Just POlitics

CBS’s Moonves implicated

DrudgeReport.com is reporting that CBS continues to have internal conflicts due to their over-zealous attempt to damage President Bush with fraudulent documents on 60 Minutes spin-off ‘CBS Wednesday’:

THE NEW YORK OBSERVER will report tomorrow: 'Former 60 Minutes Wednesday executive editor Josh Howard has told colleagues that before he resigns, the 23-year CBS News veteran will demand that the network retract remarks by CBS president Leslie Moonves, correct its official story line and ultimately clear his name'...

In the event of a lawsuit, Mr. Howard has told associates that he would like to see Moonves put under oath to talk about his own roles in the network's stubborn, hapless defense of the flawed segment on President Bush's National Guard service.

Howard has also indicated to colleagues that he would subpoena specific CBS documents, including the e-mails of top executives.

Democrats’ preemptive strike

The Washington Times reports on the Democrats preemptive strike against Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan’s testimony today in front of the House Banking Committee. Greenspan is expected to favor President Bush’s personal savings account because it helps to put the Social Security System on a more secure footing as opposed to the $26 trillion current un-funded liability of the Social Security System:

Mr. Corzine and fellow banking committee Democratic Sens. Charles E. Schumer of New York and Jack Reed of Rhode Island held a press conference yesterday to pre-empt Mr. Greenspan's remarks.

They said that Mr. Greenspan is a critic of excessive government debt and that the Social Security Commission he led in the 1980s said Congress "should not alter the fundamental structure of the Social Security program or undermine its fundamental principles."

Democrats said Mr. Bush's private-accounts plan would both undermine Social Security's fundamental structure and put the government trillions of dollar in debt " both of which Mr. Greenspan traditionally has not supported.

"We hope he will stay true to many of the things he talked about" in the past, Mr. Corzine said.

Mr. Reed said Republicans "will be looking to interpret whatever he says as an endorsement," so Democrats must counter that.

In response to lawmakers' questions, Greenspan said he approved of the idea that contributors to Social Security should be able to have private accounts to help build up their savings.

Bush’s Social Security DVD

Republican Congressmen are going home over recess with a DVD that features a message from President Bush on the Social Security issue. The President offers this greeting and more:

"I'm pleased to join you to discuss a subject of tremendous importance to you and your family -- saving and strengthening Social Security for future generations," a relaxed Bush explains in the four-minute recording. "For younger workers, the government has made promises it cannot pay for, and that means Social Security is set to go broke just when you reach retirement. . . . By the year 2042, the entire system would be bankrupt."

Democrats’ abortion dilemma

The NY Times reports on the internal struggles that are occurring in the Democrat Party over abortion:

But abortion rights advocates warn of a bigger revolt within the party if its members start compromising on new abortion restrictions like parental notification laws or the fetal-pain bill. Karen Pearl, interim president of Planned Parenthood, said some of her allies were saying that "to the degree that the Democrats move away from choice, that could be the real birth of a third-party movement."

But Ms. Pearl added, "When the day is done, I don't believe they will backslide," in part because of the importance of abortion rights advocates to the party's base of activists and contributors.

"Ohio: An American Vote"

The LA Times previews a documentary on the Ohio voter turnout in today’s Times:

The vote, 98-0, makes Michael Chertoff was confirmed as the Secretary of Homeland Security making him the ninth and final cabinet secretary to win Senate confirmation since President Bush was sworn in Jan. 20.

What Stern and Del Deo believe they captured in "Ohio: An American Vote" is the 21st century answer to "The Boys on the Bus" or "The Selling of the President," two seminal books chronicling presidential elections. "This will make people aware how scientifically these campaigns are run," Del Deo says. "It's all about marketing."

The experience also changed how the two now see politics.

"What's astonishing, and also heartbreaking, is how much people care," Stern says. "But in the caring, does democracy undermine itself? True believers, on either side of the election, believe the ends justify the means."

Stern, who calls himself a "political junkie," says making the movie taught him neither to be more optimistic nor more pessimistic about how the nation elects its leaders.

"What it did," he says, "was to make me more realistic."

Democrats: time for a new team

The Hill reports that the old stand by Democrat consultants aren’t expecting to mine as much gold as they have in the past:

Sen. Harry Reid (Nev.) and Rep. Nancy Pelosi (Calif.), the Democratic leaders of the Senate and House, plan to shake up the Democratic political consulting community and break the grip that a small number of consultants have had on strategy and contracts, party sources say.

The Democratic leaders want to bring in new people with track records of success and innovation and look beyond the Beltway for message smiths to help guide the party.

Russian arms merchants

After learning that Vladimir Putin was selling a 100,000 AK-47’s to Venezuela we now learn that Russia is selling missiles to Syria.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Tuesday he has been informed by President Vladimir Putin that Russia will go ahead with the sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria, despite Israel's misgivings.

