From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Check out this set of facts. Fact 1: Gov. Mark Sanford went missing Thursday and hasn't been seen since. Fact 2: His staff has since told us that the governor has been hiking the Appalachian Trail. Fact 3: Sunday was "Naked Hiking Day" on the Appalachian Trail. We kid you not.
 
The Christian Science Monitor: "We're not suggesting that the formerly missing Governor of South Carolina specifically ditched his family and security detail to go hiking on Naked Hiking Day. But that's what he ended up doing. ... But many wondered aloud how this traditional, family-loving, Republican governor of a southern state could miss Fathers Day. After all he's got four children! Was something sinister in the air? Then it took a Farrelly brothers screenplay type of twist. Sanford had not disappeared.  According to his spokesman, he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail. Coincidentally, on Naked Hiking Day. It's a big tradition. Many hikers celebrate the summer solstice by hiking au naturel. It just so happened the solstice occurred on Fathers Day -- one of the days Sanford was hiking." 
 
As the South Carolina blog The Palmetto Scoop points out: "The governor who dropped off the face of the Earth for five days was reportedly found Monday night by his staff hiking along the Appalachain Trail. That explanation of Mark Sanford's disappearance has puzzled many folks in South Carolina and across the country. Why would a sitting governor just up and disappear to the mountains without telling a single soul -- including his family? Well, The Palmetto Scoop have discovered the answer to all the secrecy: the governor may have gone for a naked hike. No, really. An Associated Press article from last week heralded Sunday -- Father's Day -- as 'Naked Hiking Day' on the Appalachian Trail. Yes, Naked Hiking Day."

The Associated Press: "Every year on the first day of summer, a few outdoor enthusiasts nationwide expose virtually all of themselves to insects, scrapes and thorns for the pleasure of bonding with nature au naturel. They call it Naked Hiking Day. 'There's no way to explain it until you experience it,' said Andrew Williams, 28, a machinist from Warren, Pa., who first hiked naked six or seven years ago. 'It's not about being lewd and crude and all that. It's just enjoyment.' This year, the summer solstice falls on a weekend -- this Sunday. Father's Day. Hikers who prefer clothes are not happy. ... 'It's just rude,' said Brian King, spokesman for the Appalachian Trail Conservancy in Harpers Ferry, W.Va. 'People are out there hiking with their kids and families, and there are Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts.' Law enforcement authorities say they see so few nude hikers, even on Naked Hiking Day, that they don't consider it a big problem. 'It's rare, probably because we have a lot of remote territory out there where one would not be detected,' said Capt. Woody Lipps of Virginia's George Washington and Jefferson national forests, which contain parts of the Appalachian Trail." 
 
By the way, the Appalachian Trail received $613,000 in stimulus money, as confirmed by NBC's Mike Viqueira and first reported by the Huffington Post.

From NBC's Mark Murray
In the last few days, Republican aides have pounced on the results from three new national polls (NBC/WSJ, CBS/NYT, ABC/WashPo). President Obama's approval rating is down, they cheer. The public is worried about the deficit and the administration's spending, they add. It disapproves of the decision to shut down Guantanamo Bay. And it's not as optimistic about the stimulus.

All observations are true. But buried inside all three polls is this finding: Opinions about the Republican Party are at an all-time low. What's more, according to the ABC/WashPo survey, Americans trust Obama more than congressional Republicans on health care (55%-27%), the economy (55%-31%), the deficit (56%-30%), and combating terrorism (55%-34%).

To put it simply, the GOP's take on Obama's poll numbers is a lot like the owner of a 1987 Buick

pointing out the dents and potential engine trouble of a 2008 BMW sedan.

No doubt that Obama remains the dominant focus in American politics. No doubt that the president's numbers are down. And no doubt that Obama has entered a more challenging phase of his presidency (as he tackles health care, energy, and the stagnant economy).

Video: With the Republican Party still finding its footing in the current political landscape, is it now the time for a third party to triumph? A political panel debates.

But now more than five months since George W. Bush left office, the Republican Party finds itself confronting a more immediate problem with the American public than Obama or the Democratic Party currently faces.

Of course, the political climate can change in the blink of an eye (think of Bush before and after Hurricane Katrina), and Republicans are hoping that Obama's BMW breaks down.

But smart Republicans are asking themselves this question: Does their 80s-era Buick need a fixing first? 

From NBC's Mark Murray
Mark Sanford's office has announced that the South Carolina governor -- "taken aback by all of the interest" in his trip -- will return to work tomorrow.

Said spokesman Joel Sawyer in an e-mail to reporters:

Governor Sanford called to check in with his Chief of Staff this morning. It would be fair to say the governor was somewhat taken aback by all of the interest this trip has gotten.

Given the circumstances and the attention this has garnered, the governor communicated to us that he plans on returning to the office tomorrow.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Obama's timeout: In the game of basketball, after your team commits some errors and after the opposition runs off a couple of easy baskets, you'll routinely see the coach make this move: call a timeout. It's intended to settle down the team, get them back to basics, and slow down the opponent's momentum. And that might be the best way to view today's televised Rose Garden press conference at 12:30 pm ET. As we've mentioned before, it's been a tough past week for President Obama. He's been on the defensive on health care, Iran, the economy, and the deficit. Even his poll numbers are coming back down to Earth, although the latest Washington Post/ABC poll has his approval in the mid-60s. So, like a basketball coach watching his team endure a mini-slump, he's decided to call a timeout and reset his message. (Also today, Obama meets with Chilean President Michelle Bachelet and Defense Secretary Robert Gates.)

Video: NBC's Chuck Todd and The Washington Post's Eugene Robinson discuss the political stakes for President Barack Obama in getting his health care reform plan passed this year.

*** Time to trot out Will.i.am, too? In fact, you could argue that -- on the subject of health care -- he actually first called this timeout yesterday. Monday's White House announcement on cost savings for prescription drugs seemed to serve as a pep talk for Democrats worried about the chances of passing health-care reform this year. "To those who, here in Washington, who've grown accustomed to sky-is-falling prognoses and the certainties that we cannot get this done, I have to … revive an old saying we had from the campaign: Yes we can." But yesterday's event was also bizarre, because at noon ET and then at 2:30 pm, nobody from the administration could answer how the $80 billion would save money for the government when or if it reforms health care. By 5:00 pm, the White House finally gave us a number -- $50 billion of the $80 billion would be money that could be used to cut down on the cost of the health-care reform effort. Our question: Why not have that number at the ready at noon with the president or even 2:30 pm for Robert Gibbs? It was very odd, very slapped together. Clearly, the White House was desperate to show off some good news on the financial front on this issue after a week of bad news from the Congressional Budget Office. Also, as for the president's use of the "Yes we can" slogan yesterday, it may be a reminder of how much the president misses having an opponent. Right now, his opponent is himself.

