USNews.com: Political Bulletin: Monday, March 12, 2007

Monday, March 12, 2007

WASHINGTON NEWS

Bush: Send Me A Clean Iraq Bill

President Bush and congressional Democrats continue to jockey for positions as they prepare for what could be a monumental clash over Iraq. In Colombia, the President defended his weekend announcement to send 4,700 additional troops for Iraq and 2,500 to Afghanistan. He also had a message for Democrats in Congress, urging them to pass "the funding necessary for the combat troops to be able to do their job without any strings attached," and warning he would veto any bill that set a pullout deadline. The New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times and Financial Times run similar reports, largely focusing on the White House's decision to send more troops to Iraq.

Meanwhile, Democrats continue to struggle to find a unified position. ABC World News said last night the debate "is pitting Democrats against Republicans. And also Democrats against Democrats." House Speaker Nancy Pelosi "is working overtime to find the 218 votes she needs for a troop withdrawal next year from a deeply divided party." Moreover, "even if Democrats rally behind the Speaker and call for an end to the war, ultimately, it's not likely to matter. Republicans in both houses are opposed to the measure," and Bush would veto it. The bill's supporters, however, "hope that the symbolic measure to bring the troops home might be enough to accelerate the end of the war."

In the Senate, says Roll Call, Majority Leader Harry "Reid and other party leaders are abandoning efforts at crafting a bipartisan deal on the issue and will instead look to directly tie Republicans to the unpopular conflict, senior leadership aides said Friday." According to "Democratic leadership aides," Reid, Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chairman Charles Schumer and others "hope that a more aggressive push to tar vulnerable Republicans up for re-election in 2008 with the prospect of an open-ended commitment to the war will force enough defections to pass legislation forcing Bush to begin bringing the war to an end." U.S. News and World Report reports this week that "so far, Republicans have successfully framed the debate so that any failure in Iraq would be the Democrats' fault, says George Lakoff, University of California professor and author of a book on how progressives should argue. Democrats, he says, are 'missing a great opportunity' to present the war to the public as a 'betrayal of trust' by the president. A recent poll shows Republican attacks resonate strongly in 50 of the closest congressional districts. The attacks 'are not trivial,' says Democratic pollster Stan Greenberg."

In Case "Surge" Fails, US Ponders Plan B The Los Angeles Times reports this morning that "if the current surge fails, planners suggest relying on advisors as the US did in El Salvador in the 1980s. American military planners have begun plotting a fallback strategy for Iraq that includes a gradual withdrawal of forces and a renewed emphasis on training Iraqi fighters in case the current troop buildup fails or is derailed by Congress." Such a strategy "is still in the early planning stages and would be adjusted to fit the outcome of the current surge in troop levels, according to military officials and Pentagon consultants who spoke on condition of anonymity when discussing future plans."

Democrats Trying To Force Gonzales Out

USA Today reports Sens. Charles Schumer and Joseph Biden of the Judiciary Committee "said Sunday that Attorney General Alberto Gonzales should resign." On CNN's Late Edition, Sen. Biden said "that Gonzales has lost the confidence of the American people and Congress," while Sen. Schumer "said on CBS' Face the Nation that Gonzales has politicized the office." The AP, Los Angeles Times and New York Times run similar reports.

In the New York Times, meanwhile, liberal columnist Paul Krugman says, "For the first time in six years, it's possible to hope that all the facts about a Bush administration scandal will come out in Congressional hearings - or, if necessary, in the impeachment trial of Alberto Gonzales."

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Cheney Weakened By Libby Verdict

U.S. News and World Report, in a short piece titled, "A Flurry of Bad News for the President," reports this week that the conviction of I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby was "the latest example of an entire presidency in decline." Libby's former boss, Vice President Cheney, "is now widely considered more of a liability than ever," and insiders say "the once-indispensable veep has lost much of his stroke with Bush as Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and her diplomatic corps have gained influence."

Meanwhile, Newsweek reports that while conservatives "are clamoring for a Libby pardon," don't "count on Bush to go along -- at least not yet." Former and "current colleagues, who asked not to be named talking about private conversations, say Cheney has been shaken by the prosecution of his former chief of staff. Out of obligation and duty, Cheney is almost certain to press Bush to pardon his close friend and protégé. But don't count on Bush to go along -- at least not yet. Bush is not big on pardons." The Weekly Standard's Bill Kristol, on Fox News Sunday, said pardoning Libby is "the right thing to do, but also it's in the president's interest." Kristol added that if the president does not pardon Libby he "will pay a big price over the next year." And GOP Sen. Arlen Specter, on CBS's Face the Nation said, "I think it is premature to talk about a pardon, because there are some appeals up. I think the conviction may very well be reversed."

