The Note

WASHINGTON — --

69 Days Until Inauguration Day

Is Attorney General a stepping stone to a seat on the Supreme Court? Elisabeth Bumiller and Neil Lewis of the New York Times talked with some "Republicans close to the White House" about Gonzales possibly "bolstering" his credentials at Justice before being nominated to the big bench. LINK

"The strategy, which Republicans said was in large part the work of Karl Rove, the president's chief political adviser, would clear the way for Mr. Bush to make his first nomination to the Supreme Court a trusted conservative, thus showing gratitude to his political base for the large role they played in giving him a second term," writes the Times duo.

The Washington Post's Darryl Fears reports Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organizations are celebrating Bush's nomination of Alberto R. Gonzales as attorney general -- while the ACLU and People for the American Way are calling for hearings on his role in Abu Ghraib. "Oftentimes in our community people look at things and say, 'We'll never have a person in a position like that,'" said Larry Gonzalez of NALEAO. "'Well, it's happening, folks. It's only taken hundreds of years.'" LINK

Not only might Yasser Arafat's death provide an opening for President Bush to continue to push for peace in the Middle East, but as Steven Weisman reports in the New York Times, if he calls on Europe to play a "key role" it could perhaps help those sometimes strained relations too. LINK

Al Kamen examines Secretary Colin Powell's enigmatic use of the term "President Bush and I" to talk about his tenure at the State Department, and various tea-leave-reading scenarios for remaking the presidential Cabinet. LINK

The Washington Post's Kessler and Kamen report on Robert Blackwill's departure from the NSC for the green green pastures of Barbour, Griffith, and Rogers following the controversy over his alleged treatment of a State Department employee in Kuwait. LINK

This is one of those stories where there is clearly at least as much subtext as text.

The Los Angeles Times' Peter Wallsten offers up an excellent piece on Christian evangelicals looking to spend their newly bolstered political capital and the anxiety some have that their influence might not be instantly applied. LINK

Be sure to Note Rev. Louis Sheldon's use of the word "albatross" when discussing what a Specter Judiciary Committee chairmanship might mean for Sen./Dr./Leader Frist, Bob Jones' post-election letter to the President, and the addition of Jerry Falwell to Sen. Specter's call sheet.

And do not miss "This Week with George Stephanopoulos" on Sunday if you want a sneak peak at how the Judiciary Committee will handle Judge Gonzales' nomination, possible Supreme Court vacancies, and the internal politics of the committee itself when Sen. Specter debates Sen. Schumer on Sunday morning.

Carl Hulse of the New York Times heard Sen. Frist's filibuster warnings to the Democrats in his speech to the Federalist Society. LINK

The Wall Street Journal rearranges the President's economic agenda to do list. LINK

ABC News' Marc Ambinder reports on the search for a new DNC Chair, and new direction for the Party. It is, dare we say, a "must read." LINK

The AP Notes January will bring a new class of Newt's disciples in the Senate. "Some 52 senators will be products of the House, including 30 Republicans. Of those GOP members, close to a dozen were in the House when Gingrich was working to reverse 40 years of Democratic rule or were elected shortly after the Republican tidal wave." LINK

Mary Curtius of the Los Angeles Times takes a look at the (stalled?) intelligence reform bill in the lame duck session. LINK

The AARP is apparently not as fond of some private Social Security accounts as it was of the prescription drug benefit. And we urge you all to pay careful attention to the importance the word "privatization" will play in this upcoming debate. LINK

Keying off the DSCC's missing $350,000, Lisa Getter of the Los Angeles Times writes, "As record amounts of money from millions of donors flood the political system, more and more federal candidates and committees have found themselves victimized by campaign embezzlers in the last few years." LINK

One of our favorite stories of the day is this gem from Jennifer Steinhauer of the New York Times about Mayor Bloomberg's removal from the Republican National Convention speaking program before Karl Rove came to the rescue. We wonder if it is possible that the Skyler/Cunningham/Sheekey team shopped this story around. And if so, why? Perhaps those Anthony Weiner ads had some appreciable effect? LINK

Gov. Pataki sent out his very able spokesgal to publicly scold Arthur Finkelstein for his recent assessment of the presidential campaign. LINK

Blogger's vote fraud theories are quickly debunked reports the New York Times. LINK

The New York Times also reports that electronic voting certainly had its problems, but overall performed pretty well. LINK