Obama on Iraq, and the economy

by Mike Memoli

The common theme as Republicans comment ahead of President Obama's Iraq speech tonight is that he should acknowledge the surge strategy he opposed as a U.S. senator is what made tonight's announcement possible.

From a speech given today in Wisconsin by House Minority Leader John Boehner:

Some leaders who opposed, criticized, and fought tooth-and-nail to stop the surge strategy now proudly claim credit for the results. ... I want to thank President Obama for setting aside his past political rhetoric and recognizing the importance of the surge and the diplomatic agreement signed by President Bush and Prime Minister Maliki.

From Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking today in Kentucky:

"I think we should also be thankful that another President had the determination and the will to carry out the plan that made tonight's announcement possible. You might recall that the surge wasn't very popular when it was announced. You might also recall that one of its biggest critics was the current President. One of his colleagues said the war was already a lost cause, implying, of course, that any further efforts on the part of our troops would be in vain.

"So it makes it easier to talk about fulfilling a campaign promise to wind down our operations in Iraq when the previous administration signs the security agreement with Iraq to end our overall presence there.

And Sen. John McCain, Obama's 2008 rival, wrote in the Wall Street Journal today about lessons learned from Iraq that could be applied to Afghanistan:

by Mike Memoli

While President Obama was on vacation, his West Wing office got a bit of a face lift, complete with a new rug, fresh wallpaper and paint, and new furniture -- all done at no taxpayer expense, the White House says.

Details of the renovation were released to the pool reporter this morning. The White House, it seems, took pains to ensure that new additions were American made -- including New York wallpaper and a Michigan-made rug.

That wheat, cream and blue colored oval-shaped rug has the presidential seal in the center, and is encircled by five quotes chosen by the president. Four of the quotes are from former presidents -- Kennedy, Lincoln and both Roosevelts -- with the fifth quote from Martin Luther King.

It replaces the rug designed by former First Lady Laura Bush for her husband (one that former President Clinton had seemed particularly fond of).

In an interview on MSNBC this morning, press secretary Robert Gibbs described the renovations as "very modest."

"Each president puts his stamp on the office," he said. "None of the modest changes that were done inside the Oval Office were done at any taxpayer expense, much like they've been done by previous presidents."

The changes were paid for by the White House Historical Association, which received a donation from Obama's Presidential Inaugural Committee.

We may get a brief glimpse of some of the changes tonight when the president addresses the nation from the room. You can see the full details from the pool after the jump.

by Mike Memoli

President Obama addresses the nation from the Oval Office tonight, marking the fulfillment of a campaign pledge to wind down the war in Iraq. But his remarks will be carefully calibrated, officials say, to avoid any definitive declaration of victory - or "Mission Accomplished."

"You won't hear those words coming from us," press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Monday. "Obviously tomorrow marks a change in our mission. It marks a milestone that we have achieved in removing our combat troops. That is not to say that violence is going to end tomorrow. We understand that those that would foment violence will still continue to try to do so."

In advance of his speech, Obama is now en route to Texas, where he will meet with servicemen at Fort Bliss to thank them for their service. On Monday, the president spent more than two hours at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, where he awarded 11 purple hearts.

Though the president's speech marks the end of America's combat mission in Iraq, approximately 50,000 troops will remain in a support role, assisting Iraq's security forces. Those forces will also be capable of responding in the event of escalated attacks.

by Mike Memoli

For the first time in history, Gallup finds that Republicans have a double-digit advantage in its generic ballot test.

If the election were held today, 51 percent of respondents surveyed from August 23-29 say they'd vote for the Republican Congressional candidate, while 41 percent say they'd choose the Democratic candidate.

Gallup has conducted this generic ballot test since 1942, and until this year Republicans never had an advantage of more than 5 points.

The poll also finds that Republicans are twice as likely to be "very enthusiastic" about voting -- 50 percent say so, compared to 25 percent of Democrats.

"The last Gallup weekly generic ballot average before Labor Day underscores the fast-evolving conventional wisdom that the GOP is poised to make significant gains in this fall's midterm congressional elections," the pollster says in its release.

by Mike Memoli

The possibility of a real three-way race for Alaska's U.S. Senate seat disappeared this morning as the state's Libertarian party has ruled out replacing their current nominee with Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

"Let's put this to rest: it's not happening," state chairman Scott Kohlhaas told the Anchorage Daily News after a unanimous vote of the Libertarian Party executive committee.

Murkowski, who trailed Joe Miller by nearly 1,700 votes after last Tuesday's Republican primary election, had not ruled out staying in the race as a third party candidate. Another of the state's minor parties, the Alaskan Independence Party, has flatly ruled out nominating Murkowski as well, leaving a difficult write-in candidacy as her only option if she fails to win the GOP nomination.

The state Division of Elections says that through Sunday, 15,730 absentee ballots have been returned; another 9,117 disputed or questioned ballots remain as well to be considered; and there were 663 uncounted early votes. Officials will begin sifting through those 25,510 ballots Tuesday.

by Mike Memoli

President Obama today criticized Senate Republicans for blocking a measure aimed at boosting small businesses, saying it was "directly detrimental to the economy."

In his first event at the White House since his week-long vacation, Obama also promised after meeting with his economic team that "additional measures" to jump-start a stagnant economy were being considered, though he offered no specifics.

"In the meantime there's one thing we know we should do, something that should be Congress' first order of business when it gets back," he said of the small business measure. "I ask Senate Republicans to drop the blockade. I know we're entering elections reason. But the people who sent us here expect us to work together to get things done and improve this economy."

The president's five-minute statement comes amid new fears of a so-called double-dip recession. Last week, new unemployment claims reached their highest level since November 2009, and the Commerce Department revised GDP growth in the second quarter down to a sluggish 1.6 percent.

by Michael Muskal

Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Iraq on Monday as part of the formal end of the United States' combat role in Iraq, the White House announced.

Biden will also hold talks with Iraqi officials, who have been struggling to form a new government. This is Biden's sixth trip to Iraq since January 2009, when the Obama administration took office.

There are currently less than 50,000 U.S. troops in Iraq, down from the high of 160,000 under former President George W. Bush. Combat troops completed their withdrawal last week. The remaining U.S. troops will assist and train Iraqi troops.

President Obama is scheduled to address the nation on Tuesday on Iraq and Afghanistan.

According to the White House, Biden will meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Vice President Tariq Hashimi, Vice President Adil Abd Mahdi and Prime Minister Nouri Maliki.

by Mike Memoli

President Obama will deliver a statement on the economy in the Rose Garden this afternoon, on this his first full day back at work after his 10-day vacation in Martha's Vineyard,

But while some Democrats are looking for an aggressive focus on the economy from Obama in the final nine weeks of the mid-term campaign, much of this week's schedule is devoted to foreign policy.

Tomorrow, the president will travel to Texas and meet with troops at Fort Bliss. He returns to Washington for an Oval Office address on the end of America's combat mission in Iraq.

Tuesday, Obama welcomes leaders of Israel and the Palestinian Authority, ahead of direct talks between the two on Wednesday. Christi Parsons and Paul Richter preview those discussions, and Obama's role in them, in today's papers.

By Friday the economy will likely be front-and-center again, though, with the release of monthly jobs numbers. August has provided a steady stream of negative indicators despite the White House's billing of this as "Recovery Summer."

"We anticipated that the recovery was slowing," Obama told Brian Williams yesterday. "The economy is still growing, but it's not growing as fast as it needs to. ... I've said so before I went on vacation, and I'll keep on saying ... now that I'm back. We should be passing legislation that helps small businesses get credit."

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

by Mike Memoli

A recent poll showed many Americans are uncertain of his faith, but President Obama said in an interview Sunday that he can't worry about dispelling every rumor about him with so many serious challenges to handle.

"The facts are the facts, right?" Obama told NBC's Brian Williams in New Orleans, where he marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. "There is a mechanism, a network of misinformation that in a new media era can get churned out there constantly. We dealt with this when I was first running for the U.S. Senate. We dealt with it when we were first running for the Presidency. ... I will always put my money on the American people. And I'm not gonna be worrying too much about whatever rumors are floating on out there."

Alluding to rumors as well about whether he was not born in the United States, he added: "I can't spend all my time with my birth certificate plastered on my forehead."

