Possible Hillary Clinton Senate re-election challenger Ed Cox also appeared on Inside Politics yesterday. Here’s what he had to say about Clinton’s campaign strategy:

I can see her focusing on reelection. She wants to have a cheap and easy win so she can go on and run for the presidency. You know, she has not produced results for New York.

Bill Frist took to the Senate floor today to criticize drug manufacturers. Frist called on the pharmaceutical industry to “curtail” its use of advertisements for prescription drugs.

During his speech on the Senate floor, Frist said:

Drug advertisements are fuel to America's skyrocketing prescription-drug costs. They create an artificial demand. And they drive up our nation's overall health care costs.

CNN’s Inside Politics yesterday had a good line-up of 2008 players. They started with Virginia Senator George Allen and asked him about his speculated tension with Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist. CNN even had their title bar for the segment read, “Allen vs. Frist?” Allen attempted to drop the rumors:

I think you've mischaracterized my advocacy of John Bolton. I'm on the Foreign Relations Committee and I think John Bolton's the right man to be representing the United States and the $2 billion we send every year to the United Nations. They're in dire need of reform. When we finally got him out of committee, I wish we would have voted on him right away and I'm not critical of the leader, he voted right on it. And so, I think people like to, you know, create controversy where there is none. But I'd sure like to see the Democrats stop filibustering on John Bolton and get off their cushy seats and vote yes or vote no, because the American people, I think, want a watchdog, not a lap dog in the United Nations.

I'm worried about re-election next year. My father's a football coach who said “the future is now,” so I'm focused on my job at hand and I've been encouraged by many people I respect to seek such office, but right now, I'm focused on re-election in 2006 and advocating good common sense Jeffersonian conservative principles and making sure this country's more competitive for investment and jobs.

Before I forget, here is the survey data on that Gallup poll on President Bush and Iraq I posted earlier. Gallup polled 883 adults with a four percent margin of error. However, the poll included 38 percent Democrats, 31 percent Independents and only 29 percent Republicans.

Breaking down the numbers, 98 percent of respondents ID as GOP, Dem or Ind. That breaks down to roughly 256 GOP, 336 Dem and 274 Ind.

On average, it can be assumed Republicans would give the president an approval average well above 50 percent, while Democrats would rate well below 50. Independents would fall somewhere close to 50.

If the survey were properly weighted by either reducing the number of Democrat and Independent participants or by raising the number of Republicans, it’s safe to assume Bush’s approval rating would fall somewhere slightly above 50 percent.

And that is to say nothing of how the Iraq numbers would shift, where all recent polls show around 75 percent of Republicans supporting the effort.

Yesterday, I posted the Associated Press report that Senators Bill Frist and Rick Santorum were considering supporting a bill that would give additional funding towards an alternative form of embryonic stem cell research.

Unfortunately, the AP report was quite vague about this “alternative,” so I placed calls to both Senators. Both offices told me they did not have the information on hand but would find the material, which they acknowledges possessing, and forward it to me.

Senator Frist’s office never got back to me. But late yesterday I received a call back from Senator Santorum’s office. I don’t know if the irony was intended, but they suggested I get in touch with Bill Frist’s people. Unfortunately, I was told, “they” are holding the information “very tightly” for now.

That lack of information raises a number of questions. Most prominently in my mind asks if this alternative form of research has all the supposed benefits of embryonic stem cell research without destroying embryos, then wouldn’t it be something worth talking about? Isn’t it something both Senators would want to bring attention to?

The Boston Globe is even catching the attention of liberal reporters these days with their relentless hammering of Mitt Romney on just about every conceivable topic. We had multiple days of coverage concerning the abortion views of Romney’s mother in 1970, to cite one example. Though in all fairness, the Globe never passed an opportunity to take John Kerry down a peg during his campaign either.

Today, the Globe notes Romney has “raised presidential alarm bells again” by:

Vetoing nearly $1 million for teen pregnancy prevention and cutting another $175,000 that would pay for programs designed to protect gay and lesbian youth, part of $110 million he sliced from the Legislature's $23.9 billion budget plan for fiscal 2006.

For his part, Romney says the move was “fiscal prudence” not targeting any particular groups. The state will still spend $1 million on teen pregnancy programs and $250,000 on gay and lesbian youth programs.

Joe Biden tells the Boston Globe Congress needs to be more aggressive on Iraq, “We have been irresponsible. There have been virtually no oversight hearings about what is going on in Iraq.

Biden proposes monthly “oversight hearings to hold the administration responsible for concrete progress toward clearly outlined goals.”

He proposes monthly oversight hearings to hold the administration responsible for concrete progress toward clearly outlined goals.

It goes without saying – but will be said anyway – head over to Bench Memos for all the latest on Sandra Day O’Conner’s retirement announcement.

Hillary Clinton says of her vote against free trade last night, “My vote to oppose CAFTA is one taken with great difficulty.”

Clinton chose to not publicly reveal her position on CAFTA until it was time to vote. Much like on issues such as John Bolton, judicial filibusters and Social Security, Clinton is balancing her own liberal leanings against her designed public persona of moderation.

Remember, John Kerry also generally used to be for free trade until he ran for president.

Had to look around a bit before finding the roll call vote on last night’s CAFTA approval.

On the Republican side, Bill Frist, John McCain, George Allen, Chuck Hagel and Rick Santorum all voted in favor of the bill.

The 2008 Democrats – Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Kerry, Evan Bayh and Russ Feingold – all voted against.

ABC News reports RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman, DNC Chairman Howard Dean and former President Bill Clinton will all be in Little Rock, Arkansas today.

They are all attending the 76th Annual League of United Latin American Citizens National Convention. At 3pm Mehlman speaks on Social Security, taxes and outreach efforts with Latinos.

