From NBC's Mark Murray
With Congress back in session and back working on health care, the strange-bedfellows group -- consisting of SEIU, the American Medical Association, PhRMA, Families USA, and the Federation of American hospitals -- has a new TV ad trying to debunk some of the misinformation in the health-care debate.

The one-minute ad by the group Americans for Stable Quality Care will air in Indiana, Maine, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Colorado, Florida, Alaska, Iowa, Montana Nevada and South Dakota, as well as on cable and DC broadcast.

The ad is part of Americans for Stable Quality Care's $12 million buy it announced last month.

[Youtube:5LGs_rz4Rpw]

 

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** A September to remember? President Obama is back at work. So is Congress. And it's shaping up to be the busiest September we can remember for an off-year. Here's everything coming up before end of the month: health care, including the president's big speech on the topic tomorrow; the Supreme Court's hearing tomorrow regarding Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission (more on that below); the 9/11 anniversary, which will lead to discussion about Afghanistan; the anniversary of Lehman Brothers' fall, which will lead to more discussion about the economy; the G20; UN General Assembly; Middle East peace talks; and Iran talk threats. Whew...

*** Obama's big test: Tomorrow's health-care speech is shaping up to be a big test for President Obama. Financial observer Ron Insana made this observation in an online debate that we thought was worthy of highlighting: "It appears the president is becoming 'Carteresque' in the extreme. It took Carter years to engage in this much waffling and indecision, not to mention a propensity to micromanage the wrong stuff. I rarely, if ever, suggest a premature end to a cycle, but Obama could easily ruin his presidency in the next week with an amateurish move." While Insana might be writing history a wee bit early here, he is getting at something that few people are focusing on: This week is as much a presidential leadership/character test, as it is a debate about health care. How the president takes control of this town this week -- not just health care -- is going to be a tone-setter potentially for how the president runs this town for the rest of his term.

*** Whither the public option: It isn't clear how hard the president will fight for the public option. He will express support for it, as he did in Cincinnati yesterday. "I continue to believe that a public option within that basket of insurance choices will help improve quality and bring down costs," he said. Yet buried in Obama's rah-rah speech was some language that suggests he's going to be asking for leeway from Democrats to get this done. He talked about 80% of agreement (a familiar phrase) and framed the opposition on this as wanting to do "nothing." That's code for, let's get SOMETHING, as the president has said before; don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Still, that isn't stopping the advocates for a public option. Today, at 12:15 pm ET former staffers who worked on Obama's campaign will rally outside the White House in support of the public option.

*** Crunch time for the Gang of Six: A decision on whether three Senate Republicans (Chuck Grassley, Mike Enzi, Olympia Snowe) will support a bipartisan proposal for health-care reform may come as early as this afternoon -- if not sooner, NBC's Ken Strickland reports. This past weekend, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus put an offer before the panel's bipartisan Gang of Six and is seeking a response when the group meets today. Baucus' framework, Strick adds, represents most of the ideas that have been previously discussed and reported on during the past months of negotiations. Those ideas have now been packaged into a proposal that cost less that $900 billion and does not increase the deficit. As expected, it does not include a "public option," but instead creates healthcare cooperatives or "co-ops." This is a significant point in the legislative process because Grassley and Enzi must now accept or reject the bipartisan group's work.

*** So why now? Baucus has been taking FOREVER and then suddenly, a few days after the White House announces it's going to begin framing the debate with its own speech Wednesday, Baucus releases his framework. Our sources indicate to us that Baucus sped up the process because he knew the committee, himself included, risked becoming less relevant in the debate if it did NOT have a bill by Wednesday's speech.

*** Move along, folks; nothing to see here: After reading Obama's education speech that the White House released 24 hours before he delivers it at Wakefield (VA) High School at noon ET today, do some Republicans and conservatives -- accused Obama of "socialist" indoctrination" -- have egg on their face? Here's an excerpt of Obama's message today: "Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide." Also: "No one's born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work." And: "The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best." 

*** Fired up, ready to go: Of course, some conservatives argue that it wasn't Obama's education speech they were objecting to; it was the lesson plan focus they didn't like. But that got lost. They may have an ideological issue with the Education Department, but the criticism of the president himself came across as undignified. By the way, the White House is hinting that it plans to fight back more directly on some of the attacks it has faced. Regarding the education speech criticism, for instance, the president and his team believe they need to not brush off these things but start confronting it and using it as an attempt to create a wedge between the political middle and the conservative base. In fact, we're told that the president's feisty tone in Cincy yesterday was a result of the staff pumping him up a bit, or getting him worked up.

*** Van Jones resigns: Speaking of distractions, Glenn Beck got his man -- Van Jones, who resigned from the administration over the weekend. And judging by how Beck responded to the news of the resignation of the mid-level staffer, he won't be satisfied with this scalp. Beck made it sound like he might even have a list of "Who's next," which will embolden defenders of the administration to start focusing on Beck and others. In short, it could be an ugly fall. And it makes us miss the "good old days," when the Wall Street Journal editorial page led the fight to take down some Clinton administration officials with long "Who is Webb Hubbell?" or "Who is Vince Foster?," etc. Those Wall Street Journal editorials were tough, but they did seem to stay within certain boundaries. Are there boundaries now? As for Jones, clearly, that 9/11 stuff made him indefensible and does call into question the White House's vetting process. The irony in all of this: Beck never lost his job for calling Obama a racist, but Jones did…

*** Joe says no: Yesterday, Joseph Kennedy II, RFK's son, said he WOULD NOT run for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat. "My father called politics an honorable profession, and I have profound respect for those who choose to advance the causes of social and economic justice in elective office," he said in a statement. "After much consideration, I have decided that the best way for me to contribute to those causes is by continuing my work at Citizens Energy Corporation."

*** Money finds a way: Honest question: If the Roberts Court ends up overturning precedents upholding restrictions on campaign advertisements financed by corporations and unions, can conservatives ever rail against "judicial activism" with a straight face? The Supreme Court -- with newly minted Justice Sonia Sotomayor -- holds a GIGANTIC hearing in this case, Citizens United vs. Federal Election Commission, on Wednesday. All of the hints are there that this Roberts Court might just overturn many of the campaign finance reforms out there that involve corporate spending. What would the unintended consequences of such a decision be? Would it automatically mean we'd see corporate America spend more money in elections? The C.W. says this will help Republicans, but will it? Remember when the soft money ban was supposed to benefit the GOP? Our point is – you just never know. What we do know is that the system would change and, well, to paraphrase Jeff Goldblum's character in "Jurassic Park," money finds a way.

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 56 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 420 days

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After Obama's "fired up" speech yesterday before unions, the New York Daily News puts the president on its cover with this headline: "It's now or never."

The New York Times on yesterday's Obama speech in Cincinnati: "The president told thousands of cheering unionized workers that Congress should stop debating, because 'it's time to act and get this done.' 'I've got a question for all those folks who say we're going to pull the plug on Grandma,' the president thundered. 'What's your answer? What's your solution? And you know what? They don't have one. Their answer is to do nothing.'"

