Sen. Larry Craig has all but dropped any notion of trying to complete his term, and is focused on helping Idaho send a new senator to Washington within a few weeks, his top spokesman said Thursday.
"The most likely scenario, by far, is that by October there will be a new senator from Idaho," Craig spokesman Dan Whiting told the Associated Press.
The only circumstances in which Craig might try to complete his term, Whiting said, would require the overturning by Sept. 30 of his conviction for disorderly conduct in a men's room at the Minneapolis airport, as well as Senate GOP leaders' agreement to restore Craig's committee leaderships posts taken away this week.
Those scenarios are unlikely, Whiting said.
That was a brief comeback. I had hoped he would stick around.
After short-circuiting consideration of votes on some bipartisan proposals on Iraq before the August break, senior Democrats now say they are willing to rethink their push to establish a withdrawal deadline of next spring if doing so will attract the 60 Senate votes needed to prevail.
Senator Carl Levin, Democrat of Michigan, said, "If we have to make the spring part a goal, rather than something that is binding, and if that is able to produce some additional votes to get us over the filibuster, my own inclination would be to consider that."
Of course, such a plan will neither reduce the number of troops in Iraq, nor result in increased political pressure on Republicans. So I really have no idea what it accomplishes. More on this later.
"Rather than picking up votes, by removing the deadline to get our troops out of Iraq you have lost this Democrat's vote.(…)
"I cannot and will not support any measure that does not have a firm and enforceable deadline to complete the redeployment of combat troops from Iraq. Only then will Congress be able to send a clear message to the President that we are changing course in Iraq, and a message to the Iraqis that they need to get their political house in order.
"I urge my colleagues to join me and declare their opposition to this measure."
Opposition like this makes me feel good, and once again progressives will have to be a swing block that prevents weaker legislation from passing on the first try. However, at the same time, I admit that the way this entire fight is shaping up is making me very depressed, as I really don't know what do to as an organizer, or what the path to victory is.
The New York City-based Transport Workers Union of America endorsed John Edwards on Thursday, saying the former North Carolina senator was the most electable of the Democratic presidential candidates.
Edwards was to be in New York City to accept the endorsement.
There are about 200,000 memebrs of this union, very few of whom live or work in early states.
Democrats Well Ahead In Ohio The latest poll from Quinnipiac shows Clinton and Edwards well ahead of every Republican, and Obama well ahead of Thompson and Romney but tied with Giuliani and McCain. In the primary, Clinton has a three to one advantage. On the Republican side, Giuliani leads Thompson 21%-15%.
New Clinton and Obama Ads
Both focus on "change." Here is Obama:
Here is Clinton:
I think I prefer Clinton's ad, but neither strike me as real standouts. Matt has more on this above.
STATE BLOGS
