Senator Hillary Clinton, D-New York

MIAMI (AP) — "A clean sweep" is needed at the White House because President Bush has fostered "a culture of cronyism, corruption and incompetence," Hillary Rodham Clinton said
Saturday.

The Democratic presidential candidate told nearly 1,000 women at a fundraiser that she would have much work to do at the White House if she won election in 2008.

"After eight years of the Bush administration, we are going to be shocked by what we find," the New York senator and former first lady said. "Somebody said to me the other day if there was ever a time for a woman president it's now because we're going to have to
do a lot of cleaning."

The women, many of who brought their daughters to the $100 per plate "Women for Hillary" breakfast, applauded wildly.

"Grab your buckets, grab your brooms," Clinton said. "We're going to have to do a clean sweep because there has been a culture of cronyism, corruption and incompetence."

Sen. Clinton said Bush has squandered the budget surplus that her husband, former President Clinton, left and damaged the nation's standing in the world with a shortsighted approach to diplomacy.

"It is important to be both smart and tough," Clinton said."I have no illusions about how hard this job is. I have seen it closely. It is always hard, and after President Bush and Vice President Cheney, it is really going to be hard."

The Republican National Committee responded that women will not support Clinton based on her position on major issues.

"If Hillary Clinton thinks women will support her candidacy simply based on her gender she is mistaken," RNC spokeswoman Amber Wilkerson said. "Women, like men, will vote for a candidate because they share their views, and Hillary's consist of higher taxes, bigger government and waving a white flag in the global war on terror."

Clinton and fellow Democrats in the crowded 2008 field planned to participate later Saturday in a forum sponsored by the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. The group was holding its convention at Walt Disney World.

(CNN)–Too many congressional Republicans have stood in the way of legislative progress Senator Harry Reid said Saturday.

"The immigration vote we had this week was just the latest example," the Nevada senator said in the weekly Democratic radio address. "With that bill, we had a rare chance to make progress on one of the country's top problems. The overwhelming majority of Democrats voted to move forward on a bill even President Bush supported, but just a handful of Republicans joined us."

Reid was also critical of Republicans regarding legislation currently pending in the Senate. "The ethics reform bill passed by a vote of 96-2, but now Republicans are blocking it. The 9/11 commission bill passed with heavy Republican support, but they are also blocking this critical legislation."

In his remarks, Reid said putting partisan politics aside was the best way forward. "This can start next week with the Defense Authorization Bill, which is a new opportunity to change course in Iraq." The bill is expected to include measures that would seek to hasten a pull out of U.S. troops from Iraq. "While a growing number of Republicans are saying the right things on Iraq, we'll soon find out if they have the courage to vote the right way also."

– CNN Political Desk Editor Jamie Crawford

(CNN)–With the last of the troop reinforcements arriving in Iraq earlier this month, President Bush said Saturday the full troop surge has begun.

"And its goal is to help the Iraqis make progress toward reconcilation and build a free nation that respects the rights of its people, upholds the rule of law and is an ally in the war on terror." Bush made the comments Saturday in his weekly radio address.

"The enemy continues to carry out sensational attacks, but the number of car bombings and suicide attacks has been down in May and June." he said. "And because of our new strategy, U.S. and Iraqi forces are living among the people they secure, with the result that many Iraqis are now coming forward with information on where the terrorists are hiding."

Speaking to the upcoming Fourth of July holiday, Mr. Bush said it was important to remember the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in the struggle. "They've helped bring freedom to the Iraqi people. They've helped make Americans more secure. We will not forget their sacrifice."

Bush is in Kennebunkport, Maine this weekend. He will host a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

– CNN Political Desk Editor Jamie Crawford

WASHINGTON (CNN) — In presidential politics, money can create the perception of momentum, which is why the herd of 2008 White House hopefuls will be trying to stuff as much cash as they can in their coffers by midnight Saturday to show off their fund-raising prowess ahead of an upcoming federal report.

The Federal Election Commission requires presidential candidates to report their contributions and expenditures quarterly, and Saturday is the end of the second quarter. And although they have until July 15 to actually file their report with the FEC, many campaigns — especially those that did well — are likely to release the figures sooner.

