“Perhaps I’m surprised that more things didn’t come out sooner.”
— Anthony Weiner, at a press conference acknowledging sending additional lewd online messages.
Summers is Frontrunner for Fed Chair
Ezra Klein: “The word among Federal Reserve watchers right now is that the choice is down to Janet Yellen or Larry Summers as Ben Bernanke’s replacement… People dismissed Summers’s chances a month or two ago, but he’s increasingly viewed as the leading candidate today — and opinions on this, for reasons I don’t fully understand, have really hardened in the last 72 hours.”
Smith Mulls Comeback Bid in New Hampshire
Former Sen. Bob Smith (R-NH) “hasn’t ruled out a run” against Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) next year, WMUR reports.
“The move marks the first time a conservative trusted by the party’s base has emerged as a possible candidate to take on Shaheen… If he were to run, Smith would no doubt have to further explain why he left the Republican Party a dozen years ago for a brief time. Since he is a Florida resident, he would also have to officially move back to New Hampshire.”
McConnell Aides Allegedly Threatened Primary Challenger
Allies of Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) tried to push Matt Bevin (R) not to launch a primary challenge, National Review reports.
Said one adviser to Bevin: “Mitch McConnell’s people reached out to Matt for several months through all different avenues trying to convince him not to run. They can pretend like they’re not afraid, they can call him a nuisance, but they were desperate not to have him. Because they are scared.”
He added: “First they tried to threaten him and then they tried to dangle shiny political prizes.”
Bayh Has More Campaign Funds Than 98 Sitting Senators
Former Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) “has $9.8 million in his campaign account — a total more befitting a national office-seeker than an ex-senator who exited political life more than 30 months ago,” Bloomberg reports.
“Bayh, who has a bigger campaign treasury than 98 of 100 current senators, is among some former members of Congress who have significant surplus campaign funds. They could tap the funds to run for political office again. They’re also permitted to donate money in unlimited amounts to national party committees or charities.”
Weiner Acknowledges New Lewd Messages
Anthony Weiner responded to new explicit messages and images that “were sent to an anonymous tipster by the former congressman after he was forced to resign two years ago when similar messages became public,” Politicker reports.
Said Weiner: “I said that other texts and photos were likely to come out, and today they have. These things that I did were wrong and hurtful to my wife and caused us to go through challenges in our marriage that extended past my resignation from Congress.”
King Suggests Most Immigrants Traffic Drugs
Rep. Steve King (R-IA) told Newsmax that for every valedictorian DREAMer who has been brought to this country by his or her family, “…there’s another 100 out there who, they weigh 130 pounds and they’ve got calves the size of cantaloupes because they’re hauling 75 pounds of marijuana across the desert. Those people would be legalized with the same act.”
McDonnell Says He Repaid Donor
Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) has “repaid in full” the roughly $120,000 that he and his wife received from a wealthy donor, the Richmond Times Dispatch reports.
Said McDonnell: “I am deeply sorry for the embarrassment certain members of my family and I brought upon my beloved Virginia and her citizens.”
He added: “I want you to know that I broke no laws and that I am committed to regaining your sacred trust and confidence. I hope today’s action is another step toward that end.”
An Update
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Weiner Not Commenting on Alleged New Sex Chats
Anthony Weiner’s campaign did not respond “to repeated inquiries about a new set of unverified images suggesting that he exchanged sexually charged messages — and an explicit image — with a woman last summer,” BuzzFeed reports.
“The screenshots of conversations… could not be independently confirmed. They consist of screenshots of exchanges on Facebook and the lesser-known social network Formspring between a woman (whose avatar is blurred) and a man alleged to be (and who she appears to believe) is Weiner, but who also uses the handle ‘Carlos Danger.'”
An Early Look at 2014
Must-watch: Charlie Cook on the 2014 midterm elections.
Many in Wyoming Think Cheney Should Run from Virginia
A new Public Policy Polling survey in Wyoming finds that just 31% of voters consider Liz Cheney to be a ‘Wyomingite’ to 50% who do not. By a 50% to 28% margin they think it would be more appropriate for Cheney to run for the Senate from Virginia than Wyoming.
In her GOP primary race with Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), the incumbent crushes Cheney by a 54% to 26% margin.
Wisdom from the Oval Office
Just published: Wisdom from the Oval Office by Pierce Word.
Lawmaker Gets Award Same Day He’s Questioned by FBI
Chicago Tribune: “In a case of only-in-Chicago political timing, the White House announced Monday it would honor Ald. Joe Moore as a ‘pioneer for political reform,’ the same day the veteran City Council member revealed he has spoken to FBI agents about allegations he improperly paid two aides he fired.”
Reid Says House is ‘Doing Nothing’
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) responded to Speaker John Boehner’s weekend comment that the GOP should not be judged on how many laws they pass but on how many laws they repeal, Politico reports.
Said Reid: “House Republicans are failing even by their own metric. They’ve replaced virtually nothing. So by the speaker’s own admission, they’re not getting anything passed and by his own analysis, they’re getting nothing repealed. So they’re doing nothing.”
GOP Budget Strategy Collapsing
David Rogers:
“Like an army that’s outrun its supply line, the Republican budget
strategy in Congress shows almost daily signs of coming apart. The
central premise, as sold by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan,
was that Washington could wipe out deficits in 10 years and protect
defense spending, all while embracing the lower appropriations caps
dictated by sequestration. Four months later, it’s proving to be a
bridge too far. Only three of the 12 annual spending bills have even
been debated — by far the worst record since the GOP took over the
House.”
Obama Approval Dips to Two-Year Low
A new McClatchy-Marist poll finds that just 41% of Americans approve of the job President Obama is doing in office, while 48% disapprove, and 11% are unsure.
It’s Obama’s lowest job approval rating since September 2011 when 39% of voters gave him high marks.
Meanwhile, Gallup finds Obama’s job approval for the last three full months has averaged 47.9%, the second straight quarter in which his approval rating dropped.
Jonathan Bernstein explains why Obama’s approval rate still matters even though he will not face re-election.
Most Republicans Think Party Headed Wrong Way
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that 52% of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents think the GOP leadership is talking the party in the wrong direction while just 37% think it’s headed in the right direction.
“That disaffection is apparent in another measure: Just 21% of Americans in this survey identify themselves as Republicans, matching the fewest since November 2009. GOP allegiance has dropped from an annual average of 31% in 2003 to annual averages of 23 or 24% the past five years straight.”
