Behind the scenes, it's been clear for weeks that President Obama and his team of Rahm Emanuel, Jim Messina, and Peter Orzsag would be cutting the final health-care deal. Today's New York Times basically confirms that. "As the Senate majority leader, Harry Reid, Democrat of Nevada, takes on the delicate task of melding two competing versions of major health care legislation, aides say he will lean heavily on President Obama to arbitrate a number of contentious issues that still threaten to divide liberal and centrist Democrats and derail a final bill."

Per the Boston Globe, "Public support for Massachusetts' closely watched health insurance overhaul has slipped over the past year, a new poll indicates, but residents still support the path-breaking 2006 law by a 2-to-1 ratio… 59 percent of those surveyed said they favored the state's multimillion-dollar insurance initiative, down from 69 percent a year ago. The poll, by the Harvard School of Public Health and The Boston Globe, found that opposition to the law stands at 28 percent, up slightly from 22 percent in a June 2008 survey. Percolating throughout the poll findings is a gnawing concern over rising health care costs, suggesting that support could erode further if the state fails to slow the growth of medical spending. With key features of the state law at the heart of the blistering national health care debate in Congress, architects and observers of the Massachusetts plan say the poll findings indicate that a national overhaul is not only possible, but politically viable."

The Washington Post looks at how Republicans, who previously haven't been Medicare's biggest defenders in Washington, suddenly are championing the government program and its funding. "After years of trying to cut Medicare spending, Republican lawmakers have emerged as champions of the program, accusing Democrats of trying to steal from the elderly to cover the cost of health reform."

"It's a lonely battle. The hospital associations, AARP and other powerful interest groups that usually howl over Medicare cuts have also switched sides. Last week, they stood silent as the Senate Finance Committee debated a plan to slice more than $400 billion over the next decade from Medicare, the revered federal insurance program for people over 65, and Medicaid, which also serves many seniors."

And don't miss this paragraph, which gets to the issue of whether industry can live up to its cut promises. "Some budget analysts worry that industry groups, though confident now, may find it difficult to live up to their part of the bargain. The Baucus bill would create an independent commission charged with ratcheting payment rates even lower in the years to come. Others say the cuts, even if they stand, are insufficient to fix a program facing the twin burdens of a rapidly growing population of retirees and rampant health-care inflation. Unless health reform delivers on Obama's promise to restrain the overall cost of health spending, Medicare will undoubtedly stay on the chopping block."

The Finance Committee vote on the public option amendment likely comes tomorrow. "Baucus has personally signaled an openness to the public option but steadfastly maintains that it lacks enough support to pass the Senate, making it a pointless and politically volatile exercise to include it in his bill. But it's not going to be fun for Baucus – who's been a punching bag for the political left -- to join Republicans and vote against a Democratic amendment when the time comes."

The AP on Olympia Snowe: "Snowe stands as the woman with the most clout in Washington, poised at the intersection of ambitious efforts to change the nation's system of medical care amid competing political forces. If she votes with the Democrats, Obama could secure the biggest win of his young presidency. If she sticks with her Republican colleagues, it could prove as devastating to the president as the blow dealt to former President Bill Clinton in the 1990s when his health care package failed."

"Congress will tackle a defense-heavy agenda this week with debates on Pentagon spending and policy, missile defense strategy, and the contentious missions in Iraq and Afghanistan," The Hilll writes. "The conference on the 2010 defense policy bill could conclude this week. Staff are slated to work through the weekend and the leaders of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees are expected to meet on Tuesday to iron out some big differences."

The New York Times runs a front-page profile of Liz Cheney. "Like her father, Ms. Cheney speaks in understated, almost academic cadences, head veering down into her notes. She also shares his willingness to pummel President Obama in stark, disdainful tones, not so much criticizing as taunting him... It is a source of debate whether "Cheney" is an asset or a liability for this 43-year-old lawyer and former State Department official who keeps turning up on TV, at lecterns and in discussions about future Republican candidates. There is also the question of whether the "Cheney message" on national security — which essentially translates to an aggressive and interventionist approach — is something the Republican Party should be trumpeting, or burying."

The Hill looks at Mitt Romney's efforts to make nice with potential GOP rivals.

On "Meet the Press," Bill Clinton said 2010 can't and won't be as bad as 1994. "No. 1, the country is more diverse and more interested in positive action," Clinton said. "No. 2, they've [the American public] seen this movie before, because they had eight years under President [George W.] Bush when the Republicans finally had the whole government, and they know the results were bad. And— No. 3 —the Democrats haven't taken on the gun lobby like I did, and they took 15 of our members out. So I don't think — it'll be, whatever happens, it'll be manageable for the president." 

Video: The former president discusses the state of U.S. political discourse, as well as criticisms of his administration with NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the Press."

CALIFORNIA: Dan Balz weighs in on the story about gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman's (R) voting record, or lack thereof. "[T]he formal launch of her candidacy last week was disrupted by a damaging report in the Sacramento Bee. Though Whitman seeks to lead one of the biggest and most troubled governments in the world, when it comes to politics, she has been -- to put it kindly -- an absentee citizen for much of her adult life… Failure to vote from time to time is understandable and has rarely been seen as disqualifying for those seeking public office. But Whitman's record appears to go beyond occasional absences. Setting aside the question of whether she was registered before 2002, her slender record is striking for its apparent indifference to the political process."

MASSACHUSETTS: EJ Dionne breaks down the race to permanently replace Ted Kennedy in the Senate. The candidate embracing the Kennedy legacy most fiercely is Mike Capuano, a congressman whose district includes Cambridge and Somerville. He's running as the liberal's liberal… The woman to beat is Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who has the most statewide recognition."

