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(CNN) - When President Obama unveiled the Making Home Affordable Program in March, he said it would help "responsible folks who have been making their payments" reduce their monthly mortgage bills and avoid losing their homes to foreclosure.

But six months into the program, only 6 percent of the 4 million eligible homeowners have gotten help. A lot more say they've been frustrated with the runaround they've been getting from lenders.

Are the new program's growing pains responsible for the slow start, as bankers say, or is pain to their bottom lines really preventing the program from working, as critics say?

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Eager to draw attention Bob McDonnell's conservative roots, campaign advisers to Democrat Creigh Deeds on Monday called McDonnell's newly-discovered 1989 graduate thesis a "devastating" revelation that threatens to sink the Republican's campaign for the Virginia governor's mansion.

The 93-page research paper - first revealed in Sunday's Washington Post - articulated a Christian conservative worldview that criticized "cohabitators, homosexuals and fornicators" and described working women and feminists "detrimental" to the family.

On a conference call with reporters, Deeds adviser Mo Elleithee called the thesis McDonnell's "road map" for conservative governance. The Deeds camp argued that McDonnell immediately sought to put his theories to work in state government when he was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates three years after writing the paper, which McDonnell wrote as master's student at Regent University in Virginia Beach.

Regent was founded by Pat Robertson and was initially named "CBN University" after Robertson's Christian Broadcasting Network. McDonnell wrote the paper when he was 34, twenty years before entering the Virginia governor's race.

"This paper laid out very explicity his vision for the role of government, his vision for the for a social agenda that should dominate governace, and it even went beyond just a personal political philosophy," Elleithee said. "It had a 15-point action plan for how to implement that philosophy."

The thesis was called "The Republican Party's Vision for the Family: The Compelling Issue of the Decade." In it, McDonnell wrote that working women are "detrimental" the the family; that feminism is among "the real enemies of the traditional family"; and that the "purging" of religious influence in public schools is damaging to healthy families.

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(CNN) - A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Monday responded to a scathing column published in Sunday's Las Vegas Review-Journal that recounted an unfriendly encounter between Reid and the paper's advertising director, in which the Nevada senator told the executive: "I hope you go out of business."

"Clearly he wasn't serious," Reid spokesman Jon Summers told CNN in an e-mailed statement. "Once again, the editors at the Review-Journal got it wrong."

A follow-up phone call to Reid's office seeking more details on the encounter was not immediately returned.

Review-Journal Publisher Sherman Frederick detailed the incident, which occurred on August 26 at a Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce luncheon.

"As [Director of Advertising] Bob [Brown] shook hands with our senior U.S. Senator in what should have been nothing but a gracious business setting," Frederick wrote, "Reid said: 'I hope you go out of business.'"

In the op-ed, Frederick shot back that his paper can "damn sure outlast" Reid.

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(CNN) - Two Massachusetts political sources say the Joint Elections Committee in the state legislature plans to hear a Senate succession
bill in just a week and a half.

The decision to consider the measure on September 9, just after lawmakers return from break, highlights the growing momentum to pass a change allowing the appointment of an interim senator to fill the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat until a special election can be held to replace him.

Monday afternoon, Gov. Deval Patrick announced a new vote to fill the seat would take place on January 19.

One source close to the Kennedy family said former Rep. Joe Kennedy, whose name has been mentioned as a possible replacement for his uncle, is not eager for the job.

"Joe is reluctant," said the source. "The question is, does the pressure rise to a point where he feels he has to do it? Things here are too new to be able to answer that."

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Republican National Committee chairman Michael Steele said Monday that Americans shouldn't be "guilted" into passing health care reform because of the death of Sen. Ted Kennedy.

Steele was asked in an interview on ABCNews.com what he thought of liberals using Kennedy's memory as a rallying cry to pass health care reform.

"I can see it and I understand why the Democrats and particularly the left are doing it," Steele said. "He was a champion of this issue for a long, long time."

But Steele said he is "not of the mind to reform health care for the sake of anyone's memory."

"While I admire the legacy of Sen. Ted Kennedy, I disagree with his view of health care for this country," he said. "That's part of the debate."

He added: "But I don't want to see this country guilted into health care reform because of the passing, the unfortunate passing, of a great senator."

(CNN) – Peter King made it official Monday.

The Republican congressman from New York State announced that he won't take on Democrat Kirsten Gillibrand next year when the appointed senator runs for the final two years of Hillary Clinton's term.

After Clinton announced that she would step down from her seat to become secretary of state, King - the last remanning GOP congressman from Long Island, a former Republican bastion - hinted that he might make a bid for statewide office. But in recent months, most political observers wrote off any actual run by King.

King says it came down to money.

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Wisconsin Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner announced Monday that he is starting treatment for early stage prostate cancer, but said that it was "caught in time."

