From NBC's Luke Russert
In his weekly pen-and-pad session with Capitol Hill reporters, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) echoed the recent demands of Republican leaders that Afghanistan Commander Gen. Stanley McChrystal, testify before the House and Senate on the current strategy in the war-torn nation.

NBC News asked: "Last week, Mr. Boehner said Gen. McChrystal should come to the Congress to testify about Afghanistan, in wake of yesterdays leaked report that Mr. Woodward published in the Washington Post, John McCain also called for Gen. McChrystal to come testify before Congress immediately, do you think Gen. McChrystal should come here sooner rather than later to talk about what the Afghanistan policy and what the main objective is?"

Hoyer replied: "You know, I think the answer to that is yes. Let me caveat it with you said immediately, I don't know that I think it is necessarily immediately, that means next week so I don't know what McCain meant by immediately, maybe that was your phrase not his."

McCain was quoted in Politico as saying McChrystal should "immediately" testify in front of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Hoyer went on to describe top Iraq Commander Gen. Petraeus' testimony about the surge strategy in Iraq last year as being a valuable piece of information for members of Congress and alluded that the same from McChrystal would be useful.

"I think it would be useful at some point in time for Gen. McChrystal to share with the Congress both the Senate and the House his views and his proposals and his sense of the success that changing strategies would have," he said. 

From NBC's Kelly O'Donnell and Ken Strickland
Sen. Robert Byrd was taken to the hospital this morning after he "apparently stood up too fast this morning in his home and fell down," senior Byrd aides tell NBC.

"To err on the side of caution, his caregiver called an ambulance. He was taken to the hospital where he is currently being checked out. At this point in time there is no indication that he will be admitted."

Byrd, the West Virginia Democrat, is the longest-serving senator in U.S. history. In his ninth term, he was elected to the Senate in 1958. He is 91.

From NBC's Ken Strickland
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to start voting on amendments to its health-care reform bill this afternoon. 

The "mark up" session began this morning with each member being allow to make opening statements. There are 23 members on the committee. Each is allotted 5 minutes.

From Athena Jones
NEW YORK -- Calling climate change an urgent, serious problem requiring bold action, President Obama asked representatives from countries around the world to join together to combat it.

Promoting the development of clean energy is one of the Obama administration's top agenda items. The president touted U.S. efforts to reduce greenhouse gases and develop new technologies even as he declared the issue a global challenge that could not be solved by one or two countries.

"Our generation's response to this challenge will be judged by history, for if we fail to meet it -- boldly, swiftly, and together -- we risk consigning future generations to an irreversible catastrophe," the president said in brief remarks before a packed General Assembly hall at the U.N. Climate Change Summit. "No nation, however large or small, wealthy or poor, can escape the impact of climate change."

He said rising sea levels, more powerful storms and floods, more frequent droughts and crop failures threatened every country's security and stability and that time was running out to address the issue. Obama quoted John F. Kennedy, a frequent source of inspiration in his speeches, saying  "Our problems are man-made, therefore they may be solved by man." 

Repeating a favorite theme, the president said his administration had done more to promote clean energy and lower carbon pollution in the last eight months "than at any other time in our history." He said his administration had made the largest ever investment in renewable energy and had proposed the first ever national policy to increase fuel economy and reduce greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks.

Obama hailed the passage of an energy bill by the House and said he looked forward to seeing one come out of the Senate and said that at the G-20 meeting in Pittsburgh later this week, he would work with other leaders on an agreement to phase out fossil fuel subsidies that exacerbate climate change.

Copenhagen
But there is growing concern that countries will not be able to reach a comprehensive agreement on emissions goals at their meeting in Copenhagen in December. Obama said making progress on the matter would not be easy, especially in the midst of a global recession, and acknowledged that leaders could face questions at home about any agreements they reach.

"As we head towards Copenhagen, there should be no illusions that the hardest part of our journey is in front of us," he said. "But I'm here today to say that difficulty is no excuse for complacency; unease is no excuse for inaction and we must not allow the perfect to become the enemy of progress."

He called on leaders to "seize the opportunity" to make the winter meeting Copenhagen a "significant step forward" in the world'd battle agstt climate change.

The hope is that the United States and China, two of the world's biggest polluters, will take the lead on setting meaningful emissions targets in order to help spur developing countries, whose leaders argue such limits could restrict growth at home.

Obama said richer countries have a responsibility to provide the financial and technical help to developing countries -- many of them already hurt by famine,  drought and conflict over scarce resouces -- to combat the effects of climate change and take steps to slow it while spurring sustainable growth.

"These nations do not have the same resources to combat climate change as countries like the United States or China do, but they have the most immediate stake in a solution," he said. "Their future is no longer a choice between a growing economy and a cleaner planet, because their survival depends on both.

Monday's summit, which U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon presided over, began with remarks from actor Djimon Hounsou, who appeared in such films as Amistad and Gladiator, and a brief spoken word performance from a group of youth, urging world leaders to act on the issue of climate change.

Among those on hand for the speech were Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, UN Ambassador Susan Rice and Chinese President Hu Jintao -- with whom the president is set to meet later today. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad -- a much-watched figure at meetings like these -- was not spotted, nor were major world leaders like French President Nicolas Sarkozy or German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Changing course? A day after news organizations got their hands on the McChrystal report, which argues that the eight-year conflict in Afghanistan will result in failure unless more U.S. troops are sent there, we now learn that the Obama White House is considering focusing more on counterterrorism efforts than a large-scale counterinsurgency effort. The AP: "The White House is looking at expanding counterterror operations in Pakistan as an alternative to a major military escalation in Afghanistan." Whether this is a trial balloon or a real signal that a change in strategy is coming, the political stakes here are considerable. "Obama's decision is complicated by a deepening domestic political divide and no guarantee of success whichever option he chooses," the Washington Post says. "One observer, characterizing the president's dilemma at its most extreme, said: 'He can send more troops and it will be a disaster and he will destroy the Democratic Party. Or he can send no more troops and it will be a disaster and the Republicans will say he lost the war.'" 

*** Poll day! How does the public view the war in Afghanistan? Is it a success? Should more troops be sent there? Or should they be immediately withdrawn? Well, beginning at 6:30 pm ET, be sure to tune into NBC Nightly News or click on to MSNBC.com for the answers to these questions in our latest NBC/WSJ poll. The survey also will have plenty of other numbers on health care and on President Obama's overall standing with the public.

