August 2009

The primary to fill late-Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-MA) will take place 12/8, according to an announcement on the website of MA Sec/State William Galvin (D). The decision follows on MA Gov. Deval Patrick's (D) designation earlier this p.m. of 1/19/10 as the special election date.

Still lingering, however, are questions over who, if anyone, will fill Kennedy's seat in the meantime. Patrick fielded some of those questions in this p.m.'s presser.

Asked if he has any names of appointees he would consider, Patrick told reporters, "It's too soon to talk about that." But Patrick did offer some clues on his criteria for a potential appointee.

Patrick: "I think what we want is someone who understands the issues facing the commonwealth, understands the importance of having those interests served by being a strong voice in the United States Senate. I think we'd want somebody who is up to speed or who can quickly get up to speed on health care issues and the jobs bills and education initiatives, and climate change, which is the key initiatives before the Congress right now."

Patrick pushed back against speculation that he might appoint the late-sen.'s wife, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, telling reporters that she "is not interested in the position." Patrick said he had not spoken with her or other members of the Kennedy family about an individual for the job.

Patrick, who is facing a tough re-elect bid in '10, also flatly denied the possibility that he might appoint himself -- an unlikely possibility, as demonstrated over the weekend by a gov. seeking a SEN seat himself in '10.

Asked about the legality of requiring an interim appointee agree not to run in the special -- a point that Patrick has emphasized in trying to win over hesitant state legislators -- Patrick admitted that he could not legally bar an appointee from running.

His answer? Not a particularly reassuring one for those seeking to fill the seat quickly. Patrick: "If given this power, I'm going to have to get that assurance personally from the appointee."

(FELICIA SONMEZ)

In a presser this p.m., MA Gov. Deval Patrick (D) said the special election to fill the seat of the late-Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) will take place on Jan. 19, 2010.

"Massachusetts voters will have their opportunity to fill this Senate vacancy," Patrick said.

Last week, MA Sec/State William Galvin (D) proposed that the special take place on 1/19 or 1/26, with the primary to take place on 12/8 or 12/15. Under MA law, Patrick was required to select a date and notify officials by early this week. The primary date will be announced on the sec/state's website by the end of the day, Patrick said.

Even with the election dates set, the brouhaha over whether Patrick has the authority to appoint an interim replacement for Kennedy continues. The state joint cmte on election laws is considering a bill that would accommodate Kennedy's request to have the gov. appoint a successor to fill the vacancy until voters go to the polls in the special. Earlier today, the chairs of that cmte announced that they have moved up the bill's hearing date from early Oct. to Sept. 9, with the possibility of a vote "within days" of the hearing.

But with the specter of '04 still fresh in the minds of many lawmakers and voters, the bill's future is uncertain. At that time, MA Dems rejected such a change because they did not want to give then-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) the power to appoint a replacement -- likely a GOPer -- should Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) have won the WH. Now that Dems control the gov's mansion, they face an uphill battle in explaining the about-face.

In today's presser, Patrick stepped up the pressure on state lawmakers to support the bill.

Patrick: "Let me be clear: I wholly support the special election and the democratic process to fill the remaining two years of Senator Kennedy's term. But I will continue to work with the legislature on legislation authorizing an interim appointment to the United States Senate for the five months until the special election happens."

More: "This is the only way to ensure that Massachusetts is fully represented until the voters of the state elect our next senator in January."

[FELICIA SONMEZ]

SC House GOPers held an open-door meeting this weekend to discuss beginning the process of impeaching embattled SC Gov. Mark Sanford (R). As the Columbia State reported, though, GOPers "took no official action Saturday, it was clear that most in the caucus want Sanford to go." Still, the House GOPers said they'll wait on official conclusions from a state ethics commission report before acting.

Meanwhile, SC GOV hopeful Dwight Drake's (D) camp released this web video today called "(500) Days of Sanford" --a take-off on the indie flick "(500) Days of Summer"-- to mark today's milestone of 500 days until Mark Sanford's term as Governor ends. Drake has been calling for statewide elected officials to use a Constitutional provision to put Sanford's removal from office up before the Legislature within 30 days, and the video is collecting petition signatures for that move.

[NORA McALVANAH]

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

SUNDAY:

Meet the Press hosts Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), ex-Ted Kennedy CoS Bob Shrum, Kathleen Kennedy Townsend and historian Doris Kearns Goodwin.

Face the Nation hosts Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) and Georgetown Univ. prof. Michael Eric Dyson.

This Week hosts Hatch and Kerry. The roundtable features GOP strategist Liz Cheney, Washington Post's E.J. Dionne, ABC contributor Sam Donaldson, PBS' Gwen Ifill and Washington Post's George Will.

Fox News Sunday hosts ex-VP Dick Cheney, and a roundtable with FNC's Bill Sammon, NPR's Mara Liasson, Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol and NPR's Juan Williams.

State of the Union hosts Hatch, Dem strategist James Carville and GOP strategist Mary Matalin (see below for guests on SOTU's Reliable Sources segment).

See other weekend shows after the jump.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

FL's got a new senator, lobbyist and lawyer George LeMieux, who'll replace retiring Sen. Mel Martinez (R) when the Senate returns to D.C. 9/8.

Gov. Charlie Crist (R) made the pick today, after several weeks of speculation about who would replace the first-term Sen. Martinez. Crist's decision to select a close ally and ex-CoS has the potential to make waves in the '10 SEN race, which Crist is hoping to win.

Some insights into how the selection will play out became clearer today as the men hoping to deny Crist Martinez' seat next fall weighed in on the Sunshine State's new junior senator. Both are attacking the pick as cronyism, with Meek going so far as to say Crist "added another addition to his campaign team at taxpayers' expense" after the appointment was made.

From ex-state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R):

"This is a disappointing appointment for Florida. George LeMieux is a talented political operative and the governor's best friend, but that doesn't make him the right choice to represent Florida in the Senate. Governor Crist had a wealth of consistent and principled conservative candidates to choose from, all of whom would have been a reliable check and balance on the excesses of the Obama-Pelosi-Reid agenda."

Rep. Kendrick Meek (D) released a statement, and is set to speak about the appointment later this afternoon at a press conf from his Miami camp HQ. Meek's statement:

Governor Crist was afforded a high responsibility with this appointment. Instead, he treated this process like a mockery, politicizing his selection by flying around the state at taxpayers' expense, touring major media markets and drawing this selection out. Well respected Floridians with a wealth of elected service experience ... were in a position to hit the ground running if appointed, but that possibility is now nonexistent. By appointing George LeMieux, Governor Crist's inner circle was rewarded with a U.S. Senate seat and Floridians are left lacking the representation they deserve"

Gov. Charlie Crist (R) chose his ex-CoS and political right-hand man, George LeMieux to fill out the remainder of retiring Sen. Mel Martinez's (R) first term.

LeMieux, a lawyer and lobbyist, was widely viewed by FL political observers as the safe choice for Crist. The Gov. faced a balancing act of choosing a replacement for Martinez as he ran to replace him, and it's expected the LeMieux choice will become an issue in the SEN race. Crist faces an increasingly contentious primary fight with ex-state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R) as well as a surprisingly strong likely Dem nominee in Rep. Kendrick Meek, though polls still show Crist winning the Martinez seat easily.

As for LeMieux, he's expected to take over for Martinez when the Senate reconvenes in DC on 9/8. Martinez' office issued the following statement:

"I congratulate George LeMieux for being appointed by the governor to fill the remainder of my term. George is bright, capable, and an accomplished administrator. My staff and I stand ready to ensure a smooth transition."

The state Dem party was not as thrilled. As a powerful lobbyist and longtime ally, Dems say the LeMieux pick smells of cronyism. Expect to see that theme more in the coming weeks of the SEN race. The party's statement:

"In appointing LeMieux, someone who has made millions over the past several years selling access to Crist to the highest bidders among Tallahassee's special interests, Charlie Crist once again put his own political ambition above doing what is right for Florida. Floridians are sick of the Republican culture of corruption and the Tallahassee back room dealings that clearly led Crist to pick LeMieux, whose only qualification is being Charlie Crist's crony."

We'll post more responses to the selection as they come in today.

The state GOP offered its take on LeMieux's appointment. Party chair Jim Greer, in a statement. Greer, like FL's new Sen, is a long-time Crist ally, which may explain his obvious enthusiasm for LeMieux selection:

Greer: "Once again, Charlie Crist has demonstrated his commitment to serving Floridians, by appointing George LeMieux who is well qualified, a dedicated public servant, conservative Republican and an excellent choice!"

Nat'l party takes after the jump.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

(**Updated 8/27 with McDonnell response).

State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) released his second TV ad of the general election season today -- and like his first, it's all about George W. Bush. As the camp heats up, Deeds has increasingly tried to pair ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R) with the ex-pres on TV and radio. VA Dems are betting that Bush will motivate their base and independents to turn out for Deeds the way they did for Pres. Obama when he became the first nat'l Dem to win the state in a generation last Nov.

But Obama's not the Dem the Deeds camp wants on VAins minds in the voting booth this year. Like Deeds last ad, this one doesn't mention the current pres -- or VA's current Dem Gov., Tim Kaine -- instead casting ex-Gov./Sen. Mark Warner as the successful Dem example Deeds will follow.

Update: Shortly after the new Deeds ad was announced McDonnell spokesperson Tucker Martin responded to the Bush messaging.

"[Deeds is] right on one thing: Virginians are worried about the policies promoted by occupants of Washington D.C. They are worried about massive debt, cap and trade, card check, and nationalized healthcare, all policies Creigh supports," he said. "Desperate and down in the polls, Creigh Deeds is misrepresenting Bob's remarks to take attention away from his own anti-jobs record, and the anti-jobs policies he champions for his national party."

Check out new Deeds ad ad below. As with all of the TV ads on both sides in the VA GOV race so far, the new spot is running statewide except the DC suburbs.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Pres. Obama's job-approval rating may be dropping but his message of "change" remains as popular as ever -- at least in NJ. Ex-U.S. Atty Chris Christie (R) launched a new TV ad today that features an Obama supporter who says she now endorses the GOPer. If you want change in Trenton, the ad says, "start by changing governors."

