CNN

'Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians,' Sen. Jim DeMint said in a statement.

Washington (CNN) - A handful of Republican senators have proposed a Constitutional amendment to limit the amount of time a person may serve in Congress.

Currently, there are no term limits for federal lawmakers, but Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, and several of his colleagues are advocating that service in the Senate be limited to 12 years, while lawmakers would only be allowed to serve 6 years in the House.

"Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians," DeMint said in a statement released by his office. "As long as members have the chance to spend their lives in Washington, their interests will always skew toward spending taxpayer dollars to buyoff special interests, covering over corruption in the bureaucracy, fundraising, relationship building among lobbyists, and trading favors for pork – in short, amassing their own power."

Two-thirds of the House and Senate would need to approve the amendment - a stumbling block that short-circuited the idea 14 years ago. The new proposal echoes the Citizen Legislature Act, part of the original Contract with America proposed by Republicans before they won control of Congress in 1994. That measure, which would have allowed both senators and members of the House to serve just 12 years, won a majority in the Republican-controlled House in 1995, but failed because it did not meet the constitutionally-required two-thirds threshold.
Read the rest of this entry »

'Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians,' Sen. Jim DeMint said in a statement.

Washington (CNN) - A handful of Republican senators have proposed a Constitutional amendment to limit the amount of time a person may serve in Congress.

Currently, there are no term limits for federal lawmakers, but Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, and several of his colleagues are advocating that service in the Senate be limited to 12 years, while lawmakers would only be allowed to serve 6 years in the House.

"Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians," DeMint said in a statement released by his office. "As long as members have the chance to spend their lives in Washington, their interests will always skew toward spending taxpayer dollars to buyoff special interests, covering over corruption in the bureaucracy, fundraising, relationship building among lobbyists, and trading favors for pork – in short, amassing their own power."

Two-thirds of the House and Senate would need to approve the amendment - a stumbling block that short-circuited the idea 14 years ago. The new proposal echoes the Citizen Legislature Act, part of the original Contract with America proposed by Republicans before they won control of Congress in 1994. That measure, which would have allowed both senators and members of the House to serve just 12 years, won a majority in the Republican-controlled House in 1995, but failed because it did not meet the constitutionally-required two-thirds threshold.
Read the rest of this entry »

Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke before a Senate panel.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Thursday a military strike on Iran's nuclear program would not stop that country from pursuing the development of a nuclear weapon.

Gates told a Senate panel that a military option would only delay Iran's nuclear ambitions and drive the program further underground, making it more difficult to monitor, he said.

He said the better option would be for the United States and its allies to convince Iran that building a nuclear program would start an arms race that would leave the country less secure.

"Their security interests are actually badly served by trying to have nuclear weapons," Gates said. "They will start a nuclear arms race in the Middle East and they will be less secure at the end than they are now."

Gates was joined by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in an appearance before the Senate Appropriations Committee to discuss the 2009 supplemental request.

Clinton and Gates told the panel the United States and its allies should pressure Iran with tougher sanctions.

Read the rest of this entry »

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas told CNN he is "stunned" by the news that Arlen Specter is switching parties.

Walking into emergency meeting of GOP Senators, Brownback stopped to read his BlackBerry and his mouth dropped.

"Arlen's his own man, but it's not good," he said.

"I'm just stunned, just heard about it here," Brownback said, motioning to his BlackBerry. "I'm very surprised. I had no idea it was coming."

Brownback will not run for re-election.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Sam Brownback will announce Thursday he is retiring from the Senate when his term ends in 2010, allowing the Kansas Republican to explore a run for governor.

He will be the second GOP senator this year to publicly state he is leaving at the close of the 111th Congress.

Brownback, who unsuccessfully sought the 2008 GOP presidential nomination, will not reveal his future political plans during the three news conferences planned for Thursday in Kansas. But a source close to Brownback said he will file gubernatorial paperwork in January.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sens. McCain and Brownback shake hands at the press conference announcing Brownback's endorsement.

CONCORD, New Hampshire (CNN) – As the Republican field battles for the support of social conservative leaders, Arizona Sen. John McCain told reporters Friday that Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback's endorsement would have "far more impact" than evangelical leader, Pat Robertson's decision to back former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani.

Aboard his "Straight Talk Express," McCain called Giuliani's endorsement by the Christian Coalition founder a "stunning event," but added that in the social conservative community, Browback's backing would carry more weight. McCain pointed to the pro-life and pro-values communities where Brownback was "highly regarded."

Robertson's endorsement shocked many in the evangelical community given Giuliani's support for abortion and gay rights. Despite such differences, Robertson said he decided to endorse the former New York mayor because he was a "proven leader who is not afraid of what lies ahead and who will cast a hopeful vision for all Americans."

While the Giuliani camp hopes the backing of a prominent social conservative will help him build support with evangelical Christians, McCain is also vying for the same bloc of voters. McCain noted that he had already felt a lift since his Brownback endorsement with key Brownback campaign staffers and supporters coming on board.

– CNN New Hampshire Producer Sareena Dalla

Brownback endorsed McCain Wednesday in Iowa.

DUBUQUE, Iowa (CNN) - Republican presidential candidate John McCain won the backing of Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback Wednesday, an endorsement that could help the Arizona senator draw support among social conservatives .

"I am endorsing the best pro-life candidate to beat Hillary Clinton," Brownback, who abandoned his own White House bid last month, said in a press conference in Dubuque.

"Here is a pro-life leader who will appoint strict-constructionist judges so that I believe we can end this night of wrong and have Roe v. Wade overturned," Brownback continued.

McCain, who hovers around fourth place in many recent polls in this crucial early-caucus state, hailed the endorsement as "significant"

"There are endorsements and then there are endorsements, support and different kinds of support," he said. "This time the support comes from one of the most respected men in America."

The endorsement comes nearly a month after Brownback ended his own presidential bid after lackluster fundraising and poor showings in both the national and crucial early primary and caucus state polls.

Read the rest of this entry »

Sen. Brownback has decided to endorse John McCain instead of Rudy Giuliani.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, will endorse Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., for president, CNN has learned.

The endorsement will come Wednesday when the Brownback and McCain appear together at a McCain campaign event in Iowa, a McCain campaign source and Republican Party sources told CNN's John King.

Brownback gave up his own bid for the White House last month, after lackluster fundraising and poor showings in both the national and crucial early primary and caucus state polls.

Brownback is a socially conservative senator who emphasized his opposition to abortion, gay marriage and other issues important to Christian conservatives, who make up an influential voting block within the Republican Party.

His endorsement could help McCain in Iowa, where caucuses will be held on January 3rd to kick off the presidential primary calendar. McCain trails badly in the polls in Iowa to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney.

McCain opposes legalizing abortion and gay marriage, but he is not a darling of the far right. Brownback's endorsement may help McCain with such social conservative voters.

Rudy Giuliani's campaign made a bid for Brownback's endorsement. The former New York City Mayor is the frontrunner in the national Republican polls but also trails Romney in Iowa. Giuliani's stance in support of abortion rights makes his job of winning over Christian conservatives a tough task, and it was thought that Brownback's endorsement would help Giuliani as well.

Related: Giuliani, McCain pick up key Christian conservative backing

Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com

–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser

Brownback met with Giuliani Thursday.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, said Thursday he is "much more comfortable" with Rudy Giuliani's position on abortion after discussing the issue with the former New York City mayor earlier in the day.

"I understand the mayor’s position," Brownback said after meeting with the Republican presidential frontrunner. “Whether it’s funding [or] appointments on the court, I’m much more comfortable with that.”

Brownback even said “pro-choice” might be the wrong label for Giuliani’s position on the issue. “I don’t know," said the Kansas senator, "if he’d describe himself as a pro-choice mayor or a pro-choice candidate.”

“I oppose abortion,” Giuliani told reporters staked out in front of Brownback’s Senate office following the meeting. “I’d like to see a society in which there’s not abortion. I think you have to get there by changing people’s hearts and minds. I’m not in favor of changing the law and the right that presently exists.”

Both men said they support appointing conservative justices to the Supreme Court in the mold of Chief Justice John Roberts and Associate Justice Sam Alito.

Read the rest of this entry »

Brownback says he's "nowhere near" ready to make an endorsement.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Pro-choice Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani will ask for the endorsement of former presidential candidate Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, a fierce opponent of abortion, when the two meet later Thursday in Brownback’s Senate office.

Winning Brownback’s endorsement would be a boost to Giuliani’s efforts to court conservative voters but Brownback told CNN Thursday unless he can “influence” Giuliani’s “position to be pro-life” he’s not likely to back the former mayor.

“It would be really tough for me because I think that’ just the central issue of our time,” Brownback said.

Brownback said Giuliani’s “good on judges which is probably going to be the central life issue in the next administration” and suggested he liked his position on fiscal policy and the war on terrorism.

But “life is central, I mean we’ve got to get that right,” Brownback said.

Brownback has met or spoken with other GOP presidential candidates but hasn’t decided who he will endorse or when he might do it.

“I’m nowhere near making a decision,” he said.

Brownback formally announced his candidacy for president at the beginning of the year but dropped out of the race for the White House last week, citing a lack of fundraising. Brownback was in the low single digits in most national polls of Republican voters.

– CNN Congressional Producer Ted Barrett

Brownback became the fifth presidential candidate to drop his bid this election cycle.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Not a single vote for president has been cast, but the path to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is already littered with a record tying number of casualties.

On Friday, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, became the fifth declared Presidential hopeful to abandon his White House bid. Brownback’s decision to drop out of the race tied the record set in 2000, when five candidates bowed out before the Iowa caucuses, traditionally the first test of candidate strength.

Of course, this doesn’t take into account candidates who toyed with the idea of running, but never filed papers with the Federal Election Commission.

So, who has dropped out so far? Brownback; Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh; former Virginia Gov. Jim Gilmore; former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson; and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack.

In 2000, you may remember, the early casualties included former Tennessee Gov. Lamar Alexander; former Cabinet Secretary Elizabeth Dole; then-Ohio Rep. John Kasich, former Vice President Dan Quayle; and then-New Hampshire Sen. Bob Smith.

– CNN Polling Director Keating Holland

Watch Brownback drop out of the White House race.

(CNN) - Mired in single digits in the polls and trailing his rivals in fund-raising, Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas announced Friday afternoon that he is pulling out of the Republican presidential race.

"My yellow brick road just came short of the White House this time," Brownback said at a news conference in his hometown of Topeka.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback also addressed the summit – despite accounts from sources close to him indicating that Brownback is on the verge of ending his quest for the Republican presidential nomination.

Brownback spoke of the need to fight to outlaw abortion, and to defend the role of faith in America's political and public life.
He made no mention of his candidacy, or his plans to end it.

Several sources close to Brownback have said he planned to make an announcement as early as later Friday in his home state of Kansas.

– CNN Chief National Correspondent John King

ABOARD THE ELECTION EXPRESS (CNN) – Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee is often mentioned in the same sentence as Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, but Huckabee made clear Thursday he has no immediate plans to join his rival in abandoning a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Huckabee, who competed fiercely with Brownback for support from social conservatives, has had a difficult time competing with the frontrunners in both raising money and registering in the polls.

"It's not about the money, it's about the message," Huckabee said in an interview with CNN Chief National Correspondent John King in New Hampshire. "Our message is resonating and the more the message resonates, the more the money comes in. We are in a position where we have only seen one direction, we've gone up. And I am confident that will continue to happen as we approach the Iowa caucuses."

Read the rest of this entry »

Brownback will announce Friday he's bowing out of the presidential race.

MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (CNN) – Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback, who was hoping his social conservative credentials would help him win the Republican presidential nomination, will announce Friday his decision to abandon his White House bid, well-placed Republican sources tell CNN.

The sources tell CNN Chief National Correspondent John King that Brownback plans to bow out of the race Friday and that the announcement will be made back home in Kansas. They also tell CNN that the Brownback campaign has less than $100,000 of cash on hand left in the bank and little prospect of improving fundraising due to the senator’s low poll numbers. The sources say that they know of no immediate plans for Brownback to endorse another Republican candidate, but note that the senator has said he would support the eventual GOP presidential nominee.

Full story

Brownback will make a 'major announcement,' CNN has learned.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Republican presidential hopeful Sam Brownback, dogged by low poll numbers and a poor fundraising showing last quarter, has decided to abandon his bid for the White House, people close to the senator tell the Associated Press.

Meanwhile, a campaign source tells CNN's Chief National Correspondent John King that all scheduling has been put on hold pending a "major announcement" from the Kansas Republican.

Full story

Giuliani says he is limiting himself to one debate or forum appearance each month.

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) - Republican presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani said Wednesday that he'll only participate in one debate or forum each month because, as he says, if you try to pick and choose "you end up insulting more people than you really intend to."

"I've been invited to like a dozen debates sometimes on the same day, and you just can't do them all. You just can't," the former New York City mayor said at a stop in Des Moines. "We've tried to have a rule of one per month, and the first one we accept. Then we've got to say 'no' to all the rest, because if I go to all the debates, I can't run my campaign."

Giuliani says it would be too hard to raise the money needed and impossible to make all the "political points that you want to make" if he were to accept more invitations to multiple-candidate events.

At a town hall meeting on the campus of Drake University, Giuliani was asked whether or not he would participate in the nationally televised AARP/Iowa Public Television 'Divided We Fail' GOP forum on October 25. So far Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee have confirmed. According to the forum's website, the other campaigns have said "they don't know."

"If we said 'no' to it, it does not at all have to do with your organization," Giuliani continued in his answer. "It has to do with the fact that we already agreed to a debate."

The 'Divided We Fail' Democratic forum back in September included all the top-tier Democrats except Illinois Sen. Barack Obama.

-CNN Iowa Producer Chris Welch

Brownback failed to break the $1 million mark in fundraising last quarter.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, reported raising about $926,000 for his presidential campaign in the third quarter, and gave no indication Monday he would abandon his White House bid despite the lackluster haul.

Instead, the Brownback campaign noted that the Kansas senator is eligible to receive "at least $2.1 million in federal matching funds," and emphasized that the campaign is carrying no debt.

"With a crowded field and an entire month during which Senator Brownback campaigned in Iowa without holding fundraising events, we are pleased with the level of support for Senator Brownback's message," John Rankin, the senator's campaign spokesman, said in a statement. "We have always expected to run a grassroots campaign and to make the most of limited resources. The option of over $2 million in federal matching funds would provide additional support as we move forward."

Several of Brownback's opponents for the GOP presidential nomination had a much more successful three month fundraising period. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani raised $11 million, while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney collected $10 million. Texas Rep. Ron Paul's success in the third quarter was the biggest surprise when he announced raising $5 million for his bid.

Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com

–CNN Political Editor Mark Preston

Sen. Sam Brownback will join Sen. Joe Biden in Iowa on Friday to discuss their Iraq plan.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The Oscar and Felix of politics? Sen. Joe Biden, D-Delaware, and Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, would be strong contenders for “The Political Odd Couple of the Year Award” – if one existed.

Biden is seeking the Democratic presidential nomination, while Brownback is running for the GOP presidential nod. On matters of policy, they don’t share that much in common – except what to do about Iraq.

So, the two presidential hopefuls will meet up in Des Moines, Iowa, Friday to talk about their plan to bring stability to the war torn nation. Specifically, the two senators will discuss their legislation that calls for decentralizing Iraq's federal government and giving more control to local and regional groups. Their amendment passed easily in the Senate last week.

Click here to see CNN's new political portal: CNNPolitics.com

Read the rest of this entry »

Kansas Sen. Sam Brownback said he needs to finish at least fourth in Iowa.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas, said in an on-line discussion Wednesday he would drop out of the race for the White House if he did not finish in the top four in Iowa.

In the question and answer session on The Washington Post, a person asked the Kansas Republican, "Is it true that you will drop out of the race if you don't finish in the top 4 in Iowa?"

"That is correct,” Brownback responded. “I need to finish in that group to move on forward."

–CNN Assignment Editor Katy Byron