The Democratic-majority Congress gave final passage to a $555 billion spending bill to fund government operations, as well as military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The measure was portrayed as a final victory for President Bush in the budget standoff. The AP reports Bush "was expected soon to sign the measure, which includes $70 billion for military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, after winning concessions from Democrats on Iraq policy and the budget." USA Today says Republicans "forced the Iraq money upon anti-war Democrats as the price for a budget deal."
The Hill notes that it was the House's "last vote of the session," adding "Republicans almost universally supported the measure while most Democrats opposed it." Another story in The Hill says the spending bill vote "meant the Democrats capitulated to...Bush on the last day of their first year back in power." Most media reports this morning take a similar line, portraying the endgame of most 2007 debates in Washington as a defeat for Democrats and at least moderately good news for Bush and the GOP. The Washington Post, for example, says "the first Democratic-led Congress in a dozen years limped out of Washington last night," because despite "a lengthy list of accomplishments," their "failure to address the central issues that swept them to power left even the most partisan of them dissatisfied and Congress mired at a historic low in public esteem." The Financial Times calls last night's vote "a partial victory for George W. Bush, the president, as congressional Democrats abandoned efforts to set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq and accepted a federal spending limit set by the White House," and Roll Call says "House Republicans were almost in a state of euphoria as they left Washington, DC."
McClatchy, in a story headlined "After One Year In Power In Congress, Dems Don't Get Much Done," says Democrats won their "stunning" 2006 election victory" by vowing to wind down the Iraq war, marginalize...Bush, enact their agenda and revive bipartisanship. But after a year in power, their 'mission accomplished' list is thin." Roll Call says the "majority party signaled that they would shift their top focus from trying to cut off funding for the Iraq War to the economy and health care in the new year, acknowledging that Senate Republicans and...Bush likely will continue to prevent them from forcing any real changes in troop levels or war strategy."
Bill Includes $14 Billion In Earmarks ABC World News reported that "buried in" the omnibus spending bill passed by Congress are "$14 billion in new earmarks." Democrats "put in hundreds of thousands of dollars to help members facing re-election. And $1 million for an energy project, sponsored by a Louisiana congressman, who faces corruption charges." Tom Schatz, president, Citizens Against Govt. Waste: "Members of Congress have said, we're going to use the taxpayers' money, to help our majority stay in power." Under the headline "The Earmark Bounces Back," the New York Times reports, "Despite an intense campaign by critics in and out of Congress against home-state projects, the year-end budget sent to President Bush on Wednesday was stuffed with almost 9,000 of them."
In an editorial, the Wall Street Journal says President Bush "has said he'll sign the actual spending bill, but that doesn't mean he and his executive branch must spend that money on the earmarks in the committee report. A December 18 legal analysis by attorney Todd Tatelman for the Congressional Research Service concludes that 'because the language of committee reports do not meet the procedural requirements of Article I of the Constitution -- specifically, bicameralism and presentment -- they are not laws and, therefore, are not legally binding on executive agencies.'"
Senate To Stay In Pro Forma Session. Roll Call reports, "Following hours of intense talks that ended in a standoff, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) decided late Wednesday to move several dozen nominees but still keep the Senate in business over the monthlong holiday break to block...Bush from making any controversial recess appointments while Senators are out of town."
NBC Nightly News reported that before going home for Christmas, Congress also "passed and sent to...Bush a fix for the alternative minimum tax, which was to make sure the wealthy pay some tax, but was set to snare 21 million middle class taxpayers. This fix covers, however, only one year." The Los Angeles Times says Democrats bowed "to Republican demands that the $50 billion in tax relief not be offset with any other tax increases." And the Wall Street Journal reports, "In passing the AMT fix in such a way, the Democratic majority is breaking one of its key election promises: to pay for new proposals with offsetting spending cuts or tax raises."
USA Today says Republicans "blocked legislation with a tax increase from coming up for a vote in the Senate, and...Bush threatened to veto any legislation that included a tax increase." The New York Times says "the anger over the tax plan dampened the spirits of Congressional Democrats who earlier in the day had celebrated Mr. Bush's signing of a major energy bill." The Washington Post reports, "Many lawmakers, especially Democrats, bemoaned the failure." The Washington Times /AP runs a similar report.
The Washington Post editorializes that Democrats "capitulated to a Republican refusal to pay for the $50 billion, one-year patch applied to the alternative minimum tax." Under the headline "Another Bush Tax Cut," meanwhile, the Wall Street Journal says "Nancy Pelosi and her fellow House Democrats surrendered to reality yesterday, grudgingly handing...Bush and taxpayers another victory."
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The AP reports Administration officials "refuse to shed light on whether White House lawyers talked to the CIA about whether to destroy interrogation videotapes of two terrorism suspects but bristle at questions into the affair and complain about news coverage." That "puts the White House in an awkward position. The very vision of White House officials sitting around a table talking about such an inflammatory course of action crime evokes echoes of Nixon and Watergate." Meanwhile, the Washington Post says that CIA Director Michael Hayden "told lawmakers privately last week that three White House lawyers were briefed in 2004 about the existence of videotapes...and they urged the agency to be 'cautious' about destroying the tapes, according to sources familiar with his classified testimony."
CIA Will Give Documents To Congress The AP reports the CIA "said Wednesday it would begin handing over documents to Congress about the destruction of videotapings showing the harsh interrogation of two terror suspects after the House Intelligence Committee threatened to subpoena two agency officials." Under the headline "House Increases Pressure On CIA," The Politico says the House panel's "document request is extremely broad, with the committee saying in an attachment to the letter that its request includes all documents 'referring to or relating to the making, retention or destruction of any recordings of detainees,' as well as legal advice sought by the CIA or its contractors."
The New York Times notes the CIA also agreed "to allow the agency's top lawyer, John A. Rizzo, to testify about the matter, Congressional and intelligence officials said Wednesday." But "it remained unclear whether Jose A. Rodriguez, who as chief of the agency's clandestine service ordered the tapes destroyed in 2005, would testify."
Roemer Calls For Intel Oversight Changes Former Rep. Tim Roemer, a Democrat who served on the Sept. 11 commission, writes in the Washington Post, "When the Sept. 11 commission issued its recommendations for intelligence reform, we stated that ending 'dysfunctional' congressional oversight of intelligence was among the most crucial steps the government could take. ... By combining authorizing and appropriating powers into a single committee, Congress would align responsibility with power."
Mukasey Limits Talks With White House The AP reports the Justice Department on Wednesday "limited the number of its employees who can discuss investigations with the White House, seeking to end any political meddling in sensitive cases." The change "rolls back a more lax policy, set under former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, that critics said allowed hundreds of Justice Department and White House workers to communicate about topics that only a few people should have handled."
McClatchy reports Justice Department spokesman Peter Carr said Mukasey's new policy "mirrors the Clinton administration's, but allows more officials to receive details about national security matters." The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, says Mukasey's memo "leaves open plenty of room for White House officials to coordinate with the Justice Department on matters that could still cause criticism." Calling the move Mukasey's "first major policy revision since taking office," the Washington Post says the memo "comes amid a rocky honeymoon period for the new attorney general."
In what's being described as a major legislative accomplishment, the AP reports President Bush "signed into law Wednesday legislation that will bring more fuel-efficient vehicles into auto showrooms and require wider use of ethanol, calling it 'a major step' toward energy independence and easing global warming. ... Bush said the new requirements will help 'address our vulnerabilities and dependency' on foreign oil by reducing demand for gasoline and diversifying the nation's fuel supply." The Los Angeles Times notes the President was "flanked by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-San Francisco), Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and other congressional leaders." Bush "thanked them for their 'wisdom' in requiring the new standards." The Washington Post and Christian Science Monitor run similar reports.
The Politico, meanwhile, notes that among those in attendance was GOP Sen. Larry Craig, an "Administration guest" at Wednesday's signing ceremony. "Washington being Washington," says The Politico, "and senators having senatorial swat, Craig is already being treated normally again."
The CBS Evening News reported last night that Congress "passed the first major new gun control bill in more than a decade. It comes in response to the deadly shooting rampage at Virginia Tech and it's designed to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill. The bill requires tighter background checks for gun buyers." The Washington Post also says the bill was "prompted by the Virginia Tech University shootings." Based on "legislation that had languished for years," the measure "drew overwhelming bipartisan support, and the backing of both the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence and the National Rifle Association. Its Democratic sponsors worked for months to bring it to a vote, after Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) placed a hold on it."
The Financial Times reports former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers "on Wednesday called for a fiscal stimulus of up to $75bn to support the US economy, as fellow Democrat Chuck Schumer launched a scathing attack on the Bush administration's handling of the subprime crisis." Summers "warned that, without timely action, the average US family could lose up to $5,000 in income, the country could suffer hundreds of thousands more home foreclosures and national debt could significantly increase 'even in a mild recession.'"
The Washington Post reports Summers said President Bush "and the Federal Reserve aren't taking aggressive enough action to prevent a recession" as Democrats "ramped up their attacks on the administration's handling of the housing downturn and credit crises."
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The AP reports, "Thick smoke billowed from a fire Wednesday in Vice President Dick Cheney's suite of offices in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building next to the White House." Cheney's office, "known for its historical furnishings and ornate decorations, was damaged by smoke and water from fire hoses, officials said. There was concern about water damage to the floor, made of mahogany, white maple and cherry and considered to be very delicate." All three networks reported on the fire last night.
The Washington Post reports in its "Reliable Source" column this morning, "The 'Upstairs/Downstairs' vibe at the final White House holiday party Tuesday night? That was the administration's senior staff waiting on the mansion's resident staff -- the butlers, ushers, florists, chefs, electricians, plumbers and others who make the place hum the rest of the year. Chief of Staff Josh Bolten donned a tux for bartending duties, spokesman Dana Perino poured coffee, and chief speechwriter Bill McGurn was on eggnog detail."
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Clinton Holds Significant Leads Over Obama Three national polls out in the last 24 hours show no clear leader in the GOP presidential primary Mike Huckabee edges Rudy Giuliani in one, while the reverse is true in the second, and the third shows Giuliani tied with Mitt Romney. On the Democratic side, while Sen. Clinton is a clear favorite among Democrats, the latest NBC poll gives Sen. Obama an argument that he would fare better in the general election.
NBC Poll Gives Obama An Electability Advantage Over Clinton An NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll shows Giuliani and Romney tied at 20% apiece, followed by Huckabee with 17% and John McCain with 14%. On the Democratic side, Clinton leads with 45%, followed by Obama at 23% and John Edwards at 13%. NBC Nightly News reported last night, "Looking at these numbers, why hasn't Rudy Giuliani broken out like so many expected?" Tim Russert: "This one number tells everything. Look at the feelings difference about attitudes towards Rudy Giuliani: 37% positive, 37% negative. In March it was 58%-14%, a dramatic over the cliff for Rudy Giuliani. Why? The focus on his business dealings and business partners, and the security detail for his then-mistress as mayor and who paid for it. All of those have taken a toll."
NBC News reports on its website, "Clinton leads two of the top GOP presidential candidates in hypothetical match-ups - but within the margin of error and by smaller margins than Obama does. Clinton bests Giuliani by 3 points (46-43 percent) and Huckabee by 2 points (46-44 percent). Yet Obama leads those same two men by 9 points (49-40 percent) and 12 points (48-36 percent), respectively. The reason why Obama fares better in these match-ups," the pollster says, "is because of independents: They side with Obama but against Clinton."
Giuliani Narrowly Leads Huckabee In Zogby Poll, Clinton Up By 8 Over Obama A new national poll out yesterday from Zogby international shows Huckabee surging in the last month, and drawing almost even with long-time GOP frontrunner Giuliani. Giuliani still leads the GOP field with 23%, followed by Huckabee, 22%; Romney, 16%; Thompson, 13%; and McCain, 12%. In a similar poll taken in mid-November, Giuliani led with 29%, followed by Thompson with 15% and Huckabee with 11%.
On the Democratic side, Clinton leads with 40%, followed by Obama with 32% and Edwards with 13%. In the November survey, Clinton led Obama 38%-27%, with Edwards at 13%.
Huckabee Tops Giuliani In Battleground Poll, Clinton Holds Wide Lead Over Obama A George Washington University Battleground poll of 1,000 likely voters conducted jointed by the Tarrance Group (R) and Lake Research Partners (D) from December 9-12 shows 24% of Republican primary voters said they will vote for Huckabee; 22% said Giuliani; 16% said Romney; 15% said McCain; 9% said Fred Thompson; and 6% said Ron Paul. On the other side of the aisle, 47% of Democratic primary voters said they will vote for Hillary Clinton; 23% said Barack Obama; and 13% said John Edwards. In 2008 trial heats, Clinton leads both Giuliani and Romney 50%-44%, while Obama leads Giuliani 46%-43% and Romney 48%-42%.
The Washington Post reports in a front page story that the "race for Iowa's Republican caucuses has narrowed to a two-person battle between former governors Mike Huckabee of Arkansas and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts, with Huckabee now perched atop the field, propelled by a big jump in support among religious women." A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows "how dramatically the wide-open GOP contest has changed over the past few months." Huckabee leads with 36%, followed by Romney, 27%; Fred Thompson, 9%; Rudy Giuliani, 8%; and John McCain, 6%. ABC World News reported, "Interesting is the role of religion. Eight out of ten Republicans say faith is not an issue. And Romney has a slight lead in that group. But two out of ten say they are less likely to vote for a Mormon. And that group supports Huckabee overwhelmingly. On the Democratic side, Barack Obama leads with 33%. Clinton with 29%. Edwards at 20%."
A CBS News South Carolina poll of 447 likely Republican primary voters and 599 likely Democratic primary voters, conducted over December 13-17, shows 35% would vote for Barack Obama; 34% would vote for Hillary Clinton; and 13% would vote for John Edwards. On the GOP side, 28% would vote for Mike Huckabee; 20% would vote for Mitt Romney; 12% would vote for Rudy Giuliani; 11% would vote for John McCain; and 10% would vote for Fred Thompson. The CBS Evening News reported, "Gender helps explain why Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are neck in neck in South Carolina, but not the way you would think. Obama is leading among Democratic women." It is a "reverse gender gap. 39% of women support Obama versus 30% of men. For Clinton, the opposite."
Clinton Up Big Rudy Giuliani has based much of his strategy on surviving in the early states and then surging in Florida and then the big states holding their primaries on February 5. A new poll out yesterday from Strategic Vision shows the perils of that strategy Mike Huckabee only narrowly trails him in Florida. Giuliani leads with 25%, followed by Huckabee, 21%; John McCain, 15%; Mitt Romney, 13%; and Fred Thompson, 10%. On the Democratic side, Hillary Clinton leads with 48%, followed by Barack Obama, 31%; and John Edwards, 6%. Strategic Vision surveyed 600 likely voters from each party from December 14-16.
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On the CBS Evening News last night, Katy Couric reported, "I asked the leading contenders about infidelity for our series 'Primary questions: Character, leadership, and the candidates.'" Harry Truman "once said 'a man not honorable in his marital relations is not usually honorable in any other.' Some voters say they don't feel comfortable supporting someone who's not remained faithful to his or her spouse. Can you understand or appreciate their point of view?" Sen. Hillary Clinton, presidential candidate: "I think sometimes we confuse the private and the public in ways that are not necessarily useful. So of course it's a deeply personal matter that I take personally, but I think on the public stage, there are a number of people who have represented our country, led our country, accomplished great achievements on behalf of our country who might have some challenges in their personal life but have made a great contribution." Long Island Newsday adds Mike Huckabee told Couric "that presidential candidates who cheat on their spouses are more likely to 'break other promises' to voters -- a thinly veiled criticism of thrice-married Rudy Giuliani."
On its front page this morning, the New York Times reports, "Secrecy surrounding the William J. Clinton Foundation has become a campaign issue as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton seeks the Democratic presidential nomination with her husband as a prime source of strategy and star power. Some of her rivals argue that donors could use presidential foundations to circumvent campaign finance laws intended to limit political influence." The Times adds, "An examination of the foundation demonstrates how its fund-raising has at times fostered the potential for conflict." The Times' in-depth examination of donors finds that some were seeking assistance from the Clinton administration while Bill was still president, and that since then, many have also become major contributors to Hillary's Senate and presidential campaigns.
In an article headlined, "Hill's Brother A Deadbeat, Owes 158g In Kid Support & Alimony," the New York Post reports that Hillary Clinton's "youngest sibling is a deadbeat dad who owes tens of thousands of dollars in child support to his politically connected ex, The Post has learned. In a disclosure that could prove embarrassing for his sister, Anthony Rodham has stiffed his former wife, Nicole Boxer, out of $75,000 in child support, as well as $55,000 in alimony, a source close to the case said. Including interest and various fees and expenses," Clinton's "brother now owes Boxer -- the daughter of Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) -- more than $158,000, the source said."
The New York Sun reports, "Making a rare foray into primary politics," Henry Kissinger yesterday endorsed John McCain, saying, "I believe that he's the best candidate to serve our nation in an extremely difficult and complicated period." Kissinger added that "he was 'doing something that I am not comfortable with' in making an endorsement, but that Mr. McCain and the nation deserved it." The AP adds that Kissinger "said McCain's experience as a former prisoner of war in Vietnam helped forge his character. 'The senator had five years in solitary figuring out who he is and why he is serving his country,' he said."
The AP reports that Rudy Giuliani "was admitted to a hospital Wednesday night for flu-like symptoms, his campaign said." Giuliani "felt the symptoms while" stumping "in Missouri, and they soon became worse, campaign spokeswoman Katie Levinson said. The mayor decided to go to a St. Louis hospital and spend the night there, she said. 'The symptoms worsened as the day wore on and shortly after taking off from Chesterfield, Missouri, for New York the mayor became uncomfortable enough that our plane returned to the airport in Chesterfield,' Levinson said. 'To be on the safe side, the mayor consulted with his personal physician in New York and made the decision to go to the Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis for routine tests.' Giuliani will decide his next step Thursday morning, said his spokeswoman, Maria Comella. He had no scheduled appointments for the day, she said."
The AP reports Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo, "whose forceful opposition to illegal immigration vaulted him to national prominence, plans to announce he is abandoning his long-shot bid for the presidency, a person close to Tancredo said Wednesday." Tancredo "has consistently polled at the back of the nine-person GOP field."
The AP reports this former that former Georgia Congresswoman Rep. Cynthia McKinney, "who was ousted from office last year after a headline-grabbing scuffle with a Capitol Hill police officer, has decided to seek the presidency -- as a Green Party candidate." In "a video posted on the Internet on Tuesday, McKinney criticized the ongoing war effort in Iraq and complained about Democrats and Republicans, saying both parties are beholden to corrupt corporate interests. She called the Green Party 'my new political home.'"
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The late night shows continue to be in reruns due to the ongoing writers' strike.
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