The ad, titled "Voices" and produced by Russ Schriefer of Stevens & Schriefer, is airing on broadcast and cable in the New York and Philly media markets. It also features average NJers complaining about "taxes," "spending" and "corruption." Bottom line, they say, Gov. Jon Corzine (D) "didn't deliver."

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with the passing of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA).

Talk about Kennedy dominated the news coverage yesterday.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): "We had tremendous fights the whole time, throughout his whole tenure and my whole tenure in the Senate, but when we got together, people would tend to get out of the way. They figured if Kennedy and Hatch can get together, anybody can" ("Situation Room," CNN, 8/26).

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ): "He was a good and decent man. He espoused his cause with passion and fervor and dedication. I could trust his word. He was a person that I could trust and he was also a lot of fun to be around. But he loved the institution and he reached across the aisle. And we need some of that" ("Hannity," FNC, 8/26).

Ex-Sen. Birch Bayh (D-IN): "He could have had a life of ease, but he didn't. He spent his life helping for people who couldn't help themselves, whether they were the poor, the afflicted children that needed education, people who needed health care. Ted Kennedy was a champion for people who needed a champion" (Situation Room," CNN, 8/26).

After the jump, more on Kennedy and the health care debate.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX/ABBY LIVINGSTON)

(**Updated 8/27 w/ comments from Deeds camp below).

As promised, the RGA launched its first TV spot of the fall cycle today -- and, as expected, it's a negative attack on state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D).

The spot will run in all of VA outside the NoVA media market, and is accompanied by a matching radio ad. So far the DC suburbs, one of the most important for Deeds especially, is still virgin territory for general election advertising in '09 -- though that's sure to change as the election draws nearer.

The RGA ad is being run through the org's VA PAC, Virginia Common Sense. The nat'l party just gave $2.5M to the group, but the RGA wouldn't comment on the specific size of today's buy though, saying through a spokesperson only that it is "significant" and the ad will run for "a while."

As for the message, the ad focuses on spending -- a central focus for GOPers in VA, who would like to see Deeds tied to national fears that Pres. Obama is overspending in D.C.

The Deeds camp has not yet responded to a request for comment on the ad. When it does, we'll add the Deeds take to this post.

Deeds camp spokesperson Jared Leopold said the "big spending" the ad refers to was largely to pay for a Deeds plan to raise VA teacher salaries to the nat'l average. (The RGA ad cites this '08 newspaper article, which says 40% of the $1B in Deeds budget amendments were designed to pay for the salary bump).

"It's no surprise that Bob McDonnell would attack Creigh Deeds for trying to raise teacher salaries, since McDonnell repeatedly voted against Virginia's public schools," Leopold said.

Check out the RGA tv spot:

Click here to listen to the radio ad.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

From the moment Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) officially announced the worst kept secret in TX - that she is running for GOV - Gov. Rick Perry (R) has proven determined to be the spur in her saddle.

Among the tactics used to antagonize Hutchison, Harvey Kronberg reported for a local news website that the Perry campaign used a "big truck at Hutchison events and used it as a billboard. ... They even flew a plane over a Hutchison event with a banner admonishing Hutchison ... In an apparent reference to bailouts, Perry even had volunteers with costume pig snouts giving away dollar bills at one Hutchison event."

In response, Hutchison released a web ad criticizing the Perry criticism of her rollout.

And now, the Perry campaign is now attempting a jujitsu move in using that very same ad against her.

Early this afternoon, the Perry campaign posted the Hutchison ad on its anti-Hutchison website, "Washington Kay" with the headline "Thanks Sen. Hutchison for Your Video," and Perry campaign mgr. Rob Johnson wrote a sarcastic letter to the Texas Ethics Commission stating, "This video amounts to a highlight reel of her disastrous announcement tour. We feel it is beneficial to our campaign and have posted it on a website ... Because we have posted this video, paid for by Texans for Kay Bailey Hutchison, I write you for clarification of the reporting rules for in-kind contributions to our campaign and to determine if this video qualifies as an in-kind contribution that should be reported as such. I am not certain of a dollar amount for the video but would be willing to report it as 'priceless.'"

Hutchison spokesman Joe Pounder responds: "Rick Perry's track record of running negative, slash and burn campaigns is well-known. But this has to be the first time in political history that a campaign has proudly touted their own negativity."

[ABBY LIVINGSTON]

One of the immediate effects of Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D-MA) death will be on health care legislation. John Podesta, president and CEO of the Center for American Progress, told reporters in a conference call this morning that with the Senate down to 59 Democratic votes for the time being, "if Democrats are going to do this without any support from Republicans, they will follow a path of a reconciliation vehicle rather than following a path of 60 votes of cloture using only Democrat votes."

The call was organized to discuss a new CAP report on reducing America's dependence on foreign oil, but the overnight news of the MA Democrat's death took precedence from the onset.

"We're mourning the loss of Ted Kennedy," Podesta said in opening the call. "He was a good friend of the people on this call but also a champion of the causes we believe in. He was simply the greatest."

Podesta was pessimistic that another senator can fill Kennedy's role in health care reform. "I don't think there was anybody better in the Senate across a large range of issues, but particularly on health reform, to try and find where a deal lay that would accomplish what really amounted to his life's work, which was to provide affordable health coverage for every American," he said.

Podesta did point to Sen. Chris Dodd, (D-CT), and the work he has recently done with Kennedy on health reform. Still, he conceded: "If there could be someone in the league that would be irreplaceable, it's probably Ted Kennedy."

[AMY HARDER, NationalJournal.com]

Political leaders, journalists, and scholars have begun to weigh in on the life and legacy of Sen. Ted Kennedy, (D-MA) who died 8/25 at the age of 77.

Here are some of them:

"An important chapter in our history has come to an end. Our country has lost a great leader, who picked up the torch of his fallen brothers and became the greatest United States Senator of our time."
--Pres. Barack Obama

"When I first came to the United States Senate I was filled with conservative fire in my belly and an itch to take on any and everyone who stood in my way, including Ted Kennedy. As I began working within the confines of my office I soon found out that while we almost always disagreed on most issues, once in a while we could actually get together and find the common ground, which is essential in passing legislation.

Ted Kennedy, with all of his ideological verbosity and idealism was a rare person who at times could put aside differences and look for common solutions. Not many ever got to see that side of him, but as peers and colleagues we were able to share some of those moments."
--Sen. Orin Hatch (R-UT)

"He always believed that our best days were still ahead, but it's hard to imagine any of them without him."
--Kennedy Family Statement

"Ted Kennedy played a leading role in perhaps the greatest political drama of the 20th century - the dawning of the New Frontier and the soul-crushing assassinations that followed - but he will be remembered by history for his legislative achievements in health care, education, civil rights, and immigration."
--Peter Canellos, Boston Globe

"The essence of Kennedy's legislative record, is in fact, he understand, that life in the arena meant compromise. It didn't mean you gave in. But it did mean that, as he often said, work is unfinished. And in his own life, he talked about in his own personal journey, that that work was never finished. ... This is a man who, I think, should be seen as a story of redemption"
--Newsweek's Jon Meacham on "GMA," ABC.

"Given our political differences, people are sometimes surprised by how close Ronnie and I have been to the Kennedy family. But Ronnie and Ted could always find common ground, and they had great respect for one another. In recent years, Ted and I found our common ground in stem cell research, and I considered him an ally and a dear friend. I will miss him."
--Nancy Reagan

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with the economy.

Health care was a big topic of discussion on last night's TV shows, with RNC chair Michael Steele weighing in on the debate.

Steele went "On The Record" 8/25 p.m.

Steele, on why the GOP didn't reform healthcare when in power: "I don't have an idea, and I think, it's one of those flaws of the past that we tripped ourselves up on. We had a perfect opportunity even when we didn't have control of the House and Senate during the early days of [Bush's] first term to at least put in place some of the efforts to put our imprimatur, if you will, on the health care debate. But that's the past. And I understand that."

Steele, on Obama's tone: "I think the president set the tone at the very beginning of the stimulus debate when he said, 'I won,' which told everybody in the room where this was going to go and how it was going to go. So I get that. But don't then come back when the citizens of this country rise up because of the arrogance of your power, use of power, the arrogance of the policies you're putting in place, to say, 'That's not what we want,' to say that there's an orchestrated effort by Republicans to undermine this, when, in fact, that's not the case."

After the jump, more on health care, as well as the CIA investigation.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX/ABBY LIVINGSTON)

Acting first assistant U.S. Atty Michele Brown has resigned as of "close of business" today, the Newark Star-Ledger reported. In her resignation letter, Brown didn't mention directly the $46K loan she received from ex-U.S. Atty Chris Christie (R), saying only that she did not want to be a "distraction" for the office.

Christie praised Brown today as a "career prosecutor," but in follow up statements his campaign placed the blame for her departure squarely on Gov. Jon Corzine (D). State Sen. Diane Allen (R) said: "Apparently a nearly 20 year commitment serving the public doesn't matter to Jon Corzine if you are a means to his political end."

Christie's LG nominee, Sheriff Kim Guadagno, called it "despicable" that Corzine had "aimed the negative attacks of his hired guns" on "a dedicated public servant."

The Corzine camp said the resignation "does nothing to put to rest questions about Christie's conduct both in and outside of the U.S. Attorney's office."

[SEAN J. MILLER]

A new survey of NJ LVs conducted 8/12-21 by Neighborhood Research (R) shows ex-U.S. atty Chris Christie (R) leading Gov. Jon Corzine (D) by just 3%. The previous NJ GOV poll, conducted 8/11-12 by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research (D) showed Christie with a 5% lead. In contrast, the three non-partisan polls conducted this month show Christie with leads of between 8% and 13%.

