Americans are riveted on Obamacare. With just seven days until the March 18th White House deadline for a vote on the Senate health care bill arrives, eyes are glued on Blue Dog Democrats. We are witnessing nearly hourly positioning on Capitol Hill and can almost hear the chest-poking, arm-twisting, and head thumping going on behind locked doors as Obama, Pelosi, and Reid shove and kick to pass their 2700 page health care confiscation scheme.

Hold on to your hospital gowns! We’ll slog through what’s happened in the last three days…

As of yesterday, the latest left-jab to the American people is aptly dubbed the “Slaughter Solution.”

The Slaughter Solution is a plan by Rep. Louise Slaughter (D-NY), the Democratic chair of the powerful House Rules Committee and a key ally of Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), to get the health care legislation through the House without an actual vote on the Senate-passed health care bill. You see, Democratic leaders currently lack the votes needed to pass the Senate health care bill through the House. Under Slaughter’s scheme, Democratic leaders will overcome this problem by simply “deeming” the Senate bill passed in the House -- without an actual vote by members of the House.

(emphasis mine)

Two days ago (March 9th), Nancy Pelosi tipped her neck-wringing hand: “But we have to pass the [health care] bill so that you can find out what is in it.”

Taking his health care punches on the road, President Obama traveled to suburban St. Louis, Missouri yesterday. Assured of muscling high schoolers (ticketed with closed doors) at St. Charles High into cheering for his socialized plan as cameras rolled (how hard is that?) he was met outside by 2300 fired-up Tea Party protestors:

Even Democrats shunned the Obama event in St. Louis (March 10th) and Pennsylvania (March 8th):

The Show Me State temporarily became the No-Show State on Wednesday as some prominent Missouri Democrats decided they’d rather be somewhere else when President Obama came to push his massive health care overhaul plan. […]

The same conspicuous absences occurred Monday [March 8th] in Pennsylvania, a state Mr. Obama won by 10 percentage points in 2008. While the president was accompanied by embattled Democratic Sen. Arlen Specter, Sen. Bob Casey and Rep. Chaka Fattah aboard Air Force One, several other Pennsylvania Democrats didn’t elect to join him there, including Reps. Patrick J. Murphy, Christopher Carney and Tim Holden, three incumbents facing tough re-election battles.

Speculation is volatile on whether Representative Bart Stupak and supposed 11 other reps who oppose abortion funding in the Senate bill will succumb to threats of non-cooperation black eyes:

News broke early yesterday morning [March 9th] announcing that Representative Bart Stupak thinks a “compromise” can be reached on the issue of abortion funding in the Democrats’ Senate version of the health care bill. “I’m more optimistic than I was a week ago,” Stupak said in an interview between meetings with constituents in his northern Michigan district.[...]

Stupak had an interview with The Weekly Standard yesterday, where he clarified what was really going on. “Obviously they don’t know me,” Stupak said in his interview. “If I didn’t cave in November, why would I do it now after all the crap I’ve been through? Everyone’s going around saying there’s a compromise — there’s no such thing,” Stupak said. What’s changed between this week and last, Stupak went on, is that he had his first real conversation with Majority Leader Steny Hoyer and Congressman Henry Waxman about fixing the bill.

As if there isn’t enough padding in health care boxing gloves, we learned today that Democrat leadership is considering stuffing a student loan overhaul into the Obamacare bill:

Democratic leaders met for a second day Wednesday with administration officials, including White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, in the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), but reached no decision on the student loan measure. One participant said a consensus appeared to be emerging that it would be unwise to risk the health-care bill by including the education measure.

The projected cost of Obama’s plan to expand Pell Grants and diminish the role of the private sector in the student loan program has exploded over the past year as more people seek college loans in the weak economy. Meanwhile, the potential savings from knocking private lenders out of the system has diminished as one in five colleges has already turned to government lending.

Rather than saving $50 billion over the next decade, the student loan initiative is now projected to increase deficits by about $5 billion, according to preliminary estimates provided to Democratic lawmakers. Including it in the health-care package could wreck efforts to meet the deficit-reduction goals required under reconciliation, aides said.

Eyes glazed over yet? There’s more…

Meanwhile, Senator Harry Reid (D-NV) is staying in the ring by declaring yesterday that he’s going to change filibuster laws:

“The filibuster has been abused,” Sen. Harry Reid said at a reporter’s briefing this afternoon. “But next Congress, we are going to take a look at it. And we’re going to make some changes in it.”