In fact, several campaigns were providing estimates of their second quarter fund-raising even before the reporting period closed.

A spokesman for New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson said he has raised at least $7 million from April through June, which would be about $800,000 more than he raised in the first quarter. Richardson's overall total will top $13 million, which would put him near the top of the second-tier of Democratic candidates.

Of course, he would still be far behind the front-runners, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama, who each raised more than $25 million in the first quarter.

Howard Wolfson, a spokesman for Clinton, indicated Thursday that the former first lady would raise "in the range of $27 million" in the second quarter, which would put her total take for the year north of $53 million. But,trying to tamp down expectations, he said the Clinton campaign expects to be outraised by Obama.

Obama's campaign, which raised $25 million in the first quarter, has set a goal of getting donations from 350,000 people during the second quarter, although it did not attach a dollar total. To beat Clinton's estimate, each of those donors would to give an average of about $78.

Another Democratic hopeful, former Sen. John Edwards, e-mailed supporters Friday morning, telling them that his campaign was within "striking distance" of raising $9 million for the quarter. The campaign later put up a running total on its Web site, saying that $8.7 million had been raised and asking supporters to help top the $9 million mark.

However, even at $9 million, Edwards' fund-raising total for the last three months would be sharply lower than it was during the first quarter, when he raised more than $14 million.

During the second quarter, former Republican Sen. Fred Thompson began raising money to test the presidential waters. However, because he is not a declared candidate and his fund-raising committee was incorporated in his home state of Tennessee, rather than at the federal level, he will not be required to report.

The campaign of another GOP candidate, Sen. John McCain, said it had reached its goal of raising $3 million online during the quarter, although it did not detail any numbers for its non-Internet fund-raising.

McCain shook up his fund-raising operation in April, after his take in the first quarter — $13 million — put him behind both former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Senator John McCain, R-Arizona

(CNN) — Normally VIP visits to Iraq are kept under wraps, at least until the day of the trip. But Senator John McCain Friday night said he’s going to Iraq next week.

Responding to a question in Chicago about whether the Iraq strategy can succeed, the Republican presidential candidate said, “I understand the sorrow of the American people. I visit the wounded quite often at Walter Reed and Bethesda. I’m going to Iraq on Monday. And I’m going to be proud. I would rather spend the 4th of July with the men and women in Iraq than anywhere else in the world.”

McCain told reporters, “I’ll be at a re-enlistment ceremony for a large number of them who have decided while in combat to re-enlist because they believe in the mission. And they believe what they’re doing. And they believe the consequences of failure can be catastrophic.”

This will be McCain’s sixth trip to Iraq.

He was last there in April, shortly before he officially announced his candidacy, and came under criticism for comments on progress he said he saw in Baghdad. After a visit to an outdoor market under heavy military protection, McCain said, “I've been here many times over the years. Never have I been able to drive from the airport. Never have I been able to go out into the city as I was today." He later said he regretted the comments, telling CBS’ “60 Minutes,” “Of course I am going to misspeak and I've done it on numerous occasions and I probably will do it in the future.”

– CNN's Jamie Crawford and Steve Brusk

Richardson's camp released its second quarter fundraising numbers Friday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson will show that he has raised at least $7 million for his presidential campaign in the past three months, a spokesman tells CNN, one day before the books on the second fundraising quarter are closed.

Richardson has raised more than $13 million for his White House bid from more than 38,000 contributors this year. The New Mexico Democrat raised $6.2 million in the first three months of 2007. And Pahl Shipley, Richardson's spokesman, notes that all of the money raised can be used in the primary.

Richardson's campaign is the second to estimate how much money it raised in the second quarter. On Thursday, Sen. Hillary Clinton's spokesman indicated that the New York Democrat will raise "in the range of $27 million" in this same time period.

– CNN Political Editor Mark Preston

Romney is taking heat for the way he transported his dog on family trips.

(CNN) — Under fire from a leading animal rights group, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney defended the family dog's mode of transportation to a 1983 summer vacation.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) criticized the Republican presidential hopeful after The Boston Globe reported that Romney transported his dog in a rooftop carrier when the family drove from Boston to Ontario.