Video: President Obama's health care reform plan now has the support of the nation's leading pharmaceutical trade group, PHRMA, which is pledging $80 billion to lower prescription drug costs for seniors and the U.S. government. Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, discusses how this deal will help lower overall costs.

*** We'll always have Cairo: Obviously, one of the questions that Obama will receive at today's news conference will be the GOP criticism about his statements regarding the violence and protests in Iran. But we pose this question: Do you think Republicans would be less critical if Obama had simply stated what he said in his Cairo speech about freedom IN GENERAL in the Middle East? "All people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak you're mind and have a say in how your are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas. They are human rights." Privately, the White House points to the Cairo speech quite often. But why not simply use these words for Iran specifically? Also, the president may have to answer this question today: Do Iranians have the ability to speak their mind, to say how they are governed, have the confidence in the rule of law and the EQUAL administration of justice? Has the Iranian regime been transparent, have they stolen from the people? If he can't answer in the affirmative for any of these questions, doesn't that mean there should be consequences for the regime in its dealings with the U.S. and the world?

Video: Republicans have been lining up to argue that President Barack Obama isn't saying enough to support the protesters in Iran. A Hardball panel debates whether his response is too timid.

*** Where in the world is ... Mark Sanford? If you're a leader in your party trying to go toe-to-toe with the Democratic administration on fiscal policy, as well as a potential 2012 candidate, chances are that you don't want 1) headlines announcing you've gone missing for several days; 2) your wife saying that she doesn't know where you are but that she isn't concerned; and 3) your spokesman saying you've gone away to clear your head after your stimulus battle. It's all just … weird, even though Sanford associates insist that he does this all the time. Well, last night, Sanford's office announced that he was hiking on the Appalachian Trail.

"I want to emphasize that this isn't something that either staff or Mrs. Sanford is concerned about," the governor's chief spokesman said in a statement. "As we said earlier today, it isn't unusual for the governor to be out of pocket for several days after the legislative session. We knew he would be difficult to reach, and that he would be checking in infrequently." What's also interesting is that two critics most concerned about his disappearance and whereabouts weren't Democrats, but Republicans -- Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer and state Sen. Jake Knotts. The old saying, marching to the beat of his own drummer, applies as well to Sanford as it does any elected official. How likely, though do folks who march to their own drummer beat end up as nominees for their party? 

*** I'm a joker, I'm a smoker… : One thing the media seemed to make crystal clear yesterday and this morning is that the president is still an occasional smoker. In all of the coverage of the president's signing of the tobacco legislation, many reporters made note of the president's past smoking, as well as Robert Gibbs' unconvincing spin that he's constantly fighting this addiction. The White House, of course, won't confirm the president still smokes. But it has not said these words: "He's no longer a smoker." Is it a big deal? No, just one of those presidential oddities that biographers live for. And everyone will want to know: When does he smoke? Is it on the golf course? The Truman Balcony?

Video: Saying "I know how difficult it can be" to stop smoking, President Obama signs a bill substantially strengthening anti-smoking efforts.

*** Let's talk about sex, baby… let's talk about you and me: Finally, Roll Call reports that embattled Sen. John Ensign will address his GOP colleagues at their weekly luncheon. "While no one knows exactly what Ensign will say to his fellow Senators, the move is becoming an increasingly familiar one for embattled Republicans. Sen. David Vitter (La.) and former Sens. Ted Stevens (Alaska) and Larry Craig (Idaho), while facing scandals of their own, went before the Conference to discuss their respective situations." 

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 133 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 497 days

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Video: MSNBC's Richard Wolffe talks about the contrasting opinions of Congressional leaders on how President Barack Obama should handle the Iranian crisis.

The Washington Post: "Obama's approach to Iran, including his assertion that the unrest there represents a debate among Iranians unrelated to the United States, is an acknowledgment that a U.S. president's words have a limited ability to alter foreign events in real time and could do more harm than good. But privately Obama advisers are crediting his Cairo speech for inspiring the protesters, especially the young ones, who are now posing the most direct challenge to the republic's Islamic authority in its 30-year history."

The newest Washington Post/ABC poll has Obama's approval rating at 65%, but it also shows that support for his stimulus has declined. "Overall, 52 percent now say the stimulus package has succeeded or will succeed in restoring the economy, compared with 59 percent two months ago… [N]ew questions about the stimulus package's effectiveness underscore the stakes for the Obama administration in the months ahead as it pushes for big reforms in health care and energy at the same time it attempts to revive the nation's flagging economy."

More: "The survey found the favorability ratings of congressional Republicans at their lowest point in more than a decade. Obama also has significant advantages over GOP lawmakers in terms of public trust on dealing with the economy, health care, the deficit and the threat of terrorism, despite broad-based Republican criticism of his early actions on these fronts." 

The AP tees up Obama's news conference today. "A White House spokesman says Obama will open the afternoon event with remarks on health care reform, energy legislation and Iran's disputed elections." He then meets with Chile's Bachelet and "will also mark the 37th anniversary of Title IX, the federal law that requires schools to offer equal athletic opportunities to men and women."

Greg Sargent reports, "In a major new effort to throw Obama's campaign apparatus into the push for health care reform, the White House's political operation is set to launch a massive new online data bank of thousands of health care stories, which will be spread around the country via Obama's extensive email list, officials familiar with the project tell me. The new 'health care story bank' -- as it's dubbed by Organizing for America, Obama's reconfigured political and campaign operation run out of the DNC -- is perhaps the most ambitious test case yet determining whether the technological apparatus that fueled Obama's campaign can succeed in driving Obama's governing agenda."

The Congressional Budget Office has been a thorn in the side of the White House these last two weeks on health care. But on energy, the CBO provided some rare good news for them. "Climate-change legislation would cost the average household $175 a year by 2020, according to the Congressional Budget Office, far below the figure commonly used by GOP critics of the House bill. The CBO said yesterday that the poorest 20 percent of American households would actually receive a $40 benefit in 2020 from the legislation, which would establish a cap-and-trade system to limit greenhouse gas emissions, while the richest 20 percent of households would see a net cost of $245 a year. The costs would result from higher prices for carbon-based fuels, offset by a complex series of tax breaks and free allowances, new technologies and behavioral changes, and impacts on corporations and their profits."