One key difference among the surveys is the addition of ex-EPA regional admin. Chris Daggett (I) to the ballot. In the new GOP poll, Christie leads Corzine 39-36% with Daggett at 6%; Greenberg, meanwhile, shows Christie up 40-35% with Daggett at 10%. These Aug. polls by Quinnipiac University, Daily Kos/Research 2000 and Rasmussen Reports, however, only test the incumbent and GOP challenger, which may contribute to Christie's wider margins.

That Daggett may be taking votes from Christie isn't that surprising. For Dems and indies who aren't inclined to support Corzine, and are wary of supporting a GOPer, Daggett is an attractive protest vote. Still, Daggett's numbers are high for an indie candidate in New Jersey. In '05, only 4% of voters, some 80K, supported for a third party candidate on Election Day.

However, this race is reminiscent of the 2006 IL GOV contest. The major party choices that year were Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who voters didn't like very much and GOP Treas. Judy Baar Topinka, who had equally high negative ratings. Not surprisingly, many voters saw the third-party candidate as an appealing alternative and Rich Whitney, the Green party nom., took 10%. Whitney's showing was 7 pts. higher than that of the two third party candidates combined in '02.

Only time will show if Daggett can establish himself as a credible alternative. If he siphons enough votes away from Christie, he could also become Corzine's new best friend.

[AMY WALTER and SEAN J. MILLER]

Ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R) launched the first of his fall TV ads today, focusing on a phrase most VA voters will remember from the ex-DNC chair Terry McAuliffe (D) TV blitz during the Dem primary: Green jobs.

McDonnell, who put out a series of biographical ads during primary season (he ran unopposed for the GOP nomination), has been running hard for VA's independent voters. The new ad fits the message, focusing on a set of energy policy initiatives that McDonnell says will bring badly needed new jobs to VA.

The ad could easily be a McAuliffe spot, with its crane shots of a casually-dressed McDonnell speaking excitedly about Green Job Zones and new forms of energy. But, like he has since the start of the camp, McDonnell's focus is on making VA "the energy capital of the East Coast," a plan that involves several right-of-center policies that Dems were less willing to embrace during the primary. Among these is the expansion of nuclear power and off-shore drilling.

Still, the ad is clearly a direct appeal to the middle of the electorate -- where McDonnell knows his victory will be found. Just beyond the obvious energy message, McDonnell offers a direct response to the charges of extremism Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) has placed at the center of his fall camp agenda. Like Deeds, McDonnell claims to be a bipartisan leader that can govern across the aisle.

Deeds camp issued a response to the McDonnell ad, linking to an editorial from April criticizing McDonnell's energy policies.

Watch McDonnell's new ad:

Full script:

MCDONNELL: "New energy means new jobs. We need it all: wind, oil, natural gas, clean coal, nuclear. I will lead a bi-partisan effort to make Virginia the Energy Capital of the East Coast. New green job zones to help innovators create renewable energy. Safe off-shore drilling for oil and natural gas to create new energy and jobs now. I will be a jobs Governor, bringing new energy resources and jobs to Virginians."

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) is trying to steal a little fire from Pres. Obama's historic '08 victory in VA as he takes his first serious steps to rally VA's powerful African American base to his cause.

Starting today, the Deeds camp will begin running radio commercials on African American stations in Richmond, Roanoke and Hampton Roads featuring audio gleaned from Obama's speech at an 8/6 Deeds rally in the NoVA town of McLean.

The ad calls Deeds "a trailblazer," an "advocate" and suggests he's "cut from the same cloth" as Obama, using clips from the speech (for the record, when Obama used the "cut from the same cloth" line at the McLean event he was referring to Deeds and ex-Gov./Sen. Mark Warner, not himself -- but Obama did suggest that he and Deeds brought similar qualities to governing in other sections of the speech.)

Throughout the summer, Deeds has struggled to capture excitement among VA's black population. He has been dogged by a high-profile endorsement of ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R) by Dem party booster/BET co-founder Sheila Johnson as well as a refusal to endorse by the state's first African American Gov, Douglas Wilder, who's taken repeated jabs at Deeds and said his camp "may have a problem" with black voters in the fall.

The new ad strives to recapture the spirit of change and progress brought on with the election of the nation's first African American president. The Deeds camp has said it intends to use Obama's voice and image more and more in the coming weeks, as Deeds attempts to cast McDonnell as a return to the policies of George W. Bush.

(For their part, the McDonnell camp and the GOP are set to go up with a pair of ads this week. More on those when details emerge.)

Listen to the audio of the Deeds ad here.

And here's the script (provided by the Deeds camp):

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, Virginia! (Applause.) Are you fired up? (Applause.) Are you ready to go? (Applause)

Male VO: Are you ready for change? Ready for real leadership?

THE PRESIDENT: ... now you've got the chance to keep moving forward by electing somebody who is cut from the same cloth, somebody who has that same vision for the commonwealth -- Creigh Deeds. (Applause.)

Male VO: Creigh Deeds is an advocate.

THE PRESIDENT: This is a man who's spent his life working to do right by his family, and the last two decades working to do right by the people of Virginia. (Applause.) As a state senator, he has worked tirelessly to advance this commonwealth that he's loved his whole life.

Male VO: Creigh Deeds is a trailblazer.

THE PRESIDENT: He wrote Megan's Law, advocated for the Amber Alert program to protect our children. (Applause.)

Male VO: Now you've got the chance to elect somebody who will embrace change with real leadership.

Male VO: Vote for Creigh Deeds for Governor of Virginia.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

"World News" led with the official of Michael Jackson's death. "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with the DoJ's decision to investigate CIA interrogation techniques.

The DoJ's decision to investigate CIA interrogation techniques during the Bush admin. was widely discussed on TV last night.

RNC chair Michael Steele made an appearance on "Your World" 8/24 p.m.

Steele, on the investigation: "I think it's unfortunate in the long and the short term. I think that clearly the attorney general did not get the memo from the president, and which I agreed with the president when he said he wanted to look forward and not backwards in dealing with these types of issues, second guessing ... your predecessor."

More Steele, on Obama: "I think it sets a bad precedent for the future. It sets a bad precedence for his own administration. He doesn't know what lies ahead for him, the things that he's going to confront as president, and he's setting a marker now that I think is very dangerous for any president to allow his administration to get into, and that is second guessing decisions you're making with respect to war and peace and terrorism and the like. So I'm disappointed, very disappointed, in the decision."

Steele: "The timing on this is always very interesting, coming out of the summer, into the fall, people are returning from vacation and so forth. So now this becomes a part of the national focus and debate while we try to deal with their failure to address sufficiently and I think smartly the health care issue that the nation's currently confronted with."

After the jump, more on the DoJ, as well as health care discussions.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX/ABBY LIVINGSTON)

Ex-U.S. Atty Chris Christie (R) hoped to bring the NJ GOV conversation back to the economy today by trying to connect the dots between the Enron scandal and Gov. Jon Corzine (D).

"The governor, as CEO of Goldman Sachs, personally lobbied to get a tax break for Enron -- a tax loophole that would allow them to make debt look like equity," Christie said on a conference call with reporters. This contributed to the "precipitous fall" of Enron and a loss of $61M to the state's pension fund. "He's got to answer questions about that kind of conduct," Christie added, accusing Corzine of having a "trader's mentality." Christie also called for the release of a letter Corzine sent the Clinton WH regarding the "special tax loophole" for Enron.

Asked why he was bringing up the eight-year-old scandal, Christie said: "I don't think that this thing has been fully vetted. ... We need to see it in the context of his conduct as governor." In response to Christie, Corzine spokesperson Elisabeth Smith said in a statement: "Instead of re-hashing questions that were answered four years ago, Christie should worry about standing in front of the press and answering for his conversations with Karl Rove, his loan to a subordinate and subsequent failure to disclose it, and his refusal to release the most basic of documents from his time as United States Attorney."

Reporters didn't seem interested in turning back the clock. The second question on the call, coming from the AP's Delli Santi, was about the $46K loan Christie made to a subordinate. Christie again defended the loan, saying: "There is nothing that prohibits a supervisor from giving a subordinate a loan." He pushed back against the "drumbeat" of coverage of the loan, calling it "over done." Christie: "This was done as friends to friends. And there are no long-term ramifications for it. ... I don't see it as a problem."

Christie then complained about a lack of "fair treatment" from reporters.

"We're not having the same kind of conversation from the people who are pushing this story in the governor's campaign," he said. "This is really hypocrisy and it's over the top. ... This loan was disclosed, it was filed publicly, that's more than we can say for a lot of the governor's financial transactions that he's had. If we want to do this, you should all be going back and asking the governor those questions."

But he later stepped back from his earlier comments, saying he felt the press would conduct a "fair examination" of the loans he and Corzine have made.

"I think the kind of fake hysteria and fake outrage that the other side is showing is really kind of crazy," he said. "My criticism is not of all of you [reporters]; my criticism is of them and their fake outrage."

The Christie camp, which last went up on TV two weeks ago, might be better served using paid advertising as a means of moving the debate away from his loan. Christie adviser Maria Comella said there's no plan "right now" to put together an Enron TV ad; she declined to discuss when the campaign will release its next TV spot.

[SEAN J. MILLER]

Given the controversy and drama that's plagued the process of trying to fill the IL SEN seat once held by President Barack Obama, it seemed reasonable to expect a contentious primary for the Dem Senate nomination. But it looks as if it will be a fairly unexciting affair.

After months of deliberating, businessman Chris Kennedy (D), a nephew of Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), announced this week that he was forgoing a run to spend more time with his family. Kennedy's announcement was preceded by the 7/8 decision by IL AG Lisa Madigan (D), seen by many Dems as the strongest candidate for the party, to forgo a run. This leaves just two Democrats to vie for the nomination; Treas. Alexi Giannoulias and Chicago Urban League Pres. Cheryle Jackson. One or two other possible candidates have been mentioned. But with nomination petitions, requiring 5K-10K signatures, due by 11/2 any other challenger needs to start moving soon.

Many expect the primary to be a Giannoulias coronation. He formally entered the race 7/26, but had been raising significant amounts of money and building a campaign apparatus long before. As of 6/30, he had $1.6M in the bank. Jackson, meanwhile, only formally declared last week, although she too had been testing the waters before deciding to get in.

