From NBC's Mark Murray and Ali Weinberg
In an extraordinary, hour-long conference call, Virginia Republican gubernatorial nominee Bob McDonnell said he repudiated some of the words he wrote in his now-controversial 1989 Regent University graduate thesis -- including writing that feminism was an enemy to the traditional family and criticizing contraception for unmarried couples.

"Since 1989, my views on a number of things have changed," he told reporters on the call. "I am fully supportive of women working in the workplace. My wife works, my daughters work."

He also said on the call that he "fully" supports "equal pay for men and women," and said he would "do nothing" to change the state's laws on contraception.

Although admitting that his views have changed, McDonnell took issue with opponent Creigh Deeds' campaign in raising his 1989 thesis as a campaign issue. He said Deeds "continues to focus on divisive issues," as well as "former presidents, former governors and decades-old term papers," while McDonnell is focusing on issues like jobs, transportation, and energy.

"I think it's unfortunate, but not completely surprising, ... that he would turn to the divisive social issues to generate" enthusiasm for a campaign that's currently trailing in the polls.

And McDonnell said he was insulted that Deeds doesn't think he supports working women -- several times citing his daughter who served in Iraq. "I am insulted by Sen. Deeds that I somehow don't support working women or women in the workplace."

Deeds senior adviser Mo Elleithee issued this response to McDonnell's conference call: "Despite Bob McDonnell's stunning repudiation of his own agenda and 20 year legislative record, he still hasn't answered the simple questions that were posed to him repeatedly.  What positions has he changed his mind about, when did he change them, and why?"

Elleithee added, "The fact is for 20 years, Bob McDonnell has promoted a social agenda that is outside of the mainstream.  It's what he wrote his thesis about, and it's how he's legislated. He just hoped no one would notice while he was running for governor."

In his conference call, McDonnell spent at least 45 minutes fielding tough questions from reporters. One asked -- citing McDonnell's Catholic faith -- why he opposed abortion but supported the death penalty. "I have struggled with that," he replied.

Saying that he takes "no pleasure in it" and "no comfort in it," McDonnell added, "I believe it was ... the proper duty of the government, in limited circumstances, to mete out capital punishment."

To McDonnell's point that the opinions he laid out in his thesis have changed over the past 20 years, one reporter pointed out that McDonnell was 34 years old at the time he wrote it, and that "it was the '80s and not the '50s." She asked how voters were supposed to know whether his beliefs had truly changed, despite his being a grown man when he wrote the paper.
 
Another question followed on McDonnell's assertion that his views have been shaped by his real-world experiences over the past 20 years -- whether any personal relationships McDonnell had with gay people had informed his views on same-sex marriage. McDonnell said his beliefs against same-sex marriage had not changed, though "any other normal civil liberties should be fully protected" for gay couples.

From NBC's Courtney Kube and Jim Miklaszewski
August has been the deadliest month for the U.S. military in the entire Afghanistan war.

As of this afternoon, 51 American servicemembers have been killed in Afghanistan this month. That breaks the previous record set only last month when 45 Americans were killed in July.

With four months to go, this is also already a record year for American casualties in Afghanistan -- 182 U.S. servicemembers have been killed so far this year, compared to last year's 155.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
It's getting nasty in New Jersey.

In addition to the Corzine ad we wrote about earlier today, the AFL-CIO is dropping some really tough mailers against Christie, one of which shows a house with the door broken into with the phrase: "Don't let Christie take everything you've worked hard for."

The other shows a meat cleaver that's been dropped on a cutting board. The headline: "Christie's cuts." It accuses Christie of wanting to cut jobs, health care and pensions.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick set a date of Jan. 19th for the special election to replace the late Sen. Ted Kennedy.

He also urged that the state legislature change the law to allow the governor to create a temporary appointee until that special election.

Also, Patrick said he had spoken with Vicki Kennedy, Ted Kennedy's widow, and that she is not interested in being her husband's replacement. 

And mark your calendars, On Sept. 9th, a joint Massachusetts legislative committee will consider the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's request that the state change its law and appoint a senator before a potential special election to replace him. 
 
The Boston Globe: "The House and Senate chairmen of the Joint Committee on Election Laws announced today they have moved the hearing date from early October to Sept. 9. The House and Senate, which are in summer recess, do not return in full formal session until next week. The bill could come to the floor of both the House and Senate within days after the hearing."

From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski and Courtney Kube
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is on the road today in Texas, and said he hasn't seen the report by Gen. Stanley McChrystal on Afghanistan -- but will see it in the next day or two.

Over the past few months, McChrystal has pretty much laid out what he thinks needs to be done in Afghanistan, but Gates said he had a couple additional questions he wanted the general to answer.

Strategy assessment
"There is no question we have a tough fight ahead of us in Afghanistan, a lot of challenges. By the same token, I think a lot of positive things have been happening -- in terms of getting more American troops into place, there are more European and partner troops in place now, 37,000 partner-nation troops in Afghanistan. The elections took place in a country torn by war for more than 30 years. The fact those elections were able to take place I think is an important thing."

Casualties
"The fact that we're going into areas where the Taliban have basically been unchallenged for a number of years means that are casualties are going to be higher. I am concerned we haven't discussed this with respect to the assessment. But I am concerned about getting assets into Afghanistan to help us deal with the IED problem. I expect the all-terrain MRAP (Mine Resistant Ambush Protected) will begin flowing into Afghanistan in October, and we are in the process of putting significant intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in there as well. It worked well for us in Iraq in dealing with the IED problem and we're all hoping it will help us in Afghanistan as well."

Overall assessment
"While there's a lot of gloom and doom going around, I think Gen. McChrystal's assessment will be a realistic one and set for the challenges we have in front of us. At the same time, I think we have some assets in place and developments that hold promise."

