It was a rough night for Democrats who, one year ago, were triumphant in their quest for the White House.  The political operative largely responsible for President Obama’s historic victory in 2008 told ABC News the energy of that campaign does not necessarily transfer to other democrats.

“It was hard to build the coalition we built,” said David Plouffe, Mr. Obama’s campaign manager and author of the new book The Audacity to Win.  “It cost a lot of money, it cost a lot of time.  I think there’s some notion out there among some that we can press a button on a computer and turn people out.  It doesn’t work that way.  None of this is transferrable.” 

Like 2008 many voters in New Jersey and Virginia said they favored the candidate who “can bring needed change.”  This time, though, that candidate turned out to be the republican.

“Every candidate has to be responsible for creating their own atmospherics and their own strategy in their campaign to get these people out and it’s hard to do,” Plouffe said.   “If you don’t have a compelling message to them it’s not going to work.”

Exit polls showed voters who turned out for Mr. Obama a year ago – young people and African-Americans – largely stayed home this time.  Plouffe said it’s a warning for democrats running in the 2010 midterm elections.

“My argument to democratic incumbents would be you better have a case to make about what you’ve done to try and improve things short and long term.” 

The one bright spot for the Democratic Party came in New York’s 23rd Congressional District.  The seat has been reliably republican for generations but democrat Bill Owens prevailed after GOP infighting.  National party leaders forced the republican out in favor of a third party conservative candidate that voters rejected.  Plouffe said it may be an opening for his party.

“The Palin-Limbaugh-Beck wing of the party they’ve sent signals that they want to go around the country and purge more moderates,” he said.

So it’s not quite a thumping. Call it a spanking. It stings nonetheless.

Election Day 2009 will be remembered as the day Democrats hoped to recreate some magic but didn’t. Change ran its winning streak to three.
 
Independent voters found new homes. Surge voters just plain stayed home. Republicans remembered what it was like to win again. Democrats remembered what it was like to run without Barack Obama on the ballot.

The big Republican wins in New Jersey and Virginia are tempered by the very real fact that it was Democrats who actually gained a seat in Congress (over no less a foe than Sarah Palin).

But the broad lessons of Tuesday -- unease over the economy, the shift among independents, a blue-state repeal of gay marriage, the anti-incumbent fervor (all three marquee races wound up as party switches) -- register a little more strongly with the side in power.

(And has the push to have gotten health care done long before campaign season ever looked more prescient -- or appear, even now, more distant?)

Remember that this is a bookmark, not a bookend. But the story just got more interesting.

“The results in the New Jersey and Virginia races underscored the difficulties Mr. Obama is having transforming his historic victory a year ago into either a sustained electoral advantage for Democrats or a commanding ideological position over conservatives in legislative battles,” Adam Nagourney writes in The New York Times. “The results suggested the limits of the political influence of Mr. Obama.”

(Tough story to sell: “The real story here is, I think this thing is ambiguous,” says David Axelrod.)

Among the troublesome signs: “Vast economic discontent marked the mood of Tuesday's off-year voters, portending potential trouble for incumbents generally and Democrats in particular in 2010,” ABC Polling Director Gary Langer writes, off of the exit polls.

In Virginia, Bob McDonnell won independents 66-33. In New Jersey, Chris Christie won them 60-30 -- with an independent on the ballot.

“These independents have become the predators of politics -- and incumbents are their prey,” ABC’s George Stephanopoulos said on “Good Morning America” Wednesday.

All that talk of the stimulus’ impact... “The GOP won big tonight because the voting was a referendum on the economy,” Stephanopoulos reports. “On that top issue, voters let out a primal scream. Which will echo across Obama’s second year.”

2009 is no 2008: “Neither gubernatorial election amounted to a referendum on the president, but the changing shape of the electorates in both states and the shifts among key constituencies revealed cracks in the Obama 2008 coalition and demonstrated that, at this point, Republicans have the more energized constituency heading into next year's midterm elections,” The Washington Post’s Dan Balz writes.

The AP’s Liz Sidoti: “Independents who swept Barack Obama to a historic 2008 victory broke big for Republicans on Tuesday as the GOP wrested political control from Democrats in Virginia and New Jersey, a troubling sign for the president and his party heading into an important midterm election year.”

“This election was as much about who didn't show up as who did. Obama World took the day off,” Newsweek’s Howard Fineman writes.

“Republicans on Tuesday dispelled any notion of President Obama's electoral invincibility,” the Los Angeles Times’ Mark Z. Barabak and Faye Fiore report.

Can even a loss be a win? Well, ask Sarah Palin: “The race for New York’s 23rd District is not over, just postponed until 2010. The issues of this election have always centered on the economy – on the need for fiscal restraint, smaller government, and policies that encourage jobs. In 2010, these issues will be even more crucial to the electorate,” Palin posted on Facebook shortly after midnight ET. “The cause goes on.”

Bottling NY-23? “The White House hopes that that’s a template for what happens all over the country,” ABC’s Jake Tapper reported on “Good Morning America” Wednesday.