The Washington Post: "In the lead-up to President Obama's critical Wednesday night address to a joint session of Congress, interviews with a cross section of about 15 House Democrats and half a dozen aides show that there is still overwhelming support for some overhaul of the health-care system. But the caucus remains deeply divided over the details of the more than 1,000-page measure and now faces a public that is more skeptical than when House committees began drafting the plan two months ago."

The Democratic National Committee says it will be announcing the extension of Organizing for America's "Health Insurance Reform Now: Let's Get It Done" bus tour to kick off the next phase of its campaign. Per the DNC, "The first leg of the tour ran from 8/26 thru 9/3, hit 10 cities and attracted over 12k supporters and around 350 protesters.  The next leg kicks off on the night of the President's speech following a watch party in Atlanta, heads to Florida, Louisiana, Texas, Utah and ends in Vegas."

Regarding today's education speech… "After reading the text on Monday, even Jim Greer, the Florida Republican Party chairman who last week accused the president of seeking to use the speech to foist 'socialist ideology' on schoolchildren, said he could find nothing to criticize in its text," the New York Times notes. "'In its current form, it's fine,' Mr. Greer said in an interview. 'But it remains to be seen if it's the speech he's going to give.'"

More: "Administration officials who last week seemed beleaguered by the criticism over the speech said on Monday that they believed it might have allowed them to demonstrate that Republicans were simply intent on attacking anything Mr. Obama proposes. 'It's a sad state of affairs that many in this country politically would rather start an "Animal House" food fight rather than inspire kids to stay in school, to work hard, to engage parents to stay involved,' said Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary."

"White House environmental adviser Van Jones resigned late Saturday after weeks of pressure from the right over his past activism," the Washington Post writes, adding, "Jones issued two public apologies in recent days, one for signing a petition that questioned whether Bush administration officials "may indeed have deliberately allowed 9/11 to happen, perhaps as a pretext for war" and the other for using a crude term to describe Republicans in a speech he gave before joining the administration."

Gentlemen (and ladies): Start your legislating... "[J]ust because health care is all anyone wants to talk about, Democrats aren't giving up on pushing a number of other controversial measures this fall. Reid summed up the hefty agenda in a statement provided by his office, 'Senate Democrats will continue to aggressively push legislation that boosts our economy and helps working families build a better future. Key items on this list are delivering on health insurance reform and clean energy, providing jobs by improving our infrastructure, and reining in the behavior on Wall Street that contributed to the economic downturn. We also intend to pass legislation that makes college more affordable and invest in critical domestic priorities.'" 
 
"President Barack Obama's relationship with Speaker Nancy Pelosi, strained by differences over healthcare, will be tested by their talks on Tuesday in advance of his Wednesday night speech to a joint session of Congress."

"At least 23 House Democrats already have told constituents or hometown media that they oppose the massive healthcare overhaul touted by President Barack Obama," The Hill reports. "If Republicans offer the blanket opposition they've promised, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) can afford to lose only 38 members of her 256-member caucus and still pass the bill."

But Roll Call reports that key liberals may be willing to bargain on the "trigger" option.

As Congress returns to work, the Alliance for Jobs and Affordable Energy, a group opposed to the cap-and-trade legislation, has written a memo arguing that the legislation's prospects are in a "worse legislative position today than when Congress adjourned for the summer." From the memo: "Any objective analysis of the cumulative impact of news reports, expressed public sentiment, editorials and opinion columns, and research studies would conclude that the cap-and-trade legislation passed out of the U.S. House of Representatives is in a worse legislative position today than when Congress adjourned for the summer.  While some Senators have begun to voice concern about various aspects of the bill we must continue a sustained effort until we are assured Congress will not pass this legislation."

"Financial services lobbyists are quietly pushing for Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) to give up his chairmanship of the Banking Committee and take up the gavel of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, where he is next in line following the death of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.)," Roll Call writes. "Such a move, they say, would remove a thorn from the banking industry, since Dodd has upped his anti-industry rhetoric ahead of his tough 2010 re-election bid."
 
More: "So far, Dodd has been playing his gavel choice close to the vest, although he recently signaled that a decision may become public as early as today… Banking lobbyists say they are confident [Tim] Johnson would take a less anti-industry tack in the upcoming regulatory reform legislation. In particular, they believe Johnson could help limit the scope of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency." So, the irony here is that Dodd is vulnerable in 2010 because he was Banking chairman when the economy collapsed, but the banking industry thinks he'd be too tough in enacting regulation.

The AP's Fouhy writes, "Weren't Republicans against Medicare before they were for it? ... It's a remarkable turnaround for a party whose leaders tried to slash billions from Medicare more than a decade ago and have assailed the program as a wasteful entitlement. None other than Ronald Reagan, a hero to Republicans, warned in 1961 that creation of Medicare would push the country toward socialism. The new GOP posture may be politically savvy given older Americans' fears of major changes to Medicare, which were among the concerns widely on display at angry town hall meetings across the country last month. But the new stance also contradicts the party's long history of skepticism toward government-run programs and Republican concerns about the long-term viability and health of the Medicare system."

Stu Rothenberg's getting excited for 2010. "I began this year doubtful that we'd see much excitement in the 2010 elections. I'm quickly changing my tune," the prognosticator writes in his Roll Call column. He adds, "The change in the political landscape has encouraged Republican candidates and prospects. But Democratic recruiting remains on track, with a list of strong candidates. Even now, a number of top-shelf contests are developing, making for a surprisingly interesting 2010 election."

And perhaps the most important point about next year's elections: "The tide clearly has turned nationally, with the president's popularity down and Democrats fighting against a growing mood of dissatisfaction. That's a huge problem for Democrats in the two states that will have gubernatorial elections this year. But while Republican strategists are showing greater optimism about the midterms, they also say that they wish those elections were taking place this November, not more than a year from now."

NRSC Chair John Cornyn has penned this memo to colleagues about the GOP Senate prospects in 2010: "[W]hile the overall political climate has improved markedly for Republicans since January, the election is still 14 months away, which is a lifetime in politics. We have a very real opportunity to make gains in the Senate next year, but we must continue to offer our own positive agenda as an alternative to the Democrats' increasingly unpopular policies. If we are successful with this, we have a strong chance of exceeding the expectations set for us when the cycle began."

MASSACHUSETTS: Joe Kennedy's out. The Boston Globe writes that the decision "probably [ends] the family's half-century of political dominance in Massachusetts and opening up the Democratic primary race." His reason for not running? "[T]hose close to him said the lure of a Senate seat and the prospect of extending his family's political legacy were not enough to draw Kennedy, who runs an energy firm, back into the spotlight and grueling pace of national politics." And the political implications: "His decision clears the way for a highly competitive three-month campaign for the Democratic nomination that may pit several members of the Massachusetts congressional delegation against the state's attorney general."

NEW JERSEY: A Star-Leger editorial has this to say about the "result of the slash-and-burn campaigning" between New Jersey gubernatorial nominees Jon Corzine (D) and Chris Christie (R): "Christie is maintaining his lead, but his negative numbers are climbing. Amazingly, Corzine and Christie now rank equally on credibility with voters. Basically, they have none." The Ledger also enumerates a few of what it calls "low blows in campaign ads," maintaining that Corzine' s ads criticizing Christie for failing to disclose a $46,000 to a subordinate were petty. Referring to Christie's ad condemning Corzine for his connections to Goldman Sachs, "the voter is supposed to suspect…that Corzine is up to no good because he once ran the most prosperous investment bank in America. It's a cheap shot—and from a pro-business Republican, no less."

