Tuesday's Starting Lineup
Good Tuesday morning. Have you got your copy of Sarah Palin's book yet? Here's The Hotline's Starting Lineup, the people Washington will be watching today:
Sen. Maj. Leader Harry Reid: The top Dem in the Senate expects to hear from the CBO just how much his highly-anticipated health care reform package will cost. The bill is expected to come in well under the $1T the House measure, passed last weekend, would cost, giving Senate Dems a boost as they prepare to bring their version to the floor.
The Senate Finance Cmte's version of the bill clocked in at $829B. Pres. Obama has said he wants to keep the price under $900B over ten years. But expect GOPers to claim it costs too much, and leaves too many uninsured, to be worth it.
Leaving aside the GOP, Reid has work to do within his own caucus. He met 11/16 p.m. with progressive Sens. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and about a dozen others who are pushing for a stronger public option, CongressDaily's Anna Edney reports today. On the right flank, Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) is demanding a clause similar to the Stupak Amendment, which prohibits funding for abortions. The CBO score is a big step for Reid, but it is by no means the final one.
MN Gov. Tim Pawlenty: The potential '12 contender has had a busy week, keynoting an NRSC retreat 11/16 and heading to Austin today to help kick off the RGA's annual conference. As the group's vice chair, Pawlenty has sought to associate his name with GOP wins in VA and NJ this year, and his speech to RGA donors will be closely scrutinized. It is his latest speech to a big conservative group, following earlier addresses to CPAC, the RNC and the Values Voters Summit earlier this year.
But Pawlenty stands the most to lose of any WH'12 candidate from ex-AK Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) nascent book tour. Ex-MA Gov. Mitt Romney (R) and ex-AR Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) each have bases, and as Pawlenty begins to build his own, he runs the risk of being left out of media coverage. Too, Pawlenty has yet to find the appropriate tone, according to GOP activists who have seen him on the stump. He has time, and with the RGA he has at least one foundation from which to launch himself to increasing national prominence.
IL Dems: Pres. Obama's home state has come to his rescue, with Gov. Pat Quinn (D) and Sen. Dick Durbin (D) voicing support for potential plans to move prisoners from Guantanamo Bay to a maximum-security prison in the western part of the state. But it makes Quinn, who faces voters in '10, vulnerable to charges from GOPers who oppose the move; polls show a large majority of voters don't want to see Gitmo detainees on U.S. soil.
It also puts candidates for Sen. Roland Burris' (D) seat in an awkward position. Rep. Mark Kirk (R) authored a scathing letter 11/15 opposing the move, while fellow GOP Reps used the admin's claims it would create jobs to hit them, once again, on the stimulus package.
Most of the major Dems dodged the issue, but a spokesman for IL Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias (D) tells OnCall his candidate "will have no problem" with the plans if the military certifies the facility will keep citizens safe and create jobs.
Meanwhile, the DoJ's case for trying terrorist suspects in NYC took a hit 11/16 when Gov. David Paterson (D) criticized the admin for the decision. He joins Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) as the two top Dems angling for military commissions. Is that what the WH gets for not so quietly urging Paterson to drop his bid for Gov next year?
(REID WILSON)