*** The president's day in the Big Apple: Obama has a busy day in New York with the events tied to the United Nations' General Assembly. At 9:15 am ET, he delivers remarks at UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's climate-change summit. Then, later in the morning, he holds bilaterals with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas, and then a trilateral with all three (there's a pool spray at the top of that trilateral). That's perhaps the day's biggest event. It was a mild accomplishment to even get that photo-op, but that's what it is for now. At 3:30 pm, Obama meets with Chinese President Hu, and he delivers remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative at 5:15 pm.

*** Staging the intervention: So we guess it takes the White House getting involved in a New York race for folks to begin paying attention to the fact that Team Obama is injecting itself in several political races across the country (and has been for MONTHS) -- either to give Democrats the best candidates or to build some important allies on Capitol Hill. (After Obama endorsed Sens. Arlen Specter and Michael Bennet, these guys aren't going to vote against health care, right?) On TODAY this morning, former President Bill Clinton said some nice things about embattled Gov. David Paterson, but it wasn't different than any other Democrat would say right now. To paraphrase Clinton, Paterson is a good man who has done a lot, and he should be able to make his own decision whether he should run in 2010 or not. If he thinks he can win, Clinton said, he should run. If he can't, then he shouldn't.

*** Paterson's poor standing: That sounds like the same advice the White House gave Paterson. Remember, that's truly what the White House did, give advice (now, it was advice that came with a heavy hand, but…) So what do the polls show? An August Quinnipiac survey found Rudy Giuliani leading Paterson by 20 points, 53%-33%. (By comparison, Andrew Cuomo was leading Rudy by nine points, 48%-39%.) And a more recent Marist poll shows that only one-fifth approve of Paterson's job. Looks like the handwriting is on the wall, right?

*** Getting that 60th vote: Speaking of politics, the Massachusetts Senate is expected "to begin debate this morning on a bill that would let Governor Deval Patrick appoint an interim successor to Edward M. Kennedy, potentially paving the way for appointment of a new US senator later this week," the Boston Globe writes. "The Republican leader in the state Senate, who has twice succeeded in postponing the debate using parliamentary maneuvers, said yesterday that he is prepared to allow debate to proceed, and the Democratic Senate president said she is ready for a debate and a vote… If the state Senate approves the bill today, the governor would probably be able to sign it tomorrow."

*** Mark it up: Also today, the Senate Finance Committee begins marking up its health-care bill today. Per the Washington Post, "Lawmakers have proposed 564 amendments to Baucus's measure, and a vote on the $774 billion plan is not expected before Friday at the earliest." The mark-up comes as Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus has said he'll be making some adjustments to his legislation, particularly making subsidies to low- and middle-income Americans more generous.

*** Murtha watch: The Washington Post has another damning story against Democratic Rep. John Murtha. Seriously, read this story; it almost reads like a parody. "The buzzer is broken at the John P. Murtha Institute for Homeland Security, and a note invites visitors, 'Please knock.' On a summer afternoon, a lone intern answers the door of the mostly empty basement offices that through the years have overseen $50 million in federal money awarded to projects designed to make the nation safer." Are you kidding us? There's a "John P. Murtha Institute for Homeland Security?" And it has a broken buzzer, a lone intern... You can't make this up.

*** 2009 watch: In New Jersey, Chris Christie (R) is calling for opponent Jon Corzine (D) "to release all documents related to a forensic review of a hedge fund that Gov. Jon Corzine invested that was conducted last year by the state Attorney General's office." And in Virginia, Bob McDonnell (R) and Creigh Deeds (D) both hosted fundraisers last night -- McDonnell at the offices of the American Gas Association, which former Massachusetts governor and "possible presidential hopeful" Mitt Romney was also scheduled to attend. and

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 42 days
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Countdown to Special Election to Replace Kennedy: 119 days
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The New York Times runs a helpful curtain-raiser on what the administration is facing regarding its decision timeline on troops and a new strategy. "Obama has had only one meeting so far on the McChrystal review, but aides plan to schedule three or four more after he returns from the Group of 20 summit meeting in Pittsburgh at the end of this week."

"Aides said it should take weeks, not months, to make a decision. 'The president's been very clear in our discussion that he's open-minded and he's not going to be swayed by political correctness one way or the other,' Gen. James L. Jones, the national security adviser, said in an interview. 'Different people are going to have different opinions, and he wants to hear them, but at the end of the day, he's going to do what he thinks is the right thing for the United States and most especially for the men and women who have to respond to his orders.'"

The AP: "President Obama may change course again as the war worsens in Afghanistan, steering away from the comprehensive counterinsurgency strategy he laid out this spring and toward a narrower focus on counterterror operations aimed at al-Qaeda. The White House is looking at expanding counterterror operations in Pakistan as an alternative to a major military escalation in Afghanistan."

"Two senior administration officials said Monday that the renewed fight against al-Qaeda could lead to more missile attacks on Pakistan terrorist havens by unmanned U.S. spy planes. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because no decisions have been made."

The Washington Post adds, "Senior military officials emphasized Monday that McChrystal's conclusion that the U.S. effort in Afghanistan 'will likely result in failure' without an urgent infusion of troops has been endorsed by the uniformed leadership. That includes Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Mike Mullen and Gen. David H. Petraeus… But before any decision is made, some of President Obama's civilian advisers have proposed looking at other, less costly options to address his primary goal of preventing al-Qaeda from reestablishing itself in Afghanistan. Those options include a redirection of U.S. efforts -- away from protecting the Afghan population and building the Afghan state and toward persuading the Taliban to stop fighting -- as well as an escalation of targeted attacks against al-Qaeda itself in Pakistan and elsewhere."

Turning to today's activities at the UN, it's amazing how low expectations are for the trilateral Obama-Netanyahu-Abbas meeting. "Even if little more than a photo opportunity, it will probably be the most-watched portion of a marathon day of international diplomacy for Obama, a 12-hour sprint through many high-profile global problems and disputes."

The AP previews the G-20 meeting that Obama heads to later this week. "In addition to pushing the U.S. agenda, Obama is certain to face tough questions from other G-20 countries over whether his administration can develop a credible plan to curb a soaring U.S. budget deficit that the White House projects will hit an eye-popping $1.548 trillion this year and total $9 trillion over the next decade."

On Letterman last night, "Obama made his case for changing the nation's health care system. He also expanded on comments he made Sunday on CNN about former president Jimmy Carter's assertion that some of the heated criticism directed at him is because of his race. 'I was actually black before the election,' Obama told Letterman. 'The American people … gave me this extraordinary honor. That tells you a lot, I think, about where the country is at.'"

