The Note: House Rules, Part II

— -- WASHINGTON, August 2

The Note remains focused like a laser beam on the fight over control of the House, leading us to these must reads:

1. "House GOP Incumbents Try New Stride to Beat Midterm Challenges," Washington Week favorite Janet Hook writes in the Los Angeles Times that "the political winds" are "blowing squarely against the GOP," leading some House incumbents to "dust off campaign tools that . . . are a bit rusty."

Amidst the election frenzy, some candidates are bit hasty in their efforts. Hook Notes that Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-OH) was so eager to air her first television ad in June that her first name read "Deboarah." Rep. James Walsh (R-NY) distributed campaign literature that was four years old at a rally. Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) has agreed to debate his Democratic opponent for the first time in ten years. But as NRCC Chairman Tom Reynolds (R-NY) likes to remind reporters during his pen and pad briefings, Hook argues that Republicans have one advantage not enjoyed by Democrats 12 years ago: they sense danger early and are gearing up.

LINK

2. Time magazine's peripatetic Mike Allen reports that House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has come up with a way to "ease any potential voter fears" about Charlie Rangel, John Conyers, Henry Waxman, et.al, by "making it very clear that no ranking members are guaranteed committee chairmanships." LINK

Boehner spokesguy Kevin Madden remains unconvinced: "The prospective list of Democrat leadership and committee chairmen reads like a 'Who's Who' of Democrat hysteria. As much as Nancy Pelosi thinks she can sweep that mess under the rug right now, there is no way she can hide the fact that these folks and their ideas are just way out there. The idea of Charlie Rangel directing tax policy in this country will keep our base awake at night, and it's sure to keep a lot ofmoderate Democrats from pulling that lever in November as well."

3. "Democrats Scrambling To Organize Voter Turnout," the Washington Post's Diamond Jim VandeHei on Pelosi criticizing DNC Chairman Howard Dean "for not spending enough party resources on get-out-the-vote efforts in the most competitive House and Senate races." LINK

4. "Texas Maps Get Day in Court," David Drucker – the pride of Malibu – writes in Roll Call that a handful of House members from Texas are facing the possibility that they could "find themselves running in radically reshaped districts on Nov. 7." Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-TX) indicated in a statement that he expects the court's cure for the 23rd district could leave even him worse off than Rep. Henry Bonilla (R-TX). "'A consultant has been hired, a campaign office is ready to open and fundraising is underway for what may be the toughest race of my career,' Doggett said." Oral arguments are expected in Austin on Thursday.

Someone who knows how important control of the House is travels to Mentor, OH to participate in a briefing at an emergency management agency at 5:00 pm ET. At 6:25 pm ET, President Bush attends a closed press fundraiser for Ken Blackwell's gubernatorial campaign. He is due back at the White House at 9:30 pm ET. The Cleveland Plain Dealer Notes that Democrats are "jumping all over" Blackwell for not allowing reporters to cover his fund-raiser with President Bush Wednesday evening at the home of businessman Ed Crawford in Kirtland Hills."

"White House spokesman Alex Conant said that it has been the policy in almost all cases to restrict press access at fund-raisers held at private homes. He said the decision is the policy of the White House, not Blackwell's, 'regardless of poll numbers.'" LINK

Today's White House briefing will be the last one before extensive renovations get underway. Following the briefing, former White House Press Secretaries Jim Brady, Marlin Fitzwater, Jody Powell, Ron Nessen, Joe Lockhart, and Dee Dee Myers are expected to join Tony Snow to bid adieu to the "ratty" old press room in the West Wing, the Washington Post's Reliable Source reports. LINK

Speculation abounds as to whether the President will hold a surprise press conference.

In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) set to be released later today, Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL), DSCC Chairman Chuck Schumer, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) tell the Dr./Leader/Senator that they were "deeply disturbed" to hear him say yesterday that he does not intend to permit the Senate to consider "crucial tax provisions like the tuition deduction, R&D tax credit and state and local sales tax deduction" if the Senate fails to enact legislation to "virtually repeal the estate tax." The Senate Democratic leadership also writes in the letter: ". . . should know that we will also oppose any motion to adjourn the Senate at the end of September until the Senate deals with these measures."

To mark the 10th anniversary of the last time Congress voted to raise the minimum wage, Sen. Reid, Sen. Durbin, Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-MA), Sen. Schumer, and Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) hold a 10:30 am ET press conference in the Lyndon Baines Johnson room of the Capitol.

At 1:35 pm ET, check out Politics Live on ABC News Now as Sam Donaldson looks back on years gone by in the briefing room with Marlin Fitzwater.

One day after Carlos Gutierrez issued a pledge on behalf of the Bush Administration to "discourage third parties from obstructing the will of the Cuban people," the Secretary of Commerce is slated to discuss economic issues in the Western Hemisphere with the Miami Herald in Washington, DC. Across the river, Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and Gen. Peter Pace hold a 1:55 pm ET briefing.

Lawyers for SSGT Frank Wuterich, the leader of the squad that allegedly murdered Iraqi civilians in Haditha on Nov. 19, 2005, plan to go on the offensive at 11:30 am ET today by filing a lawsuit against Rep. John Murtha (D-PA) for "defamatory statements." The presser takes place outside of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. More from the Washington Post: LINK

At 10:00 am ET, Stuart Bowen, the special inspector general for Iraq reconstruction, will inform the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee that "the corruption that has plagued Iraq's reconstruction -- described by U.S. officials as the 'second insurgency' -- is worsening, complicating American reconstruction efforts and shattering public confidence in the Baghdad government," the Wall Street Journal's Yochi Dreazen reports. LINK

Bowen estimates in his quarterly audit that the Iraqi government estimates that corruption costs the country at least $4 billion a year.

In search of some "Joementum," embattled Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) continues his statewide bus tour today, stopping at diners and community centers in Wallingford, Milford, Bridgeport, Stratford, and Newtown, CT. Lieberman antagonist Ned Lamont campaigns with Revs. Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson today, making stops in Stamford, Bridgeport, Wilton, and New Haven.

The Senate reconvenes at 9:30 am ET and resumes consideration of the fiscal 2007 Defense appropriations bill (HR 5631). Roll call votes are possible. The House is in recess.