More: "The race has its mandatory rich guy spending his own fortune, Stephen Pagliuca, a co-owner of the Boston Celtics… That leaves the most interesting candidate, Alan Khazei. I'll confess a soft spot for the 48-year-old co-founder of City Year, one of the best youth service groups in the country."

NEW JERSEY: Politics Daily notes: "If New Jersey were not one of two states (Virginia is the other) holding gubernatorial elections this November, the outcome of the Corzine-versus-Christie clash might only matter to its 8.7 million residents and out-of-state relatives of the candidates. But instead the results will be parsed as intently as each scene in a Mad Men episode looking for clues about the 2010 congressional elections and Obama's popularity." The Web site concludes, however, "the outcome will have little to do with Obama and the political direction of the country in 2010." For voters in the middle "the election is apt to be about 'who do you hate less' rather than 'who do you like more.'"

NEW YORK: The New York Times on Paterson's "Meet" appearance yesterday. "Though it was unclear if Mr. Paterson's appearance on "Meet the Press" would do anything to improve his standing with voters, his campaign viewed the occasion as a chance to rally supporters and raise money — something that Mr. Paterson has conceded has become more difficult since the White House got involved. His campaign sent out an e-mail message on Saturday urging supporters to watch the program. 'Governors across the country have low poll numbers and Governor Paterson is no exception,' the message said. 'We have a lot of work ahead of us to make that case loudly and continuously across New York.'"

Just askin,' but does Paterson's high visibility help? Many Dems have told us privately that the more they see him publicly, the harder it is to convince skeptics he's up to the job of leading the  state Dem ticket.

That said… "House Majority Whip James Clyburn (D-S.C.) on Sunday called a reported message from the president asking the reeling Gov. David Paterson (D-N.Y.) to bow out of the race a 'sophomoric' political move. Clyburn's statement comes as one of the harshest condemnation's of President Barack Obama's alleged request of Paterson. The White House and Paterson denied that the White House explicitly asked the embattled governor to step aside."

VIRGINIA: Creigh Deeds and Bob McDonnell both had op-eds in the Washington Post yesterday, explaining what they'd do to help Northern Virginia, if elected. The nominees outlined their plans for small businesses, transportation, education, and green technology. Neither candidate took direct swipes at his opponent, though both made indirect references to their rival's transportation plan—a hot topic in the Virginia race. Deeds writes that his transportation package will "not raid general funds dedicated to education, health care and public safety to pay for roads," while McDonnell has not ruled out using Virginia's general fund for transportation. McDonnell says simply: "I am the only candidate in this race with a specific transportation plan." Both, however, outline similar goals: widening Interstate 66, getting HOT lanes built on I-95 and 395 for buses, carpools and emergency vehicles and expanding the Metro line. Not to be outdone, Deeds also identifies himself as the "only" candidate on an issue: small businesses, for which he wrote he would provide tax relief.

In an interview to be broadcast Sunday on "Meet the Press," NBC's David Gregory sits down with former President Bill Clinton, who says, "it's a good idea, if possible, to look somebody in the eye and have a chance to have a conversation before there's a total breach."  

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Here's the transcript:

DAVID GREGORY: is this a moment where the president says, to Iran, "We got you. And now it's time to act, or you're gonna face serious consequences"?

BILL CLINTON: Well, I think that's what they want to communicate with them. And I think the reason they want to have talks is, if they have talks, and they don't just hurl assaults in the press about it, they can more explicitly lay out things they may not be prepared to say in public yet about what the options are if Iran continues down this path. And they can also talk about where we might go together if they reverse course.

So I always think it's a good idea, if possible, to look somebody in the eye and have a chance to have a conversation before there's a total breach. But I think this is actually healthy that this has broken. The Iranians must have known that the Americans knew, somehow they must have found out that. Or they wouldn't have voluntarily notified the IAEA about this.

THE WEEK AHEAD: The Week Ahead: Will unemployment hit double digits? ... All eyes on the Senate Finance Committee ... Republicans fan out ... Jimmy Carter turns 85 ... Meet the Press: Clinton, Paterson

Do you have a question on politics -- presidential, horse race, something in Congress or something in your state? Submit it in the comments section, and we might pick yours in an upcoming week.

From NBC's Chuck Todd
The Kremlin has released the following statement in response to today's news revealing the existence of a secret uranium enrichment site in Iran:

Iran's construction of a uranium enrichment plant violates decisions of the United Nations Security Council. The International Atomic Energy Agency must investigate this site immediately, and Iran must cooperate with this investigation. Russia will assist in this investigation by any available means. Russia remains committed to a dialogue with Iran on the nuclear issue, and urges Iran to provide proof of its commitment to a peaceful nuclear program by the October 1 meeting of the P5-plus-1.

From NBC's Athena Jones
PITTSBURGH -- The leaders of the United States, France, and the United Kingdom today joined together to issue a stern warning to Iran to come clean about its nuclear activities -- ahead of talks next week between the so-called P5 plus 1 group of nations and Iranian representatives.

President Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown each spoke briefly, with Obama laying out the countries' case against Iran; with Sarkozy setting a December deadline for Iran to respond to their demands; and with Brown using strong words to drive home the point that time was running out for Iran to fulfill its obligations to the international community.

U.S., British, and French officials traveled to Vienna yesterday afternoon to brief the International Atomic Energy Agency on the intelligence of a secret Iranian enrichment facility near Qom. The plant is not yet operational.