"If you wouldn’t strap your child to the roof of your car, you have no business doing that to the family dog," Ingrid Newkirk, president of PETA said in a statement. "I don’t know who would find that acceptable."

The article noted that Romney had built a wind shield carrier to make the ride more comfortable for the family's Irish Setter.

But on the campaign trail in Pennsylvania Thursday, Romney defended his chosen mode of transportation for the family dog.

"He scrambled up there every time we went on trips, got in all by himself and enjoyed it," Romney said of the Irish Setter.

Romney also conceded any endorsement of his candidacy by the group was unlikely.

"PETA has not been my fan over the years. PETA was after me for having a rodeo at the Olympics," he said in reference to his role as chief executive of the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. "PETA was unhappy when I went quail hunting in Georgia, and they're not happy that my dog likes fresh air."

– CNN Political Desk Editor Jamie Crawford

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and his wife Elizabeth disagree over whether same-sex marriage should be legalized, but Elizabeth Edwards told CNN Friday it's not an issue the two spend much time discussing.

"We don't sit around and talk about gay marriage at home," Elizabeth Edwards told CNN's Wolf Blitzer Friday. "Honestly, I don't think many American couples do because it doesn't honestly affect our lives."

"It certainly doesn't threaten our marriage," Edwards added.

John Edwards has said he does not believe same-sex marriage should be legal, while Elizabeth Edwards has said she thinks it should.

Brownback writes he once hated the Clintons until realized those thoughts were 'wrong.'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sam Brownback says he harbored a "hatred" of Bill and Hillary Clinton until he experienced a religious awakening in the mid-1990s.

Brownback, a Republican presidential hopeful, details in a new book how the change in outlook led him to make a stunning apology to Hillary Clinton a few years later during a Senate prayer breakfast.

"I was considering what I should say when I confronted all the anger that I held for the Clintons," the Kansas senator writes in the book, "From Power to Purpose: A Remarkable Journey of Faith and Compassion."

"I thought, I hate them for what they are doing to the country and I feel justified in hating them for it," he writes.

But Brownback says he realized there is never justification for hating someone regardless of their actions.

He told the prayer breakfast audience that he used to have a "hatred for Bill and Hillary" because of their politics. He spotted Sen. Clinton in the crowd and, speaking directly to her, said he "realized that those thoughts of hatred were wrong. I apologized to her for them. I don't know what she thought, but I believe it made a difference."

Read the rest of this entry »

Bloomberg said Friday he is in "great health."

NEW YORK (AP) — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg declared himself in "great health" on Friday and said his heart surgery years ago, which was not disclosed until this week, was so minor that he was out on the golf course soon after.

In his first public comments about the 2000 surgery, in which he had two coronary arterial stents installed in his heart to relieve blockage, the 65-year-old mayor brushed it off as a routine operation.

"It's a very common thing, and I'm in great health and there are lots of people my age that have it," Bloomberg told reporters.

"My recollection is I went out and played golf the next day — it was that serious."

The news surfaced this week as Bloomberg has been mentioned as a potential independent candidate for president.

Clinton's camp promises a behind the scenes look on the campaign trail.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — As a top tier presidential candidate, Sen. Hillary Clinton is surrounded by cameras nearly everywhere she goes.

But one more will follow the New York Democrat and her husband on the trail next week in Iowa, when her campaign debuts what it is calling the "HillCam," described as a "groundbreaking effort" that will show viewers a "totally unvarnished" Clinton.

"The HillCam will follow Hillary and Bill Clinton as they travel from Des Moines to Davenport, capturing their spontaneous and unscripted moments," according to a statement from the campaign. "Taking supporters beyond the soundbites, the HillCam will offer an unvarnished look at the Clintons’ first joint-campaigning of the 2008 race."

The Clintons will spend Monday-Wednesday in the crucial early-voting state.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

DENVER (AP) — The host committee for the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver is still about $1.5 million short of a $7.5 million fundraising goal it set for June 1.

"We have $6 million in the bank. We have other donations committed. Now we're just trying to decipher how much is in cash and how much is in-kind," committee member Steve Farber said Friday.

Farber said he was confident the committee had enough donations.