More U.S. troops?
Gates said he has not seen any request for additional American troops from McChrystal.  President Obama authorized sending an additional 21,000 U.S. forces into Afghanistan this year. So far, about 16,000 have gone and another 5,000 remain to be sent -- which would bring the total number to 68,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

"We have been very explicit that Gen. McChrystal should be forthright in telling us what he needs in order to accomplish the mission he has been given. We will look at his assessment and then look at the resource recommendations that me makes. I think there are larger issues. I have expressed some concerns in the past about the size of the footprint, the size of the foreign military footprint in Afghanistan. And, clearly, I want to address those issues. We will have to look at the availability of forces, the cost, a lot of different thing we'll have to look at once we get his recommendations before we make any recommendations to the president."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The race in New Jersey has shifted a bit in recent weeks with revelations of Republican Chris Christie's undisclosed loan to a subordinate as well as the issue over those traffic tickets.

Now, the Corzine campaign looks to capitalize on those with a broadcast and cable TV buy in Philadelphia and New York. The ad is called "Required."

[YouTube:1D76ZKQs0QM]

"We are going every day from now until the election to explain to NJ residents the very clear choice between candidates," Corzine adviser Sean Darcy tells First Read. "There is a lot of work to be done, but we certainly intend to explain in great detail the significant accomplishments Governor Corzine has, while also letting voters know what a vote for either candidate means for the state's long-term future."

And in case you're wondering (as we were) if the Corzine campaign deliberately used the most unflattering photos of Christie, Darcy said, "We didn't go out of our way for any particular footage. The shots used are pretty standard with regard to Christie's appearance. We are generally barred from going into his open public events, so we have to make do with what we get outside."

From NBC's Mark Murray
As expected, the Deeds campaign has pounced on yesterday's front-page Washington Post story on Bob McDonnell's 1989 graduate thesis at Pat Robertson's Regent University -- which called feminism an enemy to the traditional family; said government policy should benefit married couples over "cohabitators, homosexuals, or fornicators"; and criticized a Supreme Court ruling legalizing contraception for unmarried couples.

In a conference call with reporters, Deeds strategist Mo Elleithee called the thesis "devastating," arguing that it had the potential to change the dynamics of a race that McDonnell is currently leading according to polls. "It shows just how out of the mainstream he is," Elleithee said. "He is out of touch with most Virginians."

Asked how McDonnell's thesis, which he wrote when he was 34, was any different from Jim Webb's (D) controversial writings about women -- which became fodder during the 2006 Webb-Allen Senate race -- Elleithee responded that the thesis turned out to serve as a "blueprint" for how McDonnell governed in Virginia as a state legislator.

Indeed, the Deeds camp said McDonnell opposed child care in Virginia legislature; he opposed pay-equity laws; and he sponsored or co-sponsored numerous pieces of legislation restricting abortion rights.

"This paper laid out, very specifically, his vision for the role of government," Elleithee said. "This is who Bob McDonnell is. This is how he has governed."

The McDonnell camp says it will be holding its own conference call at 3:00 pm ET. 

From NBC's Mark Murray
Earlier today, we mentioned how Bob McDonnell's (R) graduate thesis at Pat Robertson's Regent University has become political fodder in Virginia's gubernatorial contest.

Now, courtesy of CBN's David Brody, we learn that Pat Robertson, 79, underwent successful heart surgery.

"The Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) announced today that its founder and Chairman, Pat Robertson, has returned home after extensive heart surgery at FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, NC. Mr. Robertson has suffered a condition known as atrial fibrillation, an often-debilitating heart disorder involving shortness of breath and weakness affecting an estimated five million Americans... Robertson said, 'Only the prayers of thousands of believing people kept me on this earth. As it is, I anticipate many more years of creative service in the ministry I founded (CBN), as well as Regent University and other endeavors devoted to the service of mankind.  I cannot praise enough the dedication and professionalism of Dr. Andy Kiser and his staff who removed this growth from my continuously beating heart."

CBN also notes that Robertson is expected to return to hosting his "700 Club" in weeks.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Back to health care: Anyone who has followed American politics over the past two years knows that Barack Obama has faced his fair share of challenges. Hillary Clinton. Jeremiah Wright. John McCain. Sarah Palin. Bill Ayers. Even the tax issues that helped sink his original HHS pick, Tom Daschle. And almost every time, he defeated or side-stepped those political dragons through his oratory and communication skills. But as he returns to Washington (although remains on a working vacation this week) and after Ted Kennedy was laid to rest on Saturday, President Obama has found so far that his communication skills -- just how many press conferences and media avails did he have this summer? -- haven't really worked on the tricky issue of health-care reform. His poll numbers have declined; House Blue Dog Democrats are hesitant; most Republicans aren't willing to cut any kind of deal; liberals have made the politically difficult public option the end-all, be-all of reform; and Max Baucus' Senate Finance Committee still hasn't produced a bill. In short, it was a brutal summer for the president; no wonder this week is still being called a "vacation" week by the White House.

*** Getting something done: But health care's fate will be decided this fall. And the smart C.W. is that reform will pass this year, although what that reform entails is anyone's guess. As John Harwood of CNBC and the New York Times writes, "…President Obama still has stronger prospects for achieving his health policy goals than surface impressions of the congressional recess indicate. He lags behind his own timetable for action, but remains ahead of presidential predecessors who pursued the same objective… 'They'll get something done,' predicted former Senator John B. Breaux of Louisiana, a Democrat… 'It'll be a major step.'" Yet getting something done increasingly looks like it will happen via reconciliation, which would require a simple majority in the Senate versus a filibuster-proof majority. And it also looks like it will get done without much help from Republicans. Chuck Grassley's recent comments, as well as Mike Enzi's weekend GOP radio address, really don't suggest that these guys are negotiating in good faith. But ask yourself this question: Do voters ever remember HOW legislation is passed, or do they simply remember if policy is enacted or NOT enacted? 

