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  • U.S. brigades out of Iraq, but not necessarily out of combat

    From NBC's Jim Miklaszewski
    As of this morning, there are about 56,000 American forces in Iraq. That number will be drawn down to about 50,000 by Aug. 31. As of last night, all American combat brigades are out of Iraq. About 6,000 combat forces, disparate elements of combat brigades remain in Iraq temporarily, but are not currently organized to conduct combat operations.

    When combat operations officially end Aug 31, that does not mean that some of the 50,000 American forces that remain in Iraq will never see combat. Senior military official tell NBC News that the so-called advise and assist brigades that do not have a formal combat mission will, however, be combat capable. Some of those forces that will be embedded with Iraqi forces could indeed be drawn into combat.

    About 4,500 American Special Operations forces will also continue to conduct counter-terrorism operations, hunting down and capturing or killing al Qadea members. While these operations are not considered formal combat mission, they often do result in combat tactics. Then there's the deadline to withdraw all American forces from Iraq by the end of 2011. The chief of the Iraqi military warned last week that Iraqi forces won't be fully capable of providing security for all of Iraq until 2020.

    While senior military officials scoff at that timeline, some do acknowledge that, at this point, it appears the withdrawal agreement with the Iraqis may have to be renegotiated next year to permit some smaller numbers of American forces to remain in Iraq -- not in a formal role -- but to continue to work with Iraq forces.

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  • First thoughts: Cruel summer

    It’s been another cruel summer for Team Obama… Still, there has been some good news and one important silver lining for the White House… Mission accomplished in Iraq?… You can only shake your head: 1 in 5 Americans think Obama is a Muslim… New Dem poll shows Sestak trailing Toomey by two points… Profiling MS-1… And McCollum and Meek head into next week’s FL primary as the front-runners, per a Q-poll.

    From NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
    *** Cruel summer: As we’ve observed before, the summer has become Barack Obama’s season of discontent. In the summer of ’07, he was badly trailing Hillary Clinton and on the defensive in the debates. In ’08, even after his highly publicized European trip, he allowed McCain to define him as an inexperienced celebrity, helping McCain get to even in the polls. And in ’09, the August town halls jeopardized his plans for health care. Well, the pattern remains the same. Indeed, 2010 has been an especially cruel summer for the president and the White House -- whether it was the BP spill, more bad news out of Afghanistan, the Shirley Sherrod story, Robert Gibbs’ “professional left”/House-is-in-play distractions, and the mosque controversy (which has been in the news for an entire week now). Today, Obama puts his summer work behind him, as he and his family begin their 10-day vacation in Martha’s Vineyard. (By the way, some Democrats are wondering why he's leaving town with the Acela Corridor still chewing over the mosque shiny-metal-object story.)

    *** But some important wins and one big silver lining: Fortunately for Obama, summers aren’t typically decisive months in American politics. In the late fall of ’07, he was able to gain the momentum he needed to win the Iowa caucuses; in the fall of ’08, he decisively won the presidential contest; and in the fall and winter of ’09 -- as well as the winter and early spring of ’10 -- he got health care passed through Congress. (The fall/winter upswings for Obama, however, have gotten smaller for him each year.) It’s also worth pointing out that this summer hasn’t been a complete disaster for the White House. In fact, it has racked up some important wins that have been overshadowed by the other news. Financial reform. Elena Kagan’s confirmation. The apparent stoppage of the Gulf oil spill. The accidental series of events that got David Petraeus to Afghanistan. And the departure of U.S. combat troops from Iraq. Another potential silver lining to this summer for Democrats? Expectations are now sky-high for Republicans in November.

    *** Mission accomplished? Speaking of U.S. combat troops exiting Iraq… We’ll never have a V-I Day, but this month -- and yesterday’s news of the final combat brigade leaving Iraq last night -- is about as close as we’re going to get. The coverage of the last combat brigade crossing the border into Kuwait was significant but also symbolic, because there will still be 50,000 remaining soldiers serving in an “advisory” role. That’s largely why you aren’t hearing the words “victory” or “mission accomplished,” or even "success" from the White House, which is fearful of repeating the mistake the Bush administration made in ’03. But the administration is hoping that Obama keeping his word this month on withdrawal buys them more time and credibility with Afghanistan.

    *** Losing my religion: The results from a new Pew make you want to shake your head about, well, the entire media landscape of the 21st century. Per the survey, only 34% believe -- correctly -- that President Obama is a Christian (down 17 points since 2008); 18% think he’s a Muslim (up six points since ’08); and 43% say they don’t know his religion (up 11 points). Inside the numbers: “The belief that Obama is a Muslim has increased most sharply among Republicans (up 14 points since 2009), especially conservative Republicans (up 16 points),” the poll’s press release says. “But the number of independents who say Obama is a Muslim has also increased significantly (up eight points).” These results don’t many anyone look good -- Obama’s political opponents (who have helped spread false information about the president’s religion and birthplace), the press (which obviously hasn’t done its job here, thanks to some outlets even serving as a megaphone by running false equivalency debates), and the American populace (which should be embarrassed).

    *** The irony here: The big irony of this story: President Obama is more religious than Reagan or H.W. Bush ever was; in fact, he gets Bible verses sent to his blackberry EVERY DAY. FYI, the Pew poll was conducted before the president weighed in on the mosque controversy. One does wonder if it would have helped push back against this nutty narrative had the president picked a church, as he said he would during the campaign, or if he regularly attended church.

    *** Toomey vs. Sestak: Countering other polls out there showing Pat Toomey (R) with a larger lead over Joe Sestak (D) in the Pennsylvania Senate contest, Democrats have handed First Read an internal poll (conducted by Dem pollster Fred Yang of 800 likely voters from Aug. 12-15), which shows Toomey with a more narrow two-point lead over Sestak in the head-to-head match up, 46%-44%, and a one-point lead when other third-party candidates are included, 43%-42%. Now, it’s never a good thing when a party’s own poll has its candidate trailing -- even within the margin of error -- as this poll finds. But Democrats want to show the race is in play for them. Still, the party has to be a little nervous about the prospect of losing both the Senate and gubernatorial races in this state two years before the 2012 presidential election. Also keep this in mind about Pennsylvania: It will always be one of the Democrats more winnable Senate races. Translation: The party won't be writing off Joe Sestak but propping him up, which is likely going to be a necessity is going to hurt another Democrat in another state. (See Carnahan, Robin? Or Ellsworth, Brad)?