(Democrat Bill Owens is going to finish right around 50 percent -- quite the victory for the DCCC, with or without history-weighted references to Civil War-era representation.)

Remembering the Mainers: “Maine voters overturned the state’s same-sex marriage law yesterday, delivering a potentially crushing blow to gay-rights advocates after a year when their cause seemed to be gaining momentum with legislative and legal victories in four states,” The Boston Globe’s Maria Sacchetti reports.

(Nate Silver, at FiveThirtyEight.com: “As for the polling, I think we have to seriously consider whether there is some sort of a Bradley Effect in the polling on gay rights issues...”)

$100 million buys you -- what, exactly, these days? “Mayor Bloomberg won a squeaker Tuesday night -- claiming a third term by a surprisingly thin 5-point margin after outspending his rival by nearly $80 million” per the New York Daily News.

Lesson time:

“Eager to drain the 2009 elections of drama and import, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs claimed Tuesday night that President Barack Obama was ‘not watching returns,’ ” Politico’s John F. Harris and Jonathan Martin report. “You can be sure that he is studying them closely now: The off-year elections were in two big races an unmistakable rebuke of Democrats, reshuffling Obama’s political circumstances in ways likely to have severe near-term consequences for his policy agenda and larger governing strategy.”

It’s the... “Republicans swept governors’ races in New Jersey and Virginia as voters worried about jobs and the economy punished Democrats,” Bloomberg’s Heidi Przybyla reports. “The Republican wins in two out of three races could embolden conservative activists seeking to promote rivals for the seats of party lawmakers and officials such as Florida Governor Charlie Crist who supported Obama’s $787 billion economic stimulus.”

Clip-and-save, for NRCC recruits: “In a sign that there's more trouble ahead for Democrats, voters in New Jersey and Virginia said they were driven by the economy and spending, and Republicans said their showing on Tuesday gives them momentum heading into the 2010 congressional elections,” the Washington Times’ Stephen Dinan and S.A. Miller report.

Fire up the zingers: “It’s unclear which White House staffer thought it would be a good idea to have an NBC show called ‘The Biggest Loser’ visit the White House in an episode that aired on what was shaping up to be a tough election night for President Obama and the Democratic party, but the contestants stopped by 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Tuesday night as election returns came in,” ABC’s Jake Tapper and Yunji de Nies report.

Feeling that drift? The New York Times’ Peter Baker marks the year since Grant Park: “A year later, as a few smaller elections yielded a more critical judgment, the hope and hubris have given way to the daily grind of governance, the jammed meeting schedule waiting in the morning, the thick briefing books waiting at night, the thousand little compromises that come in between. The education of a president is complicated, and as Mr. Obama has

Slate’s John Dickerson: “The president can explain that he has more influence over issues in the national conversation that will be part of the 2010 races -- and that he wasn't on the ballot anywhere in 2009. But members of Congress are a nervous bunch. This will make them more so.”

That’s the short-term takeaway on health care -- which, of course, is nowhere close to a short-term issue anyway.

Speaking of timing: “Senior Congressional Democrats told ABC News today it is highly unlikely that a health care reform bill will be completed this year, just a week after President Barack Obama declared he was ‘absolutely confident’ he'll be able to sign one by then,” ABC’s Jonathan Karl reports. “ ‘Getting this done by the by the end of the year is a no-go,’ a senior Democratic leadership aide told ABC News.”

(Flashback to July 2009: “If you don’t set deadlines in this town, things don’t happen,” President Obama said.)

Who’s committed to whom? “The delay would be a setback for the White House, which has made enacting a health overhaul its top domestic priority this year,” The Wall Street Journal’s Janet Adamy and Patrick Yoest write. “But officials minimized the prospect. Dan Pfeiffer, deputy communications director at the White House, said, ‘Senator Reid has committed to the president that as soon as the Senate has the information back from the CBO they will move expeditiously to pass health reform.’ ”

“Even if it doesn't sink the health care effort, a delay would raise new uncertainties and push other domestic priorities further back. It also would give opponents a chance to pick off nervous Democratic lawmakers eyeing their November 2010 re-election campaigns,” the AP’s Chuck Babington reports.

If Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is right ... “the best-case scenario becomes this: both the House and the Senate pass their versions of the health care bill before leaving at the end of the year, and a conference committee begins its work while they are gone; a conference committee report, while controversial, would likely pass a Democratic Congress. If not, a loss of momentum could dampen the sense of inevitability that, as much as anything else, has brought health care reform to the point of being nearly within reach,” Time’s Karen Tumulty writes.

Over in the House -- under the cover of Election Night zaniness: “Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) released a catch-all package of tweaks to her sweeping health care overhaul late Tuesday, but punted on a dispute over abortion language that continues to bedevil the broader bill,” Roll Call’s Tory Newmyer and Steven T. Dennis report. “By publicly posting the amendment package Tuesday night, House Democrats started a 72-hour clock they pledged to wind down before bringing the bill to the floor, setting up a possible vote Friday night.”

(Democrats will have two new votes by then -- and don’t think they’ll need them.)

Ladies and gentlemen, your GOP health care alternative -- yes, posted online. From the release: “The American people have spoken. They oppose government-run health care. Republicans are on the side of the American people.”

The president’s day -- from Grant Park to ... Wright Middle School: “On the anniversary of his election, President Barack Obama heads to Madison, Wisconsin to speak at a local middle school,” ABC’s Yunji de Nies reports  “He’ll address education policy, with a focus on the ‘Race to the Top’ initiative. That $4.35 billion dollar program, funded through the Recovery Act, is a national competition among the states, to inspire education reform.”

Job counting -- AP headline: “STIMULUS WATCH: Salary raise counted as saved job.” “If I give you a raise, it is going to save a portion of your job,” HHS spokesman Luis Rosero told Brett J. Blackledge and Matt Apuzzo.

Wall Street Journal headline: “White House Tally Appears to Overstate Stimulus Jobs.”

Publishing Wednesday: Former Gov. Mike Huckabee’s latest book, “A Simple Christmas.” 
 

The publicity tour starts Wednesday morning with a Christian Science Monitor breakfast, plus a lunchtime book signing at the Costco at Pentagon City, and extends through 64 events in 22 states.

And Huckabee will be on ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” Wednesday at noon ET.

Also Wednesday -- Carly for Senate, in California. From the campaign-to-be: “Carly Fiorina will make a major announcement on Wednesday at one of Orange County’s leading businesses, Earth Friendly Products, in Garden Grove. Carly will make a major announcement and take questions from the audience during a town-hall style forum.”

Get your tickets: “Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush won't be joining the Rockettes' kickline, but they will bring their traveling road show to Radio City Music Hall in February,” Newsday’s Kathleen Kerr reports. “Clinton and Bush plan to debate each other on key political issues on Feb. 25 at the venue better-known for high-kicking dancers and Christmas pageants.”

The Kicker:

 “I would have beaten him like a rented mule.” -- Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., in September 2009, joking about what might have been in a race against Mayor Bloomberg, on ABCNews.com’s “Top Line.”

“Whatever the outcome of those elections, it will have an impact on people's interpretations of the upcoming election.” -- Then-Rep. Rahm Emanuel, on the eve of November 2005’s gubernatorial contests in New Jersey and Virginia, to Roll Call, plotting the Democratic takeover of Congress a year out. 

For up-to-the-minute political updates check out The Note’s blog . . . all day every day:
http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/

Compiled by ABC News Desk Assistants KRISTEN RED-HORSE, PETER MARTINEZ, JAYCE HENDERSON, CLAUDIA MORALES, CARRIE HALPERIN and JESSICA HOPPER

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ELECTION COVERAGE:

ABC News’ Rick Klein: “Election 2009: Republicans Win Governor’s Races in New Jersey and Virginia” LINK

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “It’s the Economy” LINK

ABC News’ Steve Osunsami, Ryan Owens and Sadie Bass: “Historic Stakes for Atlanta and Houston Mayoral Races” LINK

ABC News’ Gary Langer: “’09 Exit Polls: Voters Approve of Obama, Wary of Economy” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Jonathan Weisman and Corey Dade: “Republicans Win in Key States” LINK

Bloomberg’s Heidi Przybyla: “Republicans Ride Economic Woes to Wins in Virginia, New Jersey” LINK

Newsweek’s Katie Connolly: “Don’t Stare At The Tea Leaves For Too Long” LINK

Newsweek’s Howard Fineman: “VA and NJ Elections: Obama World Stayed Home” LINK

Newsweek’s Howard Fineman: “Election 2009: Rejecting The Big Boys, Again” LINK

Newsweek’s Howard Fineman: “Election Results Show Lack of Confidence in Obama” LINK

USA Today's Susan Page: "Va., N.J. give GOP reason to celebrate" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Staff: “Democrats score congressional victories in California, New York” LINK

The New York Times’ David Halbfinger and Ian Urbina: “G.O.P. Wins Two Key Governors’ Races; Bloomberg Prevails in a Close Contest” LINK

The Washington Post’s Dan Balz: “Contests serve as warning to Democrats: It’s not 2008 anymore” LINK

Politico’s Alexander Burns: “GOP sweeps gubernatorial races, Dem leads in N.Y. 23” LINK

The Hill's Reid Wilson and Aaron Blake: “GOP gains momentum, Dems gain House seat” LINK

The Hill's Reid Wilson: “Chris Christie wins New Jersey; GOP sweeps governors' races” LINK

The Associated Press' Judy Lin: "Democrats win California House seat" LINK

MAINE ELECTION:

ABC News’ Devin Dwyer: “Maine Voters Weigh Gay Marriage Referendum” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Keith J. Winstein: “Pro-Gay-Marriage Measure Trails in Maine” LINK

The Washington Times’ Valerie Richardson: “Vote Tight on Maine Gay Marriage” LINK

The Associated Press: "Maine voters reject gay-marriage law" LINK

NEW JERSEY ELECTION:

The New York Daily News' David Saltonstall: “New Jersey governor race 2009 results: Republican Chris Christie beats Democrat Jon Corzine" LINK

Newsweek’s Andrew Romano: “What Christie’s Win In N.J. Means for the Future of the GOP” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Uzanne Sataline: “Christie Wins New Jersey Race” LINK

Bloomberg’s Dunstan McNichol and Terrence Dopp: “Christie Ousts Corzine in N.J. Governor’s Race” LINK

USA Today's Martha T. Moore: "Republican Chris Christie wins N.J. governorship" LINK

The Washington Post’s Karl Vick: “Christie bests Corzine in election for N.J. governor” LINK

Politico’s Jonathan Martin: “Christie tops Corzine in New Jersey” LINK

NEW YORK ELECTION:

The New York Times’ David Chen and Michael Barbaro: “Bloomberg Wins 3rd Term as mayor in unexpectedly Close Race” LINK

The New York Times’ Michael Barbaro: “Chief Factor in Mayor’s Race: Bloomberg Influence” LINK

The New York Daily News' Celeste Katz, Erin Einhorn and Adam Lisberg: “Mayor Michael Bloomberg defeats William Thompson by thin margin; squeaks through to third term" LINK

The New York Daily News' Lisa Colangelo, Erin Einhorn, Celeste Katz, Ryan Mcclendon, Jake Pearson, Kerry Wills, Adam Lisberg: “Last 24 hours: How Mayor Bloomberg, William Thompson spent the campaign homestretch" LINK

The Washington Times’ Donald Lambro: “Tea Partiers Hone Skills In N.Y. House Race” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Anton Troianovski: “Democrat Wins New York House Race” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Valerie Bauerlein and Chris Herring: “Bloomberg Wins Re-Election in New York City” LINK

The Associated Press' Valerie Bauman: "Democrat wins House seat in heavily GOP area in NY" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Richard Fausset and Kate Linthicum: “New York reelects Bloomberg as mayor" LINK

Politico’s Michael Falcone: “Michael Bloomberg’s race unexpectedly close” LINK

The Hill's Aaron Blake: “Democrat’s win in N.Y. plays spoiler for GOP” LINK

VIRGINIA ELECTION:

The Washington Post’s Rosalind Helderman and Anita Kumar: “GOP reclaims Virginia” LINK

The Washington Times’ Sarah Abruzzese and David C. Lipscomb: “McDonnell Win Buoys GOP Hopes” LINK

The Washington Times’ Joseph Curl: “Deeds’ Supporters Feel Weight of Failed Campaign” LINK

USA Today's Kathy Kiely: "Republican McDonnell takes Va. governorship" LINK

Politico’s Andy Barr: “GOP dominates in Virginia” LINK

HEALTH CARE:

ABC News’ Jonathan Karl: “Top Dems: Obama Won’t Get Health Care Bill in 2009” LINK

The Washington Times’ Jennifer Haberkorn: “GOP Set to Unveil Its Health Plan LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Janet Adamy and Patrick Yoest: “Democrats See Health-Care Timetable Slipping” LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "Republicans offer familiar health proposals" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' James Oliphant: “Abortion language complicates Democratic health efforts" LINK

The New York Times’ Julia Preston: “Health Care Debate Focuses on Legal Immigrants” LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear and David Herszenhorn: “G.O.P. Counters With a Health Plan of Its Own” LINK

The Washington Post’s Ceci Connolly: “Health bills too timid on cutting costs, experts say” LINK

The Washington Post’s Shailagh Murray and Lori Montgomery: “Senate moderates flex muscle on health-care bill” LINK

The Hill's Michael O'Brien: “Democrats file final House health bill; Friday vote possible” LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

The New York Times’ Peter Baker: “A Year Later, a Daily Grind: The Glow of Obama’s Election Has Long Faded” LINK

USA Today's Greg Toppo: "Race to the Top education grant propels reforms" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Louise Radnofsky and Maurice Tamman: “White House Tally Appears to Overstate Stimulus Jobs” LINK

FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

The Wall Street Journal’s Alan Cullison: “Karzai Starts Anew With Familiar Vows” LINK

USA Today's Rick Hampson: "Berlin Wall now in pieces across USA" LINK

The Associated Press: "Obama notes anniversary of Iran embassy takeover" LINK

The Washington Post’s Karen DeYoung and Howard Schneider: “U.S. hope dims for high-level Israeli-Palestinian talks over state” LINK

CONGRESS:

The Wall Street Journal’s Stephen Power: “Merkel Brings Agenda to Congress” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Brody Mullins: “Lawmakers Score Ticket Deal” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Peter Wallsten: “Crist Faces Test From Right in Bid for Senate” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Kristina Peterson: “Proposed Change in Patent Policy Pits Big Firms vs. Small” LINK

The New York Times’ Jackie Calmes: “Congress Poised to Keep Homebuyers’ Tax Credit” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Kara Scannell and Damian Paletta: “Small Business Gets Breaks in House Financial-Overhaul Bill” LINK

Politico’s Charles Mahtesian and Alex Isenstadt: “Uncivil War: Conservatives to challenge a dozen GOP candidates” LINK

The Hill's Silla Brush: “Frank: House won’t vote on financial overhaul until Dec.” LINK

The Hill's Molly K. Hooper: “House GOPers angry about leak” LINK

ECONOMY/FINANCIAL REGULATION:

The Washington Post’s David Cho and Brady Dennis: “Dodd to go alone with draft for financial reform” LINK

The New York Times’ Michael Fletcher: “Policies sought to add jobs without piling on the deficit” LINK

Politico’s Victoria McGrane: “Financial reform fight heats up House” LINK

ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT:

ABC News’ Sunlen Miller and Z. Byron Wolf: “Obama: Time to ‘Redouble our Efforts’ on Climate Change Before Copenhagen” LINK

Bloomberg’s Catherine Dodge and Simon Lomax: “Democrats Start Climate Debate as Republicans Boycott” LINK

USA Today's Katharine Lackey: "Energy Dept. awards money for electric cars" LINK

The Hill's Jim Snyder: “Climate debate hits partisan note” LINK

The Hill's Walter Alarkon: “Orszag turns to deficit fear” LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

USA Today's Gregg Zoroya: "Spinal injuries up among troops" LINK

USA Today's On Deadline: "JP who refused to marry interracial couple resigns" LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“'The Note': Mini Super Tuesday” LINK

“Merkel Addresses Joint Session of Congress” LINK

“Chris Christie Casts His Vote” LINK

“Dem Campaign Chief Downplays 'Decision Day'” LINK

“Al Gore's Vision of the Future: 'Our Choice'” LINK

]]> The Note Must-Reads ABCNews.com Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:59:28 -0500 http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/11/must-reads-wednesday.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ABCNews_TheNote/~3/KfkyLOcF3Ew/dem-campaign-chief-obama-agenda-on-ballot-next-year-not-this-year.html http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/11/dem-campaign-chief-obama-agenda-on-ballot-next-year-not-this-year.html As Democrats brace for what could be a rough Election Day, the head of Democrats’ House campaign efforts is downplaying the national implications of the day’s marquee contests, in New Jersey, Virginia, and upstate New York. ABC News’ Rick Klein reports: As Democrats brace for what could be a rough Election Day, the head of Democrats’ House campaign efforts is downplaying the national implications of the day’s marquee contests, in New Jersey, Virginia, and upstate New York.

But if the Obama agenda isn’t on the ballot this year -- it sure will be next year, Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., told us on ABCNews.com’s “Top Line” today.

If Democratic turnout is down today, “what it tells is us we need to make sure that between now and a year from now we take actions both on the campaign side as well as whatever policy efforts we need to undertake, to make sure that all those voters understand that the success of the president’s agenda --- the success of the Obama agenda will depend on the turnout at the polls next November 2010,” said Van Hollen, the chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

“And if the people who came out to the polls for President Obama understand that the change agenda that he campaigned on in 2008, that that agenda is on the ballot in 2010, then they may well come out. But that’s not a big issue on the ballots this year so I don’t think it’s a fair test in that sense,” Van Hollen said.

Van Hollen called it “nonsense” to suggest that today’s results provide a forecast for the mid-term congressional elections: “It is not a situation where you’ve got members of Congress who are working with the president to try and enact an agenda are all on the ticket this time around. So I would say people need to be very cautious about drawing conclusions about the outcome of these elections.”

But he did suggest that there are lessons to be gleaned from the special election in New York State’s 23rd congressional district, where conservative anger at the Republican Party nominee forced the GOP candidate to back out of the race.

“You saw the Republicans essentially throwing their candidate under the bus. And that is going to be an issue in Republican primaries around the country, where you’ve got people who are running to the right, where you’ve got people who may be breaking with the party to run as independent candidates. That will send a very chilling message around the country that there’s no room for moderates in the Republican Party.”

Watch the full interview with Rep. Chris Van Hollen HERE.

We also checked with our regular Tuesday guest, Republican strategist Kevin Madden, on what to watch for today. High on his list: Where do independent voters -- critical to the Obama coalition -- go this year, and what issues motivate them?

Watch the discussion with Kevin Madden HERE.

Has Joe Lieberman been bluffing?  An article in this morning's The Hill newspaper says Lieberman has "reached a private understanding" with Harry Reid that he won't block a final vote on a health care bill. 

If true, that would contradict Lieberman's public statements last week, including his interview with ABC News  "Subway Series" where he said he would join a Republican filibuster to kill the bill if it included a public option. 

Lieberman's office, however, says the Hill story is bunk, or, in spokesman Marshall Wittman's words "absolutely not true."  Lieberman, Wittman says, will vote to block a final vote on any bill with a pubic option and has no "private understanding" with Reid to the contrary.

Witmann says Senator Lieberman’s "clear position" is that he "will oppose cloture on a final bill if it contains a public option."

"If you believe this story is true, you will also believe that I am replacing A-Rod in game six of the series," says Wittman, who doesn't look like much of a baseball player.

Compiled by ABC News Desk Assistants KRISTEN RED-HORSE, PETER MARTINEZ, JAYCE HENDERSON, CLAUDIA MORALES, CARRIE HALPERIN and JESSICA HOPPER

BOOKMARKS:

The Note: LINK

The Must-Reads Online: LINK

Top Line Webcast (12noon EST M-F): LINK

ABC News Politics: LINK

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Follow ABC News on Twitter: LINK

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ELECTIONS:

ABC News’ David Chalian: “Democrats Seek Warning Signs from Voters” LINK

ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos: “Did Obama Save Corzine, Stop GOP Sweep?” LINK

ABC News: “Closing Arguments: Obama and Election Day Implications” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Naftali Bendavid and Anton Troianovski: “Republicans Are Poised for Gains in Key Elections” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Stu Woo: “California House Seat Tilts to Democrat” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Alex P. Kellogg: “Detroit Incumbent Is a Heavy Favorite” LINK

Bloomberg’s Jonathan D. Salant: “Online Bettors Make Corzine-Christie Race Too Close to Call” LINK

The Washington Times’ S.A. Miller and Sarah Abruzzese: “GOP Eyes Three State Sweep of Key Contests” LINK

Time’s Mark Halperin: “The Three Races to Watch on Election Day” LINK

Time’s Jay Newton-Small: “Virginia Race Gives Republicans A Blueprint For Success” LINK

The Washington Times’ Kara Rowland: “Biden Urges Voters To Send Memo to GOP” LINK

USA Today's Susan Page: "Off-year elections will test Democrats' influence" LINK

Politico’s Jim Vandehei and Alex Isenstadt: “Conservatives take aim at leaders, Charlie Crist, other races” LINK

AFGHANISTAN:

ABC News’ Jake Tapper and Sunlen Miller: “After “Messy” Process, President Obama Congratulates Afghanistan’s “Legitimate” – If Not “Credible” --- President” LINK

ABC News’ Jim Sciutto and Devin Dwyer: “Karzai Wins Presidency as Afghan Runoff Is Cancelled” LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Yaroslav Trofimov in Kabul and Zahid Hussain in Islamabad: “Afghan Presidential Runoff Is Canceled” LINK

Bloomberg’s Roger Runningen and Nicholas Johnston: “Obama Calls on Karzai to Deliver Results on Graft, Governance” LINK

The New York Times’ Helene Cooper and Jeff Zeleny: “Obama Warns Karzai to Focus on Tackling Corruption” LINK

The Washington Post’s Scott Wilson and Rajiv Chandrasekaran: “Karzai is wild card for U.S. strategy” LINK

HEALTH CARE:

The Wall Street Journal’s Janet Adamy: “Flash Points Linger in Health Bill” LINK

Bloomberg’s James Rowley: “Public Option Skeptics Find Support in CBO Health-Care Study” LINK

The New York Times’ Robert Pear and Carl Hulse: “Democrats Say House Bill Cuts Premiums for Many” LINK

The Washington Post’s Perry Bacon Jr.: “Democrats’ concerns over abortion may imperil health bill” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Tom Hamburger and Kim Geiger: "Healthcare provision seeks to embrace prayer treatments" LINK

The Associated Press' Erica Werner: "2 tough health care issues remain in the House" LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "GOP representative says health bill scarier than terrorists" LINK

Politico’s Patrick O’Connor: “GOP health bill focuses on lower costs” LINK

The Hill's Molly K. Hooper: "House GOP set to release healthcare bill" LINK

The Hill's Alexander Bolton: "Reid reassures the left Lieberman is on board" LINK

The Hill's Mike Soraghan: "Pelosi picks up centrist ‘yes’ votes in House" LINK

PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION:

The Wall Street Journal’s John D. Mckinnon and Elizabeth Williamson: “Job-Creation Panel Leery of Spending” LINK

The New York Times’ Jeff Zeleny: “In Iowa, Second Thoughts on Obama” LINK

The New York Daily News' David Hinckley: "By the People: The Election of Barack Obama" LINK

USA Today's Mimi Hall and Maria Puente: "Obamas updating first family's image" LINK

The Associated Press: "First lady launches White House mentoring program" LINK

Politico’s Nia-Malika Henderson: “Michelle Obama launches mentoring program” LINK

Politico’s Ben Smith: “’Back down to earth’ for W.H. diplomacy” LINK

Politico’s Nia-Malika Henderson: “Obama taps Hollywood headliners” LINK

FOREIGN AFFAIRS:

The Washington Post’s Karen DeYoung: “In face of Arab anger, Clinton amends view on Israel’s offer to curb West Bank Growth” LINK

The Washington Post’s Thomas Erdbrink: “Clinton tells Iran to adhere to plan” LINK

The Washington Post’s Blaine Harden: “In North Korea, the military now issues economic orders” LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Paul Richter and Alexandra Zavis: "Obama warns Karzai to clean up Afghanistan's government" LINK

The Los Angeles Times' Alex Rodriguez: "Pakistan militants kill 35 in latest attack" LINK

The Associated Press: "Senior US diplomats visit Myanmar" LINK

Politico’s Laura Rozen: “Clinton: Iran should accept nuclear deal ‘as is’” LINK

CONGRESS:

ABC News’ Z. Byron Wolf: “Partisan Argument Slows Unemployment Benefits Extension” LINK

Politico’s David Rogers: “Senate eyes jobless aid, home credit” LINK

The Washington Times’ Joseph Curl: “Big Money Buys Seats At Lawmakers’ Dinner Tables” LINK

The Associated Press’ Jim Kuhnhenn: “House Democrats Bristle at More Bailouts” LINK

ECONOMY/FINANCIAL REGULATION:

The Washington Times’ Stephen Dinan: “Economic Downturn Quiets Labor Unions” LINK

USA Today's Brad Heath and Matt Kelley: "Analysis finds stimulus confusion" LINK

The Wall Street Journal’s Damian Paletta and Aaron Lucchetti: “Fed Pushes Bankers on Pay Overhauls” LINK

The Washington Post’s Tomoeh Murakami Tse and Neil Irwin: “Fed gives Wall Street deadline on pay plan” LINK

ENERGY / ENVIRONMENT:

The New York Times’ John Broder: “Gore’s Dual Role in Spotlight: Advocate and Investor” LINK

The Boston Globe's Political Intelligence: "Senate Republicans threaten to boycott climate bill" LINK

OTHER MUST-READS:

USA Today's Opinion: "Reagan for ’09" LINK

ABC NEWS VIDEOS:

“Jake Tapper on Afghanistan Elections” LINK

“Voters Gear Up for Tuesday” LINK

“End to Elections in Afghanistan” LINK

“Obama Warns of Future Job Losses” LINK

“Afghanistan's Runoff Election Is Called Off” LINK

]]> The Note Must-Reads ABCNews.com Tue, 03 Nov 2009 04:12:36 -0500 http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/11/must-reads-tuesday.html http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ABCNews_TheNote/~3/mJY69zPswH8/partisan-argument-slows-unemployment-benefits-extension.html http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/11/partisan-argument-slows-unemployment-benefits-extension.html But while last week they invoked cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill, tonight they vote 85-2 to invoke cloture on a substitute amendment written by Senate Democrats. If this is how long it takes to pass a bill both parties support, imagine what will happen when the health reform bill hits the Senate floor. ABC’s Z. Byron Wolf reports on the Partisan that is slowing an extension of unemployment insurance

Yes, there is a reason for your déjà vu.

You might be thinking that Senators overwhelmingly supported a cloture vote regarding an extension of unemployment benefits just last week.

They did it again tonight.

But while last week they invoked cloture on the motion to proceed to the bill, tonight they vote 85-2 to invoke cloture on a substitute amendment written by Senate Democrats. If this is how long it takes to pass a bill both parties support, imagine what will happen when the health reform bill hits the Senate floor.

The Senate has been mulling over an unemployment benefits extension since the House passed its version of an unemployment benefits extension on Sept. 22.

Why is this taking so long?

Republicans, even though they are by and large voting in favor of cloture, say they are standing up for principle. They want votes on amendments unrelated to the bill . Democrats don’t want to vote on those amendments, which include further cutting of funding to ACORN and on making permanent an “E-verify” program to electronically check immigration status of employees.

The Senate Democrats plan would extend unemployment benefits by 20 weeks in places with the highest unemployment rates and extend benefits by 14 weeks everywhere else. With previous extensions, unemployment benefits extend more than 70 weeks in most areas. Masses of the unemployed that lost their jobs in this recession will not start losing benefits until December and beyond. But tens of thousands of Americans still run out of benefits each week.

Also included Senate Democrats proposal is an extension of an $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers thru homes that close by June of 2010. That credit is expanded to give people who have lived in their houses for more than five years a $6,500 tax credit for buying a new house.

There is no doubt this bill will pass. It’s just a matter of when. Republicans could insist on 30 hours of debate on this amendment post-cloture. Then Democrats would have to file cloture on the full bill, wait a day, have a final cloture vote, wait another 30 hours and vote on the bill. That’s 60 hours and one day away.

Republicans and Democrats could always come to a unanimous consent agreement to waive the cloture votes and immediately pass the unemployment extension. But that does not currently seem likely.

So, depending on your perspective, either Republicans are holding this up because they want amendments on unrelated items or Democrats are holding it up because they won’t let Republicans have their amendments.

In any event, unemployment benefits continue to be held up. And whatever the Senate passes will have to go back to the House of Representatives for their approval.

Getting beyond the traditional caveats -- these are three discrete races that are more likely to turn on local issues and candidates than they are to elucidate key national trends -- Election Day 2009 brings critical lessons about the state of the electorate, as well as the resiliency of the coalition that vaulted President Obama to the White House.

My colleague David Chalian has a full curtain-raiser HERE.

ABC’s Polling Director Gary Langer sorts through the numbers HERE.

And I handicap the races with ABC’s Charlie Gibson on the “World News Webcast” HERE.

Some of what to watch for on Election Day 2009:

New York-23: GOP’s Un-Civil War. President Obama himself sparked the scramble for the day’s most intriguing contest, when he nominated the longtime congressman from this upstate New York district, John McHugh, to be his Army secretary.

Republicans have held this sprawling, northernmost district near the Vermont and Canadian border for more than a century.

But the biggest threat to keeping it in GOP hands has come from the right, with Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman scooping up national Republican support, at the expense of GOP nominee Dede Scozzafava.

Under fire for her moderate-to-liberal social views, Scozzafava over the weekend suspended her campaign and endorsed Democrat Bill Owens, though she’ll still be on the ballot.

If Owens wins, the race will widely be interpreted as Democrats pouncing on Republican divisions to take a seat that normally shouldn’t be theirs.

And whether or not Hoffman prevails, the race is likely to embolden grass-roots conservatives to challenge the GOP establishment as the mid-term congressional elections approach.

The party is split on whether to favor candidates who -- like Hoffman -- strictly adhere to conservative values, or find Republican candidates who -- like Scozzafava -- are closer to reflecting the particular politics of a given congressional district.

New Jersey Governor: Heavy Coattails? Gov. Jon Corzine, D-N.J., is locked in the kind of tight reelection race that -- unless the economy turns around fast -- incumbents of both parties may grow to expect in 2010.

Republican candidate Chris Christie has tapped into distaste for New Jersey Democratic machine politics and Corzine himself, in a race complicated by the presence of self-funded independent candidate Chris Daggett.

The White House has pressed hard in New Jersey, in the hopes that it can salvage one victory on what could otherwise be a grim day for Democrats. If Corzine falls in the heavily Democratic state, the race could be widely cited in the months to come, as vulnerable members of Congress face difficult votes that could have electoral consequences.

Virginia Governor: Color Purple, Again. President Obama’s victory in Virginia last year -- no Democrat had carried the state in a presidential election in 44 years -- was hailed a potential turning point in the heart of the Deep South.

But Virginia will be considered solidly purple again if, as polls suggest, Republican Bob McDonnell takes the governor’s race against Democrat Creigh Deeds.

Such a result would be in keeping with recent history; the party in the White House has lost the governor’s mansion in Richmond in every election since 1973.

Still, the race will test whether it’s possible to motivate independent and those who haven’t voted much in the past without a candidate named “Obama” on the ballot. The White House has already signaled -- through leaks to The Washington Post -- that it’s expecting Deeds to fall short, so much of the remaining curiosity will surround McDonnell’s margin of victory.

Other Highlights: New America’s Mayor? Remembering the Mainers? The highest-profile mayoral contest on the ballot involves Michael Bloomberg’s expected reelection in New York City. Notwithstanding the term limits he had to jettison to make it happen, this is a remarkable achievement for the Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-independent billionaire, who’s looking to make it five straight mayoral victories for a candidate on the GOP line, in deep-blue New York.

And voters in Maine are being asked to endorse -- or overturn -- the state legislature’s decision to legalize gay marriage. If they go along with state lawmakers, Maine will become the first state where gay marriage is legal with the direct approval of the voters -- a potential building block for advocates of same-sex marriage.

It's the campaign turned Republican civil war, turned circus.  Things just keep getting weirder in the race for New York's 23rd Congressional District.  The Republican candidate Dede Scozzafava who, just this weekend dropped out of the race and endorsed the Democrat, today recorded a Robocall voicing her support for the Democrat Bill Owens.

Listen to the robocall HERE.  The text is below:

"Hi, this is Dede Scozzafava calling on behalf of Bill Owens.   And I wanted to let you know that I am supporting Bill for Congress.

"Since beginning my campaign I have said that this election is not about me, it's about the people of this district.  It's not in the cards for me to be your representative but I strongly believe Bill Owens is the only candidate who can build upon John McHugh's lasting legacy in Congress.

"In Bill Owens I see a sense of duty and integrity.  He will be an independent voice, devoted to doing what is right for New York.  To address the tough challenges ahead we must rise above partisanship and politics, and work together.

"Please join me in voting for Bill Owens on Tuesday."  

This is coming from the mouth of a candidate whom the Republican Party spent more than a million dollars supporting.   

Some on the right are most displeased with Scozzafava's actions.  On his radio show today, Rush Limbaugh said, "Dee Dee Scazafava is illustrating precisely what moderate republicans will do . (6)  and who moderate republicans are. (9)"  Using the term RINO, or Republican in Name Only, Limbuagh said, " Scasafava screwed every RINO in the .., we can say she' guilty of wide spread bestiality, she had screwed every RINO in the country. Everyone can just see how phony and dangerous they are."

The Republican National Committee has now come out in support of Conservative Party candidate Douglas Hoffman.  In an interview with ABC News, Hoffman said, "all along I've been fighting for the soul of the republican party, for the values and ideals that it stands for."

When asked if there is room in the Republican party for opposing views, he said, "For moderate views, yes, but not ultra liberal views."  The tent, should only be so big, he said, "isn't that true in life in general?  There is always boundaries."