Clinton Watch: Ben Smith has a very interesting piece on Hillary Clinton's first five months heading up the State Department. One word may describe his take: grindstone.

Finally, "President Barack Obama is creating a White House council to handle issues that affect American communities and workers tied to the automotive industry," the AP says. "The White House says Obama will sign an executive order Tuesday to establish the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers. The council will be chaired by the president's economic adviser, Larry Summers, and his labor secretary, Hilda Solis."

Vice President Biden will announce this creation when he stops in Perrysburg, OH today.

In a surprising development, House Democrats have reached an agreement to bring a sweeping climate change bill to the floor by the end of the week, Democratic aides announced late Monday night," The Hill says. 
 
Democrats said "they are confident that they will resolve all outstanding issues [related to the 1,201-page energy package] in time for a vote Friday," Roll Call adds.

"A sweeping [health-care] bill unveiled in the Democratic-controlled House last week is to be weighed in hearings beginning Tuesday. The draft legislation, written without Republican help, would require all Americans to purchase health insurance and would put new requirements on employers, too."

Video: Former Gov. Howard Dean discusses why it's been difficult for members of Congress to devise a health care reform plan that can win enough votes to pass and still be worthwhile.

GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell will say this about health care today: "The American people don't want us to spend trillions of dollars we don't have on a health care system they don't want. And yet that's exactly what Democrats plan to do, even though they can't explain to anyone how they will pay for it. Despite the staggering costs of the Democrat health care plan, we're being told we need to rush it through the Congress for the sake of the economy. When Republicans ask how Democrats are going to pay for it, or what impact it will have on our health care system and the economy, the only words we hear are rush and spend, rush and spend."

The Hill: "Few senators know that Sens. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) have had a quiet friendship over the years, but that relationship may prove pivotal for Democrats' hopes of passing a health reform package."

"Congressional Democrats are largely ignoring President Obama's $19.8 billion in budget cuts," The Hill also writes. "The president proposed axing dozens of programs that he said were inefficient or ineffective, but members of the House Appropriations Committee are including the money for them."

And don't expect immigration reform to be tackled this year. The White House hopes -- possibly -- for debate to begin the end of this year. "Obama will meet with a bipartisan group of lawmakers Thursday to discuss the issue at the White House."

Roll Call: "Senate Republicans are expected to begin formally making their case against the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor for the Supreme Court on Tuesday with a series of speeches questioning her involvement in a Puerto Rican civil rights group and her positions on a number of legal issues, Republican aides said Monday."

Video: Rachel Maddow reports on Sen. Bob Corker, R-TN, not having enough patience to wait for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor who, on crutches, was a few minutes late for their meeting.

More: "Judiciary Committee ranking member Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) and other Republicans on the panel will begin delivering a series of floor speeches starting Tuesday outlining concerns they have with the nomination. In the speeches, Republicans will outline 'areas of concern about Judge Sotomayor's record and about whether she's allowed empathy rather than the law guide her decisions,' a GOP aide said. Specifically, Sessions and other Judiciary Republicans will take aim at her position on gun rights, the role of 'empathy' in her rulings as a federal judge, and whether she has allowed foreign laws to inform her decisions in the past."

South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford hasn't been seen since Thursday. His staff says he's just taking some time to clear his mind and gather thoughts since the stimulus fight and that he was been known to travel without his security. But when he left, he didn't even tell his wife where he was headed, authorities went so far as to track his cell phone and his Republican lieutenant governor said he'd tried to reach Sanford, but his staff misled even him. Twitter messages were left in Sanford's name yesterday about the state's government structure and Sunday about the stimulus. Last night, his staff said he was actually hiking in Appalachian Trail.

Video: Rachel Maddow is joined by John O'Connor, political reporter for The State newspaper, to discuss the whereabouts of Gov. Mark Sanford, R-SC. 

South Carolina's State newspaper: "S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford's staff said late Monday that the governor is hiking on the Appalachian Trail, ending four days during which staff and state officials said they had not heard from him. Neither Sanford's office nor the State Law Enforcement Division, which provides security for governors, had been able to reach Sanford since he left the mansion Thursday in a black Suburban SUV assigned to his security detail, said state Sen. Jake Knotts , R-Lexington, and three others familiar with the situation, but who declined to be identified. Joel Sawyer, the governor's spokesman would not disclose where on the trail the governor was hiking, nor would he reveal whether Sanford was hiking alone."

The Washington Post: "Some considered Sanford's disappearance odd for someone seen as a likely presidential candidate in 2012."   

Politico adds, "Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer, who was elected separately from Sanford, issued a statement to POLITICO after a day of frenzied national speculation about the governor's whereabouts. Bauer said he called Sanford's office Monday and requested an 'immediate phone conversation with the governor.' 'That request was denied because the governor's chief of staff does not know where the governor is, and has not communicated with the governor since he left South Carolina last Thursday,' Bauer said. 'I cannot take lightly that his staff has not had communication with him for more than four days, and that no one, including his own family, knows his whereabouts.'"

"Sanford allies say that his enemies -- most notably Bauer and state Sen. Jake Knotts (R) -- are simply taking advantage of an opportunity to get under the governor's skin, and that Sanford has a habit of going underground when he takes time away from the office," The Hill reports.

Video: Will Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., survive the fallout from his affair? A Hardball panel discusses what Nevada voters think about the scandalized Senator.

Awkward... Meanwhile, John Ensign made his return to Capitol Hill. "Emerging for a procedural vote on a tourism promotion bill with Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback (R), Ensign walked from the Russell building outdoors to the front door of the Senate as a half-dozen reporters and cameramen trailed him," The Hill writes, adding, "Asked what he's done since returning to Washington, Ensign said he has talked to other senators and has 'been getting back to work for the people of Nevada.' Ensign was greeted warmly by his Republican colleagues when he walked on to the Senate floor. Under the watch of Senate reporters, GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) and GOP Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) made pointed displays of shaking Ensign's hand and grasping his shoulder. The senator retreated to his desk, sitting next to Sen. Tom Coburn (Okla.), his D.C. housemate, for an extended conversation."

CALIFORNIA: "Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa of Los Angeles announced he would not enter the 2010 race to succeed Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who is barred from seeking re-election. Mr. Villaraigosa, a Democrat who begins his second term in July, said he could not leave his job as his city faces a budget crisis and high unemployment," the AP writes. 

