The Note: Manhattan, U.S.A

— -- WASHINGTON, Sep. 18

The two presidents -- possessed of radically different world views -- are both in Manhattan for several days this week, but they have no plans to meet. Still, as they both hold bilateral sessions with various other world leaders, they will surely keep a close watch on one another.

We speak, of course, of President Bush and former President Clinton.

Like day is followed by night, every election year, the 9/11 anniversary (during which the press obsesses on President Bush's ability to "keep the focus" on national security right before Election Day, to the benefit of his Daddy Party) is followed by the UNGA, keyNoted by the POTUS's tough-love speech (during which the press obsesses on President Bush's ability to "keep the focus" on national security right before Election Day, to the benefit of his Daddy Party).

Democrats, afraid of the more-organized-than-all-of-them-except-Steve-Rosenthal-and-Michael-Whouley-actually-realize Republican turnout machine, are comforting themselves with the Notion that this is the last week before November during which the President can "keep the focus" on the war on terror.

This cold comfort might be misguided for three reasons. First, do not underestimate the White House's ability to find week-by-week reasons to raise other national security bogeymen.

Second, do not underestimate the White House's ability to (a) smash the glass jaws of inexperienced Democratic candidates; (b) use taxestaxestaxes; and (c) microtarget social issues galore.

And, three, digest these two must-read stories that suggest that (i) "we are in the struggle to preserve civilization as we know it" might pack more of an emotional wallop than "Together, America can do better to change." And (ii) it is possible that the last few weeks have baked-into-the-cakes of voters' minds that this election is about who will keep America safer.

1. The Washington Post's Shankar Vedantam, writing in a different context, says, "George E. Marcus, president of the International Society of Political Psychology, said modern research confirms that unless political ads evoke emotional responses, they don't have much effect. Voters, he explained, need to be emotionally primed in some way before they will pay attention." LINK

"The research is of importance to politicians for obvious reasons -- and partly explains the enduring attraction of negative advertising -- but it is also important to voters, because it suggests that the reason candidates seem appealing often has little to do with their ideas. Political campaigns are won and lost at a more emotional and subtle level.. . . ""It is comparatively difficult to persuade anyone to change their mind on an issue. What works much better, because it influences people at an emotional and subtle level, is to get people to focus on a different issue -- the one where the candidate is the strongest."

"'The agenda-setting effect is what we are talking about,' said Nicholas A. Valentino, a political psychologist at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor. 'The ability of a candidate not to tell people how to feel about an issue, but which issue they should focus on -- that is the struggle of most modern campaign managers.'"

"'Campaigns have been much more successful at shifting people's attentions to different issues rather than shifting people's positions,' he added."

2. The brilliant Rick Klein, ahead of the curve in the Boston Globe, says, "Public confidence in President Bush's leadership appears to be rising since last week's campaign-style blitz touting his record in fighting terrorism, generating optimism among Republican lawmakers and operatives that they will be able to avoid losing control of Congress in the fall. . . ." LINK

"(R)ecent movement in polls suggests that the president continues to enjoy a bully pulpit from which he can influence the nation's mood and perceptions, despite setbacks that have harmed his popularity and credibility. Republicans say they are comforted by the fact that the forces set into motion in recent months can still be shaped by the president and congressional leaders."

President Bush begins his Manhattan moment by joining the First Lady for remarks at the White House Conference on Global Literacy at 12:15 pm ET. The rest of his day is filled with bilateral meetings with leaders from Malaysia, El Salvador, Honduras, and Tanzania. At 7:25 pm ET, President Bush attends a Republican National Committee fundraiser at a private residence which is expected to raise $1.4 million from the 80 attendees.

President Bush delivers the main event, his speech to the UNGA, tomorrow. Bill Clinton and his foundation have put together an impressive list of global political, business, and cultural leaders together to attempt to alleviate some of the world's most intractable problems by setting goals and reporting back progress on those goals. The schedule of events can be found here: LINK

First Lady Laura Bush will share the stage with Bill Clinton on Wednesday September 20 to help kick off this second annual Clinton Global Initiative.

