From NBC's Pete Williams

As a technical matter, Norm Coleman has the legal option to appeal today's decision over the Minnesota Senate recount to the U.S. Supreme Court. As a practical matter, however, it's over.

Five members of the Minnesota Supreme Court today rejected every legal argument Coleman raised. Though the court has seven members, the ruling was unanimous.

Two members -- Chief Justice Eric Magnuson and Justice Barry Anderson -- recused themselves from the case, because they were on the statewide canvassing board and could not be in the position of essentially ruling on their own earlier conclusion about the election.

Today's decision does not order the governor to act, but it says Al Franken "is entitled" under state law "to receive the certificate of election." The court put the legal effect of its ruling on hold for 10 days -- time enough for Coleman to seek relief from the U.S. Supreme Court.

Many legal scholars agree, however, that it's nearly a certainty that the U.S. Supreme Court will stay out of this. It was one thing for the court to take up the Florida election challenge in 2000, because that involved the presidential election. No such pressing national concern is present here, and there's every reason to think Coleman received fair consideration from the Minnesota courts.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Not surprisingly, Democrats are now putting pressure on Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty

to certify Al Franken as the winner in Minnesota, and on Norm Coleman to bow out of the race.

Sen. Bob Menendez, chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said: "We've always said that Norm Coleman deserved his day in court, and he got eight months. Now we expect Gov. Pawlenty to do the right thing, follow the law, and sign the election certificate."

Added DNC Chairman Tim Kaine: "Norm Coleman should concede and Gov. Pawlenty should sign the election certificate which Al Franken is entitled to."

And here's Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid: "I once again encourage Gov. Pawlenty to respect the votes of his constituents and the decisions of his state's highest court. He should put politics aside, follow his state's laws and finally sign the certificate that will bring this episode to an end."

From NBC's Mark Murray and Chuck Todd
Is the never-ending recount in Minnesota over? It very well might be.

Moments ago, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Al Franken beat Norm Coleman in that contested race. "[W]e affirm the decision of the trial court that Al Franken received the highest number of votes legally cast and is entitled under Minn.
32 Stat. § 204C.40 (2008) to receive the certificate of election as United States Senator from the State of Minnesota."

Video: The Minnesota Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered that Democrat Al Franken be certified as the winner of the state's long-running Senate race.

That would give Democrats their filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate (although getting ill Democrats like Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd to vote on legislation will be a challenge).

There are two things to watch. One, will Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) certify Franken the winner? Pawlenty has said he'll do so if the Minnesota Supreme Court orders him. (Question: Is the court saying Franken is "entitled" an order?) Two, will Coleman take his appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court?

By the way, Franken is holding a press conference at 5:15 pm ET.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Well, it looks like South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford (R) wasn't telling the whole truth at that press conference where he revealed his affair with an Argentine woman.

In an interview with the AP, Sanford

disclosed that met seven times with the woman -- more than he initially claimed. The governor "described five meetings with Maria Belen Chapur over the past year, including two romantic, multi-night stays with her in New York before they met there again intending to break up. He said he met her two other times -- their first meeting in 2001 at an open-air dance spot in Uruguay and a coffee date in New York in 2004 during the Republican National Convention. He said neither time was romantic."

More: "It was the first disclosure of any liaisons with Chapur in the United States and contradicted a public confession last week during which Sanford admitted to a total of five encounters over their eight-year relationship." 

From NBC's Mark Murray and Alex Beinstein
Below are some more passages from Todd Purdum's critical Vanity Fair piece on Sarah Palin:

Palin

is unlike any other national figure in modern American life—neither Anna Nicole Smith nor Margaret Chase Smith but a phenomenon all her own. The clouds of tabloid conflict and controversy that swirl around her and her extended clan—the surprise pregnancies, the two-bit blood feuds, the tawdry in-laws and common-law kin caught selling drugs or poaching game—give her family a singular status in the rogues' gallery of political relatives. By comparison, Billy Carter, Donald Nixon, and Roger Clinton seem like avatars of circumspection. Palin's life has sometimes played out like an unholy amalgam of Desperate Housewives and Northern Exposure...

The consensus is that Palin's rollout, and even her first television interview, with ABC's Charles Gibson, conducted after an awkward two-week press blackout to allow for intensive cramming at her home in Wasilla, went more or less fine, though it had its embarrassing moments ("You can't blink," Palin said, when Gibson asked if she'd hesitated to accept McCain's offer) and was much parodied. At least one savvy politician—Barack Obama—believed Palin would never have time to get up to speed. He told his aides that it had taken him four months to learn how to be a national candidate, and added, "I don't care how talented she is, this is really a leap."...