Many are waiting to see if Jackson can put together a credible campaign. She has yet to receive any high-profile endorsements, whereas Giannoulias has announced the support of Reps. Phil Hare (D-IL 17) and Bill Foster (D-IL 14), among others. But that could change. "We've met with Cheryle on more than one occasion," says Jonathan Parker, EMILY'S List's political director. "We think she is an impressive candidate." Still, EMILY's List is holding off from making an endorsement. Parker says the group just isn't "ready," but adds, "We're keeping a very close eye on this race."

Jackson would likely benefit from a crowded primary where she, as the only woman and only African-American, would have a demographic advantage. In '92, Carol Moseley-Braun , then an unknown Cook Co. Recorder of Deeds, was the only woman and only African-American in a 3-way race for the Democratic nod. Braun also benefited from the fact that one of the wealthy men running was spending most of his time - and directing his fire - at then-Sen. Alan Dixon (D). Braun won 38% of the vote.

To beat Giannoulias one-on-one, the unknown and untested Jackson would need to put together a lot of money, very quickly. If she doesn't, the Dem primary may be surprisingly straightforward.

[SEAN J. MILLER]

(**Updated 8/24** See Deeds' entire GMU speech after the jump.)

State Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) attempted to re-energize his flagging VA GOV camp and kicked off the homestretch toward Election Day today with what staff called a "major policy speech" and the launch of a new batch of TV ads.

Deeds has been falling behind ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R) in recent polls and has been tweaking his camp in the past several weeks. Last weeks, Deeds has "beefed up" his staff, adding VA political veteran Mo Elleithee to head up message along with several other new staffers.

The new staff played a large role in crafting today's speech, according to Deeds mgr Joe Abbey. The address, which Deeds delivered to a small crowd in a basement auditorium at George Mason University in the NoVA town of Fairfax, focused on casting McDonnell as a return to George W. Bush-style economics, which Deeds said were "the failed policies of the past."

In keeping with another recent change to his camp message, Deeds also attempted to paint McDonnell as an ideologue on social issues, calling McDonnell's record as a legislator a "single-minded crusade" to restrict abortion rights, restrict access to birth control and further a belief "that government should interfere in a family's most personal decisions like those of Terry Schiavo and Hugh Finn."

The new television ad leaves that message out, focusing instead on the Bush comparison. That might be because of its intended target -- the ad will run in every VA market except NoVA -- places where the population is often more socially conservative than their fellow VAians in the DC suburbs.

Here's the ad:

For its part, the McDonnell camp called Deeds new focus on Bush and a pre-Gov. Mark Warner (D) anything but the bold "reframing" Deeds camp said it was. McDonnell spokesperson Tucker Martin, in a statement: "That was the most backwards looking speech ever given by a Virginia gubernatorial nominee. If Creigh Deeds thinks blowing the dust off an old political playbook amounts to a major new announcement, he doesn't get what the voters of Virginia are looking for in their next governor."

Elleithee disagrees. In a conf call with reporters after the speech, he said most VAins are "just starting to tune in" to the GOV race and are eager to understand the contrasts between the two candidates. "We never set out to announce new policy on this speech," he said. The goal was "to reach two groups: Independents and the Democratic base."

"Independents," he continued, "do not understand how extreme Bob McDonnell has been. All they know about him is his repackaging as a moderate."

As for Dems, which polls show are sorely lacking in excitement over Deeds, "they got to hear a speech about why this race is so important," Elleithee said.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

After the jump, Deeds camp video of the GMU speech.

After being on the offense for much of the summer, ex-U.S. Atty Chris Christie (R) has been forced to play defense for the last couple of weeks. Most recently, he needed to apologize for failing to disclose a loan to a former subordinate.

The latest, um, disappointment: falling short at the New Jersey Pest Management Association's 15th annual governors cockroach race. Earlier this afternoon the giant Madagascar hissing cockroach -- they're about two-and-a-half inches long -- representing Christie lost by a staggering six lengths to his Corzine counterpart at the association's expo at Rutgers University.

With a crowd of some 500 cheering them on, "Corzine" and "Christie" raced down a six-foot long track divided into lanes by a thin red line. Corzine "was veering to the left a little," while Christie "was hanging on the right," says Len Douglen, the association's executive director.

"In the heat of the race," Douglen added, "Christie faded." So does today's result foreshadow who will win in November? Douglen says the roach who wins accurately predicts the real winner 84% of the time. That said, last year the John McCain roach won and the real Barack Obama went on to seal NJ and the White House. "The only thing these roaches will tell you," Douglen says, "is not to eat in a restaurant that has them."

[SEAN J. MILLER]

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

SUNDAY:

Meet the Press hosts Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. Amb. to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), PBS' Tavis Smiley and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough.

Face the Nation hosts Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) and ex-VT Gov./ex-DNC chair Howard Dean.

This Week hosts TBA.

Fox News Sunday hosts TBA.

State of the Union hosts TBA.

See other weekend shows after the jump.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

"World News" led with the wave of violence in Baghdad. "Evening News" led with the death of "60 Minutes" creator Don Hewitt. "Nightly News" led with a possible resurgence of the H1N1 virus.

Discussion of a possible reform bill without bipartisan support was discussed on TV last night.

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) went "On the Record" 8/19 p.m.

Grassley, on whether there's "little hope" for a bipartisan deal: "I haven't given up yet, and I haven't said anything new since we adjourned for the summer break that I've been saying for the last three months. ... What you have to have when you're rejiggering one sixth of our U.S. economy, and when you're dealing with health care because that's life-and-death issue for every American, affecting every American citizen, it's got to be done with lots of Democrats and a lot of Republicans, and that's bipartisanship."

More Grassley: "And it's my responsibility to do something that would get broad support among Republicans, and it's Senator Baucus's Republican to get something that would get broad support among Democrats."

After the jump, more on health care, as well as a "Dancing with the Stars" update from Ex-House Maj. Leader Tom DeLay (R).

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

"World News" led with good news about the U.S. auto industry. "Evening News" led with election day in Afghanistan. "Nightly News" led with with the results of the NBC News poll on Pres. Obama.

The death of Chicago Sun-Times columnist Robert Novak was widely discussed on TV last night.

GOP strategist Mary Matalin: "He was an institution. He was an historian. He had encyclopedic of all things politics. He was delightful, even in referring to himself as the prince of darkness. And he was a true believer. When we did 'Crossfire' together, if there ever a topic that had a party line, he would say: 'Give that one to Mary. I'm only doing the true believer, prince of darkness, right-wing stuff.' He never, ever lost that sense of his principles, and was such a fine articulator of them" ("Situation Room," CNN, 8/18).

Newsweek's Clift: "He loved the battle. But he was a reporter. And as somebody who was a reporter, I really admired. He had sources everywhere, buried in every bureaucracy. And he married one of Lyndon Johnson's secretaries, for goodness sakes. So he had sources on the Democratic side as well as the Republican side" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 8/18).

Weekly Standard's Barnes: "Bob was a conservative, but he wasn't partisan. He would pound Republicans if he thought they were slipping away from the conservative position they should have taken, and Democrats, of course, were never there, so he would pound them as well. And he basically terrified official Washington. They were afraid of him because they knew he was an honest guy who would take any of them on. If he had good information, he was going to report it" ("Special Report," FNC, 8/18).

After the jump, more on Novak, as well as the continuing battle over health care reform.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

Pres. Obama knows he escaped some tough questions at his town-halls last week, so before he departs for the Vineyard the president is ensuring he'll have one more chance to play hardball. On Thursday, Obama will be a guest on conservative talk radio host Michael Smerconish's program, where he will take callers' questions about health insurance reform.

Smerconish will broadcast from the Diplomatic Room of the WH. It's the first radio broadcast that will originate from the WH since Obama took office.

(NORA McALVANAH)

Since news broke this today that conservative columnist Robert Novak died today at age 78, tweet condolences have trickled in from pols across the country. We'll keep updating this post as new tweets come in throughout the day.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): "Novak's book, Prince of Darkness: 50 years of reporting in Washington is one of the best of its kind" 8/18, 12:17 PM

Ex-NYC Police Commis. Bernard Kerik: "Robert Novak... RIP" 12/18, 1:27 PM

Rep. John Boehner (R-OH): "Boehner Statement on the Passing of Robert Novak: http://bit.ly/TUqzA" 8/18, 1:48 PM

"World News" led with the Obama WH possibly backing down on the public option. "Evening News" led with a possible setback in developing the H1N1 vaccine. "Nightly News" led with the biggest case of ID theft in U.S. history.

Discussion of whether there will be a public option in the final health care bill was all over TV last night, with pols and pundits alike weighing in.

Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY), on whether he would vote for a bill without a public option: "I don't even think I will have to, because they won't even bring that to the floor. In the House of Representatives, without a strong public plan, even stronger than the one we reported out of committee, I think it would have a very difficult time getting 218 votes."

More Weiner: "The president has to lead on this, and he has to say very clearly a public option is important, that we hold these insurance companies accountable and provide some competition. I would love to be the one carrying the ball for him, but, unless he says a public option is the way to go, I'm going to be a no, and so will a lot of people" ("Situation Room," CNN, 8/17).

Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN), on whether a public option can still happen: "I think this dispute over the public option really depends on how you define it. I think we can get a good public option through that even the U.S. Senate would think is a good reform. But it's very important that we define it carefully so that it appeals to folks in all 50 states."

More Cooper: "It's very important that the government plan not have any unfair advantage. I think we can construct one that does the key thing, and this is the most important issue and President Obama stressed it again and again, keep the insurance companies honest. We can put together a good public option that does exactly that" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 8/17).

After the jump, more on the public option.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

CA Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) tweeted from the wake of his mother-in-law, the late Eunice Kennedy Shriver, in Barnstable, MA this afternoon:

@Schwarzenegger: "Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I am in Massachusetts, feeling very grateful to have known Eunice and to have been inspired by her ... Being here right now, I can just hear Eunice saying, "Don't make this so much about me. Make this a call to service."

