The Note: Smiling Lately, Dreaming About the World As One

— -- WASHINGTON, April 19

NEWS SUMMARY
At 10:02 am ET, Vice President Dick Cheney and Bill Clinton stand together in Oklahoma City for 168 seconds in silence to commemorate the victims of the 10-years-ago terrorist attack. The men are scheduled to speak shortly thereafter.

While there is no indication that the two leaders plan to conduct any shared business while in Oklahoma, we bet there's a lot they could get done.

Animated by the America-coming-together spirit of the occasion -- and the recent Bush-Clinton lovefest -- perhaps the two pols could be ushered into a room by Frank Keating and cuts some deals -- on filibusters, Bolton, DeLay, maybe even Social Security.

Granted, this is unlikely, but it might give some clarity to what are four very unsettled situations.

At least one of these (Bolton) will come to something of a head today, but in all four cases, we don't have the foggiest Notion how they will come out. If only the country at large cared as much about their outcomes as we do.

ABC News' Ed O'Keefe reports that that Democrats on the Foreign Relations Committee will once again attempt to postpone the vote in order to recall Bolton as a witness for an additional round of questioning. The vote is currently scheduled for 2:15 pm ET today.

It's unlikely that Sen. Lugar will grant this request (He told the Washington Post's Charles Babington he would not; see below for more.) which will mean Democrats can either just vote or an individual senator can put a formal "hold" on the nomination. Former presidential contender and Bush thorn Sens. John Kerry (D-MA) and Chris Dodd (D-CT) are thought the two most likely candidates among those who might employ a "hold."

By holding the hearing, Lugar and Biden have entered into a "gentlemen's agreement" but Democrats are not bound by any rule preventing them from putting a hold on Bolton at this late stage.

The mere threat of a "hold," however, might persuade Lugar to postpone. Add to the complexity the fact that moderate Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) has yet to formally declare whether he will support Bolton. A Chafee switch would lock the committee in a tie which would derail Bolton's nomination. And Sen. Hagel has not conclusively declared his fidelity.

In the last day or so, Bolton has answered some additional written questions, but some are not satisfied with his answers.

Reports O'Keefe: In yet one final twist, Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) is scheduled to speak at the opening of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield, IL; if the rookie Senator misses the vote, a Democrat can register his vote in his absence but only if the majority agrees to allow it. If he doesn't make the vote, he has a presidential excuse: he's traveling back to DC with Mr. Bush on Air Force One. It's unclear when that will be.

We are not likely to see new pictures of Majority Leader Tom DeLay today, but keep your ears open for words of support from the Hill, and possible news out of Texas.

The Senate meets at 9:45 am ET to consider the Iraq/Afghanistan supplemental; the House is in session at 12:30 pm ET.

Sen. Bill Frist and others come to cameras after the party policy luncheons at noon, and the filibuster fight will surely be discussed. Our unvigorous whip count still doesn't see enough data to counteract the Novak Thesis: First likely has the votes if he wants 'em.

President Bush today tours the Abraham Lincoln's presidential museum in Springfield, IL. That's at 11:35 ET.

At noon ET, he speaks at the museum's dedication. He's back at Crown, as the Secret Service folks would say, at 3:00 pm ET -- which makes the Obama thing sort of dramatic.

The United State Supreme Court meets today at 10:00 am ET for arguments and decisions. An Ohio death penalty case is on the agenda.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice spends the day in Moscow, conclaving with Russian President Vladimir Putin and other officials.

At 11:30 am ET, Sens. George Allen or Virginia and Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Rep. Chris Cox of California will unveil legislation to make the Internet tax moratorium permanent.

On national "Equal Pay Day," Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Tom Harkin will introduce a Paycheck Fairness Act. The press conference is at 11:00 am at the Senate swamp site. Busy Sen. Clinton spoke to the AFL-CIO building trades conference at the Washington Hilton before you finished breakfast.

Three days before Earth Day, House Democrats will hold a press conference at 10:00 am ET to release a new report on "Republican efforts to undermine environmental protections."

Americans United to Protect Social Security will announce its "mobilization against privatization," or, as we call it, the VandeHei March, at 2:00 pm ET in the Upper Senate Park. The mobilization is a pre-response to April 26's Senate Finance Committee hearings on Social Security.

This afternoon, RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman does a "Conversations with the Community" in Miami. And tonight Bill Clinton returns to the East Coast and takes in an award for his work on HIV/AIDS from the Pasteur Foundation in New York City.

Judicial Watch and the National Resources Defense Council alerted us to a hearing today at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia has a hearing to determine whether Energy Dept. employees detailed to the White House's energy task force are subject to FOIAS. (Judicial Watch and the NRDC sure hope so!)

Bolton:
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee will vote today on the nomination of John Bolton to be U.N. ambassador, the Washington Post's Chuck Babington reports, after committee Republicans said "no" to Democrats' request to examine allegations against him. Most of the wagered money expects his nominatoin to pass the panel and go to the Senate floor. LINK

Committee staff members from both parties say they expect Bolton to be confirmed today. LINK

The New York Times' Jehl and Weisman quote former Powell COS Larry Wilkerson in their take on the Democrats' delay maneuvers, with Wilkerson coming out publicly against Bolton. LINK

Filibuster showdown:
The Boston Globe's Peter Canellos does man-bites-dog and warns the Democrats: shut down the Senate at your own risk:

"(I)t is hard to believe that the Democrats' sense of outrage would be successfully translated to the public by gumming up the Senate. Reid has already indicated that defense bills would probably escape his net. Democratic presidential nominee John F. Kerry was criticized for voting against the $87 billion bill for the troops in 2003; Reid cannot get away with thwarting similar bills. But there is also a popular transportation bill on the docket, with projects for every state in the country. Reid would block it at his own peril." LINK

"Moreover, Republicans have already honed their sound bites to make it seem as if the Democrats -- not the GOP -- have been violating Senate rules. Republicans claim that filibustering judicial nominees is illegal because the Constitution specifically calls on the Senate to approve or reject judicial nominees; blocking such a vote, Republicans contend, thwarts the intention of the Framers."

John Podhoretz in the New York Post makes a not-bad point that some Democratic strategists agree with regarding shutting down the Senate: "Even though obstructionism is a vital weapon in a party's arsenal, it only works when it goes on below the radar." LINK

The Washington Post's Richard Cohen finds Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist's participation in the FRC event pandering. LINK

Leader DeLay:
Said Karl Rove on CNN to International Man of No Mystery John King: "Look, we strongly support Tom DeLay. He's a good man, close ally of this administration, he was down here last week visiting with the president a couple of times. Very confident this issue is resolved to everybody's satisfaction. Well, to Tom DeLay's satisfaction, a lot of charges are as you said in the introduction of attacks by Democrats and I suspect for partisan reasoning." LINK

DeLay continued a step-up campaign to rebut the various charges and accusations against him in a letter sent yesterday to thousands of his political supporters.

It marks the first time in recent weeks that DeLay has publicly, in his own name, responded to most of the charges and provided a counter-attack for these supporters to digest. It also acknowledges, explicitly, that the House ethics committee last year asked DeLay to moderate his behavior. It spins several related points, like the removal of Rep. Hefley from the ethics committee.

The letter comes amid charges that DeLay's public response has been less than helpful to him, including words from a senior White House official who told Time magazine this week that DeLay's lack of such a defense was "idiotic."

Writes DeLay in the letter:

"It should come as no surprise that following the 2004 election-year attacks on the President that the Democrats, their syndicate of third party organizations (Common Cause, Public Citizen, Move-On, etc.) and the legion of Democrat-friendly press would turn their attention to trying to retake Congress. It is abundantly clear that their fundamental strategy revolves around attacking me and working to tear down Republican leadership. "

"Rather than run the laundry list of unfounded attacks, I thought it would be helpful to briefly outline some recent issues and provide you with information that tells the real story. I think when you see the consistent pattern of information that has been largely ignored or unreported it will help you dispel any other unsubstantiated allegations."

"In detailed fashion, the document sets out to answer and explain Mr. DeLay's three admonishments by the House ethics panel last year, the rationale behind new House rules for the ethics committee and the reversal of a rule that would have allowed him to keep his post were he indicted," the New York Times' Carl Hulse reports. LINK

"It portrays a Texas grand jury investigation into campaign fund-raising and the indictment of three of his allies as a 'political dirty trick.' It defends as proper overseas travel that has been questioned, despite a 'manufactured controversy' over whether it was paid for inappropriately by a lobbyist. If a group sponsoring a trip ultimately gets money from another source, 'a member is not and should not be responsible for that information,' it said."

"The mailing also said that payments to Mr. Delay's wife and daughter from his political organizations were entirely permissible and a common practice by members of Congress."