For now, the process seems to be proceeding from the premise that Senate Democrats are fed up with the filibuster. “In baseball,” Reid said in a clipped tone, “they used to have the spitball. It originally was used with discretion. But then the ball got wetter and wetter and wetter. So soon, they outlawed the spitball.” The same, he said, had happened to the four-corner offense in basketball. “And just the way the spitball was abused in baseball and the four-corner offense was abused in basketball,” Reid said, “Republicans have abused the filibuster.”

Republicans will meet the Democrat’s reconciliation onslaught with a combat strategy of their own. Greta Van Susteren and Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ) ‘On The Record’ (FOX News) last night:

Senator Kyl: “If you [Dems] are going to use the reconciliation process, we’re going to hold you to the strict limits of reconciliation. And, if you go outside the lines and are not technically correct under reconciliation, we’re going to toss it out on a point of order. And, we have the votes to do that.”

Characterizing Obama’s latest health care sales pitch as ‘snake oil’ and URGING us to keep up the fight by contacting Blue Dog Democrats, House Minority Leader John Boehner released this statement yesterday:

“While the President is visiting America’s heartland today, I hope he will take the opportunity to finally listen to the American people, who are shouting, “stop” at the top of their lungs. They just don’t want out-of-touch Washington Democrats’ job-killing government takeover of health care. They don’t want more than $500 billion in tax hikes. They don’t want nearly $500 billion in Medicare cuts. They don’t want these outrageous kickbacks, payoffs, and sweetheart backroom deals.

The Tea Party Coalition is sounding the trumpet nationwide to take the battle to Washington D.C. this month. Here is video announcing the Take the Town Halls to Washington project. Michele Bachmann @ 1:49 :

We’ve got SEVEN days to put the squeeze on Blue Dog Democrats. Let’s not get trapped into the ‘knocked-out’ way of thinking that we can lounge around while someone else does our work for us. How much effort have you made to contact BDDs in the past week? Each of us must take personal responsibility to get a headlock on Obamacare NOW. For information on who to contact, click here.

Let’s get bustin’!

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A message from Mitt Romney:

Last week, I launched the national tour for my new book, No Apology: The Case for American Greatness, and I must admit — it feels good to be on the road again.

The tour has already taken me to cities in New York, Massachusetts, Georgia, Florida, and Michigan, as well as to Washington, DC. And by the time it’s over, I’ll have visited dozens of cities in 19 states.

It’s been great reconnecting with old friends and making new ones as I travel across the country talking about our shared conservative values — that a competitive America is one where taxes are low and government is small, that our military superiority must never be compromised, that our cultural values need to be cherished and that unleashing the power of the free market is key to our economic future.

I hope to see you at one of my upcoming book events so that you can join this important dialogue, but even if you can’t be there in person, I hope you will stand with me in helping to make our conservative message heard.

As you know, this is a crucial midterm election year. All 435 Congressional seats, one third of the U.S. Senate, 37 Governorships, and control of numerous state legislatures are at stake. With your generous financial support of $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1,000, $2,500, or even the maximum $5,000, to my PAC, we’ll have the resources to spread our message and elect conservative candidates throughout the country.

And, for a limited time, if you contribute at least $50, we’ll send you the official No Apology 2010 Book Tour t-shirt as a token of our appreciation (select your size below) . This much sought after, limited edition item is the same t-shirt worn by my staff and volunteers at our book events, and I’d be honored to have you wear it too as a key member of my team. And as an added bonus, the first 100 people who contribute at least $100 will receive their t-shirt signed.

I hope you will stand with me in these critical months ahead. With you by my side, I am sure that America will continue to be — as it always has been — a force for good like no other in this world. And for that, I make no apology.

Best,
Mitt Romney

Expect a crowd if you plan to join Gov Romney at Borders book store in Birmingham, MI tonight. Borders ad for No Apology: The Case for American Greatness:

Recent presidential candidate Mitt Romney charts a dramatic new course to confront the most critical issues of our nation’s time. With clear vision and a bold call to action, Governor Romney examines the roads that have led us to this critical moment in our history and incisively charts a course toward a better future.

More info here.