This is HUGE news. The Latino vote in the Democratic gubernatorial primary is officially up for grabs. This could be a big boon for Jerry Brown's comeback attempt, as San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who doesn't have a statewide base, needs the winning number in the primary to be in the 30s, not 50s.

LOUISIANA: "Political insiders on both sides of the aisle are convinced that Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-La.) is set to challenge Sen. David Vitter (R) in 2010, which begs the question of what happens in Melancon's south-central district next year," Roll Call reports. "Judging by all the noise out of the National Republican Congressional Committee over the news that Melancon is considering the race, there is little doubt that the Bayou State's 3rd district is about to rocket to the upper echelon of GOP targets. Republicans have yet to unite behind one candidate, but state Rep. Nickie Monica has already said he's thinking about the race."

NEBRASKA: "House Democrats are expected to largely be on defense in 2010 defending many of the freshmen and sophomore lawmakers who gave them their 41-seat majority, but party strategists have set their sights on Rep. Lee Terry's (R-Neb.) Omaha-based district as one place they might play offense," Roll Call writes. "Terry won re-election with just 52 percent of the vote last year as President Barack Obama won the 2nd district and its vote in the Electoral College."

NEW JERSEY: Chris Christie will testify before Congress this week about federal monitoring contracts he awarded during corporate fraud settlements. In one case, Christie awarded a high-paying contract to his old boss, former Attorney General John Ashcroft, the Star-Ledger reports. "Seton Hall University political scientist Joseph Marbach said it is a smart move by Christie's campaign to address the issue head-on, noting the hearing will draw less attention from voters in the summer and on the same day as final votes on the state budget. In a letter to Rep. John Conyers, Christie told him he must leave the hearing by 1:30 p.m. to "attend previously scheduled commitments I have in New Jersey."

VIRGINIA: A little help from your friends... "The Republican National Committee transferred $1.5 million to the party's gubernatorial nominee in Virginia in May, boosting the GOP's investment in a race it hasn't won since 1997," The Hill reports. "The RNC's transfer to former Attorney General Bob McDonnell came before the Republican officially won his party's nomination, though he had no serious challengers for the top spot."

Speaking of McDonnell and fundraising, he hit three fundraising stops with Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour (R). Barbour predicted GOP wins this year's gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia, though he said a popular new Democratic president would help McDonnell's opponent, Creigh Deeds. He "noted that in 1993, a fresh, shiny Democratic president, Bill Clinton, aided the prohibitive favorite, Democrat Mary Sue Terry, " who was then defeated by Republican George Allen, ushering in years of GOP control of Virginia.

From NBC's Katelin Schartz and Domenico Montanaro
South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford hasn't been seen since Thursday. His staff says he's just taking some time to clear his mind and gather thoughts since the stimulus fight and that he was been known to travel without his security.

But when he left, he didn't even tell his wife where he was headed and authorities went so far as to track his cell phone.

Video: After being out of contact for four days, aides now say South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford was just out hiking on the Appalachian Trail. NBC's Mike Viqueira reports.

"Gov. Sanford is taking some time away from the office this week to recharge after the stimulus battle and the legislative session, and to work on a couple of projects that have fallen by the wayside,"  Sanford's spokesman Joel Sawyer said in a statement. "We are not going to discuss the specifics of his travel arrangements or his security arrangements."

South Carolina newspaper The State: "The whereabouts of Gov. Mark Sanford was unknown for nearly four days, and some state leaders question who was in charge of the executive office. But Sanford's office told the lieutenant governor's office Monday afternoon that Sanford has been reached and he is fine, said Frank Adams, head of Lt. Gov. Andre Bauer's office on aging. Neither the governor's office nor the State Law Enforcement Division, which provides security for governors, had been able to reach Sanford after he left the mansion Thursday in a black SLED Suburban SUV, said Sen. Jake Knotts and three others familiar with the situation but declined to be identified. Sanford's last known whereabouts had been near Atlanta because a mobile telephone tower picked up a signal from his phone, authorities said. His office now knows where he is, Adams said. First lady Jenny Sanford told The Associated Press earlier Monday her husband has been gone for several days and she did not know where. She said she was not concerned."

AP: "First lady Jenny Sanford tells The Associated Press her husband said he needed time away from their children to write something. She says she's not concerned."

*** UPDATE *** Sanford found. Well, on Twitter anyway... Wherever he is, he's Twittering -- and reading the local papers:

SC's government structure fundamentally flawed http://www.postandcourier.c... #sctweets #gopabout 8 hours ago from web
   
stimulus discussion shows need for restructuring in SC - http://tinyurl.com/nr53wx #sctweets #tcot7:48 AM Jun 21st from web
   
tea parties were a tipping point in pushing back against Washington DC's financial recklessness - http://tinyurl.com/sanfordo... #liberty3:27 PM Jun 18th from web

*** UPDATE II *** In an email to NBC News, spokesman to Gov. Mark Sanford, Joel Sawyer, elaborates a bit on the where-is-Mark-Sanford story. He says Sanford is winding down and clearing his head.

"The governor put in a lot of time during this last legislative session, and after the session winds down it's not uncommon for him to go out of pocket for a few days at a time to clear his head. Obviously, that's going to be somewhat out of the question this time given the attention this particular absence has gotten. Before leaving last week, he let staff know his whereabouts and that he'd be difficult to reach. Should any emergencies arise between the times in which he checks in, our staff would obviously be in contact with other state officials as the situation warrants before making any decisions." 

From NBC's Athena Jones

There was a funny moment at the event with First Lady Michelle Obama and California First Lady Maria Shriver

, who arrived together in San Francisco Monday afternoon to kick off the 2009 National Conference on Volunteering and Service.

Obama spoke about the need to make sure kids get exercise and not to spend too much time in front of the television or the computer screen, an issue her husband frequently brings up in discussing parental responsibility.

She said that she had instituted what she called 'Camp Obama' at the White House, which means that the TV and computer stay off all day until after dinner and before bedtime, adding that bed time was early.

The no-TV approach sounded like a good idea to California's first lady, who suggested that she might implement a similar rule and would blame it all on Obama.

From NBC's Libby Leist

Filling in for injured Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at a press conference with Georgia's foreign minister, Deputy Secretary of State Jim Steinberg reiterated today that the Obama administration believes "all voices should be heard" in Iran and "people should be allowed to express their opinions" about the election outcome. Steinberg dismissed Republican criticism that the administration is pulling its punches in its support for Iran's protestors.

He said this is not a partisan issue, and there are people on both sides of the aisle that agree with President Obama about ensuring this election is about Iran and not the United States.

Video: The New York Times' David Sanger discusses whether President Barack Obama's plan to negotiate directly with Iran's government could be in real jeopardy due to the protests in Tehran.

Also today, Steinberg confirmed that Secretary Clinton will not travel to Trieste, Italy later this week for a meeting with G8 foreign ministers, to be focused on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Instead, the No. 3 official in the State Department, William Burns, will attend in Clinton's place, along with special envoys Richard Holbrooke and George Mitchell.

This G8 meeting at one time was thought to be a chance for Secretary Clinton to encounter Iranian government officials. Italy had invited Iran to participate in the Afghanistan talks. But now, with political unrest in Iran and Clinton's injury, a U.S.-Iran encounter appears unlikely.

Clinton has also canceled a weekend visit to Corfu, Greece. Steinberg will represent her in talks there, he said.

So, how is the patient? "The Secretary is doing better. She successfully came through her surgery. She was able to come by and visit with us in the Department this morning. She was very warmly welcomed in all her meetings, but she does have a road to travel in terms of her recovery and rehabilitation," Steinberg said.

From NBC's Pete Williams

The U.S. Supreme Court today stepped up to the edge of gutting the nation's premier civil-rights law but drew back, opting instead to inject new vigor into part of the Voting Rights Act allowing local governments to bail out of the law's requirements. Civil-rights leaders pronounced themselves relieved, but they are clearly concerned that many members of the court remain wary of a key provision of the act.

The law requires the Justice Department to review election rules in all or part of eight southern states -- along with Arizona, Alaska, and a scattering of areas with a history of voter discrimination. But because it allows the federal government to intrude in local decisions about elections, opponents said it was unconstitutional. They argued it had outlived its original purpose: to tear down barriers to minority registration and turnout.

The court's opinion, by Chief Justice John Roberts

, acknowledges the historical record of discrimination as a justification for the Voting Rights Act's passage in 1965. But he strongly suggests the law is now on thin ice: "the registration gap between white and black voters is in the single digits," he says, in states covered by the law. "In some of those states, blacks now register and vote at higher rates than whites," Roberts said.

"Things have changed in the South. Voter turnout and registration rates now approach parity... And minority candidates hold office at unprecedented levels," he added.

But only Justice Clarence Thomas

was willing to strike the law down on constitutional grounds. Instead, the court interpreted the law as broadly allowing individual local governments to bail out of the law's requirements if they can demonstrate they have been free of discriminatory practices. The court was unanimous on this point and 8-1 on the constitutionality question, with Thomas dissenting.

The big question raised by today's decision is: Now what? New lawsuits will undoubtedly be filed by local governments, and the issue will soon be back before the court. That explains the response today from the civil rights community -- relief that the U.S. Supreme Court could not bring itself to strike down the Voting Rights Act, but concern that the next big challenge to the law, whenever it comes, may not produce the same result.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
With a decision from the Minnesota Supreme Court perhaps coming this week, here are some quick facts, by the numbers, for what has been a seemingly never-ending Senate race.

MINNESOTA SENATE RACE -- By the numbers
$51.1 million raised between Coleman and Franken for the entire campaign
$50.3 million spent between the two candidates
$11 million at least spent on the recount
2,424,946 votes cast
$94,783 Coleman ordered to pay Franken to cover court costs
1974 was the year of the longest Senate recount in history in New Hampshire between Republican Louis Wyman against Democrat John Durkin. The Republican Wyman, struggling in an election year following the Nixon Watergate scandal, led by 355 votes after the votes were first tallied. But Durkin took the unusual step of challenging the election and eventually won by 27,000 votes 316 days later on Sept. 16, 1975, when the state ultimately decided to hold a special election.
$500 an hour for lawyers
312 votes separating the candidates - Franken leads
231 days since Election Day 2008
225 votes that Franken led by after rejected absentees were included -- he added to his total after Coleman rejected absentees were added
215 votes Coleman led by on Election Day 2008
63% of a year since Election Day 2008
33 weeks since Election Day 2008
7 months, 19 days since Election Day 2008
4 seasons seen since Election Day 2008 election
3 Coleman court challenges (at least: state Supreme Court, three-judge panel, attempt to throw out rejected absentees)
1 election

*** UPDATE *** More numbers: Al Franken for Senate first filed a "Statement of Organization" on Feb. 14, 2007 with the Federal Election Commission, making this whole fiasco 860 days or 2 years, 4 months, 9 days long or 20,640 hours.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Based on President Obama's schedule, it was looking like a relatively slow week -- at least by previous standards. Today, in a few minutes, he holds an event marking a deal on prescription drug prices, and then signs into law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. On Tuesday, he meets with Chilean President Bachelet. On Wednesday, he holds a town hall on health care. On Thursday, he meets with members of Congress to discuss immigration. And on Friday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel comes to the White House.

Video: The video is titled, "He's Barack Obama," and it shows the president dressed up as super hero as he tackles various issues.

But moments ago, the White House added another event to his schedule: a Rose Garden press conference, which will take place tomorrow at 12:30 pm ET.

Among the subjects about which he'll likely get questions: Iran, health care, and the stimulus.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
If you are wondering about how frustrated the White House is about the coverage of the criticism some Republicans are leveling against the president, then check this out. The press office sent around the following list of supportive quotes overheard on the Sunday Shows. It was a, well, very campaigny thing to do, reminiscent of the post-debate "what they're saying" emails campaign reporters would regularly get from all of the presidential campaigns.

Video: A group of demonstrators gathered outside the White House in order to have their voices heard regarding the recent Iranian presidential elections.

In the release, the White House shared quotes from George Will, Richard Lugar, Sam Nunn, Bob Casey, Dianne Feinstein, Evan Bayh and Chris Dodd. Of course, it shouldn't be a surprise the White House is finding supportive quotes from Democrats, but note they led with Will and Lugar, to underscore their belief that the GOP is actually more divided on this issue than the Democrats.
 
From the release, the excerpts from the Republicans the White House is touting:

George Will on ABC
 
GEORGE WILL, ABC NEWS: It will never be the same there. And the legitimacy of the regime, such as it was, is much diminished.

 Whether or not that's a good thing is another matter. The president is being roundly criticized for insufficient rhetorical support for what's going on over there. It seems to me foolish criticism. The people on the streets know full well what the American attitude toward that regime is, and they don't need that reinforced.

Furthermore, there's an American memory of encouraging things like the Hungarian revolution in 1956, with rhetoric about rolling back communism. We had balloons flown in and dropped medals with the Statue of Liberty on it and leaflets. Came to crunch, there was nothing we could do about it.  

Senator Lugar on CNN

KING: If President Ahmadinejad or the supreme leader, Mr. Khamenei, came back now and said, we want to sit down with the United States at a high level, Secretary Clinton perhaps to the foreign minister, or president to president, should the United States say yes or would you be rewarding the unjust, to use the president's word, behavior he sees on the streets of Iran right now?

LUGAR: We would sit down because our objective is to eliminate the nuclear program that is in Iran. This is...

(CROSSTALK)

KING: Even though -- even though they are shooting people in the streets and beating people in the streets and arresting political opponents, if they called tomorrow, you would sit down with them?
 
LUGAR: Yes, it's totally improbable. And the reason is that this regime now is under fire. This is not a stable regime in which two people suddenly sit down with the United States. They may not be able to impose their will. This is what -- this is all about in the streets. But in direct answer to your question, of course, we really have to get into the nuclear weapons. We have to get in the terrorism of Iran in other areas in the Middle East. Now we have a new opportunity in which we might very well say we want communication with Iran.

We want openness of the press. We don't want to have use Tweeter (ph). We want to have to press on the ground. But in order to have any kind of relationship, we need to be able to talk to people, hear from people, argue with people.

This is not imposing our will, but it's fundamental to our democracy and to the development of democracy and or better governments in Iran at this point.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro and Abby Livingston
Two more of President Obama's top fundraisers have gotten plum gigs as ambassadors overseas.

The latest are the nominees for Sweden and Morocco.

Matthew Barzun, who raised more than $500,000 for Obama's 2008 campaign, was named on Friday as Obama's choice for ambassador to Sweden.

And here's lookin' at you, Samuel L. Kaplan. Kaplan raised between $100,000 and $200,000 for Obama and got a placement to Morocco.

Five other ambassadors were named on Friday, who were not bundlers, including ones to potential trouble spots around the globe, like Georgia, Croatia, Tajikistan and Uganda. Also named was an ambassador to the Solomon Islands, the Republic of Vanuatu and Papua New Guinea (one post).

This now brings the list of Obama bundlers who've gotten ambassadorships to 12 (about 30% of all named).

Here's the list in full:
-- Donald Gips (South Africa): More than $500,000
-- Nicole Avant (Bahamas): More than $500,000
-- Charles Rivkin (France): More than $500,000
-- John Roos (Japan): More than $500,000
-- Donald Sternoff Beyer Jr. (Switzerland and Liechtenstein): More than $500,000
-- Howard W. Gutman (Belgium): More than $500,000
-- Matthew Barzun (Sweden): More than $500,000
-- Louis Susman (U.K./Northern Ireland): Between $100,000 and $200,000
-- Laurie Susan Fulton (Denmark): Between $100,000 and $200,000
-- Vinai K. Thummalapally (Belize): Between $100,000 and $200,000
-- David Jacobson (Canada): Between $50,000 and $100,000
-- Samuel L. Kaplan (Morocco): Between $100,000 and $200,000

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Domenico Montanaro
*** Ramping up the rhetoric: As the violence and protests escalated in Iran on Saturday, President Obama stepped up his criticism about what's happening there. "The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching," he said in a statement. "We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights." But the toughest domestic political rhetoric on Iran is coming from Republicans. This is one of those cases where Democrats and the White House are wondering what the reaction would be if the roles were reversed -- i.e., Democrats criticizing a GOP administration's response on foreign policy. Indeed, Republicans regularly beat up Democrats for supposedly politicizing international issues (do remember that the establishment Democratic Party didn't start truly criticizing the situation in Iraq until two-plus years after the war began). But who's politicizing now? Also, it's worth noting that the criticism from Republicans is NOT universal. In fact, the GOP establishment on this issue is more divided than the coverage is suggesting.

Video: Former foreign policy adviser to President George W. Bush, Dan Senor, discusses whether President Obama's statements to the Iranian government have been delivered with enough strength to convince the Iranian people that America supports them.

*** With friends like these…: So let's get this straight: Barack Obama won last year's presidential election by seven percentage points (53%-46%) campaigning, in part, for some form of universal health care; his party is about to have 60 votes in the Senate; polls show the country is receptive to overhauling health care; and the president's approval rating is between 56-60%. But Senate Democrats, like Dianne Feinstein, now say that Obama might not have the votes to pass health care? "I think there's a lot of concern in the Democratic caucus," she said on Sunday, per the AP. The New Republic's Jonathan Chait may very well have been right a couple of months ago, when he wrote that Dem-controlled Congresses (during Carter and Clinton) have tended to handcuff Democratic presidents, and that may be happening now. Does anyone think that if a Republican president wanted health-care reform and had a GOP-controlled Congress and 60 Republicans in the Senate, that the reform wouldn't pass? 

*** Good news for Dems on health care? After a week of mostly bad news, advocates for a public/government option got some good news on Sunday, when the aforementioned CBS/NYT poll showed 72% backing a government-administered health insurance plan, mirroring what our recent NBC/WSJ poll found. The CBS/NYT survey also "found that most Americans would be willing to pay higher taxes so everyone could have health insurance and that they said the government could do a better job of holding down health-care costs than the private sector." Yet a GOP Resurgent Republic poll is out pushing back a bit. According to the poll, more than eight in 10 respondents are very or somewhat satisfied with their care, and 52% say they prefer that their taxes not be increased, even if it means that NOT all Americans get health insurance. One thing to keep in mind on health care polling is that you can always get a result to back up your position on the overall issue. Of course no one wants their taxes increased; of course no one wants to see the best parts of their health insurance changed. So what's the right answer? As one Republican aide put it in an email over the weekend: Everyone likes ice cream, but not everyone likes rum-raisin ice cream. So it's figuring out the flavor that's difficult. One thing adding to the pressure for Democrats is history and the need to show the country a change. A public/government option may be the only way voters touch and feel "change" in health care. 

Video: The very latest on the crisis in Iran with NBC's Chief Foreign Correspondent Richard Engel. Then, an analysis of President Obama's on-going domestic challenges with the economy and health care reform.