The Washington Post's Mike Allen puts the story on Page A-1. LINK

Roll Call's Ben Pershing Notes that the memo disputes the allegation that former ethics chairman Rep. Joel Hefley (R-CO) was fired, and says leadership replaced him because of term limits.

Gebe Martinez of the Houston Chronicle writes that although the e-mail reminds supporters that he has not been found to have violated any rules or laws he will still face opposition. Former U.S. Rep. Chris Bell, who is mentioned in the memo because he once filed ethics complaints against DeLay said, "He can call a pig a horse, and it's still a pig . . . It's not going to change the facts. Everyone knows he was admonished . . . Now that his back has been pushed against the wall, he's becoming desperate and knows he can't fight with the truth, I guess he thinks it's his best defense to convince people of something that isn't true." LINK

The Hartford Courant's David Lightman pens a 1,400 story on Rep. Rob Simmons and his contortions about DeLay that is not favorable to either lawmaker.

"Democrats -- who already are aggressively going after Republicans in about a dozen toss-up districts -- can spit out Simmons' supposed transgressions. He took an estimated $128,000 this year from ROMP, the Retain Our Majority Program, a DeLay-run effort that directs money from members of Congress with lots of cash and safe seats to their more vulnerable colleagues. He hasn't called on DeLay to resign but is relying on the legal and administrative process to handle accusations against the majority leader. Democrats say Simmons did not follow that same standard when he became the first Connecticut House Republican to call for Gov. John G. Rowland's resignation last year. He has accepted $29,500 from DeLay's political action committee, Americans for a Republican Majority, since his first run for Congress in 2000. And he benefited from an intimate March 2004 fundraiser at Washington's posh Signatures restaurant, owned by Jack Abramoff, a high-powered lobbyist under federal investigation who has close ties to DeLay.

To Simmons, all these alleged indiscretions are nothing more than bogus guilt by association." LINK

"Until the House Ethics Committee decides against him, or he admits wrongdoing, I will not call for Tom DeLay's resignation solely on partisan or personal grounds."

Candy Crowley makes Doonesberry, thanks to Leader DeLay!!! LINK

Social Security:
The Washington Post's Jim VandeHei details what President Bush told a special session of the South Carolina legislature yesterday in stumping for his Social Security plan, Noting also what Bush left out of his presentation, and Sen. Lindsey Graham's recent comments that it's time for the President to offer some specifics on what he wants his plan to do. LINK

Elisabeth Bumiller writes up yesterday's Bush visit to the Palmetto State much as we would: with plenty of obeisance to Lee Bandy and The State. LINK

Aaron Gould Sheinin of The State writes says Bush spoke to a "friendly room" of lawmakers including republican Gov Mark Sanford and Sens. Jim DeMint and Lindsey Graham. LINK

The President likened his plans to modernize the program to the way mobile phones have modernized communications systems and urged state lawmakers not to be driven by polls that say the idea hasn't caught on, writes the Los Angeles Times' Ed Chen. LINK

Bloomberg's Heidi Przybyla suggests that the intensity of support for the the President's desire to change Social Security for younger Americans is not super-high among religious conserviates, and therein lies a tale . . .

HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson was lent some Wall Street Journal op-ed real estate to tout the President's Social Security plans to African Americans.

Bush agenda:
"Efforts to return to privatized airport screening can't get off the ground," writes Amy Schatz in the Wall Street Journal.

"Five months after U.S. airports were allowed to seek permission to switch from federal Transportation Security Administration employees to private screeners, just one airport has applied -- and even it is reconsidering. The stalled effort comes amid a new round of federal reports this week on whether airport security is significantly better now than before 9/11."

Karl Rove, speaking at a forum in honor of the late father of Wall Street Journal political editor John Harwood, spoke critically about what he sees as a rise in horse race-style coverage of politics and policy. LINK

"'We are substituting the shrill and rapid call of the track announcer for calm judgment, fact and substance,' Rove told the crowd of roughly 600 students and local residents.

"Naming specific reporters and news organizations, Rove said the media unfairly created the impression that President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act, introduced early in his first term, was stalled in Congress at every step before its passage. But the legislation was passed by the House and Senate with wide margins and was signed by Bush less than a year after it was introduced, Rove said. He said the media have taken a similar approach to the current debate over Social Security."

Congress:
The Washington Post's Justin Blum looks at the $8 billion in tax breaks for energy companies included in the energy bill the House will consider today. LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Mary Curtius writes that the vote today in the Senate on an immigration bill that could start the process of legalizing an estimated 500,000 immigrant farmworkers and their families will be a test of the strength of support for measures to legalize some illegal immigrants and also for measures to tighten border controls -- as well as support for President Bush's immigration plan. LINK

Former Sen. John Breaux (D-LA) laments Congress' lost art of compromise in Roll Call.

2006:
On George Pataki: "Numerous lobbyists, lawmakers and political operatives here say they do not expect him to run for a fourth term as governor," writes Michael Cooper in the New York Times. "They point to a slow but steady exodus of aides from the Pataki administration, to unenviable poll numbers, and to indications that some of his supporters are beginning to cozy up to Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, a leading Democratic contender in the 2006 governor's race." (Michael McKeon disagrees.) LINK

With Henry Hyde's seat open in 2006, Democrats say they have a not unreasonable shot at making it competitive; Rahm's from the state, it's in suburban Chicago, the popular Hyde took only 56 percent of the vote in 2004 and a candidate who has been running since she lost that vote, Christine Cegelis. Republicans say the district is reliably center-right.

The Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet brings home the announcement she broke on March 15, and takes a look at Hyde's legislative accomplishments. LINK

The Chicago Tribune's Rudolph Bush takes a closer look at Hyde's 30-year career in Congress, Noting that "[w]ere it not for a Clinton White House intern named Monica Lewinsky, Hyde's legacy would rest to a great degree on his anti-abortion reputation." LINK

More coverage of Hyde's retirement announcement: LINK and LINK

Jim O'Sullivan of the Boston Globe reports that Massachusetts Attorney General Thomas F. Reilly may soon throw his hat into the gubernatorial race. Reilly, speaking to young Democrats over the weekend, stated he would not raise taxes. Last week, Deval Patrick, the first Democrat to announce his candidacy, refused to rule out a tax increase and called Reilly's promises ''a cheap gimmick." LINK

Jennifer C. Yates of the AP reports that Chris Heinz will not run for Congress in 2006, but doesn't rule out a future campaign. He told the AP, "I'm definitely not doing it in 2006. I've thought about it in my life, but it's just not right at this particular time." LINK

George Allen also brought in nearly $2.1 million, giving him about $3 million total, per Roll Call's Lauren Whittington

But Sen. Lincoln Chafee (R-RI) isn't feeling the crunch to raise cash yet, writes Roll Call's Nicole Duran.

House freshmen are doing pretty well in the numbers game, writes Roll Call's Erin Phillips.

2008 Republicans:
Garry Rayno of the Manchester Union Leader covers Newt Gingrich's promotional trip to New Hampshire. LINK

His new book, "Winning the Future," being the focus of the visit, the former House Speaker made several stop-offs across the state. At a Republican fundraiser in Bedford Monday evening, Gingrich brazenly spewed out reflections on the government's ailments. "The problems are bigger than we have solutions, and we have a political system that is sick." Opining earnestly that an updated Contract with America should be the order of the day, he cited the need for better border-management, economic enhancement, security tweaks, as well as addressing the looming concerns surrounding an aging workforce. He even contributed (supportively) to the ado on personal accounts. Almost as an afterthought, an inquiry regarding a possible 2008 candidacy bid was effectively skirted, with Newt nonetheless Noting that the Republican nomination is up for grabs at this point.

The AP's Jennifer Dobner writes that Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney's visit to Utah yesterday to discuss the Olympic Games and education was "more presidential than gubernatorial." Romney is still mum about his presidential aspirations, yet he was in Utah for his second time this year and his recent travels have also included Missouri, Michigan, and South Carolina. LINK

2008 Democrats:
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton announced yesterday that she'd raised nearly $4 million for her re-election campaign. In a letter to her campaign supporters, Clinton cited the "right wing attack machines" who want to defeat her and says she has "news for them: I am going to go right on, working hard and speaking out against the irresponsible, extreme policies of the Bush administration that I believe are leading America in the wrong direction."

The New York Times' Ray Hernandez Notes she's banked $8.7 million. LINK

Some of that moolah came from the PAC of John Kerry, the New York Daily News reports. LINK

We like (and presume he likes) that Deb Orin calls the NRSC's Brian Nick a "Republican Senate strategist." LINK

"New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, often mentioned as a possible Democratic presidential candidate, said Monday the Democratic Party must reconnect with voters' core values if it hopes to regain congressional seats and perhaps even the presidency," the AP reports self-referentially. LINK

"Partisan fights in the nation's capital must be replaced with policy proposals that strike at the heart of voters' most pressing concerns, such as health care costs and education, he said during a speech at the annual meeting of The Associated Press."