Former Vice President Al Gore is in New York today to discuss the "climate crisis." At 9:30 am ET, he takes part in the release of the Carbon Disclosure Project survey on business strategies for climate change, and at 12:30 pm ET he gives a "major policy address" on solving the "climate crisis" from the NYU School of Law.

Former Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) participates in the New York Times' "The Middle Class at Risk" panel discussion in New York City at 6:30 pm ET at The New School.

A memorial service will be held in Austin at 1:00 pm ET for former Gov. Ann Richards (D-TX). Among those expected to speak are Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) , former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk, former San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros, and syndicated columnist Liz Smith.

Several '08ers are out on the road today. Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) will give a speech at Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA. Sen. Joe Biden (D-DE) will campaign in Nashua, NH. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) campaigns for Rep. Nancy Johnson (R-CT) in Danbury, CT. Gov. Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) and Richard Holbrooke will campaign with Gov. John Lynch (D-NH) and Iowa gubernatorial candidate Chet Culver (D-IA) in New York, NY.

Karl Rove is in New York City raising campaign cash at the 21 Club for Tom Kean, Jr's Senate campaign.

Vice President Cheney will deliver remarks at a Maine Victory 2006 luncheon in Cape Elizabeth, Maine at 12:00 p.m. After that, he will fly to Pennsylvania for a reception for Rep. Don Sherwood (R-PA).

At 2:00 pm ET, the Senate Democratic Policy Committee will hold an "oversight hearing" on accountability for contracting abuses in Iraq.

Be sure to check out our look at the week ahead in politics below:

politics of detainees:

The compromise tea leaf reading dominates most of the Monday looks at the weekend chatter.

The New York Times takes Note of Stephen Hadley's hinting at a compromise and his crossing of paths with Sen. McCain on Sunday morning in George Stephanopoulos' shop. The paper also has the Senator announcing another endorsement, this one from Reagan's former secretary of state: "By the way, I forgot to mention this: George Schultz said I could say that he strongly favors our position." LINK

The New York Post has Sen. McCain's comments to "This Week" and highlights Newsweek's discovery of the seven interrogation techniques the White House has approved. LINK

The Boston Globe's editorial page is not in favor of either the Senate Armed Services Committee version or the President's bill at the moment. LINK

The Daily News on the White House's willingness to compromise. LINK

USA Today: LINK

Washington Times: LINK

Bush Administration agenda:

The New York Post's Earle previews President Bush's UN "freedom" speech. LINK

In his UNGA curtain-raiser, David Jackson of USA Today writes of President Bush's tense relations with the United Nations. LINK

In the speech, Bloomberg's Bill Varner reports that President Bush will touch broadly on the nuclear disputes involving Iran and North Korea. The President will also seek tougher measures to "halt massacres in Sudan and abuses in military-run Myanmar," according to Assistant Secretary of State Kristen Silverberg. LINK

Barbara Slavin of USA Today Notes, "President Bush and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad deliver dueling speeches at the United Nations this week in what could become a dramatic showdown over Iran's nuclear program." LINK

In a weekend must-read, Ronald Brownstein of the Los Angeles Times argued on Sunday that President Bush has failed to recapture the 9/11 spirit of national unity. LINK

Also in must-read fashion, Time's Mike Allen examines President Bush's emphatic body language and has NBC's Matt Lauer saying to President Bush following a recent jab-filled interview: "Whoa! I thought you were coming after me there." LINK

On network morning television, First Lady Laura Bush was asked about the Republican Senators who have defied President Bush on detainee interrogations.

"I wouldn't say that they question him," said Mrs. Bush. "I would say that they are questioning some of the ideas."

