Category: 2005

Daily Briefing: 'Chin Up and Head Down'

• Approval of Bush rests at 36% in Newsweek poll: most Americans are pessimistic about the direction of the country and do not believe Bush can be effective; 65% disapprove of his handling of Iraq; and the Republican "base seems to be cracking." [Newsweek]
• Alito, in 1985, wrote that he believes "very strongly" that "the Constitution does not protect a right to an abortion." [WT]
• Coalition of liberal groups including Naral, Planned Parenthood, the AFL-CIO, the Sierra Club, and the NAACP are set to launch an anti-Alito television campaign; line of attack will expand beyond abortion. [NYT]
• Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) says senators have learned to be critical of intelligence findings before approving military action: "We don't accept this intelligence at face value anymore." [WP]
• Brownstein says the GOP "has tilted its agenda so heavily to the demands of its conservative base that moderates feel alienated. Over the next year, the choice for Republicans is whether to adapt to that evidence." Democrats, meanwhile, must "coalesce behind comprehensive solutions to the problems most concerning the country." [LAT]
• Bush leaves today on four-day trip to Asia. [USAT]
• Time magazine names Mike Huckabee, Mark Warner, Kenny Guinn, Janet Napolitano, and Kathleen Seblius as the country's top governors. [Time]
• With close ties to Bush loyalists, "Progress for America often functions like an unofficial extension of the White House, advancing the president's policies alongside the Republican National Committee." [NYT]

• Congress is rushing to submit budget reductions before Friday deadline; Republicans "are caught between party loyalty to tax cuts and growing pressure to cut spending." [USAT, WSJ]
• Republican candidate for governor of New Jersey blames Bush's unpopularity for his loss. [NYT]
• Dean does not rule out filibustering Alito. [USAT]
• Clintons visit site of terrorist bombings in Jordan. [NYT]
• U.S. and Saudi Arabia begin ongoing "strategic dialogue" on terrorism, energy, military affairs, and development, but not democracy-building. [WP]
• Chertoff still intends to overhaul DHS. [WP]
• Harriet Miers is back to her "familiar role": "chin up and head down." [NYT]

READ MORE: 2005 , 2006 , Democrats , Republicans , SCOTUS , White House , abortion , asia , bill clinton , budget , congress , george w. bush , hillary clinton , howard dean , janet napolitano , jordan , mark warner , michael chertoff , mike huckabee , pat roberts , progress for america , ronald brownstein , samuel alito , saudi arabia

You Hate Our President, But We Can Run Your Cities

If every campaign were a mayoral election in a historically liberal city, Republicans would be so kicking ass right now. First, Bloomberg crushes the “opposition” for the largest NYC mayoral landslide ever. And then yesterday Republican Michael Sullivan took home a 22-point victory in Massachusetts. Ok, it’s Lawrence, MA, but still.

Latino Voters Key to Incumbent’s Victory [Boston Globe]
-- Eric Pfeiffer

READ MORE: 2005 , Republicans , michael bloomberg , new york city

Daily Briefing: 'The Red-Carpet Treatment'

• Approval of Bush slips to 37%, a new low in WSJ/NBC polling; 79% believe the leak investigation is "a serious matter" and a majority say Bush "deliberately misled people" to war. [WSJ]
• House Republicans scrap ANWR drilling to ensure passage of budget. Schumer: "If you are a moderate Republican, you are starting to say, 'I am not going to follow George Bush over the cliff.'" [WP, NYT]
• Republicans fear implications of Tuesday's elections; Democrats have their own lessons to learn. Pollster: "The waning of enthusiasm for Bush and his presidency is national." [LAT, WP, WT]
• Senators press top oil executives about their profits; "if the hearing had an air of the theater, the public resentment articulated by the senators was real." Milbank: "[I]nstead of calling oil executives on the carpet yesterday, senators gave them the red-carpet treatment." [WP, NYT, WSJ, USAT, WT]
• Bush splits with Republicans over ban of abusive treatment of detainees. [USAT]
• Judith Miller leaves The New York Times. [WP, WP, NYT]
• Chalabi denies misleading the U.S. and offers to testify before Congress. [USAT, WP]
• Senate Judiciary Committee considers televising Supreme Court proceedings. [LAT]

