“Look, it happens.”
— Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), quoted by NBC News, when asked about when Vice President Dick Cheney accidentally shot his friend in the face on a hunting trip.
Become a member to get many great benefits -- exclusive analysis, trending news, a private podcast, no ads and more!
If you're already a member, log in for the full experience.
How to Use the Obamacare Website
Saturday Night Live opened last night with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius explaining how to use the Obamacare enrollment website.
Obamacare is a Political Disaster
Peggy Noonan: “The ObamaCare rollout is a disaster for the White House, not a problem or a challenge or an embarrassment, not a gaffe or a bad few weeks. It is a political disaster, and the only question is whether it is partially recoverable, meaning the system can be made to work in a generally satisfactory way in the next few weeks. But–it has to be repeated–they had 3½ years after passage of the Affordable Care Act to make the program into something the American people could register for and feel they were benefiting from. Three and a half years! They had a long-declared start date: It would all go live Oct. 1, 2013, and everyone in the government, every contractor and consultant, knew it.”
Doyle McManus: “Even if the website recovers, its more-than-wobbly launch has already
deepened public skepticism about Obamacare and federal activism in
general.”
Many Think We Need More Inflation
“Inflation is widely reviled as a kind of tax on modern life, but as Federal Reserve policy makers prepare to meet this week, there is growing concern inside and outside the Fed that inflation is not rising fast enough,” the New York Times reports.
“The Fed has worked for decades to suppress inflation, but economists, including Janet Yellen, President Obama’s nominee to lead the Fed starting next year, have long argued that a little inflation is particularly valuable when the economy is weak. Rising prices help companies increase profits; rising wages help borrowers repay debts. Inflation also encourages people and businesses to borrow money and spend it more quickly. ”
The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination
Out next week: A Cruel and Shocking Act: The Secret History of the Kennedy Assassination by Philip Shenon.
Memo Paints Grim Picture of California Republicans
The Los Angeles Times reports that “buried in the avalanche of documents released in the state probe of secretive political groups was a fairly succinct description of the problems facing California Republicans.”
The memo was from GOP consultant Jeff Miller: “Over the last two decades, California’s working class has slowly migrated out of the state and Latino and women voters are completely disenfranchised with the Republican Party. There are only a few pockets of conservative voters left in the state and they are only able to help carry the day for Republicans in ultra-low turnout elections on issues where campaign spending is at parity or to the Republican advantage, and where the Democratic and union grass-roots apparatus is not activated.”
“There is no good way to sugarcoat this… The Republican label is anathema to younger voters, women and Latinos — growing voter blocs with real significance to future elections.”
Manchin Creates Political Problem for Democrats
Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) “has quickly become a favorite of Republicans with his quest to delay the individual mandate to buy health insurance under Obamacare,” Roll Call reports.
“Though that effort doesn’t seem to have much traction, it’s one that could start giving vulnerable Democrats heartburn.”
Wonk Wire: Not that easy to delay Obamacare
Quote of the Day
“Right now I’m more encouraged than ever.”
— Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), quoted by the Des Moines Register, taking his post-government shutdown “victory tour” to Iowa.
Alexander Runs Hard Against Tea Party
“As he seeks a third term in the U.S. Senate, Lamar Alexander is doing something few other incumbent Republicans have tried recently: Instead of running scared of the tea party, he’s running hard against it,” the Washington Post reports.
“Independent analysts and strategists in both parties think Alexander has a good chance of winning his primary against a low-profile state representative. He is far ahead in early polling, but Alexander’s willingness to confront the tea party makes it one of the most important bellwether races in the country.”
Immigration Exposes Another Rift in GOP
“A push to bring immigration legislation to the House floor, led by an unusual coalition of business executives, prominent conservatives and evangelical leaders, threatens to create another schism in the Republican Party and could have a noticeable effect on campaign contributions before the midterm elections,” the New York Times reports.
“Several Republican executives and donors who are part of a lobbying blitz coming to Capitol Hill next week said they were considering withholding, or had already decided to withhold, future financial support to Republican lawmakers they believe are obstructing progress on immigration.”
Women Say Gansler is Lying
Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler (D) “was not telling the truth in his response to allegations that he did nothing to stop a teen drinking party that he attended this past summer, according to two women who attended the June bash in Delaware,” WJLA reports.
Said one woman: “Everybody was drunk. People were literally pouring beer from the top level onto the floor and it was just so blatantly obvious.”
Said another: “He was there for the entire time I was there.”
Democrats Say Cruz is Leading the Republican Party
“Conservative Republicans in Iowa aren’t the only ones happy to see Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) visiting the Hawkeye State beginning today. So are Democrats — who are eager to make him the face of Iowa Republicans in next year’s midterm races,” NBC News reports.
The DNC highlighted the trip in a joint memo with local Democrats: “Up and down the ticket, the reckless and irresponsible political tactics of Ted Cruz are being admired and adopted by Iowa Republicans. Make no mistake: Ted Cruz is leading the Republican Party. Candidates want to be him. Incumbents are afraid of him. The Republican Party base is energized by him.”
GOP Lawmaker Says Obama Not a Traitor to Kenya
North Carolina state Rep. Larry Pittman (R) was videotaped telling a crowd of supporters that President Obama isn’t a trator to his country — if that country is Kenya.
Said Pittman: “Someone had posted something with a picture of Barack Obama and across it said ‘traitor.’ And, you know, I don’t always agree with the guy, I certainly didn’t vote for him but I gotta defend him on this one. I just don’t think it’s right at all to call Barack Obama a traitor. There’s a lot of things he’s done wrong but he is not a traitor. Not as far as I can tell. I haven’t come across any evidence yet that he has done one thing to harm Kenya.”
Brownback Trails Challenger in Kansas
A new SurveyUSA poll in Kansas finds Paul Davis (D) leading Gov. Sam Brownback (R) in the race for governor, 43% to 39%.
Crist Hints at Bid for Governor
Former Florida Gov. Charlie Crist (D) has a new video that sure sounds like he’s gearing up for another race for governor.
Strangest Campaign Announcement Ever?
Ron Q. Quilang announces for State Senate in Nevada.
Hillary Clinton Testing Out Campaign Themes
Time: “It has been like this for months now. Clinton, who claims not to have decided about another presidential run in 2016, has been traveling the country delivering speeches on her own record and current events that sound a lot like precursors to campaign rhetoric. The fact that she is not officially running has not stopped her from testing out themes on the stump, while positioning herself against her likely Republican opponents. The examples show up on both sides of the Atlantic, in paid speeches, at awards dinners, rallies and fundraisers.”
Bonus Quote of the Day
“My own view is that I think Gillibrand
is one of the people in the United States of America that I think can be
president of the United States.”
— Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD), quoted National Journal, in a profile of Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY).
