Valerie Jarrett is one of Barack Obama's closest advisers.

(Update: Two Democratic sources told CNN Monday that Obama wants Jarrett to serve in the White House, not the Senate.)

(CNN) — A prominent Democratic source close to Barack Obama confirmed Sunday that Valerie Jarrett is Obama’s choice to replace him in the Senate.

Jarrett is a Chicago lawyer and one of Obama’s closest advisers. She is also one of the leaders of Obama’s transition team.

Rep. Rahm Emanuel, the incoming chief of staff, said Sunday that he had not seen the report from Chicago’s WLS-TV that named Jarrett as Obama’s top pick, but he praised her as a “valuable ally.”

“People should know that Valerie Jarrett is — and people do know — she is a very dear friend of the president-elect and a valuable ally of his, not only prior to running for president, in his Senate life, and just personally for Michelle and Barack,” Emanuel said on ABC’s “This Week.”

The Illinois governor, Rod Blagojevich, will make the final decision on who will be Obama’s successor.

Will Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin be the new face of the Republican Party in 2012?.

NEW YORK (CNN) – The Republican Party faces a long list of problems with no clear national leader and an identity crisis that will play out during a period of good will for the first African-American elected president.

Barack Obama not only won a clear majority of the votes Tuesday night, but he won with a coalition that dramatically recolored the Electoral College map and creates an opportunity for Democrats to have the upper hand after a long period of Republican electoral dominance.

It is the combination of Obama's success among young voters and Latino voters that many Republican strategists see as particularly troubling to their party's long-term health.

"We learned from the Ronald Reagan years how generational support for a candidate can ripple through the demographics for years to come," said one leading GOP strategist close to the McCain campaign.

In other words, young voters who were attracted to Reagan in 1980 remained loyal to Republicans as they aged, providing the base on the party's presidential success over the past 25 years.

Full story

A New Mexico paper has declared Obama the winner.

SANTA FE, New Mexico (CNN) – For The New Mexico Sun News it is either a major scoop or “Dewey Beats Truman” déjà vu 60 years later.

“Obama Wins!” is the headline of the edition on newsstands now, complete with “special collector’s edition” in red bold typeface.

The Sun News is a bi-monthly newspaper and its Oct 26-Nov 8 issue had to hit the streets, and the newsstands, before the election. So the editors decided to make a leap of faith and declare Democrat Barack Obama the winner.

In an article explaining their choice, the editors unabashedly wrote, “When it comes to calling the winner of a presidential election, everyone wants to be first. The New Mexico Sun News hereby claims that achievement.”

In its tongue-in-cheek style, the article went on to note the newspaper has a goal of reaching one million readers with each edition, but prints just 10,000 copies of each of its issues.

So, “each copy must be read by 100 different and distinct people. This places an enormous burden on our intrepid readers. However, it is a burden that we must insist you carry. So, please, read quickly, care for the physical condition of the paper and pass it on to your next chosen reader.”

The liberal leaning alternative newspaper ended by imploring its readers to get out and vote, “even if we did spoil the ending for you.”

Some Republicans or hopeful, others prepare for the worst.

(CNN) – Eight days out and some Republicans see small glimmers of progress, if not hope. But most are fairly bleak about the GOP’s chances.

“Feels like the makings of a landslide,” said one veteran GOP operative who has held top jobs in presidential campaigns and been closely involved in past congressional cycles.

Another longtime strategist who is involved in a number of congressional and state races this year said many Republicans who had run good campaigns were asking a daunting question heading into the final week: “Will all these newly registered voters go to vote for Obama and then walk out without voting for a lot of candidates they have never heard of, or will they go all the way down the ballot to create coattails?”

Somewhat more optimistic was a GOP strategist closely involved with the McCain campaign.

“Things improved” over the weekend, was this strategist’s take. “No mystery. Lots of red states closer than last week.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Tensions within the McCain-Palin campaign are spilling into the public. A McCain aide told CNN that Gov. Palin is a 'diva.'

ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (CNN) – With 10 days to go until election day, long brewing tension between Sarah Palin and key aides to John McCain has become so intense, it is spilling out into the public.

Several McCain advisers have suggested to CNN they have become increasingly frustrated with what one aide described as Palin “going rogue” recently, while a Palin associate says she is simply trying to “bust free” of what she believes was a mishandled roll-out that damaged her.

