Political Wire

How Schweitzer Was Forced Out of Race

July 19, 2013 at 7:14 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The team that was preparing former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s (D) potential Senate candidacy “are blaming his sudden departure on Democratic infighting and bad blood among Schweitzer and the state’s two current Democratic senators,” Business Insider reports.

“The main target of their ire: Sen. Jon Tester (D). In the week before Schweitzer decided not to run, Democratic leaders began have doubts about Schweitzer’s candidacy. Multiple sources close to Schweitzer pointed to Tester and his chief of staff directly as the source of that doubt — something that Tester’s staff denies.”

“The source said Tester was ‘sticking knives’ in Schweitzer’s potential run…Three sources close to Schweitzer’s campaign fingered Tester’s camp as the source of two unflattering stories that popped up in the past week — one in Politico and one in the local Great Falls Tribune. These sources singled out Tester and Tom Lopach, his chief of staff.”

North Carolina Republicans Unveil Stricter Voter ID Law

July 19, 2013 at 7:09 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

North Carolina Republicans announced a new voter ID bill “that would further restrict the forms of photo identification accepted at the polls,” the Charlotte Observer reports.

“The new measure would require voters to show one of seven types of photo identification issued by the government, such as driver’s licenses, passports, non-driver IDs and military or veteran cards. It eliminates about half the types of photo identification allowed under the House version, including cards from UNC system colleges, state community colleges, local governments, private employers and law enforcement agencies.”

“The bill would take full effect in the 2016 elections.”

San Diego Democrats Won’t Ask Filner to Step Down

July 19, 2013 at 7:06 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A “deeply divided” San Diego County Democratic Party “decided not to join the mounting calls for Mayor Bob Filner’s resignation over sexual harassment accusations as his supporters began gearing up a campaign to keep him in office,” the San Diego Union Tribune reports.

“The party’s central committee met for nearly three hours behind the closed doors… to discuss what position it should take on the embattled mayor. But the committee was deadlocked, voting 24-24.”

Carpetbagging Charge Follows Cheney

July 19, 2013 at 6:58 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

GOP strategist Ed Rollins told The Hill that it will not be easy for Liz Cheney to win over voters in Wyoming.

Said Rollins: “I like Liz, I’ve been a longtime friend of her father’s, but it’ll be portrayed as they’ve been away from the state a long time, a housewife who’s kind of bored who moved back to Wyoming after a long time to run for the Senate. Unfortunately for Liz, that’s not a state like California or New York where you can carpetbag very easily, and even though she was born there she hasn’t been there for a long time.”

Russia Frees Opposition Leader After Protests

July 19, 2013 at 6:19 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Russia unexpectedly freed opposition leader Alexei Navalny on bail on Friday, bending to the will of thousands of protesters who denounced his five-year jail sentence as a crude attempt by President Vladimir Putin to silence him,” Reuters reports.

“In a ruling that points to Kremlin uncertainty over how to handle Navalny’s case and revived protests, a judge approved an unusual prosecution request to release him while he awaits the outcome of an appeal.”

Thank You!

July 18, 2013 at 11:22 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The response to Political Wire Prime has been exceptional. It’s really gratifying. Thank you!

Early subscribers have already received a piece on the political story this week (hint: filibuster reform) and exclusive analysis of the GOP Senate primaries from Jennifer Duffy of the Cook Political Report. We’ll also send a great piece today on the 2014 midterms from Amy Walter, one of the country’s most well-regarded political analysts.

Subscribe today for just $25 a year. As one reader pointed out, that’s less than 7 cents a day to support independent media.

GOP Eyes Obamacare as Target in Debt Ceiling Talks

July 18, 2013 at 6:55 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Reuters says “growing numbers of Republicans in Congress” are setting their sights on a new target in looming fiscal showdowns this autumn over government funding and the debt limit: “Obamacare.”

“Several Republicans are pledging to oppose a stopgap government spending bill that will be needed by October 1 unless it withholds funds from the implementation of President Obama’s signature healthcare law — especially its core requirement that uninsured Americans obtain health coverage.”

“Blockage of the funding measure could lead to a shutdown of government agencies, roiling financial markets.”

Detroit Files for Bankruptcy Protection

July 18, 2013 at 5:23 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Detroit became the largest city in U.S. history to file for bankruptcy, as the state-appointed emergency manager filed for Chapter 9 protection, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The final decision rested with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder (R): “This was a difficult and painful decision but I believe there are no other viable options. This is a situation that’s been 60 years in the making in terms of the decline of Detroit. From a financial point of view, let me be blunt, Detroit is broke.”

Wonk Wire: Detroit goes bankrupt.

No Comeback Likely for John Edwards

July 18, 2013 at 3:33 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Public Policy Polling survey finds that just 15% of North Carolina voters have a favorable opinion of John Edwards to 67% with a negative one.

Just 19% say they would ever consider voting for him for public office again.

Pelosi Says Country is Ready for Hillary

July 18, 2013 at 3:07 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told NBC News that she’s fully aboard the Hillary Clinton for President train — if Clinton runs in 2016.

Said Pelosi: “I think the country is ready for Hillary. I certainly hope that she will choose to run. I think if she does, she will win. I think if and when she does, I think she’ll be the best prepared person to enter the White House in decades.”

Is Liz Cheney What the GOP Needs?

July 18, 2013 at 2:30 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Jon Lovett: “Perhaps the Republican Party needs to hit rock bottom and Liz Cheney is the last shot of rail tequila before the conservative movement blacks out, wakes up and heads to a meeting.”

Michelle Cottle: “And just like that, the entire Republican establishment grabbed for the Advil and the Johnnie Walker Black.”

Obama May Cancel Russia Trip Over Snowden

July 18, 2013 at 2:09 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

President Obama may cancel a scheduled trip to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin in September as the standoff over the fate of Edward Snowden takes its toll on already strained relations between the United States and Russia, the New York Times reports.

“A cancellation of the Moscow meeting would be seen as a direct slap at Mr. Putin, who is known to value such high-level visits as a validation of Russian prestige. While the White House may be using the meeting as leverage to win cooperation as it seeks the return to the United States of Mr. Snowden, who is now staying at Moscow’s airport, the reconsideration also reflects a broader concern that the two countries are far apart on issues like Syria, Iran, arms control and missile defense.”

Extra Bonus Quote of the Day

July 18, 2013 at 1:53 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Now listen, we made clear when we took over, that we weren’t going to be doing commemorative legislation on the floor. A lot of changes. In addition to that, most Americans think we have too many laws. And what they want us to do is repeal more of those. So I reject the premise to the question.”

— Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), quoted by the Huffington Post, rejecting the idea that Congress has been “historically unproductive.”

Colorado Town May Pay Bounties to Shoot Down Drones

July 18, 2013 at 1:50 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“The farming and ranching town of Deer Trail, Colorado, which boasts that it held the world’s first rodeo in 1869, is now considering starting a 21st century tradition — paying bounties to anyone who shoots down an unmanned drone,” Reuters reports.

“Next month, trustees of the town of 600 that lies on the high plains 55 miles east of Denver will debate an ordinance that would allow residents to purchase a $25 hunting license to shoot down ‘unmanned aerial vehicles.'”

“Similar to the bounties governments once paid to hunters who killed animals that preyed on livestock, but only after they produced the ears, the town would pay $100 to anyone who can produce the fuselage and tail of a downed drone.”

Will Joe Biden Run for President?

July 18, 2013 at 10:36 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The vice president drops a hint to GQ: “I can die a happy man never having been president of the United States of America. But it doesn’t mean I won’t run.”

Cheney Says Enzi is ‘Confused’

July 18, 2013 at 10:34 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Liz Cheney launched her campaign for Senate by calling 69-year-old Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY) “confused,” NBC News reports.

Said Cheney: “I think Sen. Enzi may be confused. I think he may have me mixed up with Cynthia Lummis. What happened is I called Sen. Enzi to tell him that I was considering a run. And I have always believed that that decision should be made irrespective of whoever else is in the race.”

She added: “It’s not true — I did not tell Sen. Enzi I wouldn’t run if he did. I suppose he’s just confused.”

First Read: “This ‘confused’ line has some wondering if Cheney is trying to play up the age difference between herself and Enzi a bit too much, and it has the potential to backfire.”

Selling Obamacare (Again)

July 18, 2013 at 10:33 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Today, President Obama makes another attempt at what has become his greatest domestic challenge: selling the health-care law to the American public,” First Read reports.

“Yes, it’s a complex subject. Yes, an entire political party remains adamantly opposed to it. And, yes, the media’s coverage has often emphasized what’s not working rather than what is. But here’s the P.R. reality for the Obama White House: Since health care’s passage in 2010, one side has been lobbing grenades on a daily basis (see yesterday’s symbolic House votes to delay the individual mandate), while the other side has been mostly quiet.”

Wonk Blog: Inside the White House campaign to sell Obamacare.

Bonus Quote of the Day

July 18, 2013 at 10:32 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“When Aurora happened, when Tucson happened and certainly when Newtown happened, we as a country launched a heartfelt conversation about gun violence, gun safety and the use of weapons. We lurch from tragedy to tragedy to tragedy, trying to figure out what to do along the way… We are way past the time of just talking. What we really need is action.”

— Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter (D), quoted by Time.