The countries expect the IAEA to investigate immediately, because the facility violates U.N. resolutions calling on Iran to stop enriching uranium and violates the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty.

Obama said Iran was breaking rules that govern all nations. "This site deepens a growing concern that Iran is refusing to live up to those international responsibilities, including specifically revealing all nuclear-related activities," he said. "As the international community knows, this is not the first time that Iran has concealed information about its nuclear program. Iran has a right to peaceful nuclear power that meets the energy needs of its people, but the size and configuration of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful program."

Nuclear non-proliferation is one of Obama's signature issues. He believes the pursuit of nuclear weapons by countries like Iran and North Korea destabilize their respective regions, and also threaten to trigger an arms race. The permanent members of the U.N. Security Council, plus Germany, have long sought to pressure Iran to stop enriching uranium. Iran has consistently argued its program was for peaceful purposes, an argument Obama specifically addressed today.

The Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty requires that countries disclose nuclear facilities when construction begins. The United States has known about the Qom project for years, but learned this week that Iran had sent a letter to the IAEA acknowledging the plant. Then-candidate Obama was briefed on the facility during the transition, reports NBC's Savannah Guthrie. U.S. officials spent the last several days briefing allies, in particular the other members of the P5, Plus-1: Germany, China and Russia.

"We are now faced with a challenge, a challenge made to the entire international communities. The six will meet with the Iranian representatives in Geneva. Everything -- everything must be put on the table now," Sarkozy told the audience in his brief remarks. "We cannot let the Iranian leaders gain time while the motors are running. If by December there is not an in-depth change by the Iranian leaders, sanctions will have to be taken."

Today's show of rhetorical force by the three leaders was intended to step up pressure on Iran as the Oct. 1 talks approach.

"Confronted by the serial deception of many years, the international community has no choice today but to draw a line in the sand. On October the 1st, Iran must now engage with the international community and join the international community as a partner. If it does not do so, it will be further isolated," said Brown, adding the U.K. was prepared to "implement further and more stringent sanctions."

While German Chancellor Angela Merkel could not be on hand for this morning's statement, Obama said she supported the three leaders' position and remarks. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and China's Hu Jintao were notably absent. Both countries have been more resistant to punishing Iran with stronger sanctions.

At the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York, Medvedev left open the door to tougher sanctions on Iran, a move he did not back away from those remarks in a Q-and-A with students at the University of Pittsburgh yesterday.

"Sanctions were used on a number of occasions against Iran, but we have doubts about the results. Nevertheless, when all instruments have been used and failed, one can use international legal sanctions," Medvedev told the students, according to a transcript provided by the Russians. "I think we should continue to promote positive incentives for Iran and at the same time push it to make all its programs transparent and open. Should we fail in that case, we'll consider other options."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Social issues -- especially the fallout over Bob McDonnell's (R) 20-year-old graduate thesis -- continue to dominate the race for Virginia governor. Consider the two new TV ads McDonnell is airing.

The first blasts opponent Creigh Deeds (D) for running a "dishonest attacks" against McDonnell.

[Youtube:7t-LgoCua1o]

The other one features McDonnell's daughter Jeanine, who served in Iraq, to counter the criticism the Republican has received for writing in that 1989 thesis that working women and feminism were "detrimental" to the family.

[Youtube:zjDWe0_V2Q4]

From NBC's Mark Murray
Illustrating the difficulty that President Obama might have with his liberal base on the issue of Afghanistan, the liberal group MoveOn.org is blasting out an email to its five million members, which encourages them to send a message to the Obama White House that there needs to be a clear exit strategy from the war in that country.

Here's the key passage in the email, which was first reported on by Greg Sargent: "Pro-war advocates both inside and outside the administration--including John McCain and Joe Lieberman--are calling for a big escalation. The general in charge of Afghanistan is expected to request tens of thousands more troops, and that may just be the beginning/ They're cranking up the pressure for an immediate surge."

"But other powerful voices are urging caution: Vice President Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel have raised real concerns about the idea of sending more troops to Afghanistan without a clear strategy, as have Democrats in Congress. And a majority of Americans oppose increasing troop levels. Can you write to the White House and tell them we need a clear exit strategy-not tens of thousands more US troops stuck in a quagmire?"

Below is the full email...

Dear MoveOn member,

U.S. policy in Afghanistan has reached a pivotal moment. President Obama is poised to make a critical decision about the Afghanistan war in the next few weeks. And there's a big debate happening right now about what to do.1
Pro-war advocates both inside and outside the administration-including John McCain and Joe Lieberman-are calling for a big escalation.2 The general in charge of Afghanistan is expected to request tens of thousands more troops, and that may just be the beginning.3 They're cranking up the pressure for an immediate surge.

But other powerful voices are urging caution: Vice President Biden and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel have raised real concerns about the idea of sending more troops to Afghanistan without a clear strategy4, as have Democrats in Congress.5 And a majority of Americans oppose increasing troop levels.6
Can you write to the White House and tell them we need a clear exit strategy-not tens of thousands more US troops stuck in a quagmire? You can send the President a message by clicking below: <http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51843&id=&t=1>

Some administration officials are arguing for a smaller, nimbler approach with a narrow focus on the threat from al-Qaeda. But cheerleaders for the war refuse to acknowledge that there could be any viable strategy other than more and more troops. So they're trotting out the same tired old lines and questioning the motives of those who disagree with them.7
They figure they can cut off any debate about our ultimate goals in Afghanistan and the region. But President Obama has consistently shown a willingness to stand up for his more thoughtful approach to foreign policy, and that's what he needs to do here, too.
The hawks are making their position heard. Now, the majority of Americans-those of us who are for as quick and as responsible an end to the war as possible-need to make our voices heard, too.