*** Filling Kennedy's seat: Getting something done also might require Democrats to get that 60th Senate vote back -- to make up for any Democratic defections. So filling Kennedy's seat quickly has become a priority for Democrats. As we pointed out last week, with Massachusetts Democrats holding nearly 90% of the House and Senate seats in its Legislature, they can certainly change the state's succession law. Here's one other development: Chris Dodd, Kennedy's closest friend in the Senate, is already talking up the possibility of Vicki Kennedy, who has earlier suggested that she isn't interested. "Whatever Vicki wants to do, I'm in her corner," Dodd said on Sunday. "She brings talent and ability to it, and to fill that spot I think is something the people of Massachusetts would welcome. We could certainly use her in the Senate." 

*** Naming names: So expect some public maneuverings this week. Whatever is changed in the Massachusetts law, it will ONLY affect the ability of the governor to appoint an INTERIM senator; the special election process will still happen in early January 2010. While many in Washington are pondering a Kennedy getting in (either Vicki or Joe), keep an eye on Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley. She could become the Emily's List candidate and raise a slew of money fast and could end up being – in a jumbled primary -- the frontrunner, unless Vicki decides to run. By the way, should the last Kennedy of her generation -- Jean Kennedy Smith -- be the no-brainer idea for an interim? 

*** Turning to Afghanistan: Of course, there are TWO items on the president's to-do list in September which could have a BIG impact on the trajectory of his presidency: 1) figuring out a legislative path to victory on health care and 2) deciding how many -- if any -- troops to send to Afghanistan. Part of the report is now in, per the BBC: "The report has yet not been published, but sources say Gen McChrystal sees protecting the Afghan people against the Taliban as the top priority. The report does not carry a direct call for increasing troop numbers. 'The situation in Afghanistan is serious, but success is achievable and demands a revised implementation strategy, commitment and resolve, and increased unity of effort,' Gen McChrystal said in the assessment. Copies of the document have been sent to Nato Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and US Defence Secretary Robert Gates." Interestingly, how he proceeds on both health care and Afghanistan is as much a test of the loyalty of the Democratic base as it is about garnering the approval of the middle. 

*** What about Bob? One of the ironies of the Creigh Deeds-Bob McDonnell gubernatorial contest in Virginia is how it's been the Democrat talking about social issues like abortion, while the Republican has been mostly silent -- which has surprised those who have followed McDonnell's career. But that might now change after Sunday's Washington Post reported on McDonnell's 1989 graduate thesis at Pat Robertson's Regent University, in which he called feminism an enemy to the traditional family; said government policy should benefit married couples over "cohabitators, homosexuals, or fornicators"; and described a Supreme Court ruling legalizing contraception for unmarried couples as "illogical." The Deeds folks believe that highlighting McDonnell's social issues will help them with the two groups that McDonnell is doing fairly well with: independents and Northern Virginia voters.

*** How does McDonnell respond? McDonnell had to know this was coming, right? He gave this statement to the Post: "Virginians will judge me on my 18-year record as a legislator and Attorney General and the specific plans I have laid out for our future -- not on a decades-old academic paper I wrote as a student during the Reagan era and haven't thought about in years." More: "Like everybody, my views on many issues have changed as I have gotten older." Back in 2005, Tim Kaine knew the Republicans were going to seize on his past opposition to the death penalty. How he responded to the attack -- by invoking his Catholic faith -- helped him win that gubernatorial contest. Make no mistake, this Post story is going to polarize the electorate and fire up both bases, which is precisely what the Deeds camp needs in a state Obama won by seven percentage points. And while McDonnell's path to victory is about cutting Deeds' likely advantages in Northern Virginia, this story -- depending on how Deeds USES it -- is an opportunity for him to consolidate his base up North. But don't underestimate the ability of this story to fire up McDonnell's base. And it's a tradition in Virginia for the Washington Post to become a bogeyman, and this story could bring about some intense Post-bashing by conservatives.

*** The danger of being the favorite: With this story, and with Jon Corzine having perhaps his two best weeks (as revelations about Chris Christie's loans and traffic tickets have surfaced), we are beginning to see the prospect that Democrats could very well win one of these two gubernatorial races this year -- which would be a significant blow to Republicans who would love to sweep the two blue state races and use it as a recruiting and fundraising tool for 2010. Don't get us wrong: The GOP should still be considered favored to win both contests. But one of the pitfalls of being the favorite is that a loss becomes MUCH more painful than if you started out as the underdog. Election Day 2009, by the way, is just a little more than two months from now…

*** Another controversial appointment: Charlie Crist's decision on Friday to appoint his former chief of staff and campaign manager, George LeMieux, to fill Mel Martinez's Senate seat wasn't that surprising given that Crist is running for that very seat next year. Nevertheless, the move has allowed Democrats and primary opponent Marco Rubio to criticize the appointment as cronyism. Of course, as we've witnessed over the past several months, Democrats have had their fair share of controversial Senate appointments, too -- Roland Burris in Illinois, Michael Bennet in Colorado (who might now receive a primary challenge from Andrew Romanoff), Kirsten Gillibrand in New York, and Ted Kaufman in Delaware (which might be the most analogous appointment to the LeMieux's and which makes Democratic attacks on Crist a bit more disingenuous).

*** Wrangling over Rangel: Also last week, the press reported that powerful House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D) failed to disclose up to $500,000 in assets in 2007. Sorry, but how do you defend this? While she will have A LOT on her plate when Congress comes back next week, how Nancy Pelosi deals with Rangel and these revelations will be a real test for the Democratic speaker. Can Rangel stay a credible player in the health-care debate with this drip-drip hanging over his head? 