Iowa:
Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who -- Note you well Matt Paul -- gets his own section, stipulated Monday that if he signs a law raising the speed limit on the interstate highways, it comes as a package deal, complete with inflated fines for speeding (which could aid the state's economy).

In today's Sioux City Journal, Todd Dorman points out that Vilsack's position on the measure is as yet unclear. Blatantly uncomfortable about the idea of speed increases, he is now processing the likelihood that supplemental revenue from penalty hikes would prove beneficial to the courts and Iowa State Patrol. "It's uncertain when Vilsack will be forced to make a final decision on the bill, which has yet to reach his desk. If it arrives during the next two weeks before lawmakers end the 2005 session, Vilsack will have three days to act. But if it arrives after adjournment, the governor will have 30 days to weigh his options." LINK

2005:
The New York Post -- not all that into Bob Kerrey, it seems -- urges Bill Clinton to run for mayor, tongue partly in cheek (but you never know with those folks!) LINK

On to the, ah, news:

"New School University President Bob Kerrey said yesterday it is 'unlikely' he will run for mayor — and suggested he might back a Democrat, even though he recently agreed to support Mayor Bloomberg's re-election," the New York Post reports. LINK

The New York Times eschews a news-of-day piece (Rutenberg's Notebook gets embedded), and goes with a Sam Roberts history of New York carpetbaggers (read: "new New Yorkers") and the many different weaves they come in. LINK

The New York Daily News' ed board thinks the Democratic field needed the Kerrey shake up, though it doesn't have nice things to say about Kerrey. LINK

The page also has an editorial cartoon making fun of Kerrey.

Freddy Ferrer attacked Bloomberg yesterday for a "terrible failure of leadership" on school reform. LINK

"Yet the power of Ferrer's message may have been diluted by his own proposal -- restoring the stock transfer tax, a controversial initiative that drew instant criticism and ridicule."

The Acela, Limited:
Break trouble? Shmeak trouble, says Amtrak's President, who predicts the problem won't hurt the railroad's long-term effort with the Acela trains. LINK

New (and successful and dashing) New York Times op-eder John Tierney begs to disagree; with Amtrak's monopoly on train service, it will never improve because it has no real competitive incentive to do so, he writes. LINK

Howard Dean speaks:
On Terri Schiavo, to Adam Smith of the St. Petersburg Times.

"'There is a deep scar on the American psyche, he said. This is a great tragedy for the American people and I think the behavior of the governor (Jeb Bush) and the president and the senator (Mel Martinez) is something that will long be remembered."

"Making his first Florida appearance since becoming chairman, Dean chose Collier partly because it helped underscore his priorities for building the Democratic party." LINK

Dean called Republican leaders "corrupt" on a visit to Naples, FL on Monday, telling the Naples Daily News that the Sunshine State needs fair election laws, and Republicans aren't going to the be the ones to do anything about it. He also had loads of criticism for Republicans on the federal budget and the environment -- oh, and talked about how his party is going to run campaigns, too. LINK

Politics:
The first public hearing of the Carter-Baker (as in Jimmy and James) Commission on Federal Election Reform heard testimony from assorted election luminaries and was by all accounts a productive airing of the issues.

But the press conference capping the day was a nice example of the obstacles in the way of the commission: the low-hanging fruit, as Baker characterized it, might have already been plucked (and transformed into the Help America Vote Act).

Baker said he hoped this wasn't the case, and he did his darndest to sound even-handed and fair and judicious, but he and Carter struck starkly different tones when prompted to discuss whether more federal control over elections is a good thing. And we doubt Baker will ever sign his name to a recommendation for a "citizenship card," which Carter said was among the things that the commission will discuss. We Noted that Mr. Baker has mastered the art of smiling wanly when Mr. Carter speaks. (Jest aside, the two men genuinely seem to like and respect each other.)

More coverage here: . LINK and LINK

Linda Feldmann of the Christian Science Monitor writes that while being the party in the minority has united Democrats against the Republican agenda, they haven't figured out how to make any gains, either in reality or perception, from that unity and organization. And part of that perception that lingers, Feldmann writes, is that they don't have a clear message of their own. LINK