Posted on Virginia Politics at 7:36 PM ET, 05/29/2009
An Ad Scorecard, Part II
We told you a bit earlier how much the Democrats are spending on TV ads in the hotly-contested three-way gubernatorial primary. So where does Bob McDonnell fit in? McDonnell, who will officially accept the Republican nomination tomorrow, is outspending all of the Democrats -- even though the general election hasn't even started yet. And he is about spend a lot ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on 44 at 6:49 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Obama Expands Lobbying Ban
By Philip Rucker The White House announced this afternoon it is bolstering its restriction on lobbying for stimulus funds by expanding the ban on communications with administration officials to include not only federally registered lobbyists but also consultants and other individuals who seek to exert influence over the spending process. The changes would ban oral communications between the administration and ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Capitol Briefing at 6:22 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Okla. Congressman Sullivan Enters Betty Ford Clinic
From staff and wire reports Rep. John Sullivan (R-Okla.) said that he has entered the Betty Ford Center in California to receive treatment for his addiction to alcohol, the Tulsa World reported today. Sullivan released a statement saying that he had checked himself in to the treatment center Thursday night. In the brief statement, he says he would take a ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on 44 at 5:45 PM ET, 05/29/2009
White House: Sotomayor's Latina Comment Was Poor Choice of Words
Updated 6:48 p.m. By Garance Franke-Ruta President Obama sought today to defuse some of the tension surrounding Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's much-discussed 2001 remark that a Latina judge might arrive at a better decision than a white male one, saying in an interview, "I'm sure she would have restated it." "But if you look in the entire sweep of ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on D.C. Wire at 4:40 PM ET, 05/29/2009
'New Beginnings' for Youthful Offenders
D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty and several city officials today officially opened the New Beginnings Youth Detention Center, a $44 million facility that replaced Oak Hill, the city's crumbling, overcrowded facility that had been plagued with problems for more than four decades. "It is a little bit of an emotional day for all of us," said Vincent N. Schiraldi, director of ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Virginia Politics at 4:10 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Republicans Gather In Richmond
More than 10,000 party activists from around Virginia are traveling to Richmond for a two-day state convention that kicks off this afternoon at the Coliseum. Mitt Romney, who's considering another run for president in 2012, will be the headliner at the sold-out Commonwealth Gala -- one of the party's biggest fundraisers. Last year, then-Vice President Dick Cheney spokes to a ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on 44 at 3:35 PM ET, 05/29/2009
President Obama, Burger Guy
(Brendan Smialowski/Getty Images)) By Amy Argetsinger Just another lunch break at the White House: President Obama today zipped down to the Five Guys burger joint near Nationals Park -- just him, a couple aides, a motorcade's worth of security, the traveling press pool, Brian Williams, and the NBC camera crew that just happened to be trailing him today for ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on The Fix at 3:30 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Fix Pick: Gerson's Sage Advice on Sotomayor
Judge Sonia Sotomayor is President Obama's pick to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Court. AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais As Senate Republicans seek to rein in the conservative commentariat regarding the nomination of Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court, they would do well to distribute far and wide Mike Gerson's piece on the subject in today's Washington Post. Gerson, ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Virginia Politics at 2:46 PM ET, 05/29/2009
An Ad Scorecard
So how dramatically is Brian Moran now being outspent on television ads by both Creigh Deeds and Terry McAuliffe? As of May 27, Moran had aired a mere $43,000 worth of spots in Norfolk and Richmond. Meanwhile, McAuliffe had spent $900,000, in every Virginia market except the D.C. suburbs and Deeds had spent almost $400,000. Those figures come from Evan ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Capitol Briefing at 2:19 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Sessions Suggests Confirmation Timeline Unrealistic
By Paul Kane The top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee today pushed back against President Obama's call for a quick confirmation process that would be concluded by early August, warning that he did not think the committee would be in position to hold hearings until then. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), in his first day back in Washington since the ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Virginia Politics at 2:15 PM ET, 05/29/2009