• Congress expected to curtail Patriot Act. [WP]
• Kaine campaign is praised. [WP]
• Senate Select Committee on Intelligence outlines inquiry of pre-war intelligence. [WP]
• Roberts asks Frist to postpone congressional investigation of leak to the Washington Post until the Justice Department has concluded theirs. [WP]
• Ethics are likely to come up during Alito's confirmation hearing; Democrats expect him to be confirmed. [WP, LAT, WT]
• Jack Abramoff priced a meeting with Bush at $9m for the president of Gabon. [NYT]
• President of Amtrak claims he was dismissed for ideological reasons. [NYT]
• John Edwards says his vote for the war in Iraq was a mistake. [WP]
• 50% think the press are not fair to Bush, according to Pew survey. [WT]
• Documentary about 2004 election in Ohio shows "that the Bush campaign was run by major-league professionals and the Kerry campaign by bush-league amateurs." [NYT]

READ MORE: 2004 , 2005 , 2006 , CIA , Democrats , Media , Republicans , SCOTUS , White House , ahmed chalabi , amtrak , anwr , big oil , bill frist , black sites , budget , campaigns , george w. bush , jack abramoff , john edwards , john f. kerry , judith miller , leak investigation , ohio , pat roberts , patriot act , pre-war intelligence , samuel alito , tim kaine , treatment of detainees

Beards Are For After Losing WH Campaigns, Not When Plotting Them

•From the Garden to the Swamp: “Why else would he want to be governor of New Jersey except to use it as a launching pad for a presidential bid?” [Weekly Standard]

•Never Forget: “Democrats won the governorships in those two states back in 2001 when Bush's approval rating was at 89%” [Blogs for Bush]

•Blame Scooter!: “They should also give congressional Republicans some second thoughts about the wisdom of investing so much time and energy in the great Bush Iraq Coverup.” [Tapped]

•Um, congrats?: “I guess voters decided to ignore the former Mrs. Corzine, because the senator won easily. His reward: Moving to Trenton.”[Washington Post]

•Four Weddings and a Forrester Funeral: "If Bush got a man-date, then today, New Jerseyans demanded a polygamous man wedding." [Blue Jersey]
-- Eric Pfeiffer

READ MORE: 2005 , beards , new jersey

Daily Briefing: Refresher Courses for White House Staff

• Kaine and Corzine win gubernatorial races in Virginia and NJ; Texas approves ban gay marriage. [WP, WP, NYT, USAT]
• Frist and Hastert seek investigation into the disclosure of CIA's "black sites" to the Washington Post. McClellan: "The leaking of classified information is a serious matter and ought to be taken seriously." [WP, NYT, WT]
• Alito "has signaled he would be highly reluctant to overturn long-standing precedents" such as Rove v. Wade. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine): "At this point, I see no basis for invoking 'extraordinary circumstances' and for anyone to mount a filibuster." [WP, NYT, LAT]
• Schwarzenegger's initiatives are rejected; his "celebrity may not be the tonic it once was." [LAT, LAT, USAT]
• Election came at a sensitive time for both parties, especially the GOP. [NYT, WSJ, LAT, USAT]
• House to decide fate of ANWR; Senate approves drilling by vote of 51 to 48. [WP]
• Grassley (R-Iowa) proposes $70b in tax cuts. [NYT, WSJ]

• Bush has White House staffers take mandatory refresher courses on ethics and the handling of classified information. [WT]
• As professor, Alito prodded his students and kept his opinions to himself. [WP]
• Roberts has found his place after "dizzying" transition. [NYT]
• Negroponte announces creation of a center for the analysis of unclassified information. [NYT]
• Chalabi expected to meet with Cheney. [NYT]
• "The Sissy Six" -- Rockefeller (W.Va), Levin (Mich.), Feinstein (Calif.), Bond and Lott (Miss.), and Roberts (Kan.)-- must muscle-up, Milbank writes. [WP]
• Ads about Alito will hit the airwaves in January. [USAT]
• Libby starts defense fund. [NYT]

