Obama Hails U.S.-Russia Agreement on Syria; Coakley Declares for MA GOV; Shooting at Navy Yard

National Journal

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WHAT'S NEWS

  • The U.S. and Russia "agreed Saturday on a plan to bring Syrian chemical weapons under international control, a rare diplomatic victory in a brutal civil war that appears to head off a punitive U.S. military strike on Syria in the near future" (Washington Post).

  • Pres. Obama "said a 'verifiable agreement' to disarm" Syrian Pres. Bashar al-Assad "of his chemical stockpiles will go further than any U.S. military strikes could have in eliminating the threat of their use" (ABC News).

  • Ex-Treas. Sec. Lawrence Summers "pulled out of the contest to succeed" Fed Chair Ben Bernanke on Sunday "after weeks of public excoriation," forcing Obama "to move further down the list of contenders to head the central bank" (Wall Street Journal).

  • NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) "will hold an event with" NYC Public Advocate Bill de Blasio (D) and '09 NYC Mayor nominee Bill Thompson (D) Monday morning "to help bring an end" to the NYC Dem mayoral primary, "according to multiple sources" (Capital New York).

  • "High-powered ... supporters" of ex-DNC Chair Terry McAuliffe (D) "made a furious attempt over the weekend to reverse" a NoVA "business group's endorsement" of VA AG Ken Cuccinelli (R) in the VA GOV race, "with state legislators warning that 'doors will be closed' to the group if it sticks by its choice." Members of the council's exec. cmte "decided late Sunday to stick by the Cuccinelli endorsement but also to issue a statement saying that" Tech PAC's action "might not reflect the views of its parent organization," the Northern VA Technology Council (Washington Post).

  • A new Boston Globe poll of Boston mayoral LVs, conducted 9/5-12 by UNH Survey Center, shows Councilor John Connelly leading Suffolk Co. DA Dan Conley, 15-10%, with ex-state Rep. Charlotte Golar Richie at 10%, state Rep. Martin Walsh at 10%, Councilor Felix Arroyo at 6%, ex-School Cmte member John Barros at 6%, Councilor Rob Consalvo at 6%, Councilor Mike Ross at 5%, Codman Square Health Center founder Bill Walczak at 4% and Councilor Charles Yancey at 3% (release).

  • Oakland Co. District Court Judge Kim Small (R) "has decided not to run" for MI SEN, "according to two people with knowledge of her plans" (Washington Post).

  • WV Sec/State Natalie Tennant (D) "will announce" this week that she is running for WV SEN, setting up "a likely battle" with Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV) (WVMetroNews.com).

  • MA AG Martha Coakley (D), launching her MA GOV bid early Monday, "sought to position herself as a resilient figure poised to lead a state on the upswing" (Boston Globe).

  • VP Biden, appearing at Sen. Tom Harkin's (D-IA) annual Steak Fry in Indianola, IA, on Sunday, "made only joking references" to the WH '16 race, but "he shook hands for more than 45 minutes afterward, engaging in the friendly, back-slapping retail politics" for which he's "famous" (Des Moines Register).

NUMBER BRUNCHING

  • A new CNN/ORC Int'l poll of Dems and Dem-leaning indies, conducted 9/6-8, shows ex-Sec/State Hillary Clinton leading Biden, 65-10%, with Sen. Elizabeth Warren (MA) at 7%, NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo at 6%, and MD Gov. Martin O'Malley at 2%. Among GOPers and GOP-leaning indies, NJ Gov. Chris Christie leads Rep. Paul Ryan (WI), 17-16%, with Sen. Rand Paul (KY) at 13%, ex-FL Gov. Jeb Bush at 10%, Sen. Marco Rubio (FL) at 9%, Sen. Ted Cruz (TX) at 7%, TX Gov. Rick Perry at 6% and ex-Sen. Rick Santorum (PA) at 5% (release).

  • According to a new Pew Research Center/USA Today poll of nat'l adults, conducted 9/4-8, 42% approve "of the health care law passed" by Obama and Congress in '10, while 53% disapprove (release).