The Democratic National Committee and the host committee hoped to raise $40 million in cash and $15 million in in-kind donations by June 2008, with a goal of raising $7.5 million by June 1, 2007.

The host committee missed that first goal by $2 million but has since closed the shortfall by $500,000. The convention is scheduled Aug. 25-28, 2008.

Brownback defended his immigration vote switch Friday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, is defending his last-minute switch against the immigration bill Thursday, a change he made after it became clear the measure was doomed.

In an interview with CNN Radio Friday, the presidential hopeful claimed he was trying to send two messages at once.

"I wanted to send a clear signal that I am for comprehensive immigration reform but now is not the time, this is not the vehicle,” Brownback said.

The Kansas Republican initially voted in favor of cloture, or keeping the bill alive, during the pivotal Thursday roll call. But 15 minutes after he cast that vote, a flurry of opposition crystallized into 45 fatal votes against the bill and it became clear the bill was going to die. At that point, Brownback changed position.

The cloture vote ultimately would fail 46-53, 14 votes short of the 60 it needed to survive. Brownback is among 18 Senators who voted for cloture on one aspect of the bill Tuesday, but then voted against it Thursday.

He is the only senator known to change votes during the roll call.

When pressed, Brownback again insisted the fast change was a conscience message about immigration policy change.

"This vehicle’s not the right vehicle to do it, that’s why I did it that way," he said.

– CNN Radio's Dick Uliano and Lisa Goddard contributed to this report

Edwards said Friday he is close to his $9 million fundraising goal.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — With the second quarter filing deadline looming, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards is hinting that he has raised nearly $9 million since April.

In an e-mail to supporters Friday morning, Edwards appealed for last minute contributions and wrote, "We're in striking distance of our $9 million fundraising goal."

It is not clear what Edwards' definition of "striking distance" is though.

In the same e-mail, the presidential hopeful continued his effort to capitalize off of his wife Elizabeth's on-air clash with conservative commentator Ann Coulter earlier in the week. He is now encouraging supporters to let "Elizabeth know how proud we are of her by leaving a personal message for her when you contribute."

The second quarter deadline ends Saturday at midnight.

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

Poll respondents aren't as enamored of Sen. Harry Reid's Democrats, but still prefer them to Republicans.

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Democratic leadership in Congress has lost some support among Americans — but not so much that the public wants Republicans back in charge, according to results of a new CNN/Opinion Research Poll released Friday.

Nearly half of 515 poll respondents, or 49 percent, said they disapproved of what Democratic leaders in Congress have done since taking over in January. Forty-two percent said they approve. In May, 49 percent of poll respondents approved and 44 percent did not.

However, 57 percent said they believe Democratic control of Congress is good for the country, as opposed to 31 percent who said it is not. In November, the same month midterm elections were held and Democrats assumed control, 67 percent of poll respondents said Democratic control of Congress is good for the nation.

The sampling error for those questions is plus or minus 4.5 percent, as they were asked of a half sample out of 1,029 poll respondents.

In general, Democrats still enjoy more favor than the GOP among Americans, the poll showed. Fifty-three percent of 907 poll respondents who are registered voters said they would vote for a Democratic candidate for Congress if elections were held today, as opposed to 41 percent who said they would vote Republican. The sampling error for that question is plus or minus 3.5 percent.

And 51 percent of the 1,029 respondents said they have a favorable opinion of the Democratic Party, with 38 percent reporting an unfavorable opinion. Fifty-three percent said their opinion of the GOP is unfavorable, compared to 36 percent who said it is favorable. The margin of error for those questions is plus or minus 3 percent.

The telephone poll was conducted June 22 through 24.

Full story

Compiled by Alexander Mooney
CNN Washington Bureau

Making news today…

* Eight Democratic presidential candidates participated in PBS' "All-American Presidential Forum" at Howard University Thursday night, "before an audience made up largely of one of their party’s most reliable and liberal constituencies, African-American voters." (New York Times)

"For a presidential candidate who has refused to be pigeon-holed as the "black candidate," Sen. Barack Obama found himself fading in a staged battle for the hearts of black voters Thursday night. (Chicago Sun Times)

Who won? The Politico's Roger Simon picks Hillary Clinton, who was "was chewing nails and spitting out tacks." Obama, who "spoke with passion and conviction and has gotten better and more confident with each debate," landed second. (The Politico)

* Over on Capitol Hill, "The most dramatic overhaul of the nation's immigration laws in a generation was crushed yesterday in the Senate." (Washington Post) The Boston Globe says "determined foes and heavy pressure" was "decisive."

