There are two kinds of days in politics: Serious days and Dale Peterson days. Today was a prime example of the former with matters of grave importance dominating the news, led by the death of Robert Byrd, who served in the Senate for a quarter of its existence. Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan appeared before the Senate Judiciary Committee for day one of her confirmation hearing. On John Paul Stevens' last day, the high court handed down two sweeping rulings, striking down gun-control laws and diminishing the reach of hate groups on college campuses. Ah, who are we kidding, there was some Dale Peterson, too. This is HUFFPOST HILL for June 28th, 2010:
EXCLUSIVE: NANCY PELOSI ON AFGHANISTAN - Sam Stein: "In some of the strongest terms she has used to date, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi declared last Friday that the United States will see 'a serious drawdown' of forces in Afghanistan by July 2011 and that the House may use the power of the purse to ensure the drawdown takes place. In an exclusive interview with the Huffington Post, Pelosi made clear that while recent talk has hinted that the administration's stated goal of a June 2011 start date for a troop drawdown may be open to change, her commitment to it remains firm." http://huff.to/avCMLC
House Dems block Afghan reconstruction funding. - Dave Obey and Nita Lowey, the chairs of the committee and subcommittee that hold the Afghanistan purse strings, said today they were stripping funding for reconstruction and redevelopment. Lowey cited pervasive corruption in Afghanistan as the cause for her decision to pull the funding from the appropriations bill working its way through her State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee. "I do not intend to appropriate one more dime for assistance to Afghanistan until I have confidence that U.S. taxpayer money is not being abused to line the pockets of corrupt Afghan government officials, drug lords and terrorists," said Lowey. The move follows stories in WSJ and WaPo that show billions in cash literally being flown out of Afghanistan and Karzai officials blocking corruptions probes.
BYRD'S DEATH MAKES BROWN, CANTWELL KEY TO WALL STREET REFORM - Byrd's absence leaves Dems one vote short of the 60 they had last time around and now Scott Brown may be bailing, trying to have it every which way. The Massachusetts Republican won a Senate special election earlier this year railing against "backroom deals" now he has his very own Bay State Buy Off having secured key exemptions for banks and insurance companies in Massachusetts. His backroom deal secure, Brown is now threatening to vote against the final Wall Street reform bill on the floor. (His spokesman said he may have a statement out later today.) Brown argues that fees and assessments the bill requires banks to pay amount to a tax and that he has vowed never to vote for a tax increase. But without the fees, the bill would increase the deficit.
Feingold, American Bankers Association united in opposition - Dems will have to look elsewhere for help on cloture, a 60-vote threshold complicated by the passing of Bob Byrd. Russ Feingold in a statement this afternoon: "As I have indicated for some time now, my test for the financial regulatory reform bill is whether it will prevent another crisis." No bill, of course, could prevent another crisis, but the ABA, at least, had more specific reasons for opposing reform, including the creation of a consumumer financial protection bureau and the regulation of swipe fees.
Maria Cantwell, the other Dem to oppose Wall Street reform last time around, is reviewing the bill, her spokesman says.
KAGAN CONFIRMATION HEARING BEGINS - A steaming batch of scripted goodness was served up in the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing room as both panel members and Elena Kagan issued their opening statements. Ranking member Jeff Sessions previewed his party's line of attack in his remarks, expressing concern over her lack of judicial experience, her decision on military recruitment at Harvard, her college thesis on socialism, her time spent as a political lawyer and her childhood proximity to Central Park. "It's not a coronation, as I've said, but a confirmation process. Serious and substantive questions will be asked.," Sessions told the committee room. http://huff.to/9Bcz7x
Not surprisingly, things looked peachier to Pat Leahy: "There is no basis to question her integrity and no one should presume that this intelligent woman, who has excelled during every part of her varied and distinguished career, lacks independence."
Kagan, in her opening statement: "I will make no pledges this week other than this one, that if confirmed, I will remember and abide by all these lessons. I will listen hard to every party before the court and to each of my colleagues. I will work hard, and I will do my best to consider every case impartially, modestly, with commitment to principle and in accordance with law."
Sam Stein: "...the most noteworthy element seems to be the potential for friction between conservative activists looking for a fight and the elected GOP, which will protest in voice but not vote." http://huff.to/cZRV40
Thurgood Marshall becoming the major boogeyman. Sen. Orrin Hatch on MSNBC: "Let's admire the man for the great things he did, but let's not walk over and wipe out the things that really didn't make sense as an obedient student of the practice of law," adding there was "no doubt he was an activist judge."
Later, Thomas Burr of the Salt Lake Tribune tracked down Hatch to ask whether he'd have voted for Marshall. "Well, its hard to say," Hatch said. http://bit.ly/bNCoBn
ROBERT BYRD DEAD AT 92 - Byrd's successor will be appointed by West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, a Democrat. Whoever is appointed will have to run in a special election before Byrd's term expires on January 3, 2013. Manchin might be eyeing the seat, himself. While the West Virginia governor has said he will not appoint himself to the post, observers indicate that he is eying the seat for 2012. http://huff.to/aaWIee
Chris Matthews, noting today that the governor will appoint a Democrat, slips up, inserting both a Freudian and a mathematical error into the same sentence: "It's not going to affect Carter's 60 votes."
Daniel Inouye was sworn in this afternoon as Senate President Pro Tem. The mostly honorary position, which puts the Hawaii senator third in the presidential line of succession, is bestowed on the Senate's longest serving member. Inouye was elected in 1962. Less honorary, however, is Inouye's chairmanship of the Appropriations Committee, which he took over from Robert Byrd in 2009. "I'm the No. 1 earmarks guy in the U.S. Congress," he said last year. Congrats, dude third in line for the presidency! http://bit.ly/a4HI7A
SOME OF OUR FAVORITE BYRD MOMENTS - Robert Byrd opposing the invasion of Iraq: http://huff.to/9AqzZy. Robert Byrd reversing his original opposition to the Civil Rights Act: http://bit.ly/2WLY7L. Robert Byrd reading a poem on fatherhood entitled "The Little Chap That Follows Me:" http://bit.ly/351YXv. Robert Byrd performing "There's More Pretty Girls Than One" from his 1978 album "U.S. Senator Robert Byrd - Mountain Fiddler:" http://bit.ly/aqGsEd.
With Byrd gone, will the Senate allow laptops on the Senate floor?
Hooray! Sen. Frank Lautenberg, now the oldest senator at 86, announced that he has fully recovered from cancer. The New Jersey senator, who was diagnosed with a form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in February, made the announcement Saturday at the Garden State Equality Legends Dinner in Maplewood, NJ. http://huff.to/aXabb6
Fed Economist: "Economics is Hard. Don't Let Bloggers Tell You Otherwise" - Seriously. That's the title of a new papery by Kartik Athreya of the Richmond Federal Reserve Bank. He specifically says that "Matthew Yglesias, John Stossel, Robert Samuelson, and Robert Reich... [are] exceedingly unlikely... [to] have anything interesting to say about economic policy." Who'd've thought we'd be agreeing with the Fed? Just kidding, guys. Your stuff is interesting. He also singles out Paul Krugman and Brad Delong, the former of whom won a Nobel Prize in economics. Arthreya talked to HuffPost Hill about the reaction to his paper: "It's mostly negative. People are kind of upset." The paper: http://bit.ly/99Kw18
TOMORROW'S PAPERS TODAY - Washington Post:
Eugene Robinson - "Amid what is sure to be a flood of heartfelt encomiums to Sen. Robert Byrd's lifetime of public service, it is important to note that his is a story of change and redemption -- and that Byrd and his party had a shameful past to overcome." http://wapo.st/azUTf6 The Hill: Reporters will tackle the effect Sen. Robert Byrd's death will have on Wall Street reform, earmarks and changing the rules to the filibuster. Roll Call: Bennett Roth writes that business groups, which have not been shy about lobbying on such hot issues as health care and Wall Street reform, are taking a more reticent approach when it comes to Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Of the largest business organizations, only the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is expected to take a formal stand on Kagan, whose confirmation hearings began Monday. http://bit.ly/98cTVL
SUPREME COURT RULING EXPANDS GUN RIGHTS - The high court ruled in favor of the plantiff 5-4 today in Salt v. Wound (excuse us, McDonald v. City of Chicago). The court found that the second amendment applies at both the state and federal levels. The decision will likely lead to the repeal of stringent gun control laws in Chicago where gun violence has already killed dozens this year. http://huff.to/9m3UgR
Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence: "We can expect two things as a result of today's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in McDonald v. Chicago: the gun lobby and gun criminals will use it to try to strike down gun laws, and those legal challenges will continue to fail." http://bit.ly/cVdQ7U
The NRA: "The opinion in McDonald v. City of Chicago brings an end to the nearly 30 year-long handgun ban that the city has imposed on its law-abiding citizens." http://bit.ly/cQpLl2
The high court also ruled that public universities can deny funding to groups they deem discriminatory. AP: "The court turned away an appeal from the Christian Legal Society, which sued to get funding and recognition from the University of California's Hastings College of the Law. The CLS requires that voting members sign a statement of faith and regards 'unrepentant participation in or advocacy of a sexually immoral lifestyle' as being inconsistent with that faith." http://yhoo.it/ak8Rl3
A bittersweet day for bowtie enthusiasts: It was Justice John Paul Stevens' last day on the bench. The justice told President Obama in April that he intended to retire the day after the court finished its summer business. Stevens ties Justice Stephen Field for the second longest time spent as a Supreme Court justice at 34 years, six months and 11 days. http://bit.ly/anvHNU
BOOKMARK THIS: The fantastic Adam Serwer now has his own blog at the American Prospect. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/aIpfip
OH HEY, THERE'S STILL AN OIL SPILL - And the total cost of the cleanup effort was raised today to $2.65 billion. AP: "[BP] announced the updated total in a news release Monday. The costs include spill response, containment, relief well drilling, grants to Gulf states, claims paid, and federal costs. BP says it has received more than 80,000 claims and made almost 41,000 payments, totaling more than $128 million. BP says the figure does not include a $20 billion fund for Gulf damages it created this month." http://huff.to/aSFr1O
A Russian news outlet is reporting that BP CEO Tony Hayward will resign, a charge which BP strongly denies. http://huff.to/aSlYqa
AMERICA, MEET ZOMBIE LINCOLN. ZOMBIE LINCOLN, AMERICA - In Rick Barber's new campaign spot, the GOP candidate for Alabama's 2nd congressional district powwows with a very dour looking Abe Lincoln, who tells him that health care reform (and taxes in general) falls on the same part of the moral bell curve as slavery and the Holocaust. Dale Peterson even makes an appearance. http://bit.ly/9XeASl
BECAUSE YOU'VE READ THIS FAR - Here's a mouse riding a surfboard: http://bit.ly/cY3R9R
YO, ADRIAN...WTF??? - Mayor Adrian Fenty has backed out of tonight's debate with primary challenger and D.C. Council Chairman Vincent Gray. WaPo: "The Young Education Professionals group pulled a coup when it arranged the forum...But Sunday night, the Fenty campaign told the group that the mayor 'couldn't make it work,' said Kate Blosveren, president of the group." http://bit.ly/9XeExK
Weigel Takes To Breitbart's Big Government - Ousted WaPo blogger Dave Weigel, he of the leaked emails, pens his life story: http://bit.ly/cCsPTu
JEREMY THE INTERN'S WEATHER REPORT - Tonight: Despite the cold front passing through before 6 p.m., expect scattered thunderstorms all night. So there's a good chance we get hit with multiple cells. Tomorrow: It should be less humid. Highs will be in the mid-80s, with virtually no chance of rain. The good weather should continue through the week. Thanks, JB!
A little bit about that hurricane threatening the Gulf: Everyone welcome Alex, the season's first major threat to the beleaguered region. Alex (nee Tropical Depression One) will certainly strengthen even more, and will become the first hurricane of the year due to unseasonably warm Gulf temperatures. Everyone's hoping that it will continue westward (due to weak "steering winds") and miss the oil spill area. The good news is that a hurricane makes the water cooler, so it will be hard for a storm to form in the region for weeks. I expect Alex to become a category 2 or weak category hurricane before striking Mexico or South Texas. Fingers crossed, JB!
Exclusive picture of Jeremy commanding today's storm to leave: http://bit.ly/9j0Bk4
COMFORT FOOD
- The trailer for "The Social Network," the upcoming Facebook movie. http://bit.ly/9yyjuD
- A collection of ill-conceived "How To" books. http://huff.to/9uyMnM
- We don't get...Asia. From the same people who brought you that creepy Tiger Woods car crash reenactment, here's a enjoyable shoddy account Al Gore's alleged illicit encounter with a masseuse. http://bit.ly/9zt5jQ
- Making summer cooler in every way possible: ice straws. http://bit.ly/bK5kEW
- A pair tried to sell a baby for $25 in front of a Wal-Mart. http://bit.ly/a2p2zq
- HuffPost Comedy alerted us to this amazing re-imagining of a Star Wars vehicle as a pet dog. http://bit.ly/9ANnqU
- This grandpa really enjoys Lady Gaga. http://bit.ly/aoy9Bx
- Some screen caps from the new Harry Potter film. http://bit.ly/cFpQrM
TWITTERAMA
@DavidCornDC: Rains knock out Direct TV in DC in middle of Brazil-Chile #WorldCup match. Productivity increases.
@Alexgutierrez: This is where Biden should have appropriated the whole "Bite me" thing. http://bit.ly/afGkOE
@pourmecoffee: White House seems overconfident. Don't think Kagan should have worn a Che Guevara t-shirt. May come up in questioning. http://bit.ly/bT5NJT
@ebertchicago: "At Least 29 Shot In Chicago Over The Weekend." It's the fault of our damn unconstitutional gun laws. http://bit.ly/azDkja
THE TUBE
TONIGHT: Paul Ryan talked to Ratigan about the deficit. On Hardball Chuck Schumer and Ted Kaufman discussed Kagan, Alan Mollohan remembered Robert Byrd and Chellie Pingree and Barbara Lee talked about Afghanistan. Ed Schultz's fill-in, Chris Hayes, speaks with Sam Stein about the GOP field for 2012 and Ted Kaufman about Kagan. Amy Klobuchar is on Maddow. TOMORROW: Chris Christie and Jeff Sessions are on Morning Joe. Ted Kaufman joins the Daily Rundown.
ON TAP
TONIGHT
8:00 pm: This week, the Chrystal City Star Trek film festival screens "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home" [1851 S Bell Street, Arlington].
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm: Until now, we assumed the Capitol Hill Club only served its GOP attendees grade-A booze. We assumed wrong. Tom Petri (R-Wisc.) hosts "Top Shelf Monday" at the redoubt of pasty white guy-ness [Capitol Hill Club, 300 First Street SE].
5:30 pm - 7:30 pm: He'll trade you some General Tso's for some General Grants. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) welcomes you to his Chinese restaurant fundraiser [Hunan Dynasty, 215 Pennsylvania Ave SE].
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm: California Senate candidate Carly Fiorina (R-Calif.) is in town. She is the guest of honor at a fundraiser featuring top GOP senators. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) are scheduled to appear [Charlie Palmer Steakhouse, 101 Constitution Ave NW].
6:30 pm - 8:00 pm: David Wu (D-Ore.) woos his guests (sorry) at his reelection fundraiser [Johnny's Half Shell, 400 North Capitol Street NW].
7:00 pm: John Shimkus (R-Ill.) passes the hat at Capital Grille [Capital Grille, 601 Pennsylvania Ave NW].
TOMORROW
5:30 pm - 10:00 pm: "PoliticsUnder30" hosts its launch event at Sign of the Whale The organization "offers resume workshops free of charge, networking events, and consulting seminars with seasoned professionals." RSVP: http://bit.ly/dsUxa3 [Sign of the Whale, 1825 M Street NW].
7:00 pm: The National Geographic Society hosts the D.C. premiere of "Bhutto," a film about the slain Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto. Judy Woodruff hosts a post-screening discussion [National Geographic Society, 1600 M Street NW].
8:00 am - 9:00 am: Iowa Republican and wayward gold prospector Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) solicits donations over breakfast [Johnny's Half Shell, 400 North Capitol Street NW].
8:30 am - 1:00 pm: Carly Fiorina (R-Calif.) continues her fundraising swing with three morning events. The first at 8:30 am [Monocole Restaurant, 107 D Street NE], the second at 10:00 am [DC Navigators, LLC, 901 7th Street NW] and the third at 11:30 [National Republican Senatorial Committee, 425 2nd Street NE].
8:30 am: Bar Mitzvah boys and lawmakers are the only people we know of who celebrate their birthday by getting a crap-ton of checks. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) hosts a birthday celebration for Harry Teague (D-N.M.) [Bistro Bis, 15 E Street NW].
12:00 pm: We're not sure what's more ridiculous: That David Vitter (R-La.), whose women's issues aide resigned last week after it was discovered he plead guilty to assaulting his girlfriend, is hosting a fundraiser, or that one of the hosts is named Smitty Davis (a lobbyist for Akin, Gump) [The Monocle Restaurant, 107 D Street NE].
12:00 pm: Thank goodness all that crude hasn't reached Texas, right? Drilling enthusiast Lamar Smith (R-Texas) welcomes your contributions to his Longhorn PAC at Johnny's Half Shell [Johnny's Half Shell, 400 North Capitol Street NW].
12:00 pm: When he's not noun-and-verbing 9-11, Pete King (R-N.Y.) cozies up with telecom and insurance interests. AT&T, Verizon and Travelers' PACs host a fundraiser for the New York Congressman [Capitol Hill Club, 300 First Street SE].
5:30 pm: Candidate for Washington Governor Dino Rossi (R-Wash.) is in town for a heavy-hitters fundraiser. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.), Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Jim Inhofe (R-Okla), Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.), Pat Roberts (R-Kans.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Tom Coburn (R-Okla), Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), Mike Johanns (R-Neb.) and Jim Risch (R-Idaho) are scheduled to appear [Online Lenders Alliance (OLA) Townhouse, 330 Maryland Ave NE].
5:30 pm - 7:00 pm: Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas), who we're 90% sure was raised by a pack of park bench dial-a-lawyer advertisements, welcomes you to the Capitol Hill Club [Capitol Hill Club, 300 First Street SE].
6:00 pm - 7:30 pm: Mary Jo Kilroy (D-Ohio) ain't no kill-joy. Head over to the National Democratic Club Townhouse for some Cocktails and Hors d'oeurves [National Democratic Club Townhouse, 40 Ivy Street SE].
7:00 pm: On the heels of financial reform, John Thune (R-S.D.) knows who his friends are. He hosts a dinner fundraiser at the Credit Union House [Credit Union House, 403 C Street NE].
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