The Note: Too Close to the President

— -- WASHINGTON, August 10

The alleged disrupted terror plot will likely dominate cable coverage today and lead all the network broadcasts this evening, perhaps causing American midterm voters to ponder whether they feel more or less safe than they did two years ago.

The two major American political parties (sorry, Mr. Brooks, we ain't including the McCain-Lieberman Party just yet) will certainly provide different takes on the breaking news today and, perhaps somewhat unlike cycles past, be sure to Note how BOTH sides will be eager to talk national security today. How/if independent candidate Lieberman plans to use today's events against his Democratic opponent Ned Lamont remains to be seen.

If you want help connecting up yesterday's big political story with today's, read Peter Wallsten's masterwork in the Los Angeles Times, particularly these two paragraphs:

"Republicans also sought to use the Lieberman loss as an opportunity to drive wedges in the Democratic base -- following White House advisor Karl Rove's strategy of energizing conservatives while trying to make certain Democratic voters question whether they should vote with their party. . . ."

"The Republican response Wednesday was highly coordinated, tightly matching a set of GOP talking points distributed to activists and strategists. The effort also paralleled an internal strategy memo, first reported by the Los Angeles Times, that laid out the party's intent to mobilize its base for the election by highlighting Bush's actions in Iraq and the notion that Democrats were weak in their approach to 'foreign threats.'"

President Bush, who was already planning to interrupt his vacation today for a political travel, is expected to speak at some point to cameras on the road about the alleged terror plot. The original plan called for an 11:55 am ET presidential tour of Fox Valley Metal-Tech in Green Bay, Wis., where Mr. Bush had been expected to make a statement on the economy upon the conclusion of his tour. At 1:00 pm ET, he attends a closed press reception for Republican congressional candidate John Gard at a private home in Oneida, Wisconsin, after which he returns to the "Western White House" in Crawford, TX.

John Gard is running for the House in WI-08 -- an open seat being vacated by four-term incumbent Mark Green (R), who is running for governor against Gov. Jim Doyle (D). Bush won the lean-Republican district by 11 points (55% - 44%) in 2004. Democrats have a three-way primary to sort out.

Don't miss Mark Silva's look at the Campaigner-in-Chief in the Chicago Tribune. LINK

Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Sandy Levin (D-MI) join Campaign for America's Future co-director Roger Hickey and Democratic pollster Guy Malyneux to participate in a teleconference discussing "the risk the midterm elections pose to the future of Social Security." The conference call begins at 11:30 am ET.

Sen. Clinton continues her New York City campaign tour today. The Senator first began her day with an official event as the keynoter at the Staten Island Chamber of Commerce legislative breakfast at 8:30 am ET. She then heads to a 10:45 am ET campaign event where she plans to meet with children and staff from the William Osborn Day Camp. At 3:00 pm ET Candidate Clinton is scheduled to meet with Bronx leaders and community residents at the New York Public Library, Bronx Library Center.

At 1:30 pm ET, Minnesota's Democratic Senate candidate, Amy Klobuchar, is expecting to be bolstered by an appearance alongside former U.S. Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) for a "Rally for Change" on the front lawn of the Minnesota Capitol Building in St. Paul. The speaking program follows a rally, which begins at 1:00 pm ET.

At 3:00 pm ET, Gerald McEntee, international president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, provides a phone briefing on how the union's 21st century initiative will "grow the labor movement, bolster union power and help elect pro-worker lawmakers."

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich delivers a speech at 100 Ideas Summit in Orlando, FL at 12:30 pm ET at the Portofino Bay Hotel.

The peripatetic former Speaker travels to Iowa later in the day to bolster the election prospects of the Republican candidates for governor and lieutenant governor, Jim Nussle and Bob Vander Plaats. The event, a Sioux City "Idearaiser," takes place at 6:15 pm ET in a private home and is meant to encourage "Iowans to share their best ideas to energize Iowa's future."

Following in former Rep. Gingrich's footsteps, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) commences the first of his four August Iowa trips with two Des Moines events today. At 5:30 pm ET, Sen. Biden attends an Iowa House Truman Fund Reception and at 7:30 pm ET, he fundraises for Chet Culver, Democratic candidate for Iowa governor, at an Iowa Trial Lawyers Dinner at Wakonda Country Club.

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) also makes the journey to the Hawkeye State today, where he speaks to the Des Moines chapter of Legatus, a Catholic lay organization of over 3200 business executives and their spouses.

Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) jumped on the news of day by scheduling 10:00 am ET remarks on the "aviation terror alert." At 11:15 am ET, Gov. Romney makes an announcement about the Commonwealth's energy needs. Later today, he does his duty as a GOP loyalist by attending the Republican Party of Wisconsin's "Countdown to Victory" reception, intended to fill the coffers of the party's GOTV effort. The reception begins at 8:00 pm ET at the University Club of Milwaukee, WI. Gov. Romney's remarks are to follow about one hour later.

Another Republican governor with greater ambitions does the rounds today: Gov. Mike Huckabee (R-AR) attends the National Coalition on Health Care meeting at the Kaiser Family Foundation in Washington, D.C. at 9:30 am ET and then heads to New Hampshire where he will be the special guest at the New Hampshire pig roast fundraiser for Ray Wieczorek in Hooksett, NH at 5:00 pm ET.

Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) continues his bus tour across Pennsylvania.

At 6:30 pm ET, South Carolina's two Republican Senators, Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham, raise funds for the South Carolina Republican Party at the Capital City Club in Columbia, South Carolina.

Beginning today and continuing through Saturday, the Congressional Black Caucus Political Leadership Institute hosts its 7th annual issues conference and fundraising event in Tunica, Missouri.