SNEAK PEEK: Big Momma's Heartache
Get a sneak peek at what will be dominating tomorrow's political news
October 26, 2007— -- The GOP's effort to tie Hillary Clinton to Charlie Rangel's so-called "Mother of All Tax Hikes" gets a boost Saturday when the former first lady and her husband join Rangel at the Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem.
Rangel, who chairs the powerful Ways and Means Committee and backs Clinton's candidacy, says his comprehensive reform bill would mean a decrease in taxes for 90 million Americans.
But Republicans are ignoring Rangel's proposed tax cuts for middle class Americans and some businesses and focusing instead on the higher taxes contained in the bill.
Even though GOP officials "don't quite paint the whole picture" in their denunciations of the $1 trillion worth of tax increases contained in Rangel's bill, ABC's Jake Tapper writes that Rangel has "handed Republicans a political issue to use against Democrats -- and against Clinton."
Clinton has not embraced the specifics of Rangel's proposal. But Tapper writes that Clinton campaign spokesman Phil Singer told ABC News that "Sen. Clinton and Rep. Rangel share the broad goal of progressive tax reform. We welcome Rep. Rangel's leadership on this issue and will study his proposal closely."
In Iowa on Saturday, Fred Thompson, Mike Huckabee, Ron Paul, Tom Tancredo, Duncan Hunter, and John Cox deliver remarks at the Iowa GOP's Reagan dinner at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines. The dinner begins at 7:00 pm ET.
(Mitt Romney will not be there but Ann Romney will be recognized during the dinner along with the Partnership to Fight Chronic Diseases).
During a taping of Iowa Public Television on Friday, Mitt Romney addressed Rudy Giuliani's national frontrunner status by saying: just wait until it's a two-man race.
Earlier Saturday, four presidential hopefuls participate in a video conference sponsored by GenerationEngage, Google, and the League of Rural Voters.
Barack Obama, John Edwards, and Ron Paul take part from Iowa State University in Ames.
Clinton participates from her office in New York. The conference gets underway at 1:30 pm ET. The candidates appear separately and take questions.
At 9:00 am ET in Columbia, S.C., on Sunday, Stephen Colbert is handed a "key to the city" and dubbed "Favorite Son" by Mayor Bob Coble.
On Monday, Edwards, Romney, and Thompson file for the New Hampshire primary.
Friday TiVo alert:
To mark Hillary Clinton's 60th birthday, Nightline has put together a photo montage which will air Friday. You can preview it here: http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=3781822&affil=wftv
Sunday TiVo alert:
John McCain appears on ABC's "This Week with George Stephanopoulos."
Saturday, October 27, 2007:
MIKE HUCKABEE
-- 8:31 pm ET: Speaks at the Reagan Dinner, Des Moines, IA.
ANN ROMNEY
-- 7:45 pm: Recognized at Reagan Dinner, Des Moines, IA.
JOSH ROMNEY
-- 8:00 pm ET: Attends the Republican Women's Oktoberfest, Billings, MT.
TOM TANCREDO