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

SUNDAY:

Meet the Press hosts ex-House Maj. Leader Dick Armey (R-TX), Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), ex-Senate Maj. Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD) and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow.

Face the Nation hosts TBA.

This Week hosts TBA.

Fox News Sunday hosts Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), American Medical Assn pres. Dr. J. James Rohack and AARP's John Rother. The Power Player is opera singer Denyce Graves.

State of the Union hosts TBA (see below for guests on SOTU's Reliable Sources segment).

See other weekend shows after the jump.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

"World News" led with the country's record deficit. "Evening News" led with town hall meetings on health care. "Nightly News" led with health care reform.

The contentious health care town hall meetings continued to dominate TV last night, with many pols weighing in.

Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-MO) made the TV rounds 8/12 p.m.

McCaskill, on whether those who attended her town hall were "organized": "I think that it's been a mistake for anyone to say that this has been a manufactured effort on the part of many of these folks that are shouting out. This is real. It's grassroots. Now, they're
organizing, but that's what we do in America. People do it on the left. And people do it on the right. Most people in the middle, frankly, don't. And that's where I am tried to stay focused."

McCaskill, on whether she's "disappointed" in the way Obama has presented his vision of health care: "I think the problem is that there has been an effort to let these bills grow organically in Congress. And there's a reason they compare lawmaking to sausage making. You have a lot of opinions, a lot of pushing and pulling. I think as time goes on, one bill will emerge in the House. And one bill will emerge in the Senate. And there will be a lot of debate and discussion. ... And that is when you will see a lot of it coming together" ("O'Reilly Factor," FNC, 8/12).

After the jump, more from McCaskill, as well as comments on Sen. Chuck Grassley's (R-IA) end-of-life comments and Sec/State Hillary Clinton's frank talk in Nigeria.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

"World News," "Evening News" and "Nightly News" each led with Pres. Obama's health care town hall in NH.

Weekly Standard's Kristol: "I think the president got off to a bad start when he said 'I'm here to set the record straight' and then proceeded to say four or four or five things that are factually incorrect or at least in dispute. He said several times that health care reform would be deficit neutral. It wouldn't be. The CBO has weighed in on that. That is also on the White House fact check Web site. It's just not the case" ("Special Report," FNC, 8/11).

San Francisco Chronicle's Diaz, on whether Obama has lost some ground on the debate: "He has lost some ground. And the thing that I would say is what the president was trying to do today -- very wisely, in my opinion -- is reshape this debate, because although we are talking about somewhere in the neighborhood of 50 million people who don't have insurance in this country, the fact remains that the vast majority of Americans do have coverage. And that's really the audience that he was going after today, because the thing that the president has to persuade them, if this is going to succeed, is that they have a stake in it" ("NewsHour," PBS, 8/11).

Washington Post's Cillizza: "I was struck. You see these angry crowds yelling at Arlen Specter. ... Claire McCaskill, having to tell people please be quiet. Then you see this event where the president of the United States says, is there anybody out there who's suspicious about this? ... In truth, the person who stood up was not exactly ... these angry mobs we've seen. ... The disconnect I was really, really struck by" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 8/11).

After the jump, more on Obama's town hall meeting, as well as continuing coverage of Sec/State Hillary Clinton's Congo blow-up.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

The increasingly ugly fight between Gov. Jon Corzine (D) and ex-US Atty Chris Christie (R) found a new home today: Twitter.

In a string of tweets from each camp's official feed, Christie slammed Corzine over unemployment and even his staff's proficiency with the now-ubiquitous microblogging service. Corzine hit back, finding a way to connect a typo with the corrupt political practices he's tried to associate with Christie since the start of the camp.

The battle began with this Corzine camp retweet:

@JonCorzine: "RT @PolticalCouncil Jon Corzine's financial experience helped PREVENT this economic downturn. He is working to keep NJ working."

Then came this snarky response from Chrstie's camp, which called the tweet an "epic fail":

@ChristieForNJ: "http://twitpic.com/dj320 - @JonCorzine Be careful what u tweet! NJ's unemployment rate has gone from 4.8% when you started to 9.2% today"

Corzine's camp did what most do in response to a gaffe like that -- throw a staff member under the bus. In this case, under the wheels went Corzine's new media director, Juan Melli. Corzine also used the "apology" to throw a little dirt:

@JonCorzine: "@christiefornj Oops! New media dir cut phrase to fit 140 chars. Almost as bad as awarding no-bid contracts to political cronies! -@juanmelli"

Christie then responded in kind:

@ChristieForNJ: "@joncorzine is 'Oops!' your response to NJ having highest property taxes in the nation? The ppl of our state are ready to #takebackNJ"

Christie may be right, but I'm guessing the people of NJ are equally as excited at the prospect of taking back Twitter once election season is over.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Sen. Arlen Specter's (D-PA) contentious town hall meeting in Lebanon, PA, drew the attention of the nat'l cable nets this a.m., and now, his PA SEN opponents.

Specter's Dem primary opponent, Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA), linked Specter to the failed health care reform effort of the 90s and called for leadership in the current battle.

Sestak in a statement: "This is a time for leadership and I believe one's leadership can be judged by the size of the problems one tackles. Ever since the Clinton health care plan was shut down in the 90's, more than 10 million Americans lost their insurance and those with health care saw costs increase by 120 percent. Because of the lack of action, elected officials have an immense responsibility to explain the current health care bill. That is why I held my first Summit to discuss health care -- with more than 400 attendees -- the day after Congress went out of session, and why I immediately accepted an invitation to go into Philadelphia for another town hall Wednesday night. I look forward to every opportunity to discuss this issue with Pennsylvanians and will continue to participate in other events discussing health care reform legislation. Leaders need to step forward and explain better than they have been how the proposed legislation works and why it is critical for our future health and economic security. "

Meanwhile, '04 candidate/ex-Club for Growth pres./ex-Rep. Pat Toomey's (R) camp slammed Specter for supporting the current "government-run" health care reform plan.

Toomey comm. dir. Nachama Soloveichik: "People across Pennsylvania have real concerns about the cost and intrusiveness of the government-run health care plan Arlen Specter supports. They deserve reforms that will lower the cost of health care and give them more choices, not government red tape, higher taxes, and a larger deficit."

Sestak is slated to speak from 6:30-7:30 p.m. tomorrow night at a health care town hall hosted by Philadelphia's Broad Street Ministry -- about a mile-and-a-half down the road from the setting of Specter's 8/2 raucous town hall with HHS Sec. Kathleen Sebelius.

(FELICIA SONMEZ)

After taking thirty questions from a largely hostile audience in Lebanon, PA this morning, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) offered his own two cents on the raucous, nationally-televised health care town hall he hosted today:

@SenArlenSpecter: "Lebanon County Town Hall was real democracy in action ... 1000 people came to tell me what was on their minds and I have a message to take back to DC loud and clear."

Here's a taste of that "democracy in action" Specter is referring to:

"World News" led with H1N1 flu virus concerns as students head back to school. "Evening News" led with discussions of the H1N1 virus at the N. American Summit. "Nightly News" led with Pres. Obama's discussion of health care at the N. American Summit.

The increasingly contentious health care debate at town hall meetings across the country were discussed across TV last night.

Rep. Bob Inglis (R-SC) played "Hardball" 8/10 p.m.

Inglis, at the disruptions taking place at some of the meetings: "I'm happy for people to come to town meetings. We had a great town meeting the other night, 350 people there. And some were there to express their very strong opposition to the bill. Opposition in some cases turned into hostility, and hostility turned into hysteria for a few. So a pretty wild time, but by and large it was a good event."

Inglis, on the fear behind some of the hysteria: "It is true, what we have to do is we have to figure out a way to get past the fear here. There are people out there that are selling fear, that trade on fear, and the result is that there isn't a good discussion. There are a lot of things to discuss in this health care plan and there are many reasons to be opposed. ... But that doesn't mean we need to be hysterical about that."

More Inglis: "What it means is we need to have a reasoned debate and say, 'These are our objections, and now here's what we could do that's a positive alternative to that.' And I think, if we could get past some of the hysteria and get the president open to dropping the public option ... we could actually get to a solution" (MSNBC, 8/10).

After the jump, more on health care and the town halls, as well as the war in Afghanistan.

(RACHELLE DOUILLARD-PROULX)

Following a day-long Adirondack retreat, the Dem chairs of the 11 counties that comprise NY-23 have selected atty Bill Owens to carry their party's banner in the special election to replace Army Sec.-designate/Rep. John McHugh (R), PolitickerNY.com reports.

Owens, a Plattsburgh resident and possible self-funder who reportedly "has his own local public television program about business issues," will face Assemb. Dede Scozzafava (R) in what is expected to be a competitive race.

The election is likely to be held on 11/3, the date of the regularly-scheduled general election in NY State. But that's contingent upon McHugh being confirmed shortly after the Senate returns from the Aug. recess.

McHugh's nomination was held up last week by Sens. Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Pat Roberts (R-KS), who are upset about the Obama admin.'s plan to close the Guantánamo Bay detention center. Ft. Leavenworth, KS, has been mentioned as a possible destination for some of the Gitmo detainees.

Brownback and Roberts have reportedly asked the Obama admin. for a briefing on their Gitmo plans by Defense Sec. Robert Gates, AG Eric Holder or other senior officials.

**Updated at 4:20 PM**

Crist just said he will not pick himself for the caretaker slot.

Crist: "Florida will have an opportunity in the next few weeks to make sure that an honest person of great integrity that will protect the public trust will be appointed to go ahead and serve the remainder of this senate term. I will not appoint myself. And I have gotten a lot of recommendations about very qualified people who can serve in this senate term."

So that's one down. But Crist didn't put an end to the speculation entirely.

More from the Gov: "No decision's been made. There is not a short list. There is not a long list. But I'm getting a lot of calls and recommendations and volunteers."

Original post:

Sen. Mel Martinez (R) formally announced his resignation this afternoon in a 3 PM statement sent from his camp office.