In a fundraising email sent to Democrats yesterday, Ted Kennedy says Howard Dean is “showing us the way.” And it only gets better:

Under Howard Dean's leadership, Democrats are fighting back. Our party is energized, and ready to fight for our values on every major issue. I can't overstate what an effect it has here in Washington knowing that, all across the country, Democrats are standing with us …


Howard Dean is showing us the way with his comprehensive plan to get there. Your support right now will make us stronger in every region of the country. You'll help us compete with Republicans in every race, at every level.

A new Gallup poll says President Bush’s approval number rose one point to 46 percent after his speech on Iraq. And the number who think going into Iraq was “worth going to war” rose four points to 46 as well.

Most voters polled think going to war made the U.S. safer, but also do not think Bush has a “clear plan” for handling the situation. Finally, nearly 60 percent of those polled think the U.S. is making progress in Iraq.

The Hotline (subscription required) reports Evan Bayh will headline a New Hampshire state Senate Democrat Caucus fundraiser on July 10th in Corcord.

Mark Warner says that if not for wearing a helmet, he might not have survived the bike crash this week that broke his right hand.

While visiting Ohio yesterday, John Edwards made reference to a state controversy involving a $50 investment in rare coins with Republican fundraiser Tom Noe by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. The group has reportedly lost up to $13 million in assets through the deal. Edwards told a crowd of supporters, "It looks like the people of Ohio have been taken advantage of in order to help a buddy and it's been very costly for the state.”

However, Ohio GOP spokesman Jason Mauk says Edwards failed to note he has accepted $12,000 in contributions over the past year from state Democrat Mark Lay, who lost $215 million in Ohio employer investments through an offshore hedge fund.

After much looming doom and gloom indicating otherwise, CAFTA passed the Senate last night on a 54-45 vote. But it still much pass the House, where again, cloudy forecasts dominate. However, the House Ways and Mean Committee did endorse the plan yesterday, 25-16.

The coverage of Hillary’s Clinton fundraiser last night questioned if Virginia Democrats Governor Mark Warner and Lieutenant Governor Tim Kaine avoided appearing publicly with Clinton.

However, Republican Party of Virginia Chairman Kate Obenshain Griffin tells The Buzz if may have been Clinton who was avoiding her Democrat counterparts with a recent record of raising taxes:

This is a concerted effort by Hillary Clinton and her advisers to distance themselves from Mark Warner and Tim Kaine. As Hillary Clinton tries in vain to moderate her record there is no way she can be seen with Virginia’s most prominent, high tax liberals.

The Free Enterprise Fund has sent the Buzz advanced word of their new television advertising campaign. Their new national ad will criticize Austin, Texas District Attorney Ronnie Earle, who is leading a criminal investigation into groups affiliated with Tom DeLay. The FEF ad reveals that Earle is using his newfound celebrity to help raise close to $100,000 for candidates in state legislative races.

FEF Chairman Mallory Factor said:

“The opponents of free enterprise want to change the debate, to change the subject back to partisan-led, trumped up attacks on congressional leaders such as House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas, and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.”

John Kerry sent out a fundraising letter of his own to supporters asking for contributions to two Senate Democrat incumbents and one challenger. The incumbents are Robert Byrd and North Dakota’s Kent Conrad. The challenger is Bob Casey Jr., who has been leading most polls against Rick Santorum.

Kerry says in the email:

We have less than 12 hours to act. The critical June 30th fundraising deadline arrives at midnight tonight. We need to act today to stop the Republicans who control Washington from trying to completely take over the Senate and shut out those who fight for you every day. I'm urging you to act by rushing an immediate donation to one or more of three vitally important Senate campaigns.

The Hotline (subscription required) reports Wesley Clark has sent a fundraising letter through his WesPAC to supporters seeking contributions for candidates in 2006. Clark says WesPAC’s grassroots effort will be a “force to be reckoned with in the 2006 elections.” Clark says the group’s effort is to “give us the means to get our message out” to Democrats, Republicans and Independent voters “all across America.”

The Hartford Courant reports on Mitt Romney’s visit to Maine’s largest state Republican fundraiser where he received the “Prescott Bush” annual award. Some pro-choice Republicans in attendance were upset over Romney’s appearance because of his shift to a more pro-life position. However, Romney never mentioned abortion during his 30 minutes speech and it was not brought up by those in attendance.

Republican Majority for Choice co-chair Jennifer Stockman, who had earlier criticized Romney's evolving views, said, “Tonight was not the appropriate moment.”

Officials also disputed a claim that George Allen was invited than uninvited to the event.

Kansas Republican Sam Brownback appeared on CNN’s “Inside Politics” yesterday. Brownback was asked how his exploration of a possible 2008 presidential run is shaping up:

It's quite good. It's a long ways out. And many things will happen between now and then. But a lot of people are very interested in the topics that I'm putting forward, that we need to renew the American culture and support the American family, that we have to have a robust foreign policy. Those are things that really strike at the chord of what most people want to see develop, and grow, and improve in this nation.

The Republican Party of Virginia has a website detailing the “Promises Made…Promises Broken” of Governor Mark Warner.

USA Today looks at the differences between Rick Santorum and Arlen specter over stem cell research. Though they have a “rock solid” relationship, both have begun to air their differences publicly over the issue.

George Pataki was in attendance for the dedication of the new Freedom Tower, to be built on site where the World Trade Center once stood. Pataki said he prefers the new building’s design.

I really think this is a better design. I'm not an architectural critic, I'm just a citizen, but I like it better.

Pataki added he is so confident in the building’s design he would allow his own children to work there:

If one of those giant corporations . . . occupies the top floors and wants to hire one of my kids, I'd be honored to have them working there and be confident in their safety.

Yesterday, I told you Hillary Clinton would be in Alexandria to attend a fundraiser that on the surface was for her Senate re-election campaign. The Buzz also reported that leading state Democrats, including Governor Mark Warner, would not be attendance. As the Washington Post writes it today:

Clinton's decision to raise money in Warner's home town put Virginia Democrats in an awkward spot. Some are wowed by Clinton. But many of the same Democrats have privately pledged to support Warner if he decides to make a run for the nomination.

The Washington Post reports Tom DeLay has a new press secretary. Kevin “Maddog” Madden will take over for Dan Allen, who recently left to work in the private sector. Madden’s resume includes work as President Bush’s campaign press secretary for the Northeast and Ohio and serving as Press Secretary for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

Reader Rocky writes in on my article over at NRO today:

I recently moved from Nebraska to Washington State. During my stay in Nebraska, I was always intrigued by speculation that Senator Ben Nelson would switch parties and become a Republican. If that happened, Nebraska would have had one Republican senator.

ABC News reports DNC Chair Howard Dean will be in New Orleans today for a grassroots fundraiser titled the “Essence of the Democratic Party.”

The Wall Street Journal also points out past foreign policy predictions by Joe Biden. Biden previously said there would be “absolute chaos” following the handover of power to Iraqis and said Iraqi elections were “going to be ugly” with chances for success “receding rapidly.”

The WSJ notes:

We stress Mr. Biden's views because he strikes us as one Democrat who understands the stakes in Iraq and seems genuinely interested in a good outcome. The thinness of even his policy alternatives suggests that Democrats really don't have any better ideas than the two-pronged Bush strategy of 1) supporting a new, inclusive democratic Iraqi government and 2) training and deploying Iraqi security forces as rapidly as possible. As for the sincerity of Mr. Biden's colleagues, we are less sure.

In an editorial on the Democrats’ alternative to President Bush’s Iraqi policy, the Wall Street Journal says of likely 2008 presidential candidate Wesley Clark:

Former General Wesley Clark -- a man who should have something valuable to say on the subject of waging modern war (he wrote a book with that title) -- lamented that Iraq has become a recruiting and training ground for terrorists, as if Abu Musab al-Zarqawi only entered his current profession in April 2003. And as if jihadists aren't also still hitting us in Afghanistan, which is a campaign General Clark says he supports.


By the logic of Mr. Clark's critique, the U.S. should withdraw from Iraq immediately because the terrorists will then leave us alone. But when Fox's Brit Hume pursued the question, Mr. Clark backed away. As for helpful policy alternatives, we didn't hear any.

In an editorial today, the Washington Post says:

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was correct when she started off the administration's contribution to the U.N. reform debate by declaring that the burning question of who should join an expanded Security Council must not overwhelm other issues, among them, in her words, “management reform, secretariat reform, peace-building, issues about nonproliferation, issues about how we build a democracy fund.”… Merely adding two or even four new members to an unreformed institution hardly seems worth the effort. Far better to concentrate, as Ms. Rice said, on other kinds of reforms.

I have a new article up on the main site today. Today’s piece looks at the new advertisement from MoveOn.org calling for a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq. The ad starts none other than Republican Senator and 2008 presidential hopeful Chuck Hagel.

The Associated Press reports Bill Frist, Rick Santorum and other Republican senators are considering a bill that would fund research for embryonic stem cell research that does not destroy the embryos it pulls cells from. Reportedly President Bush has expressed “enthusiasm” for such a compromise that would allow greater research potential without violating pro-life principles.

While campaigning for an increase of the nation’s minimum wage, John Edwards told the Lansing State Journal in Michigan that President Bush “has made an absolute mess in Iraq.” Edwards added:

He continues to say that he would have done exactly the same thing had he known what we know today. It just violates all common sense. Basically what he's saying is that we would have done exactly the same thing had we known Saddam Hussein had no weapons of mass destruction.

Republican Ed Cox, who is planning to challenge Hillary Clinton’s Senate re-election bid says she is too busy planning a presidential run to address the concerns of New Yorkers. Cox told reporters:

We need a senator from New York, for New York, who's in the majority in Washington, who can deliver for New York State. She parachuted into New York solely for the reason of running for the Senate. How can she focus on the problems in New York when she's thinking of running for the presidency? She's more concerned about the polls in Iowa and New Hampshire than the priorities of the people of New York.

Alan Mollohan, the top Democrat on the House ethics committee, says “an agreement in principle” on staffing issues has been reached that will allow the committee to move forward with its stalled investigations, including that of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay.

Roll Call (subscription required) writes the relationship between Bill Frist and George Allen may be “fraying” over disagreements between the two likely 2008 presidential candidates. Allen has publicly split with Frist on how to best secure the nomination of John Bolton and ending judicial filibusters. As I have previously reported, in both cases Allen called for faster action. Frist and Allen’s staff also reportedly disagreed over Allen’s proposal having the Senate publicly apologize for previously failing to pass anti-lynching legislation.

Critics of Allen say the move is designed to hurt Frist while bringing attention to Allen’s profile. However, a source close to Allen disagrees, “Allen would be doing this whether he was talked about for president or not. It fits into his persona. He is very frustrated by process.”

The Army has surpassed its recruitment goals for June. The Army has already signed up 6,150 recruits this month, passing the goal of 5,650 by about 9 percent, according to the Washington Post. The Army Reserve has already surpassed its June recruitment goals as well.

Mike Allen at the Washington Post reports House Republican leaders yesterday “promised” to hold a vote on Social Security personal accounts this year, possibly as early as this summer. The House also announced it will no longer wait for the Senate to take the lead on reform. House Majority Whip Roy Blunt said:

I've been pretty hesitant about us going too far, too fast without the Senate and without any help from Democrats. This is not too far, too fast, but it's still a significant step in the right direction.

The Drudge Report says Hillary Clinton leads the field of prospective candidates for 2008, according to the sports gambling website SportsInteraction.com.

I did some searching around the site and found areas where you can place bets on both the Democrat and Republican candidates.

They are also running odds on a Hillary Clinton/Condoleezza Rice match-up.

According to Drudge, Rudy Giuliani leads the possible Republican candidates in betting.

In a fundraising letter to supporters, MoveOn.org writes of President Bush’s speech last night on Iraq:

Last night, President Bush tried to rescue his failed Iraq policy in a nationally televised address by connecting the Iraq war to the war on terror. He is trying to change the subject from Iraq to terrorism and September 11—implying that Iraq attacked us in 2001.

The ad, titled "Hagel," draws a sharp contrast between President Bush's claim that we're making progress in Iraq and the words of Republican Senator Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, who said, "The White House is completely disconnected from reality... It's like they're just making it up as they go along." Then, the ad calls for an exit strategy, saying, "It's time to come home. We went in the wrong way, let's come home the right way." An exit strategy with a timeline is supported by nearly 84% of MoveOn members according to the recent vote.

CNN reports Hillary Clinton will be in Virginia this week conducting fundraisers and to “build ties in the south, and in the center.” However, Democrat Governor Mark Warner and Democrat gubernatorial candidate Tim Kaine will not appear with Clinton at her events.

Usually it's Howard Dean that Democrat state officials avoid publicly appearing with these days.

Democrat Wisconsin Senator Russ Feingold appeared on CNN’s Inside Politics yesterday. During the interview, Feingold was asked if he will run for president in 2008 and said:

What we need from George Bush is candor and clarity. Whether somebody's going to run for office in a few years doesn't compare to the tragedy of American men and women dying in Iraq right now, who are doing a brilliant job. They deserve, and their families deserve, our attention right now, not some gamesmanship about elections in the future. I'm focused on this situation. Our number-one priority in this country is fighting the war against terrorism. I don't think this Iraq invasion fit that. But we're there now, and we have to figure a way out. And that's what we should all be focused on, not political games.

Radar magazine’s online “Fresh Intelligence” writes that Rudy Giuliani may be Karl Rove’s pick for vice president in 2008.

Radar says Giuliani has been “talk-show cheerleading” for President Bush after a recent push from Rove and the White House. According to Radar’s source, Giuliani has been working with Rove to build a presidential platform against Hillary Clinton: “There’s been talk on Capitol Hill for months about Rove’s ‘secret meetings’ in New York with Giuliani. [Rudy] is not appearing on ‘Hardball’ and ‘Larry King Live’ for his health.”

Though Giuliani is “likely too moderate to ever win the GOP’s blessing,” but they have “taken to viewing him as a ‘secret weapon’ – the kind of middle-of-the-road” Republican who would be an attractive counterpart to a more conservative, “fire-breather” candidate.

George Allen will make his second visit this year to the 2008 primary state of South Carolina. During the July 8-9 weekend swing, Allen will hold a fundraiser and meet with state GOP officials.

The Boston Globe reports that Mitt Romney and his wife Ann met with the White House office of Faith Based Initiatives yesterday. Ann Romney will take over a post coordinating efforts for Massachusetts. The post is unpaid.

Massachusetts Democrat House member Michael Capuano said, “It is not a coincidence. If I were running for president out of Massachusetts, maybe I would want to raise my personal religious profile.”

The Hill’s Alexander Bolton writes about Joe Biden’s new political action committee today. Biden will use his “Unite Our States” PAC to raise money and travel the country to red states in an effort to demonstrate his “electability.”

However, the gem of Bolton’s piece comes in a quote from former Democratic National Committee Chair David Wilhelm:

We're probably one terrorist act away from the Democrats' really focusing on a candidate who has unquestioned credentials on national security and terrorism. Senator Biden brings that to the table. He is the go-to person in the Democratic Party on those issues.

To little surprise, Aaron Brown over at CNN’s News Night was doing his best to pan President Bush’s speech and the war effort. Brown brought in Lindsey Graham, likely hoping for some “maverick” contrarian commentary. However, Graham made an exceptionally insightful point about progress made in Iraq so far:

It took us, Aaron, years to write our constitution. What are we asking of the Iraqi people, to create a legal system out of nothing, to bridge a 1400-year-old religious dispute, to bring a police force and an army online, loyal to the people, not loyal to the dictator.


We're asking a lot and I do think patience is required of us all and that's what the president is asking for, some patience. And I join in that request. We have made mistakes but the biggest mistake we could make now is to leave this country in shambles and not stick it out.

For all the setbacks in Iraq, both real and perceived, what the Iraqi people and U.S. forces are accomplishing in that region is historic and unprecedented. Even when T.E. Lawrence helped unite the Arab tribes and end 500 years of Ottoman dominance in the region, the prospects for freedom in the Middle East have never looked so good.

Here is Democrat Senator Evan Bayh’s reaction to President Bush’s speech, also from Larry King Live:

He did a good job of saying things that the American people already agree on; all of us Democrats and Republicans. We all want to be successful in Iraq. We all support the troops. We all want to be successful in the War on Terror.


What the president didn't do as well at was to lay out a clear plan with benchmarks for progress that will end in success and I think that's what the American people were looking for and that's essential that we do that to maintain the moral that will be necessary to stay in the course here. And in a word, we need accountability for progress and I think he could've done much better about that tonight.

John McCain also appeared on the Bob Costas edition of Larry King last night. McCain was asked to respond to fellow Republican and Vietnam Veteran Chuck Hagel’s assessment that we are losing in Iraq and that the situation could become another Vietnam:

I completely disagree. There are signs of progress. Yes, it's tough, and it's hard, and we've made mistakes and we paid a heavy price for those mistakes. Unfortunately, in wars, serious mistakes are made … And there is a legitimacy to the Iraqi government that, frankly, the government of South Vietnam never had.