None of McCain's still-loyal soldiers will say negative things about Palin on the record. Even thinking such thoughts privately is painful for them, because there is ultimately no way to read McCain's selection of Palin as reflecting anything other than an appalling egotism, heedlessness, and lack of judgment in a man whose courage, tenacity, and character they have extravagantly admired—and as reflecting, too, an unsettling willingness on their own part to aid and abet him. They all know that if their candidate—a 72-year-old cancer survivor—had won the presidency, the vice-presidency would be in the hands of a woman who lacked the knowledge, the preparation, the aptitude, and the temperament for the job.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Sonia's good news, bad news: Here's the bad news for Sonia Sotomayor: Yesterday, with the Supreme Court's New Haven ruling, was her toughest day as a SCOTUS nominee since her "wise Latina" comment produced that political/media frenzy a few weeks ago. But here's the good news: If yesterday is as bad as it's going to get -- and most expected the Supreme Court to reverse Sotomayor and her 2nd Circuit panel in the New Haven case -- then she's still well on her way to winning confirmation. What's more, the court's 5-4 ruling (along the usual conservative/liberal split) gives her 2nd Circuit panel decision plenty of cover. Now, it's all about the confirmation hearing and how the Republicans go after her. But as we learned with John Roberts' and Samuel Alito's hearings, it's more than likely that she'll say absolutely nothing controversial during these hearings.

Video: Guest host Alison Stewart talks about the case with NPR legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg.

*** So apparently there aren't enough political ads? But while the New Haven case was yesterday's main focus, the Supreme Court's other action Monday -- to hear additional oral arguments in Citizens United vs. the Federal Election Commission on Sept. 9 -- could very well have a profound effect on American politics. According to experts, the court's decision to revisit the case could result in overturning the campaign-finance law that corporations, unions, and other special interests can't air political ads 30 days before a primary and 60 days before the general election. "This has the potential to be a blockbuster," Michael E. Toner, a former chairman of the FEC, told the Washington Post. He added that the issues have implications for "the whole architecture of the federal campaign financing system." Regarding this action and the New Haven case, talk about the legislating from the bench!

*** Iraq withdrawal: Although it's been overshadowed largely by other news (Michael Jackson, Bernie Madoff, Iran), today is the deadline for U.S. soldiers to withdraw from Iraqi cities. However, as NBC's Jim Miklaszewski reports, most of that withdrawal has been completed a day ahead of today's deadline. Yet the withdrawal also comes as we learned that four U.S. troops died from combat-related injuries. And it also comes with a new CNN poll showing that just 34% approve of the Iraq war, that 73% agree with the decision to withdraw U.S. troops from the major Iraq cities, and that a majority believes the withdrawal will increase the violence in Iraq.

Video: President Obama declares military coup of Honduran president illegal; Ahmadinijad wins Iran vote recount; U.S. troops pull out of Iraq. NBC's Brian Williams reports. 
  
*** Gibbs' two pledges: Yesterday on MSNBC's Hardball, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs made two pieces of news. One, regarding Gitmo, he said the Obama administration would absolutely go to Congress first to get approval of holding detainees indefinitely. Two, Gibbs pledged repeal of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" by the time Obama runs for re-election.

*** Today's cable catnip: Riddle us this: How is Sarah Palin

going to be able to run for president when so many other Republicans, especially those who worked on the McCain campaign, are more than willing to criticize her? Todd Purdum has a piece in the latest issue of Vanity Fair, in which former McCain campaign aides unload on her -- again. "They can't quite believe that for two frantic months last fall, caught in a Bermuda Triangle of a campaign, they worked their tails off to try to elect as vice president of the United States someone who, by mid-October, they believed for certain was nowhere near ready for the job, and might never be," Purdum writes.

*** Honduras vs. Iran: Here's something you should expect to hear a lot of today: What's the difference between getting involved with the Honduras situation and not with Iran? Of course, there are a lot of differences -- including the entire Organization of American States condemning the coup in Honduras; there wasn't that level of international will on the Iranian situation. Also, we have diplomatic relations with Honduras and therefore have leverage with that country. With Iran, zero relations so little leverage? That said, speaking out against the coup in Honduras as forcefully as the Obama administration has will lead to some on the right to criticize him for not doing the same with Iran.