READ MORE: 2005 , CIA , California , Democrats , Republicans , White House , abortion , ahmed chalabi , anwr , arnold schwarzenegger , bill frist , black sites , budget , campaigns , charles grassley , dennis hastert , george w. bush , john g. roberts , john negroponte , jon corzine , lewis libby , new jersey , samuel alito , scott mcclellan , sissy six , susan collins , texas , tim kaine , virginia , washington post

Doctor Prescribed Sleep Medication aka Elections

If you’re up late tonight and actually wanting to see real-time election results, you can find links to the numbers down below. If you mistakenly find yourself watching CBS’s “Amazing Race” instead, you’re on your own.

VA Results: Polls close at 7pm

NJ Results: Polls close at 9pm

CA Results: Polls close at 11pm

And for those facing an Ambien shortage, Election Day threads on popular partisan blogs can be found here:

Daily Kos for You

Red State for Me

And Commonwealth Conservative
-- Eric Pfeiffer

READ MORE: 2005 , California , arnold schwarzenegger , new jersey , virginia

Perhaps It's Anticipation of a Come From Behind Victory

Acting New Jersey Governor Richard Codey has a lot of sympathy for Jon Corzine and Doug Forrester. When asked to assess NJ GOV’s campaign scandals, Codey shared:

“Obviously, it would have been a different situation with me, but I wouldn't want to drag my family through that stuff...And I know both Jon and Doug get up every morning with spasms in their colons, afraid about what might happen next.”

READ MORE: 2005 , colon spasms , new jersey

This Looks Like a Day for the Ds

Over at The Corner, John Miller predicts a near clean sweep for the Democrats:

"Later this morning, I'll be going out to vote for Jerry Kilgore, the Republican running for governor in Virginia; alas, I suspect that Democrat Tim Kaine will be holding a victory party tonight. Down ticket, Bolling (R) will win the race for LG and, in what may be a minor upset, Deeds (D) will win AG. In New Jersey, Jon Corzine (D) will beat Doug Forrester (R), with Forrester not breaking 45 percent. The four California propositions that Arnold Schwarzenegger and everybody else are watching closely, nos. 74, 75, 76, and 77, will all lose. The New York mayor's race was over before it started: Bloomberg (R, sort of) will win re-election. And in a city close to my own heart, I'm anticipating a small piece of good news: In the mayoral race, Freman Hendrix (D) will oust incumbent Kwame Kilpatrick (D), a man with a wonderfully alliterative melting-pot name but also a fellow who has cared more about taxpayer-funded private parties than improving a city that still needs a lot of help. Bottom line: This looks like a day for the Ds."

Daily Briefing: Just Say 'No'

• Supreme Court agrees to hear case regarding the legality of military tribunals; Roberts is recusing himself. [WP, NYT, NYT, USAT, WSJ]
• Bush: "We'll aggressively pursue [potential terrorists], but we'll do so under the law. . . We do not torture." [WP, USAT]
• Democrats want to question administration policy-makers and speechwriters for inquiry of pre-war intelligence; subpoenas may be issued. [WP]
• Republican budget cuts unlikely to pass without restructuring. Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.): "They are a long way away from getting the votes. Medicaid, Medicare, food stamps, whatever -- for every person, there's an issue." [WP]
• Bush "put his credibility on the line" with last-minute campaigning for Jerry Kilgore, making the outcome of the Virginia gubernatorial race "a referendum on his troubled presidency." [WP, NYT, WT, USAT]
• Troop-rotation plan could lead to a drawdown of U.S. troops in Iraq in 2006. [WSJ]

• Bush gets along with Panama's president and endorses a widening of their canal. [NYT, WT]
• Army to issue new guidelines for interrogations; "acts of physical or mental torture are prohibited" and techniques will be approved from the "highest levels in the Pentagon." [NYT]
• Annual spy budget said to be $44b. [NYT]
• Friendship between Arlen Specter and Samuel Alito began 15 years ago. [NYT]
• $250m has been spent on the California special election; just a taste of '06 spending. [LAT]

READ MORE: 2005 , 2006 , California , Democrats , Republicans , SCOTUS , arlen specter , budget , george w. bush , iraq , jerry kilgore , john g. roberts , new jersey , panama , pre-war intelligence , samuel alito , torture , treatment of detainees , virginia

Turnaround Tuesday?

Tomorrow is election-day 2005. The two races worth watching are gubernatorial duels in New Jersey and Virginia. In NJ, Doug Forrester and Jon Corzine have been exchanging blows for political points at a pace that would make Golan Cipel blush. Corzine held a lead outside the margin of error until his ex-wife Joanne lent her voice to a classy TV ad declaring Corzine, “let his family down, and he'll probably let New Jersey down, too.” Even Forrester supporters are questioning the move, but it seems to be having some results. Some polls now show the race tightening to within the margin of error, but with the edge still favoring Democrats.

In Virginia, Republican Jerry Kilgore has seen his longstanding lead over Tim Kaine evaporate into what nearly all polls now show is a slight Kaine edge.

Both races share a few things in common: weak candidates, perceived fallout from Bush’s unpopularity and a resigned sense of impending mediocrity no matter who wins.

In VA, both sides agree their get out the vote efforts will swing the election. While Kilgore trails Kaine, he does have RNC Chair Ken Mehlman helping to coordinate the GOTV effort of what some conservatives call “lazy voters.”

Technically, Democrats would only be holding ground by winning both races. Nonetheless, look for Tuesday to be both explained and understood as a referendum on the Bush agenda if Corzine/Kaine prevail. Bush himself has upped the stakes by agreeing to appear with Kilgore tonight for an election eve rally. And if Kaine pulls it off, look for Democrats to herald outgoing Governor Mark Warner as their best red state liaison for 2008. After all, Hillary will need a running mate.
-- Eric Pfeiffer

READ MORE: 2005 , virginia

Daily Briefing: The Cloud Over Karl

• Karl Rove is under pressure in the White House to, "at a minimum," issue an apology; Patrick Fitzgerald may still charge him with making false statements. Strategist: "Karl does not have any real enemies in the White House, but there are a lot of people in the White House wondering how they can put this behind them if the cloud remains over Karl." [WP]
• Democrats are trying to frame '06 to their advantage; slogan "Together, American Can Do Better" is displayed at events and national platform will be unveiled. [NYT, LAT, LAT, WT, USAT]
• Congressional Democrats join John McCain in calling for better treatment of detainees. [WP]
• Scott McClellan's "credibility is already on trial," his "reputation has been left dangling in the glare of the television lights." [NYT]
• Tuesday's gubernatorial elections in Virginia and New Jersey will be an "early measure" of '06. [WSJ]
• Bush will be met with widespread anti-Americanism on his upcoming trip to South America. [WP, WSJ]
• Administration's flu plan criticized on Capitol Hill. [NYT]
• House Republicans are willing to cut food stamp program for 300,000 legal immigrants in effort to shave down the budget. [WP]
• Lawmakers turn out in force for funeral of Rosa Parks. [WP, NYT]
• Harry Reid's idea for a closed-session originated from Tom Daschle. Charles Schumer: "My phones have been ringing off the hook... It has played far better than we had thought." [WP]
• Former Deputy Interior Secretary said Jack Abramoff offered him a job while he was at the department. [NYT]
• Michael Chertoff unveils border security plan. [USAT]

READ MORE: 2005 , 2006 , Democrats , Republicans , White House , avian flu , border security , buget , charles schumer , george w. bush , harry reid , john mccain , karl rove , leak investigation , michael chertoff , new jersey , patrick fitzgerald , rosa parks , scott mcclellan , south america , tom daschle , virginia

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