Times are economically challenging for many of us, but now, more than ever, it’s critical that we do all we can to support Gov Romney’s hard work for conservative principles. He’s depending on US. GIVE to his Free and Strong America PAC and receive a No Apology t-shirt. Wear it proudly and you’ll be a walking billboard for a must-read book and a great American, Mitt Romney!

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Recent polling from Magellan Strategies indicates that both Governor Mitt Romney and Meg Whitman , former CEO of eBay.com, are in early pole position for their relative offices, or potential office I should say in the case of Governor Romney. California has a closed primary, meaning only registered Republicans can vote in the primary. As such the Magellan poll only included those who are registered GOP.

California is rich with GOP delegates with approx. 170 that get to vote in the RNC convention. Of those McCain received 158 delegates in the 2008 primary, while Romney earned 12, with 42% of the vote and 35%, respectively.

The results for Magellan’s early 2012 Presidential preference poll:

31% Romney
18% Palin
13% Huckabee
12% Gingrich
08% Paul
03% Other
03% Pawlenty
12% Undecided

That is a very healthy margin for Romney, and there could very well be similar results in February 2012, bringing a vast majority of those 170 delegates into Romney’s camp. Interesting enough the results included cross-tabs which showed the results among social conservatives to be very similar to those of the state-wide poll: 30% Romney ; 20% Palin ; 17% Huckabee. This disputes claims that Romney can’t do well among SoCons, and being a strong SoCon myself I find great satisfaction in that.

Now for the 2010 GOP Gubernatorial nominee poll results:

63% Meg Whitman !!!
12% Steve Poizner
04% Other
21% Undecided

Much could happen before the June 8 primary elections, but I think Whitman is almost a definite winner with nearly 2/3 of the entire vote. Meg Whitman as Governor would be an extraordinary benefit to the State of California with her extensive economic expertise as a business leader, but I can’t overlook the fact that it will also be a huge boon to Romney with Whitman in the Governorship.

Good Luck Whitman 2010 and Go Mitt 2012!!

~Nate Gunderson

Results of the full survey found here. HT GOP12.com

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In an unusual foray into politics since leaving office, former 66th Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice endorsed Republican CA gubernatorial hopeful, Meg Whitman, today:

In a statement emailed by the Whitman campaign, Rice said:

“California is my home and there is only one person running for Governor who can lead the way toward rebuilding our state.

“In my experiences in and out of government, I find the most effective leaders to be those who maintain a clear vision, mobilize diverse groups, and inspire them to work together in confronting the most pressing challenges. That is why I am supporting Meg Whitman.

“Meg will do what is needed to get California back on track.”

Rice has resisted efforts by voters to persuade her to run for offices ranging from governor to U.S. senator to president of the United States.

The primary election is June 8. The winner in the GOP primary will probably face Democrat Jerry Brown in November.

Brown, 71, previously served as governor of California, 1975-83, and waged three unsuccessful campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Meg Whitman: A Different Kind of Leader

“I will tell you there is a profound hunger for change, for leadership, and for authenticity.”
~ Meg Whitman

Mitt Romney is also supporting Meg Whitman. If we help elect Whitman, we can change California. A new California is vital for America! For information on how to help, go here.

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24 hours have passed since news was released of Mitt Romney’s endorsement of John McCain for re-election to the United States Senate. Opinions vary as to why this decision was made. Looking at a broader view for America’s future, Romney weighed the potential outcome of the Arizona senatorial election. There were many considerations pro and con, but in the end, Romney chose strength for the United States military and a strong national security. The need for McCain’s gravitas and experienced, respected, powerful influence on national security matters point to Romney’s core belief that keeping Americans safe trumps all.

John McCain press release yesterday:

PHOENIX, AZ – U.S. Senator John McCain’s re-election campaign today announced that former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has endorsed Senator John McCain for re-election to the United States Senate.

Governor Romney today issued the following statement:

“For years, I’ve been an admirer of John McCain. Then we became competitors. Today, I’m proud to call him my friend.


“In my view, it’s hard to imagine the United States Senate without John McCain, especially in the critical times we find ourselves in, with double-digit unemployment, a mountain of debt imperiling future generations and a global terrorist threat from jihadists bent on destroying our very way of life.