*** The never-ending recount -- by the numbers: Are we going to get a decision today from the Minnesota Supreme Court regarding the state's never-ending recount? It's the last day of the month, and we were led to believe the court would have a decision by then. (Remember that the court heard oral arguments on June 1.) With the race still unresolved, here's a look at it by the numbers:
-- $51.1 million has been raised between Coleman and Franken for the entire campaign
-- $50.3 million has been spent between the two candidates
-- $11 million (at least) has been spent on the recount
-- 2,424,946 votes were cast
-- 312 votes separate the candidates (Franken leads)
-- 239 days since Election Day 2008
-- 34 weeks since Election Day 2008
-- 7 months, 27 days since Election Day 2008
-- 4 seasons seen since Election Day 2008 election

*** Today's sked: At 2:00 pm ET, President Obama makes remarks highlighting innovative non-profit programs. Also today, GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell, John McCain, and John Ensign discuss their ideas for health-care reform in Houston, TX at the well-known M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 126 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 490 days

Click here to sign up for First Read emails.
Text FIRST to 622639, to sign up for First Read alerts to your mobile phone.

The Washington Post has a C.W.-setting piece on the Obama administration's agenda. "Obama and his aides have proved adept at navigating the politics and eccentricities of the legislative branch. But as lawmakers attempt to navigate much trickier and more contentious issues in the second half of the year, the narrow margin of Friday's energy vote served as a warning: The higher the stakes, the tougher the challenge in finding consensus within what has become a diverse Democratic majority."

Video: NBC's Andrea Mitchell talks with Rep. Henry Waxman, D-Calif., about a last-minute provision to the House-approved cap and trade bill, which would require President Barack Obama's successors to tariff goods from nations that do not limit greenhouse gas emissions.

More: "Maintaining a sense of common interest across the party is a paramount goal. Early on, administration officials and Democratic leaders agreed they would steer clear of controversial social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage. And to the discontent of many liberal Democrats, Congress intends to remain generally silent on those fronts... For the White House, the trick is to keep a firm grip without appearing overly meddlesome."

The New York Times, meanwhile, has a look at how the Obama administration is trying to move the health care campaign outside the Beltway. "With members of Congress back in their districts for the Fourth of July recess, Mr. Obama's political group, Organizing for America, has recruited thousands of supporters to participate in blood drives, raise money for medical research and volunteer at community health clinics this week, all with the intent of sending reminders to lawmakers that the public wants action on health care. 'The main thing,' David Axelrod, Mr. Obama's senior adviser, said, 'is to involve as many people as possible and demonstrate in a variety of ways the level and degree of intensity of support that this has.' Of Mr. Obama's supporters, Mr. Axelrod said, 'There's no issue that motivates them more than health care.'"

Video: President Obama asks for video and online questions about health care ahead of a July 1 virtual town hall on the topic.

The White House's favorite right-of-center columnist, David Brooks, laments the dominance Congress has over writing legislation. "The great paradox of the age is that Barack Obama, the most riveting of recent presidents, is leading us into an era of Congressional dominance. And Congressional governance is a haven for special interest pleading and venal logrolling. When the executive branch is dominant you often get coherent proposals that may not pass. When Congress is dominant, as now, you get politically viable mishmashes that don't necessarily make sense."

The AP writes, "Four divisive issues could dash President Barack Obama's hopes of overhauling health care: cost, creating a government-run plan, taxing workers' benefits and penalizing employers that don't offer coverage."

The AP also analyzes Obama's response to the coup in Honduras.

The Washington Post: "The Supreme Court's rejection of a decision against white firefighters endorsed by Judge Sonia Sotomayor gives Republicans a renewed chance to attack her speeches and writings but is not expected to imperil her confirmation to the high court, political and legal sources said yesterday."

The AP adds, "The 5-4 ruling Monday … is unlikely to derail Sotomayor's nomination -- and it may not even sway a vote. Reaction to the decision fell almost purely along partisan lines, with Republicans cheering the decision and saying it raises serious concerns about the judge, and Democrats condemning the opinion and arguing that Sotomayor had acted appropriately."

Video: The Supreme Court rules that white firefighters in Connecticut were unfairly denied promotions. NBC's Pete Williams reports.

Roll Call: "In a conference call with reporters, Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) — a member of the Judiciary Committee — argued the Supreme Court's ruling in Ricci v. DeStefano should not be seen as a rebuke of Sotomayor's judicial temperament, but rather an indication that she is a moderate jurist who was simply following precedent."

Indeed, "White House press secretary Robert Gibbs all but accused the current court of 'judicial activism,' a buzz term used by conservatives in recent years, in overturning what the White House saw as Sotomayor's upholding of precedent," The Hill says.

