- Tue. Nov 24, 2009
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WHAT'S NEWS
•A new Democracy Corps (D)/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D) poll of nat'l LVs, conducted 6/22-25, shows Barack Obama leading John McCain 49-45% (release). Obama led the previous poll, completed 5/15, 48-46%.
•Obama will announce plans today to expand Pres. Bush's program steering federal money to religious groups and -- "in a move sure to cause controversy -- support their ability to hire and fire based on faith" (AP).
•Meanwhile, the Obama camp is planning as many as 1K house parties, as well as "dozens of Christian rock concerts," to attempt to pry religious voters away from the GOP (New York Times).
•The NRA is planning to spend about $40M on the WH race, with $15M devoted to portraying Obama "as a threat" to Second Amendment rights (Politico).
•Gen. Wes Clark remained defiant last night, saying he "would never, never diss someone's service," but adding: "I said this about John McCain's qualifications for a long time" ("Verdict").
•"Informal Obama adviser" Rand Beers argued yesterday that McCain's "isolation" during Vietnam "limited" his nat'l security experience "to some extent" ("Political Radar").
•Meanwhile, according to a USA Today analysis, nine of the top 20 Swift Boat Veterans for Truth donors, and their family members, have given $69,100 to McCain's WH bid.
•There is "talk" that Bill Clinton "may appear" at an Obama fundraiser in NYC "next week, one source said" (New York Post).
•The DLC -- the centrist group that "helped elect" B. Clinton and counts Hillary Clinton "as one of its leaders" -- "appears ready to back" Obama (AP).
•Although Obama "previously said the issue of gay marriage should be left up to each state," he announced his opposition to a CA ballot measure banning same-sex marriage (Sacramento Bee).
•Charlie Black's ex-lobbying firm has earned more than $1.8M representing the "leading foreign producer of gas and oil in Colombia" -- where McCain heads today (New York Times).
•LA Gov. Bobby Jindal (R) admitted he "clearly made a mistake" and vetoed the state legislative pay raise bill yesterday -- which effectively ended a recall effort against him (Shreveport Times).
•Bush's fundraiser for Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) in Jackson today will be "held at a private home" and be "closed to the public and the media" (Jackson Clarion-Ledger).
•For more headlines, see today's Earlybird: Top News; Campaigns; Pundits & Editorials; Network News; TV Guests; Today In Washington.
PLAY OF THE DAY
NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg (I) gives Simon & Garfunkel a new name on Play of the Day!
HAIR OF THE DOG
NC First Lady Mary Easley's travels to France, Russia, and Estonia -- where she "slept at top-notch hotels" and "sat in the fifth row" at the ballet -- cost taxpayers about $109K (Charlotte Observer).
GOSSIP BUFFET
•The new "shirtless" and "muscular" Beach Blanket Obama action figure "comes in a pair of board shorts, with trunks poking out from underneath" (Bergen Record).
•During their tour of Turbine Airfoil Designs in PA yesterday, Cindy McCain's "tangerine-colored, waffle-weave sweater and jacket set was coordinated to match her husband's tie" ("The Trail").
•Over the weekend, the Obamas "gnoshed on an eight-course tasting menu" at Spiaggia in Chicago "sans vino, but a martini glass or two were spotted on the table" (New York Daily News).
•During yesterday's WH tee ball game, "one poor boy" on the Camden Red Sox "took a ball in the face," but later returned "in fine shape" (AP).
•At last week's annual conference of the Network of Enlightened Women, author Danielle Crittenden noted that one of the "most striking aspects" of Michelle Obama is her "massively powerful" arms ("Yeas & Nays").
•Rep. Vic Snyder (D-AR) announced yesterday that his wife, Rev. Betsy Singleton, "is 10 1/2 weeks pregnant with triplets" (AP).
•Although Tucker Carlson has already agreed to emcee Ron Paul's shadow convo in Sep., the camp is still "on pins and needles" waiting to find out if Willie Nelson will perform ("The Sleuth").
•During his second of two appearances on "Jeopardy" in '65, McCain was tripped up in the final round by Heathcliff -- the "doomed romantic hero" in "Wuthering Heights" (AP).
•Wes Clark apparently has a Facebook page, and his "status," as of yesterday, was: "Wes Clark knows that John McCain is untested and untried when it comes to national security matters" (Politico.com).
•Bill Nelson, who chairs the board of the Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, said yesterday that he was "very disappointed" Obama didn't stop at the library or visit Truman's grave ("Prime Buzz").
•Ex-Sen. Rick Santorum (R-PA) is moving on to bigger and better things: He will serve as a PA co-chair of ONE Vote '08 -- an "offshoot" of Bono's ONE campaign (Philadelphia Inquirer).
•"Giraffe helps camels, zebras and potbellied pigs escape from Dutch circus" -- AP.
ROOSTER'S CROW
•An photo exhibit of kung fu-practicing monks (Nat'l Geographic Society Explorers' Hall, all day).
•Nat'l Geographic Live! screens the documentary "Search for the Afghan Girl" (1600 M St. NW, noon).
•A discussion with developer Dennis Wilde (Nat'l Building Museum, 12:30 pm).
•The Bruce Stanly Brass Quintet performs patriotic music (Kennedy Center, 6 pm).
•The U.S. Navy Band, Sea Chanters and Cruisers (U.S. Navy Memorial, 8 pm).
BREAKFAST FLAKE
"I said, 'I'm Young Jeezy, and it's rough out here.' ... And he gave me a look back, like, 'I know'" -- hip hop star Young Jeezy, on how McCain greeted him "like a god" during their recent stint on "SNL" (New York Post).
Nora McAlvanah, Editor
Maura O'Brien, Associate Editor
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- A morning news briefing on politicians and the press.