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First Read: Steele's surprise
From Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Domenico Montanaro, and Ali Weinberg
FIRST THOUGHTS.
*** Steele's surprise: Last night's decision by RNC Chairman Michael Steele to run for a second term was classic Steele. Just as all the signs were pointing against him running and as other candidates had announced their intention to replace him, Steele surprised almost everyone (maybe even himself?) -- which, in retrospect, shouldn't have been a surprise. We now know two things about the election for RNC chair, which takes place next month: 1) it will be MUCH more interesting to watch, and 2) it's going to be all about Steele and his stewardship of the committee. At an RNC candidate forum a couple of weeks ago, Steele's tenure was hardly mentioned. Now? It's going to be the chief issue between now and next month's election. The other candidates in the field include Michigan committeeman Saul Anuzis, former Bush administration official Maria Cino, Wisconsin GOP chairman Reince Priebus, former RNC political director Gentry Collins, and former Missouri GOP chair Ann Wagner.
*** What becomes of the RNC? Among these other candidates -- most of whom are party operatives and not larger-than-life politicians -- who becomes the anti-Steele figure? And do the Republicans who are most critical of Steele become more vocal? Because if they don't speak up more, it's possible that Steele can win this race again. What's on the line is the RNC's relevancy. If Steele wins, it's very possible the RNC becomes as relevant to the party as Americans for Tax Reform or the Club for Growth. Yes, those organizations have a role in the party. But they don't run it. As we found out last cycle, Republicans are more than capable of establishing other entities -- like American Crossroads -- to raise money, air TV ads, and get out the vote. But relying on outside groups, if you are a presidential candidate, is truly risky business. In fact, keep an eye on the presidential wannabes. Could they collectively get together and attempt to stop Steele?
*** GOP PR machine goes in overdrive on health ruling: The other provocative political story yesterday was the ruling by a federal judge in Virginia that part of the health-care law (the individual mandate) is unconstitutional. Even though two other courts had ruled the other way, and even though the Virginia judge is a Republican appointed by George W. Bush, the GOP celebrated yesterday's ruling almost as much as they celebrated winning back the House last month. In short, the conservative PR machine was in overdrive yesterday, and this raises a question for the Obama administration: How do they respond, PR-wise? Yes, the White House and HHS worked to pre-but yesterday's ruling on the legal front. And, yes, we've read the emails and blog posts coming out of HHS about the health law. But does the administration begin to ramp up its efforts against the conservative echo chamber? Because the White House -- politically and message-wise -- still hasn't sold the health law to the American public. And yesterday was a great example of just how behind the eight ball they are. Does HHS Secretary Sebelius need to become more high profile? There's an argument, actually, that on the PR front the White House has yet to recover from losing Tom Daschle -- and that was TWO YEARS AGO.
*** Bizarro Congress World: Yesterday, we entered Bizarro Congress World. After nearly two years of legislation dying in the Senate -- or being modified to get 60 votes -- the chamber easily cleared the filibuster on the tax-cut deal by an 83-15 vote; the final Senate vote will take place as early as today. Meanwhile, the House -- which has passed legislation in the past two years as if it were an assembly line -- has had a more difficult time embracing the deal. The reason why senators have found the tax deal (and also the deficit commission's proposal) easier to swallow, and why House members haven't, hits at the essence of the two chambers. The Senate, whose members represent entire states and which needs 60 votes to pass almost anything, is all about compromise and deal making; the House, whose members represent mostly safe congressional districts, is much more polarized.