OUR CALL

Hotline editors weigh in on the stories that drive the day

• Today's revelation that McAuliffe, in a candidate interview with a NoVa tech group, sounded uninformed with business issues, is consistent with his biggest vulnerability -- credibility. The fact that his camp panicked about a little-known group's endorsement suggests this race is far from over, and McAuliffe's branding as the "business candidate" is rooted in effective campaign PR.

• Don't think health care will play a big role in the 2014 midterms? New polls, from NBC/WSJ and Pew, show record-high disapproval of Obama's health care law, with Pew finding marginally more voters trust Republicans on health care than Dems -- a very rare finding, historically speaking.

• Social conservative activist Bob Vander Plaats (R) is considering the IA SEN race -- and while he's lost several statewide primaries before, there's reason to believe he'd have a better shot at the GOP nomination this time around. That's because of the very real prospect it could head to a convention, if no one in the crowded field receives more than 35% of the vote, and social conservatives there would play an outsized role in picking the nominee.

• In her campaign announcement video, Coakley tries to make one thing clear: This is not '10. Often criticized for a lack of retail politicking skills, Coakley is seen casually mingling with voters in coffee shops and on the street. She even directly reference her embarrassing special election failure, saying that while losing a race is tough, it's nothing compared to the challenges faced by people every day. Coakley has sharpened her message. Whether her on the trail performance will improve remains to be seen.

• San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro (D) joined Biden in IA this weekend, but as he's said before, it's not to run for WH '16. He and twin brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX), have hit Dem events in states from MD to CA this year, building the beginnings of a national network that will probably help fund at least one expensive statewide bid later this decade.

HAIR OF THE DOG

FRESH BREWED BUZZ

  • "An active shooter is being sought on the grounds of the Washington Navy Yard" in SE DC (WJLA-TV).

  • "Of course, my hope, like most Democrats, is that folks work that out however they work that out" -- San Antonio Mayor Julián Castro (D), asked about the possibility that Clinton and Biden could run against one another (Washington Post).

  • Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) wants the Senate Ethics Cmte to launch an investigation of Senate Maj. Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), saying the two broke the Senate's code of conduct when they floated legislation referencing Vitter's alleged past rendezvous with prostitutes (National Journal).

  • The FL state Supreme Court "hears arguments Monday on a predecent-setting question": Should state legislators and their staffs "be forced to answer questions and turn over documents" about the cong. redistricting process? (Miami Herald).

  • "[W]e decided to settle it like men do when they've had a little bit too much to drink at the pub" -- Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), on the time he arm-wrestled Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin (Buzzfeed).

  • SC SEN candidate Jay Stamper (D) "has a past that includes a felony plea, an agreement to repay millions to investors, and a penchant for what he calls 'political performance art'" (Columbia State).

  • "I'm not quite sure what you're driving at with that question" -- Rep. Jim McDermott (D-WA), asked by Stephen Colbert about Seattle native Sir Mix-A-Lot (Spokane Spokesman-Review).

  • A special DC Council panel "is expected to vote Monday on a proposal to censure" Councilmember/ex-Mayor for Life Marion Barry (D) and take away his cmte chairmanship "in response to his recent disclosure that he accepted cash payments from city contractors" (Washington Post).

SWIZZLE CHALLENGE

  • Last Friday's question was a repeat from earlier this year, it was brought to our attention. So here's a bonus Swizzle Challenge: "In its history, the Senate has censured nine of its members. Name the most recent Dem and GOPer, respectively, to be rebuked by the chamber." The 2nd correct e-mailer gets to submit the next question.

NJ'S EARLY BIRD SPECIALS

PLAY OF THE DAY!

SHOT...

"The president and I, he's in his last term, I'm probably in mine, the relationship we have had over the past three years is quite good. Quite good" -- Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), at the launch party for the new TV network Pivot, last week. McCain backtracked on whether he'd retire after '16, saying, "I have to decide in about two years so I don't have to make a decision" (TheWrap.com).

...CHASER

"I'm reminded of that every day" -- McCain, in Feb. '10, after Obama told him, "The election's over," at a WH health-care summit (AP Video).

Josh Kraushaar, Editor-in-Chief

Steven Shepard, Executive Editor