*** Prescription drugs and tobacco: Sticking with health care, the Obama administration and key Senate Dems seemed pretty fired up over PhRMA's decision to lower the cost of prescription drugs. "After weeks of secret talks, the pharmaceutical industry trade group voted Friday to dedicate $80 billion to lowering the price of medicines sold to seniors and the government. The unusual offer by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is part of its effort to convince skeptical lawmakers that it backs major health-care legislation." The president will tout this announcement today at noon ET at the White House. Also today, at 2:00 pm ET, Obama signs into the law the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act.

*** Stimulus politics: By the way, today's piece in the Washington Post about the economy and the stimulus will be a boon to Republican press secretaries today. "The likelihood of severe unemployment extending into the 2010 midterm elections and beyond poses a significant political hurdle to President Obama and congressional Democrats, who are already under fire for what critics label profligate spending," the paper writes. "Continuing high unemployment rates would undercut the fundamental argument behind much of that spending: the promise that it will create new jobs and improve the prospects of working Americans, which Obama has called the ultimate measure of a healthy economy."

 *** You gotta know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em: Back in April, we wrote that Norm Coleman -- by taking his appeal to the Minnesota Supreme Court and delaying what seems to be the inevitable -- lost his chance to bow out gracefully. Now with the state Supreme Court's ruling perhaps days away, Matt Bai made an interesting observation in the New York Times magazine. "It used to be that when a candidate lost by a few suspect votes, the first question that arose was whether he would seek a rematch… Now, it seems, the first question anyone asks — at least since the 2000 presidential quagmire — is for how long you intend to fight the results in court." Bai then makes this conclusion about American society in general: Fewer and fewer people are good losers. "Being fired from a job becomes the beginning of a negotiation, while a routine school suspension instantly goes to appeal. In part, this is probably the inevitable reckoning for a culture that gives trophies to every Little Leaguer because, as the saying goes, we're all winners."  

*** Kennedy goes to bat for Dodd: In Connecticut, Ted Kennedy has cut a TV ad for vulnerable Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd, who's up for re-election next year. "Quality health care as a fundamental right for all Americans has been the cause of my life, and Chris Dodd has been my closest ally in this fight," Kennedy says to the camera in the ad. "Today more than ever, we have a real opportunity to bring healthcare reform to Connecticut and all across America, and I believe that with Chris Dodd's leadership, our families will finally have accessible, affordable health care." It's rare to see any glimpse of Kennedy on camera, so no doubt this was the ultimate favor for Dodd to ask. Follow this 2009 push carefully by Dodd. One gets the sense he's pulling out all the stops this year to see if he can improve his changes significantly this year. If he can't, he's got plenty of time to change his mind about re-election, right? 

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 134 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 498 days

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"Iran's Guardian Council, a top review panel with responsibility for overseeing the June 12 presidential election, said it had uncovered some irregularities in the polls, finding the number of votes in 50 districts exceeded the number of voters," the Wall Street Journal says. More: "The Guardian Council announcement, made Monday on state-run media, was the first admission by authorities of voter irregularities. But a council spokesman also said the irregularities were much less wide-spread than unsuccessful opposition candidates had alleged in recent complaints."

The New York Times: "On Sunday, the police detained five relatives of Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president who leads two influential councils and openly supported Mr. Moussavi's election. The relatives, including Mr. Rafsanjani's daughter, Faezeh Hashemi, were released after several hours. The developments, coming one day after protests here in the capital and elsewhere were crushed by police officers and militia members using guns, clubs, tear gas and water cannons, suggested that Ayatollah Khamenei was facing entrenched resistance among some members of the elite."

Video: NBC's Richard Engel explains why the Iranian government has chosen to place responsibility for the civil unrest in Tehran on the shoulders of Britain and the United States.

The president, in an interview with CBS to air today, addressed the situation in Iran: "The last thing that I want to do is to have the United States be a foil for those forces inside Iran who would love nothing better than to make this an argument about the United States. We shouldn't be playing into that."
 
Yet Obama released a stronger statement over the weekend: "The Iranian government must understand that the world is watching. We mourn each and every innocent life that is lost. We call on the Iranian government to stop all violent and unjust actions against its own people. The universal rights to assembly and free speech must be respected, and the United States stands with all who seek to exercise those rights.

And he also said this in an interview with an English-language newspaper in Pakistan: "We respect Iran's sovereignty, but we also are witnessing peaceful demonstrations, people expressing themselves, and I stand for that universal principle that people should have a voice in their own lives and their own destiny. And I hope that the international community recognizes that we need to stand behind peaceful protests and be opposed to violence or repression. ... What's clear is that the Iranian people are wanting to express themselves. And it is critical, as they seek justice and they seek an opportunity to express themselves, that that's respected and not met with violence."

But Republicans maintain that Obama isn't speaking strongly enough. Lindsey Graham, for one, called Obama "timid" on Meet the Press.

Chuck Grassley said on CNN's State of the Union: "I believe that we could be more forceful than we have." And: "If America stands for democracy and all of these demonstrations are going on in Tehran and other cities over there, and people don't think that we really care, then obviously they're going to question, do we really believe in our principles?"

Liberal columnist E.J. Dionne writes, "Obama's initial caution served the interests of freedom by making clear that the revolt against Iran's flawed election is homegrown. As the struggle continues, we cannot pretend that we are indifferent to its outcome. It's not easy to walk the progressive path. But Obama has always said that he knows how to deal with complexity. This is his chance to prove it."

Video: Former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., discuss President Barack Obama's reaction to the post-election unrest in the Islamic Republic with NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the Press."

The Washington Post curtain-raises Friday's Obama-Merkel meeting at the White House, saying that there has been tension between the two. "Since he moved into the White House, Obama has encountered a string of rebukes and lectures from Chancellor Angela Merkel and German lawmakers, who have irritated Washington by refusing to provide more help in fighting the Afghan war or closing the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, among other disputes. The diplomatic tensions stand in contrast to the rapturous greeting candidate Obama received in Berlin last July, when an estimated 200,000 people jammed the streets."

"The sorest point has been over how to respond to the economic crisis, with Merkel and some of her ministers warning darkly that U.S. fiscal and monetary policies have been reckless and will trigger a global wave of inflation. In turn, Obama's advisers have complained that Germany -- the world's leading exporter and Europe's largest economy -- has done the least of any industrialized nation to fight the recession."

"President Barack Obama will make a formal announcement Monday welcoming the weekend agreement by the pharmaceutical industry to help close a gap in prescription drug coverage under Medicare," the AP says. "The president has invited Barry Rand, head of the senior citizens' advocacy group AARP, to appear with him." 
 