Throughout the afternoon, FL press has weighed in on what happens next. The Miami Herald caught up with ex-Sen. Connie Mack, who the paper called Crist's "first choice" to replace Martinez. Mack said he spoke with Crist and told him he wasn't interested. From the paper:

"I spent 18 years in Washington and concluded at the end of that 18 years that it was time to come home," Mack said by phone Friday. "It was time for someone else to fill that position."

Mack told the paper he backs ex-FL AG/ex-FL Sec/State Jim Smith (R) to take Martinez' spot.

"I have a great regard for Jim Smith," Mack said. "He has a depth of experience and knowledge, both from a legislative perspective and from a Florida perspective."

He's not the only one. The Palm Beach Post reports Smith, the current board chair at FL State Univ, is Crist's "likely choice" for caretaker of Martinez' seat.

It wouldn't be the first time Smith has stepped in after a elected official's resignation, the paper reports:

In 2002, Smith was appointed by then-Gov. Jeb Bush to fill the vacancy of Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who left the position after being elected to the U.S. House. Smith served in the same office from 1987 to 1995. He was also state attorney general from 1979 to 1987.

Gov. Charlie Crist (R), who's already running to replace Martinez, could pick anyone he wanted to fill the seat -- including himself. But Martinez counseled him against that in an interview with the Herald:

Asked if Crist should appoint himself, he said that would be unlikely. "He wants the people of Florida to make that decision. Certainly it would be good in terms of seniority but I leave that to him. It's a decision for the governor to make."

But not everyone thinks a Crist self-appointment is far-fetched. The South Florida Sun-Sentinel caught up with Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid just before the Senate left for its August recess:

Reid: "I felt he [Martinez] had kind of decided to get Crist up here. That's what I expect."

An unnamed "Crist ally" threw cold water on Reid's take, but still left the door open -- a little -- for Crist to name himself FL's next Sen.:

"[I'm] 99.9 percent certain (Crist) would never appoint himself, but you never know."

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

The DSCC just responded to the Rep. Carolyn Maloney's decision not to primary Sen. Kristen Gillibrand (D) in NY SEN next year.

The DSCC's take, in essence: "Good call!"

The full text of the statement from DSCC chair Bob Menendez:

Congresswoman Maloney is a terrific member of Congress, and her constituents ought to be proud that she will continue to be their voice in Washington. She came to the right decision on this and it means New Yorkers will continue to have a powerhouse delegation in Congress. In just a short time, Senator Gillibrand has already proven she fits the mold of strong New York leaders, working day and night to represent New Yorkers in Washington.

Though Sen. Mel Martinez (R) isn't expected to make his official resignation announcement until later this afternoon, the men running to replace him have already weighed in.

From ex-state House Speaker Marco Rubio, who faces Gov. Charlie Crist in next year's GOP primary:

Mel Martinez's life is a testament to the boundless promise that exists in America, where a young Cuban exile can come to the United States without his parents and rise to become a Cabinet secretary and U.S. senator. As he looks ahead towards the next phase of his life, I wish him and his family all the best. As Governor Crist considers who he will appoint as Florida's next U.S. senator, I urge him to take great care in his selection. Florida deserves an interim senator who will go to Washington and serve as a true check on President Obama's push for more wasteful government spending, government-run health care and cap-and-trade. The last thing Florida needs is a U.S. senator that will stand with President Obama instead of challenging the wrong direction he is leading our country and offering constructive conservative solutions moving forward.

Crist's camp is directing calls on the Martinez resignation to Crist's press team in the Governor's office. So far, no statement has been released.

The Dem in the race, Rep. Kendrick Meek, had this to say:

Senator Mel Martinez made history when he was elected to the U.S. Senate and I wish him only the best in his future endeavors. It is fitting that one of Senator Martinez's final votes was to confirm a history-making Supreme Court nominee, Judge Sonia Sotomayor and I am so pleased that he cast this vote - one that I wholeheartedly support.

We'll post more when we have it.

**Updated at 3:50 PM**

Crist's office released this statement after Martinez' formal announcement of his resignation at 3 PM:

"I have a great deal of respect for my good friend Mel Martinez. I know this decision was a difficult one for him, but I think he is doing what he believes is right for him and his family.

"We will immediately begin the process of selecting an appropriate replacement to serve the remainder of Senator Martinez's term and I look forward to making an announcement in the coming weeks."

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-FL), already set to retire at the end of '10, announced today he'll be resigning his seat "effective on a successor taking office to fill out the remainder of my term." Gov. Charlie Crist (R) will be able to appoint Martinez's successor, but multiple sources indicate he's unlikely to appoint himself, given the poor track record of ex-governors winning full Senate terms following their self-appointments.

Any number of past and present GOP officials in FL could potentially serve as a place holder in the seat for the next 16 months, although a few of the names mentioned early today include ex-Sen. Connie Mack (R), ex-Sec/State Jim Smith (R), ex-Gov. Bob Martinez (R), and FL GOP chair Jim Greer [QUINN MCCORD}

The NYT is reporting that Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) will announce today that she won't challenge Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) for the Dem nod after all, clearing the way for Gillibrand to claim the party's nod next year.

McLEAN, VA -- Pres. Obama defended his economic policies, thanked VAians for their role in his election and told the crowd here what he and state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) have in common.

"You know, Deeds and I, we both have wonderful daughters and we both served in the state Senate," Obama said. "And, let's face it, we both have sorta funny names."

"I'm still trying to figure out how to spell 'Creigh,'" Obama joked.

Hours before Pres. Obama's scheduled arrival in McClean, VA, state Sen. Creigh Deeds' (D) camp, which had been focused on rural VA for most of this week, returned its attention to the state's natural Dem base.

In combination with Obama's visit, Deeds launched a decidedly Obama-like push for grassroots support. The "Join Deeds" campaign, as the Deeds camp calls it, centers around "a steady stream of information about campaign activity through Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr" as well as text messages, tools Obama used successfully to win VA twice in 2008.

Deeds mgr Joe Abbey on the new effort: "President Obama became the first Democrat to win Virginia in 44 years because of a grassroots network driven by a strong online presence in every community. Creigh Deeds' come-from-behind victory in June produced double the usual turnout for a statewide primary. With less than 90 days remaining, we are ramping up our online capacity to organize and activate the grassroots in every community of the Commonwealth toward victory on November 3rd."

The organizing effort includes more traditional means of persuasion as well. In addition to the online tools, Deeds launched two new radio ads today aimed at the state's minority populations.

Details on the ads:

The first, a Spanish-language ad aimed at Latinos, features Gov. Tim Kaine (D). Listen here.

Pres. Obama said today that he was "very happy" with the 68-31 margin by which Sonia Sotomayor was confirmed to the SCOTUS. Nine GOPers broke to join a unanimous Dem conference -- minus the ailing Ted Kennedy (D-MA) -- to support the nominee.

But according to a CNN/ORG poll released yesterday, only 27% of GOPers said the Senate should confirm Sotomayor, while 58% of GOPers polled opposed the nomination. And just 22.5% of Senate GOPers eventually voted to confirm her.

How bipartisan was the vote? A closer look at which senators voted yes or no reveals that most who are seeking re-election or election to another office voted against Sotomayor's nomination -- among other interesting facts.

The Senate has confirmed Sonia Sotomayor as the next associate justice of the SCOTUS by a 68-31 vote.

All but one of 60 Dems voted for Sotomayor; Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA) missed the vote. Ailing Sens. Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) appeared on the floor in wheelchairs to vote yes.

Nine GOPers voted for her: Sens. Lamar Alexander (TN), Kit Bond (MO), Susan Collins (ME), Lindsey Graham (SC), Judd Gregg (NH), Dick Lugar (IN), Mel Martínez (FL), Olympia Snowe (ME) and George Voinovich (OH).

A full breakdown of the vote will appear in this space later today.

As the debate on Sonia Sotomayor's SCOTUS nomination closes this hour, a total of 54 senators have taken the floor on the issue. Of the speakers, 30 were Dems, 22 were GOPers and two were independents who caucus with the Dems. A total of 37 senators spoke in support of Sotomayor, while 17 spoke in opposition of the nominee.

The Senate will have had more than 18 hours of debate on the nomination. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Cmte, took to the floor more often than any other member, speaking on six separate occasions.

Notably, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), the Senate's most-junior member, is currently presiding over the Senate and is expected be the individual to announce formally Sotomayor's confirmation by the body after the votes are tallied.

(STEVEN SHEPARD)

Ahead of a vote pending in the next hour or so, Sonia Sotomayor has picked up two more supporters: Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) became her ninth GOP backer, while Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) virtually guaranteed that the Dem vote will be unanimous.

"I believe the factors to be examined in determining whether a Supreme Court nominee is qualified include her education, prior legal and judicial experience, judicial temperament, and commitment to the rule of law," Voinovich said on the Senate floor. "Based on my review of her record, and using these factors, I have determined that Judge Sotomayor meets the criteria to become a Justice on the Supreme Court."

Voinovich, in his speech, was critical of Pres. Obama for voting against John Roberts and Samuel Alito when their nominations came before the Senate.

"If I applied President Obama's standard," Voinovich said, "I would not be voting for Judge Sotomayor, his nominee. The President was wrong. His standard makes the whole nominations process an exercise in partisan politics. We need less politics in the judicial selection process and the Judiciary in general, not more."

Begich, on the other hand, waited until less than an hour-and-a-half before the vote to announce in a statement e-mailed to reporters that he would support Sotomayor. His fellow Alaskan, Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R), had said that her office was innundated with constituent messages that expressed concern about Sotomayor's 2nd Amendment positions.

Begich said Sotomayor allayed those concerns when they met in June.

"During our meeting," Begich said in the statement, "I told her that Alaskans believe especially strongly in the 2nd Amendment and our right to bear arms, that we cherish our personal privacy and privacy rights and that we strive for a careful balance between protecting our state's unmatched beauty and the need to develop our natural resources. Judge Sotomayor told me that she understands and appreciates these strongly held Alaskan and American values."

Sens. Robert Byrd (D-WV) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) are expected to attend the vote. That should put the final tally at 68-31 in favor of Sotomayor's confirmation.