McCain sources point to several incidents where Palin has gone off message, and privately wonder if they were deliberate. For example: labeling robo calls “irritating,” even as the campaign was defending the use of them and telling reporters she disagreed with the campaigns controversial decision to pull out of Michigan.

A second McCain source tells CNN she appears to now be looking out for herself more than the McCain campaign.

Full story

Republicans are increasingly nervous about widespread losses in the Senate and House.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Republicans are increasingly nervous heading into the campaign’s final week — and their jitters have little to do with John McCain.

Most of the party’s top strategists expect significant losses in House and Senate races, with some predicting Democrats could cross the 60-seat mark in the Senate.

The current balance of power in the House is 235 Democrats and 199 Republicans, with one vacant seat last held by a Democrat. The current balance of power in the Senate is 49 Democrats, 49 Republicans and two independents who caucus with the Democrats (which gives Democrats 51 votes, and control of the Senate).

CNN spoke or communicated through email Friday with six leading GOP strategists, and the consensus heading into the final week was that Republicans would lose at least two dozen House seats, perhaps more. They also predicted the party would lose at least six Senate seats, and perhaps as many as nine.

One of the strategists predicted a 30-seat loss in the House; another said “25 plus.” The most optimistic of the six said 15-25 House seats would be lost.

As for the Senate, the estimates of lost seats ranged from “7-9, depending on the Stevens verdict,” to “could be as bad as eight.” Another put it this way: “We are precariously close to getting the D’s to 60. Depends on Mississippi and Georgia.”

Both Sens. John McCain and Barack Obama are campaigning hard in states that President Bush won in 2004.

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (CNN) – It is a methodical routine: House by house, Mary Boyd walks to the door and carefully affixes an election guide to the doorknob.

Boyd is a foot soldier of the Mecklenberg County Republican Party, charged with finding — and helping deliver — every available GOP vote.

"And the best way to do that is to take a list of registered Republican households and take a piece of literature and leave it right on their door so that they have easy access to the information," Boyd cheerfully said during her rounds in a Charlotte neighborhood this week.

It is Boyd's third presidential campaign as precinct captain; twice before, she has walked these streets for a ticket led by George W. Bush.

This year is very different.

Full story

Some McCain insiders believe Colorado is out of reach.

(CNN) — The McCain campaign is looking at an Electoral College strategy heading into the final two weeks that has virtually no room for error and depends heavily on a dramatic comeback in Pennsylvania, which hasn't backed a Republican for president in 20 years.

While Iowa, New Mexico and Colorado are still officially listed as McCain target states, two top strategists and advisers tell CNN that the situation in those states looks increasingly bleak. Iowa and New Mexico always have been viewed as difficult races, but the similar assessment of Colorado reflects a dramatic shift for a campaign that had long counted on the state.

"Gone," was the word one top McCain insider used to describe those three states.

This source said while the polls in Colorado remain close, he and most others in the operation were of the opinion that the Obama campaign and its allies have a far superior ground/turnout operation and "most of us have a hard time counting on Colorado."

Campaign manager Rick Davis is among the dissenters, believing the state remains within reach, several sources in and close to the McCain campaign say.

Election Center: Check out the latest state polls

The McCain strategy depends on holding a handful of Bush '04 states that are now rated tossups by CNN: Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, Missouri and Nevada. It also depends on keeping Virginia, which CNN now considers leaning Democratic, in the GOP column.

But even if McCain won all six of those states, in addition to those in which he is already favored, he would still be shy of the 270 electoral votes needed to claim the presidency.

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Fiorina said neither McCain or Palin are qualified to run a company.

(CNN) — Top McCain-Palin official Carly Fiorina is facing criticism from some within the campaign for a day of what they call "very Biden-like" comments, after the former Hewlett-Packard CEO told two separate interviewers that neither member of the Republican ticket would be capable of running a company.

Democratic VP nominee Joe Biden is noted for his off-the-cuff gaffes.

Asked by a St. Louis radio station whether she thought Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin could run a company like Hewlett-Packard, Fiorina responded: "No, I don't.

“But that's not what she's running for. Running a corporation is a different set of things."

Asked about that remark on MSNBC, she made the same unprompted assessment of the GOP presidential nominee. "I don't think John McCain could run a major corporation."

She also said she did not believe Democrats Barack Obama or Joe Biden had the right business background either.

But with the economy center stage in the campaign, the words that gave Democrats easy fodder to attack the Republican ticket.

A top McCain official contacted by CNN said, on condition on anonymity, "No big deal, but not how you get on the surrogate all-star team. Very Biden-like."

“This campaign source said Fiorina would be discouraged from additional media interviews.

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Palin will speak Wednesday night.

(CNN) – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, the Republicans' vice presidential candidate, will highlight her record as a governor and mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, when she speaks to the Republican National Convention Wednesday night. She will also call for reform in Washington, a top aide to Palin told CNN.

Watch: Palin tours RNC stage

"She will speak as a governor, a former mayor and someone with both hands on the steering wheel of America's energy economy," Palin aide Tucker Eskew said. "She will detail her record of shaking up the status quo in Alaska and standing up to entrenched interests to put the government back on the side of the people. She will make the case for senator McCain as the only candidate who has fought for America and the best man to protect us in dangerous times."

Palin is slated to speak in the prime-time 10 p.m. ET hour.

(CNN) — Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman met with newly minted Republican VP candidate Sarah Palin Tuesday, a GOP source told CNN.

Lieberman, the 2000 Democratic VP nominee, met met with Palin to "share his experience as a VP candidate" the source said.

The two also talked policy and politics, the source said.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) — Former governors Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are slated to speak at the Republican National Convention Wednesday evening according to sources. McCain's two former rivals will address attendees at 9:00 p.m., ET.

A convention official would only confirm that the 10:00 pm hour would feature former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani and McCain's running mate, Sarah Palin.

Delegates attend the Republican convention on Monday.

ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) — The Republican National Convention, cut back Monday because of Hurricane Gustav's arrival on the U.S. Gulf Coast, will resume a full schedule Tuesday, convention officials said.

President Bush will deliver his address, which had been set for Monday, via satellite at 9:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, officials said.

Tuesday's theme will be "Who is John McCain," officials said.

Former Sen. Fred Thompson, who ran in the early GOP 2008 presidential primaries, and Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Democrat's 2000 vice presidential nominee, will deliver prime time speeches following President Bush.

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, John McCain's choice for vice president, is scheduled to address the GOP convention Wednesday night.

GOP officials said the convention will still have an emphasis on helping those impacted by Gustav's passage through the Gulf states.

The decision to go forward with the convention schedule was made with the agreement of all Gulf coast governors, convention officials said.

The Republican convention is slated to start on Monday.

ST PAUL, Minn. (CNN) – Two Republican officials tell CNN “substantial” changes to the Republican National Convention program will be announced Sunday because of Hurricane Gustav.

One option on the table is delaying the planned Monday opening of the convention, both sources said, though one of them said “that has not been decided. We need a few more hours to look at all of the contingencies. But there will be some substantial adjustments.”

Already, the White House has said President Bush is unlikely to come. Other officials involved in the convention planning said it has already been decided that Mr. Bush will not attend, and instead is likely to address the convention’s Monday session, if there is one, via satellite. First Lady Laura Bush is scheduled to attend.

The final decisions will be made after top McCain campaign aide Rick Davis meets Sunday with convention planners in St. Paul. Shaping those decisions will be briefings Senator McCain has received in the past 24 hours from Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, FEMA Director David Paulison and several Gulf Coast governors. “It’s a dire outlook and we need to make some changes,” one McCain campaign official said. “But this has never happened before to anyone’s convention so we need some time to touch all the bases.”

Gustav is forcing Bush to change his convention plans.

(CNN) – President Bush is unlikely to be attending the Republican National Convention as planned because of Hurricane Gustav, the White House said Sunday.

The president had been scheduled to address delegates in St. Paul Monday night.

"Due to the hurricane, the president is unlikely to travel to Minnesota on Monday,” White House Spokeswoman Dana Perino said. “We are working on alternate preparations and we'll provide details as soon as possible.”

In a conference call with reporters Saturday, Perino said the White House was making contingency plans for the president's travel schedule before and after the hurricane, given what she described as one of the largest and strongest storms to hit America since modern record-keeping began.

Officials had already developed an alternate scenario for Bush’s speech as the storm’s intensity grew, telling CNN Saturday that if the president was not on hand at the convention site, first lady Laura Bush would give a longer speech than planned.

Under this scenario, the president himself would then speak via satellite from the White House or a location affected by the storm. The White House said then that a final logistical decision would likely not be made until Sunday evening, or perhaps Monday.

Unity appears to be the Democrats' chief objective this week.

DENVER, Colorado (CNN) — Think of the convention as a family budget: Over four days, you have to make tough decisions about how to allocate your resources — in this case balancing the competing needs of unifying the party, more thoroughly introducing Barack Obama, and making the case against Republican John McCain.

So far, there is a mix of "spending" on all three of those goals, but the amount of resources dedicated to unity is telling.

The Obama forces contend, probably with good reason, that those in the convention hall will leave Denver united. But with polls still showing a high percentage of Clinton voters either backing McCain or declaring themselves undecided, the Denver investment in unity is aimed at winning back those watching at home who wanted a different outcome here.

Top Obama aide David Plouffe says there are many reasons to be hopeful despite polls showing essentially a dead heat.

"We have more room to grow," is Plouffe's take. By that, he means McCain has the support of most Republicans already locked up, and that in camp Obama's view, most of the "available" voters out there are either Democrats still not at peace with Obama as their leader and, again in the Obama camp's view, independents who side with Democrats on most of the big issues.

There is ample polling data to back Plouffe's take.

But those same polls show lingering doubt about Obama's values and experience to serve as commander-in-chief.

Given those challenges, Scott Reed, who managed Bob Dole's unsuccessful campaign in 1996, looks at the Democratic convention at the halfway mark and says: "They are spending a LOT of capital on unity."

August has not been a friendly month to Democrats.

(CNN) — That’s probably not the best way to put it, but in elections they have lost, Democrats often look back and view August as a wasted or just plain horrible month.

In 2004, for example, John Kerry led most national polls heading into August; his biggest lead was in the five-point range. But by early September, some surveys had President Bush up by as many as 10 points.

The Democratic collapse of 20 years ago is the stuff of legend. Michael Dukakis was up 17 points in some national polling after his July convention, but that lead started to fade in August and in the end Dukakis won just 10 states.

Full story from AC360 Blog

Rep. Eric Cantor, right, is being vetted by John McCain’s vice presidential search team.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – A Virginia congressman is among those getting "thorough vetting" by John McCain's vice presidential team, an informed Republican source told CNN on Saturday.

The lawmaker is U.S. Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., a top GOP member in the House. The 45-year-old is a fourth-term congressman representing Virginia's 7th District, a heavily-Republican district in the Richmond area.

The source said that the work on Cantor and other potential running mates is mostly done.

Some conservatives have been pushing the House chief deputy minority whip for the vice presidential spot.

"He's bright, clean, conservative but not angry, and Jewish. (He's a) great fund-raiser and locks up Virginia for good measure," the source said.

The source indicated he "doubt(s) he'll be the pick but he's a comer in the party."

A spokesman for McCain, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, told CNN on Saturday night he had no comment on the report, and would not say if McCain and the congressman had met. The Associated Press reports Cantor declined comment as well.

Cantor may be the only current member of Congress under serious consideration by McCain.

Others Republicans believed to be in contention include former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney, former U.S. Rep. Rob Portman of Ohio, and Minn. Gov. Tim Pawlenty

Sen. Edward Kennedy suffered a seizure Saturday in Hyannisport, Massachusetts.

(CNN) — Several Massachusetts Democratic sources close to the Kennedy family tell CNN the senator and Victoria Kennedy are awaiting more test results and information from doctors before deciding whether surgery is a viable treatment option.

“He is in remarkably good spirits and everyone else around them is just stunned. It is just such a crushing blow,” said one source in constant contact with the family.

As evidence of the senator’s good spirits, this source said Kennedy asked his doctors if he could leave the hospital to participate in this year’s Figawi Race.

Senator Kennedy has been a staple in the sailing regatta for most of its more than 30 years. It started small but is now a big event on Cape Cod: a three day event that includes a sail from Hyannis to Nantucket, a day of events on Nantucket, and then on Monday a sail back from Nantucket to Hyannis. It is organized around a number of charity events and parties.