Political Bulletin

WASHINGTON NEWS

Bush Holds GOP Support On Iraq

In what the AP is calling a "demoralizing blow" to Democrats intent on reversing President Bush's war policies, the Senate yesterday "failed to scrape together enough support to guarantee troops more time at home." The 56-44 vote, "four short of reaching the 60 needed to advance -- all but assured that Democrats would be unable to muster the support needed to pass tough anti-war legislation by year's end." The measure would have required that troops spend as much time at home as they spend deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Administration officials contended the rules would have made it impossible to continue the Iraq war. The legislation, sponsored by Sen. Jim Webb, "was seen as the Democrats' best shot" because of "its pro-military premise," adds the AP. The bill, moreover, did not impose a deadline (hard or soft) for a troop pullout which is why its failure to pass is seen as a highly significant development. As USA Today reports, the vote "suggested that the Senate will be unable to approve any measure in the defense bill that does more than recommend changes in the president's war plan."

Media reports are casting the vote as a win for Bush and evidence that, in what some view as a surprise, he still has the support of the GOP caucus on the Iraq issue. The Washington Post reports the Webb amendment's failure "offered the most vivid evidence yet that the Bush administration still controls Iraq war policy, despite months of congressional debate, the war's persistent unpopularity and a summer-long effort by activists to pressure Republicans." Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid said yesterday, "Our Republican colleagues are more interested in protecting our president than our troops." The Los Angeles Times called the vote "another victory for the Bush administration, which lobbied hard against the proposal...and continued to command the allegiance of congressional Republicans in the face of persistent public unhappiness with the war." Just "six Republicans joined 49 Democrats and one independent in voting for the Webb amendment, which also narrowly failed to overcome a filibuster in July when seven GOP lawmakers voted for it." Roll Call refers to a "striking defeat" that "made further bipartisan deals on troop withdrawals from the Iraq War even more remote." Democrats "effectively had a net loss of one vote in the 56-44 tally and did not pick up any new Republican support."

The New York Times says that after the vote, "Democrats seemed resigned to having little chance of influencing the war strategy anytime soon." The Wall Street Journal says the final tally reflected "continued Republican loyalty to...Bush's Iraq strategy," and adds that "following on testimony last week by Iraq commander Gen. David Petraeus, the vote was an important political test for the White House." The Politico says the vote left "a bitterly divided Senate with no way forward on the issue and...Bush still firmly in charge of the war."

McClatchy notes GOP Sen. John Warner, "a former chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, voted for the measure in July, when it also fell four votes short of the 60 needed, but he voted against it on Wednesday." Warner "is a former Navy secretary who served as a sailor in World War II and as a Marine in the Korean War." Addressing Webb, Warner said yesterday on the Senate floor, "I agree with the principles that you laid down in your amendment. ... But I regret to say I've been convinced by those in the professional uniform that they cannot do it in a way that wouldn't invoke further unfairness to those now serving in Iraq." In his Washington Post column, Dana Milbank writes, "To paraphrase the immortal words of John Kerry," Warner "actually did vote to shorten the Iraq war before he voted to lengthen it." Milbank adds "pro-war Republicans, who had been grumbling about Warner's perfidy for weeks, suddenly celebrated him as an American hero." Webb "should not have been surprised. In January, Warner drafted a Senate resolution opposing...Bush's 'surge' of additional troops into Iraq. Then, on Feb. 5, he voted against bringing up his own resolution for debate."

Senate To Consider Feingold Proposal To Cut Funding. The Washington Times reports the Senate today "is scheduled to take up an amendment by Sen. Russ Feingold, Wisconsin Democrat, that would force a pullout by restricting military funding to noncombat operations in Iraq." Debate "has not yet been scheduled on a key amendment by Democratic Sens. Carl Levin of Michigan and Jack Reed of Rhode Island that would start a large-scale pullout from Iraq in 120 days and limit remaining US forces to training Iraqi troops, protecting U.S. bases, guarding the border and conducting counterterrorism missions."

Gates Remark Makes Splash ABC World News last night led its broadcast with a report on Secretary of Defense Robert Gates' interview with New York Times columnist David Brooks. The interview ran in Wednesday's paper. Said ABC, "Three little words, three little words that you rarely hear from the Bush Administration when it comes to the war in Iraq: 'I don't know.' That's what...Gates said when asked if the Iraq invasion was a good idea." Gates' answer was "stunningly candid," added ABC. "Compare that to the words of President Bush, who has said consistently and forcefully the invasion was the right thing to do."

GOP Also Blocks Bill On Detainees Rights

Yesterday was a day of filibusters in the US Senate. The Washington Post reports, "A Republican filibuster in the Senate yesterday shot down a bipartisan effort to restore the right of terrorism suspects to contest in federal courts their detention and treatment, underscoring the Democratic-led Congress's difficulty with terrorism issues." The 56 to 43 vote "fell short of the 60 needed to cut off debate and move to a final vote on the amendment to the Senate's annual defense policy bill." The New York Times notes Sen. Patrick J. Leahy, the chairman of the Judiciary Committee, "dismissed the suggestion that giving detainees access to the federal courts amounted to what critics called a terrorist bill of rights that would put the nation at risk. 'The truth is, casting aside the time-honored protection of habeas corpus makes us more vulnerable as a nation because it leads us away from our core American values and calls into question our historic role as a defender of human rights around the world,' Mr. Leahy said." The AP (9/20) offers a breakdown of the vote, noting the Republicans who backed the bill were "Hagel, Neb.; Lugar, Ind.; Smith, Ore.; Snowe, Maine; Specter, Pa,." and "Sununu, N.H."

Dan Rather Wants $70 Million

The CBS Evening News reported last night that Dan Rather "filed a $70 million lawsuit against CBS. He accuses the network of making him a 'scapegoat' for a discredited story about President Bush's National Guard service. In a statement today, CBS said Rather's 'complaints are old news and his lawsuit is without merit.'" ABC World News and NBC Nightly News also reported the story.

In the Washington Post, Howard Kurtz writes "several former colleagues said they were baffled by the move. 'I think he's gone off the deep end,' said Josh Howard, who was forced to resign as executive producer of '60 Minutes II' after CBS retracted the story. 'He seems to be saying he was just the narrator. He did every interview. He worked the sources over the phone. He was there in the room with the so-called document experts. He argued over every line in the script. It's laughable.'" Rome Hartman, "a former executive producer of 'CBS Evening News' who now works for the BBC, said: 'It's got to be about this lasting sense of hurt and pride. I was flabbergasted. I just don't get it.'" USA Today notes Rather "would not comment Wednesday but is scheduled to talk to CNN's Larry King on Thursday at 9 p.m. ET/PT." USA Today adds "observers said the lawsuit poses risks for both CBS and Rather, potentially revealing the often-messy process of newsgathering and specifically the events surrounding the so-called 'Memogate' scandal, which tarnished CBS News' reputation." The AP, Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times and New York Times run similar reports this morning.

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CAMPAIGN NEWS

Clinton Lead Target In Media Hunt For Questionable Campaign Cash

There's more negative press for Sen. Hillary Clinton's fundraising efforts this morning. The Washington Post reports in a front page story that a "list of the donors who have 'bundled' large sums from dozens of individuals to give to Hillary Rodham Clinton's presidential campaign includes several figures who were involved in the 1990s Democratic Party fundraising scandal that tarnished her husband's record." Among them "are an Oklahoma oilman who testified in the mid-1990s that the firm he worked for, owned by Democratic fundraisers, sought to curry favor with Bill Clinton's administration by providing payments and a golf club membership to a Cabinet secretary's son." However, Clinton is not the only candidate with fundraisers of dubious character. John Edwards' "list of bundlers includes well-known fellow trial lawyer William S. Lerach, who raised $80,000 from his family and law firm partners for the candidate after a government probe had begun of Lerach's wrongdoing, campaign aides confirmed yesterday." Mitt Romney's "list of bundlers includes Alan Fabian, who was charged in a 23-count indictment last month alleging mail fraud, money laundering, bankruptcy fraud, perjury and obstruction of justice, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Baltimore."

Another report in today's Wall Street Journal raises new questions about the source of some of Clinton's campaign funds. The Journal reports, "When Hillary Rodham Clinton held an intimate fund-raising event at her Washington home in late March, Pamela Layton donated $4,600, the maximum allowed by law, to Mrs. Clinton's presidential campaign." But the "37-year-old Ms. Layton says she and her husband were reimbursed by her husband's boss for the donations." Outsider her home in Bristow, Virginia, Layton said, "It wasn't personal money. It was all corporate money. I don't even like Hillary. I'm a Republican." The Journal adds the "boss is William Danielczyk, founder of a Washington-area private-equity firm and a major fund-raising 'bundler' for Mrs. Clinton." Layton's "gift was one of more than a dozen donations that night from people with Republican ties or no history of political giving. Mr. Danielczyk and his family, employees and friends donated a total of $120,000 to Mrs. Clinton in the days around the fund-raiser." Danielczyk said "he 'did not and would not' reimburse employees or others for their political donations."

Giuliani Swings Through London

One of the raps against Rudy Giuliani is that he lacks foreign policy experience, the Wall Street Journal reports, and yesterday he went to London to do something about it. Giuliani "crossed the ocean to deliver the 'Margaret Thatcher Atlantic Bridge lecture' in Hyde Park last night, with the former British prime minister in attendance. ... In the speech, Mr. Giuliani attempted to weave his signature theme of fighting terrorism into a historical fabric, framing his candidacy for president as an extension of the fight for freedom led, he said, by Winston Churchill in World War II, then followed by Ronald Reagan and Mrs. Thatcher, who together supported an arms buildup that helped win the Cold War. 'This is no time for defeatism and appeasement,' Mr. Giuliani said of Islamist terrorism, using Churchillian language of 1930s Europe. Shifting forward five decades, he added: 'As Margaret Thatcher would have put it, this isn't a time to go wobbly!' Mrs. Thatcher...laughed and nodded at that line." McClatchy says that he met "with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, former Prime Minister Tony Blair" and shared the stage with Margaret Thatcher during an evening event.

However, London had more than one attraction for Giuliani. NBC Nightly News reported, "Tonight, Rudolph Giuliani is in London and it would be fair to ask why a guy in the thick of a presidential primary campaign is in Great Britain. And the answer would be, candidates go where the money is these days." NBC reporter Lisa Myers added, "Today presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani was in London, burnishing his foreign policy credentials and raising campaign money." Rudy Giuliani, presidential candidate: "Given the expense of American presidential elections, every fund-raising opportunity is important. You've got to take advantage of it." Myers: "For $1,000, donors got lunch at a swanky London hotel, with the granddaughter of Winston Churchill and Giuliani. For $2,300, lunch and a photo."

McCain "Friend" Says Campaign Is "Done For"

Despite an apparent recent rally, there is a report out today that cast doubt on the viability of Sen. John McCain's campaign. The Washington Times reports in an online exclusive that McCain's campaign "has raised only $3.7 million to date for the third quarter, an influential friend of the Arizona Republican has told The Washington Times." The McCain supporter said, "The hope was to reach $4.5 million, about a third of what was raised in the 'disastrous' second quarter." The friend added, "Those are gross numbers, not net. Plus the campaign is carrying $2.5 to $3 million in debt. [He's] done for." The Times adds Jill Hazelbaker, "press secretary for the McCain campaign, said her boss 'is up in at least five new national polls by two to nine points. Pollsters and experts agree that McCain is clearly gaining traction.'"

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Giuliani Narrowly Tops Thompson In Zogby Poll

Clinton Easily Leads Democrats A new national poll out yesterday from Zogby International shows Fred Thompson nipping at Rudy Giuliani's heels. Giuliani leads the GOP pack with 26 percent, followed by Thompson at 24 percent. John McCain places third with 13 percent, well ahead of Mitt Romney at 7 percent. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton remains well ahead of the rest of the field with 35 percent, followed by Barack Obama, 21 percent, and John Edwards, 10 percent.

Three State Polls Show Giuliani, Clinton Out Front

Three new polls out this morning show Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani leading their respective fields. An American Research Group telephone survey of 600 likely Florida primary voters from each party conducted September 15-18 shows Giuliani leading the Republican presidential field with 26%, followed by John McCain with 18%, Fred Thompson with 16% and Mitt Romney with 14%. On the Democratic side, Clinton leads with 47%, followed by Sen. Barack Obama with 19% and John Edwards with 9%.

A Strategic Vision poll of 1,200 likely Ohio voters taken September 14-16 shows Clinton leading the Democratic field with 43%, followed by Obama, 23%; Edwards, 11%; Bill Richardson, 6%; and all other candidates at 3% or less. On the GOP side, Giuliani leads with 34%, followed by Thompson, 21%; McCain, 9%; Romney, 8%; Newt Gingrich, 5%; and the rest of the field at 4% or less.

A Strategic Vision poll of 800 likely Wisconsin voters taken September 14-16 shows Giuliani leading with 28%, followed by Thompson, 24%; McCain, 8%; Romney, 7%; Gingrich, 6%; and the rest of the field at 3% or less. On the Democratic side, Clinton doubles up on Obama, taking 44% to his 22%. Edwards trails in 3rd with 11%, followed by Richardson at 7% and the rest of the field at 3% or less.

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POLITICAL HUMOR

The Latest From Late Night Comedians

Jay Leno: "There was a John Kerry speech at the University of Florida. A student asked the senator so many annoying questions, police tasered him to get him to shut up. They hit him with 50,000 volts. ... Of course, people in Washington were stunned by this. 'What? John Kerry is still giving speeches?'"

Jay Leno: "Chuck Norris is over in Iraq visiting the troops. Today, Chuck said the troop surge is working. Keep in mind, this is the same guy that said the whole Total Gym thing works, too. So, I don't know."

Jay Leno: "CNN's Lou Dobbs will be off the air for two weeks after a tonsillectomy. I thought this was kind of mean. While he's recovering, CNN replaced him with an illegal immigrant."

Conan O'Brien: "Yesterday -- this was interesting -- during a speech, Jesse Jackson criticized Barack Obama and said Obama's been acting like he's white. Yeah, Obama said Jackson's comments were hurtful and they completely ruined his night at the Jimmy Buffett concert."

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