Roll Call: "The Laborers' International Union of North America is targeting Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Senate Budget Chairman Kent Conrad (D-N.D.) with a television ad urging the two Senators to resist taxing health insurance benefits as a means to pay for health care reform."

Note that Democratic House chairman Henry Waxman, who helped write the energy bill and is also playing a key role in the health-care debate, has a book that's coming out this week entitled "The Waxman Report: How Congress Really Works." The book is co-authored by Atlantic Monthly writer (and First Read friend) Josh Green.

NEW JERSEY: "Chris Christie walked out of a blockbuster congressional hearing last week with an air of defiance, saying he survived a political booby trap and would get right back to his own campaign agenda," the Newark Star-Ledger reports. "But Democrats say they are not finished pursuing the questions they've raised about Christie, who leads Democratic Gov. Jon Corzine by 10 points in most polls. They vow to raise them again with proposed legislation, a forthcoming report and perhaps more hearings."

NEW YORK: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand got NARAL's endorsement.

Giuliani says he's considering running for governor.

PENNSYLVANIA: Politico looks at how the GOP is rallying around Toomey now, with no other choices.

From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski

Pentagon and military officials report that the withdrawal of most U.S. military forces from Iraq's major cities has been completed a day ahead of tomorrow's deadline.

According to the officials, within the past 30 days, 30 U.S. military bases have either been closed down or handed over to Iraqi security forces. A total of 150 bases have been shut down or turned over to Iraqis in the past nine months.

Despite the withdrawal, many U.S. military forces will remain in the cities, embedded with Iraqi forces as advisers. They would also act as liaison officers who would be able to summon a U.S. military rapid reaction force if needed -- or also call in U.S. military air strikes. Those remaining in the cities would also include intelligence officers.

Neither the military or Pentagon could provide a specific number of U.S. forces left behind.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Sen. Jeff Sessions, ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, applauded the Supreme Court's New Haven firefighters ruling, while criticizing Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's. She sided with the judges on the lower court whose ruling was overturned today.

"The Supreme Court found that Judge Sotomayor was wrong to allow the city to change its promotion exam after it was given, solely to favor a group because of race," Sessions said in a written statement.

He went on to say judges should rule on the law, the facts, and the Constitution, "and not play favorites. This case sharpens our focus on Judge Sotomayor's troubling speeches and writings, which indicate the opposite belief: that personal experiences and political views should influence a judge's decision."

Video: University of Maryland Law School Prof. Sherrilyn Ifill and author Cliff Sloan debate the Supreme Court's New Haven firefighters decision.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell added, "Not only did Judge Sotomayor misapply the law, but the perfunctory way in which she and her panel dismissed the firefighters' meritorious claims of unfair treatment is particularly troubling ... underscoring my concern that she may have allowed her personal or political agenda to cloud her judgment and affect her ruling."

Similar views were also expressed by other Judiciary Committee Republicans. Sen. Orrin Hatch said, "The Second Circuit should have recognized the serious and unique issues this case raised and given it the thorough treatment it deserved." And Sen. John Cornyn said, "[W]hile the Justices divided on the outcome, all nine Justices were critical of the trial court opinion that Judge Sotomayor endorsed."

From NBC's Mark Potter
In an interview with NBC News this morning, Gov. Mark Sanford (R) said categorically he will not resign as governor of South Carolina.

He said he intends to spend the last 18 months of his term improving his approach to proposing legislation.

He says he has consulted with a number of friends and spiritual advisers. All encouraged him to stay in office, which he says now he will do.

From NBC's Pete Williams

While the Supreme Court did reverse the ruling that Sonia Sotomayor joined in the New Haven case, it also raised the stakes for getting her confirmed early.

The court today took the unusual step of holding one case back and asking for additional argument from the lawyers, which the court will hear on Sept. 9. Justice David Souter, as of today, is gone from the court. So the justices will hope Sotomayor gets confirmed before Sept 9, to avoid the possibility of a 4-4 tie.

The case held back is a challenge to a part of the campaign finance law restricting broadcast ads in the periods before primary and general elections.

From NBC's Jonathan Dienst and Mark Murray
More breaking news today: A federal court in New York just sentenced convicted fraudulent investment schemer Bernard Madoff to 150 years in jail.

There was applause in the courtroom when the sentence was read.

Video: Victims of Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff tell CNBC how they feel about his 150-year sentence, immediately after it was handed down.

Madoff is 71 years old.

There was no fine. All Madoff assets will go to the victims.