"He knows these men very well -- all of them. Knows what their issues are," she added. On Madrid's decision to ban too-thin models from the catwalk, the First Lady said: "I don't see our government getting involved in skinny models."

The Los Angeles Times looks at the progress (or lack thereof) of the "American Competitiveness Initiative" since President Bush highlighted it during his State of the Union address. LINK

Casting and counting:

Increasing the odds that this story will soon come to a television screen near you, the Washington Post's Dan Balz and Zachary Goldfarb's must-read reported on Sunday that the voting problems Maryland experienced last week could be seen nationwide in November as many precincts make the switch to electronic voting machines for the first time. LINK

GOP agenda:

In an editorial that slams House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) for asking whether Democrats are more interested in protecting the terrorists than protecting the American people, the Washington Post provocatively asks: "Is John Boehner more interested in keeping the House than protecting Americans? We're just wondering." LINK

In a Washington Post op-ed, former Bush media consultant Stuart Stevens wrote muscularly that Republicans should not be so worried about running away from President Bush, and instead should focus on their own agendas. "This view of Bush transformed from Leader of the Free World into Election Jeremiah is so wrong that it should be laughable." LINK

Democratic agenda:

After focusing almost exclusively on combating the White House megaphone on national security, Roll Call's Billings reports Democrats "are planning to once again ramp up the number of media events, floor speeches and legislative maneuvers where they press key economic issues, including a minimum-wage increase, Social Security protection, college affordability, Medicare prescription drug coverage, the extension of certain tax provisions beneficial to the middle class and energy policy reform."

Adam Nagourney of the New York Times delivered a Sunday must-read on the omnipresent George W. Bush in Democratic campaign ads, a far different approach than the party used in its 2002 or 2004 advertising. LINK

Note Nagourney's McCain thingy in this piece.

The economy:

Fed Chair Ben Bernanke is "stepping up his push for an inflation target at a time when hitting it might damage the U.S. economy," reports Bloomberg's Rich Miller. Bernanke has penciled in an in-depth discussion of targets for next month's Federal Open Market Committee meeting. LINK

2008: Republicans:

On the intra-party strife over detainees, the New York Times' Adam Nagourney traipsed (and choppered) through New Hampshire with Sen. McCain on Sunday, but it is his inclusion of Gov. Romney's reaction that is most Noteworthy. "'I am foursquare behind the president on this,' Mr. Romney said. 'I believe that we should do everything possible to support those people at the front line who are responsible for enforcing the war on terrorism.'" LINK

More Nagourney on the split at the top of the 2008 GOP field: "Asked if this was his sharpest difference with Mr. McCain, Mr. Romney said: 'No. There are a number of things. We have different views on McCain-Feingold, differing views on immigration policy, differing views on the interrogation of terrorists. There are also many other areas where we see eye to eye.'"

"Told about Governor Romney's position on the treatment of terrorism suspects, Mr. McCain noted tartly, 'He doesn't have a vote.'"

On ABC's Political Radar, Teddy Davis observed on Sunday that Sen. McCain brushed off any potential 2008 fallout while appearing on "This Week with George Stephanopoulos." LINK

"'I believe this has nothing to do with politics,' said Sen. McCain. 'I tell you very frankly: no matter what the political impact is, this is a matter of conscience.'"

Here is Joe McQuaid's blistering front page New Hampshire Union Leader editorial from Saturday: LINK

In Saturday's Los Angeles Times, Gerstenzang and Levey had McCain strategist John Weaver seeking to deemphasize the differences between McCain and Bush. LINK

"'It's not contentious. It's not angry,' he said. 'It's just a difference of opinion.'"

"Weaver said the dispute was not likely to last, even if the White House used it for the November elections. And he contended that McCain, given his history in Vietnam, need not worry that anyone might successfully challenge his national security credentials."