"In late July, during a routine checkup, my PSA (prostate-specific antigen) levels were found to be high, which can be an indicator of prostate cancer," the Republican lawmaker said in a statement. "After some additional testing was conducted, the doctor confirmed that I have an early stage of prostate cancer. Fortunately, it was caught in time, and the cancer has not spread beyond the prostate."

Sensenbrenner called the disease "treatable and curable with early diagnosis" and encouraged all men to get tested annually. He said he will continue to maintain his legislative schedule throughout his treatment.

"Over the next several months I will undergo treatment, including radiation therapy," Sensenbrenner said. "My treatments will have a minimal effect on my duties of serving the people of the Fifth Congressional District. I intend on maintaining my active schedule, both in Washington and in the District, and will still hold the numerous Town Hall Meetings that have been scheduled."

(CNN) – With the first week of his vacation marred by the death of his party's most revered senator, President Obama on Monday began his final week of vacation with a return to the golf course.

Obama teed off three times last week in Martha's Vineyard.

The president is teeing off this afternoon with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, White House Press Assistant Ben Finkenbinder and White House Aide Marvin Nicholson at Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia.

Finkenbinder and Nicholson both hit the links with Obama last week as well.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – As Congress prepares to come back from its August recess and tackle health care reform, the question arises whether lawmakers will do something in honor of the "Lion of the Senate" - or should Congress simply start over?

Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy, who died last week, was a staunch advocate of health care reform.

Following his burial over the weekend, Democratic lawmakers said they hoped Kennedy's memory will inspire legislators to start looking for compromise on stalled reform plans.

One of Kennedy's best friends in the Senate, Chris Dodd of Connecticut, urged legislators to bring civility to health care negotiations.

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(CNN) – New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine's campaign is staying on the attack, releasing a fresh negative ad that charges Republican rival Chris Christie has "one set of rules for himself, another for everyone else."

"While he was U.S. Attorney, Republican Chris Christie gave one of his subordinates a $46,000 loan. And even though it is required under federal and state laws, Christie never reported the loan. And never paid taxes on the interest he received," says the narrator in the 30-second spot.

"When he was caught, Christie said it was a 'mistake.' But he prosecuted people who did the same things. Chris Christie. One set of rules for himself. Another for everyone else."

Christie has denied any impropriety, calling the omission an inadvertent oversight, and telling reporters he plans to update his taxes and all other relevant filings.

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(CNN) – The general who led military relief efforts in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is denying a report that he may challenge Louisiana Sen. David Vitter in 2010, calling it "speculation and rumors" Sunday.

Retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, now a CNN emergency preparedness analyst, said he is moving back to his home state. But "No one's talking to me about running for Senate," Honore said.

"That is a serious rumor that's got started that's created a lot of buzz," said Honore, who left the Army in 2008. But he said he has never declared a party affiliation, and any talk of a Senate run is "all about speculation and rumors."

Honore is best known for taking over a widely criticized relief effort after Katrina flooded most of New Orleans in August 2005. The city's mayor, Ray Nagin, famously described the cigar-chomping three-star general as a "John Wayne dude" who could "get some stuff done."

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WASHINGTON (CNN) – Former Vice President Dick Cheney had his facts wrong when he blasted Attorney General Eric Holder last week for launching an investigation into past CIA interrogation techniques, an administration official asserted Monday.

Holder's decision to review waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques was politically motivated, Cheney claimed in remarks broadcast on FOX News Sunday. Cheney made clear in the interview, conducted last Friday, that he believes President Barack Obama directed Holder to launch the review in response to pressure from left-wing Democrats.

But the administration official, who asked not to be identified, said, "The attorney general made a determination independently, based on the facts and the law."

The official also objected to Cheney's statement that "the president is the chief law enforcement officer in the land."

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Former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay and his dancing partner, Cheryl Burke, practice for his debut on this season of Dancing With The Stars, debuting in three weeks on ABC. (PHOTO CREDIT: ABC)

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A prominent Democrat who is also a Louisiana native said Sunday he was somewhat offended that President Obama has yet to pay a visit to New Orleans, a city trying to rebuild after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina four years ago.

“I’m a Democrat and this is a Democratic president. I would describe myself as slightly miffed that he hasn’t been down yet,” Democratic strategist and longtime Clinton ally James Carville said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, “but he says he’s coming down before the end of the year. And we’re hospitable people and we certainly will welcome him.”

Carville and his wife Mary Matalin, a Republican strategist and former Dick Cheney aide, moved their family to New Orleans in mid-2008.

“I can honestly say, . . . you can start to feel the progress now,” Carville said of the legendary city’s efforts to rebuild. “It’s a work in progress but there has been progress. I promise you that,” Carville also told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King.

Carville’s words were echoed by one of the Louisiana’s senators, Democrat Mary Landrieu.
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The CNN Washington Bureau’s morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world.

WASHINGTON/POLITICAL
For the latest political news: www.CNNPolitics.com.