In Newport, Rhode Island, the president "looked uncharacteristically dejected," while commenting on the bill's failure Thursday, "fiddling with papers as he talked and avoiding the sort of winking eye contact he often makes with reporters." (Washington Post)

* Meanwhile, "Bush, in Nixon-like move, won't give up files on firings." (New York Daily News headline)

* In news from the third branch of government Thursday, the Supreme Court "struck down assignment plans that place students by race to ensure that each public school has diverse classes," (Boston Globe) culminating "a fractious term in which the new Roberts court moved the law significantly to the right, legal analysts said." (Washington Post)

* In the so-called "money primary", "Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign announced yesterday that it would raise 'in the range of $27 million,'" and also "warned supporters to prepare for a similarly dazzling result by a leading Democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama." (New York Times)

* And who is making mysterious polling calls about a Bloomberg candidacy? Find out in Political Hot Topics below!

President's Schedule:

* The president spends the day at his father’s estate on Walker’s Point in Kennebunkport, Maine. No public events are scheduled.

Also on the Political Radar:

* Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi hold a 10 a.m. ET press conference on Capitol Hill, expected to "announce a new coordinated effort to force votes in July to end the Iraq war." (The Politico)

* Barack Obama heads to Minneapolis, Minnesota for a "Minnesota Community Kickoff," at 6:30 p.m. ET.

* John Edwards attends a "Small Change for Big Change" fundraising event in Tampa, Florida.

* Bill Richardson attends two closed door fundraisers in El Paso, Texas and Las Cruces, New Mexico.

*John McCain holds a media availability at 2 p.m. ET in Chicago.

* Rudy Giuliani makes an endorsement announcement at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine, California, 12:15 p.m. ET.

* Mike Huckabee will attend a "Meet Mick Huckabee" event in the Iowa Telecom Corporate headquarters in Newton, Iowa at 2:45 p.m. ET. He then heads to Waukee for a private house party at 7:30 p.m. ET.

* Elizabeth Edwards attends a "Small Change for Big Change" fundraiser in Lexington, Kentucky, 5 p.m. ET.

* The Senate Radio-Television Correspondents' Gallery Daybook: http://www.senate.gov/galleries/radiotv/list.htm

* The House Radio-Television Correspondents' Gallery Daybook: http://radiotv.house.gov/news-events.aspx

=================================================================
Poll: Support for Dems in Congress wavering, but GOP still in disfavor

WASHINGTON (CNN) — The Democratic leadership in Congress has lost some support among Americans — but not so much that the public wants Republicans back in charge, according to results of a new CNN/Opinion Research Poll released Friday.

Nearly half of 515 poll respondents, or 49 percent, said they disapproved of what Democratic leaders in Congress have done since taking over in January. Forty-two percent said they approve. In May, 49 percent of poll respondents approved and 44 percent did not.

However, 57 percent said they believe Democratic control of Congress is good for the country, as opposed to 31 percent who said it is not. In November, the same month midterm elections were held and Democrats assumed control, 67 percent of poll respondents said Democratic control of Congress is good for the nation.

The sampling error for those questions is plus or minus 4.5 percent, as they were asked of a half sample out of 1,029 poll respondents.