Bloomberg News takes a look back at previous New Jersey gubernatorial races: "Republicans haven't won a statewide election in New Jersey since voters returned Christie Todd Whitman to a second term in 1997." And: "Incumbents trailing in early polls have come back, and in 1977, Democratic New Jersey Governor Brendan Byrne won re-election, after trailing his Republican challenger by seven percentage points in a July poll by Rutgers University's Eagleton Center." In the latest Quinnipiac poll, Corzine trailed Christie by 10 points, 47%-37% percent. 
 
VIRGINIA: Both gubernatorial nominees participated in the Buena Vista, VA, Labor Day parade this weekend. Both candidates cited ties to national politicians, to positive and negative effect. Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds asked the "raucous" crowd, "Do we continue to build on the progress begun under Mark Warner and continued under Tim Kaine, or do we move back?" Republican nominee Bob McDonnell tied Deeds to Congress, saying that his opponent "is going to be carrying the water for Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid for the next four years."

From NBC's Athena Jones
CINCINNATI, OH -- President Obama gave few clues about the specifics he'll address
in his health-care speech to a joint session of Congress on Wedneday during
remarks at an AFL-CIO-sponsored Labor Day picnic this afternoon.

Before a boisterous, enthusiastic crowd, Obama
gave a campaign-style speech in which he spoke about the contributions
of the labor movement, the economy and
his own agenda.

"We're on the road to recovery, Ohio, and don't let anybody tell you otherwise,"
the president said, as he touted the measures taken to jump-start the economy.
 He talked about having extended unemployment insurance and said the
infrastructure jobs being created as a result of the stimulus package, the
improved manufacturing figures and the slower pace of job losses last month
were all evidence that the steps his administration had taken to revive the
flagging economy were working.

On health care, the president joked that he didn't want to say too much on the
topic, because he wanted listeners to tune in on Wednesday night.

Instead, he spoke broadly, reiterating his oft-repeated lines about how long
politicians have been fighting for "quality, affordable health care for
every American" and how close his administration and Congress are to
achieving it. Still, he signaled that he wanted to get something done now after
months of debate.

"The debate's been good, and that's important, because we have to get this
right," Obama said. "But every debate at some point comes to an end. At some point, it's time to decide. At some point, it's time to act. And Ohio, it's time to act and get this thing done!"

He scoffed at the scare tactics of opponents of the health-care overhaul -- such
as talk of pulling the plug on grandma or of covering illegal immigrants -- and
he repeated his challenge to those critics, saying, "What are you doing to
do?  What's your answer? What's your solution?"

Incoming AfL-CIO head Richard Trumka has called the public option an
"absolute must," but the president came no closer to saying whether
he sees it as equally essential.

"I see reform where Americans and small businesses that are shut out of
health insurance today will be able to purchase coverage at a price they can
afford, " he said, "where they'll be able to shop and compare in a
new health insurance exchange -- a marketplace where competition and choice
will continue to hold down cost and help deliver them a better deal, and I
continue to believe that a public option within that basket of insurance
choices will help improve quality and bring down costs."

He said it was time to put aside the partisanship and "stop saying things
that aren't true" and come together to pass an overhaul now.

He closed by sharing the story of how his campaign's "fired up" slogan came to
be, leading the crowd in a chant before hitting the ropeline.

The president met briefly with Ohio union leaders and elected officials before
the remarks. Labor Secretary Hilda Solis introduced the president.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro [in Washington] and Athena Jones [aboard Air Force One]
As promised, here's President Obama's speech to students tomorrow, which focuses on that liberal calling card, personal responsibility.

Is the president indoctrinating children with a socialist agenda? You be the judge.

(By the way, if you're looking for a presidential speech, parts of which can be construed as political, to students, a friend of First Read passes along this Charlotte Observer column on a speech made by ANOTHER president -- Ronald Reagan.)

Last week, the president's address sparked an uproar -- fueled in part by conservative politicians and commentators -- with parents in districts from Florida to Texas to Utah expressing concerns about the speech and even urging parents to keep their children home.

Some took issue with accompanying educational materials provided by the Department of Education that originally asked students to write letters to themselves about how they could help the president accomplish his goals -- primarily the goal of improving education nationwide. The lesson plans were later revised to ask students to write about how they could reach their own short-term and long-term educational goals.

In a brief gaggle with reporters en route to a Labor Day picnic in Cincinnati, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs criticized those who have politicized the president's speech.

"I think it's a sad, sad day that the political back and forth has intruded on anyone speaking to schoolchildren and teachers and parents about the responsibilities that they have as we enter a new school year," he said.

Gibbs said if one kid decided to stay in school or improve his or her grades, the speech would be a success

"Right now nearly three-in-10 kids in school will not walk across the stage and get a high school diploma," he said. "If anybody thinks that's the recipe for long-term economic growth, I've got news for them. It's a sad state of affairs. That many in this country politically would rather start an animal house food fight rather than inspire kids to stay in school, to work hard, to engage parents to stay involved and to ensure that the millions of teachers that are making great sacrifices continue to be the best in the world, it's a sad state of affairs."

In the prepared remarks the White House released, Obama urges kids to set educational goals for themselves and to work hard to achieve them.

"We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems," the text reads. "If you don't do that - if you quit on school - you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country."

Throughout the campaign and his presidency, Obama has often focused on the importance of education and of personal and parental responsibility, saying that a good education is what allowed him and his wife to succeed.

In the address, the president talks about the challenges he faced as a child, like an absent father, but said he was fortunate to have the chance to go to college and later law school. He said that a child's circumstances, whatever they were, were no excuse for neglecting their studies.

"That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school," he says in the address. "That's no excuse for not trying.  Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future."

Obama's speech:

The President: Hello everyone - how's everybody doing today? I'm here with students at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. And we've got students tuning in from all across America, kindergarten through twelfth grade. I'm glad you all could join us today.
 
I know that for many of you, today is the first day of school. And for those of you in kindergarten, or starting middle or high school, it's your first day in a new school, so it's understandable if you're a little nervous. I imagine there are some seniors out there who are feeling pretty good right now, with just one more year to go. And no matter what grade you're in, some of you are probably wishing it were still summer, and you could've stayed in bed just a little longer this morning.

I know that feeling. When I was young, my family lived in Indonesia for a few years, and my mother didn't have the money to send me where all the American kids went to school. So she decided to teach me extra lessons herself, Monday through Friday - at 4:30 in the morning.  
Now I wasn't too happy about getting up that early. A lot of times, I'd fall asleep right there at the kitchen table. But whenever I'd complain, my mother would just give me one of those looks and say, "This is no picnic for me either, buster."

So I know some of you are still adjusting to being back at school. But I'm here today because I have something important to discuss with you. I'm here because I want to talk with you about your education and what's expected of all of you in this new school year.

Now I've given a lot of speeches about education. And I've talked a lot about responsibility.
I've talked about your teachers' responsibility for inspiring you, and pushing you to learn.

I've talked about your parents' responsibility for making sure you stay on track, and get your homework done, and don't spend every waking hour in front of the TV or with that Xbox.

I've talked a lot about your government's responsibility for setting high standards, supporting teachers and principals, and turning around schools that aren't working where students aren't getting the opportunities they deserve.

But at the end of the day, we can have the most dedicated teachers, the most supportive parents, and the best schools in the world - and none of it will matter unless all of you fulfill your responsibilities. Unless you show up to those schools; pay attention to those teachers; listen to your parents, grandparents and other adults; and put in the hard work it takes to succeed.
 
And that's what I want to focus on today: the responsibility each of you has for your education. I want to start with the responsibility you have to yourself.

Every single one of you has something you're good at. Every single one of you has something to offer. And you have a responsibility to yourself to discover what that is. That's the opportunity an education can provide.

Maybe you could be a good writer - maybe even good enough to write a book or articles in a newspaper - but you might not know it until you write a paper for your English class. Maybe you could be an innovator or an inventor - maybe even good enough to come up with the next iPhone or a new medicine or vaccine - but you might not know it until you do a project for your science class. Maybe you could be a mayor or a Senator or a Supreme Court Justice, but you might not know that until you join student government or the debate team.

And no matter what you want to do with your life - I guarantee that you'll need an education to do it. You want to be a doctor, or a teacher, or a police officer? You want to be a nurse or an architect, a lawyer or a member of our military? You're going to need a good education for every single one of those careers. You can't drop out of school and just drop into a good job. You've got to work for it and train for it and learn for it.

And this isn't just important for your own life and your own future. What you make of your education will decide nothing less than the future of this country. What you're learning in school today will determine whether we as a nation can meet our greatest challenges in the future.

You'll need the knowledge and problem-solving skills you learn in science and math to cure diseases like cancer and AIDS, and to develop new energy technologies and protect our environment. You'll need the insights and critical thinking skills you gain in history and social studies to fight poverty and homelessness, crime and discrimination, and make our nation more fair and more free. You'll need the creativity and ingenuity you develop in all your classes to build new companies that will create new jobs and boost our economy.

We need every single one of you to develop your talents, skills and intellect so you can help solve our most difficult problems. If you don't do that - if you quit on school - you're not just quitting on yourself, you're quitting on your country.

Now I know it's not always easy to do well in school. I know a lot of you have challenges in your lives right now that can make it hard to focus on your schoolwork.

I get it. I know what that's like. My father left my family when I was two years old, and I was raised by a single mother who struggled at times to pay the bills and wasn't always able to give us things the other kids had. There were times when I missed having a father in my life. There were times when I was lonely and felt like I didn't fit in.

So I wasn't always as focused as I should have been. I did some things I'm not proud of, and got in more trouble than I should have. And my life could have easily taken a turn for the worse.

But I was fortunate. I got a lot of second chances and had the opportunity to go to college, and law school, and follow my dreams. My wife, our First Lady Michelle Obama, has a similar story. Neither of her parents had gone to college, and they didn't have much. But they worked hard, and she worked hard, so that she could go to the best schools in this country.

Some of you might not have those advantages. Maybe you don't have adults in your life who give you the support that you need. Maybe someone in your family has lost their job, and there's not enough money to go around. Maybe you live in a neighborhood where you don't feel safe, or have friends who are pressuring you to do things you know aren't right.

But at the end of the day, the circumstances of your life - what you look like, where you come from, how much money you have, what you've got going on at home - that's no excuse for neglecting your homework or having a bad attitude. That's no excuse for talking back to your teacher, or cutting class, or dropping out of school. That's no excuse for not trying.

Where you are right now doesn't have to determine where you'll end up. No one's written your destiny for you. Here in America, you write your own destiny. You make your own future.
That's what young people like you are doing every day, all across America.

Young people like Jazmin Perez, from Roma, Texas. Jazmin didn't speak English when she first started school. Hardly anyone in her hometown went to college, and neither of her parents had gone either. But she worked hard, earned good grades, got a scholarship to Brown University, and is now in graduate school, studying public health, on her way to being Dr. Jazmin Perez.

I'm thinking about Andoni Schultz, from Los Altos, California, who's fought brain cancer since he was three. He's endured all sorts of treatments and surgeries, one of which affected his memory, so it took him much longer - hundreds of extra hours - to do his schoolwork. But he never fell behind, and he's headed to college this fall.

And then there's Shantell Steve, from my hometown of Chicago, Illinois. Even when bouncing from foster home to foster home in the toughest neighborhoods, she managed to get a job at a local health center; start a program to keep young people out of gangs; and she's on track to graduate high school with honors and go on to college.

Jazmin, Andoni and Shantell aren't any different from any of you. They faced challenges in their lives just like you do. But they refused to give up. They chose to take responsibility for their education and set goals for themselves. And I expect all of you to do the same.

That's why today, I'm calling on each of you to set your own goals for your education - and to do everything you can to meet them. Your goal can be something as simple as doing all your homework, paying attention in class, or spending time each day reading a book. Maybe you'll decide to get involved in an extracurricular activity, or volunteer in your community. Maybe you'll decide to stand up for kids who are being teased or bullied because of who they are or how they look, because you believe, like I do, that all kids deserve a safe environment to study and learn. Maybe you'll decide to take better care of yourself so you can be more ready to learn. And along those lines, I hope you'll all wash your hands a lot, and stay home from school when you don't feel well, so we can keep people from getting the flu this fall and winter.

Whatever you resolve to do, I want you to commit to it. I want you to really work at it.

I know that sometimes, you get the sense from TV that you can be rich and successful without any hard work -- that your ticket to success is through rapping or basketball or being a reality TV star, when chances are, you're not going to be any of those things.

But the truth is, being successful is hard. You won't love every subject you study. You won't click with every teacher. Not every homework assignment will seem completely relevant to your life right this minute. And you won't necessarily succeed at everything the first time you try.

That's OK.  Some of the most successful people in the world are the ones who've had the most failures. JK Rowling's first Harry Potter book was rejected twelve times before it was finally published. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and he lost hundreds of games and missed thousands of shots during his career. But he once said, "I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

These people succeeded because they understand that you can't let your failures define you - you have to let them teach you. You have to let them show you what to do differently next time. If you get in trouble, that doesn't mean you're a troublemaker, it means you need to try harder to behave. If you get a bad grade, that doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you need to spend more time studying.

No one's born being good at things, you become good at things through hard work. You're not a varsity athlete the first time you play a new sport. You don't hit every note the first time you sing a song. You've got to practice. It's the same with your schoolwork. You might have to do a math problem a few times before you get it right, or read something a few times before you understand it, or do a few drafts of a paper before it's good enough to hand in.

Don't be afraid to ask questions. Don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. I do that every day. Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's a sign of strength. It shows you have the courage to admit when you don't know something, and to learn something new. So find an adult you trust - a parent, grandparent or teacher; a coach or counselor - and ask them to help you stay on track to meet your goals.

And even when you're struggling, even when you're discouraged, and you feel like other people have given up on you - don't ever give up on yourself. Because when you give up on yourself, you give up on your country.

The story of America isn't about people who quit when things got tough. It's about people who kept going, who tried harder, who loved their country too much to do anything less than their best.

It's the story of students who sat where you sit 250 years ago, and went on to wage a revolution and found this nation. Students who sat where you sit 75 years ago who overcame a Depression and won a world war; who fought for civil rights and put a man on the moon. Students who sat where you sit 20 years ago who founded Google, Twitter and Facebook and changed the way we communicate with each other.

So today, I want to ask you, what's your contribution going to be? What problems are you going to solve? What discoveries will you make? What will a president who comes here in twenty or fifty or one hundred years say about what all of you did for this country? 

Your families, your teachers, and I are doing everything we can to make sure you have the education you need to answer these questions. I'm working hard to fix up your classrooms and get you the books, equipment and computers you need to learn. But you've got to do your part too. So I expect you to get serious this year. I expect you to put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from each of you. So don't let us down - don't let your family or your country or yourself down. Make us all proud. I know you can do it.

Thank you, God bless you, and God bless America.

THE WEEK AHEAD: Obama's big health-care speech to Congress; The flap over the president in schools; Meet the Press and a First Read Afterschool Special.

For our mailbox, submit your question. We might pick yours next week.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
Contrary to a CNN report, the White House is not drafting its own health-care bill, according to a senior administration official.

The White House is, however, contemplating using "legislative language" in the president's speech on Wednesday, which pulls together the 80% they believe all of the four Congressional bills agree on. But even THAT hasn't been decided on yet. As one person said to me, anyone who is claiming we're writing our own health care bill is "leaning over their ski tips."

Still, we can report that there is some frustration in the White House with the Senate Finance Committee and the fact that they haven't reported out a bill yet. There are some advising Chairman Max Baucus to report out a skeleton bill and then, with White House help, starting to cobble together a bill.

So, take all of this together, and it's clear the White House has decided to get more heavily involved in the details of how this legislation is being put together, but it would not be correct to say they are writing the bill themselves.

From NBC's Mike Viqueira
Rep. Lynn Woolsey, of the Progressive Caucus, released the following on health care after their conference call with the president:

President Obama discussed health care reform today in a conference call with leaders of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and the Tri-Caucus, which comprises the Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Congressional Hispanic Caucus.

Caucus leaders expressed absolute commitment to the idea of a robust public option, and said they expect it to be part of any health care reform legislation.

The president listened, asked many questions, and suggested that the dialogue should continue.

A follow-up meeting between the president and caucus leaders will take place next Tuesday or Wednesday at the White House.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
The bipartisan group of Senate Finance Committee members drafting a health-care proposal met today via conference call. Committee Chairman Max Baucus called it "productive," but otherwise didn't make any news. The group will meet -- in person -- on Tuesday when the Senate reconvenes in Washington.

Other members of the so-called "gang of six" include Democrats Kent Conrad and Jeff Bingaman, and Republicans Chuck Grassley, Mike Enzi and Olympia Snowe.

"Today's call was a productive one," Baucus said in a statement. "We addressed a number of issues at hand and the next steps moving forward. Health reform is certainly a significant challenge and each time we talk, we are reminded just how many areas of agreement exist. We agree we need to take control of health care costs and make health insurance affordable for families and small businesses. We agree all Americans should be able to choose -- and be able to afford -- a quality health care plan. And, we agree health care reform should be fiscally responsible and not add to the deficit."

Added Snowe: "Today's discussion was both productive and constructive, as we continue to move forward as a group toward a shared goal of producing an historic, bipartisan agreement on health reform legislation. When Congress returns to session next week, we will be working with the same intensity we've brought to bear this year to achieve a consensus bill -- as I believe we must reduce the costs of health care and make coverage more affordable for all Americans."

From NBC's Mark Murray
When then-candidate Barack Obama first unveiled his health-care plan, on May 29, 2007, his 3,600-word speech didn't contain the words "public option" in it. There wasn't a single mention of it (although an accompanying fact sheet did refer to a "new public plan" that would be open to individuals without access to other coverage).

The words "public option" or "public plan" also didn't appear in Obama's convention speech in Denver, nor in his victory address at Grant Park in Chicago.

All of this is ironic given that the debate over health care now -- especially now that Democrats, and perhaps one or two Republican senators, are the key players in it -- has become all about the public option. 

Congressional liberals are demanding it. "A bill without a strong public option will not pass the House," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement yesterday. "Eliminating the public option would be a major victory for the insurance companies who have rationed care, increased premiums and denied coverage."

Added the House Progressive Caucus: "Any bill that does not provide, at a minimum, a public option built on the Medicare provider system and with reimbursement based on Medicare rates-not negotiated rates-is unacceptable."

On the other hand, centrist Blue Dog House members, as well as moderate Democratic senators (especially those from the South and Mountain West), are opposed to public option.

All of which has put Obama in the middle of this debate -- a comfortable position during presidential elections, but not so much during the legislative sausage-making process.

Obama has said he prefers a public option, a government-run insurance program like Medicare, as a way to put pressure on private insurers to keep their costs and prices down. But he also consistently hasn't made it a non-negotiable demand. "He believes deeply in competition and choice within the insurance system," White House senior adviser David Axelrod told NBC's Chuck Todd earlier this week. "He believes the public plan -- the public option is one way to do that within the insurance exchange."

How did we get to this point, where the debate became all about the public option? 

According to Yale political science professor Jacob Hacker, who is a public-option proponent and actually helped create the idea, progressives and reform advocates have seen it over the past few years as a mechanism to ensure accountability from a system centered on private insurance, and Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John Edwards all included it in their health-care plans. But what also elevated the issue, Hacker says, was the opposition from the right, which then only stiffened the resolve from liberals.

There's a third reason: The back-and-forth over the public option is much easier for the media to understand than the debate over other health policy minutiae.

So where do we go from here? David Gregory reports that the president is preparing to tell liberals in Congress that it's time to be good soldiers. "While he is expected to stand behind the idea of a public option, he is also expected to stress that it can't be MORE important than some of the other reforms that are possible this year, including insurance reform that would guarantee coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions," Gregory says. "He'll argue that as with Social Security, Democrats should start with an achievable foundation and build on it from there."

And one of the compromise ideas out there -- supported by Maine GOP Sen. Olympia Snowe -- is a trigger, which would kick in a public option if there's proof there isn't enough competition from private insurers.

While Obama didn't say the words "public option" in his health-care speech in 2007, he did say this: "The very first promise I made on this campaign was that as president, I will sign a universal health care plan into law by the end of my first term in office."

That's the promise he made. Yet whether or not he gets to fulfill that promise could be determined by what the eventual legislation contains -- and how it's received from members of his own party.

From NBC's Courtney Kube
For the first time since he took office as Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates has reached out to a news organization to ask them not to publish a photograph.

While an Associated Press photographer was embedded with Marines in Helmand last month, a Marine convoy was hit by a rocket-propelled grenade, or RPG. It struck Lance Corporal Joshua M. Bernard severing his legs. He was treated on the scene, but later died at a combat field hospital. 

The AP took still photos and video of the attack, and of Bernard, as he lay dying.

Several weeks later, while working on a feature story about the war in Afghanistan, the AP reporter met with Bernard's family and told his father that they had photos and video of their son before he died. Bernard's father was furious that the photos of his mortally wounded son would potentially be published, so he reached out to the U.S. Marine Corps, asking them to stop the publication.

The AP had not violated any rules of embedding, so the Marines' hands were tied. Gates found out about this and called AP President Thomas Curley yesterday to try to stop the photo release.

Pentagon Press Secretary Geoff Morrell said Gates called Curley yesterday and was "begging him" to "defer to the wishes of the family," adding that the publication of the photo would "cause them great pain." 

AP disagreed and the photo was released.

Gates followed up with a scathing letter to Curley yesterday afternoon. The letter says Gates cannot imagine the pain Bernard's family is feeling right now, and that Curley's "lack of compassion and common sense in choosing to put out this image of their maimed and stricken child on the front page of multiple newspapers is appalling. The issue here is not law, policy or constitutional right -- but judgment and common decency."

Morrell said Gates was disappointed that he could not convince Curley "to do the right thing," but that the secretary is pleased this morning that most news outlets chose not to publish the photo.

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From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Stuck in the middle with you: As President Obama prepares to deliver his primetime health-care speech on Wednesday, he's finding himself boxed in from the left and right -- of his own party. On the one hand, there are those conservative-leaning House Blue Dogs as well as moderate senators (Ben Nelson, Kent Conrad, Blanche Lincoln) who all have reservations about a public option. And on the other hand, the left is demanding it. Yesterday, the House Progressive Caucus, the Congressional Black Caucus, MoveOn, and Speaker Nancy Pelosi all released letters and statements calling for its inclusion in any health-care bill. "A bill without a strong public option will not pass the House. Eliminating the public option would be a major victory for the insurance companies who have rationed care, increased premiums and denied coverage," Pelosi said. No one ever said governing was easy, even when your own party controls both chambers of Congress…

*** Obama's message to the left: So how is Obama going to try to fix this conundrum? NBC's David Gregory reports that the president is preparing to tell liberals in Congress that it's time to be good soldiers. "While he is expected to stand behind the idea of a public option, he is also expected to stress that it can't be MORE important than some of the other reforms that are possible this year, including insurance reform that would guarantee coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions," Gregory says. "He'll argue that as with Social Security, Democrats should start with an achievable foundation and build on it from there." We'll see how liberals react to that. Meanwhile, on Sunday, "Meet the Press" has an exclusive interview with White House senior adviser David Axelrod.

*** Trigger happy? The middle ground that Obama might try to find on the public option versus no public option is with a trigger, something that Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe (R) backs. Pelosi has hinted she's against the trigger, but will she be against the trigger after Wednesday's speech? And won't the argument to her and other house Dems be, "Well, if you are right about the private insurance industry's ability to create competition and lower costs, then you'll get your public option. So why not give me this leeway to get something passed?" But for now, it appears there is greater pressure coming from the president's left on this issue, than the right.

*** The divide over Afghanistan: Speaking of being pushed from the right and left, The New York Times has a fascinating breakdown of those who are pushing for more troops in Afghanistan versus those who are wary about that. Among those supporting more troops: Hillary Clinton and Richard Holbrooke. Among those expressing concerns: Vice President Biden and Robert Gates (although the Defense secretary expressed more support for the prospect of more troops yesterday). 

*** Today's job report: Today's monthly jobs report is good news, bad news for the Obama administration. The bad news: The unemployment rate for August has increased from 9.4% last month to 9.7%, the highest level in 26 years. The good news: Employers cut 216,000 jobs in August, which is the lowest number since Aug. 2008, providing further proof that the economy bottomed out last winter. So cue all of today's press releases -- from Republicans and Democrats! In fact, the RNC and Eric Cantor have already released theirs. On her 1:00 pm ET show on MSNBC, NBC's Andrea Mitchell will interview Labor Secretary Hilda Solis on the job numbers. Mitchell today also will interview former Homeland Security head Tom Ridge. 

*** Harry Reid's in trouble: Republicans have yet to find a top-tier challenger to take on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in 2010, but that doesn't mean he's safe from trouble. A new DailyKos/Research 2000 poll shows Reid trailing relatively no-name GOP candidates Danny Tarkanian and Sue Lowden (who announced she's exploring a bid). Could Democrats really see a second-straight Senate majority leader lose re-election? Right now, Reid's best assets are the fact the GOP brand in Nevada is just atrocious (see Gibbons/Ensign). Still, it won't be easy for him to make a campaign about his opponent. Considering his leadership post, he runs a big risk of being the referendum for voters. Reid's folks point to his enormous warchest and are taking the long view. Still, if he loses, don't expect to see a swing state senator to lead the caucus anytime soon... 

*** 2010 -- the year of the angry white senior? Some House Democrats are in trouble, too. The Cook Political Report's David Wasserman publishes a comprehensive overview of the 2010 congressional battlefield, and writes that Democrats could find a backlash from angry white seniors. For starters, older voters make up a disproportionate share of the midterm electorate, he writes. "According to exit poll data, voters over 45 comprised 54 percent of the total electorate in 2004 and just 53 percent of the electorate in 2008, but they were 63 percent of all voters in 2006." And he adds that a recent Pew poll showing seniors, "who gave Democrats a 50 percent to 39 percent edge on the generic ballot in November 2006, giving Republicans a 51 percent to 43 percent edge now. If that reversal holds, Democrats could be ruing the 'year of the angry white senior' at the polling place, not just the town hall." 

*** Remind us again how the media is biased…: Finally, here's one more thought about the entire controversy over Obama's education speech on Tuesday: Since the White House has said the text of the speech will be available for 24 hours before he delivers it and since they altered the lesson plan language, why is this still a controversy? The ability of the conservative media machine to generate a controversy for this White House is amazing. In fact, this is an example of a story that percolates where it becomes harder and harder for some to claim there's some knee-jerk liberal media bias. (Does anyone remember these kinds of controversies in the summer of 2001?) The ability of some conservatives to create media firestorms is still much greater than liberals these days. How effective is the conservative media machine? Just ask Van Jones… 

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 60 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 424 days

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The Boston Globe: "As President Obama prepares to deliver a make-or-break address on health care to a joint session of Congress next week, he is expected to turn the focus away from controversial issues such as the 'public option' plan and toward key areas of bipartisan agreement, including enabling anyone to buy insurance regardless of preexisting conditions, according to White House and congressional officials."
 
More: "Obama health-care adviser Nancy-Ann DeParle "stressed that Obama wants much more in his health care overhaul, including federal subsidies for lower-income people who can't afford to buy insurance. But if some parts of the reform effort fail to gain enough support, Obama could deploy a backup plan that includes measures such as ending the denial of coverage - and give him an interim victory. At the least, the potential for passing such a plan could give the president leverage to win concessions from Congress."

Roll Call says that "according to talking points being circulated in the Senate by the White House in advance of Obama's prime-time speech, at least some of the president's message will remain the same: Obama will frame the health care debate as one that pits those who want to improve the system against those who support the status quo." Another bullet: "The speech will make clear what health insurance reform means." And: "After this speech, opponents of health reform will either need to propose their own plan, or explain why they think it's best to do nothing while premiums crush American families and thousands lose their coverage everyday."

The AP calls Obama's speech a "test of leadership." "Vacation is over. Obama's decision to give a prime-time speech to Congress on Wednesday underscores the stakes for a president, and even a young presidency."

The New York Daily News' DeFrank: "Obama insiders know the double-down speech is more about reasserting the President's authority than a desperate bid to revive health care reform from life support. In fact, inside the Beltway, even die-hard Republican opponents recognize a bill of some kind is all but certain to pass Congress this fall. Though it will likely be less than Obama wants, he'll reap some credit. What it won't do is cure all that ails Obama." More: "It's a tricky proposition. Aides are convinced Obama will prevail, even as they acknowledge the downside risk of failure. 'The danger is, he does this and the numbers don't move,' said one Obama strategist. 'Then he looks weak.' Or worse: irrelevant." 

Writing in the latest issue of National Journal, Ron Brownstein notes that the angry town halls over the summer were just part of the story on health care. "With much less notice, many key stakeholders in the medical establishment, including several that mobilized against previous efforts to overhaul the nation's health care system, have come together behind reform. "That's very different from what we've ever experienced before and why there is every reason to be optimistic that health care reform will happen," says Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA, a liberal health advocacy group."

More: "You wouldn't know it from watching cable television, but many traditional antagonists in the health debate now support the basic thrust of the Democratic reform bills. The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America has long allied with the GOP; the drug industry has directed two-thirds of its political donations since 1990 toward Republicans, and it fiercely opposed President Clinton's universal coverage plan. Yet today, PhRMA is spearheading an odd-couple coalition called Americans for Stable Quality Care that is advertising heavily to support the reform plans advancing in Congress."

The AP: "Interest groups are unleashing a torrent of modern and old-fashioned lobbying tactics at members of Congress returning for the autumn battle over health care, from spending sky-high amounts on TV ads to staging rallies in the capital and perhaps outside insurance company offices." 

And get this: "The nation's television stations, which last month hosted more than $28 million in ads on the health overhaul, may see even heavier spending in September, according to Evan Tracey, president of the Campaign Media Analysis Group in Arlington, Va. Should the health battle spill into December, this year's total might hit $200 million -- roughly the same as was spent in multiyear fights over tobacco regulation and the Medicare prescription drug program, said Tracey, whose company tracks political advertising."

Roll Call: "The bipartisan group of Senate Finance Committee members hoping to reach a compromise on health care reform is set to resume its discussions via teleconference at 10:30 a.m. Friday, according to Senate sources."

Clunkers afterlife: This is "the beginning of a lesser-known phase of the $3 billion cash for clunkers program, which ended last week with nearly 700,000 gas guzzlers traded nationwide for more fuel-efficient vehicles," The Boston Globe writes. "It is the dawn of the clunkers' afterlife, particularly for their components and frames, which have begun flooding the used parts and scrap-recycling markets with more than 100 million tons of steel, batteries, and tires, among other things."

"Senator John F. Kerry is reluctant to say he will take up Edward M. Kennedy's mantle on health care -- it sounds 'presumptuous' to him -- but he appears primed to take on a larger, more public role in the debate," The Boston Globe reports. "Kerry is in a potentially influential position as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, which has been working for months to create a bipartisan health care bill and will be a key battleground when Congress reconvenes next week. While health care has never been his signature issue, Kerry has been a quiet player in the talks, suggesting ideas for compromise on financing and the public insurance option - ideas the 'Gang of Six' Finance panel negotiators immediately took up as serious proposals. Now, he seems poised to do more."

The always-pugnacious Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) recently told constituents "that reform opponents should 'slit our wrists' and become 'blood brothers' in the effort to stop Democratic legislation." She also said that she'd run for president if God told her to. Fellow Minnesotan Rep. Jim Oberstar (D) took a shot at her for those comments at a town hall: "Tell her there are voices other than God that are informing her now."

"President Barack Obama will likely shape the healthcare debate going forward, a top House Democrat said Thursday," The Hill writes. "Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman Xavier Becerra (Calif.) said that despite a desire by many in the party to include a government-run insurance option in the bill, Democrats will listen carefully to Obama's direction." 
 
"Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) appears unlikely to walk away from bipartisan health care reform talks in the Senate Finance Committee to cut a side deal with the White House, but her spokeswoman said Thursday that she continues to keep an "open line of communication" with President Barack Obama," Roll Call writes. " 'The Senator's foremost goal is to achieve a bipartisan consensus among the six members of the group on a path forward for meaningful health care reform,' Snowe spokeswoman Julia Wanzco said."

"Organizing for America, the offshoot of President Barack Obama's campaign that now resides within the Democratic National Committee, will run advertisements in four districts thanking Democrats for backing the stimulus package," The Hill reports. "The ads will run beginning Friday on local cable channels aimed at constituents of Reps. Ben Chandler (D-Ky.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Travis Childers (D-Miss.) and Zack Space (D-Ohio). Heinrich, Childers and Space all have prominent Republican candidates running against them." 
 
NEVADA: "Nevada Republican Party Chairwoman Sue Lowden announced Wednesday she would step down from her post in order to explore a challenge to Sen. Harry Reid (D-Nev.)… Lowden would begin the race against Reid in a strong position. A survey for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, conducted Aug. 17-18 by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research, showed Lowden leading Reid by a 45 percent to 40 percent margin. But she will have to get through a competitive primary first. The same poll showed Lowden losing to Danny Tarkanian, a businessman who ran for secretary of state in 2006, by a 33 percent to 14 percent margin. Tarkanian, son of former UNLV basketball coach Jerry Tarkanian, leads Reid by a 49 percent to 38 percent margin." 
 
NEW JERSEY: Adding to Republican gubernatorial nominee Chris Christie's vehicular woes today is news that he was in a traffic accident that injured a motorcyclist in 2002. Christie was on his way to a swearing-in ceremony for a local official when he lost his way and hit the cyclist. "Both men saw another and put on the brakes, police said. Christie's vehicle came to a stop, and the motorcycle 'then fell on its side and slid into his vehicle." Police Director James Cosgrove said Christie identified himself as U.S. attorney and did not receive a ticket for the accident. "Asked whether Christie's job title factored into the officer's decision, Cosgrove said, 'I don't think I want to make that kind of deduction, but I think the facts speak for themselves.'" 
 
Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty stopped in New Jersey yesterday to raise money for Chris Christie, and said he sympathized with Christie as a Republican campaigning in a left-leaning state. Pawlenty's visit comes even as Christie "rejected a hypothetical visit from Sarah Palin, saying he wanted to focus on local issues," in July. He also rejected an invitation to visit former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum last month. "But Christie said Pawlenty is different, since he inherited a dire fiscal situation in Minnesota, which faced a $4.5 billion deficit when he took office."  
 
VIRGINIA: Democratic nominee Creigh Deeds' campaign launched a Web site, www.BobMcDonnellBlueprint.com, on which voters can read parts of Republican nominee Bob McDonnell's 20-year-old masters' dissertation while he studied at CBN University (now Regent). In bullet points, the site lays out the most controversial issues of the paper:, including "working women and feminists" are "detrimental to the family," and "child care does 'psychological, physical and moral harm to children."

The New York Times has this to say about McDonnell's insistence that his views have changed since his thesis was publicized: "We'll let Virginia voters sort out whether Mr. McDonnell has moderated since his start-up days as a conservative firebrand. He's got trouble on both sides, since it's unclear whether the state's potent conservative base will warm to his claims of political growth. For now, it's fascinating to watch any flicker of Republican moderation -- pragmatic, realistic, contrived. The party and the nation could certainly use it." 

Meanwhile, McDonnell has a new TV ad highlighting his daughter's service in Iraq. 

From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski
In today's Pentagon briefing, Defense Secretary Robert Gates indicated he's prepared to drop his reluctance for a big U.S. military "footprint" in Afghanistan and may be willing to sign onto a large increase in U.S. troops. 

Gates indicated that Gen. McChrystal's new strategy which puts a larger emphasis on "protecting the Afghan people" may be a game changer. 

"It's not the size of the footprint, but the nature of the footprint" that matters, Gates said, indicating again he's willing to support a request for a sizable increase in the number of U.S. forces on the ground.

Gates also said after eight years of war (in Iraq and Afghanistan), he understands why public support for the war in Afghanistan is slipping -- but tried to remind the American people that ultimately the war in Afghaistan is about the 9/11 attack on the United States, and preventing Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for terrorists.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
The White House is releasing the full text of the president's speech to students on Monday -- a full 24 hours before President Obama delivers the speech live at noon ET a local Arlington, VA, high school. Obviously, this means parents and teachers will have plenty of time to read the text of the speech and decide for themselves about the content.

From NBC's Mark Murray
In the race for Virginia governor, Creigh Deeds (D) is now airing a tough radio ad in Virginia that seizes on Bob McDonnell's (R) 1989 graduate-student thesis at what is now Regent University.

Here's the script...
Female: You startin' to follow this Governor's race in Virginia?
Male: You mean Bob McDonnell and his plans to take us back to the dark ages?
F: That's McDonnell – he opposes a woman's right to choose even in cases of rape and incest.
M: And that Washington Post story about the thesis he wrote at CBN University…
F: …Pat Robertson's Law School ?
M: Yep, it's Bob McDonnell's "blueprint" to implement HIS OWN social agenda...
F: …and he wasn't just a kid when he wrote it -- McDonnell was 34 years old, married, and months away from serving in the legislature.
M: I know, and the really scary part, is the Post said McDonnell has aggressively pursued over 10 proposals from his thesis as a legislator.
F: He said day care is a bad idea because it encourages women to work...no birth control for married adults...and opposed equal pay for women...
M: Those are protections even Fortune 500 companies give their employees.
F: There's just too much at stake...we can't afford to let Bob McDonnell take us back.
CD: I'm Creigh Deeds, candidate for Governor, and my campaign sponsored this ad.

From NBC's Libby Leist
The State Department announced this afternoon that it will terminate "a broad range of assistance" to Honduras in response to the June 28 coup.

The announcement comes on the day that ousted President Zelaya is at the State Department to meet with Hillary Clinton.

The statement below from spokesman Ian Kelly says the the restoration of aid to Honduras will depend on Honduras returning to "democratic, constitutional governance."

The U.S. is pressing for "legitimate" elections to take place in November.

Full statement below:

The Department of State announces the termination of a broad range of assistance to the government of Honduras as a result of the coup d'etat that took place on June 28. The Secretary already had suspended assistance shortly after the coup.

The Secretary of State has made the decision, consistent with U.S. legislation, recognizing the need for strong measures in light of the continued resistance to the adoption of the San Jose Accord by the de facto regime and continuing failure to restore democratic, constitutional rule to Honduras.

The Department of State recognizes the complicated nature of the actions which led to June 28 coup d'etat in which Honduras' democratically elected leader,

President Zelaya, was removed from office. These events involve complex factual and legal questions and the participation of both the legislative and judicial branches of government as well as the military.

Restoration of the terminated assistance will be predicated upon a return to democratic, constitutional governance in Honduras.

The Department of State further announces that we have identified individual members and supporters of the de facto regime whose visas are in the process of being revoked.

A presidential election is currently scheduled for November. That election must be undertaken in a free, fair and transparent manner. It must also be free of taint and open to all Hondurans to exercise their democratic franchise. At this moment, we would not be able to support the outcome of the scheduled elections. A positive conclusion of the Arias process would provide a sound basis for legitimate elections to proceed. We strongly urge all parties to the San Jose talks to move expeditiously to agreement.

From NBC's Pete Williams
In interviews with C-SPAN, several U.S. Supreme Court justices say whenever a new member comes on the court, its entire chemistry is altered. 

C-SPAN did the interviews earlier this year and made the tape available today to coincide with the arrival next week of Sonia Sotomayor.

Both Chief Justice John Roberts and Clarence Thomas say getting a new justice is like living through a change in a family. "You quickly get to view the court as composed of these members, and it becomes kind of hard to think of it as involving anyone else," Roberts says.

Justice Anthony Kennedy says changes are "stressful for us, because we so admire our colleagues. We wonder, oh, will it ever be the same?"

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg and retired Justice Sandra Day O'Connor say one difference for a woman is finding a suitable judicial robe. Most are made for men, designed with a v-neck to show a little shirt and tie. Women struggle to find robes with collars, they both said.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
Republican Sen. Mike Enzi today stressed that he's still part of the Senate Finance Committee's bipartisan negotiations to draft a health-care reform bill. "Despite some reports, I am still working with Sen. Baucus and other members of the so-called Gang of Six," he said in a written statement.

Some Democrats have strongly suggested that Enzi's statement in last week's Republican weekly radio/internet address displayed an unwillingness to reach a deal with Democrats. Asked about Enzi's remarks Monday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, "It appears.. he doesn't believe there's a pathway to get bipartisan support."

Today Enzi shot back. "My position has been consistent from the start. I haven't walked away from our shared goal of health-care reform or compromised the original principles I outlined as essential to any plan for reform."

Enzi called the bipartisan Gang of Six' meetings lead by Baucus "productive, and I plan to continue with them." More: "This truly bipartisan approach is the best way to solve the real health-care problems facing our nation because both parties are at the table and working on solutions without being rushed by arbitrary deadlines."

The senator also cited the last line of his address last week, in which he said that bipartisanship offered the best chance of passing health-care reform. "That part of my speech is something a lot of people seem to be conveniently ignoring along with my long record of passing bipartisan bills."

*** UPDATE *** On the other hand, Enzi is quoted as saying this, per the Gillette (WY) News-Record: "That (the health care bill) is going to take awhile and I'm pretty sure it's going to fail."

Also, according to the Plum Line's Greg Sargent: "[Americans for Prosperity] president Tim Phillips, who was standing next to Enzi and listened to his whole talk, tells me he left with little doubt that Enzi had declared his blanket opposition to the Gang of Six proposal."

Have something about the president or politics or you want answered?

NBC's Chief White House Correspondent and Political Director Chuck Todd will be responding to viewers' questions in a chat session through Cover it Live today, from 12 pm to 12:30. 

Click here for the link to where the discussion will take place.

***UPDATE***The chat is now live. Click on the above link to watch the discussion and submit your own question.