(STEVEN SHEPARD)

Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), in an interview with NationalJournal.com's Amy Harder for our invaluable sister blog, "The Ninth Justice," said her fellow AK senator, Mark Begich (D), is likely feeling the same pressures from AK gun owners that she felt before announcing last night that she would oppose the SCOTUS nomination of Sonia Sotomayor.

"I can tell you that the feedback that we have gotten from people from this state has been overwhelming on this," Murkowski said. "I have to figure if they're sending messages to me, they're also pushing the send button to Senator Begich. I am quite sure that he is hearing from Alaskans who are quite -- they're really plugged in on certain issues, and certainly a nomination to the Supreme Court justice is right up there."

Begich, a pro-gun freshman, is one of only a handful of senators yet to announce his/her intentions on the Sotomayor vote. Retiring Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH), the only remaining GOPer yet to announce his vote, is scheduled to reveal his decision in a floor speech at noon.

Click here for more from the Murkowski interview, including her opinion that the NRA should not include the Sotomayor vote in its legislative ratings.

Yesterday, we told you about ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe's (D) attack on ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R). Today, McDonnell spokesperson Tucker Martin responded.

Martin: "The Chairman's comments were incorrect and unfortunate." Taking a jab at McAuliffe's all-smiles response to Deeds landslide victory over him and ex-Del. Brian Moran (D) in the June primary, Martin added, "Terry McAullife strongly and enthusiastically supports Creigh Deeds for Governor. That's my comment. Just want to make sure everyone is clear on that."

In the email -- sent in coordination with state Sen. Creigh Deeds' (D) camp -- McAuliffe said McDonnell "has totally lost touch with what Virginians are going through" in the recession and called on those who supported his primary camp "to put the pressure" on McDonnell by signing up for a Deeds-sponsored peition.

Deeds is calling on McDonnell to apologize for recent comments by state GOP chair Pat Mullins, who said in a recent speech that some VAians "preferred to be on welfare" rather than work. Deeds has been using the line to slam McDonnell as he stumps across the rural parts to the state this week.

Martin said the attack hasn't worked, pointing to McDonnell's rising poll numbers as evidence. "Creigh Deeds has spent his whole week playing partisan politics based on comments not made by a candidate for governor. His actions stand in stark contrast with Bob McDonnell's continued focus on promoting policies that will help Virginians get the good paying jobs they need," he said. "That's what Virginians want to see: ideas, not political attacks. It explains why Bob McDonnell continues to gain support in this campaign."

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

As she nears her SCOTUS confirmation vote later this week, Sonia Sotomayor has picked up her eighth GOP supporter.

Retiring Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) announced tonight via a statement that he would support Sotomayor's nomination.

"Although Judge Sotomayor and I may not see eye-to-eye on all issues or share the same political ideologies, our democratic system should allow for such differences," Gregg said. "Judge Sotomayor is President Obama's choice, and she is obviously well qualified to be the next Associate Justice on the U.S. Supreme Court. Her views and decisions, although strongly stated, are certainly not out of the mainstream of American jurisprudence or political thought."

Gregg himself was once Obama's choice; he was picked to be Commerce Sec. before withdrawing from consideration about a week later amid ideological differences with the admin.

Sotomayor lost a possible yes vote tonight from Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), who revealed tonight that she would be voting no -- despite her personal affinity for the nominee.

"But as much as I like Judge Sotomayor and I am impressed with the obstacles she has overcome," Murkowski said, "there are aspects of Judge Sotomayor's record that make me uncomfortable."

Murkowski said 1,400 of her constituents contacted her office about the nomination.

"This discomfort," Murkowski said, "arises from Judge Sotomayor's speeches as well as her decisions in key cases involving the Second Amendment and property rights. Alaskans are by their nature independent thinkers and this nomination has rightly engaged their attention. with concerns about Sotomayor's speeches and decisions on 2nd Amendment and property rights."

Murkowski is up for re-election next fall.

Retiring Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) is the only GOPer left undecided. Some Dems, including Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), a pro-gun freshmen, remain publicly uncommitted.

Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid said tonight that he hoped to hold the final vote tomorrow night, but he also threatened to hold it over to Friday or into the weekend if an agreement with GOPers can't be reached on legislation regarding the Cash for Clunkers program and travel promotion.

Debate on the Sotomayor nomination is expected to last through the evening tonight.

UPDATE (9:05 p.m.): The Senate will vote on the Sotomayor nomination tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m., per a unanimous-consent agreement reached between Reid and Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell.

UPDATE (10:55 a.m. 8/6): NationalJournal.com's Amy Harder spoke with Murkowski about her vote for our sister blog, "The Ninth Justice."

(STEVEN SHEPARD)

Ex-DNC chair Terry McAuliffe is back. And he's not happy.

McAuliffe sent an email today to his supporter list, urging them to demand ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R) apologize for a statement made last week by VA GOP chair Pat Mullins about VAins, welfare and work ethic. Deeds and VA Dems say Mullins offended them -- and all VAins -- and Deeds has launched an online petition calling on McDonnell to take responsibility.

Sonia Sotomayor earned her seventh GOP supporter today, when retiring Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO) said on the Senate floor that he would vote for her, despite disagreements with some of her rulings and Pres. Obama's Senate votes against other judicial nominees.

Bond said he "rejects" Obama's standard of opposing qualified candidates due to ideological differences; then-Sen. Obama voted against CJ John Roberts and Justice Samuel Alito (against whom he voted for a filibuster).

Bond was one of a handful of previously undeclared senators to reveal their intentions on the floor early today. Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) announced his opposition to Sotomayor in speech, while Sen. Mike Enzi's (R-WY) office said Enzi would speak against Sotomayor's nomination later today.

That leaves, according to On Call's count, just three undeclared GOP Sens.: Judd Gregg (NH), Lisa Murkowski (AK) and George Voinovich (OH). Murkowski is scheduled to speak on the floor around 7:30 p.m. EDT tonight to disclose her intentions.

"Nightly News," "World News" and "Evening News" all led with the release of American journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee from North Korea.

Bill Clinton's trip to North Korea and the pardon of Ling and Lee were all over the airwaves last p.m.

NM Gov. Bill Richardson (D) made the rounds to discuss Clinton and North Korea.

Richardson, on Clinton: "The fact that he saw Kim Jong-Il is huge. I never saw him. He only sees big shots, heads of state. And those were the signals. ... But what the president's trip does, it improves the atmospherics between the two countries. The relationship is really in bad shape right now. There's enormous tension. There's literally no dialogue. So, maybe what the bonus would be is President Clinton's visit could get both sides just to start talking. But I bet you there are no negotiations on nuclear issues going on" ("Situation Room," CNN, 8/4).

More Richardson: "Maybe this visit will lead to ... some kind of dialogue between the U.S. and North Korea, or maybe North Korea decides to resume participating in what is called a six-party talks with South Korea, Japan, Russia, China, to reduce their nuclear arsenal. So ... this is a good news trip, good news for both sides" ("Rachel Maddow Show," MSNBC, 8/4).

Richardson: "I knew, more or less, that it would be good news, that we'd get the release of the two American journalists."

On whether the Obama admin. had been keeping him informed of the situation: "Yes. Yes, I'd been working with them. They consulted me. I've been working with the North Koreans, with the families. But I wasn't involved in the last intricate negotiations that sent President Clinton. But I was very pleased when I learned that, number one, the word amnesty was being used by both sides. That means that the girls ... would be pardoned and that they wouldn't serve the hard labor and that they would be released by a presidential pardon by Kim Jong Il" ("LKL," CNN, 8/4).

After the jump, see more on North Korea, the protestors disrupting health care town halls and Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) and ex-Rep. Pat Toomey (R-PA) hashing out the PA SEN race.

(MAURA O'BRIEN)

In the days following Pres. Obama's nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the SCOTUS, some GOP leaders outside Congress suggested that Sotomayor was "racist" for her now-notorious statement that she hoped "a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion that a white male who hasn't lived that life."

Ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich tweeted that she was a "Latina woman racist" and said she should withdraw. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh called her a "reverse racist." Ex-Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) likened the Nat'l Council of La Raza, which supports Sotomayor, to the Ku Klux Klan.

GOP leaders in Congress quickly distanced themselves from those comments at the time. But, moments ago, Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) hearkened back to them when he addressed the "wise Latina" comment in his floor speech explaining his opposition to Sotomayor's nomination.

"To me," Inhofe said, "I consider that racist."

While Limbaugh never recounted his comment, Gingrich retracted his tweet days later, writing, "My initial reaction was strong and direct -- perhaps too strong and too direct."

"I'm very glad he backed off," Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the Judiciary Cmte's ranking member, said of Gingrich at the time. "I think that's unusual, that commentators do that, and I think it was very good that he did. I think that will help -- help us. I think that will help us have a real good discussion about the serious issues that the nation faces and that the court faces."

An Inhofe spokesperson did not immediately return a phone call seeking clarification.

Meanwhile, the floor debate -- which began shortly before 6 p.m. tonight -- continues into the prime-time hours, though proceedings are expected to wrap up before 10 p.m.

UPDATE: Inhofe clarifies the statement.

(STEVEN SHEPARD)

Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) made official today what he had been hinting at for months -- he'll challenge Sen. Arlen Specter (D) for the Dem nomination in PA SEN. Sestak made the race official at a morning rally in the suburban Philly district he wrestled away from GOP control in '06.

On a conference call with reporters this p.m., Sestak said he'd bring the same spirit to the SEN race he said he brought to his House win three years ago. Sestak, down in fundraising, polls, and facing off against the entirety of the nat'l Dem party establishment, says he's right where he wants to be heading into what's likely to be a tough primary.

Asked about the polls (which tilt towards Specter) and the uphill battle he faces on funding, Sestak said, "These are almost identical to the statistics I faced when running for Congress ... I love being the underdog."

As for facing the establishment, Sestak said Pres. Obama and PA Dem heavyweights like Gov. Ed Rendell have good reasons to stand with Specter. "You can understand Obama," he said. "There's a potential for an extra vote [in the Senate] through 2009. And Rendell, he and Specter have been friends for a long time."