Full story

=================================================================

Political Hot Topics
(Today's top political stories from news organizations across the country)

DEMS STICK TO DOMESTIC ISSUES IN DEBATE: For 90 minutes Thursday night, eight Democratic candidates debated before an audience made up largely of one of their party’s most reliable and liberal constituencies, African-American voters, and used the stage to urge a revitalization of domestic programs they said had faltered under President Bush. They called for spending more on schools in poor neighborhoods to lower class sizes and raising salaries for teachers to prevent a drain of educators from inner-city schools. They called for rolling back tax cuts on the wealthy to pay for expanded health care and provide job training. The debate was held here on the campus of Howard University, a historically black college. It was the third Democratic presidential debate of the campaign, but the first one dedicated largely to domestic issues and particularly the problems facing minorities. New York Times: Domestic issues frame Democratic debate

OBAMA: FADING TO BLACK? For a presidential candidate who has refused to be pigeon-holed as the "black candidate," Sen. Barack Obama found himself fading in a staged battle for the hearts of black voters Thursday night. Billed as the "All-American Presidential Forum," the televised debate brought the eight Democratic contenders to Howard University, one of the most prestigious schools in the network of historically black colleges. The gathering of presidential hopefuls was also a prime time showcase for Tavis Smiley, a media celebrity, and his book, The Covenant with Black America, a New York Times best-selling collection of essays that offer solutions to a variety of problems plaguing impoverished minority communities. Chicago Sun Times: Obama fading to black?

PELOSI, REID TO ANNOUNCE NEW EFFORT TO END WAR: Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) are expected tomorrow to announce a new coordinated effort to force votes in July to end the Iraq war, according to Democratic insiders. Reid has already publicly declared that Senate Democrats will offer four Iraq-related amendments to the upcoming 2008 Defense authorization bill, including a proposal by Reid and Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) to set a firm timetable to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq by next spring. Pelosi is planning to announce that the House will also vote on a bill setting a new withdrawal timetable of April 1, 2008, although the details of the proposal were still up in the air at press time, according to Democratic sources. The House will consider this proposal as a freestanding bill, said the sources. The Politico: Pelosi, Reid to announce new push to end Iraq war

BUSH INVOKES EXECUTIVE PRIVILEGE FOR ATTORNEY DOCS: President Bush will invoke executive privilege rather than yield to congressional demands for documents on the firing of at least eight U.S. attorneys, who allegedly were canned for political reasons. White House counsel Fred Fielding announced yesterday that Team Bush would not hand over documents from ex-White House counsel Harriet Miers and former political director Sara Taylor. "We had hoped this matter could conclude with your committees receiving information in lieu of having to invoke executive privilege. Instead, we are at this conclusion," Fielding said in letters to both oversight committees. The fight will now likely move to the federal courts. New York Daily News: Bush, in Nixon-like move, won't give up files on firings

IMMIGRATION BILL SUFFERS DEFEAT: The most dramatic overhaul of the nation's immigration laws in a generation was crushed yesterday in the Senate, with the forces of the political right and left overwhelming a bipartisan compromise on one of the most difficult issues facing the country. With 53 senators against moving on to a final vote and 46 in favor, supporters fell dramatically short of the 60 votes needed to overcome the delaying tactics and parliamentary maneuvers that have dogged the bill for weeks. With no way to cut off debate, Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) pulled the bill from the Senate floor for the second time this month, and this time it is not likely to come up again before a new president comes to power. Washington Post: Immigration bill goes down

A PRESIDENT ADMITS DEFEAT: He looked uncharacteristically dejected as he approached the lectern, fiddling with papers as he talked and avoiding the sort of winking eye contact he often makes with reporters. And then President Bush did something he almost never does: He admitted defeat. "A lot of us worked hard to see if we couldn't find a common ground," he said an hour after his immigration plan died on Capitol Hill. "It didn't work." It was, in the end, simply a statement of reality after the Senate buried his proposal to overhaul immigration laws. But for a president who makes a point of never giving in, even when he loses, it was a striking moment, underscoring the depth of his political travails. It took almost two years before Bush acknowledged, just months ago, that his effort to reshape Social Security had failed. Now he has surrendered in what was probably his last chance of securing a legacy-making second-term domestic victory. Washington Post: Bush may be out of chances for a lasting Domestic victory

DETERMINED OPPONENTS VITAL IN BILL'S DEATH: A bitterly divided Senate killed a sweeping immigration reform package yesterday, depriving President Bush of a key domestic policy priority and destroying what proponents in both parties considered the last best chance to overhaul US immigration law before the 2008 elections. The measure, which would have given 12 million undocumented immigrants a path to legal status while strengthening border security, failed when senators voted 46-53 against holding a final vote on the bill. While immigration is likely to be an issue in the presidential campaign, any attempts at overhauling the process probably will not happen until after the election. Supporters needed 60 votes to keep the bill alive but couldn't overcome opposition from a small group of senators and heavy political pressure on wavering lawmakers. Boston Globe: Determined foes, heavy pressure decisive