From NBC's Mark Murray
National Journal's Ron Brownstein has a very interesting break down of Friday's narrow 219-212 House vote approving the energy/climate change/cap-and-trade legislation. According to Brownstein, politics perhaps played a bigger role than geography did in determining who voted for the bill.

"Of the 49 House Democrats who represent districts that McCain carried last year, fully 29 voted against the measure. By contrast, just 15 of the 207 Democrats from districts that Obama carried last year voted against the bill... Put another way, while 59 percent of the Democrats from districts that McCain carried voted no, just 7 percent of Democrats in Obama-majority districts opposed the White House on the vote."

Video: Senior White House adviser David Axelrod discusses President Barack Obama's energy legislation with NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the Press."

More: "Similarly, seven of the eight Republicans who supported the measure represent districts that backed Obama last November... Still, in contrast with the Democrats from split districts, 27 of the 34 Republicans from Obama-districts held with their party and voted against the legislation. California crystallized that trend: Of the eight Republicans there in districts that Obama carried last year, only Mary Bono Mack from Palm Springs supported the bill."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Breaking news from the AP: U.S. Supreme Court rules for white firefighters
who say they were denied promotion over race.

Video: NBC's Pete Williams reports on the Supreme Court decision in favor of the white firefighters.

The decision was 5-4.

This, of course, overturns a ruling by a 2nd Circuit panel that included Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor.  

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** The Big Two: Congress is out of town, and Americans are getting ready for the long July 4 weekend. But the Obama White House is busy trying to keep up the momentum for both the energy bill and health-care reform. Yesterday, President Obama gave a five-newspaper interview to energy reporters that was part victory lap after Friday's narrow House passage, and also part negotiating tactic with the Senate. As for health care, the president will hold yet another town hall on the subject on Wednesday -- this one in Annandale, VA (which has a major online component). This two-track push is certainly putting Republicans a tad on the defensive. What do they focus on? As we've noted before, the Obama administration juggling several balls at once makes it difficult for the opposition to focus its fire on all the different balls. Still, you've got to wonder: If presented with the choice -- drop the push for energy this year to get votes on health care -- would the White House take that deal?

*** New Haven style? So far, it's been smooth sailing for Obama Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. In fact, a new Washington Post/ABC poll shows that 62% support her elevation to the nation's highest court. But today could get somewhat bumpy for her. On the last day of its session, the U.S. Supreme Court today is expected to issue its ruling in the New Haven firefighter case. Serving on the U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals, Sotomayor denied claims that white firefighters had been discriminated against when New Haven threw out the results of a promotion test because not enough minorities had scored high enough on it. As the AP points out, it's retiring Justice David Souter's last day on the court, and he'll be ruling on a case that impacts the woman trying to replace him -- Sotomayor. Expect the decision to come out around 10:00 am or 11:00 am ET.

Video: The Supreme Court is expected to make a ruling soon in a reverse discrimination lawsuit filed in New Haven, Conn., in which court nominee, Sonia Sotomayor, ruled that the city acted properly in throwing out a firefighters promotion exam that minority candidates scored poorly on.

*** Iraq is back? Just askin', but how is it that one of the most significant foreign-policy mileposts/deadlines -- withdrawing U.S. combat troops from Iraqi cities -- is arriving tomorrow without barely any notice? Indeed, it's just another reminder that the story that dominated American politics from 2003-2007 has become an afterthought right now. Ironically, as attention has turned to other hotspots, violence has been increasing in Iraq. Still, Gen. Ray Odierno told CNN yesterday that Iraq is ready for the transition. "They've been working towards this for a long time," he said, per the Washington Times. "And security remains good. We've seen constant improvement in the security force; we've seen constant improvement in governance. And I believe this is the time for us to move out of the cities and for them to take ultimate responsibility."

Video: After six years in Iraq, American forces are drastically reshaping their posture – the first step towards withdrawing all combat forces home in 2011. NBC's Tom Aspell reports.

*** Stonewall, Colombia/Honduras: At 4:25 pm ET today, President Obama and the first lady host an event at the White House to celebrate LGBT Month. It comes one day after the 40th anniversary of Stonewall. And it also comes after the Obama administration has received plenty of criticism from liberals and the gay community for its brief defending the Defense of Marriage Act, as well as for not moving yet to overturn "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." As Adam Nagourney wrote on Sunday, "The conflicting signals from the White House about its commitment to gay issues reflect a broader paradox: even as cultural acceptance of homosexuality increases across the country, the politics of gay rights remains full of crosscurrents." In addition today, Obama meets with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe at 2:15 pm. The two will most likely discuss the military coup in Honduras. Obama already condemned the action, but what will happen next? Apparently, the U.S. played a major behind-the-scenes role to stop this.