He will also "sign the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act. The law allows the Food and Drug Administration to reduce nicotine in tobacco products, ban candy flavorings and block labels such as 'low tar' and 'light.'"

USA Today looks at the idea of a health-care exchange, which would offer a wide range of health insurance plans. "Options include one national exchange or many on a state or regional basis. An exchange could be operated by the government or an independent agency. It could administer federal subsidies to low-income people. It could collect fees required from employers who don't provide health insurance to their workers. It could be open to all comers or exclude large employers and others with insurance already. Those are the details being debated, but proponents say one thing is certain: An exchange, coupled with changes in the insurance market, would increase availability and cut costs for people who don't get health insurance through their employers."

Video: Team Obama has suffered through a tough week with criticism from the left and the right; a drop in the polls and new questions surrounding whether the president's health care plan can get done. A Hardball panel discusses.

The Washington Post front-pages the political-economic situation for Obama if unemployment reaches 10% by the end of the year. "The likelihood of severe unemployment extending into the 2010 midterm elections and beyond poses a significant political hurdle to President Obama and congressional Democrats, who are already under fire for what critics label profligate spending. Continuing high unemployment rates would undercut the fundamental argument behind much of that spending: the promise that it will create new jobs and improve the prospects of working Americans, which Obama has called the ultimate measure of a healthy economy."

Video: NBC's Chuck Todd and Fortune magazine's Nina Easton discuss the size of President Obama's political agenda with NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the Press."

Big-city mayors are complaining that the stimulus is disproportionately helping smaller communities at the expense of bigger ones, the L.A. Times notes. "Mayors contend the stimulus relies too heavily on long-standing government formulas that make states the primary conduit for the cash. Once the money is funneled to states, governors and legislatures dole it out disproportionately to rural areas that have amassed political clout."

The New York Times looks at how the Obama White House hasn't lived up to its pledge about posting legislation five days before he would sign it into law. "Now, in a tacit acknowledgment that the campaign pledge was easier to make than to fulfill, the White House is changing its terms. Instead of starting the five-day clock when Congress passes a bill, administration officials say they intend to start it earlier and post the bills sooner."

"Emboldened by polls that show public backing for a government health insurance plan, Democrats are moving to make it a politically defining issue in the debate over the future of medical care." Chuck Schumer to the AP: "I don't think I could say with a straight face that this (co-op proposal) is at all close to a nationwide public option. Right now, this co-op idea doesn't come close to satisfying anyone who wants a public plan."

Despite the NBC/Wall Street Journal and CBS/New York Times polls showing 72%-76% of Americans wanting a public option, Republicans push back and say many are unaware of the details of what a government-run plan are. Once they learn, they won't want it anymore, they argue. And Republicans are more than happy to provide their version of the details.
 
The Boston Globe wraps the health care debate: "Democrats seemed disorganized and shocked as financial analysts slapped surprisingly high price tags on their plans. Republicans jeered when the health committee's incomplete bill weighed in at $1 trillion - to insure a relatively paltry 16 million people." But the argument, it writes, seems to be shifting again toward the public vs. private back and forth.

Video: Former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., and former Sen. Fred Thompson, R-Tenn., discuss President Barack Obama's approach to reforming the U.S. health care industry with NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the Press."

USA Today: "Lawmakers and businesses are calling for expansion of a tax credit for first-time home buyers that has helped spark home sales in an otherwise dismal real estate market. With the tax credit scheduled to expire in fall, some business groups say the amount of the credit, now capped at $8,000, should be raised to $15,000 and applied to anyone who buys a home."

The Washington Post profiles Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, saying the GOP leader has worked to persuade his colleagues to "pick targeted, potentially winnable fights against the Democrats… McConnell helped orchestrate one of the Republicans' most convincing victories of the year: a 90 to 6 vote rejecting Obama's plan to start closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and to move some of the detainees to U.S. soil. McConnell delivered the same speech on the Senate floor day after day during April and May, attacking the proposal and saying Obama had no idea how to implement it."

What else is on tap this week? "House and Senate lawmakers this week will begin digging into the specifics of the Obama administration's plan to overhaul the financial system," The Hill reports.

Sotomayor resigned her membership in that all-women's club after Republicans had made an issue of it.

The New York Times writes about Sotomayor's ties to José A. Cabranes, who also sits on the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals. Sotomayor, the paper says, "has acknowledged many other mentors: a debate coach who recruited her to Princeton, a law firm partner who pushed her to seek a judgeship, a pioneering female judge who bonded with her over a shared disdain for any hint of philosophizing from the bench. Judge Cabranes, though, has played a singular variety of roles — guide, role model, patron and foil."

After his admitted affair, John Ensign's favorability rating has taken a hit: It now stands at 39% favorable, 37% unfavorable, per a Mason-Dixon poll conducted by the Las Vegas Journal Review. His fav is down 14 points and his unfav is up 19 points from the same poll conducted a month ago. But it's not all bad news for Ensign. "[M]ore than six in 10 Nevadans do not think Ensign should resign," The Hill reports.

Video: More details are coming out since Sen. John Ensign, R-NV, revealed he had an extra-marital affair. Rachel Maddow is joined by Daily Beast contributor Mark McKinnon.

Ensign will be back on Capitol Hill today. 
 
Eric Cantor, in an interview with Roll Call: "'America by November 2010 will want a check and a balance on [Democrats'] unfettered power.' Cantor insisted that Republicans cans regain the majority in 2010, despite going into the election cycle with a double-digit seat deficit in the House. To do so, the party must reach out to demographics that are traditionally Democratic strongholds, such Hispanics and college students, he said." (Easier said than done, right?). More: "He brushed off the suggestions that inflammatory comments made by conservatives such as former Vice President Dick Cheney and talk-show host Rush Limbaugh could hurt this effort. 'Our party is one that should include a lot of different people and a lot of different personalities,' he said. 'Just like Ronald Reagan would have never excluded anyone from the party.'"

May reports were due in Saturday. On the Senate side, the NRSC outraised Democrats in May slightly (but got a $1 million transfer from the RNC), Roll Call reports. The NRSC raised about $4.5 million, $3.7 million on hand and no debt; the DSCC took in about $3.5 million, had $4 million on hand, but was operating with $4.2 million in debt.
 
House Democrats raised about $3.4 million in May, spent $2.5 million, have about $5 million cash on hand and more than $6.6 million in debt; the NRCC took in more than $3.2 million (including $1 million also from the RNC), spent $3.2 million, have about $3.7 million on hand and have $4 million in debt.