COURT REJECTS RACE-BASED SCHOOL ASSIGNMENTS: The Supreme Court yesterday struck down assignment plans that place students by race to ensure that each public school has diverse classes, marking a major shift in discrimination law. The decision could make hundreds of school-assignment plans across the country, including roughly 20 in Massachusetts, subject to legal challenges. The Supreme Court's decision was the latest in a string of 5-to-4 victories for conservatives following the arrival of President Bush's two nominees to the bench. The court, in the final decision of its term, ruled that desegregation plans in Seattle and Louisville discriminated against white students who had been prevented from attending the school of their choice, even though slots were available for minority students. Boston Globe: Justices, in shift, reject 2 race-based school plans

VISIBLE SHIFT SEEN IN SUPREME COURT RULINGS: The Supreme Court's decision overturning school desegregation policies in two U.S. cities yesterday culminates a fractious term in which the new Roberts court moved the law significantly to the right, legal analysts said. In a series of 5 to 4 decisions this term, the court also upheld a federal ban on a late-term abortion procedure and gutted a key provision of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law. Along with yesterday's schools case, each of these decisions left open the possibility of more change in areas of the law on which the court had seemingly ruled definitively within the past decade. "Conservatives got everything they could reasonably have hoped for out of the term," said Thomas C. Goldstein, a Washington lawyer who specializes in Supreme Court litigation. "The table is set, particularly if there are more changes in the court, for wholesale changes in constitutional law. There were some incremental steps, but they were in a distinct direction and a uniform direction." Washington Post: Narrow victories move Roberts court to right

FUNDRAISING SPIN BEGINS: Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s presidential campaign announced yesterday that it would raise “in the range of $27 million” for the second quarter of 2007, which ends Saturday night, and also warned supporters to prepare for a similarly dazzling result by a leading Democratic rival, Senator Barack Obama. While Mr. Obama has declined to provide an estimate of second-quarter fund-raising figures, the campaign yesterday sought to signal its financial strength by disclosing that more than 250,000 people had contributed to his presidential race. “Suddenly, we’re within reach of something no presidential campaign has ever dreamed of at this stage,” Mr. Obama’s campaign manager, David Plouffe, said in an e-mail message to supporters, adding, “It will send a powerful message that our movement is both bigger and deeper than anything presidential politics has ever seen.” New York Times: Fundraising for Clinton and Obama nears records

THOMPSON COURTS NEW HAMPSHIRE REPUBLICANS: Hinting strongly at a presidential run, Fred Thompson last night urged Republicans to lead the country by returning to their founding principles and renewing their commitment to small government, individual freedom and free trade. Hundreds of potential supporters and dozens of journalists flocked to a Republican state Senate fundraiser at the Wayfarer Convention Center to learn more about a man most recognizable for his role as District Attorney Arthur Branch on NBC's "Law & Order" and his appearances in more than 18 films over the past two decades. The New Hampshire Union Leader: Thompson gets a look at NH

GIULIANI MAKES STOP IN SACRAMENTO: Rudy Giuliani did not visit Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Thursday, even though he was mere steps from the state Capitol and held a fundraiser in the governor's Sacramento hotel home. No matter. The former New York City mayor and Republican presidential candidate made do with a downtown lunchtime mix of high school girls, legislative aides, ladies meeting for lunch and activists on break from college. Giuliani swept through Ambrosia Cafe on Thursday, disturbing the usual lunch-hour murmur at the gourmet sandwich shop a block from the Capitol. He shook hands, wished patrons a "good Fourth of July" and scarfed down part of a salad before diving into a scrum of television cameras. Sacramento Bee: Giuliani sweeps through Capital