*** Rudy and 2010:

If you don't think Rudy Giuliani is seriously eyeing a bid for New York governor, then you probably didn't read his New York Times op-ed last week, in which he called for a constitutional convention to resolve some of the state's political problems. But more than hint about his gubernatorial intentions, Rudy's op-ed might serve as a roadmap for others running for governor in 2010. Let's face it: Two of the nation's largest states (New York and California) have some serious problems right now, and much of it is due to how these states currently operate. However, one of Rudy's ideas in his op-ed -- requiring a supermajority to raise taxes -- is one of the reasons some believe why California is in the mess it's in.

*** Is the end in sight? Finally, the Minnesota Supreme Court has to be ruling soon on the never-ending Franken-Coleman contest, right? GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty told CNN yesterday that he would abide by whatever ruling the state court makes in the contest, where Democrat Al Franken seems to have an upper hand. "I'm prepared to sign [the certification] as soon as they give the green light," Pawlenty said. "I'm not going to defy an order of the Minnesota Supreme Court. That would be a dereliction of my duty."

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 127 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 491 days

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The New York Times front-pages, "President Obama on Sunday praised the energy bill passed by the House late last week as an 'extraordinary first step,' but he spoke out against a provision that would impose trade penalties on countries that do not accept limits on global warming pollution. 'At a time when the economy worldwide is still deep in recession and we've seen a significant drop in global trade,' Mr. Obama said, 'I think we have to be very careful about sending any protectionist signals out there.' He added, 'I think there may be other ways of doing it than with a tariff approach.'"

The Washington Post: "In an interview with a small group of energy reporters in the Oval Office, Obama had few other criticisms as he savored last week's narrow victory in the House on one of his top domestic priorities: a climate bill designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to promote renewable energy and energy efficiency."

Video: While critics say the new system will lead to higher energy costs, President Barack Obama used his weekly Web address to implore the Senate to follow the House's lead.

The Boston Globe called the House's passage of the energy bill late Friday, "a big political victory" for President Obama.

The AP on the energy legislation: "Facing a rare defeat, President Barack Obama put a big dose of political capital on the line and scored a major victory just when he needed one."

"Obama used his weekly address to urge senators to back the measure. 'I want to congratulate the House for passing this bill, and I want to urge the Senate to take this opportunity to come together and meet our obligations - to our constituents, to our children, to God's creation and to future generations,' Obama said."

The president also appeared to give a pass to the Democrats who voted against the bill in the House. "The president, joined by Energy Secretary Steven Chu and White House coordinator of energy and climate policy Carol Browner, said 'those 44 Democrats are sensitive to the immediate political climate of uncertainty around this issue,'" per The Hill. "They've got to run every two years, and I completely understand that."

Did David Axelrod hint that the president could end up breaking a pledge on not raising taxes on folks making less than $250,000? On ABC, "David Axelrod declined to repeat Obama's 'firm pledge' during the campaign that families making under $250,000 would not see 'any form of tax increase, not your income tax, not your payroll tax, not your capital gains taxes, not any of your taxes.' Instead, Axelrod said the president has no interest in 'drawing lines in the sand' on the issue of how to pay for the costly health reform plan making its way through Congress. 'One of the problems we've had in this town is that people draw lines in the sand and they stop talking to each other. And you don't get anything done,' Axelrod said. 'That's not the way the president approaches this.'"

Sasha Issenberg, writing for the Boston Globe: "The push for a major healthcare overhaul presents a significant test of the president's ability to harness grass-roots energy and convert it into governing power. Obama is counting on having his activists promote healthcare as a two-sided choice - either take urgent action now or lose the opportunity for a long time - even as congressional negotiators, and other interest groups, haggle over the policy specifics that drive the lawmaking process."

Video: Senior White House adviser David Axelrod discusses President Barack Obama's plan to reform the U.S. health care industry with NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the Press."

The administration continues not to draw a "line in the sand" on the public option. We've not gotten as far as we've gotten by drawing bright lines in the sand," David Axelrod said on Meet the Press.

The biggest story no one is focused on: tomorrow's deadline for U.S. troops to pullout of Iraq's major cities. "Whether Iraqis are really ready to defend their own population centers is among the most crucial questions this country faces as the United States pulls back in accordance with last year's Status of Forces Agreement en route to a total withdrawal of U.S. combat troops by the end of 2011. 'I do believe they're ready,' Gen. Ray Odierno, commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, said Sunday on CNNs 'State of the Union.' 'They've been working towards this for a long time,' Gen. Odierno said. 'And security remains good. We've seen constant improvement in the security force; we've seen constant improvement in governance. And I believe this is the time for us to move out of the cities and for them to take ultimate responsibility.'"

Previewing Colombia President Uribe's meeting at the White House today, the Washington Post notes that the Obama administration -- unlike the previous one -- has concerns about Colombia's human-rights record. "Analysts say a new, more guarded approach toward Colombia is part of a wider policy designed to repair the tarnished relationships the Bush administration had in Latin America. The strategy hinges on showing that the United States is not solely preoccupied with Colombia, Washington's closest ally in Latin America this decade. Uribe is a conservative, openly pro-American leader in a region marked by leftist presidents. 'The way the Bush administration left it was that Colombia and maybe El Salvador were the only significant friends we had left -- the only two who would work with us on everything, unconditionally,' said Adam Isacson, a Colombia analyst at the Center for International Policy in Washington."

The Hill breaks down the key votes on the climate-change bill and how Democrats pulled out all the stops – and votes: "Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.) was pulled out of rehab to register his 'yes' vote. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), recovering from heart surgery, was seen walking gingerly before the vote. House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), whose wife had pleaded guilty to bribery charges on Friday in Detroit, was in the lower chamber and ultimately voted for the climate change bill. Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-Calif.) was getting married the next day and needed to sign papers to resign her House seat after being confirmed by the Senate on Thursday for her new job at the State Department. Tauscher not only was in the House on Friday, she served as the presiding officer of the heated and partisan debate. The only Democrat who didn't vote was Rep Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.). Hastings, co-chairman of the U.S. Helsinki Commission, was in Albania on Friday as an election observer."

(Editor's note: Lewis' office says he's recovering from back surgery, not heart surgery.)

The New York Times further breaks down the 219-212 vote.

Woah there, Boehner… "When asked why he read portions of the cap-and-trade bill on the floor Friday night, Boehner told The Hill, 'Hey, people deserve to know what's in this pile of s--t.' … "Pelosi's office declined to comment on Boehner's jab. But one Democratic aide quipped, 'What do you expect from a guy who thinks global warming is caused by cow manure?'"

Video: House GOP leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, discusses why he feels that the GOP's alternative to the recently passed energy bill will create more domestic jobs and reduce America's dependence on foreign oil.

Roll Call writes that the bipartisan Wyden-Bennett health-care bill with 11 co-sponsors has gotten the cold shoulder from the White House and the Senate's power players.

The Boston Globe front-pages John Kerry's metamorphosis. "For decades, Kerry has been dogged by a reputation for a lack of interest in local affairs and aloofness around his Senate colleagues - an attitude that, combined with his patrician habits, often got him labeled as arrogant. Even when he rode the strength of his foreign policy experience and the drama of his personal story to his party's presidential nomination, a lack of affection for him hampered his candidacy. But the Kerry who returned to the Senate from the presidential trail was a different man, many colleagues noted, and now, with his presidential ambitions behind him and the senior colleague who long dominated his state sidelined by cancer, Kerry is experiencing what fellow lawmakers describe as a midcareer metamorphosis.

"Long regarded as a loner, Kerry now lingers on the Senate floor during votes, talking with colleagues. Once known more for his solo speeches on the floor, Kerry for months has been leading weekly strategy sessions with other senators to find consensus on a climate change bill - a tactic usually identified with Senator Edward M. Kennedy - and following up with friendly meetings with individual senators to address their objections."

"South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford admitted Sunday he considered resigning his office after his steamy affair with an Argentine hottie became public last week," the New York Daily News writes. "He decided to fight on."

The New York Times says the future of Sanford's political career "may now depend on something more complicated than even the human heart: the wild and woolly politics of South Carolina."

Video: Returning to work after publicly admitting to having an extramarital affair, Gov. Mark Sanford is facing disapproval from many – including the state's first lady. NBC's Mark Potter reports.

Politico's Jonathan Martin adds, "In the should-he-stay-or-should-he-go drama now playing out in South Carolina over Gov. Mark Sanford, there is one group of people that is fervently, if quietly, hoping that he will stay. Their motivation is not loyalty to their adulterous governor. It is dismay over what would happen if Sanford bows to pressure and steps down: Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer would step up. That would give Bauer – like Sanford, a Republican – an advantage in what was already shaping up as a brutally competitive GOP primary to replace the term-limited incumbent in 2010."

The Washington Post profiles Sanford's wife, Jenny, who it says "seems to have drawn a new path for the aggrieved spouse of a philandering politician… 'Jenny is the hero in this story,' said Cyndi Mosteller, a longtime friend and a prominent Republican operative here. 'She's the hero to her children, and I think she's the hero to this state. In the midst of this tragedy, she is standing strong to who she is and what she believes in. . . . I think Jenny has not had these types of ambitions, but I think every woman in South Carolina would vote for Jenny Sanford for governor right now.'"

Video: The wife of South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford is speaking out about her husband's political future and says she's keeping focused on her children. NBC's Norah O'Donnell reports.

Potential Republican 2012 candidates were asked about the Sanford affair on the Sunday shows. Tim Pawlenty said, "Any time you have leading figures who are engaged in behavior that is sad and troubling and hypocritical, other people are going to look at that and say, 'Hmm, they don't walk the walk.' And so the words and the actions don't ring true. It certainly hurts the brand… I think I can make a contribution, in a positive way, for trying to rebuild this party. And it needs it." (Pawlenty also seemed more open to certifying Al Franken's victory, if the Minnesota Supreme Court declares him the winner.)

"Just talking about the Sanford matter is impolite, said Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour… Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney, who ran for president in 2008, said the culture of the nation is hurt at such times."

Meanwhile... "The Argentine woman linked to Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina said Sunday that she had a 'firm suspicion' of who broke into one of her e-mail accounts that discussed her relationship with the governor, but she declined to name the person... Ms. Chapur said her Hotmail account was 'hacked' around Nov. 24. Sometime in December, the hacker sent the e-mail messages to both the friend who she spent time with in Brazil, as well as to The State newspaper in Columbia, S.C., she said."

Per the AP, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell

said yesterday that Republicans need more time to review 300 boxes of records that have come to light regarding Sotomayor's connection with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. "'The committee needs to have access to that material and time to work through it so we don't - so we know all the facts before we vote on a person who's up for a lifetime job,' McConnell said on 'Fox News Sunday.'"

Roll Call looks at the elections in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, California and New York, which it says "have the most overlap in terms of competitive elections on the state and federal levels. All of the states are relatively large, and the gubernatorial and Senate races there are expected to be very expensive."

KENTUCKY: "Sources close to Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R), who has formed a Senate exploratory committee, say he is on track to report raising close to $500,000 in the second quarter of the year. Grayson had only two months to fundraise this quarter after filing his exploratory committee in early May. Grayson, who has said he does not plan to challenge Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) and has said he will only run if the incumbent decides to step aside, has fundraisers scheduled for Monday in London, Ky., and Tuesday in Lexington."

NEW JERSEY: Vice President Joe Biden

-- shockingly -- misspoke at Thursday's LGBT fundraiser in Washington, this time confusing the New Jersey and Virginia governors. When introducing Virginia Governor Tim Kaine at the event, Biden said Kaine is a "great governor for New Jersey." That distinction, of course, goes to Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine.

VIRGINIA: Gubernatorial hopefuls Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell (R) made their first back-to-back appearances on Friday, speaking to an audience of 800 high school students. They both said they would not raise taxes for state transportation improvement but would find alternative means of paying for planned projects. Deeds said he would "promote business growth" to increase state revenues, while McDonnell said he'd cut "spending on things that are not a priority."

Those statements came on the heels of several polls showing "increasing anxiety nationally about rising government spending--"a fear that both candidates are trying to assuage among Virginia voters. The Washington Post says "the challenge for McDonnell will be to paint Deeds as a reckless spender without making himself look like an extremist who would starve government services." McDonnell has already come under fire from Republicans for declaring his intent not to sign a pledge against raising taxes.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Mark Murray
The House passed the conentious energy/climate change bill, formally called the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009, by a razor-thin 219-212 margin.

Video: President Obama explains that the energy legislation passed by the House of Representatives will help America create jobs, ensure clean air, and move toward energy independence.

The vote came right down to the wire and its outlook was uncertain in the hours leading up to the floor vote. Democrats needed 218 votes to pass the bill, so this appears to be a bit of protecting particularly vulnerable Democrats -- as the House passed it with just enough.

Now, the heavy lifting moves to the Senate. And it's not going to be easy. It will likely be reworked before it eventually comes to a vote after the July 4th recess in the other chamber.

THE WEEK AHEAD: The Week Ahead: Troops leaving Iraq, free trade, Supreme Court & Ricci & Sotomayor, Jill Biden overseas, Happy July 4th, and hiking the Appalachian Trail.

For our mailbox, submit your questions for next week in the comments section below. We might pick yours.