More: "Obama conceded that whenever a president tries to bring about 'significant' change, such as with his health care plan, 'there is a certain segment of the population that gets riled up.' On Afghanistan, Obama indicated he would not yet make a decision on sending more U.S. troops. 'I've got to make sure that the policy in place was worthy of their sacrifice,' he said."

On the humorous side… "During the taping in New York, Letterman offered up his top 10 reasons why the president had agreed to do the show, including that Obama said yes without thinking about it, … "Like Bush did with Iraq," Letterman said. But Obama joked that he showed up because of the unusual prop that an audience member brought to the show: "The main reason I'm here? I want to see that heart-shaped potato." The woman tossed the potato to Letterman and agreed to let Obama keep it.

"In what would be a dramatic next step in its drive to insulate itself from K Street, the White House is strongly considering limiting the ability of lobbyists to serve on federal advisory panels designed to bring the voices of outside interests into the halls of the administration," Roll Call says.

Here's the White House's health care in a four-minute video.

And as has been explored in David Mendell's "Obama: From Promise to Power," the New York Daily News gets a sneak peak at another book, "Barack and Michelle," which details the Obamas' marital woes, centered around something lots of couples fight over -- raising the kids.

As the Senate Finance Committee today begins marking up its health-care bill, the Washington Post looks at the changes Chairman Max Baucus is making to the legislation. "Baucus … came under fire last week from fellow Democrats and Sen. Olympia J. Snowe …, the only Republican still at the negotiating table, for a mandate that people buy health coverage, at a price they may not be able to afford. To address that concern, Baucus said Monday that his revised bill would offer more generous subsidies to low- and middle-income people to buy coverage through a network of private insurance exchanges. He also said he may cut the maximum penalty facing middle-class families who do not buy insurance."

"Baucus said he is considering substantial changes to one of his primary sources of funding: a proposed tax on high-cost insurance policies. Some Democrats complained that the tax would strike hardest at residents of expensive urban areas and those with risky jobs, such as coal miners, firefighters and other public safety workers."

The New York Times: "The changes could add $28 billion to the 10-year cost of his bill, originally estimated at $774 billion by the Congressional Budget Office. The bill could still meet President Obama's stipulation that health care legislation not add to the federal budget deficit."

"Baucus faces the difficult task of keeping the 13 Democrats on board without moving so far to the left that he alienates Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, the only one of the panel's 10 Republicans considered a possible vote for the bill," according to the AP.

During the mark-up, the Los Angeles Times writes, Baucus and his committee will be keeping an eye on the price tag.

During a forum with Democrat Bobby Scott, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor was pressed on a GOP alternative to health care. "The telegenic GOP lawmaker said Republicans and Democrats agree on 80 percent of fixing the nation's healthcare system, but could not show the crowd a detailed plan that has been endorsed by House Republicans," The Hill writes. "Cantor earlier this year said House Republican leaders would release an alternative healthcare plan, but have not done so yet. House Republicans have introduced several different health bills, as opposed to one concrete alternative."

"Speaker Nancy Pelosi wants to make final decisions this week on the healthcare reform bill that will hit the House floor, but some centrists in the lower chamber want her to hold off until the Senate Finance Committee acts."

Hey, Blue Dogs might like it… "Sen. Max Baucus's (D-Mont.) proposed healthcare compromise is 'an idea worth serious consideration,' a key centrist Blue Dog Democrat said Monday. Rep. Mike Ross (D-Ark.) said that nonprofit health cooperatives proposed in the Senate Finance Committee's healthcare bill are a good alternative a the public (or "government-run") healthcare option, against with Ross had come out."

"Tom DeLay was elected to the House of Representatives 11 times, but if his performance on Monday's 'Dancing With the Stars' is any indication, he shouldn't expect that kind of longevity on the hit ABC dancing competition." He's third from the bottom. "The judges were left shocked by DeLay's hip-shaking moves - Tonioli proclaimed, 'You're crazier than Sarah Palin!' - but were less-than-impressed with the actual dancing. He was complimented on his 'natural grace' and for being 'light on his feet,' but DeLay was only able to muster 16 points out of 30 from the three judges."

The Hill previews Palin's speech in Hong Kong today, " 'We have asked her to address U.S. foreign policy, to discuss her views on governance, healthcare and, of course, China,' Jonathan Slone, CLSA's CEO, told Agence France Presse. The address, however, will be closed to the press. '[W]e said to her, 'Look, we want you to give the most information to our clients. Do you feel comfortable doing that with the press around?'' Slone said. 'She said, 'If I do that with the press in the room, I will have to say different things.''

After reporting how the White House is working to encourage New York Gov. David Paterson (D) not to run for election in 2010, the New York Times takes a front-page look at Team Obama's involvement in races across the country. "While some party officials applaud the White House for its efforts — there is widespread concern among Democrats that the party could suffer if Mr. Paterson runs — the actions are drawing alarm from some Democrats who believe they cross a line and run contrary to Mr. Obama's often-stated pledge to rise above partisan battles."

In addition to urging Paterson to bow out, the Washington Post lists other ways in which the Obama White House has exercised its political muscles. "Earlier this month, Obama reached out to former Virginia governor L. Douglas Wilder (D) to ask him to endorse the state's Democratic gubernatorial candidate, R. Creigh Deeds, after Wilder publicly praised the Republican nominee, Robert F. McDonnell. 'I'll just say he called and made his position known,' Wilder said in an interview Monday."

"Deputy White House Chief of Staff Jim Messina, meanwhile, has been bird-dogging the Massachusetts legislature, trying to persuade lawmakers to pass a bill allowing the Democratic governor to pick an interim successor to the late senator Edward M. Kennedy, a move that could be vital to the prospects of Obama's health-care overhaul in Congress."

MASSACHUSETTS: The Boston Globe editorial page comes out in favor of former Gov. Michael Dukakis as the temporary replacement.

NEW JERSEY: Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie is calling for Democratic opponent Jon Corzine "to release all documents related to a forensic review of a hedge fund that Gov. Jon Corzine invested that was conducted last year by the state Attorney General's office." Corzine is an investor in TPG-Axon, which Republicans say is directly related to Texas Pacific Group, a fund that "has ownership in four NJ casinos." Christie's camp says Corzine's connection to the group violates state law, which prohibits the governor and other elected officials from having financial ties to casinos. "Governor Corzine does not own casino stock. None of his investments are managed by anyone who has a casino license. He can't profit one penny from the casino business because his investments are not connected to it in any way," Corzine spokesman Sean Darcy said.