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 64 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 428 days

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On FOX yesterday, Cheney said of Attorney General Holder's decision to open up investigations into some CIA detainee abuses, "I think it's a terrible decision. President Obama made the announcement some weeks ago that this would not happen, that his administration would not go back and look at or try to prosecute CIA personnel. ... We had a track record now of eight years of defending the nation against any further mass casualty attacks from al Qaeda," Cheney said. "The approach of the Obama administration should be to come to those people who were involved in that policy and say, 'How did you do it? What were the keys to keeping this country safe over that period of time?'"

The New York Times: "Mr. Cheney described the inquiry as an 'intensely partisan, politicized look back at the prior administration' intended to placate the left wing of the Democratic Party. 'It's clearly a political move,' he said. 'I mean, there's no other rationale for why they're doing this.'" 

The AP previews Obama's fall lineup. "Back from his first presidential vacation, a break truncated by the death and remembrance of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy and the nomination of the Federal Reserve chief to a new term, Obama settles back into the Oval Office well aware his approval ratings have fallen. He now must spend heavily from that shrinking fund of political capital -- with a highly uncertain outcome -- if his vision of a health care overhaul is to emerge from Congress."

Good news from the CBO? "Medicare beneficiaries would often have to pay higher premiums for prescription drug coverage, but many would see their total drug spending decline, so they would save money as a result of health legislation moving through the House, the Congressional Budget Office said in a recent report," the New York Times says. 

Meanwhile, "Fewer Americans are afraid that they will be unable to pay for healthcare services and fewer expect to postpone medical treatments due to costs, according to a Thomson Reuters survey published on Monday. Researchers found a steady increase in people's confidence about their ability to pay for healthcare services -- it rose 12 percent between March and July this year."

Over the weekend, "Al Gore and Bill Clinton -- ghosts of Democratic victories past who are increasingly showing up to buck up the faithful as President Obama goes through his first real trials in office -- were the star guests at the Tennessee Democratic Party's annual Jackson Day dinner."

The Washington Post writes that environmental groups have gotten out-worked so far in the debate over the energy legislation. "It seems that environmentalists are struggling in a fight they have spent years setting up. They are making slow progress adapting a movement built for other goals -- building alarm over climate change, encouraging people to "green" their lives -- into a political hammer, pushing a complex proposal the last mile through a skeptical Senate." 

And… Joe Biden was inducted into the Little League Hall of Fame on Sunday. "Biden isn't the first vice president inducted into the hall. Dan Quayle was inducted in 1990. Other inductees include President George W. Bush, Gen. Peter Pace, New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, former Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), columnist George Will, actor Kevin Costner and rock star Bruce Springsteen."

The Boston Globe writes, "With Massachusetts having paid its final respects to Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the politics of succession begins in earnest this week -- candidates will emerge, a race will take shape, and the Kennedy clan will have to reveal whether it wants to keep the seat in the family. All eyes now are on Joseph P. Kennedy II, the former US representative, with family members and political allies expecting him to make a decision very shortly on whether to enter the Democratic primary. No other Kennedy of his generation with the political stature to step into the role has signaled interest in it, according to Democratic insiders and people close to the family. And Victoria Reggie Kennedy, the senator's widow, who many expected would be a likely candidate, so far has indicated she is not interested in succeeding her husband, those close her have said."

More: "Joe Kennedy's decision is likely to determine the plans of the dean of the Massachusetts congressional delegation, US Representative Edward J. Markey, who is telling associates he is seriously considering running, and US Representative Michael Capuano, a Somerville Democrat who is also thinking of joining the primary race. Both are Kennedy loyalists and would not run against a member of the family, according to people familiar with their thinking, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal political calculations." Other possibilities: Attorney General Martha Coakley, Rep. Stephen F. Lynch, Edward Kennedy Jr. Republicans: Kerry Healey, state Sen. Scott Brown, and former U.S. attorney Michael Sullivan. 

"Senators Orrin G. Hatch, Republican of Utah, and Chris Dodd, Democrat of Connecticut, said on CNN's 'State of the Union' that they could support Kennedy's widow, Victoria Reggie Kennedy, as an interim senator if Massachusetts lawmakers allow a temporary appointment before a special election." 

"At the graveside service at Arlington National Cemetery for Senator Edward M. Kennedy, Theodore Cardinal McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C. and a family friend, read portions of the letter that President Obama delivered on Kennedy's behalf to the Pope last month and portions of the pope's reply." 

"Massachusetts lawmakers are beginning to rally behind a plan that would allow for a special appointment to fill the late Sen. Edward Kennedy's (D) seat, allowing the Democratic caucus to maintain a critical vote margin as the Senate takes up major health care and energy reform… Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is pushing for an appointment as well, citing the upper chamber's busy workload."

A Wall St. tax? "The nation's largest labor union and some allied Democrats are pushing a new tax that would hit big investment firms such as Goldman Sachs reaping billions of dollars in profits while the rest of the economy sputters. The AFL-CIO, one of the Democratic Party's most powerful allies, would like to assess a small tax -- about a tenth of a percent -- on every stock transaction. Small and medium-sized investors would hardly notice such a tax, but major trading firms, such as Goldman, which reported $3.44 billion in profits during the second quarter of 2009, may see this as a significant threat to their profits."

Reuters: "U.S. Representative Barney Frank, chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, hopes to craft a compromise bill with lawmakers who want to open Federal Reserve monetary policy decisions to audits. A bill sponsored by Texas Republican Representative Ron Paul that would allow the Government Accountability Office, a congressional watchdog agency, to audit Fed interest-rate decisions has won the cosponsorship of more than half of the House."

"With four appointed Senators seated and at least one, if not two more, on the way, a growing number of unelected officials are going to have a significant voice in major legislation in the 111th Congress. But even though six appointed Senators is nowhere near the most to ever serve together, it would be the largest number in more than 40 years… Six appointed Senators would be the most since 1961-1962, when seven appointed Senators served in the 87th Congress… Thirteen appointed Senators served in the 79th Congress, spanning 1945-1946, which is the largest number, according to the Senate Historical Office. Ten appointed Senators served in both the 65th (1917-1918) and 83rd (1953-1954) Congresses. In the first half of the 20th century, appointed Senators were much more common, with an average of six from 1913 through 1954. Between the six appointed Senators in the 87th Congress and this 111th Congress, the average number of appointed Senators in a Congress has been two. Part of the reason is that the chamber is growing younger."

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Sen. John McCain will travel to Kansas City today for a health-care discussion at Children's Mercy Hospital. The event is hosted by Sen. Kit Bond. This will be the second McConnell-McCain health-reform event after visiting Houston's M.D. Anderson earlier this summer with Sen. John Cornyn. Later this week, McConnell and McCain will also travel to North Carolina and Florida.

Al Hunt writes about Tim Pawlenty. "He doesn't excite Republican passions like Sarah Palin, or bring the intellectual range of Newt Gingrich, the down-home humor of Mike Huckabee or the resources of Mitt Romney. He also brings none of their baggage, has a consistently conservative record, presents his views in a less-confrontational and more measured way, and has succeeded in a Democratic state." 

"Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Monday people "are hyperventilating" about his assertion that politics played a role in talk of raising the terror alert before the 2004 elections. 'A consensus was reached. We didn't go up. The process worked,' Ridge said in an interview on ABC's 'Good Morning America.' The former Pennsylvania governor, however, did not take back the statement in his new book, 'The Test of Our Times: America Under Siege,' that he worried at the time that politics was a consideration in discussions among high-level officials about whether to raise the color-coded terror alert to a higher level. He acknowledged there was a lively debate about it, but repeated that it was not done, and thus not an issue."

FLORIDA: Charlie Crist has decided to appoint his former chief of staff, George LeMieux, to replace Sen. Mel Martinez in the U.S. Senate. "At 40 years old LeMieux will become the youngest Senator in the chamber when he is sworn in… A Crist loyalist, LeMieux ran the governor's 2006 campaign and emerged last week as a top contender for the appointment out of a field that eventually included 10 names."

IDAHO: The New York Daily News: "Rex Rammell, a long-shot candidate slated to run against incumbent C.L. 'Butch' Otter in the May 2010 GOP primary [in Idaho], made the comment at a Republican rally Tuesday in Twin Falls where talk turned to the state's planned wolf hunt, for which hunters must purchase an $11.50 wolf tag. The hunt is due to begin on Tuesday. When an audience member shouted a question about 'Obama tags,' Rammell responded, 'The Obama tags? We'd buy some of those.'" He told AP: "What I would say to all my Democrat Idahoans: Take a deep breath and relax," he said. "We're not going to go out and hunt Obama." He also told the Times-News newspaper, "I would never support him being assassinated."

NEW JERSEY: Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty will campaign for New Jersey Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie next week. Pawlenty, who is thought to be considering running for president in 2012, said he will base his decision in part on whether "the message that I'm conveying, both here and nationally, [is] making a difference."

SOUTH CAROLINA: To mark 500 days until the term for embattled Gov. Mark Sanford (R), Dwight Drake -- one of the Democrats running for South Carolina governor in 2010 -- has produced a Web video entitled, "(500) Days of Sanford," a spoof of the indie film "(500) Days of Summer."

VIRGINIA: Twenty years after Republican gubernatorial nominee wrote a thesis on "harmful social impact of working women, feminists and nontraditional families" and other social issues, the paper has resurfaced as a political rallying point for both McDonnell's supporters and opponents. In the thesis, McDonnell wrote, "Every level of government should statutorily and procedurally prefer married couples over cohabitators, homosexuals or fornicators. The cost of sin should fall on the sinner, not the taxpayer." Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds called the paper "a window into archconservative values that belie the moderate image McDonnell has tried to portray." Gary C. Byler, the Republican chairman of a Virginia congressional district, said, "if this is the best they can come up with it just shows how desperate the Democrats are." Larry Sabato, political science director at the University of Virginia, said the impact of the thesis on both nominees' campaigns is still unclear. "It's a piece of the mosaic that is created prior to Election Day," Sabato said. "The only question is how big a piece, and that's up to the candidates."

From NBC's Ali Weinberg
Is the New Jersey gubernatorial race getting tighter? It is, according to a new Democratic poll. The new survey -- conducted for Stan Greenberg's and James Carville's Democracy Corps -- found that Gov. Jon Corzine (D) now trails his Republican challenger Chris Christie by two points, 43%-41%, compared with Christie's five-point lead two weeks ago. http://www.gqrr.com/index.php?ID=2383

Meanwhile, the ad war is picking up steam in Virginia. Here is Creigh Deeds' (D) TV ad that plays the Bush card against Bob McDonnell (R).

[Youtube:hpjw-1wnZCw]

And here is an advertisement the Republican Governors Association is running against Deeds.

[Youtube:HQKcLxHfG4g]

From NBC's Mark Murray
First Read has confirmed that Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (R) has chosen George LeMieux to fill Mel Martinez's (R) Senate seat.

The pick of LeMieux -- who had formerly served as Crist's campaign manager in 2006 and then Crist's chief of staff -- is the clearest sign yet that this person would be a caretaker of the Senate seat, which Crist is running for next year.

Crist is competing in a GOP primary against Marco Rubio. Florida Rep. Kendrick Meek is running on the Democratic side.

Martinez, who announced that he was stepping down from his Senate seat a few weeks ago, just released this statement: "I congratulate George LeMieux for being appointed by the governor to fill the remainder of my term. George is bright, capable, and an accomplished
administrator. My staff and I stand ready to ensure a smooth transition."

*** UPDATE *** Democrats are seizing on Crist's selection of LeMieux as an example of cronyism.

Here's this statement from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee: "Charlie Crist came as close as he could to appointing himself to this position. At a time when so many Floridians are unemployed, and many others facing foreclosures, we have learned nothing is beyond the pale for Charlie Crist. Today marked another Charlie Crist choice that significantly impacts the state of Florida but is ultimately about promoting himself."

And here's the Florida Democratic Party: "Today, Charlie Crist decided to play political games with the public's trust by appointing George LeMieux to the U.S. Senate. This glaring example of political cronyism is the last thing Florida needed while we face these tough economic times and the Congress is tackling critical issues such as health insurance reform and global warming."

From NBC's Mark Murray
With the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina coming up tomorrow, the AP has a story in which Republicans are praising the Obama administration's FEMA team and efforts to rebuild the Gulf Coast.

"Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., says Obama's team has brought a more practical and flexible approach. Many local officials offer similar reviews. Even Doug O'Dell, former President George W. Bush's recovery coordinator, says the Obama administration's "new vision" appears to be turning things around. Not too long ago, Jindal said in a telephone interview, Louisiana governors didn't have 'very many positive things' to say about the Federal Emergency Management Agency."

"But Jindal said he had a lot of respect for the current FEMA chief, Craig Fugate, and his team. 'There is a sense of momentum and a desire to get things done,' the governor said. Added O'Dell: 'I think the results are self-evident.'"

Of course, it's still REALLY early, and Team Obama has yet to deal with a real hurricane hitting the United States...

From NBC's Mark Murray
Sen. Ted Kennedy today lies in repose at the John F. Kennedy Library until 3:00 pm ET. In the evening, a private memorial service will take place, and speakers will include Vice President Joe Biden; Sens. Chris Dodd, Orrin Hatch, John Kerry and John McCain; and Caroline Kennedy and Joseph P. Kennedy II.

On Saturday, there will be a Mass at which President Obama will speak. After that, Sen. Kennedy's body will travel to the U.S. Capitol and finally Arlington National Cemetery, where he will rest alongside brothers John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.   

The Boston Globe says that Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin has presented Gov. Deval Patrick with two dates for a special election to fill Kennedy's Senate seat -- Jan. 19 or Jan 26. "Under the schedule set by state law, a Jan. 19 election would require a Dec. 8 primary; a Jan. 26 election would mean a Dec. 15 primary." The same article notes that former Lt. Gov. Kerry Healey (R), who lost a gubernatorial bid to Patrick in '06, is considering a bid for the seat.

The Washington Times reports that South Carolina Republicans are gathering in Myrtle Beach this weekend to discuss the fate of embattled Gov. Mark Sanford (R) and whether to call a special impeachment session before the Legislature is scheduled to reconvene in January.

This comes as a new Insider Advantage poll finds that half of South Carolina voters want Sanford out of office, Politico writes. "Sanford is actually in a weaker position now than he was in the same poll shortly after he admitted in June to an affair with an Argentine woman, when 49.8 percent of South Carolinians thought the governor should stay, while 41.4 percent said he should resign."

We're waiting for Florida Gov. Charlie Crist to name a temporary replacement to fill Mel Martinez's Senate seat. Per news accounts, the pick is supposed to come at the end of this week.

Here are a couple of new stories emphasizing the challenges that President Obama faces with his health-care reform effort: The New York Times says that conservative Catholic bishops are speaking out against the legislation that's emerging from Capitol Hill, and Bloomberg writes that an "Obama administration plan to cut Medicare payments to heart and cancer doctors by $1.4 billion next year is generating a backlash that's undermining the president's health-care overhaul." 

Finally, a reminder that our usual morning note (including First Thoughts, etc.) will return on Monday.

From NBC's Mark Murray
If Massachusetts Democratic lawmakers want to change their state's succession law to enable a caretaker senator to serve in Kennedy's seat until next winter's special election, they certainly have the math on their side.

Per data from the National Conference of State Legislatures, 89% of the Massachusetts Senate and House is Democratic -- 35 out of 40 senators and 143 out of 160 House members.

Talk about a supermajority...

From NBC's Betsy Cline
In a visit to a seniors wellness center in DC today, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said that passing health care without Sen. Ted Kennedy would "make things more difficult."

Sebelius said the nation is "appropriately consumed by the legacy of Teddy Kennedy," following a meet-and-greet with several senior citizens to promote a new report about the impact of health-care reform on Medicare recipients. She went on to say there has been "no better champion for older Americans than Sen. Kennedy."

In response to a question about the possibility of naming the health legislation after Kennedy, Sebelius said it is more important to actually pass it, though she said it would be an appropriate tribute. But she suggested to those interested in honoring his memory, "it would be best to pass health care."

Sebelius said that as a "recovering legislator" herself, Kennedy had the right mix of principles and deal-making to get things done. "He knew making progress was critically important," she said.

From NBC's Alicia Jennings
Cindy Sheehan and other antiwar activists held a press conference today at the Oak Bluffs School, where the White House press corps is working as its reports on President Obama during his vacation in Martha's Vineyard

Sheehan said that she's opposing Obama the same way she opposed George W. Bush. "The facade has changed but policies remain the same," she told reporters. "Integrity in our movement means we have to do same for Obama as we did for Bush."

"We're here to make the wars unpopular again," she added. "Because if we were right to oppose it under Bush, we're right to oppose it under Obama."

Sheehan continued, "While the Obamas are here on vacation, people are still dying. There's no vacation from body bags. And the families of dead soldiers will never be able to truly enjoy a vacation again.

"Just because he's better than Bush doesn't sell me, because practically everybody in the world is better than Bush."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Over the past couple of months, Senate Republicans have had the recruiting luck (in Florida with Charlie Crist and in Illinois with Mark Kirk), while Democrats haven't (not being able to convince Lisa Madigan to run in Illinois).

But Democrats now have their man in Louisiana -- Rep. Charlie Melancon, who will take on incumbent Sen. David Vitter (R) next year. Today, Melancon made it official in a statement and video: "... I'm announcing my candidacy for the US Senate to replace David Vitter, because Louisiana deserves better. Louisiana needs a different approach in Washington, DC. More bi-partisan. More disciplined. More honest and with a whole lot more common sense."

Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Bob Menendez celebrated the news in a statement. "I have every confidence that Charlie Melancon will run a strong campaign," he said. "And by next November, voters will want him serving as an independent voice for Louisiana in the United State Senate."

The National Republican Senatorial Committee countered, "Whether he's championing President Obama's bloated spending agenda, supporting the Democrats' job-killing card check legislation, or voting hand-in-hand with Speaker Pelosi 93 percent of the time in 2008, Charlie Melancon has clearly demonstrated that he is not in touch with the issues that are important to the people of Louisiana."

From NBC's Mark Murray
NPR's Steve Inskeep conducted an aggressive interview with RNC Chairman Michael Steele on the health-care debate and the role of government in health care. Listen to it here, or check out this exchange below, per NPR's blog:

STEELE: Sure there are issues in the insurance market that we could regulate a little better and that we can control better to maximize the benefits to consumers. That's something that, yeah, we can rightly reform and fix.

(Steve pounces)

STEVE: Wait a minute, wait a minute. You would trust the gov-ern-ment (Steve draws out the word for emphasis) to look into that?

STEELE: No, I'm talking about private, I'm talking about citizens, I'm talking about...
(Luckily for Steele, Steve interjects before Steele can finish, giving the RNC chair a little more time to try and escape the logic trap he talked himself into.)

STEVE: Who is it, you said that's something that should be looked into. Who is it that should look into that?

STEELE: Well, who regulate the insurance markets?

STEVE: That would be the government.

STEELE: Wait a minute. Hold up. You're doing a wonderful little dance here and you're trying to be cute but the reality of this is very simple. I'm not saying the government doesn't have a role to play. I've never said that. The government does have a role to play, the government has a very limited role to play.

STEVE: Mr. Chairman, I respect that you feel I'm doing a dance here. (Steele laughs). I just want you to know that as a citizen I'm a little confused by the positions you take because you're giving me a very nice, nuanced position here.

STEELE: It's not nice and nuanced, I'm being very clear...

Also in the interview, Steele told Inskeep this: "No one is trying to scare people with sound bites. I have not done that."

Oh, really? Here's what he said on "Morning Joe" last week: "[T]here's clearly an attempt by at least the House members to put in place a structure that causes concern for the American people in respect to end of life decisions. I think that's a legitimate point. You don't have to call it death panels if you don't want to. You can call it a panel. I call it rationing."

And here's his Washington Post op-ed from Monday: "[W]e need to outlaw any effort to ration health care based on age. Obama has promoted a program of 'comparative effectiveness research' that he claims will be used only to study competing medical treatments. But this program could actually lead to government boards rationing treatments based on age... Obama's government-run health 'reform' would pay for seniors' meetings with a doctor to discuss end-of-life care. While nonthreatening at first, something that is quite normal for a family to do becomes troublesome when the government gets involved. Seniors know that government programs that seem benign at first can become anything but. The government should simply butt out of conversations about end-of-life care and leave them to seniors, their families and their doctors."

From NBC's Ali Weinberg

New Jersey Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie was ticketed in 2005 for speeding, driving an unregistered vehicle and driving without insurance. He was allowed to drive the car home, a New Jersey radio station reported yesterday. 
 
Christie pleaded guilty to some charges and paid a large fine. The speeding fine was reduced and the unregistered vehicle charge was dismissed. A Christie spokeswoman told the radio station that "the fact that Christie was U.S. Attorney did come up."
 
Also in the car were his wife, children and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Michele Brown, who resigned from her post on Tuesday "after Christie's $46,000 loan to her became a campaign issue."

From NBC's Mark Murray
The Kennedy funeral arrangements: At noon ET today, a private family Mass (closed to the public and press) will take place in Hyannis Port, MA. An hour later, the late senator and his family will head to Boston, where Kennedy's body will lie in repose today and tomorrow at the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum (which is open to the public).

Tomorrow night, beginning at 7:00 pm, there will be a memorial service (closed to the public and press) at the Kennedy Library, where Vice President Biden and Sens. John Kerry and John McCain will speak.

On Saturday morning, a funeral Mass (closed to the press and public) will occur at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Basilica, and President Obama will speak there.

Finally, Sen. Kennedy's body will travel to Virginia, where he'll be buried alongside his brothers, John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy.

The New York Times front-pages the momentum that's growing in Massachusetts to appoint a temporary successor to Kennedy. The Legislature reconvenes after Labor Day.

The Boston Globe adds, "Some on Beacon Hill had been initially cool to the idea of allowing for an interim appointment, but Kennedy's death Tuesday, plus personal appeals from influential voices, appear to have shifted the dynamic."

In other news... The AP is reporting that "New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and former high-ranking members of his administration won't be criminally charged in a federal investigation into pay-to-play allegations involving one of his large political donors." 

Another Palin scheduling snafu? Organizers of an Alaska Family Council event were left scrambling after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's office said she wouldn't be speaking at the event -- after the group had been advertising her presence. "It would be at least the fourth time in recent months that an anticipated Palin speech has fallen through after Palin and her camp disputed they had ever confirmed it. That includes the brouhaha over whether she'd speak at the annual congressional Republican fundraising dinner in Washington, D.C., this summer."

In Time magazine, Joe Klein asks: What is the right thing to do in Afghanistan? "It should be remembered that we invaded with cause: the Taliban government was providing safe havens for al-Qaeda, from which the Sept. 11 attacks were launched. Having routed the existing Afghan government, we had a responsibility to restore order. We have bungled that responsibility for eight years... Even if we help the Afghans establish a brilliant government in Kabul, that threat will remain — and it's legitimate to ask whether pouring our resources into Afghan nation-building is the best way to confront al-Qaeda. Unless the new Karzai government quickly changes course, the only reasonable answer is no. The question then becomes, What's Plan B? And is anyone working on that?"

In the Obama administration's effort to sell senior citizens on health-care reform, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius greets seniors, makes brief remarks, and releases a new report, "America's Seniors and Health Insurance Reform: Protecting Coverage and Strengthening Medicare."

Some of the most prominent conservative social groups -- including the Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America -- have formed a new organization, the Freedom Federation, to oppose health-care reform, USA Today writes. 

And it was a year ago today that Barack Obama was nominated as the Democratic Party's presidential candidate. A day later, on Aug. 28, he formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination -- in front of 70,000-80,000 at Invesco Field in Denver.

From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
Here's a timeline of Ted Kennedy's life, as compiled by the NBC Political Unit and the AP. (As always, you can use the space in comments to add other dates of significance if you'd like):

-- Feb. 22, 1932: born youngest of nine children
-- 1951: Left Harvard in after caught cheating on Spanish exam, eventually allowed to rejoin in 1953.
-- June 1954: Graduates Harvard, enrolls at the University of Virginia Law School. (He graduated in 1959.)
-- 1958: Managed his first campaign-JFK's Senate re-election and on Nov. 29, married Virginia Joan Bennett.
-- Nov. 8, 1960: Brother JFK elected president
-- 1962: Runs for and wins brother's U.S. Senate seat. In March, he resigned as Asst DA in Suffolk County, MA., and announced candidacy JFK's seat when he became old enough. (Elected Nov. 6, 1962.)
-- Nov. 22, 1963: JFK assassinated
-- June 19, 1964: Breaks his back in a plane crash and was saved by Sen. Birch Bayh, father of current U.S. Sen. Evan Bayh.
-- Nov. 3, 1964: Brother RFK elected as U.S. Senate from New York. Ted Kennedy won his first full Senate term.
-- 1968: In March, RFK announces candidacy for the presidency. In June, RFK is shot and dies next day after winning the California primary.
- 1969: Chappaquiddick. Drives his Oldsmobile off a bridge and his female passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, drowns. Kennedy escapes. The incident occured after a party for RFK campaign staffers, which included sailing and heavy drinking. Kennedy didn't report the incident for almost 10 hours and later pleaded guilty to the misdeameanor charge of leaving the scene of an accident. He receives a two-month suspended sentence and a year's probation. (On July 25th, he delivers a make-or-break, 13-minute speech addressing Chappaquiddick that many credit with saving his Senate career.) That same year, he campaigned for and became Senate whip.
-- Nov. 3, 1970: Won re-election but lost Senate Whip position
-- 1973: Son, Teddy Jr's right leg is amputated due to bone cancer.
-- Nov. 4, 1979: The infamous Roger Mudd interview in which he couldn't articulate why he wanted to be president.
-- Nov. 7, 1979: Officially announced 1980 presidential run
-- Aug. 12 1980: Withdraws from presidential race in emotional speech at Democratic National Convention
-- Dec. 1982: Announces he will not run for president in 1984 and divorced from Joan.
-- Dec. 19, 1985: Announces he will not run for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination.
- June 11, 1991: A conservative political group files an ethics complaint against Kennedy, alleging that he violated Senate rules by his actions relating to the alleged rape. The Senate Ethics Committee dismisses the complaint.
-- Aug. 30, 1991: Testified at the William Kennedy Smith Florida rape trial. Testifies about taking his nephew and son Patrick to the nightclub where Smith met his accuser.
-- July 3, 1992: Marries Victoria Reggie, a Washington lawyer.
-- Oct. 13, 1994: Senate Ethics Committee dismisses allegations of sexual harassment and drug use.
-- Nov. 1994: Son Patrick Kennedy wins elections as congressman from Rhode Island.
-- July 16, 1999: JFK Jr and his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, and her sister in law Lauren Bessette, die in plane crash in waters off Martha's Vineyard.
-- Jan. 2002: No Child Left Behind becomes law.
-- April 5, 2004: Says Iraq has become "George Bush's Vietnam" and compares him to former President Richard Nixon.
-- May 4, 2006: Son Patrick Kennedy, a Rhode Island congressman, drives his vehicle into a Capitol Hill security barrier. (June 13, Patrick pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of prescription drugs; sentenced to drug treatment and a year's probation)
-- Nov. 7, 2006: Wins an eighth U.S. Senate term.
-- Oct. 12, 2007: Has surgery to clear a partially blocked artery in his neck.
-- 2008: Jan. 28 makes speech endorsing Obama; Suffers seizure on May 17. Diagnosed with brain cancer on May 20; delivers Democratic convention speech on Aug. 25.
-- Jan. 20, 2009: Attends Obama's inauguration as president but collapses at luncheon.
-- Feb. 10, 2009: Last vote cast (stimulus)
-- March 8, 2009: Honored at star-studded musical birthday tribute at Washington's Kennedy Center.
-- Aug. 11, 2009: Sister Eunice Kennedy Shriver, 88, dies.