Can you write to the President now?
<http://www.moveon.org/r?r=51843&id=&t=2>
-Daniel, Lenore, Kat, Marika, and the rest of the team

From NBC's Mark Murray
Republicans are using the revelation of a secret nuclear facility in Iran -- something that U.S. intelligence has known about for about a year -- to criticize the Obama administration's willingness to talk to Iran.

House Minority Whip Eric Cantor was first out of the gate with a statement:

The existence of a second uranium enrichment facility not only undercuts the Administration's policy toward Iran, but leaves little doubt that terrorist nations are not to be trusted or negotiated with diplomatically.  Congress should act immediately to give the President the tools he needs to implement sanctions on Iran by passing the bipartisan Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act.

Next was House Minority Leader John Boehner:

The United States should not participate in direct negotiations with Iran – negotiations that will further legitimize this brutal regime – until we have answers to these important questions. Unfortunately, the Administration has not, to date, given Iran reason to believe we are serious about preventing them from acquiring or developing a nuclear capability, especially in light of the Administration's recent policy decision regarding missile defense in Central Europe and its public remarks about Israel and the Middle East peace process.

From NBC's Mark Murray
Want more proof that South Carolina Rep. Joe Wilson -- of "You lie" fame -- has become a fundraising darling for Republicans?

Wilson now has penned a fundraising email for the National Republican Congressional Committee. In it, he says:

There has been a lot of debate on what is true in the debate over government-run healthcare. But Democrats continue to spin and mislead the public in an attempt to stifle honest and open debate about what this bill will do, what it will cost and how it will change your healthcare... Will you follow this link immediately to support the NRCC as we work to retire Nancy Pelosi and return the people's House to you?

Wilson's fundraising solicitation for the NRCC comes after he penned a similar one for Virginia Republicans earlier this week.

*** UPDATE *** NRCC spokesman Ken Spain emails this response to its fundraising solicitation: "Congressman Wilson has been kind enough to help and support the NRCC as he always has over the last several years that he has been a member of the Republican Conference. We are grateful for his commitment to the team and his leadership."

*** UPDATE 2 *** DCCC spokesman Ryan Rudominer fires back: "Whether it's using the Congressman who brought shame to his constituents by screaming 'You Lie' at President Obama while he addressed the nation, or their refusal to return tainted cash from an accused ponzi schemer and someone convicted of defrauding U.S. taxpayers in Afghanistan for millions, the American people are seeing the lengths the Republican Party of No will go to raise a buck."

From NBC's Pete Williams
Supreme Court Associate Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is out of the hospital and expected back on the job today.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
The Senate Finance Committee says the panel will not get to the matter of a public option debate today.

Democratic Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Chuck Schumer yesterday said they were planning to introduce amendments on the so-called public option, and they would take place today.

But committee sources say there is not time. The committee will work a shortened day today and not be in session Monday due to the Jewish holiday. Work will continue Tuesday.

Also, the Wyden-Bennett amendment has not been introduced to the committee. That amendment would permit those with employer-based insurance to choose from a variety of plans offered in an "insurance exchange" -- regardless of their employer's benefits.

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
According to representatives of the Russian government, Russia's President Medvedev praised President Obama effusively during a question-and-answer session with students at the University of Pittsburgh.

Asked about Iran and sanctions, Medvedev reportedly said, according to a transcript provided by the Russians:

"I have this feeling as though I'm still in the meeting with Barack Obama. Yesterday he asked me this very same question. We spent about a half hour talking about that yesterday! I tried to answer that yesterday and I'll try to answer that today in this beautiful hall.

First of all, we are all responsible for global affairs. Since we share this responsibility, no state should refuse it. In this sense, Russia is a responsible country. All of us are involved in promoting nuclear energy and the right to the peaceful use of it. Iran as a state has a right to its own peaceful nuclear program. This is our clear position. That is what I said to Barack Obama yesterday.

I do not believe sanctions are the best way to achieve results. Sanctions were used on a number of occasions against Iran but we have doubts about the results. Nevertheless when all instruments have been used and failed, one can use international legal sanctions. That is common…I think we should continue to promote positive incentives for Iran and at the same time push it to make all its programs transparent and open. Should we fail in that case, we'll consider other options.

In response to a question on the state of relations between the U.S. and Russia:

I would like to see them better than they are today. But today they are better than they were yesterday. The truth of the matter is, one year ago, I got an impression that our relations had hit a dead end, they almost slid to the level of the cold war. I don't want to blame anybody...The bottom line is, we didn't want that to happen. What really matters is to see to it that the number of differences between our countries, our politicians, be smaller. I am very comfortable with communication with the President of the United States for several reasons. We are of the same generation, we had the same kind of education. When I was a postgraduate student, I read legal reviews at the time that were edited by Barack Obama. Had I known he was an editor, I would have read them more attentively.

The mindset is important. Today, when I'm communicating with the U.S. president, I get the feeling that he's attentively listening. He doesn't preach to you as a mentor, which is not very nice. When you are preaching to others, it's not nice. People like him not only here in the United States but in other countries as well. So he's managed to do certain things that others have failed to do. I believe if personal relations between the leaders are good, then it will be easier to build better relations for the future.

(For example), a recent decision by the President of the United States regarding forgoing the third site on ABM missile defense. Of course, this decision was determined by Barack Obama's mindset.  It was not pro-Russia nor pro-Chinese nor pro-Europe, this was an American decision. What's important is Barack Obama listened to my position. Perhaps it was part of the basis for his decision. We are learning to listen to each other. This is a change from the previous administration. I think these are bold, courageous decisions, to change decisions of previous administrations concerning foreign policy. This was a complex decision. I tried to put myself in his shoes. It would not have been easy for me. It deserves our respect. We don't know what will happen next, but if we are continually attentive to each other, our relations will have a good future.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Iran's secret facility: You can now add one more pressing problem that the Obama White House must deal with: Iran building a secret plan to make nuclear fuel. Just moments ago, President Obama, surrounded by British Prime Minister Brown and French President Sarkozy, said while the international community remains open to working with Iran, that country must show its intentions or "be held accountable." He added that Iran is not living up to its "international responsibilities," that the size of this facility is inconsistent with a peaceful program, and that there's a "sense of urgency" about the upcoming Oct. 1 meeting with Iran and that it must be prepared to cooperate and "take concrete steps." The New York Times broke the news on this story, with lots of senior administration quotes in it: "The revelation … appears bound to add urgency to the diplomatic confrontation with Iran over its suspected ambitions to build a nuclear weapons capability." Indeed, this news today will overshadow a G-20 summit that had already become something of an afterthought. The president's news conference at 4:40 pm ET in Pittsburgh will probably be two-thirds about Iran, one-third about Afghanistan. When is the last time that has happened?

*** We've known about this for a year: Per NBC's Andrea Mitchell, officials say it was U.S. intelligence that learned of the secret plant more than a year ago -- before President Obama's election; Israel also knew about it, too. They most likely would not have gone public if Iran had not discovered that the U.S. was onto them and had it not notified the U.N.'s international inspection agency on Monday. By the way, Mitchell adds, the site is 30 kilometers outside of Qum, Iran's holy city. That means that any military strike would be very difficult politically, because it would around huge reaction throughout the Muslim world. Also today, watch for Russian and Chinese reaction. Yes, they were notified of our intelligence this week, but their reaction is unknown.

*** Gitmo and money woes? The Washington Post has today's other big news. First, it reports that the White House is going to be "hard-pressed" to meet its goal to close Gitmo within a year. "Even before the inauguration, President Obama's top advisers settled on a course of action they were counseled against: announcing that they would close the facility within one year. Today, officials are acknowledging that they will be hard-pressed to meet that goal." (How numbered are Greg Craig's days? He clearly fell on his sword on this, so he's being given plenty of running room to make his own exit timetable.) Here's the other buzz-worthy Post story: "Democratic political committees have seen a decline in their fundraising fortunes this year, a result of complacency among their rank-and-file donors and a de facto boycott by many of their wealthiest givers, who have been put off by the party's harsh rhetoric about big business." Dem sources tell us to expect to see the president step up fundraising for individual candidates later this year. He can be an effective draw for, say, a Senate candidate in Missouri or Colorado, as opposed to trying to do it in DC for the DSCC. 

*** Sticking up for Goliath? Here's the latest back-and-forth in the fight over health-care, per the AP: "The Senate's top Republicans said Thursday they wouldn't allow President Barack Obama to fill health posts until his administration stops barring insurers from telling the elderly how Democrats' health overhaul could affect their benefits." At issue is the GOP's anger after the HHS Department asked private insurer Humana to cease sending mailers to seniors that were critical of the health-care reform efforts moving through Congress. Honest question: Are Republicans explicitly sending the message that they're sticking up for the big guy (Humana's PAC has given lawmakers nearly $150,000 so far this cycle) over the little guy in this debate? A Senate GOP aide disagrees: "It's about free speech and big government intimidating people with an alternative point of view. And this is a perfect of example of why big government scares the hell out of people."

*** Public option vote: Meanwhile, the Senate Finance Committee begins its fourth day of marking up its health-care bill. Per NBC's Ken Strickland, the committee today will consider amendments to install a public option to the legislation -- which will likely fail. In a conference call with reporters yesterday, Democratic Sens. Jay Rockefeller and Chuck Schumer were effusive in their belief that a public option will eventually become law, and each said he would offer his own amendment on it. "[Friday] is the opening day in our big fight," Schumer said, "but it's going to be a fight that goes down all the way to the wire." If moderate Democrats on the committee like Max Baucus, Kent Conrad, and Blanche Lincoln vote in line with their public statements against the public option, the amendments should fail. They prefer the non-profit cooperative model which is already included in the bill. Strickland says that it's unclear when the Finance Committee will finish its work marking up the legislation. It could very well be pushed into Monday or Tuesday or next week. Also, the Congressional Budget Office might report on its findings about the bill today or tomorrow.

*** Bucking up the Blue Dogs: A Democratic source has sent First Read a poll conducted by Anzalone Liszt (D) for the liberal group Health Care for America Now (HCAN), which argues that there's still plenty of appetite for health-care reform in 91 Blue Dog/conservative/swing congressional districts. Excerpts from the poll's analysis: "With 58% of voters believing the healthcare system requires either major reform or a total overhaul and 59% concerned that Congress won't pass reform this year, supporting the status quo is a risky proposition for swing district Dems." Also: "[W]hen voters hear a paragraph of information about what the plan supports (including a public option, mandates for individuals and businesses, and higher taxes on high-income households), a majority in these districts support it (53% favor/41% oppose)." And it also argues that, despite the media's attention to the contentious town-hall meetings over the summer, polling in Blue Dog districts has remained relatively stable from June to September. 

*** Ginsburg taken to hospital: According to NBC's Pete Williams, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was taken to the Washington Hospital Center last night after feeling ill in her chambers earlier in the day. She felt ill after receiving an iron sucrose infusion to treat an iron deficiency anemia that was administered at the Office of the Attending Physician. Williams updates that Ginsburg stayed overnight at the hospital as a precautionary measure, and it's expected that she will be released from the hospital today. In short, her illness yesterday isn't thought to be serious.

*** A lack of muscle? Yesterday's decision by former Democratic Virginia Gov. Doug Wilder NOT to endorse Creigh Deeds (D) in Virginia's gubernatorial race -- even though the Obama White House had leaned on Wilder to back the Democrat -- spurred one GOP operative to remind us how unsuccessful the White House has been when flexing its political muscles. Other examples: The inability to get Lisa Madigan to run for the Senate in Illinois, the failure to convince North Carolina AG Roy Cooper to challenge Richard Burr, and the fact that New York Gov. David Paterson has yet to bow out for 2010. What's more, the source said, Senate Democrats have primaries in CO, PA, and IL. To be fair, however, the White House WAS able to essentially clear the field for Kirsten Gillibrand, it got Arlen Specter to switch parties, and the Paterson story has yet to fully play out (does anyone really think he sticks it out?). Also, while not desirable having primaries in CO and PA actually provides a silver lining for the White House, because it forces Specter and Michael Bennet to be more reliable votes.  

*** Today's sked: Elsewhere today, Vice President Biden travels to Georgia (the state, not the country) to survey the flood damage there. And at 3:15 pm ET, Paul Kirk gets sworn in as temporary senator replacing Ted Kennedy. GOP Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said this about the Kirk appointment: "What the . . . totally Democratic-controlled Massachusetts state government should have done is just be honest about it. They should have written a law this way: If there's a Republican governor, there's no appointment. And if there's a Democratic governor, there is an appointment."

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 39 days
Countdown to MA Special Primary: 74 days
Countdown to MA Special Election: 116 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 403 days

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"President Obama and the leaders of Britain and France will accuse Iran Friday of building a secret underground plant to manufacture nuclear fuel, saying the country hid the covert operation from international weapons inspectors for years, according to senior administration officials," the New York Times reports.

The Washington Post: "President Obama will call attention to the existence of the underground facility in an early-morning statement to reporters here before the opening of the G-20 economic summit, and will say that Western intelligence agencies have been tracking the facility for years. U.S. officials said Obama decided to disclose the program's existence after learning that Iran had become aware that it was no longer a secret."

"Iran has kept the facility, 100 miles southwest of Tehran [with 3,000 centrifuges], hidden from weapons inspectors for years, but the U.S. has long known of its existence, the official said," the AP says. "Obama decided to go public with the revelation after Iran learned that Western intelligence agencies were aware of the project. The official said the plant could be in operation by next year… The revelation of a secret plant further hinders the chances of progress in scheduled Oct. 1 talks between Iran and six world powers."

Here's the latest New York Times/CBS poll: "President Obama is confronting declining support for his handling of the war in Afghanistan and an electorate confused and anxious about a health care overhaul as he prepares for pivotal battles over both issues... But Mr. Obama is going into the fall having retained considerable political strength. At 56 percent, his approval rating is down from earlier in the year but still reasonably strong at this point compared with recent presidents."

Also, "More Americans are starting to credit his stimulus package with having helped to revive the economy. And Mr. Obama retains a decided advantage with the American public over Republicans on prominent issues, starting with health care."

"The Obama administration on Thursday evening rejected Senate Republicans' request that the Department of Health and Human Services lift a so-called gag order on insurance companies that have been critical of Democratic efforts to reform health care," Roll Call reports. "HHS spokesman Nicholas Papas said the department will continue its investigation into a mailer sent to seniors by Humana that Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) has argued contains misleading information about his legislation's impact on Medicare and Medicaid." Republicans have argued this is another sign of a big government takeover that stifles free speech.

The Hill: "More lobbyists are expected to terminate their registrations because of the White House's announcement this week that federal agencies should not appoint them to advisory boards. It is unclear how many people will be affected by the decision, but at least 1,000 federal advisory committees report to the General Services Administration under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, and many of them now include registered lobbyists."

Here's a quotable for you: "If it fails, I'm dead." -- Joe Biden to Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon on the stimulus during a conference call with governors.

The Boston Globe's front page: "Senator Kirk." The story says Kirk is "throwing himself immediately into the job by asking former staff members of Edward M. Kennedy to stay on, delivering his first speech in the role to a group of labor activists, and preparing to travel to Washington this morning to be sworn in." Today, he'll visit Ted Kennedy's gravesite at Arlington National Cemetery, meet with Kennedy's former staff, which he'll keep on until a permanent replacement is elected and be sworn in this afternoon by Vice President Biden.
 
Behind the scenes, loyalists to Mike Dukakis are not happy. Gov. "Patrick was under immense political pressure. His close circle of advisers narrowed a wide array of candidates to six finalists, but he ultimately went with the candidate who, despite having never held elective office, is most closely identified with Kennedy and favored by the late senator's immediate family."

The Globe has a front-page profile of Kirk. "To those who know him, Paul G. Kirk Jr. is not only the trusted adviser of the Kennedy clan, but a quiet fixer with a reassuring demeanor. An intimate family friend who is comfortable working in the shadows, he is also a savvy, adroit deal maker who has grappled with some of the most emotional rifts in Democratic party politics."

Republicans, however, are trying to stop the appointment. A GOP injunction filed will be heard this morning. The legislation calls for a 90-day window -- unless there's an emergency. "Patrick signed an emergency letter that he says allows the law to become effective immediately," the AP writes. "Republicans allege in their court filing that Patrick did not have the constitutional authority to do that."

Obama is scheduled to speak before the Congressioinal Black Caucus on Saturday, but "questions remain about how hard Obama can fight for the anti-poverty, education and health care proposals that helped him win near-universal support from black voters. There also is a growing realization that he will likely face years of criticism -- some of it motivated by race -- over his administration's response to a sour economy and other issues. Some in the CBC acknowledge Obama must govern more from the center to be a successful president. However, many of the group's more liberal lawmakers expect him to seize the opportunity created by strong Democratic control of Congress to push through initiatives that have long been blocked by Republicans, such as public health insurance and sharp funding increases for urban development."

"But it's not just Pelosi who is worried [about potential violence]. In interviews with POLITICO, five former Secret Service, FBI and CIA officers say that they, too, are concerned that today's climate of supercharged political vitriol could lead to violence. And this week, the FBI said that it is investigating whether anti-government sentiment played a role in the death of a U.S. Census worker who was found hanged from a tree in rural Kentucky, because the body had the word "fed" scrawled on the chest — though authorities say there are too many unanswered questions at this point to rule the case a homicide or a hate crime. 

"The Congressional Research Service has analyzed the case law surrounding last week's ACORN funding ban in the House and found the measure could be interpreted as a "bill of attainder" and, therefore, unconstitutional, according to a copy of the report obtained by POLITICO."

NEW JERSEY: PolitickerNJ's Matt Friedman comments on the "not-so subtle personal jabs" being thrown around between gubernatorial nominees Jon Corzine (D) and Chris Christie (R). "The latest example is a television ad Governor Corzine released yesterday. More than a few observers and bloggers noticed the double entendre -- whether intentional or not --when the voiceover says that Christie "threw his weight around" as U.S. Attorney to avoid traffic tickets and points on his license." State Sen. Bill Baroni, who grew up overweight and lost 130 pounds 15 years ago, said that he "immediately" recognized a reference to Christie's girth in the Corzine ad. "We're better than that," Baroni is quoted as saying. Friedman also writes Christie's painting Corzine, who grew up in rural Illinois, as an "out-of-town" outsider. The Christie campaign released a Web ad featuring Corzine mentioning the nonexistent "Garden State Expressway." Text in the ad reads, "Uhm, Governor… It's called the Parkway." Then, Garden State Parkway signs are superimposed over Corzine's mouth, "bleeping out the offending term." 

NEW YORK: "Six in 10 New Yorkers believe President Obama was wrong in his attempt to force Gov. Paterson from the 2010 gubernatorial race, according to the latest Marist College poll," per the New York Post. "The statewide survey of registered voters nonetheless found little sympathy for the beleaguered governor. Job approval for both Paterson and the president slipped to all-time lows in the days since Obama's intervention came to light." By the way, Paterson's job approval dropped even further to an astonishing 17%, an all-time low for him and for any governor in New York history. It's the lowest rating for any governor in the country. 
 
NY-23: "New York Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, the Republican nominee in the special election to replace former Rep. John McHugh (R-N.Y.), was whacked in two rounds of new TV ads Thursday, as a new poll showed the three-way race essentially tied. Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party nominee, went up with his first TV ad Thursday, and it's a full-throttle assault on Scozzafava while the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Thursday also launched a TV attack of its own against the Assemblywoman. The advertising activity comes as a new poll sponsored by the anti-tax group the Club for Growth shows the race to essentially be a three-way tie."

TENNESSEE: The liberal group Accountability Now says it's recruiting a primary opponent to challenge Tennessee Rep. Jim Cooper (D). It also has launched a Web site targeting Cooper.

VIRGINIA: Deeds' spokesman Jared Leopold said they respect former Democratic Gov. Wilder's decision not to endorse him. "Creigh and he may not agree on every issue, they share a fundamental commitment to keeping Virginia the best managed state in the nation, as Governor Wilder first made it in 1992. As governor, Creigh intends to seek Governor Wilder's counsel often, and looks forward to working with him." McDonnell spokesman Tucker Martin: "Bob McDonnell and Governor Wilder have worked together well on issues ranging from combating gangs to promoting programs to help the homeless in Richmond…Bob holds the Governor in high regard for his historic achievements and public service, and he looks forward to continuing to work closely with him in the years ahead."
 
Deeds and McDonnell are "facing off at a joint forum in Virginia Beach" later this morning. The Daily Press reports that they will speak to local civic leaders and take questions from the crowd. The event is described as a forum, not a debate, and is hosted by the Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce. McDonnell won the endorsement of the Fairfax County chamber of commerce this week, "after Deeds struggled to explain exactly how he would find new money to upgrade the state's beleaguered transportation network."

From NBC's John Yang
PITTSBURGH -- About an hour before the G-20 Resistance Group's unauthorized march is set to kick off here, activity has picked up in Pittsburgh's Arsenal Park, the staging area.

For much of the day, the park had been populated with reporters, photographers, and neighborhood residents walking their dogs. The protestors now number in the low three figures, finally beginning to outnumber -- barely -- the press. The mood is festive, with drummers playing and people mingling around. The police are in the area, but are not very visible at the park itself.

The group did not apply for a permit for the event, saying that to do so would make it "state-sanctioned." Their goal is to get as close to the convention center, site of the summit, as possible.