Not only is McCain saying all the right things on Iraq, anyone watching can sense he actually cares strongly about this subject and believes every word he is saying. That's more than you can say about most Iraq pundits. And I'm sure it doesn't hurt that he gets to zing a probable 2008 rival in the process.

John Kerry appeared on CNN’s Larry King Live last night and was asked by guest host Bob Costas if the president’s speech was successful:

Not quite, no. I think the president had an opportunity tonight to really speak more of the truth of what has happened in Iraq and where we need to go.

So, after letting Kerry riff for a few moments on Bush’s speech last night, Costas then asked the junior Senator from Massachusetts what he would have accomplished by now in Iraq if he were president. Kerry’s response is priceless:

Well, I laid out -- you know, I don't want to get in -- I mean, I think that's not quite the way to go at it.

John McCain also appeared on Hannity and Colmes last night. Right out of the gates, McCain was asked if President Bush’s speech did enough to affect sliding public opinion polls. McCain answered:

I believe he did. I think he laid out the situation and the challenge in stark terms and straight talk. And I think that by saying that this is going to be a long, hard struggle, but also pointing out the benefits of success in a cataclysmic events that would follow a failure if we had to leave, I think he did a very excellent job.

If Saddam Hussein were left in power, weapons of mass destruction or no, he would be now, if he were in power, trying to acquire those weapons and use them. Eventually the sanctions were eroding.


But yes, mistakes have been made. Yes, we haven't achieved the degree of success that we wanted to. But we are making progress. We must win. And we can't fail. And democracy in Iraq does have an enormously beneficial effect throughout the region.

Newt Gingrich appeared on Fox News Channel’s Hannity and Colmes last night after President Bush’s speech. Here’s Newt’s reaction:

He gave the American people, I think, a sense of purpose, a sense of order. He mentioned that over 140,000 Iraqis are now serving in various security forces, including the police and the army. And I think people can sense from this speech a calm, steady, purposefulness that's very, very important.


And I think that it's -- the key question for critics is simple. What would you do? You have terrorists there who want to kill us. You have representatives of the old dictatorship who want to kill us. Do you really think America would be better off if we cut-and-run, if we showed to the world that we were afraid and we had no courage?

And here is how the Democratic leaders in Congress responded. First, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi:

The President's frequent references to the terrorist attacks of September 11 show the weakness of his arguments. He is willing to exploit the sacred ground of 9/11, knowing that there is no connection between 9/11 and the war in Iraq.

The President's numerous references to September 11th did not provide a way forward in Iraq, they only served to remind the American people that our most dangerous enemy, namely Osama bin Laden, is still on the loose and Al Qaeda remains capable of doing this nation great harm nearly four years after it attacked America.

Here is Bill Frist’s reaction to President Bush's speech:

As President Bush noted in his remarks this evening, the recent terrorist activities have challenged coalition and Iraqi troops, the Iraqi people, and our country as a whole. However, despite their senseless violence and callous acts of terror, the enemy has made a fatal mistake in misjudging America's resolve.

Chuck Hagel tells the Lincoln Star Journal, “I have had differences with the administration over the planning and execution of our post-war policy in Iraq. However, we all are working toward finding a way to succeed in Iraq.”

Apparently, accusing your country’s own military of strategic failure is constructive criticism.

Here are more numbers from that CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of President Bush’s speech last night. They show improvements across the board on the public’s attitude toward the war effort.

But Buzz readers know well enough the MSM is locked in anti-Iraq mode these days. So, don’t expect these positive numbers to get significant coverage.

Bill Clinton will present Ted Turner with this year’s Democratic Leadership Council (DLC) Clinton Center Award for Leadership and National Service today in New York City.

I guess Clinton likes that beer can chicken even more than I do.

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll released after last night’s speech by President Bush shows a very positive response to his message.

74 percent had a “positive reaction” to Bush’s speech. 63 percent now feel Bush has a “clear path” for Iraq, compared to 56 percent before the speech.

Over at the Corner, Byron York reports Bill Frist has been meeting with Harry Reid to discuss specific Supreme Court candidates:

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says he has discussed specific Supreme Court candidates with Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid. "We have discussed individual names among ourselves," Frist said this morning after a speech at the Heritage Foundation in Washington. Frist declined to name any names, saying, "It is not right for me to share who we talked about." Frist was asked whether, based on his conversations with Reid, he had advised President Bush on who might or might not be confirmable in the Senate. "No," Frist said, "I think the president and the administration have reached and are reaching out to solicit names and ideas. I know that's being done." Asked specifically if that meant the White House is reaching out to Democrats, Frist said, "I would say they are reaching out to solicit names and types of people. I think...that consultative process, in a very quiet but direct way, is currently taking place."

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made a public appearance in New York to push for the city to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Rice said:

If you walk along the streets of New York you will see the faces and hear the accents of the entire world.

Reader Chip writes in to disagree with reader Sue earlier in regards to Hillary Clinton’s experience:

Eric: I respectfully submit that Reader Sue is out-to-lunch on Hillary’s lack of experience as a disqualifying factor. Let’s take a look at a fairly successful Republican presidents:


(a) Ronald Reagan, years as MGM contract star and GE spokesman, two terms as California governor before becoming President (Indeed he considered his first run for the Republican nomination when he’d only served two years in Sacramento);


(b) George W. Bush, years floundering, owner of baseball franchise, son of President, six years as Texas governor before becoming President.


In addition, some of worst presidents of recent decades have been among the most experienced. E.g. Lyndon Baines Johnson and Richard Milhouse Nixon. Even George H. W. Bush with his wealth of experience was somewhat disappointing as president. Only Jimmy Carter really proves her point with regard to lack of experience.

The Hill’s Geoff Earle writes Arkansas Republican Governor Mike Huckabee’s weight-loss and subsequent self-help book continue to fuel speculation he will run for president in 2008:

After losing 110 pounds, Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) has reached his fighting weight, but he’s not saying whether he’s ready for a presidential bout.

I’m not thinking about it as much as other people are. I’m thinking about being governor for a year and a half.

The government “watchdog” group CREW has filed a complaint against Bill Frist over alleged improprieties involving loans made to his 1994 and 2000 Senate campaigns.

CREW alleges Frist’s campaign failed to “adequately” disclose a loan of $1.4 million dollars to his campaign in 1994. In 2000, Frist tried to recover $1.2 million of the loan, but the First 2000 campaign had invested and lost the money in the stock market and did not have the assets to return Frist’s loan.

However, what the Associated Press waits until the seventh of an eight-paragraph story to tell you is the group Bill Frist for Senate Inc. did report the loan. Frist 2000 finance director Linus Catignani said:

The FEC's had the filings for years and, to my knowledge, they've had no questions about them. I believe that we filed consistent with all FEC regulations. If they have questions, I'm delighted to sit down and talk to them.

Reader Eric writes in with a funny and poignant comment regarding John McCain’s backlash at Grover Norquist:

McCain seems to have learned a lot of details and background about Norquist in those 5 seconds he spent thinking about him.

The Hill reports Republican officials in Michigan are pressuring John McCain to support the judicial nomination of Henry Saad. Saad is almost certain to be filibustered by Democrats as he was not included in the judicial compromise deal between 14 Senators.

Those same GOP officials say McCain promised them he would keep up the fight:

“He made it very clear that this was not going to be something that he was going to give up on,” said Jim Carabelli, chairman of the Macomb County Republican Party. “That’s the way we took it as the Macomb County Republicans. We expect McCain to do what he said he would do.”

Roll Call (subscription required) drives the sass train right up to John McCain adviser Mark Salter’s front door step. Or maybe through the front door would be a more appropriate analogy. More Salter on Grover Norquist:

There's never been a shortage of blowhards and bores in this town. I'm sure Grover is comfortable in their crowded ranks, but that hardly merits the attention he craves. I assume he wants to provoke us, but it's hard to work up much interest for someone who in his continued warm embrace of Jack Abramoff is doing a more than adequate job of marginalizing himself. . . . Most Reagan revolutionaries came to Washington to do something more patriotic than rip off Indian tribes.

Reader Sue writes in regarding Hillary Clinton’s qualifications to be president:

The one thing I don't hear is the issue of Hillary's experience. 4 years in the senate and being the wife of a governor/president does not qualify her to be president. (and she'll spend minimal time in the senate due to presidential campaigning in the 2 years before the campaign.)


Regardless of her polls on if she's qualified, she’s not. Republicans need to capitalize on this critical point. Why aren't they?

Speaking at last Friday’s College Republican convention, Americans for Tax Reform head Grover Norquist referred to Senator John McCain as “the nut job from Arizona.”

When asked by reporters about his comment, Norquist said he “misspoke”: "I meant to say gun-grabbing, tax-increasing Bolshevik."

McCain adviser Mark Salter responded by saying:

John McCain hasn't spent five seconds in his entire life thinking about Grover Norquist. He's not going to start now.

The Des Moines Register reports Iowa Governor Tom Vilsack will replace Evan Bayh as head of the Democratic Leadership Council next month. It’s also a post formerly held by Bill Clinton. The DLC is a collective of moderate Democrat officials who helped push Clinton to the front of the Democrat pack in 1992.

Democrat Senator Evan Bayh says President Bush needs to give the nation the “unvarnished truth” in his speech on Iraq tonight. Strange he didn’t recommend lying.

Newt Gingrich held two events in Washington DC today. Earlier this morning he and House Republican Mike Pence discussed the “future of conservatism” at the American Enterprise Institute. And right now, he is speaking at the DC Primary Care Association’s 2005 Minority Health Conference.

John Edwards will be in Arizona and New Mexico today calling for an increase in the minimum wage. It’s the start of his ACORN-sponsored events on the issue.

And he was supposed to be the moderate on the 2004 Democratic ticket? Makes about as much sense as describing Tom Petty as the "good looking" member of the Heartbreakers.

ABC News reports Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will give a speech at the Heritage Foundation explaining his philosophy regarding judicial nominations. Frist’s office says it is the first time he will outline his criteria for an “acceptable” Supreme Court nominee.

In prepared remarks, Frist’s criteria will ask the following questions:

What makes a good Supreme Court justice? Will the nominee be fair, independent, and unbiased? Will the nominee place the Constitution and the law above any personal political ideology? Does the nominee understand that his or her job is to interpret the law, not legislate from the bench? Is the nominee qualified and experienced in comparison to his or her peers? Is the nominee a person of demonstrated character and integrity?

Commit themselves in word and deed to repairing the judicial confirmation process. And they should do so right now & at this moment & in this Congress.

Condoleezza Rice tells Fox News Channel’s Fox and Friends show this morning that President Bush has a clear plan for victory in Iraq:

On the one hand, you have a political process that's moving forward, and on the other hand, you have a continued pretty tough insurgency with people dying every day. And so what the President has an opportunity … to go back through the steps that are being taken on the political side, to link that with the training of Iraqi security forces so that they can take more responsibility and to say to the American people, there is a strategy for success here, that does not depend on ad finitum American forces to carry this burden, and he will make that case, and I think the American people will respond.

The Washington Times reports Democrat Senators Ron Wyden and Ben Nelson have returned from a personal tour of Guantanamo Bay and found no examples of prisoner abuse. Unlike party leaders such as Nancy Pelosi and Dick Durbin, Wyden and Nelson are now against closing the facility. Wyden said:

I strongly prefer the improved practices and conditions at Camp Delta to the outsourcing of interrogation to countries with a far less significant commitment to human rights.

Hillary Clinton has sent out a fundraising letter to supporters signed by none other than Bill Clinton himself. It’s the first Hillary fundraising request attributed to Bill Clinton directly and reads in part:

June 30th at midnight - just two days away - is a critical deadline for Hillary's campaign. She has already been singled out as the Republicans' number one target for defeat next year.


You and I both know why. Her courage, her clarity, her ability to connect with people scare her opponents. When 2006 is over, they want Hillary out of the Senate.

The mid-year Federal Election Commission report is the yardstick that the political operatives and pundits use to judge what kind of shape candidates are in for the 2006 elections. Let's fill Hillary's campaign headquarters with grassroots support like no one has ever seen in the year before an election.

In a follow-up to yesterday’s story, Mitt Romney has released a campaign document he claims shows his later mother’s support for abortion rights during her failed 1970 Senate campaign. An excerpt from his mother’s campaign platform reads:

I support and recognize the need for more liberal abortion rights while reaffirming the legal and medical measures needed to protect the unborn and pregnant woman.

In his most recent email to supporters, Howard Dean proposes the creation of “Democracy Bonds” to fund the Democratic Party. At first glance, Dean’s so-called bonds sound strikingly similar to those that would be available under President Bush’s proposed Social Security reform plan. Dean asks Democrats to make a small, monthly contribution of around $25 dollars to help build the party. However, there’s a slight catch to this “bond” that says just about everything you need to know concerning Democrats and the private sector:

With a “Democracy Bond” you don't get your money back -- but you do get your country back.

The other side has its game plan to win. They will divide America by race, religion, class, sexual orientation and any other way they can if it means a political advantage -- they will even exploit the sacred memory of September 11th. They will shamelessly appeal to the worst in us -- exploiting our fears and scapegoating the most vulnerable. And while they stoke resentment among the people, special interests and ideologues will bankroll their party and set the agenda.

John Kerry writes in today’s New York Times on “The Speech the President Should Give” tonight on Iraq. Kerry writes:

The reality is that the Bush administration's choices have made Iraq into what it wasn't before the war - a breeding ground for jihadists. Today there are 16,000 to 20,000 jihadists and the number is growing. The administration has put itself - and, tragically, our troops, who pay the price every day - in a box of its own making. Getting out of this box won't be easy, but we owe it to our soldiers to make our best effort.

John Kerry is proposing an emergency spending increase for veterans health care programs. Reportedly, because of the influx of Iraq/Afghanistan veterans returning from duty and a budget miscalculation, the veteran’s health care program is expected to fall about $1 billion short in funding.

Kerry has proposed an Interior Department spending bill of $600 million, which is smaller than the $1.4 billion plan proposed by Robert Byrd. However, Veterans Affairs Secretary Jim Nicholson is expected to testify that the program can meet its budgetary needs by transferring funds from capital infrastructure spending and carry-over dollars from next year’s budget.

There is obviously considerable speculation regarding President Bush’s speech tonight on Iraq. While the president’s words are of paramount importance, it will also be telling to see and hear how other figures react.

Will Chuck Hagel again insist we are losing in Iraq? Will John McCain offer a measured response that is strongly in favor of the war effort but critical of the White House? Will other potential 2008 candidates from either party convey a message of resolve and understanding in their remarks? And, of course, what will Hillary say?

On Fox News Sunday, Bill Kristol supported Democrats against charges from Karl Rove that liberals weren’t up to the challenge of confronting terrorism after 9/11. Kristol seemed to take the side that even if certain liberal groups have not been supportive, President Bush needs to be focusing more energy on building bipartisan support for the reconstruction effort in Iraq:

Senator Clinton has supported the war in Iraq, has resisted calls, as has Senator Biden and others, for setting a timetable for withdrawal. You think at this time when it's getting a little rocky, you'd want to build some bipartisan support for the war.


Look, what Karl Rove said what outraged people when he said, "Al Jazeera is broadcasting the words of Senator Durbin, certainly putting America's men and women in uniform in greater danger. No more needs to be said about the motives of liberals.”


He is saying -- I mean, that is a very tough and I think inaccurate and -- it's just a bad statement to make.

The Hotline reports Mark Warner will be traveling to Maine this Thursday to tape another town hall meeting on education reform. Warner has been traveling to Iowa, Ohio and Arkansas with Democratic governors to discuss “Redesigning the American High School.” Though Maine is off the 2008 primary calendar, it does put him right next to New Hampshire.

That same Economist Joe Biden piece has some words on Virginia Democrat Governor Mark Warner as well. In their write-up, the Economist calls Warner the “most interesting un-Hillary.”

Warner made his successful bid in Virginia four years ago by appealing to rural conservative voters. The Economist notes one could write-off Warner’s victory as “slick marketing,” but they don’t see it that way:

He made peace with the NRA. ... He sponsored a NASCAR truck and commissioned a bluegrass jingle. He spent a lot of time pressing rural flesh. ... He appealed to rural voters without either condescending or pandering. He simply had the decency to take them seriously.

A few thoughts on the Economist and Joe Biden:

It almost goes without saying that the “too experienced” excuse is one often used to justify weak Democrat politicians. It’s in a similar vein to the regular accusation that Republican presidential candidates are not as intelligent as their Democrat counterparts.

A wealth of experience certainly has not hurt other qualified politicians including Dick Cheney or Colin Powell. If a candidate has relevant experience that resonates with voters that will almost always translate into an electoral asset. While Biden has almost literally a lifetime of experience with the Senate and in foreign affairs, it’s his qualifications and use of that experience that are still up for debate.

The Economist also recently wrote on Joe Biden’s entry into the 2008 sweepstakes. They find his foreign policy experience “is a shield against GOP attacks and a sword aimed at their heart” for Democrats in Congress. However, when it comes to pursuing a presidential campaign Biden's weaknesses include "too much" experience:

His long voting record gives Republicans plenty to get their teeth into. And his uncommon fluency may come across as senatorial slickness in much of red America.

The New Hampshire Keene Sentinel welcomes Joe Biden’s entry into the 2008 White House race by suggesting he still needs to clear up accusations of plagiarism from his failed 1988 presidential run. In ’88 Biden was accused of giving a speech that was directly lifted from a British member of parliament. The Keene Sentinel says:

A bit of advice for the senator. ... He had better come up with a clear explanation of the plagiarism incidents that drove him out of the 1988 race. ... As is often the case in politics, it was not the misdeed that was most important; plagiarism is not a capital offense. Biden might have apologized, pleaded fatigue and carried on. It was the awkward cover-up that did him in. And if he tries the same approach in the 2008 campaign that he used in the 1988 campaign, he may find himself, to borrow a phrase, without a platform upon which to stand.

Democrat Senator Evan Bayh’s “All American PAC” has a blog.

The Washington Times looks at the impact Condoleezza Rice is having on the fashion sense of Washington women. Long story short: She has taste. Most people in Washington, men and women alike, don’t.

USA Today reports Senator Rick Santorum is receiving praise from animal rights groups, including the Humane Society and PETA. Santorum has provided leadership on a number of acts designed to protect the health and safety of animals. He says the cause of animal rights should not reflexively be seen as a liberal cause:

To me, it's part of a society that's caring, sensitive to life. Obviously, the life of animals is fundamentally different than the life of a human being. But to me, we have a responsibility to God's creatures to treat them humanely, and the government's laws should reflect that.

The New York Times says some Republicans are privately urging President Bush and the White House to focus more on “governing” in his second term. One Republican to go public for the article is former House Speaker and possible 2008 candidate Newt Gingrich:

The tone has been too much of a permanent campaign. When you're the minority, you need to fight. When you're the governing majority, you need to produce.

The real question is how we do in the second half of the year. The energy bill and the highway bill offer a chance to reconnect with the broad public. It's a chance to deal with high gasoline prices at the pump. It's a chance to talk about jobs and traffic congestion.

The Baltimore Sun has a very positive profile of RNC Chair Ken Mehlman. As the headline reads, “To Republicans’ delight, the anti-Dean.”

The Boston Globe has been spending a lot of time exploring Mitt Romney’s evolving public views on abortion. Today, they interview Elly Peterson, who used to work for both of Romney’s parents.

In a 1994 debate with Ted Kennedy, Romney said he was pro-choice and had been since his mother staked out the position during her 1970 Senate campaign. However, Peterson says she never heard Mrs. Romney make such a statement:

If it happened, I'd remember it. It didn't, and I don't. The issue in 1970 was jobs, jobs, jobs, and that is what we talked about: the Michigan economy. The Romneys were great ones for talking about issues at the dinner table, though. Maybe she said it there to Mitt.

The Politics NH website looks at George Allen’s visit to New Hampshire and finds he was seemingly upstaged by columnist George Will, who apparently was there to report on Allen.

Politics NH also finds that while Allen “did receive many rounds of applause … the same crowd did appear more receptive to Gov. Mitt Romney (R-Mass.) who spoke to the group earlier in the month.”

When asked if he is running for president, Allen said, “People have been urging me to run for president.”

Like the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal (subscription required) takes an in-depth look at the political future of Bill Frist. The Journal describes Frist’s upbringing as more socially moderate than his recent political overtures imply:

Mr. Frist has surprised friends recently by coming out swinging for social conservatives on some divisive issues. For example, he led the Senate in the Palm Sunday session that gave the parents of Terri Schiavo unprecedented access to federal courts in their effort to restore a feeding tube for their brain-damaged daughter.


Mr. Frist says he was obliged to act on the Schiavo matter after the House had taken up the issue, but says he'd prefer to steer clear of such issues: “I think it's left a negative aura everywhere.”

The New Hampshire Union Leader has a good recap of Senator George Allen’s visit to the 2008 primary state. Allen met with about 250 GOP supporters and discussed influential figures ranging from John Bolton to Thomas Jefferson. Allen cited Jefferson and Ronald Reagan as the two major influences on his political philosophy and quoted from Jefferson when asked to explain that philosophy:

The sum of good government is a wise and frugal government which shall restrain them from injuring one another, but otherwise leave them free to regulate their own pursuits . . . and that government should not take from the mouth of labor the bread they have earned.

Chuck Hagel says he fears Iraq could become “another Vietnam” and that, “We're going to have to make some changes or we will lose, we will lose in Iraq.”

Bill and Hillary Clinton sat on stage during the second day of Reverend Billy Graham’s three-day visit to New York this weekend. While Hillary did not speak, Bill Clinton gave a brief testament to Graham. Graham returned the favor; expressing his fondness for the Clinton’s and suggesting Bill Clinton become an evangelist, "and leave his wife to run the country."

The Washington Post asks in their headline, “Is Frist up to task of being president?”

The Post looks at Bill Frist’s setbacks on John Bolton, judicial nominations and Terri Schiavo as evidence he may have been too “green” coming into the position of Senate Majority Leader.

Former Republican Senator Alan Simpson had praise for Frist, but noted, “The minute Frist or others felt he was running for president, then there was a diminished opportunity for getting things done.”

However, Frist’s staff points to recent legislative victories he has helped orchestrate, including bankruptcy reform and tax cuts.