NEW YORK: Check out the blind quotes from key black leaders in today's New York Times. While inartfully done as far as the media is concerned, the White House's stance on Paterson may be having the desired effect. "'The leadership in the black community has moved to the point where they think it may be hard for David to get re-elected,' said one person with knowledge of the meeting. 'If the president of the United States says that "I think this is probably going to be tough for you and maybe not in everyone's best interest," that's when people stop and say, "How do we deal with this?"'"

VIRGINIA: Gubernatorial nominees Bob McDonnell (R) and Creigh Deeds (D) both hosted fundraisers last night -- McDonnell at the offices of the American Gas Association, which former Massachusetts governor and "possible presidential hopeful" Mitt Romney was also scheduled to attend. The DNC responded to Romney's appearance with McDonnell: "I suppose if Mitt Romney's trying to burnish his right wing credentials to make up for the credibility gap with his party's base that his serial flip-flopping has earned him, embracing a candidate so extreme that he believes that women shouldn't work outside the home, victims of rape and incest should be denied medical options, and even married adults should not have access to contraception, is a good way to go," DNC Press Secretary Hari Sevugan said. Deeds' was at the Richmond home of Harry Watkins and Arvat McClain, who run a counseling and mentoring service and "helped found the Nubian Village Academy, an African-themed private school."

From NBC's Ken Strickland
After hearing from a number of his colleagues that his health-care bill might make it difficult for some low- and middle-income families to buy insurance, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus is making adjustments to his original bill. However, the fundamental concepts of the bill will remain intact.

Last week, committee members filed several amendments addressing concerns about affordability. "We had a number of amendments filed to reduce the penalty imposed for not purchasing insurance, and to make sure that families at all income ranges can afford the lower cost insurance to be provided through the exchange," said a Democratic aide close to the discussions.

To make up for the loss of money raised in penalties and to put more money towards subsides, Baucus will tap the $28 billion of surplus in the bill, according to the aide. (The Congressional Budget Office said that Baucus bill was not only deficit neutral, but reduced the deficit by $49 billion over 10 years, creating a surplus of sorts.)

Last week, Baucus predicted that these types of changes would be coming. "I expect adjustments in the area of affordability," he said last week after a meeting with committee Democrats. "I don't see major changes," he said. "It's a readjustment. It's a redialing of things that are already in the package."

Finance Committee Democrats will meet with Baucus today at 5:30 pm ET to go over the new modifications. The committee begins voting on those amendments tomorrow.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
A liberal group is targeting moderate Republican Olympia Snowe, urging her to support the public option.

The Progressive Change Campaign Committee and Democracy for America say there's $100,000 behind the ad right now to run in Maine and Washington, D.C. There's also a fundraising solicitation on its Web site: "GOAL: We're raising $100,000 to air this TV ad in Maine and Washington, DC. Can you chip in?"

From NBC's Mark Murray, Bobby Cervantes, and Ali Weinberg
As Virginia's gubernatorial contest has tightened, according to a new Washington Post poll, the Deeds campaign (D) -- for the first time -- is airing a new TV ad explicitly targeting Bob McDonnell's (R) controversial graduate thesis. It's one of three new advertisements the campaign is running in markets across the state, including pivotal Northern Virginia.

"Virginians are asking lots of questions about Bob McDonnell's thesis," a narrator says in the ad. "How old was he when he wrote it? McDonnell was 34, married." It also refers to the school where McDonnell wrote the thesis, what is now known as Regent University, as "Pat Robertson's law school."

The ad continues, "And what did the thesis say about women? A lot ... abortion should be outlawed and birth control should be restricted -- even for married adults."

[Youtube:giHbwmHC-00]

Another Deeds TV ad focuses more on his record (on abortion and birth control), with women speaking to the camera. One asks, "Why did you vote that way?"

[Youtube:hJInSuBesmo]

In a conference call with reporters, Deeds senior adviser Mo Elleithee noted that more than half of Virginia voters -- 54% -- have heard little or nothing about McDonnell's thesis. "I think that puts us in a very strong position," he said. "There's still a lot of education to do. Among those who are educated on the issue, there's significant movement."

Elleithee added, "More and more people are finding Bob McDonnell too conservative," and that McDonnell has "done everything in his power to hide… his conservative agenda. His efforts to appear moderate are falling flat."

From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
*** Obama's very busy week: In the Obama Era, every week has seemed to be busy, but this week is particularly so -- and it has little to do with health care, at least at the presidential level. Today, President Obama gives a speech on the economy in Troy, NY and then does Letterman. On Tuesday, in New York, he speaks at UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's climate-change summit, holds a bilateral with Chinese President Hu, meets with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas, and delivers remarks at the Clinton Global Initiative. (Also on Tuesday come the results from our newest NBC/WSJ poll.) On Wednesday, Obama addresses the UN General Assembly. On Thursday, he heads to the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh. And then on Friday, the president holds meetings with G-20 leaders and then has a press conference. But these aren't the only political issues on his -- or our -- plate. Afghanistan, David Paterson, and Virginia's gubernatorial race are all in the news (see below). And so is health care, with the Senate Finance Committee marking up Max Baucus' bill tomorrow.

*** Obama's Sunday-palooza: So what did the president get out of his five Sunday show interviews? Was it about selling his health-care plans to the American public, again? Was it about sending messages to Senate Dems and Olympia Snowe? Or was it -- as American politics becomes increasingly shrill, uncivil, and partisan -- about portraying himself as the only grownup out there? As for the news from his Sunday-palooza, it's hard for any ONE thing to stand out when the president sits down for five interviews. That said, there were some buried nuggets. On ABC, Obama seemed to suggest that, politically, Democrats will need some sort of "Medicare protection" amendment to support. On CBS, when asked about the letter seven former CIA chiefs sent urging him to reverse Attorney General Eric Holder's decision to re-open those CIA interrogation cases, Obama appeared to only offer Holder tepid support. And on NBC's "Meet the Press," Obama said he wants to shift the debate over Afghanistan from troops to strategy. "The question that I'm asking right now is to our military, to Gen. McChrystal, to Gen.  Petraeus, to all our national security apparatus, is … how does this advance America's national security interests? … [I]f it doesn't, then I'm not interested in just being in Afghanistan for the sake of being in Afghanistan or saving face or … sending a message that America is here for the duration."