“It is times like these that we look to leaders of character. Senator McCain’s record of service and sacrifice for America is honored by all. But I believe that it is his core values of courage, faith and honor – forged in battle and confirmed by a lifetime of service to America – that make Senator McCain’s leadership in the United States Senate so necessary in these perilous times. Not only am I proud to call him a friend, but as an American I am constantly reassured by Senator McCain’s continued involvement in the affairs of our nation, and I am honored to support him.”

“Governor Romney is among the brightest and most dynamic leaders in our Party, and I am proud to have his support,” said Senator John McCain. “I look forward to working with him to advance our shared vision for a stronger, safer and more prosperous America.”

Thoughts on Romney’s endorsement of McCain:

Newsweek -- Katie Connolly

After gracefully exiting the presidential campaign, Romney became a cheerful warrior for McCain. He logged countless hours fundraising for his onetime opponent and appeared on the senator’s behalf almost anywhere the campaign asked, including at the Democratic National Convention. His competence and dedication won him begrudging fans among McCain’s senior staff, who later freely admitted they’d misjudged him. McCain himself was deeply appreciative of Romney’s work, and was won over personally after spending time with Romney and his gracious wife, Ann, at the senator’s Sedona ranch. Romney ended up in serious contention for McCain’s VP slot, and as the financial crisis took over the agenda, he became one of McCain’s valued go-to sources of advice and perspective on economic issues.

So perhaps the news of Romney’s endorsement isn’t all that surprising. It’s good for McCain to have someone with Romney’s financial expertise and centrist appeal come out in his favor. It also helps McCain to appear connected with someone considered part the GOP’s future. The question for Romney, who’s emerging as the GOP’s most serious contender for 2012, is, what’s in it for him? For starters, a friendship with McCain has lots of benefits. McCain is still an excellent drawing card for fundraisers, and although Romney has vast personal wealth, having a name like McCain on board makes a big difference. McCain could also lend a Romney candidacy some foreign-policy and national-security credibility, particularly with Republican voters. Romney lacks it; McCain has it in spades. And McCain has always been popular in New Hampshire, a critical early state.

The move fits nicely with Romney’s apparent strategy. My Gaggle pal Andrew Romano calls it the “adult in the room” approach. Unlike some of his potential opponents, Romney is incredibly strategic about his public appearances. He doesn’t weigh in on every news cycle. He gives selective interviews to drive home messages on the key issues facing the Obama administration: the economy, national security, the auto bailout, and health care. But we don’t see his perfect coif on TV every day, and he’s not racking up a litany of quotes he’ll later wish he never said. Instead, he’s using the George Costanza approach: end on a high note and leave them wanting more. Next week he begins a national tour for his new book, which is touted as a “blueprint for maintaining America’s global leadership.” Advisers say he’ll offer a serious, intellectual analysis of America’s place in the world.

North Star National -- Dan Calabrese:

I bet John McCain thought, when he won the 2008 Republican presidential nomination, he was playing the most pivotal role he would ever play in the party. Apparently that was not the case. He now has an even more pivotal role. McCain has become a walking conservative litmus test.

The conservative base at the moment is on a mission to rid the party of so-called RINOs, and McCain is the poster boy for their ire. This is not without some justification. McCain’s past support for free-speech-restricting campaign finance reform, his opposition to the Bush tax cuts and his blocking of a Republican attempt to end Senate filibusters against Bush judicial nominees deserved the criticism they received.

But if you’re a philosophical conservative, and your goal is to get policies enacted that are most crucial to the nation from the conservative point of view, it doesn’t necessarily stand to reason that the best way to do it is to toss out every RINO in a primary and replace him with a so-called “true conservative.”

Relax, ‘true conservatives’: There’s a good case to be made for Romney and Palin (and you) backing McCain:

On national security, McCain has always backed, and proposed during his presidential campaign, the very strategy most conservatives believe Obama has erred by not pursuing. If McCain were president, we would still be putting a missile shield in Eastern Europe. We would be taking a hard line on Iran. We would not be bending over to let the Taliban back into the political process in Afghanistan.

On health care, McCain has been a consistent and effective voice against Obama’s proposals throughout the past year, and his own proposals in 2008 would have moved the nation toward the sort of consumer-directed system we need, not the sort of top-down system we already have, and that Obama would make worse.

- Because of his seniority and standing with the media, McCain can be an effective voice for the conservative positions on the above-mentioned issues. Many conservatives have criticized McCain for making too nice with the media over the years, and not without some justification, but at this particular point in time his having done so can come in very handy. It’s precisely because they do regard him as something other than a blustering partisan that his criticisms of Obama carry weight and get air time.

- J.D. Hayworth shows signs of not being a serious person. His big-spending, earmarking track record, we’ve already covered. His past ties to disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff should give any one concerned about ideological principle serious pause.

Surely there are plenty of reasons for conservatives to be upset with McCain about his past track record. But no election held in 2010 is for the purpose of repeating the past. It’s to put the best people in place to make the best decisions for the nation going forward.

Whatever his faults on other issues, McCain is for the right things on spending, health care and national security. His seniority and bipartisan credibility put him in a good position to advocate effectively for these things. And it just might be that, while Hayworth could make the case that he is the “true conservative,” Palin and Romney recognize the results for the nation – from a conservative point of view – might very well be better if McCain is the guy Arizona sends back to the Senate to get them done.

What good does it do to elect a “true conservative” if he can’t achieve what conservatives think is important?

Evangelicals for Mitt -- David French:

The definition of “RINO” is not “any politician who deviates in any material respect from conservative principles.” A RINO is someone who deviates in virtually every material respect. In fact, when it comes to national security, most social issues, most economic issues, judges, and many other areas, McCain is one of us. I’m not sure that our goal as a conservative community is to simply support the most conservative candidate in any given primary. There’s a lot more to effective leadership than ideology, and such a mindset encourages the rather unpleasant ideological puritans in our midst.

(emphasis mine)

Mitt Romney 2012

3-8-10 UPDATE by Ross:

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Described as ‘Mardi Gras for the Right’, CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) opened this morning at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington D.C. Excited GOP power players, power player makers, and everyday citizens concerned about the abuse of political power are streaming through the doors. The three-day conference will be filled with speeches, exhibits, forums, panel discussions, book signings, networking, hospitality suites, banquets, and entertainment.

Among official bloggers attending is our own Nate Gunderson. He will be posting blog updates and sending live tweets. We’ve already received several tweets today from Nate, including one received this morning: “Governor Romney just dropped by to tell some jokes.” Tonight, Nate will be tying on his bowling shoes as he joins Romney’s ‘bowling for bucks’ to support Romney’s PAC. We eagerly anticipate more of Nate’s coverage of CPAC goings-on and especially, Mitt Romney!

Lisa De Pasquale, CPAC Director:

As CPAC director, De Pasquale spends all year planning and organizing the annual three-day conference that is the largest gathering of its kind in the country. The event has become so huge that it was moved this year from its longtime home at the Omni Shoreham Hotel to the larger Marriott Wardman Park, just off Connecticut Avenue near the Woodley Park Metro station.

“We’re at a larger facility this year, but it looks like we’re already going to be bursting at the seams,” said De Pasquale. “Right now, we’re about 20 percent above pre-registration for last year. So we’re expecting between 9,000 and 10,000, if on-site registration is on pace with last year.”

Not only will this be the biggest CPAC ever, but it is likely to be the most energized conference in several years. This year’s conference will bring the added enthusiasm of hundreds of new attendees who have been active in the Tea Party movement. In fact, one of the movement’s first events took place during last year’s conference, when about 200 CPAC attendees gathered for a rally in front of the White House that featured Michelle Malkin.

That February 2009 LaFayette Park rally was mocked by liberal bloggers — “puny,” sniffed the Village Voice — but the grassroots movement swelled into a force that made a real political impact. Tea Party activism helped conservatives score big wins in last fall’s Virginia and New Jersey gubernatorial elections, as well as Republican Scott Brown’s stunning victory in Massachusetts, capturing the Senate seat held for nearly four decades by Ted Kennedy.

The Tea Party movement will be represented by speakers and panelists on this year’s CPAC agenda, including Jenny Beth Martin of the Tea Party Patriots and Dana Loesch of the St. Louis Tea Party. And the final keynote speech on Saturday will be given by Glenn Beck, who helped spur on the movement with his 9-12 Project.

“I think he’s someone who’s going to energize the conference,” De Pasquale said of Beck. “I expect him to give a call to action that will help our attendees take the energy from CPAC into the 2010 mid-term election.”

