Washington Post: “Right now, Walker is the candidate who can most realistically unite the base and the establishment wings of the party. One only needs to glance at conservative media to see that the Republican base has little time for Jeb Bush… Walker, by contrast, is a hero to the grassroots after winning multiple battles with Wisconsin Democrats and unions. And he also has shown the ability to bring in the money from big donors — facing a recall election in 2012, Walker outraised his Democratic opponent eight to one, with contributions from 13 billionaires outside of the state… And his Wisconsin base should give him plenty of chances to woo Iowa Republicans over the next year. If Jeb Bush and his team are starting up their opposition research unit, Walker is the first one they should target.”
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Another Way a Clinton Win Would Make History
Amy Walter: “When it comes to making predictions about 2016, there are lots of important numbers to follow. The unemployment rate. Consumer confidence. The president’s approval rating. The horse race polls. But, in my mind, the most important data point to follow is the one which measures Americans’ desire to stay the current course or try a different one in 2016.”
“History tells us that the odds of a Clinton presidency are long. In the modern era (well, really since Andrew Jackson in 1836), no Democrat has succeeded a 2-term Democratic president.”
Grand Jury Investigating Brownback Campaign
A subpoena obtained by the Associated Press shows a federal grand jury is looking into loans made to Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s (R) re-election campaign.
The Wichita Eagle has more on the suspicious loans.
Criminal Charges Recommended Against Pennsylvania Attorney General
The special prosecutor and grand jury investigating allegations that Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane (D) “leaked secret information to a newspaper have found evidence of wrongdoing and recommended that she be criminally charged,” the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
“The panel concluded that Kane violated grand-jury secrecy rules by leaking investigative material in a bid to embarrass political enemies… Some of those familiar with the grand jury presentment say it recommended charges that included perjury and contempt of court.”
Iowa Straw Poll Will Survive
“The Republican Party of Iowa says it has gotten positive signals from the Republican National Committee that it can hold its traditional straw poll without violating the party’s new rules governing the primary season calendar, meaning one of the more colorful events of the nomination season is likely to continue this August,” Bloomberg reports.
Unexpected Quote of the Day
“Marriage as an institution is not so much threatened by same-sex couples as it is by heterosexuals’ increasing indifference to it.”
— Mike Huckabee, in his new book, God, Guns, Grits and Gravy.
Inhofe’s Unlikely Friend
Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), one of the most conservative senators, told the Washington Post that he considers Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), “a potential presidential candidate too liberal to call himself a Democrat, his ‘best friend’ in the Senate.”
Said Inhofe: “On a personal level, I like him.”
Pentagon Will Seek 20% Cut in War Funding
“The Pentagon will request about $51 billion in war funding for the fiscal year starting Oct. 1, a 20 percent reduction from the $64 billion Congress approved this year and the least since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks,” Bloomberg reports.
“While the decline in war funding largely reflects the continued withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan — from the 10,600 now there to half that planned by year-end — it remains enough to draw questions about why the Defense Department shouldn’t pay to fight wars as part of its basic mission.”
Jeb Bush Becomes the GOP Frontrunner
Larry Sabato: “His unexpected, all-but-in announcement on Dec. 16 stunned his competitors and the political community. Bush didn’t just accelerate the entire process, including forthcoming announcements by rivals, but he also gained a leg up in conventional wisdom’s positioning. So for the first time in a while, we elevate a candidate to the First Tier of the Crystal Ball’s GOP rankings for president. Jeb Bush fills a long-established vacuum. Our decision is tentative; his poll ratings are still underwhelming, and Bush is a shaky frontrunner. Yet Bush is No. 1 on a giant roster as we begin the long roller-coaster process of picking the party nominees over the next year and a half.”
Manchin Says Obama Veto Threat Not Democratic
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) said he was disappointed that the White House threatened to veto his legislation approving the Keystone XL pipeline, arguing the president’s move was “not the way a democracy works,” The Hill reports.
Said Manchin: “He never even gave it a chance, never even gave it a chance. Now, that’s just not the way you do legislation. It’s not the way a democracy works. And it’s not the way the… three branches of government should work.”
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“During my years here when I voted, I had the eighth-most conservative voting record in the Congress, and it does pain me to be described as spineless or a squish. But what pains me the most is when they describe me as the establishment. I’m the most anti-establishment Speaker we’ve ever had.”
— Speaker John Boehner, quoted by The Hill.
Bill Would Allow Kentucky Lawmakers to Carry Guns
Kentucky lawmakers “who have concealed-carry permits would be allowed to carry guns in most places throughout the state — including into courthouses, government meetings and schools — under a bill proposed in the 2015 General Assembly,” the Louisville Courier-Journal reports.
The measure was filed Tuesday, “almost exactly one year after Rep. Leslie Combs (D) accidentally discharged her handgun in the Capitol Annex during the first week of the 2014 legislative session.”
Boxer Will Not Run Again
Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) announced she will not run for re-election in a video interview with her grandson.
Bloomberg reports Boxer had told close friends, including donors and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California, in advance of releasing the video today on her political action committee’s website.
Shumlin Finally Re-Elected Vermont Governor
Vermont Gov. Peter Shumlin (D) has been re-elected by the state Legislature, 110-69, over challenger Scott Milne (R), the Burlington Free Press reports.
“Lawmakers were required to vote to select the governor after no candidate in the November general election received more than 50 percent of the popular vote. Shumlin, the incumbent, received a plurality but not enough for the outright win.”
Christie Campaign Gets a Federal Subpoena
Federal prosecutors in New Jersey have subpoenaed Gov. Chris Christie’s re-election campaign for “documents relating to government meetings that were allegedly canceled with Jersey City’s mayor after he declined to endorse the governor,” the Wall Street Journal reports.
“The subpoenas, sent by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman, are another sign that the yearlong probe into former allies of Mr. Christie has broadened beyond matters directly related to the George Washington Bridge lane closures… Investigators were probing the office’s operations and how staffers separated official business from campaign work, according to a person familiar with the probe.”
McConnell Takes Credit for Improving Economy
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) claimed the economy is improving because Americans know Republicans are in control of Capitol Hill.
Said McConnell: “After so many years of sluggish growth, we’re finally starting to see some economic data that can provide a glimmer of hope; the uptick appears to coincide with the biggest political change of the Obama administration’s long tenure in Washington: the expectation of a new Republican Congress. So this is precisely the right time to advance a positive, pro-growth agenda.”
First Read: “So after years of making President Obama and Democrats own the state of the economy, McConnell is now taking credit for the improving — two days into his new job? And based on the expectation that the GOP was going to take over the Senate? If anything, this is a reminder that the Republican Party realizes that — if the economy continues to get better and better — they can’t allow Obama to get all of the credit. Oh, and we get a new monthly jobs report tomorrow.”
Will Supreme Court Take Up Gay Marriage?
“The nine justices of the Supreme Court, who opted in October not to take up the issue of state bans on gay marriage, are set to meet behind closed doors on Friday to consider once again whether to hear any cases on the contentious issue. The court has five cases pending concerning same-sex marriage prohibitions in Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, Kentucky and Louisiana,” Reuters reports.
“The legal issue is whether the state bans violate the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the law. An announcement could be made as soon as Friday after the justices meet as part of their customary private deliberations over which new cases to hear.”
The Senate’s Candy Man
Sen. Pat Toomey (R-PA) was charged with keeping the U.S. Senate’s Candy Desk well-stocked, the Washington Post reports.
“It’s a logical assignment given that Pennsylvania is home to candy giant Hershey’s, as well as other renowned candymakers, such as Just Born, which makes Peeps, and smaller companies, such as Asher’s and Wilbur Chocolate.”