The Wall Street Journal's ed board takes Sen. McCain to task for wanting to have it "both ways" on the CIA interrogation program. "On the one hand, he claims the Administration has all the legal rights it needs to maintain the CIA interrogation program. So he can deny responsibility if the program is shut down. On the other hand, he won't speak up and support such interrogations, and he continues to imply that the Administration favors 'torture' and illegal behavior even as he knows the CIA is demanding no such thing."

"McCain makes case for gentler interrogation of captured terrorists," reads the New Hampshire Union Leader headline above the main story on McCain's New Hampshire visit. LINK

Steve Kornacki of politicsnh.com writes, after watching McCain in Concord, "it was almost startling how clear his 2008 path seemed." He adds that "political forecasters have been hesitant to declare McCain the runaway early front-runner for the '08 nod. And indeed, he is faced with a tricky balancing act: maintaining the maverick's reputation that endeared him to independents, Democrats, media figures and even the apolitical masses while convincing GOP primary voters that he is more of a kindred ideological spirit than they ever imagined." LINK

Ben Smith of the New York Daily writes that World Trade Center air quality concerns and other potential missteps in the days after the 9/11 attacks may pose a risk to Rudy Giuliani's possible presidential bid. LINK

From a Victory NH press release: "Mayor Giuliani will be the inaugural speaker at Victory NH's 'First in the Nation Forums' -- an ongoing series of roundtable discussions, town hall meetings, and debates to connect New Hampshire's business and community leaders with elected officials, candidates, and opinion leaders."

Giuliani's scheduled to attend on October 12 in Manchester, NH.

2008: Democrats:

Although the Senator insists he is not running for President, The New York Times' Anne Kornblut sees Sen. Obama's inaugural trip to Iowa as the first in a series of appearances that signal he may not have ruled it out completely. "With the book, titled 'The Audacity of Hope,' will come an October appearance on 'The Oprah Winfrey Show,' magazine profiles and a national speaking tour. Throughout, Mr. Obama is keeping up a full schedule of political speeches on behalf of Democrats nationwide; his fame has made him one of the most requested fund-raising guests in the party." LINK

Two Notes: 1. Go back and re-read Gov. Vilsack's reaction to the Obama appearance and the attention paid to Mark Warner and you will have a greater understanding of the race for the 2008 Democratic nomination. People are taking this possibility very, very, very seriously.

2. We wonder how Sen. Clinton and her cadre of advisers feel about their assigned New York Times reporter covering Obama in Iowa. (Actually, we bet we know.)

The hometown coverage from the Chicago Tribune Notes Obama's appearance comes just 484 days shy of the Iowa caucuses. LINK

The Des Moines Register's Beaumont includes Obama saying, "there's nothing that changed my mind so far." LINK

The AP's Mike Glover reports that Mark Warner kicked off his three day trip through Iowa with a stop at Harkin's steak fry where he motivated democrats for the 2006 elections. Today, Gov. Warner will attend another steak fry hosted by state legislative candidates. LINK

The Las Vegas Review-Journal Notes former Energy Secretary/Gov. Bill Richardson's opposition to Yucca Mountain as a nuclear waste repository. LINK

Attention John Edwards (and others): The Chicago Tribune takes a look at the rising poverty rates in suburban Chicago. LINK

"Several studies in recent years indicate that pattern is playing out in communities around Chicago and other cities, both in inner-ring suburbs and, to a lesser degree, some wealthier towns."

At the end of his Sunday interview on CNN's "Late Edition," Wolf Blitzer asked Sen. Bayh when he is going to announce his run for the presidency.

Without missing a beat, the Indiana Democrat said: "Well, it's kind of you to ask, Wolf, but I hope I don't disappoint you by saying not today. Maybe a scoop on another Sunday."

"U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh told a room full of Iowa United Autoworkers Union members [Friday] he thinks the United States should impose tariffs on China if the country continues to keep its currency artificially low," reports the Des Moines Register. LINK

The Washington Post's John F. Harris and Shailagh Murray reported on Sunday that Al Gore's 2008 plans may become clearer after he publishes, "The Assault on Reason," in May of 2007. LINK

"As described by editor Scott Moyers, the book is a meditation on how 'the public arena has grown more hostile to reason,' and how solving problems such as global warming is impeded by a political culture with a pervasive 'unwillingness to let facts drive decisions.'"

The Washington Post duo also Note that Clinton pollster Mark Penn has a deal to publish "Micro Trends," which analyzes American politics and business, next Labor Day, when Hillary Clinton's "widely anticipated 2008 campaign would presumably be nearing a boil."

The New York Post's gossipy Cindy Adams attempts to drum up a Colin Powell Democratic candidacy for president in 2008. LINK

Clintons of Chappaqua:

Over the weekend, the Wall Street Journal curtain-raised this week's Clinton Global Initiative, Noting that the Clinton folks have adopted a Reaganesque "trust but verify" principle.

"'We have an even greater focus on ensuring that the commitments are specifically for CGI and that the commitments are real,' says spokesman Jay Carson."

2006: landscape:

The Wall Street Journal's John Fund opines that if Republicans "lose big in November, one reason will be their tardy response to public outrage over profligate spending."

The New York Times reports on the IRS' watchful eye over religious institutions involvement in political campaigns this season. LINK

In his look at this year's micro-targeting efforts, US News' Dan Gilgoff reports that Michigan Republicans plan to appeal to male snowmobilers who live in the state's rugged Upper Peninsula by blaming the "environmental extremism" of Gov. Jennifer Granholm and Sen. Debbie Stabenow for holding up construction of snowmobile trails. LINK

2006: House:

Donald Lambro of the Washington Times reports that district drawn lines in 2000 may save the GOP in 2006. LINK

The Quad City Times picks up the Des Moines Register poll from Sunday showing Democrat Bruce Braley leading Republican Mike Whalen 44 to 37 percent in the 1st congressional district race, an open seat due to Rep. Jim Nussle's run for Governor. LINK

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Pederson Notes that Pennsylvania GOP Executive Director Scott Migli's attempt to criticize Democratic congressional challengers Joe Sestak, Lois Murphy, Patrick Murphy, and Chris Carney for attending $250-per-plate fundraisers in Washington didn't fly terribly well, as Republican Rep. Jim Gerlach hosted a $1,000-per-plate shindig with special guest Majority Leader John Boehner (R-OH). LINK

In his look at the race between Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) and Democrat Joe Sestak, Time's Joe Klein has an anonymous House colleague of Rep. Weldon's saying: "Curt can be absolutely brilliant. But there's also a slightly unhinged quality to him." LINK

In a must-read Sunday column, the Washington Post's David Broder captured the "complete head case" that Rep. Shays has become as he labored to "square the circle of his own conflicting impulses." LINK

Sam Howe Verhovek of the Los Angeles Times reports, "A funny thing happened Friday when Karl Rove, the White House advisor, came to the Seattle suburbs to headline a fundraiser for freshman Republican Rep. Dave Reichert: The congressman did nothing to publicize the visit, and his challenger drew every bit of attention to it she could." LINK

The DCCC began airing an ad on Saturday in New York's 24th congressional district which attacks Republican Ray Meier for supporting higher sales taxes. Meier is running against Democrat Michael Arcuri for the seat left vacant by longtime Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY).