    *** 75 House races to watch: MS-1: The Democratic nominee is freshman incumbent Travis Childers, and his GOP opponent is state Rep. Alan Nunnelee. In 2008, McCain got 62% in this district, and Bush got an identical percentage in ’04. As of June 30, Childers had more than $900,000 in the bank, compared with Nunnelee’s $233,000. Childers voted no on the stimulus, cap-and-trade, and health care. Cook and Rothenberg rate the race Toss Up.

    *** More midterm news: In Colorado, the AP says, "Republican gubernatorial candidate Dan Maes rejected an offer on Wednesday from former congressman Tom Tancredo for both men to get out of the Colorado governor’s race and let the Republican Party pick a new candidate”… In Florida, with the state’s primary next week, a Quinnipiac poll shows Bill McCollum leading Rick Scott among likely GOP primary voters, 44%-35%, and it has Kendrick Meek leading Jeff Greene among likely Dem primary voters, 35%-28%.

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  • Obama agenda: Exiting Iraq

    Here’s NBC’s Richard Engel on the exit of the final U.S. combat troops from Iraq: “Combat soldiers from the 4th Stryker brigade suit up tonight for their final mission. Their vehicles all are pointing south -- to Kuwait.

    The Washington Post: “There might never be an acknowledged end to the Iraq war -- a moment where it ceases being America's conflict. U.S. commanders acknowledge that the months-long political impasse over the disputed March 7 elections and a flurry of other unresolved disputes in Iraq have the potential to erode hard-won security gains.”

    The AP on President Obama's stop in Ohio yesterday: "Admittedly wary of losing touch, President Obama returned to the comfort of backyard politics yesterday, assuring a polite gathering of middle-class neighbors that the economy is coming around 'slowly but surely.'"

    The Washington Post on Obama’s three-day, five-city campaign swing, which concluded yesterday. “He's plunged into crowds that on official trips he'd work from rope-line distance or not at all. He's set aside teleprompter discipline to refine his stump speech on the fly and tailor it to the politics of his audience. And he's sharpened his partisan tone, telling one deep-blue audience that Republicans are ‘offering cynicism and they're offering fear.’”

    "Deputy press secretary Bill Burton says Obama hopes for a pleasantly uneventful 10 days to recharge his batteries with his wife Michelle, daughters Sasha and Malia and pet dog Bo," the AP writes.

    But a reminder: "Not that the burdens of the presidency may not interrupt him. Obama has a knack for scheduling his break when big events intrude. Last summer, Sen. Ted Kennedy passed away while the Obamas were on the Vineyard, and Obama went to Boston to speak at his funeral. During their Christmas holidays in Hawaii, the underwear bomber tried to blow up a plane bound for Detroit, leaving people asking at the time who was in charge when the terrorist nearly struck. The White House is taking steps to make sure Obama keeps plugged in, even while he's on one of the island's members-only golf courses."

    The New York Times on the new Pew poll, which shows that 18% of the country believes -- incorrectly -- that President Obama is a Muslim. "The findings suggest that, nearly two years into Mr. Obama’s presidency, the White House is struggling with the perception of 'otherness' that Candidate Obama sought so hard to overcome -- in part because of an aggressive misinformation campaign by critics and in part, some Democratic allies say, because Mr. Obama is doing a poor job of communicating who he is and what he believes."

    More: “The White House says the public -- and the press -- are not listening. Since taking office, Mr. Obama has given six speeches either from a church pulpit or addressing religion in public life -- including an Easter prayer breakfast where he “offered a very personal and candid reflection of what the Resurrection means to him,” said Joshua DuBois, who runs the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.”

    The AP on the poll: "The Pew poll found that about three in 10 of Obama's fiercest political rivals, Republicans and conservatives, say he is a Muslim. That is up significantly from last year and far higher than the share of Democrats and liberals who say so. But even among his supporters, the number saying he is a Christian has fallen since 2009, with just 43 percent of blacks and 46 percent of Democrats saying he is Christian. Among independents, 18 percent say Obama is Muslim -- up from 10 percent last year… Pew analysts attribute the findings to attacks by his opponents and Obama's limited attendance at religious services, particularly in contrast with Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, whose worship was more public."

    Finally, an important fact check of the mosque controversy: "A New York imam and his proposed mosque near ground zero are being demonized by political candidates -- mostly Republicans -- despite the fact that Islam is already very much a part of the World Trade Center neighborhood. And that Muslims pray inside the Pentagon, too, less than 80 feet from where terrorists attacked. And that the imam who's being branded an extremist has been valued by both Republican and Democratic administrations as a moderate face of the faith." More: "He has denounced the terrorist attacks and suicide bombing as anti-Islamic and has criticized Muslim nationalism. But he's made provocative statements about America, too, calling it an "accessory" to the 9/11 attacks and attributing the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children to the U.S.-led sanctions in the years before the invasion."

    And this important context: "The center's location, in a former Burlington Coat Factory store, is already used by the cleric for worship, drawing a spillover from the imam's former main place for prayers, the al-Farah mosque. That mosque, at 245 West Broadway, is about a dozen blocks north of the World Trade Center grounds. Another, the Manhattan Mosque, stands five blocks from the northeast corner of the World Trade Center site."

  • Congress: ‘A graveyard of good ideas’

    " 'A graveyard of good ideas' is how freshman Democrat Tom Udall of New Mexico sees the Senate. 'Out of whack with the way the rest of the world is,' says another freshman, Michael Bennet, D-Colo," the AP writes. "'Just defies common sense' is the impression of Claire McCaskill, a first-term Democrat from Missouri, in describing the filibuster-plagued institution. New members, especially those from the majority party eager to fulfill their election promises, typically complain about the slow pace of the Senate. But with partisanship pushing the Senate toward petrification, some newcomers are seeking fundamental changes in the way the Senate operates. Getting their more senior colleagues to go along will not be easy."

    "Sen. Ted Stevens was laid to rest Wednesday in Anchorage, with colleagues and religious leaders praising the iconic Republican’s work to build and develop his adopted home state of Alaska," Roll Call reports.

  • GOP watch: The most powerful man inside the GOP

    Politico profiles the man it calls “the most powerful Republican in American politics – at least for the next three months” – Mississippi Gov. (and RGA chair) Haley Barbour. “Barbour … has more money to spend on the 2010 elections -- $40 million -- than any other GOP leader around. And in private, numerous Republicans describe Barbour as the de facto chairman of the party. It’s not just because he controls the RGA kitty but rather it’s due to close relationships with everyone who matters in national GOP politics—operatives like Karl Rove, Ed Gillespie and other top Republicans running or raising cash for a network of outside political groups. Together, these groups are essential to Republican hopes of regaining power because Democrats are cleaning their clocks through more traditional fundraising efforts.”

    Mitt Romney has an op-ed in the Boston Globe criticizing President Obama on the economy: "Almost every action the president has taken has deepened and lengthened the downturn. The private sector has retreated, frightened by his agenda and paralyzed by the uncertainty, lack of predictability, and outright hostility he has engendered."

    He then lists his broad priorities: "A pro-job, pro-prosperity government works to create the conditions that enable businesses of all sizes to grow and thrive. These should include aligning corporate taxes with those of other developed economies, eliminating special corporate tax breaks that lobbyists have inserted over the years, and preserving the Bush tax cuts -- especially for small business. To give an immediate boost to jobs and investment, permit businesses to write off in 2010 and 2011 the capital investments made in those years rather than over time. Aggressively negotiate and sign trade agreements with other nations to promote American exports. Adopt an energy policy that will actually eliminate our dependence on OPEC and hostile states. Preserve our balanced labor-management rules and regulators. Rather than raising the tax on investment dividends, eliminate it and the tax on capital gains and interest for all households earning less than $250,000 a year.”

  • The midterms: Jeff Greene’s interesting resume

    The Washington Post’s Tumulty makes this observation on this year’s races for governor: “Gubernatorial elections will be held in 37 states this year. But only 13 incumbents are running -- and six of them are in races that are considered tossups, according to the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. That means the incoming crop of new state executives is expected to be the biggest in half a century.”

    FLORIDA: The Boston Globe profiles Massachusetts native Jeff Greene on its front page: "Greene’s résumé could cause him problems. He profited mightily during the housing crisis, during which many Americans lost their homes, by investing in credit default swaps whose value rose as subprime mortgages fell; he says he saw the economic crisis coming and made the right investment. He’s also a onetime Republican congressional candidate -- running unsuccessfully in Southern California in 1982 -- who wants Democrats to nominate him. And he has been a resident of this state for less than three years and now wants to represent it in Washington." More: Actress Lindsay Lohan spent a couple of nights on Greene’s yacht early this year ... Greene allowed Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss to stay in his guesthouse for nearly a year after a domestic dispute. ... Later in the day, reporters asked Greene about new photos posted online by a former stewardess that show women topless aboard his yacht."

    And: "Greene was born in Worcester, where his father worked as a textile machinery dealer and his mother was a Hebrew teacher. He shoveled snow -- $2 for sidewalks and $5 for driveways -- and played the trumpet in the school band. He also had a paper route delivering the Worcester Telegram and Gazette. He unsuccessfully tried to purchase the paper from the New York Times Co. last year. (The Times Co. also owns The Boston Globe.) While attending Harvard Business School in the late 1970s, Greene began purchasing homes in Somerville, amassing 18 properties. He continued in the real estate business in California and eventually landed on Forbes magazine’s list of wealthiest people, before moving to Florida in 2008."

    "President Obama wrapped up a five-state political trip here today by raising an estimated $700,000 for the Florida Democratic Party and reaffirming his support for Kendrick Meek's Senate primary bid," the Palm Beach Post writes.

    GEORGIA: A faceoff between gubernatorial rivals Nathan Deal and Roy Barnes won’t be happening after all, the AP writes. "Instead, they'll appear one after the other." Though the Deal camp denied it, the forum’s moderator "said the format was changed because the Deal campaign ‘didn't think it was time for a face-to-face confrontation.’"

    IDAHO: A GOP poll shows Walt Minnick up 23 points in ID-1.

    NEVADA: As a county school board member in the early 1990’s, Republican Senate candidate Sharron Angle criticize a high school football coach’s decision to hand out black jerseys to his players to psyche them up for a game, claiming, the Las Vegas Review Journal writes, that "the use of black was inappropriate and even Satanic."

    OHIO: "President Barack Obama whirled through Ohio's middle Wednesday, putting the focus on the economic benefits from his federal stimulus package while raking in campaign bucks for Gov. Ted Strickland," the Cleveland Plain Dealer writes of his stops there yesterday.

    The Columbus Dispatch interviews the family that hosted President Obama for an "outdoor town hall" yesterday: "Joe Weithman says it didn't really hit him until he looked through the mini blinds in his living room and saw the presidential motorcade coming up E. Kanawha Avenue. ‘It's like, 'Holy crap, he's really coming,' Weithman said. ‘He's going to walk through that door in like 30 seconds.’"

    The mosque controversy has even spilled over into the race for OH-16.

    PENNSYLVANIA: Roll Call profiles PA-15 and incumbent Republican Charlie Dent. "In what will be a resurgent year for the Grand Old Party from coast to coast, Rep. Charlie Dent is among just nine Republican incumbents who may be in trouble. That’s according to the National Republican Congressional Committee, which has ranked Pennsylvania’s 15th district as one of the few in play this fall. 'I realize that I’m one of their top targets,' Dent said late last week in a makeshift campaign office in the heart of the Christmas City. 'But if I’m one of their top targets, they’re in trouble. Seriously. They have problems.'"

    WASHINGTON: The Seattle Times on Sen. Patty Murray’s primary vote numbers: "Murray's Tuesday totals were dismal compared with 2004, when she took 54 percent of the statewide vote in the primary… some were surprised she didn't fare worse in a primary where Republicans had more reason to turn out than Democrats."

  • Shake up in Team Blago?

    From NBC's John Yang and WMAQ's Phil Rogers
    There's growing speculation in the Chicago legal community that Sam Adam Sr. and Sam Adam Jr., the unlikely father-son nemeses of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, might not be at the defense table for a retrial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

    They have steadfastly avoided answering whether they'll continue. When asked on a public television show Tuesday night, Sam Jr. talked about the need to make money, demands of other clients and the like--but never gave a direct answer.

    Both Blagojevich and his campaign fund, which has paid for his defense, are broke. Judge James B. Zagel has said Blagojevich could ask the court for public funds, but the lawyers would have to agree to accept only $110 an hour, the same rate court-appointed counsel gets. The court could also sell Blagojevich assets, such as his D.C. condominium, to pay for his defense.

    Lawyers speculate that Sams Sr. and Jr. could ask the judge to withdraw from the case at the Aug. 26 hearing, when Zagel is expected to schedule the retrial. The lawyers say there are three possibilities:

    --Zagel could refuse the request and tell the Sams that they have an ethical duty to their client to continue.
    --Co-counsel Sheldon Sorosky could take over the defense along with his team of rather young associates and the retrial could quickly begin.
    --The whole team could change, which would like necessitate a lengthy delay while the new lawyers get up to speed on the complicated case.

    There's growing speculation in the Chicago legal community that Sam Adam Sr. and Sam Adam Jr., the unlikely father-son nemeses of U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, might not be at the defense table for a retrial of Blagojevich.

    They have steadfastly avoided answering whether they'll continue. When asked on a public television show Tuesday night, Sam Jr. talked about the need to make money, demands of other clients and the like--but never gave a direct answer.

    Both Blagojevich and his campaign fund, which has paid for his defense, are broke. Judge James B. Zagel has said Blagojevich could ask the court for public funds, but the lawyers would have to agree to accept only $110 an hour, the same rate court-appointed counsel gets. The court could also sell Blagojevich assets, such as his DC condominium, to pay for his defense.

    Lawyers speculate that Sams Sr. and Jr. could ask the judge to withdraw from the case at the Aug. 26 hearing, when Zagel is expected to schedule the retrial. The lawyers say there are three possibilities:

    --Zagel could refuse the request and tell the Sams that they have an ethical duty to their client to continue.
    --Co-counsel Sheldon Sorosky could take over the defense along with his team of rather young associates and the retrial could quickly begin.
    --The whole team could change, which would like necessitate a lengthy delay while the new lawyers get up to speed on the complicated case.

    NOTE: the Clerk of Court in conjunction with the Blagojevich trial sent out the following note:

    It has come to the Court's attention that certain jurors in the Blagojevich trial are calling and complaining about numerous phone calls from the media asking for interviews and visiting their homes. The United States Marshal has advised the jurors to call 911 to report the incidents. Please keep in mind that some of these jurors simply do not wish to talk, and if they have not agreed to talk with you, we ask that you respect their privacy.

    Wow. It's a new one for a court to tell people to call 911 for unwanted media calls.

  • Maes rejects Tancredo offer to get out of Colo. governor's race

    Dan Maes rejected Tom Tancredo's suggestion that they both drop out of the race and let the party pick a new candidate, per AP. (Tancredo, a former congressman and immigration hard-liner, is running on the American Constitution Party ticket.)

    State GOP chairman Dick Wadhams: "Tom Tancredo contacted me late Monday to indicate he would withdraw from the race for governor if Dan Maes did so as well. I asked Tom for the opportunity to present this offer to Dan Maes, which I did do this morning. I felt it was my responsibility as state chairman to inform Dan of this offer since it held open the possibility of eliminating the current three-way race that gives the Democratic candidate a huge advantage."

    More from AP:

    "Tancredo's spokesman, Cliff Dodge, said Tancredo made the offer because he believes Maes has no chance of beating Democrat John Hickenlooper in November. He said the compromise included a stipulation that neither Republican be a candidate for a Republican vacancy committee. 'The answer was two letters: N-O,' Dodge said. Maes spokesman Nate Strauch said if Tancredo wants to participate in the governor's race, "he should go through the nominating process like everybody else."

    The Denver Post reported that the "Republican Governors Association's plans said Tuesday that the political committee has decided not to bankroll television and other ads supporting GOP gubernatorial hopeful Dan Maes. Maes spoke at length with RGA leaders Tuesday to discuss how the group might help him, financially or otherwise. He was told that election laws ban political committees from discussing financial and strategy matters with campaigns, Maes spokesman Nate Strauch said."

    The RGA has not yet responded on the Denver Post item to First Read, which reached out for comment this afternoon.

  • Blog buzz: Mosque or not a mosque?

    The proposed mosque to be constructed blocks from Ground Zero continued to elicit plenty of discussion from members of both sides of the blogosphere.

    Liberal bloggers today reacted to Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson's explanations that the building would not strictly be a house of worship, but a community center with a prayer room. AMERICAblog's Gaius Publius noted Robinson's recent appearance on Countdown with Keith Olbermann in which he said, Publius paraphrases, "It's not a mosque, it's a community center with a Prayer Room." Added Publius: "If Park51 is a Mosque, then the Intel office in Cairo is a Mosque, and the Motorola office, and the Audi office. They all have 'prayer rooms' so that devout Muslims can ... pray. It's what Muslims do, several times a day. They usually look like offices. They're usually labeled 'Prayer Room.' Every Western company in a Muslim country has a Prayer Room. Are all of these offices really Mosques?"

    Balloon Juice's John Cole also linked to Robinson's column and wrote, "As a commenter pithily noted the other day, calling this a mosque is like calling a casino in Las Vegas a cathedral because it has a wedding chapel."

    On conservative hub Hot Air, blogger (aptly named for the topic) Allahpundit reacted to President Obama's assertion that he has "no regrets" for his comments on the mosque: "How else could he respond? 'Why yes, in light of the catastrophic polling on this issue for my party, I should have avoided even the lame, equivocating statement I gave initially'? His disapproval rating has been creeping up in Gallup ever since he weighed in, rising from 48 percent last week to a siren-worthy 52 percent today. Of course, he regrets it. But now he’s stuck with it, so here’s his -- very -- perfunctory show of resoluteness in the face of self-generated adversity."

  • Is Palin too moderate?

    Sarah Palin's apparently not principled enough for Iraq vet Jesse Kelly, who's running for the GOP nomination in Arizona's eighth congressional district.

    Check out these videos (hat tip: Tucson Weekly via Real Clear's Scott Conroy).

    The primary in Arizona takes place Tuesday. An internecine Tea Party fight is not what the GOP needs if it is going to put its best candidate forward to defeat vulnerable incumbent Gabrielle Giffords.


  • Palin's underwhelming ticket sales

    A Sarah Palin event next Thursday (Aug. 26) in Florida is being moved to a smaller venue because of underwhelming ticket sales.

    The Jacksonville, FL, event is billed as an "Evening of Hope with Sarah Palin."

    "Originally, it was slated for a 2,936-seat theatre, but now it's been moved to a 609 seat theatre," GOP 12 writes.

    Aug. 18: NBC's Domenico Montanaro reports on EMILY's List's new campaign taking on Sarah Palin. What does it mean?

    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

    Mark Nelson, director of Heroic Media, which is organizing the event, told the Florida Times-Union, "We would rather have a packed theater than a theater that's not so packed," Nelson said.

    According to the Times-Union, the group is a non-profit "that helps women facing unexpected pregnancy."

    In First Thoughts this morning, we noted that Palin is just 2-for-8 with her endorsements in the last few weeks, including two losses last night.

  • 'Mr. Bailout' vs. 'Obama'

    In the Missouri Senate race, one of the most competitive this fall, Democrat Robin Carnahan is seeking to label Rep. Roy Blunt "Mr. Bailout," and Blunt's doing his best tying Carnahan to Obama.

    Which wins: "Mr. Bailout" or "Obama"?

    The ads are below:


  • Pelosi supports mosque, but wants info on funding

    NBC's Shawna Thomas reports that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi weighed in on the New York City mosque controversy.

    Pelosi said she supports the mosque, but wants to see where the group is getting its funding.

    New York first responders have been upset of the lack of action on the 9/11 Health and Compensation. Pelosi also calls for support of that act:

    "The freedom of religion is a Constitutional right. Where a place of worship is located is a local decision.

    "I support the statement made by the Interfaith Alliance that 'We agree with the ADL that there is a need for transparency about who is funding the effort to build this Islamic center. At the same time, we should also ask who is funding the attacks against the construction of the center.'

    "For all of those expressing concern about the 9/11 families, we call upon them to join us in support of the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act."

  • Fact Check: Who is the New York Imam?

    From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
    Former GOP Rep. Vin Weber -- on MSNBC -- said that Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is a "fine man, a voice of reason whom we should be listening to," who worked with Weber and former Clinton Secretary of State Madeleine Albright on a task force five years ago for the Council on Foreign Relations. They worked on how to promote democracy in the Arab World. Weber brought with him the task force report, which has Feisal Abdul Rauf listed as one of the members.

    Weber disagrees with his "good friends" Tim Pawlenty and Newt Gingrich on this issue.

     

    Also speaking out on the mosque today on MSNBC, Ted Olson, a former Bush Solicitor General. After an interview about his role challenging Prop 8, Olson was asked about the mosque and said that he will anger some of his friends by saying that he agrees with President Obama on this and supports the right to build the mosque.

     

    Also: At the State Department briefing today, spokesman P.J. Crowley said the Imam's upcoming trip to the region will be his fourth for the State Department. He also made two trips under this administration to Egypt in 2007 and traveled with former State Department Counselor Karen Hughes to Doha for the Bush administration.

     

  • First thoughts: Not going through the motions

    Obama tries out some new speech lines on the campaign trail… His final swing takes him to OH and FL, and the governor races there could be the difference between a terrible night for Democrats or a better-than-expected night… RGA and Barbour tell Scott to back off… Murray and Rossi advance in WA, while Mead and Petersen advance in WY… Two more Palin-backed candidates lose… And previewing MI-1.

    From NBC's Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
    *** Not going through the motions: President Obama today is on the final leg of his cross-country campaign swing, with events in the battlegrounds of Ohio and Florida. And it’s clear he’s not going through the motions. In fact, none other than chief speechwriter Jon Favreau is accompanying the president on his trip, and Obama is testing some new speech lines. Examples while stumping with Patty Murray in Washington state yesterday: “You remember our slogan during the campaign ‘Yes we can’? Their slogan is ‘No we can’t.’” Also, a new response to those criticizing the White House for running against Bush: “I bring all this stuff up not because I want to re-litigate the past. I just don’t want to re-live the past.” And then there was this line, perhaps a subtle reference to a lot of the unpopular parts of his agenda these days (as well as the mosque controversy): “I have pollsters. I know when things don’t poll well. But I wasn’t sent to Washington, you did not send me to the Oval [Office] to just do what was popular. You sent me there to do what was right.” Didn't George W. Bush use a similar line in 2004 (and even a tad in 2006)?

    *** The importance of Ohio and Florida: It's perhaps fitting that Obama today campaigns for both Gov. Ted Strickland (D) in Ohio and Alex Sink (D) and other Democrats in Florida. Why? Because both gubernatorial races could be the difference between a terrible night for Democrats or a better-than-expected night. Victories by Strickland and Sink -- in addition to John Hickenlooper (D) in Colorado -- would give the Obama White House reason to feel good about these battlegrounds come 2012, and would give Dems a big advantage in the upcoming redistricting. But losses in these two races would be a punch in the gut, especially in Florida where the contentious Bill McCollum-vs.-Rick Scott primary has given Sink a clear opening.

    *** Barbour to Scott: Back off of McCollum: In fact, the McCollum-Scott primary taking place next week has become so potentially damaging to the GOP’s prospects in this gubernatorial race that the Republican Governors Association issued a highly unusual press release. “The RGA is not involved in the Florida GOP primary now nor do we plan to be,” RGA Chairman Haley Barbour said in the release. “However, specifically related to the latest ad Rick Scott is running against Bill McCollum, we want to set the record straight. The truth is that Bill McCollum’s leadership is part of what led to the removal of [ex-state party chair] Jim Greer. This ad distorts the facts and was clearly created without any knowledge of what actually took place. It has no place in this primary. We ask Mr. Scott to pull this ad and move forward in the primary in a constructive manner.” Wow.

    *** Obama today: Before delivering remarks at the Strickland fundraiser in Columbus, OH at 1:20 pm ET, Obama meets with a local family and then holds a discussion on the economy at 10:50 am ET. (The meeting with the family could be unpredictable.) Then the president delivers remarks at a fundraiser for the Florida Dem Party at 6:10 pm ET.

    *** Murray, Rossi advance in WA: As expected, Democratic Sen. Patty Murray and Republican Dino Rossi cruised to victory in yesterday’s Washington state Senate jungle primary, in which the top-two finishers advance to the general election. Murray received 46%, while Rossi got 34%, setting up what will be one of the most competitive Senate contests in the fall. By the way, for you stat geeks out there, the total GOP vote in this jungle primary was 49.8%; the total Dem vote was 48.4%. Can't get much closer than that, but Democrats should be relieved they kept it that close. In an interview with NBC News, which will air on MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown” today, Rossi clearly is making the turn to make the case he's not a Republican in the mold of the national party that has so damaged Republicans in Washington state over the last decade. Check out his answers on tax cuts, Obama, the mosque debate, and the 14th amendment. Also, the NRCC has to feel good about the open WA-3 race (where the GOP candidates got 52.9%, while Dem candidates garnered 42.9%) and WA-2 (where the total GOP vote was a LOT more competitive than perhaps the Democrats thought would be the case).

    *** Mead, Petersen win in WY: In the other state holding its primaries yesterday -- Wyoming -- former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead narrowly defeated Palin-backed State Auditor Rita Meyer in the GOP race to succeed outgoing Gov. Dave Freudenthal (D). State party chair Leslie Petersen won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Mead will be the overwhelming favorite in this race come November.

    *** Palin Power? For those keeping score: With Didier’s and Meyer’s losses, Palin-endorsed candidates for statewide office didn’t have a good night last night. In fact, in the last few weeks, Palin’s candidates have lost more primaries (Todd Tiahrt in KS Sen, Karen Handel in GA Gov, Bob McConnell in CO House, and CeCe Heil in TN House) than they’ve won (Tom Emmer in MN Gov and John Koster in WA House, who had a very strong showing in the jungle primary). Her overall record, though, is better.

    *** Another programming note: While MSNBC’s “Daily Rundown” interviews Dino Rossi, “Andrea Mitchell Reports” has Ambassador Chris Hill and lawyer Ted Olson.

    *** 75 House races to watch: MI-1: The Democratic nominee in the race to succeed retiring Rep. Bart Stupak (D) is state Rep. Gary McDowell. The Republican nominee is surgeon Dan Benishek, who won his primary by just 15 votes. Obama won 50% in this district in ’08, while Bush won 53% here in ’04. As of July 14, both McDowell and Benishek had $131,000 in the bank. Stupak voted for the stimulus, for cap-and-trade, and (finally) health care. Cook and Rothenberg rate the contest as a Toss Up.

    Countdown to AK, AZ, FL, and VT primaries: 6 days
    Countdown to Election Day 2010: 76 days

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  • Obama agenda: All in the family

    "President Barack Obama is turning from million-dollar fundraisers on the West Coast to some kitchen-table politics in Ohio," the AP writes of his events today, adding that he plans to meet with a Columbus family that has benefited from his economic policies.

    The Seattle Times covers Obama’s trip to Washington state yesterday. “President Obama used his quick swing through Seattle on Tuesday to talk about efforts to boost small businesses -- and to raise an expected $1.3 million for U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and the Democratic Party.”

    Local affiliate KOMO on the trip: “President Barack Obama on Tuesday stumped for Sen. Patty Murray on a three-day campaign swing for endangered Democrats, accusing Republicans of thwarting efforts to help small business owners by repeatedly blocking tax breaks for them.”

    The Boston Globe previews the Obamas’ trip to Martha’s Vineyard: “[A]s Martha’s Vineyard prepares for the first family’s visit tomorrow -- their second summer stay here since President Obama took office -- the excitement that marked last summer’s arrival of the fresh-faced commander in chief seems to have ebbed like the tide. Obama, now a tested president burdened by war and economic upheaval, may well get the peace and quiet he has been seeking as he settles in for a 10-day stay.”

    The cover the New York Daily News: “Ailing 9/11 responders slammed President Obama on Tuesday for sounding off on the Ground Zero mosque while keeping silent on a $7.2 billion health care bill. ‘Why have you failed us? We thought you would be our champion’ in pushing the legislation, John Feal wrote to Obama.”

    The RNC has a new Web video depicting Democrats sliding down a yellow airplane chute away from Obama.

  • Last night's results

    WASHINGTON: The Seattle Times: “Republican Dino Rossi will advance to a November matchup with three-term Democratic U.S. Sen. Patty Murray in a race that could determine control of the Senate... Murray received about 46 percent of the statewide vote in early returns, to Rossi's 34 percent.”

    Also: Though GOP primary opponent Clint Didier “has said his main goal is to see Murray defeated, he wasn't ready to commit to a Rossi endorsement, saying he wanted to have a ‘sit-down’ first. ‘I've got to see more fire in the belly. I've got to see more conviction,’ Didier said. ‘I'm gonna try to coach Dino up a bit on how to get my followers,’ Didier said, adding that Rossi needs to ‘stand for something other than name ID, because that's what he won this thing on.’”

    Roll Call says the Murray-Rossi race “will remain among the most closely watched in the country, as control of the Senate could hinge on the outcome.”

    In what will be one of the most closely watched House races of 2010, it’s Democrat Denny “Give ’em” Heck against Jaime Herrera. Heck pulled in 31.5%; Herrera got 27% in this pure toss up race. There were two Democrats, three Republicans, and one independent on the ballot. Republicans in total pulled in 52% of the vote (but with one extra person on the ballot). For full Washington results, click here.

    WYOMING: In the state’s GOP primary for governor, former U.S. Attorney Matt Mead narrowly defeated Palin-backed state Auditor Rita Meyer, 29%-28%, or by just 700 votes. Leslie Petersen won the Dem nomination.

    Full Wyoming election results, click here.

  • Congress: Dignitaries to attend Stevens funeral.

    “Vice President Joseph Biden, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Senate Appropriations Chairman Daniel Inouye (D-Hawaii) and Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) will all pay tribute to the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) during his funeral Thursday,” Roll Call writes. “According to Stevens’ family, all four officials will speak at his funeral, which will be attended by a host of current and former Senators, Congressmen, governors and former dignitaries. Current Senators attending the funeral include Mark Begich (D-Alaska) -- who ended Stevens’ political career in 2008 -- Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Kit Bond (R-Mo.), Thad Cochran (R-Miss.), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Arlen Specter (D-Pa.). Reps. Don Young (R-Alaska) and Norm Dicks (D-Wash.) will also attend, as will former Sens. Howard Baker (R-Tenn.), Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), Al D’Amato (R-N.Y.), Pete Domenici (R-N.M.), Nancy Kassebaum (R-Kansas) and John Sununu (R-N.H.). Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell (R) will attend the funeral, as will former Govs. Sarah Palin (R), Frank Murkowski (R) and Tony Knowles (D), as will senior generals from all four branches of the military.”

    “Former Vice President Gore is calling for major rallies to protest congressional inaction on climate change,” The Hill reports.

  • Blago almost beats the whole rap

    “Blago almost beat it all!” the AP notes. And is this really vindication? “Three jurors indicated that Blago had nearly been nailed on trying to peddle the Senate seat. Jury foreman James Matsumoto told the Chicago Tribune that at one point, the panel had been unanimous in favor of convicting Blagojevich of the rap [No. 14, attempted extortion]. But one juror changed her mind after reviewing testimony Monday and wouldn't budge afterward, he said. Another juror, Erik Sarnello, said the female holdout ‘just didn't see what we all saw.’” The same juror also criticized the prosecution’s case. "It confused people," he said. "They didn't follow a timeline. They jumped around."

  • More midterms: Michelle to hit the trail

    Michelle to hit the trail: “First Lady Michelle Obama will soon take her first real plunge into partisan politics since her husband won the presidency 21 months ago, making select appearances for Democratic candidates hoping that her popularity will excite crowds and donors in a bleak election season,” The Chicago Tribune reports. Her campaign schedule won't be a heavy one, the White House said Monday. She makes public appearances about three days a week, and any campaigning she does for the midterm election will be within that time frame, a White House official said in an interview. Michelle Obama will deliver a campaign speech that is largely upbeat. She won't castigate individual Republicans, said the White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.”

    Roll Call notes that several thought-to-be vulnerable Democrats, including Walt Minnick (ID-1), Zack Space (OH-18), Jason Altmire (PA-4), Patrick Murphy (PA-8) and Gabrielle Giffords (AZ-8) “who all took over Republican-held districts in 2006” were left off the GOP’s initial ad reserve intended buy.

    COLORADO: Betsy Markey is up with her first ad in CO-4, and she criticizes bailouts. She says they “offend” her. “Bailout is just another word for cop out,” the Democrat says.

    GEORGIA: The Republican Governors Association has a new TV ad linking Obama to Roy Barnes.

    ILLINOIS: “Democratic candidate Alexi Giannoulias said Tuesday during a visit to the Illinois State Fair in Springfield that he supports the mosque site. He says while he sympathizes with those who lost loved ones, Americans must stand up for freedom of religion even when it's difficult,” the AP says. “Meanwhile, Republican candidate Mark Kirk's campaign said in a statement that he thinks placing the mosque near Ground Zero causes relatives of the victims ‘undue pain’ and the mosque should move to a "less controversial site.’”

    NEVADA: Dina Titus is up with her first ad in NV-1. It attacks banks and focuses on the problem of home foreclosures, featuring people who say she helped them save their homes. It also touts that she voted against the bank bailouts.

    “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told the White House he would be disagreeing with President Obama on a controversial mosque near New York's Ground Zero before he went public,” The Hill reports.

    PENNSYLVANIA: Roll Call profiles PA-10, where the paper says, “If recent polling is accurate, [little-known former U.S. Attorney Tom] Marino may be positioned to upset the better-funded, better-known and better-liked Democratic incumbent, Christopher Carney, in this conservative slice of the American heartland. The race, like several across Pennsylvania, has drawn a personal visit from House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) in recent days. And both former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney have contributed to Marino’s campaign so far. ‘If the Republican Party doesn’t win this district, they don’t win the majority,’ says Marino’s communications director, Jason Fitzgerald. Still, having reported just over $11,000 on hand at the end of June, and being unknown by more than 40 percent of the electorate, Marino’s campaign is by no means pulling away from Carney, a Blue Dog Democrat and Navy Reserve commander who pilots Predator drones and isn’t shy about criticizing his opponent.” For some perspective, an FEC search shows that Carney has almost $800,000 cash on hand, by comparison.

  • Blagojevich guilty on one of 24 counts - lying to FBI

    NBC's John Yang reports that the jury has reached a verdict in the Rod Blagojevich trial. It has not yet been announced, as of 5:20 pm ET. Stay tuned...

    The Washington Post with some color:

    "Blagojevich adjusted his tie and held his wife, Patti's hand as he arrived at the courthouse. Stepping off the elevator, he asked spectators to 'say a prayer for us.' His brother, Robert, arrived a few minutes later, as did U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald."

    *** UPDATE *** The jury found Blagojevich guilty unanimously on just one count.

    *** UPDATE 2 *** The count he was found guilty on was essentially lying to FBI.

    *** UPDATE 3 *** Judge Zagel says intends to declare a mistrial on all remaining counts for Rod and for all counts related to Robert.

    *** UPDATE 4 *** The prosecution says it will "absolutely" intend to retry Blagojevich on these charges. Yang reports that he expects Blagojevich to speak to reporters.

    *** UPDATE 5 *** NBC's Stephanie Himango reports Blogojevich will remain free on bond. U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald will speak to cameras in the lobby.

    *** UPDATE 6 *** The next court date is set for Aug. 26. The government has been given until Sept. 7 to announce a re-trial. Prosecutor Reid Schar says the government "will absolutely retry this case."

  • EMILY's List takes on Palin

    From NBC's Suzy Kianpour
    Political action committee specializing in electing Democratic women to office, EMILY's List (short for "Early Money Is Like Yeast" -- it makes the dough rise), announced the launch of its new campaign, "Sarah Doesn't Speak for Me" today at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.

    The Website, SarahDoesntSpeakforMe.com went live as of 10:30am today.

    Stephanie Schriock, president of EMILY's List, spoke at the press conference.

    She said she launched the campaign because EMILY's List didn't want Sarah Palin's voice to go unchallenged. As a fellow Westerner from Butte, Mont., Schriock said she personally feels strongly about fighting back against Palin, saying she is attempting to harness the "independent spirit of Westerners" to push a "backwards agenda" with her "Mama Grizzly" video after "abruptly" leaving her role as governor of Alaska. (The EMILY's list anti-Palin Web site has a video mocking Palin's "Mama Grizzly" video.)

    Schriock said Palin predicted a rising tide of these so-called "Mama Grizzlies" voting against the right to choose, health care and unemployment benefits.

    "EMILY's List understands the power of the rising tide," Schriock said, so the group wants to create its own rising tide of pro-choice Democratic women.

    She called Palin "extreme and bad for America."

    She also noted that women only make up 17% of Congress and that it's critical that more women run for office.

    On what the campaign will do, Schriock said, it will work to recruit women voters for progressive female candidates like Barbara Boxer and Patty Murray to challenge candidates Palin has endorsed like Carly Fiorina -- who she called a "failed" corporate CEO who reportedly laid off 10,000 people "herself"; Michelle Bachmann, who Schriock noted called it "extortion to make BP take responsibility for oil spill"; Sharron Angle, citing that she wants teen victims of rape to "make lemonade out of lemons."

    She said the Web site, which will be used to raise money, will also serve as a source for "truth," Schriock said, about Palin's agenda -- with a detailed grid about what candidates Palin has endorsed. It will also serve as a "get out the vote" hub and an action center for women to engage with one another.

    EDITOR'S NOTE: The post clarifies that Schriock said Palin predicted a rising tide, not that Schriock predicted a rising tide.

  • Paul has narrow lead in KY-SEN

    Kentucky Senate GOP candidate Rand Paul may have recently been the butt of bong jokes aplenty in the national press, but so far he’s maintaining a lead - albeit a narrow one - with likely voters in the November general election race against state attorney general Jack Conway.

    A new Reuters/Ipsos poll of likely voters shows Paul leading 45 percent to Conway’s 40. (Among registered voters, it’s a dead heat, 40-40 percent.)

    Paul has recently received national media attention for a (partially debunked) GQ story involving marijuana use and “kidnapping” -- and he’s also taken hits in the local press, most recently for mistakenly suggesting that church parishioners had thrown beer on him.

    But the stories don’t appear to be sticking at home. More than half of Kentucky voters said that they had not heard about the college-days prank, in which Paul allegedly tried to force a female friend to smoke marijuana and worship a mythical deity named “Aqua Buddha.” Of those that had heard about the story, less than a third believed the anonymous accuser's account to be true or mostly true.

    The Ipsos poll of 600 registered voters had a margin of error of plus-or-minus 4 percentage points.

  • Liberals: Don't blame Patty for Obama's flaws

    From msnbc.com's Tom Curry
    SEATTLE -- The message from Democratic activists lined up outside the Westin hotel in Seattle Tuesday to enter the fundraiser with President Obama and Sen. Patty Murray: Whatever disillusionment some Democrats might feel so far with President Obama, they shouldn’t take it out on Murray by failing to show up in November.

    Judith Lonnquist, an attorney from Seattle who called herself “an old feminist warhorse” and “a hard-core Hillary Clinton supporter” in 2008, called Dino Rossi, Murray’s likely GOP opponent in November, “formidable.” She said, “We need to take this seriously because we need Patty Murray in the Senate.”

    Obama “is taking a really bad rap,” Lonnquist observed. “He’s got this baggage from the Bush administration; He’s doing a pretty good job of cleaning it up. I’d give him a B-plus.”


    Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

    She gives Obama an A++ for his Supreme Court nominations, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor. So why not an overall A++?

    “I would rather not say bad things about him," she said. "I’ll leave that to the Republicans.”

    But prompted with the word, “Afghanistan,” Lonnquist said, “That’s one.”

    She added, “Not jumping on the Gulf oil spill quickly enough is another.”

    Another attorney who was waiting to enter the Obama/Murray lunch, Todd Nichols of Everett, Wash., said of three-term Democrat Murray: “It’s really hard to believe that she could lose. She’s very thorough, she does all her homework… and she’s consistently been the highest vote getter in this state for many years. It would have to be a big wave election.”

    As for disgruntled Democrats, Nichols said, “There are a lot of people who wish the president had pushed for a public option, or Medicare for All, or a national health program. They feel the same way about individual members of Congress -- but I’ve never heard any complaints at all about Patty Murray.”

    Nichols, who originally backed fellow trial lawyer John Edwards in the 2008 Democratic primaries, said he wished Obama would find his inner Truman and use the bully pulpit to challenge Republicans for blocking his agenda.

    “Harry Truman did a good job of that," Nichols said. "I wish we had more of that spirit.”

    Give 'em hell? Without skipping a beat, Nichols gave Truman’s 1948 rejoinder: “Tell the truth, and they think it’s hell.”

    Across the street from Nichols, a gaggle of anti-Murray protesters toted hand-made signs saying, “You are Fired, Patty.” They mingled with others carrying, “U.S. Out of Afghanistan” signs and about 100 immigration demonstrators calling for jobs and an end to deportations.

    Jennifer Eck, a stay-at-home mother from Sedro Woolley, Wash., said Murray and Obama “are driving this country into the ground.” Much of Obama’s agenda is unconstitutional, she said. “Health care: where does it say we have to buy a product?”

    Eck said she voted for Rossi in today’s Washington Senate primary.

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