The Note: Competence Is the New Black
— -- WASHINGTON, Mar. 15
Ideal tables for three for lunch at the Palm today would include you, The Note reader, and the following pairs -- ripped from today's headlines:
David Brody and Kevin Madden.
Rudy Giuliani and Hugo Chávez.
Bob Shrum and Hillary Clinton.
John McCain and Jake Tapper.
Tommy Vietor and his rabbi.
Nancy Pelosi and Dick Durbin.
Fred Fielding and David Gergen.
David Broder and Adam Nagourney.
Chuck Schumer and Scott Jennings.
Mike Allen and anyone.
Tom DeLay and Newt Gingrich.
Richard Serrano and Alberto Gonzales.
John Ensign and Ken Mehlman.
Adam Mendelsohn and Kevin Sheekey.
John Sununu and Josh Bolten.
Read on to understand why, in case you don't already.
The Iraq debate continues on the Senate floor today.
Gov. Schwarzenegger (R-CA) signs SB 113 -- which will move California's presidential primary to February 5, 2008, from its current June date -- at 1:30 pm ET at the State Capitol in Sacramento, CA.
"Making California important again in presidential nominating politics is an important step toward restoring voters' confidence in government. And it means our issues will get their due respect along the campaign trail, and then in Washington," Gov. Schwarzenegger is expected to say at the bill signing ceremony according to prepared remarks released by his office.
Sen. John McCain revs up the "Straight Talk Express." He meets with state legislators this morning and plans to hold an 11:25 am ET media availability. Sen. McCain also holds a 1:10 pm ET town hall meeting at the Quality Inn in Ames, IA, followed by another at 7:00 pm ET at the Elk's Lodge in Mason City, IA.
President Bush meets with the Vice President of Iraq at 10:05 am ET in the Oval Office. He then attends a 12:30 pm ET St. Patrick's Day luncheon at the U.S. Capitol, and delivers 6:50 pm ET remarks at a National Republican Congressional Committee dinner at the Washington Hilton and Towers. The NRCC hosts former House Speaker Newt Gingrich (R-GA) earlier in the day for a 1:15 pm ET luncheon.
Gov. Mitt Romney (R-MA) and his wife Ann Romney make a 9:00 ET appearance on CNN's Larry King Live.
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) delivers 9:00 am ET remarks at the Center for Strategic Studies' Presidential Candidate Forum in Washington, DC.
Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) delivers an 11:30 am ET speech at Saint Anslem College in Manchester, NH. Prior to the speech, Sen. Edwards plans to hold an 11:15 am ET conference call with reporters.
Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) holds a 6:30 pm ET private fundraiser in Chevy Chase, MD.
Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) deliver 11:30 am ET remarks to a conference of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington, DC.
Karl Rove speaks at Troy University's Hall School of Journalism at noon ET in Troy, Alabama. Let's see what he says about the US Attorneys today.
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) holds an 11:15 am ET on-camera briefing for reporters in the House Radio and TV Gallery of the U.S. Capitol.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee holds a 9:30 am ET hearing on the nomination of Zalmay Khalilzad to be U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
The 14th Politics Online Conference was scheduled to get underway this morning at 9:30 am ET at George Washington University's Marvin Center in Washington, DC.
Politics of Iraq:
In his must-read column, David Brooks of the New York Times delivers a scathing review of the Democratic approach to Iraq. LINK
"The fact is there are two serious approaches to U.S. policy in Iraq, and the Democratic leaders, for purely political reasons, are caught in the middle, and even people like Carl Levin are beginning to sound silly," writes Brooks.
Brooks then goes on to describe what we will call the Kucinch vs. the Bush/McCain/Romney/Giuliani positions as the two serious approaches.
"The Democratic leaders don't want to be for immediate withdrawal because it might alienate the centrists, and they don't want to see out the surge because that would alienate the base. What they want to do is be against Bush without accepting responsibility for any real policy, so they have concocted a vaporous policy of distant withdrawal that is divorced from realities on the ground," argues Brooks.
"Say what you will about President Bush, when he thinks a policy is right, like the surge, he supports it, even if it's going to be unpopular. The Democratic leaders, accustomed to the irresponsibility of opposition, show no such guts."