The Cincinnati Enquirer's Malia Rulon reports that White House press secretary Tony Snow is headed home to Cincinnati on October 6th to attend a fundraiser for Rep. Jean Schmidt (R-OH). This would be Snow's first trip back since becoming press secretary. LINK

As the DCCC's Bill Burton was quick to flag for reporters over the weekend, the Sacramento Bee endorsed Democrat Charlie Brown over Rep. John Doolittle (R-CA) on Sunday, writing: "Doolittle is emblematic of what's wrong in Washington -- all-too-cozy relations among lobbyists, politicians, their spouses and staffers." LINK

2006: Senate:

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's O'Toole reported over the weekend that evangelical broadcaster James Dobson will travel to Pittsburgh this week for "Stand for the Family" rallies to support embattled Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA). O'Toole Notes that the events "highlight the importance of religion in this race and in the broader national struggle between parties eager to appeal to the 'values voter.' Both Santorum and opponent Bob Casey are Catholic and pro-life. LINK

The New York Times' Robin Toner looks at the Virginia Senate race which has gone from a footwear competition to a competitive race. LINK

Later today, Sen. Allen and Jim Webb will go head to head in a debate moderated by ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in Virginia.

The Washington Wire's Christopher Conkey Notes that Webb and Sen. Allen came to agreement on chewing tobacco. "Both candidates agreed it was a bad example, but, perhaps in deference to the presence of major tobacco firms in Virginia, neither said they planned to quit."

Per the Washington Post's Michael Shear, Webb said during his Sunday debate with Sen. Allen that he regretted writing that the Naval Academy is a "horny woman's dream," adding that "if I were a, you know, a more mature individual, I wouldn't have written" that. LINK

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch looked at the battle over the tv airwaves in the Talent v. McCaskill race. The directive of both candidates' television has been "heart first, head second." LINK

Bloomberg's Margaret Carlson writes: "If [Tom Kean, Jr.] has his way, New Jersey voters won't worry about the war or anything else. They'll think of nothing more than how Menendez made his money." LINK

The New York Times reports that Connecticut Senate contenders Lieberman and Lamont are at a loss for (specific) words when it comes to their Iraq policy. LINK

The Washington Post's Blaine Harden reports that ties to Jack Abramoff have "not automatically doomed" the campaign of Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) who is arguing that the federal money he has sent Montana's way over the past 18 years has helped ignite the state's economic boom. LINK

The Democratic Socialists of America's supports Ned Lamont, but the Senate hopeful is returning the check, reports the New York Post. The paper also has Mayor Bloomberg hosting a fundraiser for Lamont challenger, Sen. Lieberman, on November 1. LINK

In addition to the November 1 Bloomberg/Koch/D'Amato fundraiser for Lieberman, the New York Daily News also reports Bloomberg plans to headline a Chicago fundraiser for Lieberman on October 25. LINK

Republican U.S. Senate candidate Alan Schlesinger attended a political forum Sunday at a synagogue with Ned Lamont in West Hartford, CT. Sen. Lieberman missed the forum to attend a fundraiser, Notes the Hartford Courant's Pazniokas. LINK

One of Connecticut's largest labor unions, AFSCME Council 4, reversed course from its primary endorsement of Sen. Lieberman and threw its support to Lamont, the Hartford Courant reports. LINK

2006: Governor:

The three Democratic candidates for governor in Massachusetts were out scurrying for last minute votes this weekend, as Deval Patrick appears to hold firm as the candidate to beat in tomorrow's primary. LINK

"All three campaigns, for different reasons, urged their supporters to ignore polls showing Patrick in a solid lead, including a Globe-CBS4 poll released yesterday that showed Patrick at 46 percent , Gabrieli at 25 percent, and Reilly at 18 percent . In an e-mail to supporters yesterday, the Gabrieli campaign said its latest internal poll had Gabrieli just 4 points behind Patrick, or within the margin of error. Reilly reminded his faithful in an e-mail that he won his 1998 race for attorney general by 8 points despite Election Day exit polls showing him behind by 6."

If Patrick wins tomorrow's primary he enters the general election attempting to become the first African American elected as governor of the state. His potential battle with Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R-MA) could be the "end of the beginning of the most intriguing governor's race in 16 years", writes Boston Globe columnist Adrian Walker. LINK

"If Patrick wins tomorrow, theories will abound about what it all means. But really, the best campaign is poised to win -- the best strategically, with the candidate who captured the imagination of the voters. Say what you will about his message of restoring hope and optimism, when you see him in front of a crowd -- not in a TV studio, but before live voters -- you realize a lot of people have been waiting to hear it."