ROMNEY TAKES HEAT FROM PETA: Animal rights activists were howling for Mitt Romney’s hide yesterday after the White House wannabe’s son told the Boring Broadsheet a Clark Griswold-esque tale of strapping the family dog to the roof of the station wagon as the fam took off to Canada for summer Vacation. PETA accused the ex-gov of torturing poor Seamus. And the Mass. Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reported that the 1983 incident, detailed in the BB’s exhaustive - and exhausting - Romney coverage this week, may, in fact, be illegal. According to Romney family lore, Mitt tied Seamus, an Irish Setter, to the station wagon’s roof rack in a carrier before heading off to Lake Huron. He had, according to the Boring Ones, fashioned the carrier with a windscreen “to make the ride more comfortable for the dog.” Boston Herald: Peta hits roof over Mitt's animal antics

A DIFFERENT CINDY MCCAIN IN 2008: Cindy McCain on the presidential campaign trail in 2000 was mostly a cheerful sidekick to her husband, keeping her positions on national policy to herself. When her husband, Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, saw his White House run collapse in the South Carolina primary — after a whispering campaign suggesting that he had fathered an illegitimate child and bringing up her onetime addiction to painkillers — Mrs. McCain burst into tears, but then joined her husband on a road of forgiving and forgetting. Seven years later, with her husband making a second bid for the presidency, Mrs. McCain appears as a different kind of spouse. With two sons in the military, including one who is about to be deployed to Iraq, she is far from the demure campaign wife, especially when it comes to the winner of that South Carolina primary, George W. Bush. New York Times: Mrs. McCain is speaking up in a steely tone

WHO'S POLLING A BLOOMBERG PRESIDENCY? The phone rings. A mysterious automated voice begins asking questions about Mayor Bloomberg running for - surprise, surprise - President. Would you support Bloomberg running for the White House as an independent? Would you support his candidacy if he pledged to spend $1 billion of his own money on the campaign? Philip Cornell, of Somerset County, N.J., said he received that very call at home in mid- or early June. The automated voice did not identify who commissioned the poll, he said. New York Daily News: Mystery of Mike-for-prez phone calls

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Ohio Rep. Dennis Kucinich said he thinks he set himself apart from the other candidates on Thursday night at the Democratic presidential forum by establishing himself as "the peace candidate."

"I'm the real deal," Kucinich proclaimed.

– CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

WASHINGTON (CNN) — It's about an hour after the Democratic presidential debate ended and the spin room is slowly clearing out. But Democratic presidential candidates Mike Gravel and Dennis Kucinich still linger to talk to reporters.

–CNN Associate Producer Lauren Kornreich

WASHINGTON (CNN) — While top Obama strategist David Axelrod predictably touted his candidate's performance at Thursday's debate, he was mum on the battle for fundraising dollars.

"We'll see," Axelrod said with a smile, when asked if Illinois Sen. Barack Obama would beat top rival, New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, in second quarter fundraising.

"I feel good about what we have done," Axelrod added. "As I speak we have received donations from more than 250,000 people, which is historic — it shows the support at the grassroots."

– CNN Ticker Producer Alexander Mooney

WASHINGTON (CNN) — "Black voters are looking for a candidate who is both battle tested and willing to champion their issues," says CNN Political Analyst and Democratic Strategist Donna Brazile, who was in the audience at tonight's debate.

When asked if there was urgency in this debate, Brazile said that, in her opinion, "Hillary Clinton and Dennis Kucinich were the only ones who saw how necessary and urgent it is to fix the racial divide in our country. The urgency was totally lacking from some of the other candidates who clearly believe African-American voters can simply wait for a new occupant in the White House."

Brazile said that "this type of debate that focuses on minority issues is a reflection of what happens when the contenders are those who are not just stale, male and pale."

Brazile went on to say that tonight's debate was "another demonstration of the boundaries that this 2008 race breaks. Diversity matters, especially when the topics are education, health care, HIV-AIDS and the criminal justice system."

So who won the debate? Brazile says, "I didn't think that anyone knocked it out of the park. But they spent some time addressing problems facing a large segment of the American electorate"

Brazile says "the candidates are all champions of civil rights, and could have used their own personal stories and battles to better connect with the audience and reach the congregation watching at home."

But she says they didn't.

As to which candidate offered hope, Brazile says, "It's too easy to paint the disastrous picture of race in America, which most of the candidates did." But she said they didn't do much else.

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser