FLORIDA: "Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-Fla.) on Wednesday abruptly withdrew his support from a controversial trade bill and legislation to create a single-payer health insurance system. The decision to remove himself as co-sponsor of the two bills suggests that Meek is moving to the political center."

ILLINOIS: An endorsement from Da Coach: Mike Ditka endorsed the more conservative developer Pat Hughes over Mark Kirk for the Republican nomination in the Senate race.

MASSACHUSETTS: Attorney General Martha Coakley may come across as a polished candidate and tough-on-crime prosecutor, but the Boston Globe reports on a less stellar part of her career, one she doesn't mention on her Senate candidate biography -- having a tough time arguing before the Supreme Court on behalf of the state. It was an unusual move for a state Attorney General to argue the case herself, and she lost the case.

NEVADA: "Attorney General Eric Holder was the ninth Cabinet member to visit Nevada during the past six months," the AP notes. "Holder and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., toured facilities on Saturday designed to help law enforcement officers respond to security threats. Obama and Vice President Joe Biden have also attended fundraisers in Nevada for Reid. White House officials say the trips helped Obama's top aides fulfill their particular job responsibilities. Republicans say all the attention shows the administration is leaving little to chance when it comes to helping Reid win a fifth term in office."

NEW JERSEY: Resident Mitt Goldband summed up the voter sentiment that is behind independent candidate Chris Daggett's surge in the polls, to 20% in the latest Rutgers-Eagleton count: "It's not so much that I like Daggett" he said. "It's that I can't stand the other two guys with the personal attacks on each other." The Bergen Record features quotes from several diner-goers from all over the political spectrum, many of whom echo those words.

Chris Christie got new fodder to attack Jon Corzine over his personal wealth yesterday when former Bergen County Democratic Chairman Joe Ferriero was convicted of conspiracy to defraud and mail fraud. Christie cited a loan Corzine made when Ferriero led the party: "The Governor bears some degree of responsibility for this as well because, sadly, he gave over $400,000 of his own personal money to enable this felon to lead the Bergen County Democratic Organization -- in fact to lord over the Bergen county political scene for much of the last decade." He added: "For New Jersey, today's verdict is as much about Jon Corzine as Joseph Ferriero."

NY-23: Sarah Palin has endorsed Doug Hoffman, the conservative Party candidate. Palin waded into the race with a post on her Facebook page. "[B]est of all, Doug Hoffman has not been anointed by any political machine. Doug Hoffman stands for the principles that all Republicans should share: smaller government, lower taxes, strong national defense, and a commitment to individual liberty. Political parties must stand for something. When Republicans were in the wilderness in the late 1970s, Ronald Reagan knew that the doctrine of 'blurring the lines' between parties was not an appropriate way to win elections. Unfortunately, the Republican Party today has decided to choose a candidate who more than blurs the lines, and there is no real difference between the Democrat and the Republican in this race."

Also, Hoffman got the endorsement of FreedomWorks' chairman Dick Armey. Armey appeared with Hoffman in Syracuse, and then went on to nearby Cicero New York, speaking to local volunteers. Armey said Republican nominee Dede Scozzafava lost the election "the day she was elected," as her policy stances place her outside of the Republican mainstream, the American Spectator reports.  Armey saved some criticism for the national party, however, saying, "We've struggled with a Republican party ... that has lost its way. They don't remember about Reagan ... they don't remember about small government. They let their thinking be controlled by self-serving political objects. And frankly, they made a lot of fools out of themselves."

VIRGINIA: The Republican Governors Association has another ad for the Virginia race using Creigh Deeds's words against him, this time about the public health insurance option. In Tuesday's debate, Deeds said the public option "isn't required," then seemed to step back from that view speaking with press after the debate. The ad will run in  DC media markets and Virginia cities Roanoke and Richmond. 

From NBC's Bobby Cervantes
For the 14th and final time since the 105th Congress, the U.S. Senate today passed a $680 billion Defense Reauthorization Bill, including a hate-crimes amendment aimed at protecting the LGBT community.

In a 68-29 vote, the Senate voted to approve the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which would lend federal assistance to states and localities that are unwilling or unable to investigate and prosecute crimes motivated by sexual orientation and gender identity.

The bill, which the House approved earlier this month, now makes its way to President Obama's desk.

The president has routinely pledged to sign the bill, most recently at his keynote address to the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights group.

"It is no secret that issues of great concern to gays and lesbians are ones that raise a great deal of emotion in this country," the president told the HRC. "And it's no secret that progress has been incredibly difficult -- we can see that with the time and dedication it took to pass hate crimes legislation."

One of gay rights groups' big-ticket items, the hate-crimes legislation, may allay some activists, who have expressed impatience with what they perceive as the president's unwillingness to make good on campaign promises to their community.

From NBC's Mark Murray
In an interview with NBC's Andrea Mitchell, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi repeated that the House health-care legislation WILL have a public option in it -- although it won't be called "Medicare for Everyone."

She also countered former Vice President Cheney's recent statement that the Obama administration has been "dithering" on Afghanistan. "The fact is the American people very overwhelmingly approve of the president deliberating on this issue, because they know its consequences are very serious." Pelosi added, "Because the American people support the president's serious approach, I think the vice president decided that he would have the dissenting view."

Mitchell's full interview with Pelosi will air tomorrow on MSNBC beginning at 1:00 pm ET.

Pelosi: Well, everyone has their little catchphrases. Public option does not reign as the great choice of words. But it does have an appeal with the American people. And that's why over 60% of them support having a true competitor to the insurance industry. They know full well there needs to be something to keep the insurance companies honest, and to have true competition, whatever you call it.

Andrea: Are you going to end up calling it "Medicare for Everyone"?

Pelosi: No, no I don't think so. But it isn't a question of what the bill is named. It's a question of what the bill will do.

Andrea: And it will have a public option?

Pelosi: It will have a public option. And we've always had the votes for the public option. It's just a question of what form it will take.

And on Cheney...

Andrea: Do you think it is appropriate for a former vice president to accuse the president of dithering when it comes to the safety of our troops?

Pelosi: There are so many things that are so inappropriate about the Bush-Cheney administration and their aftermath... I don't think public receives this message very well. The fact is the American people very overwhelming approve of the president deliberating on this issue, because they know its consequences are very serious. Because the American people support the president's serious approach, I think the vice president decided that he would have the dissenting view.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe and a bipartisan group of centrist senators is poised to stop the healthcare reform bill from even coming to the Senate floor if it contains the public option. Because 60 votes will likely be needed on a procedural vote that simply brings the bill to the floor, defections from Snowe and other centrist Democrats raise the stakes for Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Snowe and Democrat Ben Nelson have been meeting with a handful of centrist for the past couple of days. "We share similar positions on a number of issues and frankly, overall, is not to rush this train out of the station. I think that's the overriding issue."

(TV types stop reading here; wonks keep reading)

The statements by Snowe and Nelson today show that Senate procedure is just as important as party politics for getting things done in a chamber that runs on rules and 60 vote thresholds on controversial issues. To better understand the importance of their statements today, it important to understand part of the process.

Right now, Reid, committee chairman, and the White House are merging two healthcare bills: one contains the public option, the other does not. Once the new bill is written, it will be sent to the Congressional Budget Office for a cost estimate, which could take a week or more.  With the CBO numbers in hand Reid is expected to quickly bring the bill to the floor for amendment, debate, and final passage.

But according to Congressional aides familiar with the mechanics of Senate procedure, once a bill makes it to the floor it's very hard to pull provisions out of it -- like the public option. You would need 60 votes. (There are only 40 Republicans and maybe dozen centrists Democrats: let's call it 55 votes)

But the 60 vote threshold works in favor of Snowe at the beginning of the process. To get a bill to the floor, the Senate votes on what's called, "The motion to proceed." But to break the likely filibuster on that motion, Reid will need 60 votes. And that's where Snowe, Nelson, and other centrist could control the process.

Today, Snowe and Nelson strongly suggested their group would not support the "motion to proceed" unless they were happy with the elements of the bill, meaning it didn't include the "robust public option."

Following a meeting with the centrist group today, Nelson said the discussion involved, "a lot of concern about voting for a motion to proceed without knowing well in advance what's going to be within the merged bill."

Snowe said, "The more we can address upfront in this process before we railroad it to CBO, the better off we will all be ... this is my biggest concern right now, frankly."

When slow was asked if this was her strategy to slow things down, she smiled and responded this way: "Let me put it another way, is that it would take 60 votes to remove anything. That's the difficulty."

From NBC's Kelly Paice
President Obama today signed into law the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, guaranteeing advance funding for veterans' medical care. The premise of the law is to be sure the services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs will not be disrupted by budget approval delays from Congress. Delays in passing the VA budget are nothing new -- this year was the 20th time in the last 23 years that Congress did not approve it by the beginning of the fiscal year. These delays can be especially disruptive to VA hospitals and clinics across the country.
 
In the East Room signing ceremony, Obama said, "This is common-sense reform. It promotes accountability at the VA; it ensures oversight by Congress; it is fiscally responsible by not adding a dime to the deficit; and it ensures that veterans' health care will no longer be held hostage to the annual budget battles in Washington."
 
The new law will provide funding one year in advance for veterans medical programs, so if Congress continues in its pattern of failing to approve the VA budget at its scheduled time, there will be no lapse in funding. Advance funding will take effect with the fiscal 2011 budget. In order to secure that money beforehand, however, the new law will require the VA to submit an estimate of its funding needs to the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office for review. That review will then be made public, hence the "transparency" of the law.

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
Twenty-three states reported unemployment-rate increases in September, with three registering record job losses, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' monthly employment summary.

Nevada (at 13.3%), Rhode Island (at 13.0%), and Florida (11.0%) all posted their HIGHEST unemployment rates since 1976, when the BLS began monitoring the rates.

Despite Nevada's record rate, the chief ecnomist in the state's Department of Employment, Training, and Rehabilitation said the over-the-month increase was the smallest since March 2008. In Florida, however, economists predicted unemployment would not reach 11% until mid-2010, which means the rate could still increase further.

Michigan again had the highest unemployment rate in the country, at 15.3%, up a tenth of a percent from last month. New York lost the most jobs last month (81,700), followed by Texas (44,700), California (39,300), Wisconsin (21,700), and Michigan (21,500).

Minnesota, Ohio, Oregon, and Wisconson all reported measurable jobless-rate DECREASES over the month. But local economists attribute that to the numbers of unemployed who have dropped out of the labor force rather than an uptick in jobs.

Minnesota's rate dropped partly because of record numbers of unemployed returning to school, spurring an enrollment surge in the state's 23 colleges. Dan McElroy, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, was quoted by NBC affiliate KARE as saying, "Having the unemployment rate go down from 8% to 7.3% is a good thing. I would be happier if we had also announced a sharp increase in jobs in the state, which was not the case."

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
Even as major climate change legislation moves through Congress, fewer voters believe global warming is a very serious problem -- or even think there is solid evidence of it -- a new Pew Research survey finds. And action on the environment has slipped even further down voters' lists of policy priorities for the president, although a majority would not oppose regulations limiting carbon emissions.
 
According to the poll, 35% of respondents said global warming was a serious problem, down from 44% in April 2008. Even starker is the increase in voters' skepticism: Only 57% said they believe there is solid evidence that earth's average temperature has increased over the past few decades, compared with 71% who said that last year -- a 14-point drop. Also, just 36% said increases in global temperatures are the result of human activity, which was down from 47% last year.
 
Along political lines, global warming was the lowest-rated priority for both independents and Republicans, and was 16th among Democrats out of 20 issues.
 
Still, despite voters' ambivalence about climate change, 50% said they would support a policy setting limits on carbon emissions, versus 39% who say they would oppose it.

From NBC's Luke Russert
House Minority Leader John Boehner today came out swinging against the Obama White House, saying it was guilty of "Chicago style politics."

"The White House and congressional Democrats know that their liberal special interest agenda is not very popular, and now they're following a familiar pattern: When you can't win an argument based on the facts, launch vicious political attacks. This 'Chicago style politics' -- shutting the American people out and demonizing their opponents -- they're writing the health-care bill in secret, even though the president called for it to be at an open table to have C-SPAN cameras in the room."

Boehner continued, "Instead, Democrats are targeting those who don't fall immediately in line -- the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, doctors, and FOX News. The administration promised during the campaign that they were going to usher in a new era of post-partisanship, but what they are doing is really flat out despicable."

And: "If you look at these attacks on people who question the administration, you begin to wonder what the real plan is. And it really does to me look like Chicago-style politics. Like they are trying to demonize their opponents and do everything they can to make them distasteful." (Cue the pot-calling-the-kettle-black countercharge.)

Boehner also criticized the Obama administration on Afghanistan. "Finally, another week has passed without a decision from the president in regard to Afghanistan -- another week that our commander on the ground, Gen. McChrystal, says is critical to our efforts. The Obama administration needs to stop dragging its feet and give our men and women overseas what they need to win the fight and keep Americans safe." (Cue the White House response that the previous administration and GOP-controlled Congress failed to bolster the U.S. effort in Afghanistan.)

From NBC's Mark Murray
This week, in conjunction with the NBC/MSNBC focus on women in society and the workplace, First Read has taken a look at women and politics. Here's a round-up of what we have published so far.

*** The glass ceiling: The final barrier for female U.S. politicians is now the presidency. It's not just the fact that there has not been a woman president yet; it's the fact that there have been so few women presidential CANDIDATES. Not only did it take the two major parties 24 years to see a woman make it on a national ticket (1984 to 2008), it's still not obvious any women will be serious candidates in 2012 or 2016. Sure, there's lots of speculation surrounding Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton. But after them? (There was a dearth of women candidates for president between '84 and '08 as well, with Elizabeth Dole being the only serious candidate and she didn't make it to Iowa). One of the main reasons why we've had so few female presidential possibilities is because not enough women have become governors, which still remains the best stepping stone to the presidency. But this could change after 2010. If Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) wins the Texas governor's race, if Alex Sink (D) wins in Florida, and if Meg Whitman (R) wins in California, that could elevate both into the discussion for 2012 and beyond… And don't miss the "Meet the Press" discussion of Maria Shriver's report on "A Woman's Nation." 

*** Where things stand: According to Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics, there are six female governors (Jan Brewer of AZ, Jodi Rell of CT, Linda Lingle of HI, Jennifer Granholm of MI, Bev Perdue of NC, and Chris Gregoire of WA), 17 women U.S. senators (Lisa Murkowski of AK, Blanche Lincoln of AR, Barbara Boxer of CA, Dianne Feinstein of CA, Mary Landrieu of LA, Susan Collins of ME, Olympia Snowe of ME, Barbara Mikulski of MD, Debbie Stabenow of MI, Amy Klobuchar of MN, Claire McCaskill of MO, Kay Hagan of NC, Jeanne Shaheen of NH, Kirsten Gillibrand of NY, Kay Bailey Hutchison of TX, Patty Murray of WA, and Maria Cantwell of WA), and there are 73 congresswoman.

*** The GOP's gender gap: In last year's presidential election, Obama won female voters by 13 percentage points (56%-43%), while he won the male vote by just one point (49%-48%). This year's Virginia race, which the Republican Bob McDonnell is leading, has emphasized women's issues. Democrat Creigh Deeds seized on a graduate thesis McDonnell wrote when he was 34 years old, in which the Republican, among other things, said that feminism and working women were "detrimental" to the American family. McDonnell has responded by pointing to his working daughters, including one who had served in Iraq. The Deeds campaign has hoped that the thesis story would hurt McDonnell among Virginia females, who make up about 54% of the state's electorate. So far, though, the gambit hasn't worked…

*** What women want: According to last month's NBC/WSJ poll, both men and women rank the economy as their top concern (56% of men and 55% of women had it as their No. 1 or No. 2 issue). But then there's a fascinating disparity: 46% of women rank health care as one of their top-two concerns, versus 34% of men who think that -- a 12-point difference. On the other hand, a combined 39% of men rank the deficit and spending as a top-two concern, versus 29% of women who do -- a 10-point difference. So women care more about health care than men do, while men are more concerned about the deficit and spending. What's more, women overall support Obama's health-care plans more than men do. Per last month's poll, women support Obama's plan by a 40%-38% margin. By comparison, men oppose it by a 44%-38% clip. So here's your battle of the sexes: Women are more inclined to be health-care voters, while men are deficit/spending voters. 

*** The women of 2010: We've mentioned the three women running for governor -- Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) of Texas, Alex Sink (D) of Florida, and Meg Whitman (R) of California -- who, if they win, could be presidential or vice-presidential possibilities in 2012 and 2016. But here are some other names to watch: Kelly Ayotte (running for the open Senate seat in New Hampshire), Robin Carnahan (running for the open Senate seat in Missouri), Jane Norton (running for Senate in Colorado), Sue Lowden (running to challenge Harry Reid in Nevada), and Mary Fallin (running for governor of Oklahoma). With the exception of Carnahan, all of these women will most likely face primaries next year. But if they win, they'll all become familiar names to political junkies next fall. And for the GOP, who have their best lineup of women running for Senate than they've had in years (perhaps ever), it's a BIG chance for them to diversify their image.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** McDonnell vs. the GOP: With Bob McDonnell (R) comfortably leading Virginia's gubernatorial race, according to the polls, some national Republicans are eagerly anticipating the outcome -- even arguing that a GOP win could sidetrack health-care reform, because Republicans will have won a key battleground state (maybe by a wide margin) that Obama carried last fall. But if you carefully look at the ads McDonnell is airing in Virginia, they really don't gibe with message we're hearing from many Republicans. One McDonnell ad features Democrat Sheila Johnson, who calls McDonnell a "bipartisan leader who gets results." Another ad touts the Republican's desire to boost transportation and infrastructure spending (something we really didn't hear from the GOP the stimulus debate). And another ad has McDonnell talking to the camera, saying that 90% of his measures in the Virginia legislature "passed with strong bipartisan support."

*** The middle or the base? So while it's true that McDonnell has whacked Creigh Deeds (D) on health care, cap-and-trade, and card check, much of McDonnell's success so far has come by tacking to the middle -- which is standard fare for campaigns normally, and yet not all that consistent with what we're hearing from many Republicans nationally. Of course, the big issue Republican strategists are excited about regarding this race is the issue of taxes and spending. They think it's the one TRUE trend taking place in Virginia that can be extrapolated nationally. But here's the big caveat on McDonnell: He didn't have a primary, so he had the luxury of being able to straddle the middle and the base, which brings us to...

*** Collins/Gingrich vs. Club for Growth/Dick Armey: A conservative Republican emails First Read that Dick Armey is heading up to New York-23 today to endorse conservative third-party candidate Doug Hoffman over the more moderate GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava, who has been backed the Susan Collinses of the world but also by Newt Gingrich. "Tea partiers from all over the country going to help GOP leadership and Gingrich feeling the heat," this conservative Republican says. As we have pointed out before, the Scozzafava-Hoffman split could very well result in the Democrat, Bill Owens, winning this race, which would be the first time a Democrat has controlled this congressional seat since the 19th century (!!!). This is NOT the extrapolation the Republicans want to see in 2010, but this fight in NY-23 is a good preview of what we may see in GOP primaries all over the country in 2010.

*** Pound of (greenback) flesh: Leaving the 2009 horse races, there seems to be bipartisan agreement in the Obama administration's decision to radically cut the pay of executives at the firms who received the most (and still have the most) bailout funds. This was all about optics, as last week's Dow 10,000 seemed to jump start the "is Wall Street recovering at the expense of Main Street?" narrative. So the admin is getting their pound of flesh. Of course, in practical terms, what will this pay cut do? Will it change the behavior at Wall Street firms who no longer have government bailout money? Unlikely. Will it feed the narrative of government intervention? Maybe (but notice most Republicans aren't eager to defend the bankers right now). Will it bring attention to all of the TARP money that has NOT been paid back? Most definitely, and that's something that always seems to anger the public.

*** What's up, docs? The other big political news -- as it relates to the health-care debate -- was yesterday's defeat in the Senate of a $247 billion measure that would have imposed a freeze in cuts in Medicare payments to doctors. Per The Hill, "The setback immediately raised questions among fellow Democrats over [Senate Majority Leader] Reid's handling of healthcare reform strategy and gave Republicans an opening." As it turns out, 13 Dems joined the Republicans to vote against this effort. The 13 Dems come from the predictable red/purple states or the moderate/conservative wing of the party, including: Sens. Byron Dorgan (ND), Robert Byrd (WV), Kent Conrad (ND), Joe Lieberman (ID-CT.), Jon Tester (MT), Jim Webb (VA), Mark Warner (VA), Ron Wyden (OR), Herb Kohl (WI), Russ Feingold (WI), Bill Nelson (FL), Evan Bayh (IN), and Claire McCaskill (MO). It's just another example of how difficult it is for the Democrats to find 60 votes, let alone 50, when it comes to anything regarding fiscal issues these days. By the way, some are wondering why Reid brought this bill to the floor if he did KNOW he had the votes? Was this done on purpose to signal House Dems of his issues? Was he trying to send a message? There may be more to this decision by Reid than folks realize. And quick question about the eventual health care conference committee fight: Will some Dems (particularly in the House) demand to know IN ADVANCE who is on the conference committee before committing to vote?

*** The great American health-care fight: Staying with health care, Senate Minority Leader McConnell's office brings to our attention a new Gallup poll, which finds that "Americans have become more likely to say the costs their family pays for healthcare will get worse if a healthcare bill passes." As McConnell's office points out, this contradicts Obama's stated health-care goal about reducing costs.

*** Congressional lock out: We clipped this story yesterday, but it bears repeating and it's getting a lot of follow-up today in the other insider publications: "Rep. Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) locked Republicans out of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee room to keep them from meeting when Democrats aren't present." This kind of story only feeds the narrative how ridiculous Congress looks to the rest of the country. Remember, Towns only got control of this committee when Henry Waxman gave up this gavel to take over the Commerce Committee. And some Dems are wondering, quietly, whether Towns has control of this committee, a la Waxman. It doesn't appear so. Incidents like this should bring more attention to the very dysfunctional way Congress operates -- no matter which party is in charge. This committee/subcommittee system coupled with seniority, etc. has helped create a branch of government that is less trusted than any other branch, and it's not even close.

*** A pox on both houses, Part 2: Yesterday, we noted GOP pollster Glen Bolger's analysis of a Democracy Corps (D) poll, which showed (in part) that Democratic issue-perception problems were growing while the Republicans' were fading. Per Bolger, it was evidence that this is no longer becoming a "pox on both houses" political environment. The Democracy Corps folks, however, disagree. While they don't quibble that Democrats will probably lose House seats, especially in the South and in districts that McCain carried in 2008, they point out that the Republican Party's fav/unfav remains near all-time lows. "Put simply, the Republican Party is as unpopular as they have ever been and the internal dynamics of their party will only serve to reinforce this unpopularity with the middle of the electorate." Speaking of the "pox on both houses" rhetoric, don't miss the latest NJ GOV poll showing Daggett hitting 20% for the first time in ANY poll. Smart strategists have been telling us that any result in NJ that includes Daggett nabbing 20% is a message to BOTH parties -- particularly since it's so hard to even FIND Daggett on the ballot. It will mean voters were motivated to send a message to BOTH parties: clean up your act!

*** The women of 2010: As part of the NBC/MSNBC focus this week on women, First Read takes a look today at some of the female candidates to watch in next year's midterms. On Monday, we mentioned three women running for governor -- Kay Bailey Hutchison (R) of Texas, Alex Sink (D) of Florida, and Meg Whitman (R) of California -- who, if they win, could be presidential or vice-presidential possibilities in 2012 and 2016. But here are some other names to watch: Kelly Ayotte (running for the open Senate seat in New Hampshire), Robin Carnahan (running for the open Senate seat in Missouri), Jane Norton (running for Senate in Colorado), Sue Lowden (running to challenge Harry Reid in Nevada), and Mary Fallin (running for governor of Oklahoma). With the exception of Carnahan, all of these women will most likely face primaries next year. But if they win, they'll all become familiar names to political junkies next fall. And for the GOP, who have their best lineup of women running for Senate than they've had in years (perhaps ever), it's a BIG chance for them to diversify their image.

*** Also as part of our focus on women: NBC's Andrea Mitchell sits down to interview House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today; the full interview will air tomorrow.

*** Obama's day: At 2:15 pm ET from the White House, the president signs into law the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act. Per the White House, this fulfills a promise Obama made on the campaign trail. The law "will make the money for Veterans Affairs dependable by taking that portion of money out of the Beltway budget battle and allow the agency actually to plan. This aims to protect veterans' medical programs from interruptions in funding when Congress is late passing a budget bill - as it has been for 20 of the last 23 years." Also today, the president meets with U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry (at 10:00 am), Speaker Nancy Pelosi (at 12:30 pm), Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner (at 3:15 pm), and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton (at 3:45 pm).

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 12 days
Countdown to MA Special Primary: 47 days
Countdown to MA Special Election: 89 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 376 days

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President Obama campaigned for Democratic nominee Jon Corzine yesterday "to excite the moribund Democratic base" as the tight race between Corzine and Republican Chris Christie in New Jersey heads into the home stretch. The president related the problems of the state to those of the rest of the country, seemingly to empathize with voters and to explain that the state's high property tax and other economic woes are not all products of Jon Corzine being governor. "To listen to his opponent, you'd think New Jersey was the only state in America facing layoffs," Obama said. "It's not just Teaneck that's been going through tough times. It's not just New Jersey that's been going tough times. This whole country has been going through hard times." 
 
"I know folks are hurting," Obama said. "But I also know this - for the past four years you've had an honorable man at the helm of this state, during one of the most difficult periods in its history." The New York Daily News: "The President's acknowledgment of hard times -- in a state with the highest property taxes in the nation and the worst unemployment in the Northeast -- was quickly seized upon by Corzine's Republican opponent, Chris Christie. 'The president is right, these are awful times in New Jersey,' the former U.S. Attorney told CNN. 'I just think Jon Corzine is not the solution.'"

Meanwhile… "In sharp contrast to how he got elected, President Barack Obama is bashing Republicans this week while urging Democrats to unite behind his effort to reform the nation's healthcare system," The Hill writes. "Months after some Democrats on and off Capitol Hill were suggesting that healthcare reform could attract 70 to 80 votes in the Senate, Obama and congressional leaders are focused on uniting their party and picking up, at most, a couple GOP defectors to help clear the 60-vote hurdle in the upper chamber. Obama's recent plea for Democratic cohesion is reminiscent of his post-primary speech, in which he and vanquished rival Hillary Rodham Clinton stood together in Unity, N.H., in July 2008." The administration apparently believes "a bill could be ready in the Senate by Friday or Monday."

PoliticsDaily checks in on the battle two GOP senators are waging a battle to get a question on the census that would ask folks whether they are here illegally. (Just curious: If someone's here illegally, do we really think they'll tell a census taker?)

Finally, the Brody File reports on some issues social conservatives have with Obama's nominee to be a member of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. The issues social conservative activists have about her have to do with various comments and positions she has on gay rights issues.

"Sensing that Democrats have regained momentum on healthcare reform, Republicans are taking steps to re-energize critics who loudly voiced their opposition this summer," The Hill writes, adding, "With floor votes looming, Republicans on both sides of the Capitol are criticizing what they call tax increases in the pending healthcare bills." And they're criticizing polling shown favoring a public option. 
 
Bernard Kerik apparently lobbied for a pardon from former President George W. Bush. 
 
More Palin news: "When the failed vice presidential candidate's memoir hits shelves Nov. 17, it will have some competition from a lookalike tome that spoofs the title of her book. 'Going Rouge: An American Nightmare' bears a striking resemblance to Palin's book, 'Going Rogue: An American Life.' Both feature the photogenic politician in red, but the spoof has her against a backdrop of black thunder clouds and lightning, instead of the image of a blue sky scattered with clouds on the ex-governor's book." The spoof is created by the editors of the liberal magazine The Nation.

A "$247 billion bill, which would have imposed a 10-year freeze on cuts in Medicare payments to doctors, was an important part of Reid's plan for passing the broader healthcare reform bill later this year," The Hill reports. "But Reid couldn't secure enough votes to bring the bill up for debate, with the procedural vote failing 47-53. The setback immediately raised questions among fellow Democrats over Reid's handling of healthcare reform strategy and gave Republicans an opening." 
 
Negotiations on the health bills were taking place behind closed doors in the Senate last night. The public option was discussed, but no decisions were made. When asked how negotiations were going and what they were doing, Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus said, "Basically, how to put Humpty-Dumpty together here." A leadership aide tells Roll Call "the final Senate health care bill would not be ready for floor consideration next week." 
 
Meanwhile, "House Democrats hope to nail down support for the public option this week, negotiate the remaining details next week and put the bill on the floor as early as the first week in November," Roll Call reports. 
 
Roll Call profiles Tom Harkin, who has filled the HELP chairmanship vacated by the late Ted Kennedy. 
 
"Today, after serving nearly 47 years in the Senate, Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) becomes the third-longest-serving Senator in U.S. history, passing Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), who died in August… In addition to this milestone, Inouye, 85, a former House Member, will also be the fifth-longest-serving Member of Congress in history, passing Rep. Carl Vinson (D-Ga.), who served from 1914 to 1965 and chaired the Armed Services Committee." 
 
Memphis-area Rep. Steve Cohen apparently recently broke into song (singing the Box Tops' The Letter) at a hearing on high-speed rail. The crowd laughed, but Committee Chairman and fellow Democrat Jim Oberstar wasn't in as cheerful a mood.  "When [Cohen] was finished, subcommittee Chairwoman Corrine Brown (D-Fla.) challenged Transportation Committee Chairman Jim Oberstar (D-Minn.) to 'top that.' ... Cohen echoed the challenge to his chairman… 'I don't compose music or lyrics,' he countered. 'We compose legislation.'" (Cohen also attended a Congressional blues concert last night.)

NEW JERSEY: A Rutgers-Eagleton poll shows Jon Corzine now leading Christie, but still only with 39% of the vote. Christie takes in 36%, with independent Chris Daggett continuing to surge. Daggett now stands at 20%, the first poll to show him breaking 20%. The new director of the poll, David Redlawsk, writes in the group's press release: "While Jon Corzine has made up a lot of ground in all the polls since last summer, he has not done it by increasing his support. Instead, Chris Christie has lost support as some voters who are opposed to Corzine have become attracted to Chris Daggett. Even so, it is important to note that Corzine's lead in this poll is within the margin of error and if the election were today, the winner would be the candidate who can best rally his troops. We don't know now who that will be."

Why can't Christie get over the hump? The Wall Street Journal writes that Christie's two biggest problems are his own lack of specificity and the ascendancy of Daggett. "By design, Mr. Christie has been vague about his tax and economic plans for the state. Ducking details is a tried and true strategy for front-runners who don't want to reveal anything specific enough to criticize," the Journal writes. But "asked to name the most important issue in the race, 54% of likely voters cite property taxes, the most popular response by far. Team Christie's decision to put strategy above substance not only ignores this voter sentiment but also has given an opening to independent candidate Chris Daggett, whose economic reform proposals have been as specific as Mr. Christie's have been vague."

NEW YORK (NY-23): Family Research Council fellow and member of the Club for Growth board of directors Ken Blackwell blames the "local GOP establishment" for deciding to appoint pro-choice Republican Dede Scozzafava "behind closed doors, in a formerly smoke-filled room" and bemoans the Republican grassroots' lack of say in the choice. Of the third-party Conservative candidate, Doug Hoffman, Blackwell writes, "Hoffman is a true Reagan conservative. He accepted the Conservative Party's nomination because he was denied the chance to make his case to the party's grass-roots voters. If elected, he would caucus with the Republicans. He'd provide unquestionably stronger support for genuine GOP principles than Scozzafava -- based on her own liberal record -- would provide." 
 
Hoffman echoed Blackwell on the Glenn Beck radio show yesterday, citing his breaking with the Republican national party and making an oft-heard comparison: "The GOP leaders are upset with me, but the Republicans around the district are thanking me for stepping up to the plate and giving them a choice in this election of a real common sense conservative Reagan Republican." Hoffman will appear on Beck's television show tonight.

From NBC's Kelly Paice
Leaders of the left-leaning groups Health Care for America Now (HCAN) and MoveOn.org say they're organizing an anti-insurance rally outside tomorrow's annual conference of health insurance companies. In a phone conference with reporters, HCAN's national campaign manager, Richard Kirsch, said it's "a crime to deny care" and that the nation's insurance companies represented by America's Health Insurance Plans (AHIP) have "harmed people grievously in order to increase profits."

Tomorrow's rally will highlight seven families' stories of being denied care by insurance companies. In response to the study AHIP released last week criticizing health-care reform, Kirsch said that the anger of the American people was "like a dam breaking," and that AHIP had "hit the panic button" at that point when they put out "this bogus report."

One face of the rally tomorrow will be Ian Pearl of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, who was born with muscular dystrophy and requires 24-hour care. Guardian Insurance is planning on canceling his policy at the end of this year, according to his mother Susan Pearl. Susan suggested that Ian's case puts a face "on the horrendous insurance company abuse that countless Americans experience on a daily basis." She called what insurance companies are doing "illegal discrimination," and she will be participating in the rally outside the Capital Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C. tomorrow to share Ian's story and end the insurance companies' "business as usual" approach to providing care.

MoveOn Executive Director Justin Ruben added, "This is really the home stretch for health-care reform," and last week's "attempt to derail health care reform" by AHIP shows that insurance companies have "more interest in protecting profits than patients." Ruben announced the release of two upcoming MoveOn ads -- a Washington Post print ad and a television ad starring actress Heather Graham -- condemning the insurance industry for opposing health-care reform and also reinforcing the message that the public option is the best way to lower costs for families.

When asked about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi moving towards pushing a robust public option, Kirsch said, "The thing that people have to remember is that the public option is not just about ideological banter. This is about the quality of care... It's also about saving money and making health care more affordable."

Also, when asked about Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds (D) saying that, if he won the governorship and was given the choice, he would consider taking Virginia out of the public option, Kirsch replied that especially for a Democrat running for office "stepping away from the public option is dumb."

From NBC's Pete Williams
Cliff Hansen, the oldest living former U.S. senator, who died today at age 97, served his last of two terms in a suite of rooms in Washington's Dirksen Senate Office building. His desk was at one end, and his most junior staff member worked at the other.

Every evening when he was in town, Hansen would turn out his own light and walk through the string of offices, saying goodnight to members of his staff. When he got to the desk of that junior staffer, he'd ask, "May I borrow your phone?"

"Senator," the staffer would say, "this is your phone. Of course you can use it."

Hansen would pick up the receiver, dial a number and say, "Honey, I'm on my way home." And with that, he would be off to his apartment and his devoted wife, Martha.

I know these details, because I was that junior staffer.

Clifford P. Hansen was the last of a breed, a true Wyoming rancher, who rose from county commissioner, to president of the state stock growers association, to governor, and finally U.S. senator, serving from 1967 to 1978. Though he was friends with Washington's powerful, he avoided the cocktail party and dinner circuit. His idea of a stiff drink was half a capful of Cutty Sark in a tall glass of water.

With his warm Western smile and utter lack of pretense, he was a favorite of his Senate colleagues and congressional employees alike. If the cafeteria workers found out you worked for Cliff Hansen, you got special treatment.

Though he kept his eye on Western and public lands issues, he was no lockstep conservative. He broke with the Nixon administration and opposed Defense Secretary Melvin Laird's controversial plan to deploy the ABM, the anti-ballistic missile. 

And as Nixon's second term began to sink under the weight of the Watergate scandal, Hansen quietly urged his friend, Barry Goldwater, to lead a group of Republican House and Senate members to the White House to tell Nixon that impeachment was a virtual certainty and that he should resign. 

He grew up on a cattle ranch, but Hansen never tasted beef until he was in college at the University of Wyoming. "Beef is what we produced. We ate deer and elk," he later recalled.

I learned first-hand what a promoter of the beef industry he was. When I first joined his staff in 1975, he took pity on a newcomer in the big city and invited me to dinner -- at the Howard Johnson's on Virginia avenue, which would later figure in the Watergate scandal. After studying the menu, I told the waitress I'd have the trout.

My new boss put his hand on my arm. "This young man will have the steak," he announced. 

He was an honest man, of rock solid integrity, who loved his wife, his children, and his state. And when his service to his nation was over, he went back to Wyoming, where he died, not far from the log house where he was born.

Got a politics question? Ask NBC Chief White House Correspondent and Political Director Chuck Todd, who will be participating in a live chat at 3:45 p.m.

Click here for the chat.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
For just $19 you can send the entire office to get motivated on Monday by the likes of former President George W. Bush, Colin Powell, Rudy Giuliani, Terry Bradshaw, a top saleswoman and other "motivational speakers" at the Ft. Worth Business Seminar.

Ah, life out of politics.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Also in his interview today with NBC's Savannah Guthrie, President Obama talked about his family and the role of women in society -- as part of NBC's focus on women this week.

The rest of the interview will appear on Nightly News tonight.

OBAMA: Today's Obama family is obviously not typical. Five years ago, six years ago, though, we were having a lot of negotiations. Because Michelle was trying to figure out, okay, if the kids get sick, why is it that she's the one who has to take time off of her job to go pick them up from school, as opposed to me?  You know, the girls need to shop for clothes... Why is it that it's her burden and not mine?

Now, you know, what I tried to do was to learn to be thoughtful enough -- and introspective enough -- that I wasn't always having to be told that things were unfair (laughs). And then once in awhile, I'd actually voluntarily say, "You know what? Let me relieve this burden on you. Let me make some sacrifices, in terms of how I'm using my time." But, you know, there's no doubt that our family, like a lot of families out there were ones in which the men are still a little obtuse about this stuff.

GUTHRIE: How are you obtuse?

OBAMA: Need to be, need to be knocked across the head every once in awhile, in terms of, you know, making sure that everybody is-- is-- is treated fairly.

GUTHRIE: Do you feel like you had to come to that recognition?

OBAMA: Absolutely.  And, look, the truth is that Michelle still had to make sacrifices of the sort that I did not have to make. 

Video: President Obama admits that most men are still "a little obtuse" about the burdens that befall working mothers.

From NBC's Mark Murray
In his interview today with NBC's Savannah Guthrie, President Obama suggested that the Afghanistan government's legitimacy and partnership with the U.S. will impact the administration's overall strategy for the country. He also said his administration will "take the time to get this right" when it comes to whether or not to send more troops to Afghanistan, but that it also will not "drag" out a decision.

When Guthrie asked whether the president could envision announcing a strategy before the Nov. 7 run-off in Afghanistan, Obama answered: "I think it is entirely possibly that we have a strategy formulated before a runoff is determined. We may not announce it."

Be sure to tune into Nightly News tonight for the rest of the interview.

OBAMA: I think we're still in-- finding out how this whole process in Afghanistan is gonna unfold. I thought that the steps that President Karzai took yesterday, agreeing to the certification of a second round was positive. What we've said is that it is important to make sure that we understand the landscape and the partner that we're gonna be dealing with.

Because our strategy in Afghanistan is not just dependent on military forces. It's also dependent on how well we're doing with our civilian development efforts, how well we're doing in stemming corruption. So this is part of a comprehensive strategy; it always has been. And our basic attitude is that we are going to take the time to get this right.  We're not gonna drag it out, because there is a sense that the sooner we get a sound approach in place and personnel in place, the better off we're gonna be.

But we also want to make sure that we don't put resources ahead of strategy.