Kimberly Atkins of The Boston Herald has more on tomorrow's primary. LINK

The Des Moines Register's Jonathan Roos writes up his paper's poll showing gubernatorial candidates Rep. Jim Nussle (R-IA) and Chet Culver (D-IA) in a dead heat, both polling at 44 percent. A slim majority, however, seem to favor the policies of Culver, reports Roos. LINK

Per yesterday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Tom Barnes Notes that "Teflon" Ed Rendell has been masterful at overcoming political setbacks in his first term to still boast double digit leads over GOP candidate Lynn Swann. LINK

The debate on property taxes is becoming more important in the Florida Governor race. Both candidates, Charlie Crist (R-FL) and Jim Davis (D-FL) are increasingly incorporating the topic into their campaign. While Crist wants to double the homestead exemption, Davis wants the state to pay a larger share of property taxes, reports the Daytona Beach News Journal. LINK

Mitt Romney's RGA pumped $1 million into Charlie Crist's coffers, reports the Miami Herald Tribune. LINK

The Schwarzenegger Era:

George Skelton of the Los Angeles Times columnizes on Treasurer Phil Angelides's (D-CA) "steep" climb to win the California gubernatorial race. LINK

New Hampshire:

The AP reports that a new Concord Monitor poll shows incumbent Gov. John Lynch (D-NH), Rep. Jeb Bradley (R-NH), and Rep. Charlie Bass (R-NH) all enjoying sizable leads with a month and a half to go until election day. LINK

Political potpourri:

Actor Bruce Willis gets all political with the New York Daily News' gossipy Lloyd Grove and tells the columnist he has Democratic and Republican ideas, despite his being often labeled as a Hollywood GOPer. LINK

The political week ahead:

On Tuesday, President Bush delivers an address to the United Nations General Assembly. Scheduled to debate on Tuesday are Senate candidates Rep. Mark Kennedy (R-MN) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in St. Paul, MN. Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani will be in Florida to headline a meeting at Walton County Chamber of Commerce in Sandestin, FL. Massachusetts and Washington will hold primaries.

On Wednesday, former President Clinton will host his 2nd Clinton Global Initiative annual meeting in New York, NY. Sen. John McCain headlines the Northern Virginia Technology Council's Titans Breakfast, Sen. John Kerry speaks about national security at Johns Hopkins University, Sen. Joe Biden addresses the Council on Foreign Relations on Iraq, and Sen. Barack Obama speaks about energy independence at a MoveOn.org sponsored speech. (Does that make three or four potential '08 speeches that day?) Also on tap for Wednesday, Ken Blackwell (R-OH) and Rep. Ted Strickland (D-OH) debate in Cleveland, OH. Watch out for the new poll Young Voter Strategies plans to release unveiling attitudes of 18-30 year olds towards the 2006 elections.

Former Gov. Mark Warner (D-VA) will campaign with Jim Webb (D-VA) in Alexandria, VA on Thursday. Sen. Bill Frist (R-TN) travels to Iowa for a two day trip. American Enterprise Institute will host a panel discussion entitled "Beyond November: Who Will Prevail in American Politics?" with authors Thomas Edsall, Tom Hamburger, Doug Sosnik, and Peter Wallsten, Washington, DC. The Republican Governor's Association Forum gets underway in Las Vegas, NV. President Bush heads to the Sunshine state to raise money for Gus Bilirakis' congressional campaign in Tampa, FL followed by a Charlie Crist gubernatorial fundraiser in Orlando, FL.

On Friday, President Bush welcomes President Pervez Musharraf of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to the White House. The Family Research Council kicks off its "Values Voter Summit 2006" in Washington, DC. The DNC hosts an African American summit in Detroit, MI.