*** Follow the leader? Still, everyone expects the House to follow the Senate's lead and approve the tax-cut legislation, though probably not by the margin we saw yesterday. The New York Times: "Many Democrats had initially reacted furiously to the plan, but the rage seems to have yielded to resignation. Even House Democrats who remain opposed to the deal say they expect it to be approved within days, though they are still weighing plans to force votes on proposals to impose a steeper federal tax on large estates." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C96:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
*** Romney opposes tax deal: A few days ago, a smart conservative asked us this question: Why hadn't we seen a prominent potential Republican presidential candidate come out against the tax deal, especially as a way to demonstrate some fiscal-discipline chops. Well, the first potential 2012er (outside of Palin) is now opposing the tax deal, and it's … Mitt Romney. In a USA Today op-ed, Romney picks up on the Charles Krauthammer argument and writes that the deal adds to the deficit. "Given the unambiguous message that the American people sent to Washington in November, it is difficult to understand how our political leaders could have reached such a disappointing agreement. The new, more conservative Congress should reach a better solution." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C97:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
*** Rahm's in court: And here's the Chicago Tribune on another political story outside of Washington: "Rahm Emanuel has battled the toughest politicians in Washington but today he comes face to face with a new challenge -- more than 20 Chicagoans or their attorneys seeking to knock him off the ballot for mayor. It's Day One of what's likely to be a three-day marathon hearing into whether the former White House chief of staff meets the legal requirement of being a Chicago resident for one year prior to the February election to replace retiring Mayor Richard Daley. In a brief filed in advance of the hearing at the Chicago Board of Election Commissioners, Emanuel's attorneys lay out the reasons that Emanuel qualifies as a Chicago resident even though he and his family have lived in Washington during his time in the Obama Administration." The hearing is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am ET. http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C98:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
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CONGRESS: Tax deal easily clears Senate hurdle
The Boston Globe: "A bipartisan bloc of senators easily propelled President Obama's tax cut compromise over a key procedural hurdle yesterday, clearing the way for a final Senate vote as early as today, and setting the stage for a potential showdown later this week among divided Democrats in the House." The final vote was 83-15. http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C9C:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
"The Washington Post adds, "Republicans and Democrats joined forces in the Senate on Monday to deliver the most significant bipartisan vote since President Obama took office, advancing a plan to extend tax cuts for virtually every American and to boost the economic recovery. The procedural vote could be followed by final Senate passage as early as Tuesday evening. If the bill sails through the Senate, as expected, the last hurdle would be the House, where liberal Democrats remain strongly opposed to continuing President George W. Bush's tax breaks for upper-income households as well as the generous terms of a revived estate tax." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C9D:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Per NBC's Kelly O'Donnell, the Senate Republicans who voted against the deal were: Tom Coburn (R-OK), John Ensign (R-NV), George Voinovich (R-OH), Jeff Sessions (R-AL), and Jim DeMint (R-SC).
The Democrats who voted against it: Jeff Bingaman (D-NM), Russ Feingold (D-WI), Kristin Gilibrand (D-NY), Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Mark Udall (D-CO), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Kay Hagan (D-NC), and Carl Levin (D-MI).
Both Oregon Democratic senators did not vote: Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden.
The New York Times: "Many Democrats had initially reacted furiously to the plan, but the rage seems to have yielded to resignation. Even House Democrats who remain opposed to the deal say they expect it to be approved within days, though they are still weighing plans to force votes on proposals to impose a steeper federal tax on large estates." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C96:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Here are some handy charts on what the bill means based on your income from the Boston Globe: http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C9E:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
OBAMA AGENDA: Unconstitutional?
The New York Times writes up yesterday's federal court ruling on the health-care law: "A federal judge in Virginia ruled on Monday that the keystone provision in the Obama health care law is unconstitutional, becoming the first judge to invalidate any part of the sprawling act and ensuring that appellate courts will receive contradictory opinions from below." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24C9F:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
The Washington Post says, "Although the opinion by U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson gives significant political ammunition to the law's opponents, it does not invalidate the entire law or force federal and state officials to stop the work of putting it into effect - steps Virginia had asked him to take. The ruling by Hudson, named to the bench by George W. Bush, sets up a conflict with opinions by two Democratic-appointed judges who have concluded recently that the law is constitutional. The cases are among two dozen in federal courts across the country that challenge many aspects of the law. The final word is widely expected to come from the U.S. Supreme Court." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA0:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
The Washington Post: "The death of Richard C. Holbrooke, who directed the civilian side of the war in Afghanistan, leaves a major void in what has always been the most difficult and vulnerable aspect of President Obama's strategy." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA1:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
And catch this final line of this Washington Post piece surmises Holbrooke's life: "As Mr. Holbrooke was sedated for surgery, family members said, his final words were to his Pakistani surgeon: 'You've got to stop this war in Afghanistan.'" http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA2:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
GOP WATCH: Steele isn't stepping aside just yet
"In the face of overwhelming criticism about his stewardship of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele, the party chairman, declared Monday evening that he had no intentions of quietly stepping aside and vowed to seek re-election to lead the party into the 2012 presidential campaign," the New York Times' Zeleny writes. "Mr. Steele made the announcement in a conference call with members of the Republican committee, some of whom have already pledged their support to one of the half-dozen candidates vying to replace him. He did not take questions in the 40-minute call or address many of the challenges facing his candidacy, including the financial management of the committee that is ending the year $15 million in debt." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA3:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Politico's Martin: "[I]n a defense of his tenure that stretched for 30 minutes before he announced his plans, Steele touted the party's gains over the past two years in making a robust case for why he deserved to be elected to a second term when the party meets next month. According to sources on the call, the embattled chairman talked at length about why the party had gone into a debt of at least $15 million and even why they had spent money on races in the territories." More: "More broadly, Steele's decision to run represents a direct rebuke to the party's establishment wing, many members of which have gone public since Election Day with their concerns about the state of the RNC under the former Maryland lieutenant governor. Figures such as Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour and Texas Gov. Rick Perry have indicated that they preferred a different chairman. Bush administration figures such as Vice President Dick Cheney and former RNC Chairman Ed Gillespie have already lined up behind Maria Cino, a longtime GOP operative." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA4:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
The New York Daily News: "Republicans aren't quite done with their gaffe-prone party chairman Michael Steele yet." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA5:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Wrestling mogul and failed U.S. Senate candidate Linda McMahon will meet with NRSC Chair John Cornyn. The time and date is unclear at this point. "I don't know what her message is going to be, but I sort of suspect she isn't finished," Cornyn said.
2012: Romney opposes tax deal
BARBOUR: The State Column: Barbour said of the health care ruling, "The decision of the federal court in Virginia is encouraging to all of us who consider the Obamacare law unconstitutional." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA6:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
DANIELS: He put out a book list with a political meaning, lauding, for example, Henry Kissinger on diplomacy. US News' Bedard writes, "When you're thinking about running for the presidency, everything has meaning, even a Christmas book list like the one Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels gave us. Over nine book suggestions, "My Man Mitch" seems to be spelling out his presidential campaign story: An underdog who compassionately pushes for an end to the welfare state, rallies the nation around war heroes, and who takes on foreign and domestic critics to resurrect a new national identity. His approach is pure Daniels: Simple, unpretentious, and with a deeper meaning." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA7:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
HUCKABEE: He told National Journal he watched President Obama, who he called "amateurish," "self-destruct" at the podium during his press conference announcing the tax compromise: "I was just stunned--I really couldn't believe that a man that was elected president was as amateurish as he was, and essentially launched from the podium at some of his own, taking aim and mowing down everybody in D.C. and walking away having not understood that he just lost a lot of people." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA8:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
GINGRICH: Writing in National Review, he's calling for a halt to START. He says it would hurt the U.S.'s missile defense and sent a letter to Senators urging them to oppose the treaty. He writes, "Modest treaties can wait until they have been thoroughly vetted. Modest treaties do not need to be jammed through the Senate on Christmas Eve like last year's disastrous health-care bill — especially when twelve of the senators in the lame-duck Congress were recently defeated or are retiring and no longer have the mandate of the American people. Modest treaties can wait until March. In fact, it appears that no major treaty has ever been ratified by the Senate during a lame-duck session of Congress." (Hat tip: GOP 12) http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CA9:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5& and http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CAA:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
(Of course, nothing would be jammed through if it had been voted on earlier, as the White House wanted. And it was this Congress that held the hearings on START.)
PALIN: She was in Haiti. USA Today religion writer Cathy Lynn Grossman notes, "[T]he coverage leaves out Palin's evangelical pilot -- literally and figuratively -- Rev. Franklin Graham." More: "Graham, who has succeeded father Billy at the head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is more often in headlines for his condemnations of Islam and anyone else who doesn't see Christianity his way." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CAB:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
ROMNEY: Watch that right flank… He pens an op-ed in USA Today, calling the tax compromise a "bad deal," because it's "only temporary" and it adds to the deficit. (Although, if they were made permanent wouldn't that add MORE to the deficit?) He acknowledges it will provide some short-term stimulus, but "the long term health of our great engine of prosperity will remain very much in doubt." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CAC:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Conservative AllahPundit, writing on Hot Air writes, "Thus did Mitt cover his ass ahead of the 2011 primaries, where support for the new porkier tax cuts compromise will no doubt be a litmus test for grassroots righties." Romney's stance puts him to the right of at least Gingrich, Huckabee, and Thune. Palin said she was against it also. http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CAD:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
THUNE: He voted for the tax deal. http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CAE:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
2010: Don't stop … believing,' part 5
Republican Joe Miller is taking his challenge to Alaska's U.S. Senate race to the state Supreme Court," the AP writes. "Miller filed his appeal Monday, three days after a lower court ruled against his lawsuit challenging how the state counted write-in ballots for his rival, Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Arguments are set for Friday." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CAF:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Here's the appeal filing, as posted by the Anchorage Daily News: http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB0:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
The Anchorage Daily News in a Saturday editorial wrote: "We're confident most Alaskans hope Joe Miller will understand that just because you can hold up certification of the U.S. Senate election doesn't mean you should. ... Don't even bother to stick a fork in this one. It's overdone. All Miller will accomplish now by pursuing the court case is delay certification and potentially leave Alaska without its senior senator on duty. That's a disservice to the state Miller claimed he wanted to serve." http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB1:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Read full story:
http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB2:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
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More from First Read:
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GOP watch: Steele isn't stepping aside just yet
http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB3:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
2012: Romney opposes tax deal
http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB4:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
2010: Don't stop ... believing,' part 5
http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB5:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Obama hails Senate tax vote
http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB6:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
Joe Miller keeps on keepin' on
http://broadcaster.msnbc.msn.com/t?ctl=24CB7:B2CA5A050EF65E32B105E22291EEA9D5&
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