"Despite the measure's slim prospects for final passage, Democratic strategists hope that it will step up pressure on the administration and Republicans on Capitol Hill to shift course on a war that, many noted (sic), will pass the four-year mark next week," write Robin Toner and Jeff Zeleny of the New York Times. LINK
The Los Angeles Times' Noam Levey looks at where things stand in the upper chamber under a "Battle in Senate stalls debate on Iraq war" header. LINK
The Washington Post on same: LINK
Politics of prosecutorial independence:
A Justice Dept source tells USA Today that before Deputy Attorney General McNulty testified in February that the White House was not involved in the firings and approved them only after initiated by Justice, he met with top DOJ officials -- including Kyle Sampson -- who expressed no objections as the group went over McNulty's testimony. LINK
Washington Post reports McNulty and others were enraged when they learned about the Sampson documents last Thursday.
New York Times reports White House Counsel Fred Fielding has been given the task of determining Gonzales' fate. LINK
Eric Lipton and David Johnston of the New York Times look at one of the main critiques leveled against Gonzales -- his close political ties to the White House may cloud his ability to be an independent minded Attorney General for all. LINK
The Wall Street Journal's Evan Perez reports that the political storm brewing around Gonzales has exposed a "potentially serious vulnerability -- he lacks a significant base of support outside the White House."
In a separate story in the Wall Street Journal, Jess Bravin writes that it is still unclear why the prosecutors were fired.
The Washington Post's Dan Eggen reports that the conflict between documents released this week and previous Administration statements is "quickly becoming the central issue for lawmakers who are angry about the way Gonzales and his aides handled the coordinated firings of eight U.S. attorneys last year. "LINK
The Washington Post's Peter Baker and Bill Brubaker on President Bush backing Gonzales. LINK
Mike Allen and Jonathan Martin of Politico write in a must-read from which we stole our headline and subhead, how the unfurling fiasco has caused further disaster for the Bush Administration, as congressional Democrats and Democratic presidential contenders are emboldened while the GOP won't come to its defense. LINK
Politico's John Bresnahan reports that the Senate Judiciary Committee is poised to vote today on subpoenas for 14 current and former Administration officials, including Karl Rove and former White House Counsel Harriet Miers. LINK
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos interviewed Sununu and has his comments regarding his belief that the President should fire Gonzales. "The President should fire the Attorney General. That's what is in the President's interest and the country's interest," Sununu told ABC News. LINK
"We need a strong, credible attorney general," Sununu told the Union Leader's John Whitson. "I don't believe Alberto Gonzales can fill that role." LINK
The Chicago Sun Times Lynn Sweet headlines her article "Dems put White House on firing line" and writes that "House Caucus Chair Rep. Rahm Emanuel (D-Il) had the right instinct when he jumped on this when the dismissal of the first U.S. attorney surfaced in January -- Carol Lam in San Diego -- and started turning up pressure on the Bush White House." LINK
The Albuquerque Journal's Michael Coleman reports that complaints about former U.S. Attorney David Iglesias were nothing new from New Mexico Republicans. LINK
Bush Administration agenda:
As Republicans and the White House accuse Democrats of trying to "micromanage" the war, the Wall Street Journal's David Rogers reports that President Bush has been hit by a "spate of embarrassments over his administration's management of the Walter Reed Army hospital, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Justice Department."
The Washington Post's Jonathan Weisman and Amit Paley on dozens in the GOP turning against President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" Act. LINK
2008: Super-Duper Tuesday:
From a diner in Des Moines, IA and with a cup of coffee in hand, ABC News' Jake Tapper reported on "Good Morning America" about the possibility for the generations-old tradition of retail politicking in Iowa and New Hampshire to become somewhat diminished with big states -- like California today -- moving up their primaries to February 5, 2008.
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos also took to the "Good Morning America" airwaves to assess the ramifications of a crush of big states holding their primaries on February 5, 2008.
"The intention is to give big states more of a say in the process," said Stephanopoulos. "But just about every campaign strategist -- Democrat and Republican -- I spoke with says it is just as likely that the law of unintended consequences will kick in and make Iowa and New Hampshire even more important," he added.
Stephanopoulos went on to say that he expects the candidates that will benefit most from the front-loaded calendar are the current crop of front-runners due to their likely ability to collect a lot of campaign cash which will be critical to be competitive in those big states. However, Stephanopoulos added, that he thinks the big winner on this "Super Duper Tuesday" will likely be the candidate who emerges the winner in Iowa and New Hampshire and heads into Feb. 5 with the big Mo.
ABC News' Mark Halperin examines the sure to be "wild ride" that candidates will embark upon with states moving up primaries, even if much of the conventional wisdom about what will happen is likely wrong. LINK
The Washington Post's George Will writes that if California's Republican primary on Feb. 5 is "not too late to matter, it will be too early to allow candidates to do the sophisticatedly targeted campaigning that the state party's rules require." LINK
2008: Republicans:
The Chicago Tribune's Christi Parsons writes about the power of the I.A.F.F. and the potential for Republicans to gain some credibility among the union members. LINK
2008: Republicans: McCain:
Setting the stage for Sen. McCain's five-day jaunt across Iowa and New Hampshire, the Washington Post's Michael Shear reports that Sen. McCain is fighting to recapture the "maverick spirit" of his 2000 bid. LINK
The Washington Post's Dana Milbank wrote that Sen. McCain's speech to the firefighters "highlighted McCain's bravery -- and also showed why his second campaign for the presidency is at this early stage, floundering." LINK
Bruce Reed of Slate looks at the political lessons of Sen. McCain's March Madness bracket. LINK
2008: Republicans: Giuliani:
Rudy Giuliani's "law firm has lobbied for years on behalf of an oil company controlled by the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, a strident critic of President Bush and American-style capitalism," writes the New York Times' Ross Buettner. LINK
"The Giuliani campaign declined to answer questions yesterday about the client but issued a brief statement after a report about the relationship was posted by Bloomberg News that said the firm was paid about $5,000 a month for the work in 2005 and 2006."
"'Mayor Giuliani believes Hugo Chávez is not a friend of the United States and his influence continues to grow because of our increasing reliance on foreign sources of oil,' the statement said. 'As the mayor has consistently stated, the development of alternative fuels is a priority that demands a solution in order to ensure the United States energy independence.'"
ABC News' Jan Simmonds reports on Giuliani's altering of his pre 9/11 criticism of 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' LINK
At the bottom of her fundraising wrap, the New York Post's Maggie Haberman reports that Giuliani's director of rapid response quit the campaign yesterday. LINK
2008: Republicans: Romney:
What a difference paid NH (and Boston) advertising can make, perhaps, as one poll suggests Romney might be moving in the Granite State: LINK
In an interview with the Sacramento Bee's Peter Hecht, Gov. Romney explains, yet again, his "evolution" on social issues. LINK
The Christian Broadcasting Network has been directed to yet more video of Gov. Romney clearly asserting his past pro-choice position, in an interview during his 2002 run for governor of Massachusetts. Michael F. Haverluck has the story, and we wonder, again, where he got it from. LINK
See the video here: LINK
And CBN's David Brody offers his take: LINK
2008: Republicans: Huckabee:
Kevin Landrigan of the Nashua Telegraph reports on Gov. Huckabee's struggle to convince fiscal conservatives that his tax-raising days are behind him. LINK
2008: Republicans: T. Thompson:
In a Wednesday visit to the Iowa Statehouse, Tommy Thompson called himself "the only true reliable conservative" among Republicans running for the White House. LINK
Thompson told Radio Iowa's Darwin Danielson, that Republicans' discontent with the party's candidates "bodes well for him" and that he is a "reliable conservative." LINK
2008: Republicans: Hagel:
ABC News' Teddy Davis has Hagel's comments following his speech yesterday to the firefighters where he explained his "interloper" status. LINK
2008: Democrats:
ABC News' George Stephanopoulos told Robin Roberts on "Good Morning America," that "there is no question that Barack Obama is moving up" in the polls. However, he added, he checked in with both the Clinton and Obama campaigns and they both seem to think that the gap narrowing in the new Time poll is a bit overstated. Both camps, Stephanopoulos said, seem to think Sen. Clinton still holds a double-digit lead over Sen. Obama in the battle for the Democratic nomination.
The New York Post apparently cares not that the Time poll may be a bit of an outlier. The paper runs Ian Bishop's poll story under an "Obama Surging," headline. LINK
Pat Healy of the New York Times looks at how the Human Rights Campaign found Sen. Clinton's and Sen. Obama's initial (non)-answers on whether or not homosexuality is immoral somewhat less than satisfying -- causing both camps to issue statements saying they did not agree with Gen. Pace's sentiments. LINK
The Union Leader's John DiStaso ledes his must-read "Granite Status" column with a catalogue of the latest lineup of New Hampshire endorsements being rounded up by Sens. Obama and Clinton. LINK
Check out the ABC News Political Radar for excellent wraps of the IAFF candidate appearances by Teddy Davis, Matthew Zavala, and Paul Fidalgo. LINK
The Washington Post's Dan Balz and Zachary A. Goldfarb report that Sen. Clinton "received several standing ovation" at Wednesday's while Noting that Sen. Dodd and Sen. Biden "got more." LINK
Los Angeles Times' James Gerstenzang reports that Sen. Clinton "seemed to best Obama," winning "repeated cheers, whistles and applause," at yesterday's firefighters forum. LINK
2008: Democrats: Clinton:
The New York Times kicks off its "If elected. . ." series with a Healy/Gordon interview with Sen. Clinton on Iraq. The Timesmen play up Sen. Clinton's plan for Iraq which would leave some American troops in the country for some times. But, as the story Notes, that is true of the Obama plan and the Reid-Levin plan on the floor of the Senate as well. LINK
Overall, our guess is that Team Clinton will be happy with how this one came out.
(Make sure to read all the way to the bottom for Sen. Clinton's assessment of where the American people are on the war.)
Sen. Clinton calls for the resignation of AG Alberto Gonzales, explains what she meant by her recent reference to the "vast right wing conspiracy" being alive and well, and is asked if homosexuality is immoral -- all in ABC News' Jake Tapper's podcast. LINK
"Hil smokin' hot in D.C.: She gets flirty & firefighters cheer her on," reads the New York Daily News headline above the paper's account of Sen. Clinton's IAFF appearance yesterday. LINK
Sen. Clinton's children's health-care proposal gets the Jane Norman treatment in the Des Moines Register. LINK
ABC News' Kate Snow writes on Clinton's new legislation to provide health care to more children and discusses her strategy to overhaul health care: take it slow. LINK
The New York Daily News apparently got a copy of a Shrum galley and discovered that Shrum writes that associates of Sen. Clinton pushed for her to get on Kerry's veepstakes list, but that she was too radioactive with too high negatives to be considered. (Note, too, that Phil Singer takes "the high road" in response.) LINK
Helena Andrews of Politico takes on the critical issue of who will impersonate Sen. Clinton on television should she win the White House, and Notes that comedians' hesitation to make gags about women might halt the tradition. LINK
2008: Democrats: Obama:
Sen. Obama's "expression of sympathy for the Palestinian people while campaigning in Iowa this week prompted questions from some Jewish Democrats in Iowa, a small but active group in the leadoff presidential caucuses," reports the Des Moines Register's Tom Beaumont in a must-read. LINK
"Obama's comments, including 'nobody is suffering more than the Palestinian people' as a result of the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, ran Monday in a Des Moines Register article, which was widely read on the Internet."
A key New York Times correction: "An article yesterday about competition for Jewish support between Senators Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama incorrectly described Mr. Obama's views about the culpability for stalled peace talks between the Palestinians and Israelis. Mr. Obama blames Hamas, which controls much of the Palestinian government, for the stalled peace talks; he does not blame Israel." LINK
In a story looking at the ways in which Sen. Obama "crossed a cultural divide" as a child in Indonesia, the Los Angeles Times' Paul Watson writes: "At the local primary school, he prayed in thanks to a Catholic saint. In the neighborhood mosque, he bowed to Allah." LINK
As Sen. Obama's campaign has already pointed out, he is not and has never been a Muslim -- not that there's anything wrong with it. In their hard-hitting press release critiquing the Times' story, the campaign proves once again that they are positively Bushian in their willingness to hammer the Old and New Media when they believe they have the facts on their side.
Responding to the confession of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Sen. Obama said on NBC's "Today" that the confession makes clear that "we doubled our need to make sure we secure the homeland" and for implementation of the 9/11 commission recommendations.
Asked if the country is prepared for the threat still posed by the "appetite" of Al Qaeda, Sen. Obama said, "I think it's clear that we're not," adding, "we have not followed through on the good start we made in Afghanistan" due to a diversion of resources to Iraq.
Dismissing the idea of a military solution in Iraq, the Senator said that the Iraqi government needs to "recognize that the United States is not going to be keeping a lid on a civil war."
Expressing concern over the conduct of Attorney General Gonzales, Sen. Obama said that Gonzales has a "tendency to inject politics into decision making," and that he "considers himself the President's lawyer rather than the people's lawyer."
And will he use the dense marital histories of other White House hopefuls in his campaign?
"Absolutely not," said Sen. Obama.
ABC News' Teddy Davis highlights a key point in Obama's speech to the firefighters because he now says ""By the end of my first term as president,we will make sure that everyone has universal health care in this country." It used to be "by the end of the first term of the very next president of the United States." LINK
The Las Vegas Review Journal reports that Obama will be in Las Vegas on March 23 for a rally hosted by the Culinary Union workers and a fundraiser that evening at the Mandalay Bay resort for $2,300 per person, before being joined the next day by fellow '08ers for an SEIU-sponsored health care forum. LINK
2008: Democrats: Edwards:
Anne Blythe of the Raleigh News & Observer reports on the evacuation of Sen. Edwards' national campaign headquarters in Chapel Hill, NC due to the appearance of white powder in an envelope opened by a staffer. LINK
Deputy Campaign Manager Jonathan Prince issued the following statement this morning: "The test results of the white powdery substance received yesterday have come back negative, and the authorities have informed us that it is safe to return to the office."
2008: Democrats: Dodd:
The Wall Street Journal trio of Greg Hitt, Sarah Lueck, and James R. Hagerty pick up on Sen. Dodd saying, "I'm determined to do everything we can to allow people to stay in their homes" while stressing that the details of any legislation remain to be worked out.
2008: Democrats: Biden:
The Washington Times' Christina Bellantoni reports that Sen. Biden was "among the favorites of the crowd, even though he spoke last, drawing huge cheers by saying: "I don't want to hear any more about 'working men and women.' I want people to use the word 'union.' "LINK
2008: Democrats: Richardson:
Before speaking to fire fighters, Richardson delivered a speech in New York to oil and gas investors and explained his broad plan to make the U.S. more energy independent, reports the AP's Beth Fouhy. LINK
2008: Democrats: Clark:
Mike Miliard of the Phoenix reports on Gen. Wesley Clark's "innovative" use of cyberspace with StopIranWar.com. "He's not a candidate (at least not yet)," writes Miliard, "He's trying to prevent a war." LINK
New Hampshire:
The Associated Press reports that New Hampshire voters have ratified a non-binding resolution of their own, with 86 out of 96 towns overwhelmingly endorsing a resolution to tell President Bush, the 2008 White House aspirants, and their state's congressional delegation that they "favor reductions in U.S. emissions of greenhouse gases." LINK
2008: House:
The Washington Post's Matthew Mosk and Steven A. Holmes report that tonight's NRCC dinner is expected to raise $6.1 million. LINK
2008: Senate:
"Sen. George Allen, Virginia Republican, will host a private dinner in Old Town Alexandria in the coming days to discuss whether to seek the Senate seat now held by senior Republican Sen. John W. Warner, if the five-term incumbent were to step down in 2008," reports the Washington Times. LINK
Big Casino budget politics:
Bloomberg's Brian Faler foreshadows the potential clash between Senate Democrats and the Bush Administration over the prior's proposed 2008 budget plan, which calls for the largest increase in domestic discretionary spending in three years. LINK
The Washington Post's Lori Montgomery reports that the GOP sees tax hikes in the Democratic budget blueprint, released yesterday during a hearing of the Senate Budget Committee. LINK
Political potpourri:
Robert Novak previews former Majority Leader Tom DeLay's (R-TX) new book No Retreat, No Surrender and says that DeLay is an "angry man after being driven from the leadership." In his interview with DeLay, DeLay criticizes former Speaker Newt Gingrich and calls him "ineffective." LINK