Sharon said he was unhappy about Russia's decision. Israel fears that the missiles will reach militant groups in Lebanon.

NewsMax winning

NewsMax.com, a conservative website has been waging a strong campaign against the Law of the Sea Treaty. The Treaty born in the United Nations would levy taxes against nations. Here is part of their latest e-mail:

Our members have sent over SIXTY THOUSAND faxes to ALL 55 Republican Senators, demanding that they REJECT passage of the United Nations "Law of the Sea Treaty" (LOST) -- the OUTRAGEOUS treaty that would impose UN taxes on the American people, and would entail history's biggest and most unwarranted voluntary transfer of wealth AND surrender of sovereignty.

This ridiculous treaty is the SAME treaty that Ronald Reagan REFUSED to sign, but Bill Clinton wanted passed -- and now some Senators are trying to push it through "under the radar" before anyone even notices!

The good news is, our sources on Capitol Hill are telling us that, because the grassroots constituents -- that's YOU and ME -- are making their voices heard to their Senators, the leadership of the Senate is now beginning to say that they might not bring this UN power-grabbing treaty up for a vote.

Hillary needs help

James Carville is trying to rally support for his friend Hillary Clinton. Here is his e-mail:

Dear Friends,

There they go again - the slash and burn Republicans are after my friend Hillary Clinton!

I have just learned that Republican political consultant Arthur Finkelstein - who specializes in harsh negative attacks against Democratic candidates - is starting a new anti-Hillary political action committee to run Swift Boat type ads against her in her re-election campaign in 2006!!

The goal is to "bloody her up," said one leading New York State Republican.

Well, at least they're honest. This crowd knows they can't beat Hillary with facts. She is a terrific, hard-working, effective Senator, and the people of New York know it. The latest polls show her in the lead against any possible opponent, including Gov. George Pataki and former mayor Rudy Giuliani - with a 69% approval rating in today's New York Times! She is doing a great job in the Senate, taking the lead on issues ranging from children's health to electoral reform, with her new Count Every Vote Bill.

But Republicans know - and we all saw again last year - that millions of dollars of negative advertising, left unanswered, can have a damaging effect. That's what the Swift Boat ads did in 2004, and that's what they are going to try to do again against Hillary in 2006.

I know Hillary Clinton is a fighter. I have seen first hand how she gets out there and fights for the principles she believes in. She doesn't back down, and she doesn't run away. She is going to fight hard in this campaign just as she fights for all of us every day in the Senate.

But she needs our help. The Republican attack machine will have no trouble raising money from their special interest friends. We need to make sure Hillary has the resources she needs to fight back in her campaign - to make sure no attack goes unanswered.

Will you send in your contribution today?

Democrat pleads guilty of theft

A Democrat Senate Campaign Committee worker pleaded guilty of theft from the Democrat committee.

Roger Chiang, 33, of Silver Spring, entered the plea before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon, who set sentencing for June 2. Chiang, the DSCC's director of constituency outreach and a former Clinton administration official, faces up to 36 months in prison. Chiang stole more than $360,000 by diverting checks through the mail into another account in Indiana.

Airline security tax may be grounded

The Congress may permanently delay President Bush’s proposal to implement a tax on airline travelers to pay for part of the new security measures implemented at airports. Bush has proposed adding $3 to the existing $2.50 fee airline passengers pay for each flight. Fees would be capped at $8 for one-way tickets that involve multiple stops, and at $16 for a round-trip ticket.

Bi-Partisan anger at U.N.

Senators Norm Coleman, Republican of Minnesota, and Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan - complained that the United Nations would not permit Dileep Nair, a Singaporean who supervises the United Nations' auditing office, to testify.

Senator Coleman asked Secretary General Kofi Annan to lift diplomatic immunity from Benon V. Sevan, who ran the Oil-for-Food program.

Chertoff confirmed

The vote, 98-0, makes Michael Chertoff the Secretary of Homeland Security and the ninth and final cabinet secretary to win Senate confirmation since Mr. Bush was sworn in Jan. 20.

‘Jimmy Carter’ to be commissioned

The Navy will commission its newest nuclear-powered attack submarine Jimmy Carter on Saturday, Feb. 19, during an 11 a.m. EST ceremony at Naval Submarine Base New London, Groton, Conn.

President Carter is the only U.S. president to have qualified in submarines.

Mankiw resigns

N. Gregory Mankiw, the chairman of the president's Council of Economic Advisers, submitted his letter of resignation.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan made no comment on possible replacements. Mankiw made it known when he took the position that he planned to serve for two years and then return to Harvard. The president appreciates his service. "He has done an outstanding job," McClellan said.