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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
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President Bush's televised speech unveiling his new Iraq strategy appears to have changed few minds. A CBS News survey found only 30% "believe a troop increase is a good idea," and an Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed that "just as 70 percent of Americans oppose sending more troops to Iraq, a like number don't think such an increase would help stabilize the situation there." On Capitol Hill, the President's plan was the object of strong attacks yesterday -- from both sides of the aisle. Some reports suggest the President's support among Republicans may be quickly collapsing. The Financial Times reports Bush yesterday "cut an increasingly lonely and embattled figure as opposition Democrats and fellow Republicans greeted his 'new way forward' in Iraq with a barrage of denunciation. ... This show of Republican opposition prompted comparisons with Richard Nixon during the Vietnam era." The Times quotes an unnamed GOP "strategist" saying, "Republican support for the president is draining rapidly ... It is almost unheard of for Republicans to criticise a Republican president at war so soon after he has made an appeal for support.'" The Washington Times says that while "Republican leaders on Capitol Hill staunchly back" Bush's proposal, "support among the party's rank and file may be crumbling."
Reports in the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, USA Today and New York Times reach similar conclusions this morning. Nonetheless, the White House still holds out some hope that it will be able to ride out the crisis. The Wall Street Journal reports, "White House officials calculate that Democrats will be stymied by practical problems, legislative maneuvering and internal divisions in their attempt to prevent" the Administration from carrying out its new strategy. The White House, says USA Today, "is embarking on a weekend campaign to sell" the new Iraq strategy. Bush "will appear Sunday on CBS' 60 Minutes, which airs after an NFL playoff game. Vice President Cheney will appear on Fox News Sunday to defend the plan to boost U.S. troop levels by 21,500." Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice "leaves today on a week-long trip to the Middle East and Europe to brief U.S. allies on the plan." White House spokesman Tony Snow, "who held interviews with radio and television hosts Thursday, said the communications plan will continue in coming weeks."
But the fact is very few are choosing to stand with the President at this juncture. Other than Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (who according to the Washington Times "hinted that Senate Republicans would filibuster any resolution by Democrats expressing disapproval of the war in Iraq or Mr. Bush's plan") and Tony Blair (quoted in an Agence France-Presse dispatch saying the plan "makes sense") few went out on a limb to defend the President yesterday. In fact Bush, in Fort Benning, GA, to discuss his plan, encountered a lukewarm response from the troops there. The Washington Times headlines its story "Bush Gets Cool Response From Troops Set For Iraq," and says the President "received only tepid applause." The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports his comments "were met with relatively polite but restrained applause," and the Los Angeles Times says Bush's audience "was friendly, but his sober address received a less enthusiastic reception than has been the case on his past visits to military bases," with the Washington Post and New York Times running similar reports. USA Today, meanwhile, says military families had a "mixed" reaction to the new plan, while the Washington Post interviews soldiers "patrolling Baghdad" who see "flaws" in Bush's strategy.
Internationally, the Los Angeles Times describes opposition to the new plan across the Middle East, and the AP notes "the Iraqi government spokesman chided the United States, Iran and Syria on Thursday for using his country as a political battleground." The New York Times runs a similar report titled "In Baghdad, Bush Policy Is Met With Resentment," in which it refers to a "grudging endorsement" of the plan from the Iraqi government. The Washington Times reports on Iraqi reaction in a story headlined "Bush Plan Receives Tepid Baghdad OK."
Even Bush's diplomatic outreach is coming under fire. The Washington Post Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice departs today on "another difficult sales mission: winning the support of Arabs for the Iraq plan and seeking momentum for a renewed push on Middle East peace." But in an editorial, the Washington Post says Rice's tour of the region "looks like a sideshow." Since her trip will not include "two of Iraq's neighbors, Iran and Syria, as well as the two countries that now stand in the way of progress in the Palestinian territories and in Lebanon -- again, Iran and Syria -- it's hard to see how her diplomacy can accomplish much." More blistering criticism of Bush is featured in a Financial Times editorial and an op-ed piece in the Los Angeles Times by Republican pollster Frank Luntz, who says Bush word's are "too little and too late."
House Democrats passed yet another piece of their "100 hours" agenda on Thursday, a bill to increase funding for embryonic stem cell research. However, the Democrats failed to tally enough votes to override an anticipated veto by President Bush. The AP notes "the 253-174 vote fell short of the two-thirds margin required to overturn President Bush's promised veto, despite gains made by supporters in the November elections." As the New York Times reports, "it would take 290 House votes to override a veto." But USA Today reports that "supporters of research on embryonic stem cells say an end to restrictions on federal funding is inevitable after an overwhelming House vote Thursday." The Washington Post reports "Senate leaders have said they plan to take up the bill next month."
The Los Angeles Times reports on the emotional debate on the House floor yesterday, where "lawmakers spoke of parents, children and friends who they said could be helped by embryonic stem cells, while others warned that the legislation would involve the government in the destruction of life in the form of human embryos." The New York Times points out that "almost every other lawmaker who spoke during the debate on the stem cell bill told of a close relative with a deadly affliction whose cure depended on generating new human embryonic stem cell lines."
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House Democrats planned to vote Friday on a bill that would require the Secretary of Health and Human Services to negotiate with pharmaceutical firms for lower drug prices for senior citizens as part of Medicare Part D, notwithstanding an Administration veto threat. The New York Times reports President Bush "threatened on Thursday to veto" the bill in a written statement, but in Congress, the "chances for passage of some version of the legislation increased when a pivotal figure," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, "said Congress should repeal a provision of the 2003 Medicare law that prohibits such negotiations." Sen. Baucus said he "did not favor price controls, but did believe that Medicare should be able to negotiate prices in 'discrete areas where seniors need our help the most.'" The AP and Washington Post also report on the prescription drug bill, while the Washington Times runs an op-ed by Rep. Jim McCrery, the ranking Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee, making his case against the legislation. The New York Times, however, devotes one of its editorials this morning to defending the bill.
The Washington Times reports House Republicans "declared 'something fishy' about the major tuna company in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's San Francisco district being exempted from the minimum-wage increase that Democrats approved this week." The bill "extends for the first time the federal minimum wage to the U.S. territory of the Northern Mariana Islands. However, it exempts American Samoa, another Pacific island territory that would become the only U.S. territory not subject to federal minimum-wage laws." One of the "biggest opponents of the federal minimum wage in Samoa is StarKist Tuna, which owns one of the two packing plants that together employ more than 5,000 Samoans, or nearly 75 percent of the island's work force."
The New York Times reports that after "campaigning for months on a promise to tighten ethics rules, Senate Democratic leaders tried unsuccessfully Thursday to block a measure that would shine a light on the shadowy practice of earmarking federal money for lawmakers' pet projects." After House Democrats "passed an unexpectedly broad change to their chamber's rules that would disclose the size, purpose and sponsor of any earmark," on Thursday, when Sen. Jim DeMint "introduced the same thing in the Senate, Democratic leaders moved quickly to squash it, calling the House bill ill thought out." The Democratic leaders' "effort to block the DeMint proposal was defeated by a vote of 51 to 46, surprising almost everyone in the Senate." The Washington Times and AP also report the story.
The Wall Street Journal (1/12, Harwood) reports in its "Washington Wire" section that congressional Democrats "seek to isolate Republicans with narrow tax-increase targets. House Speaker Pelosi identifies $500,000 earners -- a more exclusive group than party leaders have previously targeted -- as source of revenue for cutting middle-class taxes. Imposing pre-Bush 39.6% rate on those with incomes over $500,000 would raise more than $85 billion over four years, Tax Policy Center estimates."
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The Wall Street Journal reports Special Prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's "case against Lewis 'Scooter' Libby goes to trial next week seemingly weakened by revelations that Mr. Fitzgerald knew early in his CIA-leak probe that the ex-White House official wasn't the original source of news-media disclosures." Fitzgerald's "success will depend largely on how well he can keep the jury focused on his charge that Mr. Libby 'knowingly lied' to federal agents during his probe into the leak of former Central Intelligence Agency operative Valerie Plame's identity."
The Houston Chronicle reports, "A week after getting a new right hip, former President George H.W. Bush is recuperating at his Houston home, receiving visitors, worrying about his children, dutifully doing physical therapy and already thinking about jumping out of an airplane again. He's going to do it in June 2009 for his 85th birthday, he said. For sure." The Washington Post, in its "Reliable Source" column, quotes Bush chief of staff Jean Becker saying, "I almost fell off my chair when I heard him say this, but he is serious."
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Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean announced yesterday that Denver would hold the 2008 Democratic National Convention, beating out the other finalist, New York City. The decision was clearly influenced by Democrats' hopes of expanding on recent successes in the Mountain West. For example, NBC Nightly News reported, "Like most things these days, there's politics behind it. Democrats have recently gained some ground in the West. Something the party is hoping to highlight and take advantage of." The AP reports that in a statement Thursday, Dean said, "There is no question that the West is important to the future of the Democratic Party. ... The recent Democratic gains in the West exemplify the principle that when we show up and ask for people's votes and talk about what we stand for, we can win in any part of the country." Bloomberg adds that Dean said, "There is no fault associated with New York City. If we're going to be a national party, we need to get westerners to vote for the Democratic Party on a regular basis." However, there is no guarantee that the location will help the Democrats. CQ Politics reports, "Some question whether the 2008 Democratic presidential nominee would fare better in the West simply because the convention was held there. And Dean admitted there is no 'real data' to prove that a convention's location helps a candidate in that area."
Labor Issues Complicate Selection The Washington Times reports, "Most events will be held at the Pepsi Center, which became a bone of contention for one union. The local stagehands union threatened to strike during the convention unless the meetings were moved from the Pepsi Center to another venue. The Pepsi Center, which is owned by Wal-Mart relative Stan Kroenke, is not a union arena. Mr. Dean said 'there is no agreement,' but that he was confident the issue could be resolved before the convention."
New York Bid Was Unenthusiastic The AP reports that even though the Big Apple lost its bid, "there was talk of celebratory toasts and a Rocky Mountain high at City Hall. That is because New York officials were not particularly excited about putting on the Democratic gala." New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg "had spent months dialing down enthusiasm about the bid, despite initial efforts to entice the party into holding the convention in New York." His "explanation for the change of heart last fall was that he no longer believed the city could raise the money because he had taken on some hefty fundraising commitments that would tie up time and fundraising sources."
Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd (D), who announced his entry into the 2008 presidential race on MSNBC's "Imus in the Morning" yesterday, will try to highlight his years of experience during the opening stages of his bid. On MSNBC's "Hardball" last night, Dodd said, "I think experience matters. In almost every other cycle I could think about, if you said I've been in the Senate for 25 years you'd be disqualified from running. But I think this time around, in light of what we've been through for the past six years, I think experience matters, experience where you can demonstrate a capability to bring people together, to come up with big ideas, to solve problems in the country. I've had that experience, on the foreign relations committee, on domestic policy." Indeed, some reviews of his candidacy are focusing on his work in the Senate, such as the Los Angeles Times, which said Dodd "long has been an influential voice on foreign policy, particularly on issues affecting Latin America, and was a chief sponsor of the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act. In 2002, he played a lead role in legislation cracking down on financial abuses and requiring greater corporate transparency."
However, far more media coverage focused on the obstacles facing the long-time Senator. USA Today reports that political analysts say that Dodd is "not a household name, which is a problem after 30 years in politics. 'He has not staked out a national reputation or a national identity of any kind,' said Dan Carter, a political historian teaching at the University of Richmond." Similarly, others are questioning the viability of another "New England Liberal" following Sen. John Kerry's defeat in 2004. The AP reports that Dodd's "image as a Northeast liberal could pose a hurdle in his longshot bid," noting that he will be running in the turbulent wake" of Kerry. Similarly, CQ Politics says analysts "have questioned whether the country would support another East Coast liberal after the unsuccessful 2004 presidential bid by" Kerry.
May Be Seeking VP Slot Or Cabinet Post The New York Sun reports that with a number of other potentially much stronger Democrats likely to be in the race, "the conventional wisdom is that Mr. Dodd is seeking to raise his profile in order to land himself a spot on the Democratic ticket as a vice presidential candidate. If that fails, maybe it would be a cabinet post in a Democratic administration."
The Albuquerque Tribune reports New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (D) said Thursday that he will announce his plans on a possible run for president "after the Legislature convenes, but before the end of the month. The governor, fresh from a trip to Sudan and speaking at Seven Bar Aviation, wouldn't tip his hand on what that announcement will be, but he is widely expected to toss his hat in the ring." The state legislature opens its session on Tuesday.
Two Democrats tell the Boston Globe that they are actively planning on running against New Hampshire Sen. John Sununu (R). Katrina Swett, an unsuccessful House candidate in 2002 with ties to the state's Democratic establishment, said she has been lining up support for a bid behind the scenes and will visit Washington next week. Swett said "I am 98 percent in." Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand, "a 33-year-old moderate Democrat," said he is "also is making calls and interviewing potential staff members." Marchand said, "I am in. It is my intention to run for the Senate," and added that he plans to file with the Federal Election Commission by the end of the month.
CQ Politics reports today that Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard (R) tells them that he has made a decision on whether he will run for reelection, but "isn't ready to share it just yet," telling a CQ reporter, "Stay tuned."
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Jay Leno: "It was nothing but reruns on TV last night. But enough about President Bush's speech."
Jay Leno: "Actually, the good news last night, President Bush finally admitted he made some mistakes in Iraq. The bad news, he's planning on making the same mistakes again."
David Letterman: "Here's the solution. It's the big surge. Bush is going to send more troops to Iraq. That's the solution. Going to send more troops to Iraq. And I was thinking, you think he'd be doing this if he was still in the National Guard?"
Conan O'Brien: "Of course, after hearing the President's speech, Democrats in the Senate are seeking bipartisan support for a non-binding resolution opposing President Bush's deployment of his military escalation. In response, President Bush said, 'Huh?'"
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