This will be the first-ever CPAC appearance for Beck. Also making their CPAC speaking debuts at this year’s event will be Allen West, an Iraq war hero and congressional candidate, and Marco Rubio, whose Florida Senate campaign has ignited a grassroots uprising against the National Republican Senatorial Committee, which backed Gov. Charlie Crist in the GOP primary.

Liz Cheney and Michigan Rep. Thaddeus McCotter will make their first CPAC speaking appearances this year, said De Pasquale, while Internet news entrepreneur Andrew Breitbart (who has previously participated in panel discusses at the conference) will give a main-stage speech Saturday. Breitbart will be introduced by Hannah Giles, who became famous in a series of videos exposing the community organizing group ACORN. Giles will also be a participant in XPAC, a series of events for younger conference attendees — and there will be lots of them.

“As in years past, we’re expecting that more than 50 percent of our attendance will be college students,” De Pasquale said. “It bodes well for the movement that there are so many young people who are energized about attending CPAC.”

Attendees young and old will hear from a stellar list of conservative speakers, including South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint, House members Steve King, Mike Pence, Jason Chaffetz, Darrell Issa, Scott Garrett, Eric Cantor, Dan Lungren and Ron Paul, and numerous commentators including Andrew Napolitano, John Fund, George F. Will and Ann Coulter.

Beyond the speeches and panel discussions, the conference features numerous book signings, receptions and an enormous exhibition hall.

“The official schedule is just one part of the CPAC experience,” De Pasquale said, adding that the chance to meet with fellow conservatives is a major attraction of the annual conference.

Governor Romney will fire up the crowd tomorrow (2/18/10) when he speaks at 1:30 PM Eastern Standard Time in the Marriott Ballroom. Dr. Jay Sekulow, (American Center for Law and Justice) will introduce him.

National Journal:

Romney, who has won the last 3 CPAC straw polls, has a crucial leg up on other contenders, according to many who think he will win a fourth. His team’s ability to organize around the event in previous years is likely to give him some residual good will among attendees.

“Everyone knows how good his organization was in the lead-up to the 08 primaries, but not everyone realizes how sneaky-good that organization remains,” said one respondent. Added another: “Mitt bears the high expectations of having won CPAC three years in a row. While this establishes him as the clear favorite of mainstream conservatives, it also keeps the pressure on for him to win every time he shows up.”

I have a hunch this new ad from Senate Republicans will be shown at CPAC:

CPAC runs today through Saturday when it will adjourn at 6:45 PM EST. We’ll keep you informed on the latest from CPAC and news from Nate Gunderson.

Additional info:
CPAC Agenda
CPAC Exhibitors

Update: CPAC coverage for 2/18/10:
Townhall.com -- UStream live stream click here.
C-Span online stream click here.
C-Span network TV coverage of CPAC begins at 9:45 – 4:30 PM EST. TV schedule here.

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Good news for the California gubernatorial race today! A Rasmussen poll taken yesterday reveals that Romney-endorsed Meg Whitman and probable Democrat nominee Jerry Brown (currently serving as CA attorney general) are tied at 43% approval. Just a month ago, liberal Brown held a four-point lead over Whitman.

Republican Meg Whitman, the former eBay chief executive, is running neck-and-neck with Attorney General Jerry Brown in a California gubernatorial matchup, with each drawing 43 percent of voters, according to a Rasmussen Reports poll conducted Feb. 15. Six percent prefer someone else and 8 percent are undecided. The margin of error is 4.5 points.

If State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner managed to get the GOP nomination, Brown would be leading him 46 percent to 34 percent with 7 percent preferring another candidate and 13 percent undecided.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported in late January that some California state legislators were thinking of pressing three-term Sen. Dianne Feinstein to jump into the race because they believe she could break through legislative gridlock and achieve reforms necessary to deal with the state’s financial crisis.

If that happened, Feinstein does not fare much better than Brown. She leads Whitman by a statistically insignificant 45 percent to 43 percent with 2 percent preferring some other candidate and 9 percent undecided. Like Brown, she easily beats Poizner, 48 percent to 36 percent with 5 percent preferring another candidate and 11 percent undecided.

Whitman and Brown get about the same level of support from members of their own parties, but Whitman has a modest edge of 49 percent to 42 percent among unaffiliated voters.

“Let’s say what we mean, and mean what we say – and let’s get the job done.” ~ Meg Whitman

Romney’s endorsement of Whitman:

As you probably already know, my good friend Meg Whitman is running for governor of California. I want you to know that she has my strongest support. Click here to see why I hold her in the highest esteem personally and professionally, and why she is exactly the leader your state needs to restore the California dream.

Meg and I were colleagues at Bain & Company, and she proved herself to be a tremendously smart, dedicated leader with a remarkable understanding of business and what it takes to grow an economy to create jobs and wealth.

Meg was an early and tireless supporter of my presidential campaign. I consider her a loyal friend and one of the first people I would turn to for advice. In February, it was my pleasure to attend the California Republican Party Convention with Meg and officially announce my support of her candidacy for Governor of California. I am convinced that she is the only candidate who can get California back on the right track.

Please join me today in supporting Meg. Meg has a bold vision of how to meet the extraordinary challenges facing California today and to secure a bright and prosperous future. It’s inspiring and I know that she can make it happen. With her at the helm, there is no dream beyond California’s reach. Be sure to click here now and help Meg work to restore the greatness of California.

Thank you,
Mitt Romney

Read more Whitman endorsements here.

The United States needs a fiscally vibrant California. California desperately needs Meg Whitman. Let’s roll up our sleeves and do all we can to elect her!

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Mitt Romney will be hefting a bowling ball to fundraise for conservative causes and to help elect Republicans this year. If you’re headed to D.C. for CPAC, be sure to pack your bowling shoes. Join Mitt the night before he gives his speech (2/17/10) to ‘bowl for bucks’ and help the cause!

Ben Smith (Politico):

Mitt Romney is flexing his fundraising muscle at a D.C. bowling alley next Wednesday, showing off a common-man skill that Obama had a tough time with in the campaign.

The hosts of the “Bowling with Mitt” event — the night before his speech to CPAC — include GOP lawyer Ben Ginsberg, Romney’s ‘08 state directors from New Hampshire (Jim Merrill) and Michigan (Katie Packer), Jay Sekulow, chief counsel to the conservative American Center for Law and Justice, and former Bush White House staffer Alicia Davis.

Bowling with Mitt

Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Lucky Strike Lanes – 7:00 pm

Gallery Place: 701 7th Street NW, Second Floor – Washington, DC, 20001

Attend: $150

Romney has great ‘follow through’ and has been hitting ‘strikes’ so far. Should be a fantastic evening!

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“If the Senator-elect will now present himself to the desk, the chair will administer the oath of office,” intoned Vice President Joe Biden yesterday (2/4/10) at Scott Brown’s swearing-in ceremony. Brown, accompanied by Senator John Kerry (D-MA) and Senator Paul Kirk (D-MA), strode across the senate floor where Biden was waiting to administer the constitutionally required oath of office:

I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter: So help me God.

Within moments, the Senator-elect became United States Senator Scott Brown.

Senate Chamber swearing-in ceremony. (Biden begins at 3:45):

A private swearing-in ceremony which included the 41st Senator’s wife, reporter Gail Huff, was later conducted in the Old Senate Chamber where press photos are allowed. Although the Brown daughters were unable to attend, Senator Brown carried his daughters’ bibles at both ceremonies. Daughter Ayla was committed to play a basketball game with Duke that evening and youngest daughter, pre-med student Arianna, was taking tests at Syracuse University:

After being sworn in, Senator Brown immediately held a press conference where he endorsed across-the-board JFK-style tax cuts and mentioned job creation and terrorism among his top priorities. He also deftly handled ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ queries by stating his desire to talk to generals in the field before forming an opinion on the polemic issue:

Washington D.C. is expecting a ‘snowmageddon’ snow storm this weekend. Depending on Mother Nature’s proclivities, Brown’s first vote may come as early as Tuesday of next week. Obama’s controversial choice of SEIU union attorney, Craig Becker, to be seated on the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) will be first on the senate agenda to vote on next week. Fearing that Becker will use his post to create more union-friendly labor laws sans congressional approval, Republicans have stalled Becker’s confirmation for months.

Even if D.C. is up to the Capitol Dome in snow next Tuesday, I have no doubt  Senator Brown’s trusty truck will get him were he needs to be to cast his first vote.

Additional reading:
Patrick Kennedy: Scott Brown’s candidacy ‘a joke’
Biden on Brown: “Im not worried about anything.”

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Earlier today, Senator-elect Brown sent a letter to the governor of Massachusetts Democrat Deval Patrick and MA’s Secretary of State asking for the results of the January 19^th election to be certified by 11 AM on Thursday morning (2/4/10). The certification would then be forwarded to Senate official for immediate action. FOX News has confirmed that Senator-elect Scott Brown will be sworn in tomorrow (2/4/10). A specific time hasn’t been announced but reports say the swearing in ceremony will be completed by 5:00 PM Eastern tomorrow.

Along with anticipating important legislation on the docket for votes, perhaps the continued voting of now-defunct Senator Kirk (D-MA), who was appointed to fill the late Senator Edward Kennedy’s seat, has spurred Brown to expedite the seating process. Senate rules and precedent state that Kirk’s term expired on the day Scott Brown was elected, but that didn’t stop Kirk from voting on raising the debt ceiling to $14.3 trillion and Ben Bernanke’s confirmation.

“While Senator-elect Brown had tentatively planned to be sworn into office on February 11, he has been advised that there are a number of votes scheduled prior to that date,” the letter reads. “For that reason, he wants certification to occur immediately.

“As he is the duly elected United States Senator from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, he is entitled to be seated now.”

The issue of when Brown would be seated took on added significance following the Jan. 19 special election because, at the time, President Obama’s health care legislation was still pending in the Senate. Brown will give Republicans the 41 votes they need to block controversial bills.

But while the health care legislation has stalled, the Senate has been taking other key votes. For instance, the Senate voted last week to raise the nation’s debt ceiling and is expecting several confirmation votes later this week.

Senator-elect Brown has been busily engaged the last few days taking a ‘Citizens Thank You Tour’ around Massachusetts. Note the enthusiastic 1,000 plus crowd waiting to greet Brown in Dracut, MA (Jan 30, 2010) and the spontaneous singing of God Bless America @ 3:27. A family takes photos by Brown’s truck near the end of video:

Meanwhile, Brown has hired Romney Campaign veteran, Gail Gitcho, to be his Communications Director:

Senator-elect Scott Brown has tapped a Romney campaign veteran to be his new communications director.

Gail Gitcho has been working most recently as national press secretary for the Republican National Committee.

Brown, a Republican from Wrentham who represents much of the Attleboro area, says Gitcho is “well known to the national and Washington press corps and has a reputation for being fair and responsive to reporters.”

Before joining the RNC last May, Gitcho was a regional press secretary for Mitt Romney’s 2008 presidential campaign. She also worked for John McCain’s 2008 Republican presidential campaign as mid-Atlantic communications director.

The new job reunites her with Beth Myers, Eric Fehrnstrom and Peter Flaherty, the three Romney campaign veterans who led Brown’s upset Senate campaign over Democrat Martha Coakley.

Check back for updates on Brown’s swearing-in ceremony tomorrow.

UPDATE 2/4/10: MA Gov Patrick signed Senator-elect Scott Brown’s certification around 9:30 a.m. ET today (which he says he was planning to do anyway on Thursday… really?) Brown will be sworn in today by Vice President Biden in a mock ceremony for the cameras at 5 p.m. ET. http://bit.ly/9p6GKR 

The Senate is expected to hold some potentially important votes before next Thursday, something Brown’s attorney wrote in a letter to Patrick and Secretary of State William Galvin.

Among those votes are approvals of two of President Obama’s nominees — one to the National Labor Relations Board and another to the General Services Administration.

The vote of Craig Becker to the NLRB has raised objections from Republicans, who say they want to filibuster the man who reportedly does not believe employers should have a say in whether employees unionize.

Having Brown in the Senate potentially could allow Republicans to block the nomination.

Brown has already indicated he also wants to stop the president’s health care reform agenda, which may be a vote that never is taken because Democrats seem adrift on how to proceed.

Brown’s election — built in large part on his vow to block health care — has been received as a warning by some Democrats who view the vote as a public affirmation of opposition.

Other administration priorities, like climate change, energy policy and judicial appointments, could all be impacted by Brown, though he has repeatedly said he will not be a rubber stamp to GOP efforts to stop Democratic priorities.

Brown is filling the seat held by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy for 47 years but he won’t get the desk Kennedy used. Sen. John Kerry, the senior senator from Massachusetts, has called dibs on Desk 83, which was also used by John Kennedy. However, Brown will get the desk once used by another Kennedy — Robert, who was briefly a senator from New York.

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