CNN: As Kennedy laid to rest, a papal prayer request is revealed
Shortly before his death, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy wrote a letter to Pope Benedict XVI asking for the pontiff to pray for him as he struggled with an aggressive form of brain cancer, it was revealed at his graveside service Saturday evening.

CNN: Kennedy's gravesite opens to the public
The Arlington National Cemetery gravesite of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy opened to the public at 8 a.m. Sunday, a little less than 12 hours after he was buried.

CNN: Cheney: Justice review of interrogation methods is political
Former Vice President Dick Cheney said in an interview broadcast Sunday that the Justice Department's decision to review waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques is politically motivated.

CNN: Analysis: Dick Cheney's claims reopen 'waterboarding' debate
Former Vice President Dick Cheney on Sunday said his claim that enhanced interrogation techniques - including waterboarding - produced critical post-9/11 information was supported by a pair of intelligence reports released last week.

CNN: Dem on CIA probe: 'No one is above the law'
A week before Congress returns from its August recess, there are already signs that a recently announced Justice Department investigation into the CIA’s harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects will be a source of tension between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

CNN: Tea Party Express cruises through Nevada
Hundreds of people turned out for a series of weekend events as the Tea Party Express cruised across northern Nevada.

CNN: 'I would tend not to' support the public option, says Landrieu
A moderate Senate Democrat who is a possible swing vote in Republicans’ favor on health care reform said Sunday she is not likely to support a robust public health insurance option and believes that reform proposals should focus on lowering health care costs.

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ELY, Nevada (CNN) - Hundreds of people turned out for a series of weekend events as the Tea Party Express cruised across northern Nevada.

The caravan of tour buses, RVs, cargo trucks and SUVs kicked off a cross-country tour Friday in Sacramento, California, and plans on holding events in 33 cities en route to Washington, D.C. for what organizers hope will be a big rally on September 12.

The tour is being funded by Our Country Deserves Better, a conservative political action committee.

The tea party movement gained momentum this year; several parties were held across the country this summer to protest President Barack Obama and the Democrats' economic stimulus plans, among other things.

On July 4, nearly 2,000 advocates, toting signs and chanting slogans, rallied outside Congress. Activists said the TEA Party Day - an acronym for "Taxed Enough Already" - was in response to runaway government spending. But now, the focus is on health care reform, an issue that has brought about demand for bigger, more encompassing debate throughout the country and in Congress.

At an event Saturday in Winnemucca, Nevada, Carolyn Rowe came to the tea party in a T-shirt depicting Obama as the joker from "Batman." In place of the familiar "Hope" logo of Obama's campaign was the word "Joke."

She says she is concerned about the number of so-called "czars" in the Obama administration and she fears losing her choice of doctor if health care reform passes.

"I believe he's trouncing the Constitution and taking control of our country in a direction we don't want," says Rowe, from beneath a wide brimmed straw hat. "I think he has a hidden agenda, and I think he doesn't tell the truth and that in itself bothers me."

Husband-and-wife team Barbara and Pete Jones drove up from Reno, Nevada. Barbara's red T-shirt said "Impeach Everyone," but she said Obama is first on her list.
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Visitors lined up Sunday at Arlington National Cemetery to pay their respects to the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, a day after the Massachusetts senator was buried not far from his two slain brothers. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The Arlington National Cemetery gravesite of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy opened to the public at 8 a.m. Sunday, a little less than 12 hours after he was buried.

Related: Kennedy sought pontiff's prayers

His brothers, President John F. Kennedy and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, are buried a few hundred feet away in the sprawling cemetery in Virginia. The gravesite is identical to that of his brother Robert. It features a two-and-a-half-foot white cross and a marble marker, which reads "Edward Moore Kennedy 1932-2009."

A temporary ropeline was set up for people to approach the gravesite and pay their respects, but there are plans to build a walkway in the future. Several flowers and cards were left by visitors in the hours following the opening of the site.

A cemetery official said the site would be closing Sunday afternoon for an expected visit from Victoria Ann Reggie Kennedy, the senator's widow.

–CNN's David de Sola contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A week before Congress returns from its August recess, there are already signs that a recently announced Justice Department investigation into the CIA’s harsh interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects will be a source of tension between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill.

“This investigation is very appropriate,” Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington said Sunday on CNN’s State of the Union, “No one is above the law. This is not a political process. This is a legal process. It’s a legal process to find out whether the law was broken.”

Cantwell was answering Republican criticism – most notably from former Vice President Dick Cheney - that the recent decision by Attorney General Eric Holder to open an investigation into CIA interrogations was politically motivated and runs the risk of making the spy agency timid in tracking down terrorists who intend to do the country harm.

Related: CIA probe is political, Cheney says

“They’re making it so the people at the CIA are afraid to do anything,” said Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch, who sits on the Senate Intelligence Committee. “Frankly, it’s gone way too far,” Hatch told CNN Chief National Correspondent John King.
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