New McAuliffe Ad Features Clinton
After picking up the endorsement of Virginia's largest black newspaper yesterday and the civil rights group the Crusade for Voters last week, Terry McAuliffe today is pressing his advantage in the African American community with a radio ad in Richmond and Norfolk noting the endorsements and featuring President Bill Clinton saying McAuliffe is "made for this moment in history." McAuliffe ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Virginia Politics at 2:03 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Excerpts: Creigh Deeds Takes Post Readers' Questions
Governor's race Democratic candidate Creigh Deeds stopped by washingtonpost.com today to answer some readers' questions and discuss his campaigns and policies. Excerpts are below. His opponents, Terry McAuliffe and Brian Moran, also have done washingtonpost.com discussions -- read McAuliffe's here or Moran's here. Excerpts: Roanoke, Va.: Mr. Deeds, how do you plan to pay for the estimated $1 billion per ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Capitol Briefing at 1:51 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Rep. Visclosky Subpoenaed in PMA Probe
By Ben Pershing A federal grand jury has issued subpoenas to Rep. Peter Visclosky (D-Ind.) and members of his staff as part of an ongoing inverstigation into a controversial, now-defunct lobbying firm, according to the lawmaker's office. "Federal law enforcement officials have issued grand jury subpoenas to my congressional office, campaign committees, and certain employees to request documents relating to ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on The Fix at 1:02 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Friday Governors Line: A Waiting Game
Lincoln Chafee (R-R.I.), Meg Whitman (R-Ca.), Terry McAuliffe (D-Va.), Neil Abercrombie (D-Hawaii) and Sam Brownback (R-Kans.) Although there are 37 39 governorships up between now and next November, there are several major storylines yet to play out, developments that will be critical to which party is better positioned to make gains at the state level in 2010. The announcement ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on 44 at 12:33 PM ET, 05/29/2009
Court Watch: The Princeton Years, PRLDEF, and Questions About Temperament
By Garance Franke-Ruta Today in court news, we learn about Judge Sonia Sotomayor's time at Princeton University and how that university influenced her understanding of difference and identity in America, as well as her civil rights work with the Puerto Rican Legal Defense and Education Fund. We also hear more questions about her temperament, and her thinking on abortion rights. ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Virginia Politics at 10:52 AM ET, 05/29/2009
Deeds Takes Reader Questions Today
Democratic governor candidate Creigh Deeds will be coming online at washingtonpost.com today to take readers questions about the campaign and what he intends to do if sent to Richmond. State Sen. Deeds will answer questions starting at noon ET today; submit questions for him here. ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on Virginia Politics at 10:00 AM ET, 05/29/2009
National GOP Targets Va Congressmen
The mid-term elections aren't until 2010, but that hasn't stopped national Republicans from starting to try to reclaim a pair of U.S. House seats that they lost last November. The National Republican Congressional Committee began broadcasting radio ads today targeting U.S. Reps. Glenn Nye in Hampton Roads and Tom Perriello in the southern part of the state. The ad, Accountability ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on 44 at 8:10 AM ET, 05/29/2009
In Supreme Court Fight, Code Words Abound
By Ben Pershing Supreme Court campaigns are unlike most others in politics, in that nominees usually make a point of not saying what they really believe, and are applauded for it. So one day after pro-abortion rights groups made it clear they had "concerns" about Sonia Sotomayor's views, the White House moved to reassure them -- sort of -- that ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on 44 at 6:57 AM ET, 05/29/2009
POTUS Events: Cyber Security
(Getty Images/Jim Watson) President Obama begins his morning in daily briefing meetings, joined by Vice President Biden. At 10:55 a.m. ET the president will make remarks from the East Room in the White House about establishing a cyber security infrastructure. Afterwards, Obama will meet with his National Economic Council in the Oval Office. Later in the afternoon, at 2:30 ...
Continue reading this post »
Posted on The Fix at 5:37 AM ET, 05/29/2009
White House Cheat Sheet: An Eye on the Economic Home Front
President Obama heads abroad next week but keeps an eye firmly on the economy even while he's gone. AP Photo/Alex Brandon President Obama will spend most of the next week traveling abroad -- stops in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Germany are all on the schedule -- but his administration is making sure voters know they are keeping their eye ...
Continue reading this post »