GUTHRIE: Could you envision, however, announcing a strategy before the runoff is determined?

OBAMA: I think it is entirely possibly that we have a strategy formulated before a runoff is determined. We may not announce it.

From NBC's Luke Russert
Taking questions from reporters after a press conference regarding her meeting with some of the top economists from the United States, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi today said that the House would pass health-care reform by Thanksgiving,

"We're on schedule, and we're pleased from our standpoint that we will have a bill passed well before Thanksgiving -- and hopefully in time for it to be signed with the work done with the Senate to be signed before Thanksgiving but certainly this year."

Pelosi seemed more optimistic this week than her colleague Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who said last week, "Health care, we want to get that done, although I don't guarantee it, certainly we are going to get it done in the House. And I'm hopeful that during this next month and half we will be working with the Senate… Once they decide what they are going to do and what we are going to do, we'll talk about how we are going to resolve differences that we have."

Even the most dedicated Democrats will say privately that it is a long-shot for health-care reform to be passed through the House and Senate by Thanksgiving.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Behind in the polls, Virginia Democratic gubernatorial hopeful Creigh Deeds is going up with a TV ad featuring cuts of President Obama's speech endorsing Deeds in his final push before the Nov. 3rd election.

Obama will campaign with Deeds on Tuesday.

Early in the campaign, Deeds, who is from rural Southwest Virginia, appeared uneasy wholly embracing the president. But, as he lags in the polls behind Republican Bob McDonnell by an average of five to 10 percentage points consistently, to have a chance his campaign must do all it can to try and run up the score in Northern Virginia and heavily African-American Hampton Roads -- both areas where Obama's popular.

The script to the ad, entitled, "Fired Up," are after the jump, as is the Deeds campaign's release:

##

NEW TV AD FEATURES PRESIDENT OBAMA CALLING ON VIRGINIANS TO GET FIRED UP FOR CREIGH DEEDS
ALEXANDRIA - Today the Deeds campaign released a new ad with President Barack Obama calling on Virginians to get "fired up" once again to elect Creigh Deeds on November 3. Last year, Barack Obama became the first Democratic presidential candidate in 44 years to carry Virginia.

The new ad, "Fired Up," comes as President Obama prepares to campaign in Virginia for Creigh Deeds on Tuesday, Oct. 27. "Fired Up" marks the first Deeds TV ad featuring Obama, and will be key to the campaign's get-out-the-vote effort.

"Last year, Virginia, you helped lead a movement of Americans who believed that their voices could make a difference," Obama says in the ad. "I need every one of you to get fired up once again so that we can go towards the future, with Creigh Deeds leading the great Commonwealth of Virginia." ...

The script follows:

"FIRED UP" :30 TV, AS RECORDED

President Obama:

We are Americans.

We are a forward-looking people.

Last year, Virginia, you helped lead a movement of Americans who believed that their voices could make a difference.

That's what we need to do in this race.

That's what Creigh Deeds is committed to.

I need every one of you to get fired up once again so that we can go towards the future, with Creigh Deeds leading the great Commonwealth of Virginia.

###

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Jersey Boys: When President Obama last campaigned for Jon Corzine back in July, we wondered whether it would be his last visit given Corzine's low poll numbers and political woes. Well, he's coming back to New Jersey to attend a rally for the incumbent governor at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Hackensack at 6:05 pm ET. The low poll numbers and the political woes are still there for the incumbent governor. But due to Chris Christie's struggles (yesterday's story on Michele Brown was damning), independent Chris Daggett's surprising candidacy, and New Jersey's blue tint, political observers now realize that Corzine CAN win this thing. If Democrats do win in New Jersey, as well as in the special congressional election in NY-23, there will be two storylines to consider the day after: 1) third-party candidates -- Daggett in NJ and Doug Hoffman in NY-23 -- will have helped the Democrats and hurt the Republicans, and 2) that Republicans once again will have struck out in the Northeast. If Republicans lose NY-23, they will control just TWO of the state's 29 congressional districts. Wow.

*** Aiding small businesses: Before Obama stumps in New Jersey, the president, at 1:50 pm ET, will announce a package of initiatives that will increase credit to small businesses, per NBC's Athena Jones. The proposal will increase the caps for existing Small Business Administration loans and give smaller banks better access to TARP funding to encourage more lending to small business. The fact that TARP is being tapped as a small-biz-incentive tool to get credit flowing makes you wonder: "What took you so long to announce this?" Speaking of TARP, "Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general over the Troubled Asset Relief Program … criticized the Treasury Department for failing to require banks to detail exactly how they are using the money." And former Treasury official Neel Kashkari told CNBC's John Harwood this: "I do think Wall Street firms need to show more sensitivity. Every single Wall Street firm, despite their protest today, every single one benefited from our actions. Every single one. And they need to recognize that. And when they get up there and say, `Well, we didn't need it,' that's bull. They did need it. And they're all happy with the actions that we took, and they need to show restraint today."

***Kerry steps up: Take a look at some of John Kerry recent accomplishments: saves climate bill, becomes the administration's go-to guy on Karzai in Afghanistan. It took him nearly four years to find his rhythm following his 2004 loss, but Kerry is a player again. On two different fronts, he has stepped up and become a game-saver for his party. On climate/energy, he took a bill that was languishing in the Senate and recruited Lindsey Graham to breathe new life into it. The bill still has a long way to go, but there's a path to passage and that's in no small part thanks to Kerry. On Karzai, there are a few tick-tocks about the role he played (one here in the Wall Street Journal), including how the Obama administration used him to, well, super-cede Holbrooke and others. As one Dem strategist commented to us today, "Kerry finally got to show what kind of president he could have been." But in classic Kerry fashion, no one in the media is in the dark about Kerry's Afghanistan role.

*** A pox on both houses? Be sure to take a look at GOP pollster Glen Bolger's analysis of a recent Democracy Corps (D) survey. Bolger argues that Democratic issue-perception problems are growing, while the GOP's are fading. In fact, he makes the case against the "pox on both your houses" wisdom that some argue is out there. The Democracy Corps poll shows that it's going to be House Dems, particularly in the South but also in many swing or McCain districts, who will be the first Dems to pay the political price for the Obama administration.

*** What women want: As part of the NBC/MSNBC focus this week on women in the workplace and society, First Read takes a look today at the issues women care most about. According to last month's NBC/WSJ poll, both men and women rank the economy as their top concern (56% of men and 55% of women had it as their No. 1 or No. 2 issue). But then there's a fascinating disparity: 46% of women rank health care as one of their top-two concerns, versus 34% of men who think that -- a 12-point difference. On the other hand, a combined 39% of men rank the deficit and spending as a top-two concern, versus 29% of women who do -- a 10-point difference. So women care more about health care than men do, while men are more concerned about the deficit and spending. What's more, women overall support Obama's health-care plans more than men do. Per last month's poll, women support Obama's plan by a 40%-38% margin. By comparison, men oppose it by a 44%-38% clip. So here's your battle of the sexes: Women are more inclined to be health-care voters, while men are deficit/spending voters. 

Video: Maria Shriver joins the Morning Joe gang to discuss the various questions - both personal and professional - facing young women entering the labor force.

*** Guthrie interviews Obama: Also as part of the NBC/MSNBC focus on women this week, NBC's Savannah Guthrie today interviews President Obama. (The president has put a lot of women in high places, but how does he truly make sure his administration reflects a woman's perspective?) In addition, NBC's Andrea Mitchell will interview Sen. Olympia Snowe on MSNBC's "Andrea Mitchell Reports," which begins at 1:00 pm ET.

*** No. 50 for Mitch: On Capitol Hill today, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell will deliver what his office is billing as his 50th speech on health care since June 1. According to an aide, McConnell will talk about the need for reform and argue that Democratic proposals won't do the job. McConnell today also pens an op-ed in USA Today arguing that every Republican supports health reform. "Health care costs are too high, and too many Americans lack health insurance. I have said so in just about every one of those 50 speeches and in dozens of interviews. And every other Senate Republican is on record favoring common-sense reforms for a system that needs them." In other Cap Hill speeches today, brand-new Sen. George LeMieux (R), who succeeded Mel Martinez, delivers his maiden speech from the Senate floor around 10:15 am ET. 

*** Other odds and ends: Beginning at 9:30 am ET, Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano and Education Secretary Duncan appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee to testify on the administration's response to the H1N1 virus. By the way, NBC's Athena Jones reports that Obama received his seasonal flu shot yesterday afternoon. The first lady and the girls had already received theirs. In other Washington events today, actress Nicole Kidman testifies over on the House side at 2:00 pm about international violence against women. And Drudge protégé Andrew Breitbart, as well as those conservative activists posing as a pimp and prostitute,  hold a news conference at the National Press Club at 9:30 am.

*** 2009 watch: In Virginia's gubernatorial race, Creigh Deeds (D) and Bob McDonnell sparred in their final debate last night, which the Washington Post says wasn't a game-changer. "McDonnell accused Deeds of plotting a tax increase and backing controversial Democratic proposals in Washington. Deeds sought to convince voters that McDonnell, a former legislator and state attorney general, had undergone a dramatic election-year conversion from a conservative ideologue to a pragmatic moderate." Also note Politico's observation that Bill Clinton got a bigger crowd stumping for Corzine yesterday than he did campaigning for Deeds.

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 13 days
Countdown to MA Special Primary: 48 days
Countdown to MA Special Election: 90 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 377 days

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According to a new Washington Post/ABC poll, 47% support sending more troops into Afghanistan, while 49% oppose it. "A day after Afghan President Hamid Karzai agreed to a runoff election -- following an investigation by an international panel that found pervasive irregularities in the first round of voting -- the poll showed that two-thirds of the U.S. public also considers the election deeply flawed, with evidence of widespread fraud. That negative appraisal was generally consistent across party and ideological lines."

More: "As the administration's review continues, 57 percent of those polled approve of how Obama is carrying out his duties as commander in chief, but confidence in his leadership on the Afghan war has eroded since the spring. In previous polls, Obama received some of his highest ratings in relation to his dealings with Afghanistan, including 63 percent approval in April of his handling of the situation there. In the latest poll, 45 percent approve, down 10 percentage points in the past month alone, and 47 percent disapprove, an increase of 10 points. Nearly a third of those surveyed say they strongly disapprove." 

Video: Is support waining for the Afghan war? Newsweek's Jon Meacham and presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin join the Morning Joe gang to discuss the state of the conflict.

The Wall Street Journal looks at the role that John Kerry has played regarding Afghanistan. "U.S. and Western officials said the Obama administration latched on to Sen. Kerry as a key broker. In June, he played a similar role in the Obama administration's efforts to build bridges to the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, according to Syrian and U.S. officials. Sen. Kerry was first drawn into the vote fraud crisis Friday when, at a dinner with U.S. troops from Massachusetts, Mr. Eikenberry pulled him aside and told him of fears Mr. Karzai would denounce findings by U.N.-led election investigators of widespread fraud."

The Boston Globe adds, "Kerry's successful talks, which ranged from broad issues of legitimacy to discussions of the statistical analysis used to disqualify ballots, appeared to be his most significant accomplishment since taking over the chairmanship of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this year, replacing Joe Biden."

Out of Iraq? "President Obama vowed again Tuesday to withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq next year, saying elections in 2010 will prop up the fledgling democracy. 'We will have our combat troops out of Iraq by August of next year and all of our troops out of Iraq by 2011,' Obama said at an Oval Office meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki."

"The campaigner-in-chief kicked off a political blitz on Tuesday, holding three fund-raisers in Manhattan and collecting roughly $3 million for the Democratic Party," The New York Daily News writes. "Obama gobbled up checks of $30,400 per couple, the federal maximum, for the Democratic National Committee at the Mandarin Oriental hotel -- and joked donors got off easy. 'You can't afford a fund-raiser involving [First Daughters] Malia and Sasha. I'm cheap,' quipped the Columbia grad, who insists he gets 'more requests' for his 11- and 8-year-old girls."

At one of the fundraisers, Obama "challenged Wall Street to embrace his proposed financial regulations," The Hill writes. "Obama criticized the 'reckless speculation and deceptive practices and short-sightedness and self-interestedness from a few.'"

Video: The president calls for finance executives to help out with reform on Wall Street during a fundraising trip to New York City.

The Los Angeles Times profiles what it believes are the six key White House aides in the health-care debate -- Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, legislative affairs director Phil Schiliro, communications aide Dan Pfeiffer, OMB Director Peter Orszag, White House aide Jim Messina and health-care adviser Nancy-Ann DeParle. 

Here's the latest health-care poll, courtesy of USA Today/Gallup: "Americans are increasingly worried about the cost and quality of medical care that could result from President Obama's effort to revamp health care, but a majority still trust him more than Republicans to change the system." Also: "Half of Americans polled support a government-run public insurance plan to compete with private insurance companies, compared with 46% who do not… Six in 10 oppose a proposed tax on high-priced, "Cadillac" insurance plans included in the Finance Committee's bill. But 59% support an income surtax on high-wage earners being pushed by House Democrats." 

Obama's former car czar rips GM's financial management in an interview in Fortune.

Regarding Obama's trip to Boston on Friday, he'll speak at MIT on clean energy technology -- in addition to holding that fundraiser for Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick (as well as embattled Connecticut Democrat Chris Dodd).