*** We've got a leak! Yet as if on cue, within hours of Obama expressing some skepticism about increasing troops in Afghanistan, the McChrystal recommendations get leaked. Gotta love it: Who says it's ONLY Congress and the two political parties leak news in this town; the Pentagon knows how to play the game, too. Here's the Washington Post, with a Bob Woodward byline (!): "The top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan warns in an urgent, confidential assessment of the war that he needs more forces within the next year and bluntly states that without them, the eight-year conflict 'will likely result in failure'… Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal says emphatically: 'Failure to gain the initiative and reverse insurgent momentum in the near-term (next 12 months) -- while Afghan security capacity matures -- risks an outcome where defeating the insurgency is no longer possible.'"

*** Obama on the economy, innovation, education: Obama's economic speech today in Troy, NY will take place at 11:50 am ET at Hudson Valley Community College. So before he plays the role of world leader at the UN and G-20, he's reminding folks that he's focusing on jobs and the economy. It's worth noting that the speech occurs in the NY-20 congressional district that Democrats won earlier this year and where the debate over the stimulus was an important issue. Per an administration official, Obama's remarks "will outline the administration's strategy for innovation: investing in education, infrastructure and research; spurring productive entrepreneurship and sustaining competitive markets and achieving breakthroughs for national priorities including health care and energy." Joining (and introducing) Obama will be Dr. Jill Biden, who's work is in education.

*** Obama's not-so subtle message to Paterson: Also joining Obama in Upstate New York will be Gov. David Paterson (D), which could be AWKWARD after the New York Times reported that the Obama White House was encouraging Paterson not to run next year. It shouldn't be surprising that the White House is getting involved in electoral politics. Remember, presidents' also are leaders of their party, and all of them, when they can, sometimes step in (just ask Senate candidate Tim Pawlenty about the call he received from Dick Cheney in 2001-2) The reason Obama is intervening here: Paterson's poll numbers are dismal; the New York political landscape is a mess; the most recent state legislative session was a disaster for the party; Rudy Giuliani could very well run for governor; and 2011 is the redistricting fight, which will decide how the makeup of House districts will be for the following 10 years. There is a hope among some Dems that if Paterson decides not to run, and if the party rallies around Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, then Giuliani will get cold feet and not run. It is ironic listening to Obama deride "politics" when he is a very savvy political player. Of course, you have to be to become president.

*** Steele's "stunning" statement: Did anyone else catch RNC Chair Michael Steele's comments about the Paterson news? After accusing Jimmy Carter last week of playing the race card, Steele said this yesterday: "I found that to be stunning, that the White House would send word to one of only two black governors in the country not to run for re-election. And it just raised a curious point for me. I think … Gov. Paterson's numbers are about the same as Gov. Corzine's numbers, yet the president was with Gov. Corzine. One really BIG difference between Corzine and Paterson: Corzine was actually elected… By the way, the only person to benefit for this story going public THIS week (just before the Obama was to appear with the New York governor) was Paterson. And given the Caroline Kennedy history, there are a bunch of folks around Paterson who have no problem with leaking. The question is whether this ends up helping Paterson, or whether it actually accelerates the process since many New York Dems are hoping Paterson, sees the writing on the wall.

*** Good news, bad news for Deeds: There was good news and bad news for Creigh Deeds (D) in Sunday's Washington Post poll on Virginia's gubernatorial race. The good news: Capitalizing on the fallout over Bob McDonnell's (R) thesis, Deeds has narrowed the Republican's lead among likely voters from 54%-39% in August to 51%-47% now. The bad news: Even after McDonnell's thesis has dominated the news and airwaves, he's still above 50%, which is a solid place to be a month and a half out from this election. Question: How much of this Deeds movement would we have seen if there HADN'T been the thesis story? Is this just a natural tightening of the race? Moreover, McDonnell has the enthusiasm edge right now -- 36% of McDonnell supporters say they are very enthusiastic about voting for their guy, compared with just 22% of Deeds supporters who say the same thing. That 14-point gap isn't chump change.

*** All about enthusiasm and the NoVA 'burbs: So in order to win, Deeds has to improve on those enthusiasm numbers. And here's another number to watch: Deeds now leads McDonnell in populous (and Dem-leaning) Northern Virginia by a 57%-40% clip, after being essentially tied there last month. For Deeds to beat McDonnell in November, he'll need to win NoVA by at least 60%-40%. Also in the poll, Deeds leads McDonnell on women's issues overall, abortion, health care, and education. But McDonnell leads on more bread-and-butter issues, like transportation, state budget, the economy, and jobs and taxes. McDonnell also leads Deeds on the issue of guns. By the way, Obama's approval rating in Virginia, according to the poll, climbed from 47% in August to 53% now, which is essentially what his national average is. More proof that as Virginia goes, so goes the nation?

*** Mark-up time: As for health care, we might know by Thursday where the Senate Finance Committee eventually comes out, after considering some 500 amendments. By the time Obama returns to DC on Friday, he believes he'll have a Finance Committee bill that will have, at a minimum, the support of Olympia Snowe.

*** I don't know how to put this, but I'm kind of a big deal: Finally, given all the attention to health care and this week's international focus, the government's apparent success in disrupting a potential major terrorist attack is no small deal...

Countdown to Election Day 2009: 43 days
Countdown to Primary to Replace Ted Kennedy: 78 days
Countdown to Special Election to Replace Kennedy: 120 days
Countdown to Election Day 2010: 407 days

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The Boston Globe: "President Obama sought to blanket the airwaves yesterday with an impassioned defense of his health care effort during back-to-back broadcasts of taped interviews on five morning-news programs. In interviews conducted Friday in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Obama acknowledged being humbled by the challenge of 'breaking through' in the complicated and emotional battle over health care legislation."

President Obama, Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority's Abbas are going to sit down for a trilateral in New York on Tuesday. It will be the first time Netanyahu and Abbas have met since Netanyahu took over as prime minister.

The AP previews Obama's UN/G-20 week: "The unrelenting global troubles confronting Barack Obama are about to converge on him all at once, providing a stern test of leadership for a first-year president who has pledged to 'change the world.' In a span of four days, Obama will plunge into the politics of the United Nations and host a summit in Pittsburgh on the world's wobbling economy. The international stage is coming to him, and no one standing on it with him will have higher stakes."

Here's the New York Times' preview: "European allies still refuse to send significantly more troops to Afghanistan. The Saudis basically ignored Mr. Obama's request for concessions to Israel, while Israel rebuffed his demand to stop settlement expansion. North Korea defied him by testing a nuclear weapon. Japan elected a party less friendly to the United States. Cuba has done little to liberalize in response to modest relaxation of sanctions. India and China are resisting a climate change deal. And Russia rejected new sanctions against Iran's nuclear program even as Mr. Obama heads into talks with Tehran."

By the way, the White House pushes back hard on this piece and believes if you look at the foreign policy landscape and specifically note the tri-lateral meeting with Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority's Abbas for later this week, if you note the UN resolution against North Korea, then it's been a productive nine months at least on those two issues.

One of the more interesting excerpts from the Gates op-ed in the New York Times defending the missile defense decision: "One criticism of this plan is that we are relying too much on new intelligence holding that Iran is focusing more on short- and medium-range weapons and not progressing on intercontinental missiles. Having spent most of my career at the C.I.A., I am all too familiar with the pitfalls of over-reliance on intelligence assessments that can become outdated. As Gen. James Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said a few days ago, we would be surprised if the assessments did not change because "the enemy gets a vote."

"The new approach to European missile defense actually provides us with greater flexibility to adapt as new threats develop and old ones recede. For example, the new proposal provides some antimissile capacity very soon — a hedge against Iran's managing to field missiles much earlier than had been previously predicted. The old plan offered nothing for almost a decade."

"Keep going. You don't have to fix all of it now. Just please don't let it stall. That's the essence of the message that Senate Democratic leaders have for their Finance Committee senators, who plan to start voting Tuesday on a remake of the nation's health care system." And the focus again is on the Finance Committee: "Democrats on the pivotal committee are disappointed with the bill from the chairman, Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont. Republicans see a chance to deliver a stunning blow to President Barack Obama's top domestic priority." 
 
"Critics say a proposal by Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus to raise money for the health care overhaul by taxing insurers on their most expensive plans could hit middle-class pocketbooks - particularly in New England, where health costs are high," the Boston Globe writes. "Baucus has proposed paying for more than a quarter of his $750 billion health care proposal with a 35 percent excise tax on 'gold-plated' insurance plans. It would be levied on insurance companies, which could pass on the expense to their customers. The tax was meant to be a compromise, but it has already caused an uproar on both sides of the political aisle, with liberals and conservatives alike complaining it would hurt low- and moderate-income workers and older workers - particularly in high-cost areas."

"As Senate Democrats look to close ranks heading into this week's markup of the Finance Committee health care bill, a perhaps larger political minefield looms — the merger of that measure with a competing Senate plan," Roll Call says.

Key player: "All Democratic eyes will be on Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) at the Finance Committee health care reform markup on Tuesday, when stakeholders expect the normally low-key lawmaker to play a pivotal role in revising Chairman Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) $856 billion reform blueprint," Roll Call writes. "Bingaman was a member of the bipartisan gang of six tasked with negotiating Baucus' health care mark ahead of its debut last week, and health care lobbyists say he could influence dramatically how his 12 Democratic Finance panel colleagues vote on any changes to the chairman's mark."

"The debate over revamping the nation's financial regulatory system will pick up steam next week when Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner heads to Capitol Hill on Wednesday to testify before House lawmakers," The Hill writes. "House Financial Services Committee Chairman Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.) has laid out a series of 11 hearings on new financial regulations this fall, and he aims to hold the first mark up hearing by mid-October."

Huckabee won the Value Voters straw poll. He got about 28%. Romney, Palin, and Mike Pence followed, all getting some 12%. The results:

1. Mike Huckabee 170 28.48%
2. Mitt Romney 74 12.40%
3. Tim Pawlenty 73 12.23%
4. Sarah Palin 72 12.06%
5. Mike Pence 71 11.89%
6. Newt Gingrich 40 6.70%
7. Bobby Jindal 28 4.69%
8. Rick Santorum 15 2.51%
9. Ron Paul 13 2.18%
10. Undecided 31 5.19%
11. Other 10 1.68%

This excerpt from the Washington Times explains why Pawlenty may be going out of his way to show off his conservative credentials. "Another big surprise, veteran summit participants said, was Mr. Pawlenty's Friday evening speech, which went over exceptionally well with an audience that knew little about him until he spoke. Mr. Pawlenty, who many religious conservatives said they assumed was a social moderate, given that he is from Minnesota, quoted from the Bible and had much of the audience virtually transfixed and quoting the same passages with him."

"Republicans acknowledge they have a challenge of trying to tap into the energy of their angry base without turning off moderate and independent voters," Roll Call writes.

NEW JERSEY: The Star-Ledger reports that "Gov. Jon Corzine has a stake in TPG-Axon, a private hedge fund related to the corporate owner of four New Jersey casinos," which Republicans claim presents the appearance of a conflict of interest, violating state regulations that prohibit some state officials from business ties with casino operators. Corzine's camp says the hedge fund's holdings are kept separate from those of its founding company, [Texas Pacific Group], which bought Harrah's Entertainment in late 2006." 

PolitickerNJ.com adds, "A spokesman for Gov. Jon Corzine's re-election campaign says that the state Division of Gaming Enforcement conducted a forensive review of Texas Pacific Group (TPG) and its affiliates and "found no financial connection between TPG and TPG-Axon." 

NEW YORK: "Gov. David A. Paterson insisted on Sunday that he would continue his campaign for governor, despite urgings from the White House that he step aside for the good of the Democratic Party," the New York Times reports. "At a parade in Harlem, the governor refused to discuss his conversations with President Obama's political team, which has made clear to Mr. Paterson in recent days that it has lost confidence in him and does not believe he can be elected next fall. Asked how he would run as a Democrat without White House support, Mr. Paterson said, 'I am running for governor right now. I have no idea — I am a candidate for governor.'"

The New York Daily News' cover: "Bam: Drop out, Dave!" The paper calls him "a dead man walking." And it adds, "The governor may insist he intends to buck the White House and run in 2010, but President Obama has fixed it so Paterson is the lamest of lame ducks and virtually unable to accomplish anything that might resurrect his poll numbers."
 
The New York Post's cover: "Hail Cuomo." Fred Dicker calls him "the de facto governor-elect of New York." And: "The notion that the nation's first black president would be responsible for destroying the candidacy of New York's first black governor left some of the state's normally voluble Democratic officials speechless -- but not surprised." (And this is taking it too far, but the point is, there's a viable alternative to Paterson: "[M]ost importantly, Obama realizes that the only thing that could stand between his own re-election in 2012 and a direct challenge from former mayor and potential Republican gubernatorial and presidential contender Rudy Giuliani -- the man who defeated New York City's first black mayor -- is Attorney General Cuomo, the state's most popular politician and one who unfailingly beats Giuliani in the polls.")  and

"A full 47% of registered voters say they're tired of Bloomberg, and 46% say they're looking forward to having him around for four more years. The [Marist] poll found Bloomberg leading Thompson 50% to 39%, with 10% of voters undecided. Ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, though, remains the most popular recent mayor among New York voters, getting picked by 36% of those asked. Bloomberg came in second, with 30%."

VIRGINIA: A new Washington Post poll shows McDonnell (R) leading Deeds (D) among likely voters, 51%-47%, as the race tightens and voters become more engaged.

Over the weekend, the Washington Post reported on a focus group of women it convened to discuss the race. The fact that the Post commissioned focus groups to test how the McDonnell thesis is playing is going to only add to the suspicion many VA Republicans already have for the Post, particularly when it comes to VA politics.

Deeds and McDonnell will participate in an online forum, "Battleground Virginia," fielding voters' text and video questions and participating in televised interviews. Voters can submit questions from now until Oct. 1, the day of the hour-long forum. According to Politico, which is co-sponsoring the event, the forum is "part of a series that began during the 2008 presidential race [and] will air on October 6 on ABC 7/WJLA-TV."

From NBC's Chuck Todd
As today's New York Times indicates, the president isn't being shy about getting involved in key political races, even if it means taking sides in a Democratic primary or, in the case of embattled/unpopular New York Governor David Paterson, suggest to him that he not run. Obama's not just the Commander-in-Chief, leader of the free world etc.., he's also the head of the Democratic Party. Because these next set of elected governors (in 2009 and 2010) will be in office when the next round of redistricting/reapportionment takes place, it raises the stakes even higher than usual. All of this may explain why the White House -- whose chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, himself has spent years getting Dems elected to the House -- is taking such an interest in governor's races.

In the case of New York, the state may lose another House seat once the census is completed, making the redistricting process very important if they want to protect some newly elected Democrats sitting in swing/GOP leaning districts. So that's why governors matter so much more this cycle than the last two combined.  How important are governor races to the White House?

NBC News has learned the president will be headlining a fundraising dinner for the DGA (Democratic Governors Association) in Washington, DC, on Oct. 1. The event is expected to raise at least $500,000 as the org will be limited in how much they can raise per person as the White House puts extra rules in place when the president is involved. For this event, contribution limits are $5,000. But normally, the group can accept donations at a much higher level.

Governors expected to be in attendance for this Obama fundraiser: DGA Chair/MT Gov. Brian Schweitzer, MD Gov. Martin O'Malley, DE Gov. Jack Markell, MO Gov. Jay Nixon, KS Gov. Mark Parkinson and KY Gov. Steve Beshear.

Despite the economic climate, the DGA is on pace to raise more money than ever before. In the first six months of this year, the group raised $11.6 million, breaking a prior record of $11.2 million.

THE WEEK AHEAD: The Week Ahead: Obama does The Full Ginsburg (well, almost), a new NBC/WSJ poll, the G-20 in Pittsburgh, Mideast peace talks, Palin's first speech, and where health care goes from here?

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.

By NBC's Chuck Todd and Ali Weinberg
A Justice Department spokesman sends First Read this response to the letter the ex-CIA leaders have written Obama:

 

The Attorney General works closely with the men and the women of intelligence  community to keep the American people safe and he does not believe their  commitment to conduct that important work will waver in any way.
 
 Given the recommendation from the Office of Professional Responsibility as well  as other available information, he believed the appropriate course of action was  to ask John Durham to conduct a preliminary review. That review will be  narrowly-focused and will be conducted by a career prosecutor who has shown an  ability to handle cases involving classified information. Durham has not been  appointed as a special prosecutor; he will be supervised by senior managers at  the Department.
 
 The Attorney General's decision to order a preliminary review into this matter  was made in line with his duty to examine the facts and to follow the law. As he  has made clear, the Department of Justice will not prosecute anyone who acted in  good faith and within the scope of the legal guidance given by the Office of  Legal Counsel regarding the interrogation of detainees

From NBC's Athena Jones
Up until now, First Lady Michelle Obama has focused largely on supporting military families, promoting community service, education and the arts, and touting healthy eating and healthy habits.

But today she waded into the hotly contested political issue that is her husband's top legislative priority this year: health care.

Like she did on the campaign trail during the 2007-2008 presidential contest, Mrs. Obama delivered a pointed, emotional argument for why the nation's health-care system must be overhauled.

"If we want to achieve true equality for women, if that is our goal; if we want to ensure that women have opportunities that they deserve, if that is our goal; if we want women to be able to care for their families and pursue things that they could never imagine, then we have to reform the system," she told an audience gathered in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building.

"We have to reform the system," Mrs. Obama added. "The status quo is unacceptable. It is holding women and families back, and we know it."

The first lady joined Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to urge advocacy groups to "mobilize like you've never mobilized before" to educate friends and family about the president's health-care plans and to push for a comprehensive revamp of the system this year.

Both women argued that health care is a women's issue and pointed out disparities in premiums for women -- a problem exacerbated by the fact that women make some 78 cents for every dollar men make.

"A recent study showed that 25-year-old women are charged up to 45% more for insurance than 25-year-old men for the exact same coverage," the first lady said. "And as the age goes up, you get to 40, that disparity increases to 48% -- 48% difference for women for the exact same coverage in this country."

Sebelius joked that former President Ronald Reagan used to say, "The status quo is just Latin for the mess we're in," to illustrate the need for change. She spoke of the injustice of some insurance companies that deny coverage to women who have had a Cesarean section or who are victims of domestic violence.

"These are the kind of facts that still wake me up at night," Obama said later of these examples of coverage being denied.

The first lady said her husband's health-care proposal would prevent companies from discriminating against those with pre-existing conditions or placing caps on coverage and would require coverage for preventive care like mammograms or pap smears at no extra cost.

Obama spoke passionately and emotionally about her daughter Sasha's frightening bout with meningitis at four months old. She said her family was fortunate enough to have good insurance to cover her daughter's visit to the emergency room and her two days in the hospital.

"It is that moment in our lives that flashes through my head every time we engage in this health-insurance conversation. It's that moment in my life," she said. "Because I think about what on earth would we have done if we had not had insurance. What would have happened to that beautiful little girl if we hadn't been able to get to a pediatrician who was able to get us to an emergency room? The consequences I can't even imagine. She could have lost her hearing. She could have lost her life if we had had to wait because of insurance."

The audience -- made up of women young and old -- listened as three ordinary women shared stories of their struggles in the face of costly or inaccessible health-care insurance.

From NBC's Ali Weinberg and Bobby Cervantes
At the conservative Family Research Council's Value Voters Summit taking place here in DC, featured speakers today criticized the Democratic health-care-reform proposals moving through Congress, saying that they would lead to the government funding of abortion.
 
Another raised the specter that the reform could result in the so-called "death panels," which independent fact-checkers say isn't true.
 
Receiving a standing ovation, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence (R) said, "Fighting for freedom means fight for the born and unborn. We must stand for sanctity of human life without apology," adding: "The time has come to deny federal funding to Planned Parenthood of Amercia."
 
Former Arkansas Gov. and presidential candidate Mike Huckabee warned against what he called the "slippery slope" of government intervention. "We have been on a slippery slope since 1973, since we decided it was perfectly okay to terminate the life of a healthy unborn child." 
 
Likening the bills' abortion provisions to those on end-of-life counseling, Huckabee said, "If the government can tell us who can be born, that same government can tell us when to die."
 
Abortion has become a contentious issue in the debate over health care. Fact-checkers agree that the health legislation moving through Congress WOULDN'T use taxpayer dollars to pay for abortion. But Factcheck.org says "that House and Senate legislation would allow a new 'public' insurance plan to cover abortions, despite language added to the House bill that technically forbids using public funds to pay for them." However, most private insurance plans DO cover abortion.
 
Besides Pence and Huckabee, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor also addressed the annual summit this morning.
 
In addition to speeches, book signings, and breakaway discussion groups, the confab is featuring a presidential straw poll. Nine potential GOP candidates are on that ballot, including Huckabee, Pence, Tim Pawlenty, Sarah Palin, and Bobby Jindal.
 
In his speech, Huckabee also criticized President Obama's announcement that he was modifying plans to build a missile defense system in Poland and the Czech Republic, a project President George W. Bush spearheaded to defend against future Iranian nuclear threats that raised the ire of Russia.
 
"Our new policy is to walk softly and carry an olive branch, and maybe a bag of stay-puft marshmallows so we can sit around the campfire and sing kumbaya," Huckabee said.
 
Over the past few days, rumors had circulated that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin would be speaking at the event. Though her office had confirmed she would not be attending, many guests at the event still anticipated her appearance this afternoon.

From NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, and Ali Weinberg
Seven ex-CIA directors -- serving under both Republican and Democratic White Houses -- have signed a letter to President Obama, calling on him "reverse Attorney General Holder's Aug. 24 decision to re-open the criminal investigation of CIA interrogations that took place following the attacks of September 11."

Of course, asking the nation's top law-enforcement official to put the toothpaste back into the tube -- now that he has appointed a prosecutor to look into these interrogations -- seems easier said that done.

Below is the entire letter...

September 18, 2009

The President
The White House
Washington, D.C.

Dear Mr. President:

We have served as Directors of Central Intelligence or Directors of the CIA for Presidents reaching back over 35 years. We respectfully urge you to exercise your authority to reverse Attorney General Holder's August 24 decision to re-open the criminal investigation of CIA interrogations that took place following the attacks of September 11.

Our reasons for making this recommendation are as follows.

The post-September 11 interrogations for which the Attorney General is opening an inquiry were investigated four years ago by career prosecutors. The CIA, at its own initiative, forwarded fewer than 20 instances where Agency officers appeared to have acted beyond their existing legal authorities. Career prosecutors under the supervision of the US Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia determined that one prosecution (of a CIA contractor) was warranted. A conviction was later obtained. They determined that prosecutions were not warranted in the other cases. In a number of these cases the CIA subsequently took administrative disciplinary steps against the individuals involved. Attorney General Holder's decision to re-open the criminal investigation creates an atmosphere of continuous jeopardy for those whose cases the Department of Justice had previously declined to prosecute. Moreover, there is no reason to expect that the re-opened criminal investigation will remain narrowly focused.

If criminal investigations closed by career prosecutors during one administration can so easily be reopened at the direction of political appointees in the next, declinations of prosecution will be rendered meaningless. Those men and women who undertake difficult intelligence assignments in the aftermath of an attack such as September 11 must believe there is permanence in the legal rules that govern their actions. They must be free, as the Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Senator Lieberman, has put it: "to do their dangerous and critical jobs without worrying that years from now a future Attorney General will authorize a criminal investigation of them for behavior that a previous Attorney General concluded was authorized and legal." Similar deference needs to be shown to fact-based decisions made by career prosecutors years ago.

Not only will some members of the intelligence community be subjected to costly financial and other burdens from what amounts to endless criminal investigations, but this approach will seriously damage the willingness of many other intelligence officers to take risks to protect the country. In our judgment such risk-taking is vital to success in the long and difficult fight against the terrorists who continue to threaten us.

Success in intelligence often depends on surprise and deception and on creating uncertainty in the mind of an enemy. As President you have the authority to make decisions restricting substantive interrogation or any other intelligence collection method, based on legal analyses and policy recommendations. But, the administration must be mindful that public disclosure about past intelligence operations can only help Al Qaeda elude US intelligence and plan future operations. Disclosures about CIA collection operations have and will continue to make it harder for intelligence officers to maintain the momentum of operations that have saved lives and helped protect America from further attacks.

Finally, another certain result of these reopened investigations is the serious damage done to our intelligence community's ability to obtain the cooperation of foreign intelligence agencies. Foreign services are already greatly concerned about the United States' inability to maintain any secrets. They rightly fear that, through these additional investigations and the court proceedings that could follow, terrorists may learn how other countries came to our assistance in a time of peril. The United States promised these foreign countries that their cooperation would never be disclosed. As a result of the zeal on the part of some to uncover every action taken in the post-9/11 period, many countries may decide that they can no longer safely share intelligence or cooperate with us on future counter-terrorist operations. They simply cannot rely on our promises of secrecy.

We support your stated commitment, Mr. President, to look to the future regarding these important issues. In our judgment the only way that is possible is if the criminal investigation of these interrogations that Attorney General Holder has re-opened is now re-closed.

Sincerely,

Michael Hayden
Porter Goss
George Tenet
John Deutch
R. James Woolsey
William Webster
James R. Schlesinger

From NBC's Mark Murray
The Democratic National Committee is up with a new one-minute TV ad featuring President Obama firing up his audience -- "Fired up, ready to go" -- at yesterday's health-care rally in Maryland.

[Youtube:HdU2dxJgNsM]

According to Salon's Mike Madden, who first reported on this TV advertisement, the ad will air on national cable and in the DC area, as well as on 40 liberal blogs.

The ad coincides with the DNC's new "Call'em Out" campaign, which is says is intended "to set the record straight on GOP lies, scare tactics and mistruths on health insurance reform and other issues." The campaign's first target: Minnesota GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty.