Starting Lineup: Bayou Buzz

Good Monday morning and welcome back to the Starting Lineup. What Hotline On Call is watching today: Rep. Charlie Melancon (D) has a very uphill fight against Sen. David Vitter, another NRCC candidate goes down to a Tea Party fave, DCCC sounds like it agrees with their GOP counterparts that 75 seats are in play and more.

Melancon's Moment: After Sen. David Vitter's landslide win in Saturday's GOP primary, the focus is now on Rep. Charlie Melancon's (D) bid to unseat him. The problem for Dems: Vitter's victory makes him look pretty invincible, despite his personal baggage. The DSCC had hyped numerous potential primary challenges to him, thinking his marital indiscretions and personal problems present an opportunity, but Chet Traylor's emphasis of them got him nowhere.

Note that only about a quarter of Louisiana voters are registered Republicans, and there's still a large pool of conservative Dems and indies that haven't rendered their judgment on Vitter yet. But it'll be interesting to see whether the DSCC truly believes Vitter is vulnerable and pours money into the race, of if they are bluffing to try to get the NRSC to spend there.

A Real Downer: Another top NRCC recruit is in position to lose in a primary, as Hunt Downer finished a distant second to Jeff Landry in the GOP primary for Melancon's district on Saturday. Landry barely missed making the 50% barrier to avoid a runoff, and Downer has vowed to continue his campaign. Downer's demise probably won't hurt the GOP's chances to take the seat -- it's one of their best pickup opportunities -- but it does signify another example if a Tea Party insurgent defeating a NRCC recruit. http://bit.ly/9XbYLC

75 Competitive House Districts? The DCCC and Organizing for America held a National Day of Action over the weekend that was overshadowed by Glenn Beck's rally in Washington, DC, in the national media. Once interesting tidbit that has gone unnoticed: The DCCC claims to have knocked on 200K doors in 75 competitive districts. 75? Is that an implied acknowledgment that NRCC recruitment chairman Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) statement last week that there are 80 seats in play this year isn't far off the mark? http://bit.ly/aGFoTr 

Truth be told, both parties acknowledge that there's a massive field of House seats in play, and the Cook Political Report this week plans to add another 10 Dem-held seats to its most vulnerable categories, bringing the number of seats "at substantial risk" to nearly 80.

Obama Misconceptions: Pres. Obama's religion is back in the news after an interview he gave to NBC's Brian Williams. When asked about the 18 percent of respondents in a recent Pew Research Center poll that erroneously said the president is Muslim, Obama blamed a system of "misinformation." "There is a mechanism, a network of misinformation that in a new media era can get churned out there constantly," Obama said. "I will always put my money on the American people. And I'm not going to be worrying too much about whatever rumors are floating on, out there."

On those that still question his citizenship: "I can't spend all my time with my birth certificate plastered on my forehead."

It goes without saying that these questions -- and the Pew poll -- put Obama in a tricky position. These questions are clearly an unwelcome distraction for him, but he can't exactly avoid them in a nationally-televised interview. What's more surprising, though, is that the first nationally-televised speech he's giving post-vacation is about Iraq, and not the economy. It's an important promise Obama made during his '08 campaign and one he kept, but it comes at a moment when Dems are praying he'd make a stronger case on the economy.

Profile Monday: We're just one week from the campaign season going into full swing after Labor Day -- to most voters, that is, it's been going on a while to us -- so there are a few profiles worth reading today that introduce candidates to voters.

First, the AP takes a look at Lt. Gov. John Carney (D) in the Delaware House race for GOP Rep. Mike Castle's seat, calling Carney a "bright spot for Dems" this year. The Wall Street Journal profiles Joe Miller (R), who appears to have upset Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R) in the Alaska GOP primary. The New York Times also has a great look at Adam Clayton Powell's bid to unseat embattled Rep. Charlie Rangel (D) in NY. And the Washington Post looks at Rep. Brad Ellsworth's (D-IN) Senate campaign, with some choice quotes about the significant difficulties Ellsworth faces despite running against a leading GOP establishment challenger, Dan Coats. http://yhoo.it/cxLOrS, http://bit.ly/bCXPU5, http://nyti.ms/ceajKx, http://bit.ly/aTodPZ

What else are you watching today? The comments section awaits below.