Obama also defended his comments on a proposed Islamic community center near Ground Zero in New York, and said he has been consistent on the issue.

"I was not endorsing any particular project. I was endorsing our Constitution. And what is right," he said. "The media, I think, anticipating that this was gonna be a firestorm politically seemed to think that somehow there was inconsistency and there wasn't."

More highlights from the interview after the jump, including his reaction to the Glenn Beck rally in Washington Saturday.

by Mike Memoli

On the eve of Democrats' first major voter contact initiative of the campaign, the head of the party's House campaign committee maintained that predictions of a Republican romp this fall are overstated.

"It's very clear that the Democrats will retain a majority in the House come November," Rep. Chris Van Hollen, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said in a speech at the National Press Club today.

Van Hollen's case was a familiar one, based on three points. First, his contention that "America wants to continue to move forward," and not return to Bush-era economic policies he said caused the recent recession. Second, he argued that Republicans have nominated extreme candidates in many "moderate, centrist" districts. And third, he said Democrats have been preparing for tough races from the very beginning, and have the financial resources to fight.

"Campaigns do matter," he said.

Key to that campaign effort -- and an underestimated factor this fall, Democrats argue -- is the grassroots force the party will be deploying through Organizing for America (OFA), President Obama's former campaign organization.

by Mike Memoli

Eager to show he is still engaged while on vacation, especially as economic growth was revised downward, President Obama held a 15-minute discussion on the economy today with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

The optics, however, did not exactly scream, "I feel your pain."

The president and the billionaire media mogul-turned-politician held that discussion in the clubhouse of a private Martha's Vineyard country club. According to the pool reporter, the two then hit the driving range and then the golf course.

One topic not addressed in the dispatch is whether the subject of the proposed Islamic cultural center and mosque near Ground Zero came up, a subject it would seem likely for the two to discuss. This is the first face-to-face meeting between the two since the Obama addressed the controversy earlier this month.

During an appearance on "The Daily Show" yesterday, Bloomberg made another impassioned defense for building the Park 51 complex in lower Manhattan, while arguing that much of the opposition to it is motivated by pure politics.

by Mike Memoli

Joe Miller, currently the leader in Alaska's surprisingly competitive Republican Senate primary, accused the National Republican Senatorial Committee of "meddling" in the contest while charging that his opponent was trying to "pull an Al Franken."

Speaking with Fox Business Network, Miller referred to reports that Murkowski had sought legal counsel from the national committee as the state prepares to count thousands of absentee ballots that could decide the race.

"Frankly we're looking right now to make sure ... that the votes are accounted for fairly without any type of game play," he said. "[It] concerns us any time that somebody lawyers up and, you know, tries to pull an Al Franken if you will."

Miller said his campaign would have volunteers on the ground as well to ensure nothing improper happens. Echoing his message from the campaign, he portrayed any potential ballot dispute as one of the Washington establishment against real Alaskans.

"I'll tell you, don't underestimate the hardworking, hardcore Alaskan because I'll put them head-to-head with any lawyer from D.C."

by Mike Memoli

Vice President Biden was in New Hampshire today for an event based around what he called a Recovery Act milestone -- the weatherization of 200,000 homes thanks to stimulus dollars.

"We're rebuilding this economy," he said. "Whatever country dominates the world in renewable energy and efficiency is going to dominate the economy of the 21st Century."

Joined by the state's two Democratic members of Congress -- one a candidate for Senate trailing in the polls and the other vulnerable in her bid for re-election -- Biden also criticized Republicans who tried to block the stimulus law and continue to criticize it as wasteful and ineffective.

New Hampshire Republican Party chairman John Sununu countered on a conference call with reporters that the only way to restore confidence in the economy was to elect a Republican Congress. And he slammed Biden, and the administration generally, for more talk of an economic crisis they "inherited" from the previous administration.

"At some point Obama is going to have to grow up and accept responsibility," said Sununu, the state's former governor and a former chief of staff to Pres. George H. W. Bush. "The Obama administration [is] going into its halfway point and still things continue to get worse."

by Mike Memoli

Jim Oliphant and I wrote in the Tribune papers today about how Tuesday's results show how the tea party movement continues to confound expectations just as the political establishment gets ready to write them off.

But the apparent exception was John McCain in Arizona, now on course to win his fifth term after winning the Republican primary with ease. He spent heavily to do so, and challenger J.D. Hayworth's campaign proved to be ill-equipped to match initial expectations.

Part of what made Hayworth's challenge more difficult how swiftly the "Maverick" McCain adapted his message to the times. And a major boost early in his campaign was the loyal support of his former running mate, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

Her outsized presence on McCain's behalf was one factor cited by tea party and conservative organizers who ultimately decided to stay out of the race. Others said there were simply bigger fish to fry, with targets like Lisa Murkowski, Robert Bennett and general election foes like Harry Reid.

by Michael Muskal

August is turning out to be the cruelest month, at least economically and politically, as the latest jobless numbers released Thursday offer a mixed message on the leading election issue.

First-time claims for unemployment fell for the first time, but the four-week average rose to the highest level since November 2009.

According to the Labor Department, requests for unemployment insurance dropped by 31,000 to an adjusted 473,000. The larger-than-expected drop comes after three weeks of steady increases.

But the four-week average rose to almost 487,000, the highest since late 2009. The average is designed to smooth out the sharp kinks in the labor market.

Overall, the numbers mean that the job market remains dicey as businesses stay away from serious hiring. That indicates a slowing down of the recovery, though jobs are considered to be a lagging indicator.

Continue reading at D.C. Now

by Mike Memoli

Updated figures from the Alaska Division of Elections now show that Joe Miller's lead over incumbent Sen. Lisa Murkowski is down to just 1,492 votes, with two precincts yet to report and thousands of absentee ballots still to be counted.

The revised count comes amid wild speculation both in Alaska and here in Washington about the status of a race that no one expected to still be discussing at this point yesterday.

For her part, the 8-year incumbent says she is not giving up, saying there "is much, much yet to be counted."

"It ain't over yet, folks," she said at a press conference today.

As she sounded optimistic publicly, The Daily Beast reported that Murkowski advisers were exploring their options regarding an independent candidacy, though it was unclear how that would be possible.

by Mike Memoli

President Obama was silent yesterday as the White House punched back at House Minority Leader John Boehner, who in a major speech called on the president to dismiss his economic team.

Today, the White House released a so-called "readout" of a call Obama held with that team, which seemed in part another response to Boehner's remarks and a vote of confidence for his advisers.

The President conducted a conference call this morning on the state of the economy with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, CEA Chair Christy Romer and NEC Director Larry Summers. The discussion focused on recent data reports, global markets and economic growth. The economic team provided an update on the next steps to keep the economy growing including assistance to small businesses and the extension of tax cuts to the middle class.

Of course, sending such a readout today as a subtle political dig invites the question of whether Obama had not been briefed on the economy earlier this week. While at the White House, he has an economic briefing daily.

by Mike Memoli and Peter Nicholas

President Obama will mark the end of America's combat mission in Iraq August 31 with a prime-time address from the Oval Office, the White House confirmed today.

It would be the president's second address from his West Wing office, just two months after he spoke from there on the BP oil spill.

Deputy press secretary Bill Burton said Tuesday that the president would "talk about the importance of the milepost that that day is as we change missions in Iraq," praise the "bravery and the courageousness" of those who have served in the conflict, and outline our policy there going forward.

"We are reducing our footprint in Iraq under our terms, and through a transition to over 600,000 Iraqi security forces who have proven up to the task," John Brennan, the president's homeland security adviser said. "Our efforts to draw down in Iraq are a critical part of our transition to full Iraqi responsibility, in line with the President's goal of supporting an Iraq that is sovereign, stable and self-reliant."

For more on the significance of an address from the Oval Office, check out this Swamp piece from June.

UPDATE: Before his address to the nation, Obama will travel to Fort Bliss, Texas, to meet with troops there.

(Photo Credit: Pool / Getty Images)

by Tom Hamburger and Noam Levey

Crossroads GPS, the non-profit formed in consultation with Republican strategist Karl Rove, announced this morning that the organization is launching two additional ad campaigns in Kentucky and California attacking Democratic Senate candidates for their support of health care overhaul legislation.

The $1.5 million in new ads airing today comes on top of $2.6 million in ads running against Democratic candidates in Pennsylvania, Missouri and Nevada.

The Kentucky Spot can be viewed here.





In Pennsylvania, the buy noted here yesterday totals $500,000 for one week on TV stations in the Philadelphia and Pittsburgh markets. The Pennsylvania spot can be viewed here.

by Mike Memoli

America's top commander in Afghanistan is staying out of the debate raging back home over a proposed Islamic community center and mosque to be constructed blocks from Ground Zero.

David Petraeus, speaking with Fox News Channel's Jennifer Griffin, said he's got his hands full leading U.S. forces in working with Afghans to restore stability and combat al Qaida.

"I've got enough minefields out here with respect, without getting into domestic [issues] and minefields back in the United States," he said, according to excerpts released by the network.

The attacks of September 11, including the destruction of the World Trade Center in New York, led to the launch of what is now nearly a nine-year conflict in Afghanistan.

In the interview, Petraeus also told Griffin that there has been some "facilitation" with members of the Taliban as allied forces seek to withstand the insurgency.

by Mike Memoli

Sarah Palin's biggest political victory this year could come in her home state, where her endorsed candidate for Senate holds a surprising lead over incumbent Lisa Murkowski in the Alaska Republican Senate primary.

With all but nine of the states precincts reporting, attorney Joe Miller, a virtual unknown until Palin endorsed his candidacy in June, led Murkowski by 1,960 votes. The final result, however, may not be known for weeks.

On Twitter, Palin called it a potential "miracle on ice."

"Keeping fingers crossed, powder dry, prayers upward," she wrote online.

Murkowski, appointed to the Senate in 2002 by her father and elected to a full term in 2004, held a substantial financial advantage and the traditional benefits of incumbency in the race, serving as ranking member of the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

by Mike Memoli

Is there a new campaign logo in the works for President Obama if he seeks re-election in 2012?

The photo above is part of the latest bulk release of snapshots from the official photographers at the White House to the photo-sharing site Flickr. It was taken earlier this month when Obama visited a Washington small business, Gelberg Signs, to speak about the state of the economy.

Obama's proclivity for hitting the links is well known by now, something he does almost every weekend. The RNC has attacked the president for golfing regularly as the BP oil spill crisis unfolded.

The president is said to value his time on the golf course, a rare chance to clear his head and break out of the White House bubble from time to time. He recently noted that one of the only times he can get behind the wheel is when navigating a golf cart.

Thus far on his Martha's Vineyard vacation, Obama has managed two rounds of golf, a total limited perhaps by the foul conditions on and off this week. He's also hit the gym for some basketball.

by Tom Hamburger

An independent political group formed earlier this year in consultation with Republican strategist Karl Rove and other party leaders will air a strong attack on Pennsylvania Senate hopeful Joe Sestak Wednesday.

The "issue ad" criticizes Sestak's support as a congressman for "Obama's big government health care scheme." It continues: "Higher taxes and premiums, fewer jobs, Medicare cuts. The Sestak-Obama plan costs us too much."

The ad is part of an expanding campaign by Crossroads Grassroots Policies Strategies, which does not have to reveal its donors, and sister group American Crossroads to influence the mid-term debate. The Pennsylvania buy comes on top of $2.1 million in similarly tough ads that started in recent days targeting the health care position of two other Democratic senate candidates -- Majority Leader Harry Reid and Missouri Democratic Senate candidate Robin Carnahan.

Other groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, have already run ads knocking Sestak for his health care vote.

by Mike Memoli

When Kendrick Meek's Senate campaign in Florida appeared to be slipping behind an unexpected and well-funded Democratic entrant, the national cavalry came rushing in on his behalf. Former President Clinton campaigned with him across south Florida. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi recorded robo-calls. And President Obama praised him at a party fundraiser and later joined Meek for an unscheduled photo op on South Beach.

And yet, polling seems to indicate that Republicans are far likelier to hold on to the seat if Meek is victorious tonight over billionaire real estate mogul Jeff Greene. What gives?

A new survey today from Democratic-affiliated pollster Public Policy Polling offers some insight into why, and it has everything to do with support for the independent candidate, Gov. Charlie Crist.

With Greene as the Democratic nominee, Crist gets an astounding 48 percent of the Democratic vote while just one-in-four back Greene in a hypothetical November matchup. If Meek is the nominee, he narrowly edges Crist among Democrats, 39-38 percent.

by Mike Memoli

As Arizona voters cast ballots in the state's primary election, RNC chair Michael Steele appears to be distancing the national party from the state's efforts to curb illegal immigration.

In a recent interview with Spanish-language broadcaster Univision, Steele was asked about whether the party's efforts to court Hispanics had been blunted by Arizona's new strict enforcement law, signed by Gov. Jan Brewer (R).

"Well, let's be clear. The actions of one state's governor is not a reflection of an entire country, nor is it a reflection of an entire political party," Steele replies. "The governor and the people of Arizona made a decision that they thought was in their best interest, and that's the beauty of a republic, that's who we are."

Steele goes on to say that he hopes "level heads will prevail and that we'll reach a common sense solution with regards to immigration."

But this isn't the first time Steele has signaled there is potential harm to the party among Hispanics because of the Arizona law.

by Mike Memoli

Vice President Biden today played attack dog for the White House, accusing Rep. John Boehner (R) of being "nostalgic" for the failed economic policies of the Bush administration.

At an event where he was to unveil a report analyzing the impact of the Recovery Act, Biden broke from prepared remarks to react to the House minority leader's speech in Cleveland today. What was billed as a major economic address for Boehner offered no new policy other than to fire the White House economic team, Biden said.

"[That's] very constructive advice and we thank the leader for that," Biden said sarcastically.

Instead, Biden made the case that voters should not hire Republicans this fall.

"For eight years before we arrived in the West Wing, Mr. Boehner and his party ran the economy literally into the ground," he said. "We've seen this movie before, Mr. Boehner. We've seen it before and we know how it ends."

by Michael Muskal

Shirley Sherrod, forced from her government post after becoming a target for unfounded complaints that she was a racist, rejected an offer Tuesday to return full-time to the Department of Agriculture.

At a joint news conference after meeting with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Sherrod, however, said she would work as a consultant with the agency on civil rights issues.

"I enjoyed my work at USDA," said Sherrod in turning down the offer. "I just don't think at this point I can stay full time with USDA."

Sherrod was the Agriculture Department's director of rural development in Georgia until she was forced to quit after a conservative blogger published edited portions of a speech in which she appeared to make remarks that could have been interpreted as racist.

Continue reading at D.C. Now.

by Mike Memoli and Lisa Mascaro

House Minority Leader John Boehner today called on President Obama to fire Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and other members of his economic team, one of a series of steps he said the administration needs to take to "break this economic uncertainty."

Boehner, the man who would likely become speaker of the House if Republicans regain a majority in Congress this fall, derided the Obama administration's stewardship of the nation's economy during a speech to the City Club of Cleveland, saying its vaunted stimulus plan has fallen flat while government spending has threaten the nation's long-term stability.

"I have had enough - and the American people have had enough - of Washington politicians talking about wanting to create jobs as a ploy to get themselves re-elected while doing everything possible to prevent jobs from being created," Boehner was to say, according to prepared remarks.

Boehner's speech did not lay out the Republican blueprint for governing, something he says will come next month. Instead the Ohio Congressman listed five steps that Obama could immediately take to reverse course, including not allowing the Bush tax cuts to expire, a promise to veto so-called cap and trade or card check legislation, and most significantly, firing his entire economic brain trust.

"The American people are asking 'where are the jobs' and all the president's economic team has to offer are promises of 'green shoots' that never seem to grow," he was to say. "Already, his budget director and his chief economist have moved on or are about to. Clearly, they see the writing on the wall, and the president should too."

by Mike Memoli

With President Obama enjoying a low-profile vacation in Martha's Vineyard, Vice President Biden has the temporary role as the leading voice of the administration this week.

This morning Biden addressed the Veterans of Foreign Wars convention in Indianapolis, offering an upbeat assessment of the situation in Iraq (and perhaps a preview of what the president will say upon his return next week). Biden has since moved on to Toledo, Ohio, for an event meant to highlight what the administration sees as good news with regard to the automobile industry.

Having spent much of August on his own vacation, Biden made a conspicuous return to the headlines Friday with a preaching-to-the-choir speech at the Democratic National Committee meeting in St. Louis. It was there that the vice president predicted his party would retain their Congressional majorities after November's elections.

"If it weren't illegal, I'd make book on it," he said of his prediction.

by Mike Memoli

Former Republican Sen. Chuck Hagel is making waves in Pennsylvania today by endorsing the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, Rep. Joe Sestak.

Per the Associated Press, the former Nebraska senator said Sestak "has demonstrated during his two terms in Congress that he puts the interests of the nation and his constituents ahead of his party."

"I think he's exactly what our country needs more of. I think he's what the Senate needs more of -- courageous, independent-thinking," Hagel told AP. "That's what the job is about. You are supposed to use your judgment."

The nod for the Philadelphia-area Congressman comes not long after another cross-party endorsement, from Democrat-turned-Republican-turned independent New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.

It also is well-timed in that Sestak has appeared on the defensive in the race, as our Washington bureau colleague Colby Itkowitz reported for the Morning Call:

Lisa Mascaro had a must read-piece this weekend looking at John Boehner, the Republican House leader who would become Speaker if the party wins enough seats this fall:

The Ohio Republican who could very well replace Nancy Pelosi as the next speaker of the House is vintage "Mad Men" -- a grown-up, as those close to him put it, who unapologetically enjoys a drink, a smoke and a round of golf. His suits are sharp. His voice is deep. And then there is that tan, which defies Washington sensibilities.

Yet the Rat Pack persona disguises one of Washington's most enduring politicians, a savvy political survivor who is helping to shape President Obama's legacy -- whether Republicans retake the House majority this November or not.

Over the last two years, Boehner has helped define the Obama era in ways that seemed unimaginable when the popular president was swept into office. Then, some in Washington predicted the end of the GOP.

Instead, the House minority leader has helped reinvigorate the party by directing his thinned Republican ranks in a disciplined chorus of opposition. They don't merely say "no" to the White House agenda, but "Hell, no!" -- as Boehner put it during a final floor speech on healthcare reform.

As an interesting follow up, the Democratic National Committee today sent an e-mail to supporters fundraising off the idea of Boehner as speaker. You can check out that missive after the jump.

Our partners at the Orlando Sentinel try to capture the voter mood on the eve of the Florida primary election, featuring some of the most competitive and contentious races of the summer.

It's supposed to be the year of the "outsider" -- the election where fed-up voters embrace newcomers and kick incumbents to the curb.

But in Florida, the electorate seems to view most everyone in the political arena with a healthy dose of disdain.

In the two most high-profile races -- the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and Republican primary for governor -- more voters appear to dislike the newbies than like them. Indeed, the latest polls show that the veteran politicians -- U.S. Rep. Kendrick Meek and Attorney General Bill McCollum -- are ahead in those races.

But when pressed to make a selection, many Floridians sound like they're choosing between a cold sore and a sinus infection.

The story is worth a full read here.

Tuesday also features some intriguing, albeit anticlimactic races in Arizona, Alaska and Vermont. In Arizona, Sen. John McCain (R) is poised to fend off primary challenger J.D. Hayworth after mounting an early, aggressive and expensive campaign effort.

by Mike Memoli

Democrats are putting cash behind their anti-Bush message, taking to the airwaves today with an ad that frames the election as one of "big choices."

Timed to coincide with the end of its summer meeting in St. Louis, the Democrat National Committee is launching a new television ad that "amplifies the choice voters are going to face this fall," a senior party spokesman said.

That choice should sound familiar if you've been listening to the president during his campaign swing earlier this week, one between "Democrats who have pulled the country out of the ditch and Bush Republican era policies which put us there."

The spot, which will air on national cable, features a familiar clip of former President Bush saying, "you can't get fooled again."

At today's DNC meeting Vice President Joe Biden, largely absent from the public arena in recent weeks as he vacationed on Long Island, will address the party faithful and likely echo this message as well.

by Mike Memoli

Before departing for an extended family vacation, President Obama made yet another push for small business relief, blasting Republican "obstruction" to a measure that he said could boost the stagnant economy.

"If we want this economy to create more jobs more quickly, we need to help [small businesses]," he said. "There will be plenty of time between now and November to play politics, but the small business owners I've met with this year ... don't have time for political games."

Obama cited a new Labor Department report that found that businesses with fewer than 50 employees were responsible for more than three-in-five jobs cut in the private sector. These small businesses also created more than half of all new jobs.

"This is a bill that makes sense, and normally we would expect Democrats and Republicans to join together," he said, urging swift passage when Congress returns from its summer recess.

Obama also referred to a new report showing initial jobless claims rose by 12,000 last week. It's the first time since November 2009 that new applications for jobless benefits reached 500,000.

by Mike Memoli

One of the reasons Democrats said last week's primary elections "could not have gone better" was their view that again, Republican primary voters had chosen candidates outside the mainstream as their nominees in key races for governor and U.S. Senate.

This week has been considerably less kind to the majority party, as the uproar president's comments on the proposed community center and mosque near Ground Zero trumped his message on the economy, and new polling showed the GOP in a stronger position ahead of midterm elections.

Now, the National Republican Senatorial Committee is also strongly responding to the Democratic spin that its candidates have an "extreme" agenda.

(This post has been updated to include reaction from White House)

by Mike Memoli

For the first time in its polling, the Pew Research Center finds that more Americans don't know what President Obama's religion is than correctly identify him as a Christian.

All told, more than two-in-five Americans say they aren't clear about the president's religion, up 9 percent from the previous survey in March 2009. Only 34 percent say Obama is Christian, down a whopping 14 percent.

Amid the uproar over a proposed community center and mosque near Ground Zero in New York, 18 percent now say they believe Obama is Muslim, up 7 points since last year and the highest percentage ever. From Pew:

The belief that Obama is a Muslim has increased most sharply among Republicans (up 14 points since 2009), especially conservative Republicans (up 16 points). But the number of independents who say Obama is a Muslim has also increased significantly (up eight points). There has been little change in the number of Democrats who say Obama is a Muslim, but fewer Democrats today say he is a Christian (down nine points since 2009).

Sixty percent of those who believe that Obama is a Muslim cited the media for that belief. Another 11 percent say Obama's own actions led them to believe that.

by Mike Memoli

On a day many are celebrating the 90th anniversary of women winning the right to vote, a debate has erupted between Sarah Palin and a prominent liberal group that supports pro-choice women candidates.

Yesterday, EMILY's List announced its "Sarah Doesn't Speak for Me" campaign, targeting what it called Palin's "reactionary candidates and backward-looking agenda."

"Sarah Palin has predicted a rising tide of mothers and women voters will support her so-called 'Mama Grizzly' candidates," the group said in a statement. "We call upon women - and men! - to let their voices be heard."

Sarah Palin, the first woman to be nominated by the Republican Party to its national ticket, marked today's anniversary of the 19th amendment to the Constitution by endorsing six women candidates for state and federal offices.

In that Facebook post, she also alludes to EMILY's List campaign, calling for a "civil discussion and health debate" among women, even though they "don't walk in lockstep with each other in politics," particularly on the issue of abortion.

by Mike Memoli

President Obama is not second guessing his decision to weigh on on the proposed community center and mosque near Ground Zero, he said in Ohio today.

"The answer is no regrets," Obama told an ABC News reporter when asked about weighing in on the topic last Friday.

Obama was greeting participants and guests at a discussion of the economy in Columbus, and did not elaborate further.

The discussion of the Park 51 facility in lower Manhattan, which was given new prominence after Obama's comments, has largely overshadowed his message this week on the economy and put some Democrats -- and Republicans -- in tough political spots.

Earlier Obama had compared the stalled economic recovery to an illness as he maintained things were getting better.

(Photo Credit: AP / Carolyn Kaster)

by Mike Memoli

Our friends at Clout Street note the timing of yesterday's verdict in the Rod Blagojevich trial, coming on the eve of Illinois Democrats' day at the state fair.

Democrats are mindful of what happened to Republicans, who all but fell from the map in Illinois following the corruption conviction of GOP Gov. George Ryan. In the case of Blagojevich, federal prosecutors have vowed a retrial on the 23 corruption charges that the jury was unable to reach a verdict. That could happen during the height of the fall campaign season.

"In terms of Illinois government, in terms of Democrats in Illinois government, we did our job several months ago," said House Speaker Michael Madigan, the Southwest Side Democrat who also chairs the state Democratic Party. The General Assembly impeached and removed Blagojevich in January 2009.

Senate President John Cullerton, D-Chicago, noted that unlike the federal jury's verdict, the Senate's impeachment trial "resulted in a unanimous verdict and a conviction on all counts and people know that.... I think we did our job."

Gov. Pat Quinn, Blagojevich's two-time running mate who succeeded the former governor following the Senate impeachment trial, said he's "restored integrity to the governor's office."

"I run an honest government and I'm an honest governor and I know the people know that," Quinn said. "George Ryan's in jail. Rod Blagojevich is awaiting sentencing. I'm here to clean it up."

A new poll out this morning shows Quinn slipping further behind Bill Brady (R) as the governor looks for a full term, with an abysmal approval rating of just 23 percent among the likely voters surveyed.

by Mike Memoli

The Cook Political Report, a respected non-partisan handicapper, has revised its House elections forecast to show the GOP on the verge of winning enough seats to reclaim the majority.

New rankings today in 10 seats held by Democrats all favor Republicans, with seven moving into the "Toss Up" category. That includes Illinois Rep. Debbie Halvorson's (D) 11th District seat, which had been classified as "Lean Democrat."

The new Cook projection is for a Republican net gain of between 35 and 45 seats, up from a 32 to 42 seat range. Republicans need to win a net of 39 seats to become the majority party again for the first time since 2007.

Overall, 40 seats are ranked as "Toss Up" races, 37 of which are held by Democrats today.

"While this would imply an advantage for Democrats, given the continuous erosion we have seen in dozens of contests so far this cycle, races shifting from Solid and Likely Democrat to Lean Democratic and Toss Up, we would be surprised if there was not more movement over the 78 days from now until Election Day," writes David Wasserman, Cook's House race analyst.

by Mike Memoli

Saying that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's fierce independence is one of his strengths, the White House says President Obama had no problem with his office's comment yesterday about the learning center and mosque planned for lower Manhattan.

Deputy press secretary Bill Burton, speaking with reporters on Air Force One en route to Seattle from Los Angeles this morning, said the White House was aware of what Reid would say.

"If you look at what the President said on Friday night, he respects the right of anybody -- Democrat, Republican, independent -- to disagree with his opinion on this," Burton said.

Asked if there was indeed a split between the two leaders on the issue, Burton said only that Reid was willing to comment further than Obama wanted to.

"The President, like he said on Saturday, didn't comment specifically on whether or not he was pushing for the site to actually to be put in that spot. Senator Reid's comment was he thinks that it shouldn't be."

by Mike Memoli

President Obama's trip to Washington state today is his first since taking office, and it will be a brief one with no events open to the public.

On the official schedule, the president will sit down with three Seattle-area small business owners "for a discussion about strengthening the economy and creating jobs." He'll be joined by former Washington governor and Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, as well as current Gov. Christine Gregoire and Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat up for re-election this fall.

Obama got a bit of unexpected good news as he's about to arrive in the state, with the Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting today that the state's unemployment rate has dropped for the fourth straight month, to 8.9 percent. The White House says 67,000 jobs have been saved or created in the state because of the Recovery Act.

On the political schedule: two fundraisers for the aforementioned Murray, who is on the ballot today as she seeks a fourth term. Officially a primary election, all voters actually receive the same ballot regardless of party (state voters actually don't register by party). The field of more than a dozen candidates -- Democrats, Republicans and independents -- seeking the Senate seat will be narrowed down to just two after today's vote.

Murray is expected to finish in the top two, with Republican Dino Rossi, a two-time gubernatorial candidate, the other likely finalist. Polls have shown a competitive general election race between those two, representing an unexpected challenge to a popular senior Democrat. Vice President Biden has already campaigned with her in the state as well.

(Photo Credit: AP / Elaine Thompson)

Peter Nicholas advances the Michelle Obama on the campaign trail discussion today with White House officials giving more details about how the first lady will be deployed.

Her campaign schedule won't be a heavy one, the White House said Monday. She makes public appearances about three days a week, and any campaigning she does for the midterm election will be within that time frame, a White House official said in an interview.

The first lady's itinerary won't be set until Labor Day, when the White House political team determines travel plans for the president and vice president, the official said. The idea is to deploy all three in ways that avoid overlap.

Michelle Obama will deliver a campaign speech that is largely upbeat. She won't castigate individual Republicans, said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The first lady has enlisted Republicans in her anti-obesity campaign, so she would risk antagonizing hard-won allies were she to deliver a fiercely partisan message.

Instead, she'll keep the focus on her husband's legislative successes.

Read the rest of the piece, including more on a PR offensive including women's magazines, here.

(Photo Credit: AP File / Isaac Brekken)

by Tom Hamburger and Jennifer Martinez

Following the breakdown of negotiations, the nation's leading gay rights organization said Monday that it will continue to protest Target Corp. over a donation used to support a Republican gubernatorial candidate with a history of opposing gay rights.

Officials with the Human Rights Campaign said the giant retailer had effectively rejected the group's proposals to donate to gay rights organizations to offset the earlier donation.

Target's handling of the protests has been closely watched because it is the first case in this election cycle of a company receiving national protests over a campaign donation. The topic is especially sensitive this year because of a Supreme Court decision that allows corporate organizations and unions to use their treasury funds in election campaigns.

Human Rights Campaign is considering whether to suspend Target's 100 percent rating on its "Corporate Equality Index," a measurement of corporate hiring diversity policies on a scale of 0 to 100.

"If their initial contribution was a slap in the face, their refusal to make it right is a punch in the gut and that's not something that we will soon forget," said Joe Solmonese, the group's president.

by Mike Memoli

President Obama's remarks on the Ground Zero-area mosque have taken what had largely been a local issue and made it fair game in campaigns across the country.

Republicans in particular have sought to put Democratic candidates on the record today, including Senate candidate Sharron Angle's campaign in Nevada.

This afternoon, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's office released this statement:

The First Amendment protects freedom of religion. Sen. Reid respects that but thinks that the mosque should be built someplace else. If the Republicans are being sincere, they would help us pass this long-overdue bill to help the first responders whose health and livelihoods have been devastated because of their bravery on 9/11, rather than continuing to block this much-needed legislation.

It is now being widely reported as Reid breaking with Obama on this issue. But if you read and re-read the statement, it's hard to find something Obama might disagree with.

by Mike Memoli

For the first time in President Obama's term, Gallup finds that 50 percent of voters disapprove of how he has performed in office.

The pollster's three-day rolling average of presidential job performance from August 13-15 shows that just 42 percent approve, a new low. That survey window includes Obama's remarks on the Ground Zero-area mosque and his brief trip to Panama City Beach, Florida.

Some historical context from Gallup:

Obama's ratings in the low 40% range are not unusual in historical context. All presidents since Lyndon Johnson have suffered ratings below 40% at points in their presidencies, with several falling below 30%. Presidents Carter, Reagan, and Clinton were -- like Obama -- in the low 40% range during August of the second year of their presidencies. President George W. Bush left office in January 2009 with a 34% approval rating.

by Mike Memoli

By now you are all too familiar with Old Spice's ad campaign featuring the "Old Spice Man," an over-the-top caricature of the truly masculine persona. The spots have become a minor pop culture phenomenon, and one that has now been co-opted by a long shot candidate for Senate in Vermont.

"Hello, Vermonters. Look at your senator. Now back to me. Now back to your senator. Now back to me," Democrat Daniel Freilich says in a new Web video in which he attempts to parody Isaiah Mustafa's character in the Old Spice shower gel ads.

Freilich is running against longtime Sen. Pat Leahy (D) in the Vermont Democratic primary on August 24. The video includes Freilich's argument that Leahy represents the "same old Washington nonsense," and a pledge only to serve two terms.

by Jim Tankersley

MENOMONEE FALLS, Wisc. -- President Obama is not surprised at reports that Defense Secretary Robert Gates may step down next year, a White House spokesman said Monday.

Shortly before Obama took the stage to tout economic stimulus spending at an advanced battery manufacturing plant, Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters that the White House expected that Gates "would be talking about the next phase" in his career, and that the President is "grateful for his service."

"It's not a surprise to see him discussing his plans to move on," Burton said. "He's stayed longer than he originally said he would."

(Photo Credit: AP File / J. Scott Applewhite)

by Mike Memoli

Air Force One is now en route to Milwaukee, where President Obama is kicking off his first extended political road trip of the midterm election season.

By week's end, the president will have appeared at events benefiting Democratic candidates in Wisconsin, Washington, Ohio and Florida. An event in Los Angeles tonight will also benefit Democratic Congressional candidates nationwide.

Obama will also mix in some official events as well. Before today's event raising money for the Democratic Party of Wisconsin and gubernatorial candidate Tom Barrett, Obama will speak on the economy at ZBB Energy Corporation.

Press secretary Robert Gibbs noted Friday that the travel this week reflects how Obama takes seriously his role as a party leader.

"We obviously are getting closer and closer to some very important elections where we'll make some important choices about going backwards or going forwards," Gibbs said, teasing that his message will be similar to one we've heard in the past two weeks.

(Photo Credit: AP / Susan Walsh)

by Mike Memoli

Tom Hamburger and I report on a major advertising campaign being launched Monday by Americans for Prosperity, an independent conservative advocacy group.

The $4.1-million ad buy from the Americans for Prosperity Foundation does not mention individual candidates in the November election. The script attacks Washington policies, describing the economic stimulus program as a failure and declaring that "wasteful spending must stop."

The ads -- part of a midterm election likely to be the most expensive on record -- will run in 27 media markets through August. Democrats hold all but one of the 24 House seats in question, including 17 incumbents seeking reelection.

Here's the ad:

A list of the Congressional races being targeted is available after the jump.

by Mike Memoli

On his brief holiday in Panama City, President Obama did, indeed, take a swim in the Gulf of Mexico.

The White House released the above photo today, showing the president and first daughter Sasha in the water at Alligator Point in Panama City Beach. Reporters and photographers were not allowed to capture the moment independently; Obama earlier told the press pool he did not want to be seen with his shirt off again.

The trip to Florida today was intended to show Obama was practicing what he preached, in urging Americans to visit Gulf of Mexico destinations despite the impact of the BP oil spill. The short nature of the visit -- just over 24 hours total -- has led some to criticize it as an empty photo op, since the First Family is sticking with plans for a much longer trip to Martha's Vineyard.

Obama earlier spoke of the progress in recovery from the spill, with efforts to cap the well finally successful.

"We mark an important milestone. But this is not the end of the journey," he said.

(Photo Credit: Pete Souza / White House)

by Mike Memoli

The White House has worked deliberately to stay out of the controversy in New York over a proposed mosque to be built near Ground Zero, the site of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. But press secretary Robert Gibbs signaled today that President Obama may address the topic, though perhaps only tangentially, at the White House tonight when he participates in an Iftar dinner marking the end of Ramadan.

"Religious freedom is something that the president believes in, and I think you'll hear him talk about it tonight," Gibbs said.

The White House spokesman cautioned twice that he had not seen the president's prepared remarks for tonight. But he noted that the event was part of a series of events held in the presidential mansion throughout the year "to celebrate the rich diversity of religious freedom in this country."

Past administrations have also celebrated Ramadan at the White House. You can see Obama's remarks at last year's dinner below.

by Mike Memoli

Last month the White House announced that the first family would visit the Gulf of Mexico for a vacation. It's a trip, as Christi Parsons reported at the time, intended in part to "help ward off criticism that, while the president encourages others to go to the Gulf, he will spend his vacation among the elite set on the island of Martha's Vineyard."

The White House has just sent new details of that trip, revealing that the Obama family will have spent barely more than one day in the area when all is said and done. That trip will include a roundtable discussion between the president and first lady with small business owners about the pace of recovery. Obama will also make a public statement.

"They both believed that it was important to highlight that, indeed, the Gulf Coast is, during a busy summer, open for business and the families that are there are enjoying their time there," press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters in response to questions about the short nature of the trip. "You'll see he and the family out there. You'll see all of them out there."

From scheduled arrival of Air Force One Saturday to the time it departs on Sunday, the Obamas will have spent 26 hours and 50 minutes on the ground in the Panama City area.

by Mike Memoli

A Democratic lawmaker from New Hampshire has resigned after musing on Facebook about the death of Sarah Palin.

Timothy Horrigan, a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives representing the town of Durham, stepped down after posting on the social networking site that "a dead (Sarah) Palin would be even more dangerous than a live one."

That comment was a response to an even more controversial posting by a fellow Democrat running for another state House seat. After a Republican linked to a story about the death of former Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens in a plane crash, Keith David Halloran commented: "Just wish Sarah and Levy were on board," referring apparently to Levi Johnston, father of Palin's grandson.

"Instead of discussing their failed economic policies, New Hampshire Democrats are now spending their time openly discussing Governor Sarah Palin's death. Representative Horrigan's comments are sick, twisted and disgusting," Ryan Williams, spokesman for the New Hampshire GOP, said in a statement.

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

by Mike Memoli

The release of the NBC/Wall Street Journal survey Wednesday came with a timely quip from one of the lead pollsters: "I think it's a 'Jet Blue' election. Everyone is frustrated, and everyone is headed for the emergency exit."

Two new major national polls -- the aforementioned NBC/WSJ offering and another from CNN conducted by Opinion Research -- reflect a persistent sense of unease among voters, which typically is an ominous sign for the party in power -- currently Democrats. And to be sure, some specific findings by each show why Democrats exuberance over Tuesday primaries could be short lived.

President Obama's job approval rating is in negative territory in each survey -- 47 percent approve and 48 percent disapprove in the NBC/WSJ poll, while 47 percent approve and 51 percent approve in the CNN poll. The disapproval number in each matches the respective surveys' all-time worst figure.

Asked whether the country is better or worse off since Obama became president, 31 percent told NBC/WSJ it is better off while 40 percent say it's worse off.

While Obama's numbers are an important factor, more relevant to this year's midterm races is Congressional figures and the general views of the parties battling for control. And the picture there is good for neither, but particularly grim for Democrats.

(Photo Credit: AP / Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

by Tom Hamburger

Target and Best Buy executives are feeling heat for making six figure contributions to a fund backing the Republican candidate for Governor of Minnesota, who has a record of opposing gay rights.

The campaign against the companies by left leaning groups has inspired broad questions about whether corporate giving will meet expectations in the first election since the Supreme Court sanctioned the use of corporate and union funds in electoral campaigns.

It's too early to know whether corporate giving will be chilled. But a new study by the Center for Responsive Politics finds that wealthy CEOs and corporate executives and some companies contributed over $20 million to political groups during the second quarter of 2010.

The Republican Governors Association, for example, brought in well over a million dollars from two business moguls. David Koch, a co-owner of Koch Industries an oil and refining company, gave $1 million to the group and Hedge Fund executive Paul Singer gave $500,000, the study said.

by Mike Memoli

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) underwent surgery this morning in Chicago to remove a tumor from his stomach, his office announced.

After the procedure, which took place at the University of Chicago Medical Center, doctors pronounced that "there was no evidence that the tumor had spread beyond the site from which it was removed," according to a statement released by Durbin's office.

"The tumor was not present in the lining cells of the stomach; it was completely removed and preliminary biopsy results demonstrate a favorable prognosis," the statement says.

The tumor was discovered during a routine medical check-up "a few weeks ago." Doctors to not expect Durbin will need further treatment.

"Senator Durbin went through today's surgical procedure with flying colors and is resting comfortably," said Durbin spokesman, Joe Shoemaker. "He expects to be released from the hospital and resume a light schedule in the next couple days, and should be able to resume a full schedule as soon as next week."

My Washington bureau colleague Katherine Skiba will have more on the story shortly. UPDATE: Here's Skiba's dispatch.

by Mike Memoli

Our friends at Top of the Ticket noted former President George W. Bush's surprise appearance at the Dallas-Fort Worth Airport Wednesday to welcome home American service men and women.

Well Bush also turned up at last night's Yankees-Rangers game at the Ballpark at Arlington, chatting throughout the game with Hall of Famer, current Rangers president and former Rangers pitcher Nolan Ryan.

The nationally-telecast game frequently included shots of the former president and his wife, Laura. And Bush, himself a former Rangers owner, seemed to be enjoying most of the game as his team took a 6-1 lead on the defending World Champions.

That would prove short lived, however, as the Yankees rallied in the late innings, forcing ace Cliff Lee out in the 7th and later resulting in a blown save for Neftali Feliz.

The Yanks and Rangers may just meet again in October during the playoffs, with both teams currently leading their divisions. You'd have to think we'll see Bush throw a ceremonial first pitch, but then again that may be too high-profile an appearance on the eve of November elections.

And, considering how Democrats have made the former president the centerpiece for their new midterm strategy, could we soon hear complaints that he was a drag on the Rangers? (full disclosure: author is a Yankees fan).

(Photo Credit: AP / Tony Gutierrez)

by Lisa Mascaro

The Senate approved a $600 million border security bill Thursday morning, sending President Obama his request for 1,500 more troops and immigration officials to beef up security along the border with Mexico.

Obama is expected to sign the legislation as soon as possible.

The measure is an important election year issue as lawmakers from both parties intend to show voters Washington is capable of addressing border security after Arizona passed its tough illegal immigration law.

Most senators did not return from their August recess for the quick, do-over vote that was required because of a procedural mishap in passing the measure the first time. The bill passed without dissent. The House passed unanimously the bill Tuesday.

The costs of the enhanced border security are being paid for by substantially increasing fees on companies that hire foreign workers.

by Lisa Mascaro

The Senate will convene -- briefly -- on Thursday to approve a popular $600 million border security bill in a do-over vote that was required because of a procedural mishap in passing the measure the first time.

Most senators are not expected interrupt their August recess to return to Washington.

The bill reflects President Obama's proposal to beef up security along the border with Mexico by adding 1,500 new border patrol, customs and immigration officers.

The measure is an important election year issue as lawmakers from both parties intend to show voters Washington is capable of addressing security after Arizona passed its tough illegal immigration law.

Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV), the majority leader, called the rare session after the House unanimously passed the border bill this week during its own unusual one-day session.

The bill is likely to be approved using a procedure that does not require most senators to be present. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate just days ago.

by Mike Memoli

The snap conventional wisdom after Tuesday's primaries is that Democrats may have had their best night of the 2010 cycle to date. And now the DNC is doing little to tamp down that talk, saying primaries in Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia and Minnesota "could not have gone better" for the party and President Obama.

"Yesterday's elections resulted in the nomination of superior Democratic candidates who were elected with broad-based support among voters with the support of the President and the Democratic National Committee, and at the same time saw the rise of weak or divisive Republican candidates who will do more to hurt their Party's cause this November than to help it," DNC chairman Tim Kaine writes in a memo to be sent out later today.

The memo goes on to highlight the work of the DNC and Organizing for America in supplementing the efforts of the local campaigns. It also highlighted how it sees the tea party-fueled energy that Republicans have tried to tap into is actually backfiring. With party-backed candidates falling to insurgent conservative challengers, "it is becoming increasingly clear that the Tea Party and its candidates are becoming a millstone around the Republican Party's neck and could hold down the gains Republicans have promised this fall," Kaine writes.

UPDATE: RNC spokesman Doug Heye responds:

"If the Democrats want to pin their November hopes on insulting voters on the left and the right, they'll find that's not a winning strategy to gain the votes of the independents who are fleeing Obama. But in doing so, they acknowledge that pinning their hopes to Obama is also a losing strategy. That's why so many Democrats are telling Obama to stay home - or on vacation - and an incumbent Democrat Congressman is running ads attacking Obama and Pelosi."

You can see the full DNC memo after the jump.

(Photo Credit: AP / David Zalubowski)

Overshadowed by Tuesday's primaries, Colby Itkowitz of the Morning Call reports on former President Bill Clinton's visit to Pennsylvania Tuesday on behalf of Rep. Joe Sestak (D):

SCRANTON -- Former President Bill Clinton implored a crowd of Joe Sestak supporters to not give up on Democrats in the mid-term election and to let them continue their work getting the country out of a financial hole rather than handing the reins over to Republicans.

"If you vote for these people who are running against guys like Joe Sestak, they're going to go up there and take the oath of office -- they'll have one hand on the Bible and they'll have the other hand on a shovel," Clinton said. "They want to start digging again."

The 42nd president, headlining a rally at Scranton High School Tuesday afternoon in support of Sestak's candidacy for the U.S. Senate, warned that Republicans want to reverse any gains President Barack Obama and Democrats have made. He spent much of his 30-minute speech not bestowing praise on the Delaware County congressman, but reflecting on his own economic successes and defending Obama's efforts.

Missing from the event was Sestak, who chose to stay behind in Washington to cast an emergency-session vote on a bill to provide extra aid to cash-strapped states. Doing otherwise would have been a public relations disaster for Sestak, who defines himself as a man who puts "principle over politics" and who faced criticism in the Democratic primary for missing more than 100 votes in 2009.

Sestak appeared on a video instead and briefly thanked Clinton for his support.

Clinton and Sestak have a long relationship. Sestak worked in the Clinton administration on the National Security Council. Then Clinton was outed as the person who offered Sestak a job on the Obama administration's behalf in an attempt to get Sestak to drop out of the Senate race against Obama favorite Arlen Specter, the incumbent.

You can read the rest here.

(Photo Credit: Morning Call / Monica Cabrera)

by Mike Memoli

After a tough news day, the White House ends Tuesday on a high note as appointed Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet (D) has won the hotly-contested primary over former House Speaker Andrew Romanoff (D).

President Obama, his administration and the DNC had worked hard to ensure Bennet prevailed, ramping up the Organizing for America (OFA) operation on his behalf. Obama appeared at three fundraisers for Bennet in February, and called into a tele-town hall with him just last week. OFA hosted 83 canvasses, phone banks and events to woo Colorado Democrats ahead of today's vote.

Former President Bill Clinton had endorsed Romanoff, a supporter of Hillary Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.

As of 10:30 pm Eastern, Bennet's GOP opponent was not yet known. Weld County DA Ken Buck (R) had a narrow lead over former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton (R), with a third of the state's precincts still yet to report. Buck enjoys support from the tea party movement while Norton had backing from Republicans' national campaign arm.

Elsewhere, former WWE CEO Linda McMahon has prevailed in the Connecticut GOP primary for U.S. Senate, and will face Attorney General Richard Blumenthal. McMahon received just under half of the vote in a three-way race.

by Mike Memoli

Confirmation that former Sen. Ted Stevens (R) was among the five passengers killed on a downed plane in Alaska was quickly followed by bipartisan praise for a man who was among the longest-serving members of Congress in U.S. history.

President Obama, elected the year Stevens lost his final election, offered condolences to the Stevens family in a statement this afternoon.

"A decorated World War II veteran, Senator Ted Stevens devoted his career to serving the people of Alaska and fighting for our men and women in uniform," he said.

Hawaii Sen. Dan Inouye (D), the longest-serving current senator, said he lost "a brother."

"Our friendship was a very special one," he said. "When it came to policy, we disagreed more often than we agreed, but we were never disagreeable with one another. We were always positive and forthright. Senator Stevens and I worked together to ensure that the small non-contiguous states of Hawaii and Alaska were not forgotten by the lower 48."

His loss was felt most profoundly at home in Alaska, where Gov. Sean Parnell (R) called him "a lion who retreated from nothing."

"Ted Stevens seemed larger than life," he said. "He built Alaska and he stood for Alaska and he fought for Alaskans."

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who served alongside him for six years, was even more effusive in her praise.

by Mike Memoli

An extraordinary denial in an extraordinary political year.

Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul of Kentucky appeared on Fox News Channel today to reject an outsourced allegation that, while in college, he "kidnapped" a woman and forced her to smoke marijuana.

"This stuff is just outrageous and ridiculous," he told Neil Cavuto. "No, I never was involved with kidnapping. No, I was never involved with forcibly drugging people."

The source of the allegation was an unnamed woman quoted by GQ magazine (you can read the relevant passage after the jump).

Paul did not rule out suing the magazine, and criticized a media environment in which he would be forced to defend himself against an unsourced claim.

"Do we live in an era where people can come forward anonymously and accuse you of things and then all of a sudden I'm supposed to spend the rest of the campaign defending myself against anonymous accusers who say I kidnapped them?" he said. Of a lawsuit, he said: "The problem is, in our country they make it almost impossible for politicians to win anything."

by Mike Memoli

Frustrated that his case will not be heard by the ethics committee until September, Rep. Charles Rangel (D-NY) took to the floor of the House Tuesday for an extraordinary personal appeal to expedite the process, saying he would not leave the chamber short of expulsion.

"Don't leave me swinging in the wind until November," he said. "I deserve and demand a right to be heard."

You can watch the full speech here, courtesy of C-SPAN:

As Rangel himself pointed out, his lawyers and even fellow Democrats had urged him not to take to the floor today, when lawmakers were set to pass a $26 billion aid package for state and local governments. A Democratic aide said bluntly that it "was the last thing we needed today."

"He has every right to defend himself, but it seems like he and [Maxine] Waters are now more concerned with causing collateral damage than clearing their name. No one is going to remember that we voted to save hundreds of thousands of teachers' jobs. We can't catch a break," the aide said.

KTUU, an NBC-affiliate station in Anchorage, is reporting that former Sen. Ted Stevens (R) has died in the crash near Dillingham in the Southwest Alaska.

Dave Dittman, a former aide and longtime family friend of former Sen. Ted Stevens says Stevens was killed in a plane crash near Dillingham Monday night. Nine people were on board, including former NASA Chief Sean O'Keefe. Five people were killed in the crash, but other identities were not known, nor are the conditions of the survivors.

Late through the night rescue crews were battling bad weather conditions to reach the scene, where Good Samaritan personnel had already made it, said Air National Guard spokesman Maj. Guy Hayes.

A military C-130 and a Pave Hawk helicopter were waiting in Dillingham for the weather to break and reached the site just after 7:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Stevens was the seventh-longest serving senator in history, appointed in 1968 and winning seven elections. His career ended when he lost a close election in 2008, following an indictment and subsequent conviction on charges he made false statements on financial disclosure forms. In 2009, a federal judge threw out the conviction, citing prosecutorial misconduct.

We'll update as the story is confirmed. But reaction is already pouring in.

UPDATE: The White House has announced that deputy press secretary Bill Burton will conduct today's daily press briefing, instead of Gibbs.

by Mike Memoli

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs is now apologizing for stark comments directed at partisans on the left he had claimed are insufficiently appreciative of President Obama's accomplishments.

Speaking with Sam Youngman of The Hill, Gibbs said critics among what he termed the "professional left" would not even be "satisfied if Dennis Kucinich was president."

"I hear these people saying he's like George Bush. Those people ought to be drug tested. I mean, it's crazy," Gibbs is quoted as saying. More from the piece:

Gibbs's tough comments reflect frustration and some bafflement from the White House, which believes it has done a lot for the left.

In just over 18 months in office, Obama has passed healthcare reform, financial regulatory reform and fair-pay legislation for women, among other bills near and dear to liberals.

Obama is also overseeing the end of the Iraq war, with the U.S. on schedule to end its combat operations by the end of this month.

He's also added diversity to the Supreme Court by nominating two female justices, including the court's first Hispanic. Yet some liberal groups have criticized his nominees for not being liberal enough.

"There's 101 things we've done," said Gibbs, who then mentioned both Iraq and healthcare.

Gibbs has since released a statement apologizing for his remarks, saying, "I watch too much cable." Read the rest after the jump.

by Mike Memoli

Speaking in Texas, President Obama today continued to ramp up his political rhetoric while also explaining what is seen as a new strategy based on attacking his predecessor -- and the state's former governor -- George W. Bush.

Without naming Bush specifically, Obama said at an Austin fundraiser that he's drawing attention to the previous administration "because the other side isn't offering anything new."

"They are trotting out the exact same ideas that got us into this mess in the first place," he said. "Their big economic plan is to renew the tax cuts that helped to turn the surplus into a deficit ... and once you get past that they don't have another new idea."

Obama accused Republicans of a "fundamental lack of seriousness" in the past year and a half, only politicking while Democrats have been making tough decisions to save the nation's economy. But now, Obama said he was ready to engage in the campaign with them.

"We've got three months to go, so we figure we can politic for three months. They've forgotten I politic pretty good," he said. "I'm happy to have this debate over the next several months about what their vision of the future is, because they don't have one."

by Mike Memoli

The House ethics committee has released more information about the specific charges against Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA), which will be heard at a rare open session of the panel next month.

Documents made public today detail three specific charges against the Los Angeles congresswoman, related to apparent efforts to receive federal help for a bank where her husband owned stock and had served on its board.

According to the 10-page statement of alleged violations, Waters' chief of staff continued to seek assistance from the Treasury Department for OneUnited Bank even when Waters herself realized it was improper to do so because of her martial connection. Another charge finds that any attempt by Waters to assist the bank violated the spirit of House ethics rules because doing so preserved the value of a family investment.

Waters is the second Democratic member of Congress facing what is often compared to a trial before her peers before the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct. The documents released today also include Waters' response to alleged wrongdoing, and the committee's subsequent refusal to do so.

Waters has said that once the charges were public, she hoped her constituents and all Americans "will understand that I have not violated any House rules."

by Mike Memoli

President Obama is en route to Texas now, where he's scheduled to speak at a pair of fundraisers and deliver remarks on higher education at the University of Texas. And again, in a state where his job approval rating is perilously low, he'll find few prominent Democrats there to greet him.

Just like last week when the president traveled to Georgia, the Democratic nominee for governor will not be on hand for any of the events featuring his party's leader. Former Houston Mayor Bill White, who some believe is Texas Democrats' best shot of winning back the governor's mansion since George W. Bush won the office in 1994, is curiously across the state sticking with his schedule, his campaign has said.

Much has been made this year of how certain Democratic candidates don't want to be seen with Obama, given his poor numbers in a given state or district. Peter Nicholas spoke last week with another Texas Democrat who planned to avoid the event: Attorney General nominee Barbara Ann Radnofsky. She said Obama hasn't done enough to take on Wall Street. As for White's decision not to be on hand, the White House says it understands.

"I don't think that it says anything broadly about the President's coattails," deputy press secretary Bill Burton said on Air Force One today. "He thinks that candidates should make their own decisions about how best to spend their time. He definitely does not take that as an insult."

The efficacy of this strategy is unclear, however. Texas news organizations have all pointed out how White is seemingly distancing himself from Obama, perhaps a headache the campaign deems preferable to the candidate being seen with him, but a headache nonetheless. And Gov. Rick Perry's (R) campaign is making hay of the visit, regardless of whether White is there -- even launching this web video parodying a famous viral clip from the 2008 campaign.

by Mike Memoli

Voters in three states -- Colorado, Connecticut and Georgia -- go to the polls tomorrow, with key Senate primaries in the first two and a proxy GOP fight for governor in the latter.

Nicholas Riccardi of the Los Angeles Times looks at how the rightward tilt of Republicans in Colorado has actually imperiled the party's chances of winning both the governorship and a U.S. Senate seat.

A small-business owner with no political background is poised to upset a former congressman in the GOP's gubernatorial primary Tuesday. Another former congressman, firebrand Tom Tancredo, says neither potential candidate for governor can win in November, so he has entered the race on a third-party ticket, raising fears he could split the conservative vote.

Meanwhile, in the party's Senate primary, former Lt. Gov. Jane Norton is trailing in the polls behind conservative insurgent Ken Buck, a blunt-spoken district attorney whose off-color comments have roiled the race.

The Democrats have their own divided primary, with a former state lawmaker taking on incumbent Sen. Michael Bennet. But observers here say the perils for the GOP are especially acute.

In Connecticut, the Hartfor