In a piece contending Republicans are materially inferior to Democrats in writing the first versions of history, U.S. News and World Report's Michael Barone compares Libby's prosecution with that of former national security adviser Sandy Berger for removing classified documents from the National Archives. Barone says, "I have known Berger for more than 30 years and find it unlikely that he would have done something like this on his own. Did Bill Clinton ask him to destroy documents that would make him look bad in history?" Barone adds, "The attempt to write, or un-write, history -- if it was that -- evidently succeeded," and concludes that the way the Bush White House has handled the Libby case and the related media campaign by people like Joe Wilson indicates "the Republicans are running behind in the battle to write history."

Protests Dominate Coverage Of Bush's Trip

President Bush's Latin America trip is not generating much in the way of positive press coverage for the White House: US media outlets are paying special attention to anti-Bush protests in the continent and particularly those during Bush's stop in Colombia. In Bogotá, said ABC World News in its lead story, "2,000 protesters and 10-times as many heavily-armed police, filled the streets," and "the fear of violence" limited the President's "time there to just a few hours." The New York Times says "the risky nature of...Bush's trip to this violent country was spelled out on a television monitor aboard Air Force One en route from Uruguay: 'Colombia presents the most significant threat environment of this five country trip!'" The Times notes that security officials in Colombia "even sent a phony airport motorcade as a decoy to flush out any potential attackers on the route to the presidential palace." The Washington Post reports Bush scheduled "a seven-hour stay intended to showcase progress in Colombia" but the warning and protests "unavoidably underscored continuing problems." The Washington Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times, AP and Wall Street Journal also tended to focus their reports on the protestors.

Terror-Linked Group Gets Capitol Forum

The Washington Times reports Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-NJ) "has arranged for a conference room in the Capitol building to be used tomorrow by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim advocacy group criticized for its persistent refusal to disavow terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah." CAIR, which is the "country's largest Islamic civil liberties group with 31 chapters nationwide, has never been charged with terrorism crimes and the organization is known to cooperate with the FBI and the Justice Department." However, CAIR officials "have been charged with -- and some convicted of -- offenses related to the support of terrorism."

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CAMPAIGN NEWS

TV's Thompson Considering Bid

The AP reports former Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, "who plays a role in the television series 'Law & Order,' said Sunday that he was considering a run for the Republican presidential nomination." On "Fox News Sunday," Thompson said "he was considering a candidacy after Howard Baker, the former Senate majority leader, and other Tennessee Republicans began drumming up support, citing his conservative credentials." Thompson said, "I'm giving some thought to it, going to leave the door open." The Washington Times reports Thompson "explained his position on a number of issues important to the Republican base, including abortion, gun control, immigration and the war in Iraq." On Iraq, Thompson "said as president his strategy would largely mirror that of President Bush. 'I would do essentially what the president's doing. I know it's not popular right now, but I think we have to look down the road and consider the consequences of where we are.'" The "only issue discussed where Mr. Thompson broke from the views of the conservative base was campaign-finance reform. As a senator, he voted for the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform legislation, which became law."

Thompson Takes Tough Line On Immigration In the course of his interview with Thompson, Chris Wallace, host of Fox News Sunday, claimed that Thompson favors "comprehensive immigration reform," Thompson cut him off saying, "No, no, no, no. ... We woke up one day after years of neglect and apparently discovered that we have somewhere between 12 million and 20 million illegal aliens in this country. So it became an impossible situation to deal with. ... I'm concerned about the next 12 million or 20 million. So that's why enforcement, and enforcement at the border, has to be primary. I think most people feel disillusioned after 1986 when we had this deal offered to them before, and now we're insisting that, you know, we solve the security problem first, and then we'll talk about what to do with regard to other things -- certainly no amnesty or nothing blanket like that."

NBC Nightly News (3/11, story 3, 2:05, Yang, 9.87M) reported, "Fred Thompson said he may run. He's best known as District Attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's 'Law and Order.'" Fred Thompson: "I will be interested to see how their message and their personalities resonate with the American people as they campaign. And how effective they are in getting their message out."

Clinton, Giuliani On Top In Yet Another Poll

A new AP -Ipsos poll out over the weekend shows Rudy Giuliani and Sen. Hillary Clinton leading the field of presidential candidates among their respective parties. On the GOP side, Giuliani leads with 35%, followed by Arizona Sen. John McCain at 22% and ex-House Speaker Newt Gingrich at 11%, with the remaining candidates in single digits. On the Democratic side, Clinton leads with 38%, followed by Illinois Sen. Barack Obama at 21%, ex-Vice President Al Gore at 14% and ex-North Carolina Sen. John Edwards (D) at 10%. The poll surveyed 1,001 adults from March 5-7.

Clinton, Giuliani Lead In Nevada. A Research 2000 poll for the Reno Gazette Journal shows Clinton leading the Democratic field in Nevada, currently the second state on the Democratic nominating calendar. Clinton is backed by 32%, followed by Obama with 20%, and Gore and Edwards each with 11%. On the GOP side, Giuliani holds a wide lead with 38%, followed by McCain, 18%, and Gingrich, 13%. One interesting note: Obama does better than Clinton in general elections trial heats. The poll showed Giuliani topping Clinton 46%-38% and McCain leading her 44%-39%. Obama trails Giuliani only 44%-42% and McCain by only a single point, 43%-42%.

Clinton Pledges To Defend Middle Class In New Hampshire

The New Hampshire Union Leader reported that Sen. Hillary Clinton (D) "brought 1,000 New Hampshire Democrats to their feet" in Nashua, New Hampshire on Saturday "with a promise to the middle class, single mothers and returning troops that they will not be 'invisible' with her as President." Clinton "keynoted the state Democratic Party's '100 Club' fund-raiser at the Sheraton." The AP reported, "Four years after John Edwards built his campaign around the theme of 'two Americas' -- one for the wealthy and one for the poor -- Clinton sought to draw a line between two kinds of Americans -- the visible and invisible. The latter group includes single-parents who can't afford health insurance, small business owners worried about energy costs, and college students struggling to pay their tuition, she said." The Nashua Telegraph reported, "With Democrats offering a new beginning, Americans will again see a 'basic bargain,' Clinton said. 'If you work hard and play by the rules, you'll have the opportunity to build a better life for yourself and your family...and the government will be on your side.'"

The Concord Monitor reported, "Democrats who turned out in record numbers for the event, according to the state Democratic Party seemed to embrace most of Clinton's speech. 'She spoke about things that clearly need to be said,' said Rep. Bette Lasky of Nashua, who hasn't decided on a candidate. ... As for Clinton's new theme of 'invisible' Americans, 'I think that's going to resonate with people,' said Bill Stelling of Amherst. But other audience members criticized the speech as predictable. 'It was generic Democrat,' said Arnie Arnesen, who hosts a political television show. 'She didn't touch the war on terrorism.'"

Nevada Democrats Feud With Fox

Nevada Democrats have cancelled a presidential candidates debate that was to be hosted by Fox News, nominally over comments made by a Fox News executive. The New York Times reports that Nevada Democrats, "citing comments made by the chairman of Fox News" about Illinois Sen. Barack Obama (D), "and under pressure from liberal groups and blogs," announced the cancellation of an August 14 Fox News debate for presidential candidates. Liberal blogs and groups, "as well as some Nevada Democrats had demanded that Fox be removed as a sponsor, arguing that its coverage was slanted toward Republicans." The offending comment? Fox chairman Roger Ailes joked at an awards banquet last Thursday, "It is true that Barack Obama is on the move. I don't know if it's true that President Bush called Musharraf and said, 'Why can't we catch this guy?'"

The Politico said in a letter released late Friday, Nevada Democratic Chairman Tom Collins and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid wrote, "We cannot, as good Democrats, put our party in a position to defend such comments. In light of his comments, we have concluded that it is not possible to hold a presidential debate that will focus on our candidates and are therefore cancelling our August debate. We take no pleasure in this, but it is the only course of action."

Liberal Group Celebrates The Reno Gazette-Journal reported, "Late Friday, liberal groups such as MoveOn.org were proclaiming victory. 'We hope this sets a precedent for all Democrats that Fox should be treated as a right-wing misinformation network, not legitimized as a neutral source of news,' Eli Pariser, executive director of MoveOn.org, said in a statement."

Fox Hits Back At State Democrats The AP reports that Fox News Vice President David Rhodes "said the party's decision Friday showed that the online group owned the Democratic Party in Nevada. 'News organizations will want to think twice before getting involved in the Nevada Democratic caucus which appears to be controlled by radical, fringe, out-of-state interest groups, not the Nevada Democratic Party,' Rhodes said in a statement."

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