been entirely consistent, Major, in terms of how we've approached this." We won't be "a foil" for what's happening on the streets of Iran. "This is not an issue about the United States. This is an issue about the American people." But universal issues -- freedom of assembly and speech, and that governments aren't using violence -- are in play.

12:47 p.m.

Q: Is the Fed getting too powerful?

Obama: "We are not so much expanding the Fed's power as we are focusing what the Fed needs to do ... "

12:44 p.m.

Q: Rate Ben Bernanke.

Obama: "I'm not going to make news about Ben Bernanke. Although I think he's done a fine job under difficult circumstances."

12:42 p.m.

Huff Post's Nico Pitney transmits a question from an Iranian reader (in what appears a set up, as Obama turns to him and asks specifically for that inquiry).

Q: Under which conditions would Obama accept the election of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?

Obama: "There are sets of international norms and principles about violence, about dealing with peaceful dissent, that spans cultures, that spans borders, and what we've been seeing over the Internet ... violates those norms, violates those principles. I think it's not too late for the Iranian government to recognize that there's a peaceful path that will lead" to peace and prosperity for the Iranian people. "I hope they take it."

12:39 p.m.

First question from the AP -- Given latest developments, is the administration still open to negotiations with Iran?

Obama: "We are going to monitor and see how this plays itself out before we make any judgments about how we proceed." But there is a path available to Iran in which their traditions and culture are respected but in which they are also part of an international community where certain norms are expected.

12:37 p.m.

On health care: "Like energy this is legislation that must and will be paid for." "Unless we fix what's broken in our current system, everyone's health care will be in jeopardy." "Reform is not a luxury, it's a necessity."

12:35 p.m.

Urges passage of clean energy bill. Thanks Rep. Henry Waxman for his leadership.

12:30 p.m.

Obama: Starts presser by saying he strongly condems the violence in Iran. Acknowledges sovereignty of Iran, but adds: "We must also bear witness to the courage and dignity of the Iranian people."

More: "We've seen courageous women stand up to the brutality and threats. We've experienced the searing image of a woman bleeding to death on the streets."

The Iranian people have the universal right to assemble, he added. And if the Iranian government seeks relationships with the nations of the world, it "must govern through consent and not coercion."

Set to start any minute. I'll be live blogging ... Stay tuned.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Watch FLOTUS Michelle Obama's conversation today about wellness and combating obesity with GMA's Robin Roberts.

Obama says the administration will turn its attention to the nutritional value of school meals.

Via email and the requisite video message, Mike Huckabee announced his support for Marco Rubio in his uphill FL Senate primary bid against Gov. Charlie Crist (R).

When someone stands on principles throughout their career in politics, its an easy choice to endorse their candidacy for Senate. Today, I am excited to formally announce my endorsement of Marco Rubio for U.S. Senate.

Marco believes in smaller government. He is a firm supporter of life. As the former Florida Speaker he was incredibly effective at bringing new ideas to the table and working to see them passed into law. He is a family man, loyal, compassionate and someone I am proud to call a friend.

I encourage you to watch my video endorsement on my blog here and then share it with friends, family and co-workers by email, Twitter and on Facebook. After you do, please consider making an immediate contribution to Marco's campaign for Senate at www.MarcoRubio.com.

Last night, his opponent was raising money in Washington, DC. I am told he may have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars. Today, I am hoping that Marco will receive the financial support of tens of thousands of Americans; the sort who make one political contribution a year, to the candidate they believe in with their hearts not just their heads. Because I firmly believe it is these contributions that will make the difference in this race, not the money raised from lobbyists who make a new political contribution each week, betting the "smart money."

So please watch my endorsement video today and then consider making a contribution directly to Marco's campaign for Senate.

Standing with Marco,

Mike Huckabee

A guest column today, exclusive to On Call, from former Bush advisor Mark McKinnon, who writes about the perils of arbitration.

All Arbitration Is Not Created Equal

By Mark McKinnon

Despite the fact that the Employee 'Forced' Choice Act (EFCA) has been shown to cause a significant rise in unemployment, the pro-EFCA forces (i.e. labor bosses) are still hard at work to attempt to show how this legislation would "benefit" society. Unfortunately, their arguments are reliant upon half truths and outright falsehoods.

One of the most egregious provisions in EFCA is called binding interest arbitration. This would allow the federal government to mandate contracts on businesses of any size without the consent or support of the employee or employer. Government arbitrators with no expertise about the business or industry would make decisions about wages, benefits, and workplace conditions.

Forced arbitration has not received as much attention as the elimination of the secret ballot, another egregious provision in the bill, yet it may be the most destructive element within the legislation. It would drive up costs and force businesses to close their doors.

Union bosses are attempting to equate the binding interest arbitration provision with other types of arbitration, such as arbitration used in privately resolving disputes. These two types of arbitration are not created equal and comparing the two is intellectually dishonest.

When arbitration is used in resolving disputes the arbitrator serves as a judge, interpreting existing contracts that parties have previously agreed to.

EFCA hands the final decision of any business contract to a government arbitrator, who would draft and finalize the contract rather than simply interpret the provisions agreed upon by both parties. Instead of serving as a judge, the Employee 'Forced' Choice Act makes the arbitrator a dictator of sorts, imposing his will on the parties without their consent.

This is the key difference - under EFCA, government arbitrators would dictate and set the terms of a contract despite what either side wants. In regular arbitration, the arbitrator serves as an interpreter of a contract agreed upon by both parties.

That is a huge difference to say the least.

The Employee 'Forced' Choice Act mandates that the arbitrator writes the contract, which would come about if the employer and union cannot agree on the terms of a contract in just over 90 days. The contract would be binding for two years with no opportunity to appeal or reverse the decision, even if the terms of the contract are more than the business can meet.

Mandatory, binding arbitration violates worker rights as it is possible employees could end up in a union that they did not get to vote on and have to follow the terms of a contract that they did not get to vote on.

EFCA would also seriously cripple, if not wipe out, America's small businesses if the federal government is allowed to have this role.

So why is it that the pro-EFCA camp is trying to force this legislation upon the American public?

The answer is pretty straightforward: follow the money.

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" were all preempted by local coverage of the DC metro crash.

The disappearance of SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R) was a hot topic on TV last night. The roundtable on "Hardball" concluded the whole situation was "weird."

Salon.com's Walsh: "It's still a pretty interesting story because even if what they're saying now holds true, that he went to take some time for himself to work on something he's writing, well, why didn't he say that in the first place? Why didn't his wife know where he was? Also, why didn't he clearly leave state government in somebody else's hands?"

More Walsh: "All the accounts that I've read, nobody could reach him, not his wife, not his staffers. And that's why people started getting alarmed today. So there's protocol. When Arnold Schwarzenegger had surgery, you turn things over to your lieutenant governor. You do not just disappear. The question is what was he writing? The best possible explanation is still pretty terrible, which is Mark Sanford is totally distracted from South Carolina by the business of running for the 2012 nomination."

MSNBC's Matthews: "You've raised the issue of misery, of Steven King disappearing for a few days and trying to finish off his book, like James Caan did in the movie, when Kathy Bates got a hold of him."

After the jump, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) says no to a CA GOV run and more on Iran.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

American Rights at Work is paying for a third print advertisement in Beltway papers today advocating for arbitration in contract negotiations.

The ad will run in Roll Call, The Hill, Politico and CQ. Together, the three print pieces have cost the organization $150K. They are part of a sweeping grassroots and ad campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

FLOTUS Michelle Obama launched a summer volunteerism initiative -- dubbed United We Serve -- today in San Francisco with CA first lady Maria Shriver on hand for the festivities. Before Obama discussed the merits of giving back, she thanked Shriver for being her "role model" as she has embarked on the journey from Chicago professional and mother to one of the world's most recognizable women.

I have to give kudos back to Maria. She is a girlfriend. She has been such a tremendous support through me -- to me throughout this journey. She has been a role model in so many ways, and she's such a gifted individual. And she's provided me with the kind of inspiration that it takes to get through this wonderful journey that I've been on. And I am so glad to be working on this project with her. Let's give our First Lady, your First Lady, a round of applause.

Obama's full remarks are available after the jump.

One dead and least nine are injured in a two Metro train collision in Washington.

The crash happened along the Red Line. A train headed in the direction of Shady Grove derailed between the Takoma and Fort Totten Metrorail stations.

Metro officials are urging Washingtonians to avoid the Red Line.

SC Gov. Mark Sanford has been missing since Thursday, according to multiple published reports. Even his wife doesn't know where he is.

Per the link above:

Sanford spokesman Joel Sawyer declined to discuss where the governor was.

Sawyer told The Associated Press that Sanford was taking time to "recharge" after his failed fight against federal stimulus money.

Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer said he didn't know where Sanford is but said he had not been put in charge.

Sanford's health and welfare aside, how damaging might this episode be for a man reportedly harboring WH hopes?

LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) announced on CNN today that he will not run for CA governor in '10. Elected to a second four-year term in March, he told Wolf Blitzer that he wanted to devote his full attention to the city, reports the Los Angeles Times.

His decision leaves two high-profile Dems to face off, AG Jerry Brown and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom.

Interestingly, Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner, vying with former eBay CEO Meg Whitman for the GOP gubernatorial nom, seized the opportunity to praise Villaraigosa.

"While Mayor Villaraigosa and I disagree on many issues, he is someone I know, respect and like. I have enjoyed working with him and look forward to working with him in the future. The decision to run for higher office is never easy and I understand and respect the Mayor's decision.

"The Mayor's announcement today that he will not be a candidate for Governor of California doesn't change the fundamental decision the people will make in the 2010 election: whether to reform California and move forward with innovative policies or stick with a failed status quo. While Jerry Brown, as usual, attempts to once again repackage himself and Gavin Newsom presents himself as an entirely new shiny package, the truth of the matter is that at their core both candidates represent the same discredited policies of the past that are dragging our state down. Brown and Newsom support higher taxes in an already high-tax state and more burdensome anti-jobs regulations in a state suffering from the highest unemployment in almost 70 years. There is a better way. That's the debate I look forward to having with either Mr. Brown or Mr. Newsom in the general election."

Last week, we reported about lawmakers' collective silence on Twitter about the election protests in Iran. What a difference a week makes. Aside from the posts about their fathers this weekend, pols from both sides of the aisle weighed in on the story that's all but taken over the popular microblogging service.

A sampling:

AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R): "Women worldwide watching Iran protests led by women demanding fair election & equality; their voices loud, strong; they will usher in change" 6/21, 11:19 AM

Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY): "Images from Iran are gripping. Regime can shut down media, but social media is bringing us the truth. We will remember Neda." 6/21, 7:16 PM

Ex-NYPD Commissioner Bernie Kerik: "N Korea threatens USA if attacked, Al-Qaeda threatens to use Pakistani nukes on US and Iran's Rev. Guard is attacking protesters - Insanity!" 6/22, 10:49 AM

But perhaps the most notable Tweet on Iran this weekend came from ex-FL state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R), who's facing off against Gov. Charlie Crist in the FL SEN primary. As we noted first earlier on On Call, Rubio has found a solution to the protests -- more guns.

WOTT provides a carefully selected slice of tweets written by political leaders, ex-politicians and candidates for office nationwide. Hotline subscribers can read the best overnight tweets in our AM edition.

Do you have a favorite political tweep you think should be added to our list? Email us at hotlinetwitter@nationaljournal.com.

Follow Hotline on Twitter: twitter.com/thehotline.

On Call aside: all tweets are reproduced exactly as they appeared.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

A funny/revealing exchange during today's Rose Garden ceremony for the signing of the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. It came as Pres. Obama introduced folks from the Campaign for Tobacco Free Kids, the FDA commissioner and lawmakers, including CT Sen. Chris Dodd (D), who is mired in an unexpectedly challenging re-elect battle following revelations about his sweetheart loan from Countrywide.

Obama: Now, there are three members of Congress that I have to especially thank: Representative Waxman, Representative Dodd, and -- excuse me -- (laughter) -- Senator Dodd --

Dodd: Things are tough enough.

Hillary Rodham Clinton, still in recovery after surgery for a broken elbow, has canceled her trips to Trieste, Italy, for a meeting of her Group of Eight counterparts, and Corfu for a gathering of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Corfu. Talks at the first event were to focus on Middle East peace, while the latter effort would examine the Russia-Georgia dispute.

The cancellation was announced by Clinton's deputy, James B. Steinberg. He said that he would represent the United States at the Greek forum while Undersecretary of State William Burns will attend the meetings in Italy, according to The Washington Post.

Marco Rubio, a GOP candidate for Senate in FL, suggests the dynamics of the Iran conflict would be different if the masses could, er, wield firearms.

Rubio: I have a feeling the situation in Iran would be a little different if they had a 2nd amendment like ours. #sayfie #tcot #nra 3:30ish PM Sunday

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

National Journal's James A. Barnes sits down with four key staffers to FLOTUS Michelle Obama to talk about working for the dynamic first lady and life in the East Wing.

A source close to NH AG Kelly Ayotte (R) tells On Call that the rumors about her bid are "for real" and that Ayotte "is in fact close to deciding to run for Senate."

My source says that her possible run "is generating a lot of buzz and excitement in GOP circles" and that "GOP bigwigs, both national and in NH, are already lining up to back her."

Though the state has trended solidly left over the last five years, giving Dems an advantage in filling Republican Sen. Judd Gregg's seat next year, Ayotte would turn the contest upside down. She's young, attractive, a mother of two and married to a National Guard pilot. She's cool under pressure -- evidenced from her time as legal counsel to the gaffe-prone one-term Gov. Craig Benson (R) -- and has since managed to forge a solid working relationship with the state's three-term Dem Gov. John Lynch.

A member of the NH and ME bars, Ayotte is also the first woman to serve as the Granite State's AG. In Ayotte v. Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, she argued in '05 before the Supreme Court of the United States for the state's parental notification law.

The Dems, meanwhile, have cleared the field for Rep. Paul Hodes (D-NH). Hodes, who defeated Republican Charlie Bass in '06, holds degrees from Dartmouth and Boston College Law School. He and wife, Peggo, are also folk singers.

Ayotte, 40, is not the only possible GOP candidate, though she is the one perhaps most likely to stir fear in the hearts of NH and national Dems. Bass, a moderate who hails from scenic Peterborough, could run. And John E. Sununu, who served one term in the Senate after being felled by Dem Jeanne Shaheen in his '08 bid for re-election, remains a possibility.

The last NH AG to run for Senate successfully was Warren Rudman, a Republican.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

A National Journal analysis of the demographic characteristics of 366 top Obama administration officials shows that the president has assembled a team that has a higher percentage of women, African-Americans, and Hispanics than the staff of George W. Bush. A closer look at these power players can be found in the magazine's annual Decision Makers edition, out this week.

Here's some of the skinny on Team Obama:

Fifty-two percent of the top Obama officials are white males, compared with 59 percent at the start of the Bush administration and 60 percent at the start of Bush's second term. Women account for 34 percent of Obama's top officials, compared with 26 percent at the start of Bush's first term. Racial minorities account for 25 percent of Obama's top officials, compared with 20 percent at the beginning of the Bush administration.

Read on.

SILVER SPRING, MD -- The first crowds were milling outside AFI's Silverscreen Theater at yesterday's world premiere of "The Nine Lives Of Marion Barry" hours before the show was set to start. By the 6:30 PM show time at the Silverdoc documentary film festival, exasperated organizers were turning throngs away at the door and warning those lucky enough to get a seat that their loved ones outside parking the car wouldn't make it in.

The reason for the excitement was obvious the moment a black stretch limo with police escort pulled up in front of the cinema. Inside was Barry, the film's subject. The four-term DC mayor and Ward 8 city councilman was greeted by cheers, boos and chants of "shame!" from the crowd waiting to get in. Barry, nattily dressed and trailing an entourage that included his 19-year-old godson Dennis, smiled, waved and took his seat at the theater. He munched on hot dogs in his reserved seat as the show got started. The documentary, set to premiere nationwide in August on HBO, chronicles Barry's dramatic rise from SNCC street organizer to DC's second Home Rule mayor through a political career is the stuff of legend. Barry served six months in prison for crack cocaine possession between his third and fourth term, after a high-profile trial resulting from his arrest in an FBI sting operation.

The film focuses less on his career as a policy maker than on the man himself. The crowd -- full of DC residents and officials -- did the same, clapping and cheering when Barry's successes were depicted and laughing when his many public apologies were shown. Premiering in a city where Barry's legacy is still a very hot topic, the documentary that aimed at putting context to his life, played second fiddle to a crowd more interested in the here and now.

"You either love Marion Barry or hate him -- that's the way it is," ex-DC ANC commissioner Ken Fealing told On Call. Fealing, now the president of New Media 3M, was reviewing the film for DC's Eagle newspapers. He remembered working in the city under Barry's reign. Asked where he came down on the love/hate line, Fealing laughed. "Kinda mixed, I guess," he said. "But that's the way it is, too."

After the film, NPR's Juan Williams had essentially that same conversation when he moderated a panel discussion with the filmmakers, Civil Rights activist Lawrence Guyot, NBC4-TV's Tom Sherwood and DCWatch.com's Dorothy Brizill. The overall feeling about the man from the panelists? As Fealing might say, kinda mixed.

After the panel was over, Barry himself took the stage, addressing the audience and taking no questions. He described himself as man with "triumphs and tragedies," which he said made him "just like everyone in America." Barry said that what made him different was that "some parts of the media have demonized me."

"But if you take a look at 50 years of public service all together, instead of in little slices," he said, "you see that I've helped millions of people."

One might wonder why Barry would choose to join the audience at a film that took a hard look at his checkered past. "Nine Lives" features many people -- including his late ex-wife -- speaking frankly about their disappointment in the one-time civil rights icon-turned-drug abuse poster child. Barry didn't address his reasons directly, but he suggested that he subscribed to that adage that no publicity is bad publicity.

"I thought it was a good, balanced film," Barry said. "I know how the media can be." He paused. "But I love 'em anyway."

He left to a standing ovation, shaking hands and politicking as he made his way through the theater. He also looked for details about the premiere's after party from his staff.

"Is there going to be press there?" he asked.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)
(Photo by CongressDaily's JASON DICK)

A busy week of political mayhem in Washington:

FOX News had the story of Sen. John Ensign's dalliance but sat on it.

Norm Coleman's campaign staffers are moving on.

The mother-in-law of Bob McDonnell, the GOP nom for VA governor, died. And state Sen. R. Creigh Deeds sent condolences (after the jump).

A Gallup survey out today shows Pres. Obama's approvals have dropped to an all-time low of, gasp, 58%.

Hillary Clinton took a tumble, broke an elbow and is expected to fully recover.

The jobless rate in the Western U.S. topped 10 percent, per the Labor Dept.

Sen. Barbara Boxer would like you to use her title. She's earned it. (Above.)

And finally Weather.com is predicting isolated or scattered thunderstorms through the weekend. Rain, rain, go away!

Happy Friday!

VA GOP Chairman Pat Mullins today issued a FOIA request to Gov. Tim Kaine's office seeking documents related to the governor's travel schedule and expenses tied to his role as chairman of the DNC.

In a release, the state party notes that as Mullins was announcing his appeal, Kaine was in Kansas City, MO, headlining a fundraising luncheon for Organizing for America.

"At a time when Virginia is facing an economic crisis it hasn't seen in decades, our governor seems to be spending a lot of his time in other parts of the country," Mullins said. "Worse yet, he and his staff have steadfastly refused requests from the media for information about his travel schedule. We think Virginians deserve to know where their governor is, particularly when so many of them are wondering how to put food on the table and take care of their families."

Lynda Tran, Kaine's comm. dir., said she believes that security and privacy concerns would probably trump the party's request but added, "We're going to deal with this the same way we would deal with any FOIA request."

It's an interesting move, less because Kaine is juggling two major tasks but because the state will elect a new governor in the fall and Dem nom R. Creigh Deeds, a Bath County state senator, will attempt to seize the mantle of Kaine and his predecessor, Dem Mark Warner. So sullying Kaine, the GOP's thinking must go, could saddle Deeds with some unnecessary baggage. And in what's likely to be a whisker tight contest between Deeds and GOPer Bob McDonnell, every little bit helps.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

The WH released a baseball card today charting the stats of First Dog Bo Obama and, more importantly, providing his official portrait.

Maybe the Nats could use him?

Bo Obama

Bo is the Obama family's dog.

Breed: Portuguese water dog

Family: President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama,
Malia and Sasha Obama

Unofficial title: First Dog of the United States

Birth: Bo was born in the fall of 2008 in Texas.

First Day at the White House: April 14, 2009

Hobbies: Playing on the White House lawn and going on walks
with the Obama family

Goal as First Dog: Make friends with foreign dognitaries

Favorite exercise: Running (and then napping near the
Obama girls)

Favorite food: Tomatoes - or toys

Did you know?
Bo's name came from two different places: Mrs. Obama's father's • nickname was "Diddley" and Malia and Sasha's cousins have a cat named Bo - and another cat named Diddley.

Bo was a gift to the Obama family from Senator Ted Kennedy and his wife, Vicki.

Even though Bo is a Portuguese water dog, he doesn't know how to swim.

House Race Hotline editor Tim Sahd takes a look each Friday at the top five House stories of the week. Here are this week's big newsmakers, brought to you by Friday House Cleaning.

5. CA-11: Sheriff Rupf Rides Out Of CA-10?

Contra Costa Co. Sheriff Warren Rupf (R) initially had expressed interest in the CA-10 special election (to fill State Dept-bound Rep. Ellen Tauscher's (D) seat), but instead may be headed for greener (or redder) pastures in a matchup against Rep. Jerry McNerney (D). He has traveled to DC to talk about the race with the NRCC, and he sounds interested in switching to a race against McNerney. Pres. Obama won the 10th with 65%, while he won McNerney's CD with 54%. You can understand the appeal of the 11th instead of the neighboring 10th for Rupf.

And you can also understand Rupf's appeal to GOPers. He's been a with the Sheriff's department for over 40 years, and has deep ties to the area. His major problem: he doesn't live in the CD. Still, with his law-and-order credentials and record, he would be a better matchup for GOPers against McNerney than '08 nominee/ex-Assemb. Dean Andal (R), who flopped in his bid last year.

Here are the scheduled guests for the Sunday public affairs shows and other weekend programs:

SUNDAY:

Meet the Press hosts Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu, ex-Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA), ex-Sen. Fred Thompson (R-TN) and features a roundtable with Fortune's Nina Easton and NBC's Chuck Todd.

Face the Nation hosts Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

This Week hosts Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and features a roundtable with ex-Clinton Labor Sec. Robert Reich, New York Times' Bill Keller, ABC's Cokie Roberts, Sam Donaldson and George Will.

Fox News Sunday hosts Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN), Carnegie Endowment for Int'l Peace's Karim Sadjadpour, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) and McCain.

State of the Union hosts Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Richard Lugar (R-IN). Other guests TBD (see below for guests on SOTU's Reliable Sources segment).

See other weekend shows after the jump.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

VA Gov. Tim Kaine (D), also DNC chief, sends a fundraising plea on behalf of the Dem who wants to succeed him, state Sen. Creigh Deeds. Available after the jump.

Give to Pres. Obama and you shall most definitely receive.

A new Center for Responsive Politics study reveals that 19 of Obama's ambassador nominees have bundled a whopping $3.4M for his WH bid and $1.4M for the inauguration. And along with their spouses and children, they have given more than $98K to Obama personally.

Not all of Obama's appointees were bundlers or donors. Some have diplomatic roots, and others -- Gov. Jon Huntsman (R-UT) -- supported Obama's '08 GOP rival, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ).

But, per CRP, here are some of the most notable givers:

* Colorado business executive Vinai Thummalapally for ambassador to Belize. Thummalapally has been a longtime friend of the president's, ever since they were roommates at Occidental College. He has also been a longtime financial backer of Obama's, including bundling between $100,000 and $200,000 for his 2008 presidential bid. Moreover, along with his wife and children, Thummalapally has contributed $13,375 to Obama since 1999, of which $11,875 came during the 2008 election cycle. At that time, not only did he and his wife make large contributions but, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission, so did his "not employed/student" children Vishal and Sharanya, who sent contributions of $2,300 and $2,275, respectively, Obama's way.

* Former Virginia lieutenant governor and businessman Donald Beyer for ambassador to both Switzerland and Liechtenstein. Beyer and his wife, Megan, have contributed more than $399,000 to Democratic candidates, parties and committees since 1989, including $9,200 to Obama, $3,000 to Clinton -- and $2,000 to 2004 Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean from their "not employed/student" daughter Stephanie. Moreover, they bundled at least $500,000 for Obama's presidential bid. Megan also bundled at least $245,000 for Obama's inauguration committee, according to Public Citizen.

* Washington lawyer Howard W. Gutman for ambassador to Belgium. He and his wife, Michelle Loewinger, have contributed at least $86,150 to Democratic candidates, parties and committees since 1989. Gutman contributed the legal maximum of $2,300 to Clinton's presidential bid, and he and his wife also contributed the legal maximum of $4,600 a piece to Obama's presidential run. Additionally, Gutman bundled at least $500,000 for Obama's campaign committee and another $275,000 for his inauguration committee.

* Mark Gitenstein, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution think tank and a partner with a DC-based law firm, for ambassador to Romania. Gitenstein and his wife, Elizabeth, have contributed more than $128,600 to federal candidates, parties and committees since the 1990 election cycle -- with 98 percent of that money going to Democrats. Mark also contributed $2,500 to Hillary Clinton since 2005, while Elizabeth contributed $1,000 to Obama during his presidential bid.

Read on.

Per the Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet, the embattled Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) will not be charged with perjury:

Sangamon County State's Attorney John Schmidt declined to press perjury charges against U.S. Sen. Roland Burris (D-Ill.) stemming from allegations he misled a legislative panel about the circumstances behind his appointment.

Schmidt said that while Burris' answers to the House committee probing former Gov. Blagojevich's impeachment were "incomplete," and vague, that did not rise to the level of a crime. "Based upon our review of the facts and the applicable law, there is insufficient evidence to charge Senator Roland Burris with perjury," Schmidt wrote in a letter to House Speaker Michael Madigan (D-Chicago), whose office encouraged the probe.

Burris said in a statement that he was "very pleased" by the decision. He still has a Senate Ethics Committee probe hanging over him.

Said Burris, "I am obviously very pleased with today's decision by State's Attorney John Schmidt. His investigation was both thorough and fair, and I am glad that the truth has prevailed.

"This matter has now been fully investigated; I cooperated at every phase of the process, and as I have said from the beginning, I have never engaged in any pay-to-play, never perjured myself, and came to this seat in an honest and legal way. Today's announcement confirms all that.

"I am glad I can now put this matter behind me and get on with my work in the United States Senate serving the people of Illinois."

WH Press Secretary Robert Gibbs dodged questions yesterday about why the administration won't pressure the DCC and the DSCC to stop taking donations from lobbyists.

Obama headlined a DCCC, DSCC fundraising dinner last evening, but lobbyists weren't permitted to attend or to have donated money for the dinner, though they are permitted to attend an "issues conference" held today. Obama didn't take lobbyist or political action committee donations during his campaign. When he won the Democratic primary, he banned the DNC from taking lobbyist and PAC campaign money as well.

But as president, it appears the administration isn't willing to push the same policy.

Here's the Q&A from the WH briefing yesterday:

Q The President is going to go to a fundraiser in the DCCC and the DSCC, this one night only. They won't take lobbyists' money and all this stuff --

MR. GIBBS: Well, the President won't be involved in a fundraiser that does that.

Q But as the titular head of the Democratic Party, why doesn't he have any influence to change the rules of the two major national committees?

MR. GIBBS: I think people know where the President stands. I think -- we're the head of the DNC, and they don't take lobbyists' money, and the President is not going to be involved in fundraisers where that happens.

Q But it's the Democratic Party -- I mean, you're head of the Democratic Party, why can't you have this influence on the DSCC or the DCCC?

MR. GIBBS: Call Bob Menendez. (Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. is chair of the DSCC)

The different treatment of lobbyists has some Democrats bristling.

"There's no reason to villify good people that are trying to help your Administration and treat them as if they have the plague. They want it both ways. And for the DSCC and DCCC to cave on the [issues conference] makes this event particularly demeaning to attend - 'you're welcome here, and we'll take your money, but not here,'" said one lobbyist who didn't want to be named.

The numbers tell the story why the congressional parties are reluctant to ban lobbyist donations. In the 2008 election cycle, lobbyists gave $34.4 million in campaign contributions to federal candidates and parties, with 57 percent going to Democrats and 43 percent to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

(National Journal's BARA VAIDA, per NJ's Under the Influence blog)

The DNC, which has lagged its Republican counterpart in fundraising so far this year, outraised the RNC in May by almost $3M.

The DNC took in $8.37M, compared with the RNC's $5.7M. The RNC has significantly more cash in the bank, however, $21.5M to the DNC's $12.1M.

"I am pleased that the Republican National Committee continues to show solid fundraising numbers, and we are grateful to the countless Americans who have contributed to our Party," RNC chairman Michael S. Steele said in a statement. "We have important and competitive elections this fall and next year. With another month of strong fundraising numbers, we are confident and well positioned to win."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Pres. Obama issued a proclamation today commemorating Father's Day.

A snippet:

Communities must do more to counsel fathers. Family and friends, and faith-based and community organizations, can speak directly with men about the sacrifices and rewards of having a child. These groups can support men as they take on the great challenges of child-rearing. Through honest and open dialogue, more men can choose to become model parents and know the wonders of fatherhood.

The full document after the jump.

Per the WH, Pres. Obama wishes the Los Angeles Lakers a hearty congrats:

Yesterday afternoon, President Obama called Phil Jackson, head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, to congratulate him on his team winning the NBA Finals and on his record-setting 10th championship as a head coach. They also discussed the keys to the Lakers' success and the President's interest in the Lakers' innovative triangle offense. The President told Jackson that he has admired the coach since his days with the Chicago Bulls and is excited to meet him and congratulate the team in person at the White House.

"World News" led with severe weather. "Evening News" and "Nightly News" both led with a plane landing safely after pilot's death.

Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) made the TV rounds last night to discuss Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) criticism of Pres. Obama's response to the situation in Iran.

Kerry, on McCain saying Obama is not taking the leadership that is incumbent upon a POTUS: "I don't know where he was when the president went to Cairo and gave a speech and stood up in Cairo and talked about democracy and the rights of women and people to be able to express their views. I think the president has been more than powerfully heard across the world about his support for those kind of movements."

More Kerry: "For the president of the United States to get in the middle of what is happening in Iran right now, I believe -- and I think many people believe -- would be an enormous mistake, because it just gives the Iranian clerics, who are already, in some cases, oppressive and restrictive with respect to what people in Iran can do -- more excuse to make America the target and America an excuse for their actions."

More after the jump, including McCain on Obama's approval numbers and George W. Bush's recent remarks.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

National Journal's Political Insiders gave passing marks to the WH staff in this week's magazine survey but offered less stellar reviews of Pres. Obama's economic and national security teams.

In coordination with NJ's Decision Makers edition, out today, James A. Barnes and Peter Bell asked Dems (97) and Republicans (91) to grade the WH staff. On average, Dems rated them a 'B+' while Republicans gave a 'B-.'

"Dealing with the toughest challenges inherited by any administration in two generations," said one 'B+' bestowing Dem.

"Rahm looked especially 'Rahmbo' on the NBC special. Get a leash," said a Dem who stamped the Obama team with a 'B.'

A Republican 'B' giver: "They'd get an A if they stopped blaming Bush for everything under the sun."

Meanwhile, the Dems gave Obama's economic team a 'B-' and the national security team a 'B+.' The Republicans were less kind, rating them a 'D+' and 'C' respectively.

One GOPer issued a 'D' to the economic team, adding, "If Obama ends up as a one-term president, it will be because these guys pushed economic politices that would make even Jimmy Carter roll his eyes."

And a Republican who tagged the national security team with a 'C' said: "Repacking a lot of the former administration's ideas, just selling them better. But North Korea? Do we have a plan? Time is ticking."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

When the free labor wants out, you know you're in trouble.

"My guess is in some of these countries that the leadership is kind of like me, they don't have a clue what it's about."

-- Defense Sec. Robert Gates talking about how social networking tools empower individuals to communicate around the globe

Gates doesn't Twitter or have a Facebook page. Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, does. Definitely worth a watch, courtesy of C-SPAN.

Pollster.com's Mark Blumenthal directs On Call to analysis from Walter Mebane, a respected University of Michigan political science and statistics professor who concludes that the Iran election results spell: F.R.A.U.D.

Pres. Obama -- featured on his latest magazine cover -- writes a letter to his daughters about fatherhood for this weekend's Parade magazine.

Here's a snippet:

I observe this Father's Day not just as a father grateful to be present in my daughters' lives but also as a son who grew up without a father in my own life.

In many ways, I came to understand the importance of fatherhood through its absence--both in my life and in the lives of others. I came to understand that the hole a man leaves when he abandons his responsibility to his children is one that no government can fill. We can do everything possible to provide good jobs and good schools and safe streets for our kids, but it will never be enough to fully make up the difference.

We need fathers to step up, to realize that their job does not end at conception; that what makes you a man is not the ability to have a child but the courage to raise one.

I know I have been an imperfect father. I know I have made mistakes. I have lost count of all the times, over the years, when the demands of work have taken me from the duties of fatherhood. There were many days out on the campaign trail when I felt like my family was a million miles away, and I knew I was missing moments of my daughters' lives that I'd never get back. It is a loss I will never fully accept.

On this Father's Day, I think about the pledge I made to Malia the day she was born: that I would give her what I never had--that if I could be anything in life, I would be a good father.

View the accompanying photos. And after the jump, Parade's editor writes that she hardly messed with 44's prose.

Amid the chatter that a decision in the MN SEN contest is close at hand comes this amusing reminder that a swift decision is not necessarily in entertainer Al Franken's (D) interest:

The St. Paul Pioneer Press reports that interest is quietly accruing on the $95K ex-Sen. Norm Coleman (R) owes for Franken's legal fees. At a 4 percent annual rate, that amounts to about $10.40 a day. As of today, Coleman owes about $83.

Coleman has said he's not going to pay until the MN Supremes issue their final ruling. Cha-ching!

(FELICIA SONMEZ)

En route to a meeting today at the WH, Sec/State Hillary Rodham Clinton fell and broke her elbow, according to reports. She was treated at George Washington University Hospital and will have surgery in the coming week. She missed a scheduled meeting with actress/activist Angelina Jolie.

Facing a possible '10 primary challenge, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) writes for Daily Kos of her firm support for a repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell. Why is this notable?

She could face Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) in the primary, and Maloney, of course, hails represents the 14th CD, which includes the East Side of Manhattan, Astoria, Queens, Roosevelt Island and much of Long Island City, Sunnyside and parts of Woodside. And polls show Gillibrand would struggle in NYC and its surrounding suburbs against a GOP challenger. A May Marist survey of her in a general election battle with Republican George Pataki, for example, shows Gillibrand narrowly winning NYC, 45%-42%, and getting clobbered in the surrounding suburbs, 51%-29%.

So wooing more liberal NYC voters -- and interest groups -- is key to Gillibrand's longterm survival.

Gillibrand for Daily Kos:

Last week, I had the honor of meeting a proud graduate of the US Military Academy at West Point, NY - Lt. Dan Choi. Lt. Choi came to my office to meet me and discuss how we right the wrong that has occurred in his life and ensure others do not experience the same injustice.

In 2003, Lt. Dan Choi graduated from West Point with a degree in Arabic. Since graduating, Lt. Choi has served honorably in the 1st Bn., 69th Infantry of the New York Army National Guard, including a deployment in Iraq. Now, it appears his service may come to an end simply because he has publicly said these three words: "I am gay."

...

I am firmly committed to repealing Don't Ask Don't Tell. Not only am I working closely with Congressman Murphy and Senator Kennedy's offices to develop support for repeal legislation, but I will be among the original co-sponsors of the bill when it's introduced. In the weeks and months ahead, I plan to work with Lt. Choi to repair the damage that has been done to his career and spare thousands of innocent, brave men and women, from the same injustice.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

The final score of the 48th annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball Game at Nationals Park, for those concerned, was 15-10. With the congressional Dems on top for the first time since 2000. Baseball imitating politics.

Pres. Obama's status as a pop culture icon reaches new heights today as the WH Tweets a Facebook video of his appearance on Steven Colbert's show. Overexposed? Or genius use of tech media?

The White House: "WH Facebook page exclusive: President Obama backstage before ordering Colbert's head-shave http://bit.ly/8tSfq" 11:15 AM

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with the situation in Iran.

During a 6/16 interview with CNBC, Pres. Obama spoke out against FNC, saying he has one TV net "entirely devoted to attacking" his admin. Most of the FNC anchors responded on their respective shows last night.

FNC's Bill O'Reilly: "Are we unfair to President Obama? Let's look at it methodically. First of all, a study by the Pew Research Center said flat out FOX NEWS had the most balanced coverage of the presidential campaign in the cable news world. That is irrefutable. Secondly, the president is now moving the country left. So, Reagan conservatives like Sean Hannity are going to have a problem with that, so will Libertarians like Glenn Beck. There are very few conservative Republicans on TV, so that may be why the president is horrified by some criticism. I mean, everybody knows liberals own the media."

More O'Reilly: "In the FOX lineup, Bret Baier seems to be neutral, so does Shepard Smith and Greta [Van Susteren]. FOX NEWS commentators Alan Colmes, Juan Williams, Mara Liasson, Marc Lamont Hill, Ellis Henican and Bob Beckel all generally support President Obama. Neil Cavuto's a fiscal conservative. ... Anyone who watches this broadcast knows I've tried hard to be fair to the president, often giving him the benefit of the doubt. Well, my job's to look out for you. So, when the president's policies are wrong, in my opinion, I say it, just as I say it when he does something right."

After the jump, more FNC/Obama, same-sex benefits, financial regulation proposals and Sen. John Ensign's (R-NV) affair.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

SILVER SPRING, MD -- The sights, sounds and emotions of the '08 Democratic National Convention are captured in a new documentary -- titled simply 'Convention' -- that had its world premiere tonight at the American Film Institute's annual SILVERDOCS festival.

Director AJ Schnack unleashed four teams of well-known documentarians in Denver last August with the goal of portraying what a major city goes through when it plays host to the quadrennial political show. Participants reduced 90 hours of footage of journalists, protestors, city officials, police and politicians to a tight 90 minutes. The final product reveals the near-constant fear of disorder that dogged city officials. It also highlights reporters' struggles to navigate a suddenly fortress-like city strapped with security.

But the film also makes Denver itself a star. Thanks to Barack Obama's nomination, it secured its place in history as the setting to an historic moment -- when America met a its first major-party presidential nominee who wasn't white and male.

(And if that wasn't drama enough, the movie captures the now-forgotten PUMAs, too.)

Schnack said he was fortunate to be there for Obama's acceptance speech, but the star of the event wasn't his target.

"Our guidelines for the filmmakers was that every character had to be from Denver," Schnack said at a pre-premiere panel event this afternoon. "The backdrop of the film was the event -- the event was not the film."

Conventions are an increasingly superfluous part of the presidential election process; floor battles for the nomination are a thing of the past. But as 'Convention' showcases, those four days can still be intensely stressful for those who organize, manage, protest and cover one. Schnack's film gives a rare glimpse of the sweat effort it takes to make a major political happening seem effortless.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

The 48th annual Roll Call Congressional Baseball game appears to be on for this eve -- unless the skies open up before the 7:05 p.m. start time at Nationals Park. Weather.com is predicting a 35% chance of precipitation.

The Dems are looking to break a losing streak that dates back to 2000. Check out the GOP and Dem team rosters to assess if they have the muscle this year to bring change to Washington.

Per the House clerk, here's a history of the congressional game and players.

And do you know how many members of the House were former professional baseball players? Eleven. Test your trivia; the full list is available after the jump.

Sen. Russ Feingold today pushed AG Eric Holder to dub the Bush administration's warrentless wiretapping program "illegal." But Holder, appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a hearing on the Department of Justice Oversight, didn't bite. And Feingold was none too pleased. Watch the exchange above. And here's the statement Feingold released this afternoon:

"I was disappointed by Attorney General Holder's unwillingness to repeat what both he and President Obama had stated in the past - that President Bush's warrantless wiretapping program was illegal. For an administration that has repeatedly stated its intention to restore the rule of law, this episode was a step backward. While the Attorney General restated his belief that the program was inconsistent with the FISA statute, his testimony today, and the administration's delay in withdrawing the Bush Administration's legal justifications for the program, are troubling."

The LA Dem Party sent out a release tonight asking if Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), who turned up on the DC madam's client list, should follow the lead of Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), who resigned his GOP leadership position after admitting to an extramarital affair, and step down. Vitter serves as deputy whip.

From the release:

The Louisiana Democratic Party is today calling on Sen. David Vitter to resign his leadership position in the Republican Party after Sen. John Ensign stepped down from the chairmanship of the Republican Policy Committee, the fourth ranking spot in Senate leadership. Sen. Ensign resigned after confessing to an extramarital affair with a campaign staffer. Sen. Vitter confessed to a "very serious sin" involving illegal activity after his name was mentioned in the federal investigation of the D.C. Madam prostitution ring, and the Louisiana Democratic Party is calling on him to resign his Deputy Whip position in the Senate.

"Senator Ensign's admission that he was involved in an extramarital affair serves to remind Louisiana voters of the embarrassment that Senator David Vitter brought on the people of Louisiana when he acknowledged his involvement in a multimillion dollar prostitution ring," said Louisiana Democratic Party Chairman Chris Whittington. "But at least Senator Ensign understood the embarrassment he was causing to his own state. Sen. Ensign did the right thing today, and it is up to Sen. Vitter to do the same. Senator Vitter not only violated the public trust, but he broke the law. He should immediately resign as Deputy Whip of the Senate Republican Caucus."

HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius told those gathered for a meeting of the centrist DLC earlier today that a health care reform package will be paid for via $900B of "revenue raisers" and savings garnered within the current system.

Pres. Obama, she said, "is very serious" about the notion that the proposal will not add to the national deficit, "which is currently alarmingly large and continues to grow."

"He feels that health reform should be paid for," she said during an event at the National Press Club.

Sebelius, greeted with a standing ovation, also said that some have suggested the public option advocated by the WH is simply a "stalking horse" for a single-payer plan. "I have to tell you that nothing could be further from the truth," she said. She said that 30 states already have public options that "stand side-by-side with the private option" plans.

She reminded attendees that the nation's health care costs clock in at 18 percent of GDP, higher than any other nation on Earth. Though reform has been attempted by Democratic presidents over the last half century, Sebelius suggested that climate is right to get a bill through Congress.

"I would tell you that I am very optimistic that the momentum is on the side of change, not on the side of the status quo, that doing nothing has a huge cost," she said. " ... The cost of doing nothing will render us a second rate nation on into the future. Our businesses can't afford it. Our families can't afford it, and frankly we can't sustain it."

Sebelius added: "This is a conversation that has been going on for generations, but I think that there is no question that it is not only the president's number one priority, but a priority that I think is one of our economic imperatives in this country."

She said she doesn't know anyone who "argues compelling for doing nothing right now" and she noted the "remarkable" assembly of stakeholders who are coming together to discuss the shape of a plan.

Sebelius said the U.S. is "spending more and getting poorer results for the dollars spent." the administration is attempting "to not only drive a new payment system but a new delivery system and a new value system."

"That's a pretty big lift," she said.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Why would we want to shop with Levi Johnston? Well, we don't necessarily, but The Daily Beast made the rounds with Johnston, father of Sarah Palin's grandchild, in L.A. recently. If you're interested, read on.

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) resigned his position today as leader of the GOP Policy Cmte., a job that placed him fourth in the Senate's Republican hierarchy. His decision comes in the wake of his announcement yesterday that he had engaged in an extramarital affair with a married campaign staffer. Ensign said his wife has forgiven him, and he gave no indication that he would resign from the Senate.

As such, we thought it worth reminding readers that Ensign called for Pres. Clinton to resign after his relationship with Monica Lewinsky was made public and when questions were raised about the veracity of Clinton's testimony during subsequent legal proceedings. Ensign said then that it would be the "honorable" thing to do.

"I think we are dealing with a very serious problem here," Ensign told the AP 9/29/98. "With what we know and what we already knew, to me, the honorable thing to do would be to resign."

Full '98 AP story is available after the jump.

Two-time presidential candidate John Edwards, in his first extended print interview since acknowledging that he had an extramarital affair, tells The Washington Post's Alec MacGillis that he is not ready to declare his '08 WH run a mistake, saying only that it's a "very complex question." He said his run focused on still-salient progressive issues, like health care reform, and forced rivals Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton to do the same.

Edwards also said that he has simplified his life dramatically in the wake of revelations that he had an affair even as wife, Elizabeth, was battling cancer.

"The two things I'm on the planet for now are to take care of the people I love and to take care of people who cannot take care of themselves," he said.

Edwards would not answer questions about mistress Rielle Hunter, the paternity of Hunter's baby, his wife's memoir, or the investigation into the use of his campaign funds to pay Hunter, a videographer. He said, though, that he's not embarking on a media tour to restore his public image.

Reputation "is not something I'm focused on," he said. "The only relevance of it at all is my ability to help people. That's the only reason it matters. I'm not engaged in, or interested in, being in a p.r. campaign."

MacGillis writes that Edwards would not rule out a return to politics, however. Read on.

Pres. Obama will sign a memorandum today extending benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. But will it be enough to placate those gays and lesbians miffed by Obama's lack of movement since taking office on issues of importance to the community (striking 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' among other policies)? Remains to be seen.

Fact Sheet: Presidential Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination

In an Oval Office event later today, President Barack Obama will sign a Presidential Memorandum on Federal Benefits and Non-Discrimination. The Memorandum follows a review by the Director of the Office of Personnel Management ant the Secretary of State regarding what benefits may be extended to the same-sex partners of federal employees in the civil service and the foreign service within the confines of existing federal laws and statutes.

Over the past several months, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management and the Secretary of State have conducted internal reviews to determine whether the benefits they administer may be extended to the same-sex partners of federal employees within the confines of existing laws and statutes. Both identified a number of such benefits.

For civil service employees, domestic partners of federal employees can be added to the long-term care insurance program; supervisors can also be required to allow employees to use their sick leave to take care of domestic partners and non-biological, non-adopted children. For foreign service employees, a number of benefits were identified, including the use of medical facilities at posts abroad, medical evacuation from posts abroad, and inclusion in family size for housing allocations.

The Presidential Memorandum to be signed today will request that the Director of OPM and the Secretary of State act to extend to same-sex partners of federal employees the benefits they have identified. The Memorandum will also request the heads of all other executive branch departments and agencies to conduct internal reviews to determine whether other benefits they administer might be similarly extended, and to report the results of those reviews to the Director of OPM.

The Memorandum will also direct OPM to issue guidance within 90 days to all executive departments and agencies regarding compliance with, and implementation of, the civil service laws, which make it unlawful to discriminate against federal employees or applicants for federal employment on the basis of factors not related to job performance.

Sen. John Ensign's public statement acknowledging his extramarital affair with a campaign staffer.

Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) took to the Senate floor today to lambast his GOP colleagues for not participating in a bipartisan effort for health care reform. He said that they have essentially snubbed his overture earlier this spring to engage in a productive debate.

A snippet of his remarks (available in full after the jump):

"I asked in that letter that we use the short and valuable time we have to work together in our common interest, rather than against each other and against the interests of the American people.

"I wish I could say Republicans answered those words with deeds of equal good faith.

"But how have they responded? Have they taken the hand we extended across the aisle? Have they taken the seat we offer at the negotiating table? No.

"Have they engaged in a productive debate about real people and real problems? No.

"Have they shown that they are just as interested as we are in working with each other rather than against each other? No.

"Have they told us a single thing they are for, rather than just what they are against? No.

"In fact, 'no' is all we hear from Republicans these days. Instead of debating facts, Republicans have committed themselves to a strategy of misinformation and misrepresentation."

Planned Parenthood of America today launched a multimedia campaign emphasizing the women's health elements of their services in a new cable TV ad, Internet ads and outreach using social networks, including Twitter and Facebook.

Ninety percent of the care that Planned Parenthood community health centers provide every day is primary and preventive, according to the group. Its services include wellness exams, cancer screenings, immunizations, contraception and STD testing and treatment. The push comes as the WH and lawmakers embark on sweeping health care reform. Planned Parenthood aims to emphasize its role in providing access to "affordable, quality care, including reproductive care" for women and families.

The group's advocacy efforts are centered at a new Web site.

Watch the ad, which is running on DC cable through the end of the month. Script after the jump.

Some Tweets speak for themselves.

Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI): "Iranian twitter activity similar to what we did in House last year when Republicans were shut down in the House." 12:03 PM

DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer weighed in on the Hoekstra Tweet: "The American people are tired of the erratic behavior from the Republican Party of No and want them to finally start working with the President and Congressional Democrats to turn the economy around."

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with the continuing protests in Iran.

During a sit-down with CNBC's Harwood, Pres. Obama was asked about the situation in Iran.

Harwood: "You took your time reacting to the protests in Iran after the election. What are you watching for in the handling of those protests and in the investigation of the results, and how will that influence the dialogue that you seek to have with Iran?"

Obama: "It's important to understand that although there is amazing ferment taking place in Iran, that the difference between Ahmadinejad and Mousavi in terms of their actual policies may not be as great as has been advertised. Either way, we were going to be dealing with an Iranian regime that has historically been hostile to the United States, that has caused some problems in the neighborhood and is pursuing nuclear weapons. And so we've got long-term interests in having them not weaponize nuclear power and stop funding organizations like Hezbollah and Hamas. And that would be true whoever came out on top in this election."

More after the jump.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), a rising star in the GOP, admitted today to an affair with the wife of a staffer.

He told the AP in a statement, "I deeply regret and am very sorry for my actions."

Ensign visited IA earlier this month, in what many viewed as the early first steps of a possible bid for national office.

Here's the question for readers tonight:

Has this behavior become so commonplace that Ensign could rise from the ashes, admit his mistakes and move on. (Ahem, Newt Gingrich, ahem. And, er, Gavin Newsom.) Or will voters say that the WH is finally off-limits to philanderers?

Per National Journal's Jerry Hagstrom, Bancroft students joined FLOTUS Michelle Obama in the WH kitchen for a cooking lesson. I ask, how long before the FLOTUS has a cookbook deal? Proceeds to charity, of course.

Hagstrom:

About 10 pupils from the Bancroft school followed associate chef Sam Kass into the White House kitchen, which is all stainless steel but smaller than those in many new suburban houses today. The kitchen staff gave each child an apron and a paper chef's hat.

"Everybody wash your hands," Kass said.

The children were divided into three teams. One group of boys broke eggs for the coating for the chicken, which would be baked. A chef taught the boys to break the eggs on a flat surface and then break them in the bowl, but one egg burst as the boy was putting it in. There did not seem to be any shell lost in the egg batter, however.

A second team was shelling peas. Mrs. Obama arrived and joined the team, with Kass showing the children how to snap the peas. Mrs. Obama noted,"We were eating some peas in the garden. The peas are very sweet."

One chef told a child, "Take the bud off."

After a time, Mrs. Obama turned to the children who were preparing the chicken and said of the baked chicken they would eat, "This is a healthier version of fried chicken."

(Later in the garden, Kass said, "Breaded and baked is the new fried.")

One chef also told the children they could prepare this kind of chicken at home with "shake and bake."

A third group of children cut up onions for the brown rice and cooked the brown rice. They were the farthest from the media and it was impossible to hear what was said at that table.

As the half hour came to an end, Kass asked them, "What are we going to do now?"

"Clean up," the children replied. Kass gave them towels and said, "Remember whenever you touch chicken you've got to wash your hands."

More pool reportage after the jump.

In its polling of the VA governor's race, the DGA also surveyed issues, and the group kindly passed along that information to On Call. The poll found that the traditional partisan divide on issues like guns and abortion and taxes persists in the Commonwealth.

GOPer Bob McDonnell has an advantage on social issues -- guns and abortion -- that Republicans have used successfully in past elections. And state Sen. Creigh Deeds has am edge in those areas in which Pres. Obama continues to soar: fighting for the middle class, health care and education.

Taxes -- McDonnell +6
Guns -- McDonnell +6
Abortion -- McDonnell +2

Fighting for the middle class -- Deeds +14
Improving public education -- Deeds +13
Making healthcare more affordable -- Deeds +19
Creating jobs -- Deeds +3
Working with the other political party -- Deeds +13

I think, though, that the jobs differential could wind up being the whole ballgame. The word was the centerpiece of Terry McAuliffe's Dem primary bid for a good reason. With a recession underway and national unemployment numbers creeping near double-digits, voters are most concerned about garnering a steady wage. While McAuliffe, with two decades as a Dem Party rainmaker, wasn't a credible conduit for a job creation message, McDonnell and Deeds, with their records of service to the state in Richmond, could each plausibly make the case that they're best able to manage the budget and create new opportunities for VA residents.

Here's betting that the Dems and Deeds will try to turn to those social issues to paint McDonnell, who is anti abortion and attended Pat Robertson's Regent University School of Law, as out of step with moderates. But if the Republican nominee can turn the conversation successfully to bread and butter issues, and prove that he's got job creation know-how, he'll be formidable. Meanwhile, Deeds' strength on top issues of the day -- and the public's faith in the party and the WH, coupled with strong right track nos. in VA -- could help him prevail.

"The biggest takeaway from our perspective is that Bob McDonnell is coming out of this primary weaker than the Democratic nominee, which is something very few of us would have predicted six months ago," DGA spokeswoman Emily DeRose said today on a conference call with reporters.

The DGA clearly liked its poll numbers enough to peddle them. But Deeds' slim lead 42%-38% is telling. Even after Common Sense VA sank $2.8M into primary era adds slamming McDonnell, an effort to erode his favorables in time for the general, he remains strong and the contest a dead heat. And that pesky question of who would be the most effective jobs creator hangs over the contest.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Republican Trey Grayson, KY secretary of state, said he wouldn't make a formal decision about running for SEN until Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY) announces if he'll run for re-election.

But Grayson, who has formed an exploratory cmte., held a fundraiser yesterday at The Depot in Corbin.

Per the Times-Tribune:

"It was a nice feeling (to see all these people here to show their support)," Grayson said. He says he looks forward to getting to know all the new people he saw at the event.

Grayson said Senator Jim Bunning encouraged him to form the exploratory committee, but he also said he "has no plans to run against him right now." He said that after next month, when Bunning makes a decision about whether or not he will continue to run, Grayson would have a better answer to the question.

"I don't suspect that (having to run against Bunning) would be a problem," Grayson said.

Sure seems that Grayson is moving full steam ahead no matter what Bunning decides.

RGA launched two new ads in the NJ governor's race hammering Dem Gov. Jon Corzine for raising taxes and not doing enough to create jobs. They dub him a "Wall Street banker."

A spokesman wouldn't provide information about the cost of the buy or where the ads will run. They are the first step in a multi-week, paid media effort that can be viewed at www.JerseyPays.com.

Take a look:

The DGA polled VA GOV and found state Sen. Creigh Deeds' (D) favorables only marginally higher than his rival, ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R).

Deeds garnered a 48% favorable / 14% unfavorable review, while McDonnell, who was uncontested for the GOP nom, received a 43% favorable / 19% unfavorable rating.

Through the group Common Sense VA, the Dems have paid for at least three TV ad blitzes criticizing McDonnell's opposition to taking a portion of the state's federal stimulus money and crafting him as unfriendly to the needs of working Americans. So he's still fairing well -- even in DGA polling. Meanwhile, Deeds holds a modest four-point edge over McDonnell in the DGA's head-to-head. Not too shabby.

Meanwhile, the DGA is crafting the contest as a referendum on the Mark Warner/Tim Kaine legacy. Sure enough, the Dem govs' brands are still strong. But McDonnell defeated Deeds in the '05 AG contest, so the GOPer has a record of winning statewide. McDonnell has also moved quickly to start wooing moderate voters, and with potentially divisive social issues like abortion and stem cell research on the backburner this cycle, and a strong campaign infrastructure led by former RNC chief Ed Gillespie, he's a formidable contender.

The DGA's numbers prove as much.

More to come on this after a midday DGA call. The memo can be viewed above.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Twitter has come of age during the uproar over Iran's election.

Read on.

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with protests in Iran over the election. "Evening News" also hosted Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu.

Much of last night's TV talk focused on what Pres. Obama should be doing in response to the protests in Iran.

BBC's Kay: "The kind of mess that you have in Iran at the moment makes it difficult for the Obama administration to know how to play their cards, how to engage. ... If Ahmadinejad stays in power, the Obama administration is going to have to carry on dealing with them. And if they have come out here in Washington ... forcefully saying, 'We dispute this election,' that's going to weaken their position, potentially, dealing with
him in the future" ("Harball," MSNBC, 6/15).

Weekly Standard's Hayes: "It's good that he said something. Let's get that out there. But saying only that he is only deeply troubled, that puts him above the French in his level of outrage. I don't think that is a good place to be" ("Special Report," FNC, 6/15).

Johns Hopkins Univ. prof. Fouad Ajami, on whether Obama should speak out and denounce the results: "What could he say? The critics of President Obama are making this election a verdict on President Obama. This has nothing to do with the President Obama. As the election in Lebanon, a week or so ago had nothing to do with President Obama. This is really an account in Iran, between those who want liberty and those who want piety" ("Lou Dobbs Tonight," CNN, 6/15).

After the jump, more Iran and health care.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

American Rights at Work is running a second print ad running in DC-area publications pushing the notion that the business community supports arbitration except in the case of employee contract negotiations. The ad, part of the group's advocacy campaign for the Employee Free Choice Act, runs today in The Hill, Roll Call, Politico and CQ.

Ad text:

Big Business is happy to support arbitration when it's in their best interest. But when it comes to negotiating contracts with their workers, Big Business would rather use delay tactics to avoid paying better wages and benefits. It's only fair that corporations agree to arbitration for workers who are trying to negotiate a first contract after forming a union. Arbitration is a key part of the Employee Free Choice Act that will let both sides reach a fair agreement.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

FLOTUS Michelle Obama today hosted the latest happening in the WH Music Series, a jazz event. Pooler Mike Madden of Salon writes that the entry hall level of the WH "was ringing with instrument tuning." About 150 young musicians learned from some of the nation's finest instructors. No blues there.

The report is available after the jump.

Organizing For America announced today the launch of its Summer Organizer Program, an effort to bolster OFA's health care reform advocacy efforts in the states.

OFA indicated in a release that 300 individuals were selected out of thousands who applied. They are tasked with giving "volunteers and supporters the tools and resources to continue having conversations about President Obama's three principles for health care reform; reducing costs, ensuring choice of doctors and plans, and providing quality affordable care for all Americans."

But like many summer workers in Washington, OFA's organizers will not be paid. And most are students, according to a source.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Pres. Obama is wasting no time stepping into the much-watched VA governor's race between GOPer Bob McDonnell and state Sen. Creigh Deeds, the Bath County Dem. Obama, who has been exceptionally cautious since winning election about wading into political contests, urges members of Organizing For America in VA via email to learn more about Deeds, who won an upset victory last week against two Northern Virginians, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran.

On Call's Read: Learn about Deeds, but more importantly, give money, and help us keep VA blue come November.

Friend --

Last Tuesday, Creigh Deeds won the Democratic primary for Governor of Virginia. In a hard-fought race, Creigh ran a terrific campaign and beat two fierce competitors by winning votes in every corner of the Commonwealth.

I know a thing or two about tough primaries, and I know a thing or two about running tough races in Virginia. Creigh Deeds' victory once again shows the power of people at the grassroots to win elections and bring about lasting change -- and he will be a better candidate this fall because of his hard work to win the nomination.

Creigh has been a dedicated public servant his entire life. As a county prosecutor and state legislator, he's been a strong advocate for economic development, high-quality education, and affordable health care -- and he's gone to great lengths to protect the environment and institute smart public transportation.

Now he needs your help to make sure Democrats retain the Virginia governorship. Please visit his website and get involved today.

Creigh has an ability to bring people together, build consensus and deliver results. He will bring the same bipartisan, pragmatic approach to politics that former Governor and now Senator Mark Warner and my friend Governor Tim Kaine used to help Virginia move forward over the past eight years.

I know that approach works because I've spent some time in your great Commonwealth. In my experience, Democratic candidates with a pragmatic approach to solving problems can be successful. That's the approach my campaign took last November to put Virginia in the Democratic column for the first time since 1964. And that's how Creigh Deeds will win this fall.

Learn more about Creigh, and get involved today:

http://www.deedsforvirginia.com

I look forward to working with Creigh to keep the Commonwealth strong and to bring about the economic recovery and renewed prosperity Virginians demand and deserve.

Sincerely,

President Barack Obama

This week, the few remaining Twitter haters have to have been silenced. Everyone's favorite microblogging service has emerged as the place to get fast and accurate reports from inside an increasingly turbulent Iran.

Since the Mahmoud Ahmadinejad "landslide" was declared 6/12, supporters of opposition candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi have been tweeting graphic reports from inside street protests that the Iranian gov't has attempted to shelter from the eyes of the mainstream media. Protestors have tweeted journalists and journalists have tweeted protestors today in an open international dialogue that has dominated Twitter.

One group of tweeters has remained surprisingly absent from the discussions, though. Members of Congress. As one of the first international crises of the Twitter Age rages on 140 characters at a time, tweeting politicians -- usually not known for keeping their opinions to themselves -- have mostly stayed out of the debate.

In fact, we found only one tweet that directly played to the pro-protestor movement building on Twitter. It came from Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO):

@jaredpolis: "I will be wearing green tomorrow to show global solidarity with the courageous protestors in Iran #iranelection #WearGreen #newiran" 6/14, 11:38 PM

It's not as though pols on The Hill haven't been talking about Iran. But it seems they'd rather engage in more conventional circumstances than via the tiny keyboard on their BlackBerrys.

A sample:

Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ): "Video: On MSNBC discussing the Iranian elections and Governor Jon Corzine: http://bit.ly/ybKZX" 6/15 11:54 AM

Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN): "I discussed #Iran, #healthcare policy, and runaway government #spending on @CNN's "State of the Union" with John King: http://tr.im/oxam" 6/15, 9:17 AM

So, if not Iran, or health care reform, for that matter, what's been keeping congressional tweeters busy today? Let's take a look:

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): "Time to get a new car - decided on the Ford Fusion Hybrid http://www.ford.com/" 6/15, 10:08 AM

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV): "New bill will promote tourism, US version of LasVegas travel promotion. Great for NV. Cosponsoring with SenEnsign. http://bit.ly/iatPc" 6/15, 2:40 PM

Rep. John Culberson (R-TX): "Foreigners w weapons captured on foreign battlefields trying to kill American soldiers do not have Constitutional rights!" 6/15, 3:40 PM

Is it bad that politicans have stayed away from Iran on Twitter? Maybe, maybe not -- but it's certainly surprising that on the day on which Twitter really matters, the politicians who have faced criticism for their tweet habit in the past have stayed away when the world was really watching.

So is it any wonder that the American tweeter one Iranian is asking to help spread his message today is Ashton Kutcher?

WOTT provides a carefully selected slice of tweets written by political leaders, ex-politicians and candidates for office nationwide. Hotline subscribers can read the best overnight tweets in our AM edition.

Do you have a favorite political tweep you think should be added to our list? Email us at hotlinetwitter@nationaljournal.com.

Follow Hotline on Twitter: twitter.com/thehotline.

On Call Aside: all tweets are reproduced exactly as they appeared.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), ladies and gentlemen, wooing the Dem base:

Specter: Thank you, @PhilaGayNews, for your warm welcome at Philly Gay Pride yesterday.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Pres. Obama to the AMA, hits a sweet spot in the reform debate for the docs he's courting:

It is a model that rewards the quantity of care rather than the quality of care; that pushes you, the doctor, to see more and more patients even if you can't spend much time with each; and gives you every incentive to order that extra MRI or EKG, even if it's not truly necessary. It is a model that has taken the pursuit of medicine from a profession - a calling - to a business.

That is not why you became doctors. That is not why you put in all those hours in the Anatomy Suite or the O.R. That is not what brings you back to a patient's bedside to check in or makes you call a loved one to say it'll be fine. You did not enter this profession to be bean-counters and paper-pushers. You entered this profession to be healers - and that's what our health care system should let you be. That's what it should let you be.

Pushing for the sweeping health care reform that has eluded his Democratic predecessors, Pres. Obama invoked his campaign trail "change" mantra today at the American Medical Association conference in Chicago, cautioning that without a new policy, within a decade one out of every five dollars Americans earn will be dedicated to coverage.

To say it as plainly as I can, health care reform is the single most important thing we can do for America's long-term fiscal health. That is a fact. And yet, as clear as it is that our system badly needs reform, reform is not inevitable. There's a sense out there among some that, and perhaps some members who are gathered here at the AMA today, as bad as our current system may be ... that the devil we know is better than the devil we don't. There is a fear of change - a worry that we may lose what works about our health care system while trying to fix what doesn't. I'm here to tell you I understand that fear.

Obama highlights the cost of a broken system to real Americans: a young WI mother suffering from breast cancer, a couple running a small business in TN, a NH doctor who spends a chunk of everyday handling paperwork. He wins appause from his doc audience for pushing for a streamlined, electronic system. And he invokes a GOP adversary to make his point.

As Newt Gingrich has rightly pointed out, and I don't quote Newt Gingrich that often, we do a better job tracking a FedEx package in this country than we do tracking a patient's health records. You shouldn't have to tell every new doctor you see about your medical history, or what prescriptions you're taking. You should not have to repeat costly tests. All of that information should be stored securely in a private medical record so that your information can be tracked from one doctor to another - even if you change jobs, even if you move, and even if you have to see a number of different specialists.

And he waded into the oft-contentious debate between those advocating public option and single-payer.

I know there's some concern about a public option. In particular, I understand that you are concerned that today's Medicare rates will be applied broadly in a way that means our cost savings are coming off your backs. These are legitimate concerns, but ones, I believe, that can be overcome. As I stated earlier, the reforms we propose are to reward best practices, focus on patient care, not the current piece-work reimbursement. What we seek is more stability and a health care system on a sound financial footing. And these reforms need to take place regardless of what happens with a public option. With reform, we will ensure that you are being reimbursed in a thoughtful way tied to patient outcomes instead of relying on yearly negotiations about the Sustainable Growth Rate formula that's based on politics and the state of the federal budget in any given year. The alternative is a world where health care costs grow at an unsustainable rate, threatening your reimbursements and the stability of our health care system.

What are not legitimate concerns are those being put forward claiming a public option is somehow a Trojan horse for a single-payer system. I'll be honest. There are countries where a single-payer system may be working. But I believe - and I've even taken some flak from members of my own party for this belief - that it is important for us to build on our traditions here in the United States. So, when you hear the naysayers claim that I'm trying to bring about government-run health care, know this - they are not telling the truth.

What I am trying to do - and what a public option will help do - is put affordable health care within reach for millions of Americans. And to help ensure that everyone can afford the cost of a health care option in our Exchange, we need to provide assistance to families who need it. That way, there will be no reason at all for anyone to remain uninsured.

The president is winning appause, too, as he promotes healthier living, less junk food and more physical activity. After the jump, his full prepared remarks.

Americans United for Change is airing a new television ad pushing Pres. Obama's health care efforts. The spot, which can be seen this week on DC cable, cites a 6/10 Diageo/Hotline survey indicating that 62% of Americans support Obama's health care proposal.

"American people are overwhelming behind President Obama's calls for major health care reform that gives everyone a choice between keeping the health plan they already have or a public health insurance plan," said AUC's Tom McMahon, the group's executive direction. "Yet the Republicans in Congress aren't listening. They're standing in the way of progress, saying no to the 62% who back President Obama's overhaul efforts. The American public realizes it's time to give everyone quality, affordable health care. It's time for the Republicans to figure it out."

SCRIPT: 62%

In the Senate, they call sixty percent support a "super" majority.

A new poll shows sixty-two percent of Americans support the President's plan to reform health care.

That means lowering costs, so everyone has access to quality, affordable care. Protecting your choice of doctor. Letting you choose between keeping the private insurance you have, and a public health insurance plan.

So if the Republicans in Congress ignore what sixty-two percent of support, you gotta wonder: Who are they listening to?

Paid for by Americans United for Change.

Ex-Speaker Hastert son/atty Ethan Hastert (R) announced earlier this week that he'll run against Rep. Bill Foster (D-IL 14) in '10. He was kind enough to join us this week for a Q&A regarding his bid.

Q: You've cited the work you've done campaigning with your dad as experience that'll help you on the trail. What are some moments that stick out to you from those years?

Hastert: You know, most of them are walking parades when it's hot out, walking door to door, and door to door hangers, and walking precints. It's some of the more work-a-day political stuff, but beyond that I remember, basically, almost my entire life going around not only the district, but anywhere. People would recognize my dad and ask him about one thing or another and I would listen to him and watch him interact and basically be there for not only his constituents as their Member, but also as their friend.

Here are the scheduled guests for the Sunday public affairs shows and other weekend programs:

SUNDAY:

Meet the Press hosts VP Biden and features a roundtable with GOP strategist Mike Murphy and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough.

Face the Nation hosts Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Maj. Whip Dick Durbin.

This Week hosts HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius, ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and features a roundtable with Dem strategist Donna Brazile, National Journal's Ron Brownstein, Wall Street Journal's Kimberly Strassel and George Will.

Fox News Sunday hosts Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Sen. Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Chamber of Commerce Pres./CEO Tom Donohue. The "Power Player" is Nat'l Bass Guide Service's Steve Chaconas.

State of the Union hosts Sebelius, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), GOP strategist Mary Matalin and Dem strategist James Carville. The "Last Word" guest is Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) (see below for guests on SOTU's Reliable Sources segment).

See other weekend shows after the jump.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

"World News" led with the Holocaust museum shooter being charged with murder. "Evening News" led with the Senate passage of the FDA tobacco bill. "Nightly News" led with the swine flu being declared a global pandemic.

Most of last night's TV coverage centered around news about the Holocaust museum shooter, swine flu and other miscellaneous topics. There was also some talk of Pres. Obama's health care pitch at a WI town hall meeting.

MSNBC's Schultz: "He took it to the heartland today, Green Bay, Wisconsin, where there's been a lot of tough times. The president punched back, he slammed right-wingers for creating a bogeyman, but President Obama also had a serious message aimed at conservative Democrats: any reform plan must include a public option" ("Ed Show," 6/11).

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), on Obama's criticism of his proposal to tax health benefits during the campaign: "He spent tens of millions of dollars attacking me on that. ... Life isn't fair, elections have consequences and it's interesting how there's been numerous shifts on the president's positions on a number of issues since the election" (FNC, 6/11).

Ex-Bush speechwriter David Frum: "This is vintage Barack Obama. You appear as if ... if you want a middle ground and then elbow your opponents while they're not looking. The president, I think, has the votes. He's got the power. One thing about this taxing of benefits, by the way. A footnote to history. This was an idea that originated at the Heritage Foundation during the term of the first President Bush, because it actually doesn't make a whole lot of sense that health care benefits are excluded. They're income. Why aren't they treated as income? And that's actually the source of the irrationality. It was a John McCain idea, too" ("Situation Room," CNN, 6/11).

More after the jump.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

As Pres. Obama steps up his advocacy for health care reform, Dem pols are not sure that he needs bipartisan support to get it passed according to this week's National Journal Insiders Poll. Only 27 percent of the Dem Insiders said it was "very important" for Obama to secure a bipartisan package, while 47 percent said that was only "somewhat important" and another 22 percent said it was "not very important." Five percent said bipartisanship was "not important at all." With 59 votes in the Senate--and a filibuster proof 60 should Al Franken be seated after a recount of last year's MN race winds its way thorough the courts--and healthy majorities in the House, many Dem Insiders believe it is critical to focus on enacting an effective plan soon rather than wooing GOPers. "Far more important that it pass and that it works," said one Democratic Insider.

GOP Insiders predictably felt there was a greater imperative for Obama to bring GOP Members of Congress on board his health reform plan. Some 48 percent said it was "very important" that reform be bipartisan, followed by 22 percent who said it was "somewhat important" and 25 percent who said it was "not very important." Four percent said it was "not important at all." GOPers generally felt that attempting a massive overhaul of a key sector of the economy would necessarily require GOP support, if for no other reason than to provide some political insulation for Obama if his reforms don't work or cause political backlash. But even some GOP pols acknowledged that Obama's main task is getting something accomplished that works. "At the end of the day, all that will matter is whether it happened," said one Insider. "Style points may mean something around D.C., but precious little elsewhere."

For complete results of the Insiders Poll and all the verbatim comments click here.

(National Journal's JIM BARNES)

Earlier today Rasmussen Reports released their first post-Dem primary ballot test between state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) and ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R). In their new IVR survey, conducted 6/10, Deeds leads McDonnell 47-41% -- a 21% swing from McDonnell's 45-30% lead in their last survey, conducted 4/15.

Dems are quick to highlight the poll as evidence they are coming together for the general election campaign. Indeed, Rasmussen shows the number of undec Dems to be "significantly lower" than the number of undec GOPers and Indies. The sharp spike in Deeds' fav rating since 4/15 also builds upon similar growth in other polls. But that's only half the story.

The poll was taken 6/10 -- the day after the primary election -- as Deeds graced every newscast and front page in the Commonwealth. It was also the same day he held an event with widely popular VA Gov. Tim Kaine (D), as well as his vanquished primary opponents, ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) and ex-Del. Brian Moran (D).

And finally, the poll shows Deeds up within the margin of error. But McDonnell's leads in previous Rasmussen matchups with Deeds this year have all been outside the margin of error; he led by 15% on 4/15 and 9% on 2/4.

So, Deeds may look good in this poll, but it's just one survey taken five months before election day. Through the primary, the Deeds storyline was one of surprising and unending momentum. The Rasmussen poll appears to suggest that could continue to be the case, but a poll a few weeks removed from Deeds' surprising and decisive primary victory will offer a clearer picture of where he stands with the general electorate.

The Rasmussen survey, conducted 6/10, surveyed 500 VA LVs and has margin of error +/- 4.4%.

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB and EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with the Holocaust museum shooting.

During last night's "Late Show," CBS' David Letterman addressed the controversy surrounding the recent jokes he made about AK Gov. Sarah Palin's daughter.

Letterman: "We were, as we often do, making jokes about people in the news, and we made some jokes about Sarah Palin, and her daughter, the 18-year-old girl ... Bristol. ... So, now they're upset with me. Let me read you how upset they are, because I didn't realize this until today. ... Keep in mind, I can't really defend these. They're just jokes. It's like, some jokes are fine. Some jokes are not fine. And of course we make mistakes left and right."

Letterman went on to read the statements from both Palin and her husband, Todd.

More Letterman: "I'm not necessarily proud of these jokes. I mean, we do stuff all the time, and our objective here is to get a laugh and, thank God, we don't have to go to the Hague before the world court to defend them. It's a joke, that's all it's supposed to be. ... Everything the governor and Todd said, I absolutely agree with."

After the jump, more Letterman and Speaker Nancy Pelosi on health care reform.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

New print ad out today from the American Rights at Work targets big business for opposing arbitration in contract bargaining. It will run in running in POLITICO, The Hill, CQ and Roll Call.

A related fact sheet, available after the jump, will be sent to allies and members of Congress.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

For Pollster.com's Mark Blumenthal today's Holocaust Museum shooting is "personal." He wrote about the incident for his site:

Regular readers will probably remember my that my father-in-law Frank Burstin, who passed away about a week before last fall's elections, was a survivor of the Auschwitz death camp. For that reason, as you may imagine, the news this afternoon about a shooting at Washington's Holocaust Museum hits pretty close to home for me and for my family.

But you don't know the half of it.

I have a special memory of Pop (as we knew him) from last summer. It was a few weeks before he received his cancer diagnosis, during what turned out to be his last visit to the Holocaust Museum. Because he lost his parents and all of his siblings to the Nazis, and because no grave site exists for any of his family, Pop made it a habit to visit the Museum at least once a year. It fulfilled for him the custom that many Jews practice of visiting the cemetery of loved ones once a year. I only got to accompany him on one of these visits, that one last year, along with one of my wife's nephew Jake.

I described him last year as "kind and optimistic soul," and he certainly was. But when he entered that museum, something changed. He was not unkind, but in that place, as I soon learned, he suffered no fools (nor anyone else).

We wandered into the museum, through the same doors and into the same foyer where shots rang out this afternoon. My wife had given us visitor passes that she receives as a member of the Museum. The lines were long, and it was not obvious which line we needed to stand in.

Pop was having none of it. He walked away from me and wandered up to the museum staffer standing at the head of the long line leading to the elevators that takes all visitors to the museum exhibits. I thought for a moment that Pop was going to ask directions. I was wrong.

He thrust out his arm in the direction of the staffer, displaying the number the Nazis tattooed on his arm at Auschwitz just a few inches from her face. Without making eye-contact and barely breaking stride, Pop kept walking. Understandably, the staffer barely blinked. She didn't make a move to stop him.

Click through for the full column.

Charitable giving declined last year in the U.S. for the first time since 1987 and the second since '56, according to a report on philanthropy issued by the Giving USA Foundation.

Americans donated $307.65B in '08, a 2% drop in current dollars over 2007.

Meanwhile, two-thirds of public charities receiving donations saw decreases last year. The exceptions were groups that were catagorized as religious, for public-society benefit and those focused on international affairs.

Read on.

The Washington Post is live blogging the Holocaust Museum shooting. Read here. And they have more information about the alleged shooter, James W. von Brunn, a white supremacist born in 1920.

Pres. Obama phoned state Sen. Creigh Deeds, the Dem nom for VA GOV, earlier today, CNN reported.

The phone congrats followed Deeds' mid morning appearance in Richmond with Terry McAuliffe, Brian Moran and DNC Chief/Gov. Tim Kaine.

Could today have marked the first and only time Deeds and McAuliffe, who was trounced despite sinking almost $7M into his primary bid and the help of Bill Clinton, would share the stage?

I interviewed the Rt. Rev. V. Gene Robinson, the openly gay Episcopal bishop of NH, to discuss the Granite State's recent passage of a bill allowing same-sex marriage; NH became the sixth state to pass an initiative. Robinson, whose consecration in '03 as the first openly gay bishop in the Episcopal Church prompted a schism in the Anglican Communion, has become an outspoken advocate, internationally and at home, for equal rights for gays and lesbians.

During our conversation, Robinson, who at Pres. Obama's invitation gave the invocation during a January inaugural event held on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, also said that in the gay community "patience is wearing thin" with the president for not acting to repeal 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' among other issues. We also discussed the pairing of Election 2000 attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies to battle the CA gay marriage ban -- and the possible pitfalls involved in carrying that fight prematurely to the Supreme Court.

Our interview:

JS: You testified before New Hampshire lawmakers to advocate for the gay marriage bill that was passed last week by the state House and Senate, and I'm curious, broadly to start, what you think of New Hampshire's decision to become the sixth state to allow gay marriage.

GR: It's very exciting to have walked this bill all the way through. To a lot of people it seemed a bit of a tortuous journey. But in the end, I think we took a really good tact -- and that was true of the House, the Senate and the governor -- which was to restate what was already true in the law, but people needed to be reassured about it. Which was to restate the protections for religious institutions not to have to participate in same-gender marriages if they didn't want to and if it went against their beliefs. And I believe that that freed a lot of people, who are not even necessarily at all comfortable with the notion of gay marriage, to support this bill for what it is, which is an action of the state, not of the church.

And I argued that indeed for religious institutions to impose their will against the secular state was an imposition of the church on the state. We're normally worried about the state impinging on the rights of religion, but in this case I believe it was religion impinging on the rights of the state. And that seemed to win the day. And I couldn't be more delighted.

JS: So you're supportive of the changes? I know that Gov. John Lynch had said that he personally believes that marriage is between a man and woman, but this is a compromise that he felt was suitable and that would represent where public opinion is and where lawmakers are on this issue. Do you sense that your colleagues across various faiths are supportive of the changes that were implemented?

GR: The fact of the matter is that the changes that the governor proposed did not put anything into place that was not already guaranteed under the law. I think it was a political move on his part to create the illusion that he was carving out some compromise middle ground. But in fact what he was demanding was a statement and a restatement and indeed an overstatement of what was already true so as to assure religious people who oppose this that they would not have to participate in ways that violated their consciences.

So I think that was more of a political decision on his part. I know that when I talked to him his issue was not so much gay marriage, but it was the fact that he believes that in the fight over civil unions two years ago that he had said to the voters if you support me on this it will go no further. And therefore to support gay marriage was a reneging on his promise to the voters two years ago. I pointed out to him that there has been a tremendous shift in public opinion about this issue in the last two years. In fact the latest poll in April of this year showed 70 percent of all voters in New Hampshire being in favor of gay marriage, including 30 percent of all Republicans. And I think his change of heart on this was based on the fact that public opinion is really moving very, very fast on this issue. Not just here in New Hampshire, but I think across the country.

JS: Are you surprised that the once solidly Republican Granite State is somewhat out front on this issue nationally? What are you seeing on the ground there that accounts for the change in public opinion?

GR: While New Hampshire, I think, is rightly viewed as a conservative state, what most people don't understand is that more than conservative, it is a Libertarian state. And the fact of the matter is we had arguably the best gay rights law on the books in the nation, and had it before many other much more liberal states had it. Not necessarily because everyone was sympathetic to gay and lesbian people, but because a vast majority of people in New Hampshire believe that the government should stay out of your life. And that you ought to be able to live your life the way you want to as long as it doesn't infringe upon the rights of others. And so, in an odd sense, it makes a lot of sense that New Hampshire voters would support this. There are conservative people here who don't at all feel kindly about gay and lesbian people but who would fight to the death to allow us to live our lives the way we want.

JS: We saw the 2000 election lawyers -- Ted Olson and David Boies -- join forces to fight the California gay marriage ban in court. Many who have been advocating for equal rights for gays and lesbians for some time believe the court is the wrong place to wage this battle and that the states present more fertile options. Do you agree with that? And also what your reaction is to the Olson/Boies pairing?

GR: Well it's an odd couple, that's for sure. In years past, in talking with Lambda Legal Defense and HRC (Human Rights Campaign) about this, there's been great concern that this issue would reach the Supreme Court too soon. Because the history of the court tends to indicate that the court will not do something new and sort of revolutionary until about a third of the country has already made that move on a local basis. And so the people who know the most about this have actually been discouraging people from bringing cases that would ultimately go to the Supreme Court for fear that it would go too soon, that the Supreme Court would rule against and then we would be stuck with the much harder fight to overturn a precedent.

And, you know, I don't know when this would reach the Supreme Court. My understanding is that it would still have to start locally and work its way up through the federal system. So it may be two or three years before it gets to the court, that is to say the Supreme Court, and that in that two or three years that shift will have occurred. Certainly if New York and California were to legalize gay marriage say by the end of 2010, at least population wise that would probably constitute a third of the population of the country -- even if not a third of the states themselves.

So I think the jury is out on whether this is the wisest thing to do. But it certainly is a very interesting proposition that these two lawyers on quite opposite ends of the spectrum would agree that this is an issue whose time has come. And so it remains to be seen how successful that will be. I'm still a little nervous about it coming to the Supreme Court before we are assured of a positive verdict.

JS: Let me ask you about Pres. Obama. There's much consternation bubbling up in the gay community that he's not visible on issues of interest to the community. Many say, for example, they'd like him to do more in trying to retract the military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy. And yet he's been awfully quiet since taking office on this and other issues. Do you feel like he's losing some goodwill among gays and lesbians?

GR: I think that a number of us are beginning to be impatient with him. The argument that he's got other things on his plate really doesn't hold water since he has certainly demonstrated an ability to multitask and to tackle very, very important issues at the same time. Also, I just saw a poll -- I think it was yesterday or the day before -- showing enormous support for an end to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' even amongst the military, even amongst conservatives, amongst Republicans, not to mention the general public. I still believe that he is going to move forward on that and on the Defense of Marriage Act and so on, but I do think patience is wearing thin, and I think it's time for him to begin to give this some of his time and energy.

I know that he's put together a study committee around 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell,' and I don't think he would have done that if he hadn't been assured of what the verdict would be. I don't know when they are due to report, but certainly when they do would be an opportune time for him to act. I think he did that so as not to fall within the same danger zone that Bill Clinton did when he tried to do it by fiat.

JS: But politically, what's holding him back at this point. He has such an enormous mandate for his agenda and the Democrats so dominate Washington. Why do you think he's holding back?

GR: I have no idea. I don't think there is anything politically to be lost here. And I think it would only solidify his base of support in the gay and lesbian community. ... We're not asking him at this point to be open in his support of gay marriage. We're talking about a couple policies whose time really has come to be over.

JS: You and your longtime partner, Mark Andrew, were joined in a civil union this year. Will you marry?

GR: Yes, we will.

JS: Will there be a big party?

GR: Well, we're always looking for an excuse for a party. The way this has been set up is that the same gender marriage equality bill becomes law on January 1 of 2010. At that point, those who have had a civil union can go to the town clerk and by simply signing a document convert their civil union to a marriage. One year later, on January 1 of 2011, all civil unions will be automatically converted to marriage, and there will be no category of civil unions. But because this is something we have wanted for a very, very long time and have worked very hard for, we will do that early next year.

JS: And just finally for those in Red State America who might be watching what is happening in several New England states and Iowa, what is your message to them on this issue?

GR: I think my message would be that religious people who oppose this idea have nothing to fear from same-gender marriage equality. That no one will be asked to do anything that is against their conscience. On the other hand, let's remember that marriage is a civil act. That becomes quite clear when a marriage, let's say, that was performed in a church or a synagogue or a mosque comes apart. And the couple seeks a divorce. They don't go back to the church or synagogue or mosque. They go to the courts. Because it is a legal and civil action that was done.

It's gotten confused in this country because we have deputized clergy of all kinds to be and act as agents of the state in marriage. And so people don't know when the civil action begins and ends and when the religious part begins and ends. So I think this is a very helpful division between what the state does and what religious organizations do. And when once you understand that, you understand that allowing gay and lesbian people to have access to civil marriage has absolutely no affect on religious groups. And they have nothing to fear from this movement.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Bob McDonnell, the GOP nom for VA GOV, congratulated the Dem nom, state Sen. Creigh Deeds, last night via video message. He called Deeds' win a "well-earned victory." McDonnell and Deeds battled in the '05 AG race, which McDonnell won by 323 votes.

McDonnell: "It was a tough primary, and I have to say I'm sorry to see it end. And Creigh, after your victory, I'd say take a break. You deserve it. A long vacation. Relax for a few months. Take some time off. In all seriousness, I look forward to this campaign for governor."

USA Today and Gallup asked voters a simple question: Who speaks for the GOP?

The answer, per Susan Page's story:

A 52% majority of those surveyed couldn't come up with a name when asked to specify "the main person" who speaks for Republicans today. Of those who could, the top response was radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh (13%), followed in order by former vice president Dick Cheney, Arizona Sen. John McCain and former House speaker Newt Gingrich. Former president George W. Bush ranked fifth, at 3%.

So the dominant faces of the Republican Party are all men, all white, all conservative and all old enough to join AARP, ranging in age from 58 (Limbaugh) to 72 (McCain).

Read on to also learn which words Americans associate with the Republican and Dem parties. Think "no direction" and "cater to the rich" versus "for the people" and "social conscious/progressive."

"World News" led with the Obama admin. allowing big banks to repay TARP money. "Evening News" led with airline safety. "Nightly News" led with the pending sale of Chrysler.

Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) threatened to hold up Senate business until Congress passes legislation blocking the release of photos showing detainee abuse.

Graham went "On the Record" about their threat.

Graham: "The Senate unanimously allowed Senator Lieberman and myself to put an amendment into the supplemental bill, war funding bill, that would be outcome-determinative in court, that would allow the government to win at the Supreme Court on this issue. And the House, the Progressive Caucus, has been in revolt, and I am now being told they've stripped that language. ... The most liberal people in the House are saying they won't vote for the supplemental bill to fund the war if these photos are protected from being released."

More Graham: "And I will do anything I can to make sure that the language that Senator Lieberman and I came up with preventing these photos from being released, anything, shutting down the Senate, anything. ... Let me just say the Democratic leadership in the Senate was terrific."

More after the jump, including TARP money, health care and SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

ARLINGTON -- State Sen. Creigh Deeds, the Bath Co. Dem, waged a come-from-behind victory in the VA governor's Dem nom contest, trouncing moneyed ex.-DNC chief Terry McAuliffe and ex.-Del. Brian Moran in today's primary, and setting up a rematch with GOPer Bob McDonnell, to whom Deeds narrowly lost the '05 AG campaign.

Deeds' resounding win marked a firm denunciation of McAuliffe's glossy campaign, his debut run for elected office which featured help from national political figures from Pres. Clinton to the leader of the DGA, and financing from the likes of Donald Trump, media magnate Haim Saban and Hyatt hotel heir J.B. Pritzker. McAuliffe easily raised big money for his six-month endeavor, $6.9M, but in this off-year contest, in the state that had forcefully turned back his '08 presidential candidate, Hillary Rodham Clinton, voters opted for the only homegrown candidate of the trio.

This evening, Deeds, who was no doubt buoyed by an endorsement from the Washington Post in the waning weeks of the contest, a nod that gave him credibility in critical Northern VA counties, acknowledged his unexpected victory. With 99 percent of precincts reporting, Deeds leads, 50% to 26%, with Moran at 24%.

"No one could have imagined what we have accomplished here tonight in the Commonwealth of Virginia," he said. "The thunderstorms, the rain, the hail, didn't stop you from coming out to make your voice heard...And, whether that vote was cast in Arlington or Abingdon or Highland or Henrico or right here in Thomas Jefferson's home -- the city of Charlottesville -- it was a vote to continue the progress we've made together under Democrats Mark Warner and Tim Kaine."

McAuliffe, who grew up in Syracuse, N.Y., said he told Deeds in a phone conversation that he would do all he needed to help him triumph in the fall.

"I told him something that I know everyone in this room agrees with that he must be the next governor of Virginia, and that I will do everything possible to help make sure he is the next Governor of Virginia," McAuliffe said. "Virginia needs Creigh Deeds."

Both national parties are eyeing the Virginia general election contest with deep interest. For Democrats, a win in November will solidify the state's left-leaning trend; the Old Dominion has elected two Dem senators, back-to-back Dem governors in Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, now also head of the DNC, and Obama overwhelmingly for president. Republicans, however, see Obama's win as an anomaly and believe they're fielding a strong gubernatorial candidate in McDonnell, who resigned as AG to run fulltime.

McDonnell has had the luxury over the last six months of raising money and defining his experience. He has aired light biographical ads that showcase his Army service, stint as a prosecutor and family of five children. He is drawing big national names to VA, meanwhile, to help him raise money, some $8.8M already, according to the nonpartisan Virginia Public Access Project.

But tonight's results revealed an important dynamic in the VA political scene that could worry Republicans: the Dem base is still intensely motivated. Turnout was about double that of the '06 SEN primary contest between Harris Miller and Jim Webb, shattering expectations that voter fatigue had set in after the '08 WH campaign, when almost 1M voters cast ballots in the Dem primary, and discouraging speculation that Obama alone can spark widespread voter commitment in VA.

Still, from the start of the gubernatorial contest, it was McAuliffe's race to win or lose. He had the money, the campaign and messaging savvy, and the high-profile friends.

Pres. Clinton stumped for him in Richmond and Roanoke and in the Washington suburbs. The former president explained that as a one-time governor of Arkansas, he knows what it takes to run a state and that McAuliffe has the business credentials.

"Yeah, he's made a lot of money," Clinton said of McAuliffe during an April rally in Richmond. "He did that by taking care of other people."

For McAuliffe, though, meshing his past experience with the needs of this diverse and politically changing state proved a challenge. With Pres. Clinton by his side, he had to downplay his role as chairman of Hillary Clinton's '08 campaign; VA, after all, handed Obama a 29-point win over Hillary Clinton in the primary and then made Obama the first Dem in 44 years to win the state's vote in a presidential contest.

McAuliffe also struggled to push himself as an effective job creator - as an advocate of a practically Clintonesque 'It's the economy, stupid' message - while avoiding specifics about the businesses he'd run, including a bank and a Florida housing company, among others, and the vast sums of money he had made in the process. Instead, he talked often on the trail of the driveway repair business he started as a teen. McAuliffe also failed to address the specifics of his $100K investment in Global Crossing, the now-bankrupt telecommunications giant. McAuliffe made at least $8.1M from the sale of his stock, with some reports indicating he earned as much as $18M.

Too often, voters said, the campaign appeared overly packaged, with slick, high-production value ads; he ran more than a half dozen. And though McAuliffe lived in McLean for 17 years, he couldn't overcome his lack of involvement in VA politics. National Journal reported in the May 23 edition of the magazine that in the decade leading up to his gubernatorial bid, McAuliffe didn't contribute to a single candidate for state office.

For Deeds, there were two clear turning points in the contest: the decision to keep his job as state senator -- unlike Moran, who resigned his seat in the House of Delegates to run fulltime, and raise money -- and The Washington Post endorsement.

Deeds took a gamble in holding on to his day job. But when the legislative session ended -- having taken up half of the first fundraising quarter of this year; lawmakers are prohibited from raising campaign money while they're working -- and Deeds emerged with more cash in the bank than rival Moran, he gave the chattering class reason to pause and reconsider his bid. He'd managed his money and fulfilled his responsibility to VA residents.

At the same time, Moran had botched his opportunity to go head-to-head with McAuliffe without Deeds in the contest, and he failed to raise enough money to make him more competitive.

Moran, this evening, said Deeds' win proved he was "invincible."

Voters heading to three Alexandria polling places, George Mason Elementary, Mount Vernon Recreation Center and Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, today described McAuliffe's effort as "artificial" and the candidate as a "carpetbagger." Some suggested the bid seemed to be run by the "Clinton camp."

Mary Gillman, a software engineer voting at George Mason, said the Post endorsement helped sway her to Deeds - though she didn't make up her mind until last night. She said McAuliffe doesn't have the legislative experience to govern.

"I think that it would be very difficult for him to get anything done in Richmond," she said.

One 60-something male, also voting at George Mason, said he supported Moran but that he likes Deeds. He called him a "nice boy."

"I almost wish I could vote for two, I would," said the voter, who asked not to be named.

Karis Cavender, an Alexandria resident who cast her ballot yesterday for Deeds at Blessed Sacrament on W. Braddock Road, called McAuliffe a "used car salesman."

"There's something I don't trust about him," Cavender said, her infant daughter, Natalie, in her arms. Cavender said she feared Moran was "too left, too Northern Virginia" to defeat McDonnell in the fall.

But Deeds, she noted: "I think he's the most likely Democrat to win statewide."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

With 99.68% of precincts reporting (and turnout eclipsing 318K), state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) leads ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) 50-26%, with ex-Del. Brian Moran (D) at 24%.

And now for a look back at those polls. Four public pollsters released results on the Dem primary in the last few weeks, IVR outfits Survey USA and Public Policy Polling (D), as well as live-interview pollsters Research 2000 (conducted for Daily Kos) and Suffolk University.

Although no pollster hit the exact figures - all had high rates of undecs - Survey USA and PPP came closest. It should be noted, however, these robo pollsters fielded closer to the primary than Research 2000 and Suffolk, which presumably contributed to their accuracy.

Actual results, 6/9: Deeds 50%, McAuliffe 26%, Moran 24%
Survey USA, 6/5-7: Deeds 42%, McAuliffe 30%, Moran 21%
Public Policy Polling (D), 6/6-7: Deeds 40%, McAuliffe 26%, Moran 24%
Daily Kos/Research 2000, 6/1-3: Deeds 30%, Moran 27%, McAuliffe 26%
Suffolk Univ., 6/1-3: Deeds 29%, McAuliffe 26%, Moran 23%

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

With nearly all VA precincts reporting, we took a look back at the last two Dem contests in VA. Below is tonight's breakdown by CD, along with comparable results for Obama-Clinton in the WH '08 primary and Webb-Miller in the SEN '06 contest.

This year, Deeds will carry 10 CDs, the same as Obama did in 2/08. Webb, however, only won seven of the 11 CDs in 6/06. Overall, Obama won with 64% of the vote and Webb did so with 54%. Deeds, in his three-way contest, has 49% with 97% of precincts reporting.

VA-01 - Deeds 46-31-23%, Obama 66-34%, Webb 57-43%
VA-02 - Deeds 44-32-23%, Obama 65-35%, Webb 50.3-49.7%
VA-03 - McAuliffe 39-36-25%, Obama 80-19%, Miller 72-28%
VA-04 - Deeds 42-34-24%, Obama 73-27%, Miller 66-34%
VA-05 - Deeds 64-23-13%, Obama 66-34%, Miller 51-49%
VA-06 - Deeds 71-21-8%, Obama 54-45%, Webb 59-41%
VA-07 - Deeds 51-29-20%, Obama 66-33%, Miller 56-44%
VA-08 - Deeds 43-41-16%, Obama 62-38%, Webb 64-36%
VA-09 - Deeds 68-23-9%, Clinton 66-33%, Webb 56-44%
VA-10 - Deeds 51-28-21%, Obama 60-40%, Webb 62-39%
VA-11 - Deeds 50-27-23%, Obama 60-40%, Webb 62-38%

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

State Sen. Creigh Deeds, the Dem nom for VA gov, emailed supporters this eve:

Wow. You and I sure surprised a lot of people tonight!

I am about to step on stage and officially accept the Democratic nomination for Governor - but wanted to send you a quick message of gratitude.

Tomorrow starts a new campaign with lots of work. It is going to be a tough fight with a tough opponent. But that's all for tomorrow.

Tonight, let's celebrate an overwhelming victory. I couldn't have done it without your support. Some critics were writing us off, but you and I always knew better. Together, we refused to be counted out.

Tonight, I thank you.

All the best,
Creigh

ARLINGTON, VA -- Terry McAuliffe conceded the Dem primary for VA GOV a few minutes ago to Creigh Deeds, the state senator from rural Bath County. Despite McAuliffe's financial advantage -- he outraised his two Dem opponents combined -- and national profile, VA voters turned down the ex.-DNC chief in his first bid for elected office.

"A few minutes ago, I called Creigh Deeds and congratulated him on becoming the Democratic nominee for governor," McAuliffe told supporters gathered in a ballroom at the Westin. "And I told him something that I know everyone in this room agrees with. That he must be the next governor of Virginia, and that I will do everything possible to help make sure he is the next governor of Virginia."

"Virginia," McAuliffe added, "needs Creigh Deeds."

McAuliffe, his wife, Dorothy, and children by his side, said that Bob McDonnell, the GOP nom, "is more interested in promoting a partisan ideological agenda than he is in working with people to get results."

He noted that McDonnell voted against ex.-Gov. Mark Warner's budget reform and Gov. Tim Kaine's transportation reform and blocked $125 million in federal stimulus money, a line Dems will likely hammer well into the fall.

"We need a governor who has been a partner of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine's so that he can build upon their great work," McAuliffe said. "Bob McDonnell will not continue that legacy. Creigh Deeds will. And, as I said repeatedly throughout this campaign, Barack Obama needs a partner in Richmond. Bob McDonnell will not be that partner. Creigh Deeds will."

More to come.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

With 86% of precincts now reporting, state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) continues to lead ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) and ex-Del. Brian Moran (D), now 49-27-24%.

What's more, that 200K turnout debated may have completed missed the boat...with 84% reporting, more than 250K votes have already been counted. Three-hundred anyone?

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

ALEXANDRIA, VA -- Calling state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) "an invincible candidate," ex-Del. Brian Moran (D) conceded the Dem VA GOV primary contest tonight vowing to do everything he can to keep the seat in Dem hands.

Moran, addressing roughly 75 supporters, acknowledged that this result "isn't exactly what I was hoping for." But, recalling his football-coach father, he said that his campaign "left it all out on the field."

Moran said that despite the rocky, three-way primary that stood in contrast to AG Bob McDonnell's smooth path to the GOP nod, Dems are well-positioned to elect a Dem governor for the third consecutive term.

"Because of this primary," he said, "Creigh Deeds is now an invincible candidate."

(STEVEN SHEPARD)

A first-ever Twitter concession?

"Congrats Creigh - from Brian"
- Brian Moran (@moran4governor)

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Overall, state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) now leads with 50% of the vote (73% of state precincts reporting). Ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) stands at 26% and ex-Del. Brian Moran (D) is at 24%.

Deeds, meanwhile, has been winning big in Northern VA, with the exception of the 8th CD, held by Brian Moran-brother/Rep. Jim Moran (D).

By Cong. District:
VA-11 - 35% reporting - Deeds 51%, Moran 27%, McAuliffe 23%
VA-10 - 43% reporting - Deeds 52%, McAuliffe 27%, Moran 21%
VA-08 - 60% reporting - Moran 43%, Deeds 42%, McAuliffe 15%

By County:
Fairfax Co. - 36% reporting - Deeds 49%, Moran 30%, McAuliffe 21%
Prince William Co. - 34% reporting - Deeds 46%, McAuliffe 30%, Moran 24%
Loudon Co. - 39% reporting - Deeds 47%, McAuliffe 28%, Moran 24%

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

And MT Gov. Brian Schweitzer, who inserted himself into the VA Dem primary contest last week to endorse Terry McAuliffe, was quick out of the box tonight to congratulate state Sen. Creigh Deeds:

"In a lifetime of public service, Senator Deeds has demonstrated time and again that he commands broad bipartisan respect and has the strength of character that will make him an extraordinary governor," said Governor Schweitzer, who is the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association. "Creigh knows how to find common ground on thorny issues, keep our families and communities safe and fight for the kind of economic revitalization that will help all Virginians."

"This election is a clear choice between a leader who will stand up and fight for all Virginians and a lifelong partisan who sides with special interests over real people," Schweitzer continued. "Creigh is the natural choice to continue the legacy of Governors Warner and Kaine."

The ubiquitous Larry Sabato, UVA poli sci prof, predicts state Sen. Creigh Deeds will win with turnout higher than the Harris Miller vs. Jim Webb '06 Dem Senate primary (approx. 155K).

Sabato: "And the cynics who predicted a turnout under 200,000 will be wrong, I
believe. Looks to me like the total will go over that number."
- Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) 7:55 PM

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

With 60% of precincts now reporting, state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) looks to have a lock on the Dem nod. Deeds now leads ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) 50-26%, with ex-Del. Brian Moran (D) at 24%. AND the AP has called the race for the Bath Co. pol.

With 40% of precincts reporting, state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) leads ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) 50-26%, with ex-Del. Brian Moran (D) at 24%. In vote-rich Fairfax Co. -- where only 14% of precincts have reported -- Deeds leads Moran 51-28% with McAuliffe at 21%.

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

The polls have now been closed for 30 mins, and with 13% of precincts reporting and nearly 40K votes counted, the VA Board of Elections reports state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) leads ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) 53-24%. Close behind is ex-Del. Brian Moran (D) at 23%.

(MATTHEW GOTTLIEB)

The polls closed in VA six minutes ago, and there's not a soul, not a single solitary supporter or staffer, at Terry McAuliffe's election eve party at the Westin in Arlington. The room, with the bar open and appetizers on a side table, is practically empty, save a few wandering reporters. A podium stands in front of a large blue and yellow "New Energy for New Jobs" banner. And there's a large screen in the corner that until a few minutes ago featured NBC's Brian Williams.

The DGA, meanwhile, sent out a document a few minutes ago assuring that the Dem Party is still well-positioned in VA in the fall.

"Whatever the outcome of today's vote, Democrats remain in a strong position to keep the Virginia governorship, as all three candidates have laid out a clear vision for continuing to lead Virginia in the results-oriented way of Governors Mark Warner and Tim Kaine," writes DGA executive dir. Nathan Daschle, whose father, Tom Daschle, endorsed McAuliffe. DGA chair -- Gov. Brian Schweitzer (MT) -- also stuck his neck out for McAuliffe, endorsing his good friend late last week, despite the tight and unpredictable three-way contest between McAuliffe, Creigh Deeds and Brian Moran.

McAuliffe campaign manager Mike Henry also emailed supporters and reporters in the last hour advising that the counting could continue through the night and into tomorrow.

"We've gotten some preliminary information back about what turnout is looking like, and this thing could come down to the wire," Henry said. "There is a very good chance we'll be re-tabulating votes tomorrow morning."

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

(Beck, in Richmond, 6/6, Hotline photo)

On Call previously reported that FNC's Glenn Beck repeatedly referred to a New York Times review of his "Common Sense Comedy Tour" during his final stop in Richmond on 6/6. From the stage, Beck said the review called him "racist" and spent at least 10 minutes ripping it apart. In a phone interview earlier this afternoon, Beck showed no signs of letting it go.

"I mentioned that review so much because I thought it was absolutely ridiculous," Beck said. "It was just unbelievably biased."

Beck said he expected the review's snarky tone, but was surprised by what he called a lack of balance. "I couldn't go to a Bill Maher show and personally enjoy it," he said. "But I could find things that are legitimate to talk about."

"Honestly, I thought [Times reviewer Mike Hale] was a blogger, some guy that sits in his parent's basement," Beck said. "That review was so beneath the Times. And that's saying something."

Another subject that was addressed more than once on stage was violence. At least three times during the populist rants that made up a good portion of the show, Beck admonished the audience to refrain from violence and "stay peaceful" when protesting or criticizing the gov't.

"It's not a joke," Beck said, "I do see anger in the country and I think I should address it ... I truly believe that if there's a revolution in this country we're done, because we're not where we were in the 1700s. We'd have French Revolution now." Beck added, "When anger happens, stupid people do stupid things."

Beck said people like him and FNC's Bill O'Reilly had been "blamed" in the wake of the shooting death of KS abortion doctor George Tiller, and he hoped that by repeating the plea for nonviolent activism in the show, he could avoid blame in the future "from people like the New York Times." Beck said he had included the anti-violence lines in the show before the Tiller incident.

During his Richmond stop, Beck also took a crack at VA GOV candidate/ex-DNC chair Terry McAuliffe (D), asking the audience if they wanted a gov. "as dumb as" CA Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R)?

A poll released 6/7, on the eve of today's Dem primary, showed McAuliffe trailing VA state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) by 14%, a double-digit drop from his 3% deficit in an earlier poll, completed 5/31. Asked if his comment is responsible for McAuliffe's loss in momentum, Beck jokingly replied, "I wish I could [take credit]."

As for nat'l politics, Beck hoped AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) would be a formidable candidate in WH '12. "She's the closest I've seen," Beck said, but he isn't sold just yet. "I need to hear her speak more."

Beck said he doesn't have any personal political aspirations. "A recovering alcoholic DJ with limited formal education" would do a better job than the people currently in power, Beck asserted, but he's keeping his day job.

Speaking of his day job, Beck named O'Reilly as one of the most welcoming FNCers since he joined the net. "Bill has been exceptional," Beck said. "He's very gracious, and he doesn't have to be."

Looking back on the six-stop tour, Beck said Houston produced his favorite audience. "There's just something about Texas," Beck said. As for the his favorite joke, Beck named his one likening ABC's "The View" host Barbara Walters to a hanging bat (see this for context).

And what about that colonial garb he sported in the second half of the two-hour show? "I thought it was pretty hot," Beck said.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO and KATHERINE LEHR)

The Nat'l Weather Service has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch for all of NoVa for the remainder of today, after early-morning storms may have already depressed voter turnout in today's VA GOV primary.

Based on current radar trends, NoVa can expect another round of very heavy thunderstorms between 4 and 6 p.m., which could potentially disrupt the plans of voters intending to visit their polling places after work or school. Also, there were reports of isolated power outages at polling places during the morning due to the weather, and that will again be possible this afternoon and evening.

Meanwhile, severe storms are currently moving through Williamsburg. That line could threaten the Hampton Roads area during roughly the same time period during which NoVa will be under the gun.

The extent of a correlation between weather conditions and turnout is still a subject of debate. Rainy days in the fall are not typically severe or dangerous enough to dissuade people from voting in a temperate state like VA. But with the kind of spring and summertime severe weather the Old Dominion is seeing today -- particularly in its most populated regions -- it seems possible that turnout could be even lower than the bad-to-awful projections experts are offering.

(STEVEN SHEPARD)

SEIU today released a series of ads calling on targeted senators to "stand with working families" not "the CEO bullies of Wall Street."

The ads take aim at Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR), Mark Pryor (D-AR), Jim Webb (D-VA), Arlen Specter (D-PA) and David Vitter (R-LA). It's a six-figure buy all together.

Here's the Specter version:

During the final day of the Dem primary in VA GOV, the three men vying for the nomination took their GOTV efforts to Twitter. Though polls started to separate yesterday, experts still say turnout is the key to victory tonight. Everyone is tweeting, but only one candidate is trying to leverage his tweeps for votes.

Here's a rundown of each candidate's Primary Day on Twitter.

State Sen. Creigh Deeds

Deeds started the day ahead in recent polls, and his team is hoping those numbers will carry him through the evening. His message to his hard-working tweeps: Keep on doing what you're doing.

@CreighDeeds: "need to take the momentum of the last few weeks to the ballot box. go here to find polling locations: http://tiny.cc/vote134 keep pressing" 6/9, 9:24 AM

@CreighDeeds: "filmed a video after I voted this morning with Pam and Gus - take a look and make sure to go vote http://bit.ly/HegMb" 2:35 PM

Ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe

The Macker launched his campaign promising the same high-tech, netroots-friendly style that made Pres. Obama the most Internet-savvy candidate in last year's WH contest. Even so, Twitter never really seemed to be part of that strategy (though he still has the most followers of the three Dems in the race). Today, McAuliffe continued the trend, broadcasting his most urgent pleas for votes via text message.

@Terry_McAuliffe: "I'm fired up! Heading out to go vote and I'm asking you to do the same today. http://myloc.me/37MO" 5:54 AM

@Terry_McAuliffe: "I'll be talking with Gloria Minnott on WPFW 89.3 at 9:50 am listen now: http://tinyurl.com/njwhjk http://myloc.me/38zO" 9:44 AM

@Terry_McAuliffe: "Headed to Ray's Hell Burger in Arlington for some lunch. I'm so proud of my volunteers, 1000's of calls already today! Have you voted yet?" 11:25 AM

Ex-Del. Brian Moran

Moran headed into today the decided underdog. But his tweeps either don't know or don't care -- from the moment the polls opened, Moran turned his feed into a live GOTV message board:

@Moran4Governor: "RT @johnalexgolden have cell phones with extra minutes? come to 1505 wayne st in alexandria, we can use them! #va-gov #vagov" 8 AM

@Moran4Governor: "RT @DrewMyersPhoto: is going out to vote. Virginia needs specific plans at this precipitous time, and Brian Moran has the right ideas #vagov" 12:27 PM

@Moran4Governor: "RT @JJLOW11: Encourages everyone to get out and Vote today-Brian Moran is the most gay friendly of the candidates #vagov #va-gov" 1:14 PM

@Moran4Governor: "RT @C_HerringVoted for @moran4governor today. Working the polls for him tonight. Go Brian Go! #va-gov #vagov" 2:03 PM

@Moran4Governor: "@notlarrysabato We always showed life. Yes we can with Brian Moran!"

WOTT provides a carefully selected slice of tweets written by political leaders, ex-politicians and candidates for office nationwide. Hotline subscribers can read the best overnight tweets in our AM edition.

Do you have a favorite political tweep you think should be added to our list? Email us at hotlinetwitter@nationaljournal.com.

Follow Hotline on Twitter: twitter.com/thehotline.

On Call Aside: all tweets are reproduced exactly as they appeared.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

For months, the DNC has been toying with the idea of a payment plan to keep small donors engaged. They've already had some successes and failures in trying to put their 13M-member e-mail list to use now that Pres. Obama lives at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, but today, the DNC is sending out a fundraising appeal to that group from VP Biden that encourages supporters to sign up for a 73-cents-per-day donation, which works out to be about $44 every two months. ($44 for "44" ... get it??).

"We won't take a dime from the Washington lobbyists and PACs that power the other side. That's why I really am counting on you to step up," the pitch reads.

It goes on to say: "By joining Team Obama, you can take the next step toward realizing that promise of change. Your donation will ensure our party has the resources we need to get out the facts about our reforms, elect excellent leaders who share our commitment, and organize door-to-door, neighbor-to-neighbor, and town-by-town until the job is done."

(CongressDaily's ERIN McPIKE)

Dem Terry McAuliffe texted supporters at 9:35 a.m. asking:

"Have you voted yet? Reply VOTED if you have, and NO if you haven't. This will be extremely close, so tell everyone you know to vote 4 Terry."

On Call has snagged the flyer that Bob McDonnell, the GOP nom for VA gov, is circulating today at Commonwealth polls.

It's glossy, and it suggests:

"Democrats & Independents are choosing Bob McDonnell in November."

The subhead is "New Jobs. More Opportunities." Sounds more than a bit like this and this.

Game on.

(JENNIFER SKALKA)

Matt Blunt (R), who served as MO governor from '05 to '09, was ticketed yesterday after driving his SUV into a man on a scooter. Blunt is the son of Rep. Roy Blunt (R-MO), a candidate for SEN.

The driver of the scooter, meanwhile, is the son of Kellie Freeman Rohrbaugh, a MO Dem Party staffer, according to KY3 News. The accident took place at the corners of Cherry St. and Kickapoo Ave. in Springfield.

Watch the raw footage here.

Strong-to-severe thunderstorms rolled through NoVa early today, causing flooding, knocking out power and snarling traffic, just as polling places opened across the Commonwealth for voting in the hotly-contested Dem GOV primary. More storms are expected this afternoon and evening -- potentially suppressing what some expect to be low turnout.

The early-morning storms hit the DC suburbs around 6 a.m., with the Nat'l Weather Service urging people to remain inside due to the threat of heavy rain, high winds, small hail and dangerous lightning. The Washington Post reported that a tree fell on a car on Chain Bridge Road near the Beltway in Fairfax Co., and there was minor flooding reported on I-66 and the GW Parkway. According to Dominion Power, as of 8:20 a.m., 5,722 people were without power in the NoVa region.

That line of storms is currently moving through the Northern Neck and into the Bay. But storms are expected to redevelop later today as a frontal boundary moves in from the west. The best chance of storms will be in the same places that saw storms this morning -- along and east of the Blue Ridge Mountains into the DC suburbs. Storms cannot be ruled out across the rest of the commonwealth, but it appears that things again will be more active in NoVa later today.

Voters are considering three Dem candidates for governor: state Sen. Creigh Deeds, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran. Recent statewide surveys indicate the contest is tight. Turnout operations could be critical -- especially for McAuliffe who is counting on new and younger voters -- those who backed Barack Obama last year -- to support his candidacy. Polls are open until 7 p.m.

(STEVEN SHEPARD)

"World News" (from Boston) led with the SCOTUS delaying sale of Chrysler. "Evening News" led with Pres. Obama pressing cabinet to speed stimulus spending. "Nightly News" led with the Air France investigation.

AK Gov. Sarah Palin (R) is back in the spotlight, particularly due to her recent interview with FNC's Sean Hannity.

Palin, on the current state of the economy: "The federal government is about $11 trillion in debt, and we're borrowing more to spend more. It defies any sensible economic policy that any of us ever learned going through college, defies economy practices and principles that tell you you've got to quit digging that hole when you are in that financial hole. ... America is digging a deeper hole, and how are we paying for this government largesse? We're borrowing from China."

More Palin: "And when you consider that now we own 60 percent of General Motors, or the U.S. government does, consider, but who is the U.S. government becoming more and more indebted to? It's China. So that leads you to have to ask, who really is going to own our car industry, then, in America?"

Hannity: "It does harken back a little to the campaign. Spread the wealth, patriotic duty."

Palin: "Kind of a 'we told you so'?"

Hannity: "Well, is that how you feel?"

Palin: "That's how I feel."

After the jump, more Palin, stimulus spending and the sale of Chrysler.

(KATHERINE LEHR)

Tweets were light tonight out of the GOP House and Senate fundraiser in DC. But Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) offered a slice of nostalgia.

McCain: "Great to see Sarah and Todd at the dinner tonight - nice reunion!" 8:46 PM

State Sen. Creigh Deeds sent VA Dem voters a final message this evening before they vote in the 6/9 gubernatorial primary: "You've been lifting me up, you've never let me down. I ask for your help, one more day. I need your vote tomorrow. And I need you to work as hard as you can to get your neighbors, your relatives, your friends, your enemies. Whomever you can convince to come out and vote for Creigh Deeds for governor. I need your help one more day. I promise you if you don't let me down tomorrow, I won't let you down as the next governor of the Commonwealth."

The 2009 GOP House/Senate dinner raised almost $14.5M, the NRSC and NRCC announced this evening.

"Thanks to the generosity and dedication of my Republican colleagues, this year's Senate-House Dinner raised $7.25 million in support of Republican Senate candidates nationwide. As we look forward to the 2010 election cycle, we understand what's at stake and the principles that we are fighting for on behalf of voters across the country. By working together, the Republican Party will succeed in to restoring the checks and balances and the conservative leadership that we need in Washington. We are confident that we will have the resources that we need next year, in great part thanks to the generosity of our enthusiastic supporters across America," said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), chairman of the NRSC.

"I commend my colleagues in the Republican conference for their collaborative efforts to garner $7.2 million of support from Americans across the country. Tonight's success is a testament to how well Republicans' message of fiscal responsibility and smaller government is resonating. Together, we are showing America that we are a unified party with the best solutions to create jobs and rebuild our economy. With this unified message and financial support, Republican Members and candidates throughout the country will stand together against Nancy Pelosi and her rubber-stamp Democrats to hold them accountable for their reckless borrow-and-spend habits," said Rep. Pete Sessions (R-TX), chairman of the NRCC.