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell

A statement from his office:

Senator Robert C. Byrd, D-W.Va., was released from the hospital early this afternoon following a brief 48-hour stay to monitor and treat a spike in his white-blood cell count, a symptom that is usually an early sign of an infection. Byrd was admitted to the hospital on Tuesday, following a precautionary trip to the hospital after he fell at his home. While being examined, doctors found an increase in Byrd's white-blood cell count and then admitted the West Virginia Senator to the hospital for antibiotic treatment and observation.

Byrd will continue his antibiotic treatment at his home and convalesce over the coming days. Byrd indicated that he "is looking forward to engaging in the upcoming debate and votes on health care reform - one of the most critical issues facing this Congress."

From NBC's Mark Murray
Former Democratic Virginia Gov. Douglas Wilder will NOT be endorsing Creigh Deeds (D) in Virginia's gubernatorial contest.

The reason: Wilder doesn't like Deeds' position on guns.

"The present law [in Virginia] permits anyone of sufficient age, who is not a felon, to be able to buy one gun a month; twelve a year, twenty four a year for couples, etc.," Wilder said in a statement (hat tip: NBC-29's Adam Rhew). "Mr. Deeds thinks that's not enough and signed a pledge to repeal that law. This action would allow the truck loads of guns to come back in exchange for drugs from those Northeastern states where gun laws are more stringent."

Wilder also seems to take a swipe at Deeds' willingness to raise taxes to pay for more transportation in the state. "This is not the time in our Commonwealth to talk about any kind of tax increase, especially those that are fundamentally regressive and will hit hardest those who are struggling."

Wilder concludes, "The requests, made of me, have been to endorse Mr. Deeds, the Democratic Candidate, for Governor. I refrain from doing so and will leave that choice to the voters. This in no wise is intended to detract from Mr. Deeds in terms of character or commitment to the task of being Governor. I find that he, as well as Mr. McDonnell are fine and honorable men and well suited to that task. The question before me is whether I support the Democratic candidate's position in addressing these issues. I have not thus far in the progress of the campaign, and as aforesaid refrain from so doing."

As Politico writes, "Wilder's announcement is a significant blow to the Deeds campaign, which had been aggressively courting his support in recent weeks. Even President Obama got involved in the lobbying campaign, making a personal call to Wilder earlier this month asking him to endorse Deeds."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Democrats are wasting no time in trying to get that 60th vote seated again.

Paul Kirk will be sworn in at 3:15 pm ET tomorrow, according to a top aide to Majority Leader Harry Reid.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
It's official. Former DNC Chairman and Kennedy confidant Paul Kirk was appointed to fill the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's U.S. Senate.

Kirk said he would not run in the Jan. 19th special election or the December primary, would likely be sworn in tomorrow and that he would retain Kennedy's well-regarded staff.

"Between now and then [the special election] the vital interests of the people of the Commonwelath will come to the Congress," said Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick as he announced the appointment -- a day after the state legislature changed the law to make the move possible. Patrick said he signed the bill into law this morning.

Patrick cited issues like transportation, financial regulation, climate change and, of course, health care. On health care, Patrick quoted Kennedy, who called it a "right not a privilege" for all Americans.

Patrick, who described Kirk as a "loyal adviser" to Kennedy, also praised his "sense of service."

Kirk, for his part, called it a "profound honor" and thanked the Kennedy family, in particular Ted Kennedy's widow, Vicki, and his sons Ted Jr. and Patrick. Vicki and Ted Jr., who Kirk said were in the audience, had reportedly advocated for Kirk to be the appointment over other possibilities, like 1988 Democratic presidential nominee and former Gov. Michael Dukakis.

Sen. John Kerry, who is now the senior senator from Massachusetts and was at the announcement, seemed to allude to the controversy over who should have been picked.

There were a "number of qualified people" who the governor "could have picked," Kerry acknowledged. But Kerry endorsed the decision to go with Kirk because he would be a "caretaker," who would provide "a gentle transition," and because of his "special relationship" with Ted Kennedy. "He'll be a superb steward for this seat," Kerry said, adding, it is "vital" for Massachusett to have "two voices, especially in these times."

Almost immediately following the announcement, the White House released a statement from President Obama:

"I am pleased that Massachusetts will have its full representation in the United States Senate in the coming months, as important issues such as health care, financial reform and energy will be debated. Paul Kirk is a distinguished leader, whose long collaboration with Senator Kennedy makes him an excellent, interim choice to carry on his work until the voters make their choice in January."

*** UPDATE *** NBC's Kelly O'Donnell has the statement from the Kennedy family:

Today is a wonderful day for the people of Massachusetts and the country. We are enormously thankful to Governor Patrick, Senate President Murray, Speaker DeLeo and all of the members of the Massachusetts Senate and House who worked to assure that the people of the Commonwealth have two senators during this interim period before the special election on January 19, 2010. Governor Patrick could not have selected a more outstanding person to serve as Massachusetts's interim senator than Paul Kirk.

Senator Kennedy always said that serving the people of Massachusetts in the United States Senate was the greatest honor of his life. He would be so pleased that Paul Kirk will also now have that honor. Senator Kennedy and Paul were close friends and they worked together for many years, starting with Paul's tenure on the Senator's staff in Washington four decades ago. Side by side they fought many battles for progress and social justice, and nothing could be more fitting than for Paul now to carry on that fight. As the former Chairman of the Democratic National Committee and the Co-Chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates, Paul is well-known and respected by the men and women who will be his new colleagues. When he is sworn in as the Junior Senator from Massachusetts, Paul will hit the ground running, and that's an enormous benefit for the people of Massachusetts.

With today's appointment of Paul Kirk, the people of Massachusetts will once again have two voices and two votes in the United States Senate, fighting for them each and every day on the issues they care about.