But Sestak suggested both men will be disappointed in their endorsements if Specter wins. Since swapping parties in April, Specter has supported Obama's policies 97% of the time. A freshly re-elected Specter probably won't vote the same way in '11, Sestak said. Asked how much of Specter's current voting record he attributed to his not-so-secret intentions to run against him, Sestak said, "most of it."

"When he switched parties, he said he'd vote with the GOP," Sestak added. "I take him at his word on that."

That was about as far as he'd go in criticizing his primary opponent, stating he'll attack Specter only on his voting record. Specter, on the other hand, came out swinging today, saying that Sestak's "months of indecisiveness on his candidacy raises a real question as to his competency to handle the tough rapid-fire decisions required of a Senator."

Asked to respond, Sestak refused. "I love the admonishment that President Obama gave all of us on the campaign trail last year," Sestak said. "Let's stop the scorched earth politics. Stop the petty insults and personal recriminations."

"I'm very comfortable with the decisions I've made," added Sestak, who retired from the Navy as a Rear Admiral before entering politics. "Even in war."

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

A source with knowledge of his intentions tells On Call that embattled Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) will announce today that he will oppose Sonia Sotomayor's SCOTUS nomination when the Senate votes later this week.

Ensign's statement, as reported by Jon Ralston of the Las Vegas Sun:

Judge Sotomayor's record and testimony provide uncertainty and doubt that she will rule with a fair and impartial adherence to the rule of law. I feel she has given no assurances that the Second Amendment is an individual, fundamental right -- a right I believe is central to the Constitution. I believe she has demonstrated a propensity to rule with purpose-driven results and has indicated a particular interest in international standards or laws to decide U.S. constitutional questions.

Under normal circumstances, that Ensign -- rated by National Journal as one of the most conservative senators in their '08 vote ratings -- would oppose Sotomayor is a non-story.

But Ensign has been battling scandals for the past couple of months, after he first admitted having an affair with the wife of a close aide, then admitted that his parents gave the aide's family $96K in gifts after the affair ended. E-mails revealed yesterday by the Las Vegas Sun that showed the extent to which officials at the NRSC knew about the affair are only making it more difficult for Ensign to put the scandal behind him.

Ensign has three-and-a-half years left on his Senate term, and should he seek re-election, he would do so in a state that went for Pres. Obama last fall by 12 points, with Hispanics making up 15% of the electorate.

In other news, retiring Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH) refused to divulge his vote to ABC News' "Top Line" webcast today. But when asked if he had seen anything that would cause him to reach a different conclusion than he did when he voted in favor of Sotomayor's circuit-court nomination in '98, Gregg answered, "Not so far."

(QUINN McCORD/STEVEN SHEPARD)

"Nightly News" led with Continental 128's emergency landing. "World News" led with the effect of Cash for Clunkers on U.S. auto sales. "Evening News" also led with the increase in sales for U.S. automakers.

While health care reform and the Cash for Clunkers program were a strong presence on the airwaves 8/3 p.m., there was also a good amount of discussion about Treas. Sec. Tim Geithner and NEC dir. Lawrence Summers' weekend comments about potentially raising taxes.

CNN's Lothian: "The White House really trying to pour water on this, saying that this was nothing more, we shouldn't read into this beyond what they said, that the president really stands behind what he has always said in the past. And again, we were also told that the president met with his economic advisers today. Both Geithner and Summers were in that meeting, and he reiterated to them where he stood, sort of a way to clarify, if you will, where he stands on this" ("Situation Room," 8/3).

CNN's Crowley: "Here's the problem. When you put economists out to make political statements ... they should have backed off that. I mean, look, Larry Summers and Timothy Geithner are economists at the heart of it and they stated the truth. If you've got huge deficits, there's one of two things that you can do to bring that deficit down. The economy just explodes and it's great and everyone has a job or you raise taxes. So I just think you heard a little dose of realism there" ("Situation Room," 8/3).

Ex-AR Gov. Mike Huckabee (R): "Robert Gibbs had to dive on that grenade today because it was going off. And Summers and Geithner did the unthinkable. They spoke the truth. They said what everybody with a brain understands. You can't keep spending money like this and run up these deficits without at some point having to pay for it" ("On the Record," FNC, 8/3).

Conservative blogger Mary Katharine Ham, on Pres. Obama: "He's in a corner here. People are very upset about deficits. And you're going to hear more of that over August recess. So he wants to close the gap, but he also wants to spend a lot of money. ... The AP reports today that the estimates for tax revenue is going to go down 18 percent, which is the biggest drop since the '30s, I believe. So this is just a fundamental problem with what he wants to do and the amount of money he has to fund it especially with the economy still flailing" ("O'Reilly Factor," FNC, 8/3).

Ex-WH adviser David Gergen, on whether Obama will raise taxes on the middle class: "He is not going to do it quickly, in any event. He is certainly going to wait until the recession is over and unemployment comes down. That may be a year-and-a-half, two years. ... Inevitably, the taxes are going to go up, and go up on the middle class. The administration will try first to take it out of people at the high end, but there is not enough money there. And one day, eventually, as -- as so many have done, if you spend a lot of money, as this administration wants to do, and as the Bush administration did, that combination of spending is going to force taxes to go up eventually."

More Gergen, on the timing of a potential tax hike: "I think to raise taxes now, first of all, would be bad economics, with a recession still underway and high unemployment. But, secondly, I think the political price of doing that now would be just horrendous, and Democrats would lose badly in the 2010 elections" ("AC360," CNN, 8/3).

After the jump, see more on the reaction to Geithner and Summers' comments, interviews with Trans. Sec. Ray LaHood, and how health care reform is playing over the recess.

(MAURA O'BRIEN)

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) announced today that he will vote against Sonia Sotomayor, Pres. Obama's nominee to become the first Hispanic SCOTUS justice.

McCain, in a Senate floor speech:

Again and again, Judge Sotomayor seeks to amend the law to fit the circumstances of the case, thereby substituting herself in the role of a legislator. Our Constitution is very clear in its delineation and disbursement of power. It solely tasks the Congress with creating law. It also clearly defines the appropriate role of the courts to "extend to all Cases in Law and Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States, and Treaties." To protect the equal, but separate roles of all three branches of government, I cannot support activist judges that seek to legislate from the bench. I have not supported such nominees in the past, and I cannot support such a nominee to the highest court in the land.

McCain voted against Sotomayor's nomination to the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in '98, so his decision is not entirely surprising. But like his friend and GOP colleague, Sen. Lindsey Graham (SC), McCain has decried the politicization of judicial nominations that led to a failed Dem filibuster of Justice Samuel Alito. Graham, citing a desire to "start over" on the Senate's advise and consent role, was the only GOP member of the Senate Judiciary Cmte to support Sotomayor's nomination last week.

McCain is also seeking re-election in '10. While he coasted to re-election in '04, he won AZ in last fall's presidential race by just single digits.

More than 30% of AZ's population is Hispanic, according to the latest Census estimates, and exit-poll data shows McCain won only 41% of the Hispanic vote last fall in his home state. According to that data, Hispanics made up roughly 16% of the '08 electorate in the state.

Just when you thought this race was starting to get boring, the birthers have arrived in VA.

A new poll scheduled to be released tomorrow shows just 32% of VA GOPers think Pres. Obama is a citizen of the U.S., according to media reports. If true, it would mean the birther moment is even larger in VA than it is in the rest of the country, where a recent poll found 42% of GOPers questioned Obama's credentials to serve in the WH.

The issue is already starting to emerge on the scene in the VA GOV race, which so far has been characterized by each cand's interest in turning the election into a nat'l referendum. Simply put, ex-AG Bob McDonnell (R) wants to talk about Obama and the Dems in Congress, and state Sen. Creigh Deeds (D) doesn't, refusing to take a stand on many of the Dems nat'l policies.

The new poll may reverse that trend, though. On Call asked for McDonnell's response to the reported new numbers and received this from camp spokesperson Tucker Martin: "Bob McDonnell believes this matter is a distraction. The President is a United States citizen. In this difficult time of rising unemployment and economic uncertainty we need to focus on the important issues at hand."

Meanwhile, over the weekend, liberal blog Blue Virginia interviewed Deeds. The nat'l Birther poll came up, and Deeds' suggested he might use the issue to paint GOPers as out of touch with the needs of VAians. Deeds: "I read recently that something like 40% of Republican voters, or self-described Republican voters, say that they question whether the President was born in the United States. People just don't have much to worry about if that's what they're thinking about."

McDonnell is clearly interested to putting an end to the birther debate ASAP, despite its seeming popularity among his GOP base. Deeds, on the other hand, may have found the one nat'l political debate he's willing to embrace with both arms. After all, the more McDonnell's forced to talk about the birthers, the harder it will be for him to continue to claim he's got a shot at winning over the voters that gave Obama his VA victory last year.

(EVAN McMORRIS-SANTORO)

Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), the second-most conservative Dem in the Senate according to National Journal's '08 vote ratings,told the Lincoln Journal Star today that he will support SCOTUS nominee Sonia Sotomayor in this week's expected full Senate vote.

From the Journal Star:

In reaching his decision, Nelson said, he was impressed by the solid endorsement of the American Bar Association and by Sotomayor's extensive experience as a judge.

"The record shows she is not an activist," he said, and that she has "a great respect for the law."

Nelson's support goes a long way to achieving a unanimous Dem caucus in the Senate vote, which is likely to come late this week. The only Dem senator rated more conservative than Nelson in '08 is Sen. Evan Bayh (IN), who announced last week that he would support Sotomayor.

Among undecided Dems, Sen. Mark Begich (AK) could possibly buck the party and oppose Sotomayor due to her past gun-rights decisions as a circuit courrt judge. But the list of undecided, moderate-to-conservative Dems is dwindling.

Nelson has drawn the ire of progressives for his reluctance to sign onto the Dems' health-care proposals -- including a public option -- with liberal groups running ads in his home state and DC urging him to reconsider.