CNN=Politics Daily
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(CNN) - Alaska Senator Ted Stevens’ time in Congress may be nearing its end after a very long tenure.
In the latest episode of CNN=Politics Daily, Justice Correspondent Kelli Arena reports on Stevens' indictment.
Senator John McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, is receiving some harsh criticism from supporters for possible changes to social security payroll taxes. Mary Snow has the details.
And, Wolf Blitzer speaks with Robert Rubin, Secretary of the Treasury during the Clinton administration, about the economy and Sen. Barack Obama, the presumptive Democratic nominee.
Finally, Obama may be closer to picking his running mate. Suzanne Malveaux takes a look at some names that may be on Obama's short list.
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McCain's biopsy negative
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/29/art.mccainbiop.ap.jpg caption="McCain's biopsy was negative."](CNN) - A biopsy on a patch of skin removed from John McCain's temple Monday shows no evidence the Arizona senator has skin cancer, the Mayo clinic announced.
"Senator McCain visited the Mayo Clinic in Scottsdale, Arizona, yesterday for a routine check of his dermatological health,”
Michael Yardley, Chair of Public Affairs at the Mayo Clinic, said in a statement issued Tuesday. “The biopsy that was performed did not show any evidence of skin cancer. No further treatment is necessary.”
McCain, who has had four malignant melanomas removed in the past, had a "mole-like" growth lifted from his face during a routine checkup. He told reporters later in the day it was removed only as a precautionary measure.
McCain also told CNN's Larry King Monday night he gets a routine skin checkup every three months, and his doctor often removes small patches of skin to ensure he remains cancer free.
"We do it quite frequently for those of us that were young and had great exposure to the sun," he said. "As you know my dad was in the Navy and we lived in places where I was at the beach a lot, and I'm paying the price for that."
Obama huddles with VP vetters, again
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/29/art.obamavan.ap.jpg caption="Obama head to his VP vetter's office again Tuesday."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Barack Obama spent a second day off the campaign trail Tuesday, using his time in the nation’s capital to talk with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, and Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.
But it was his “secret” visit to the office of a key campaign advisor that is drawing just as much attention. For the second day in a row, Obama stopped by the office of Eric Holder – a former Justice Department official who is leading the search for his vice presidential running mate. The campaign was mum on the details of Obama’s visit to Holder’s office other than to note that time had been blocked off for “private meetings.”
The Obama campaign told reporters that the Tuesday meeting would last more than two hours. Obama and his aides have been diligent about revealing very little about the vice presidential search. Whenever he is asked about it, Obama routinely says, “The next time I talk about my vice presidential selection, it will be to introduce that selection.”
Stevens: I'm innocent
WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Ted Stevens on Tuesday denied lying about receiving gifts from an Alaska-based energy company on whose behalf he intervened in Washington. He had been indicted on seven counts hours earlier.
"I have never knowingly submitted a false disclosure form required by law as a U.S. senator," he said in a written statement posted in his Web site.
"I am innocent of these charges and intend to prove that," he said.
Bush jokes D.C. full of hot air
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/29/art.bush.ap.jpg caption="President Bush was in Ohio Tuesday."](CNN) - President Bush has a unique suggestion for easing the energy crisis Tuesday: "They ought to have the biggest wind turbine farm in Washington, D.C., where there's not only a lot of wind there's a lot of hot air."
The president made the suggestion during a speech to workers at Lincoln Electric, a welding plant in Euclid, Ohio, near Cleveland.
The suggestion got a big laugh. The president then turned serious and once again called on Congress to increase U.S. energy supplies by allowing offshore drilling on the outer continental shelf and in part of the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve.
Bush’s visit to Ohio is also to raise money for Republican candidates.
For more on the the latest political news, tune into Campbell Brown: Election Center tonight at 8 pm ET.
Sen. Inouye: Stevens surprised by indictment
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/29/art.in.ap.jpg caption="Inouye said Stevens was surprised by the indictment."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Sen. Ted Stevens was caught by surprise Tuesday by his federal indictment on charges that he concealed hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of gifts and services from a company in his home state, his colleague Sen. Daniel Inouye told CNN Senior Producer Ted Barrett.
"Apparently the media knew about it before he did," Inouye said, adding he had just spoken to Stevens.
Stevens was meeting with Republican colleagues when the indictment was returned, and he was pulled out of the meeting, his colleague said.
Listen: Inouye talks to CNN's Ted Barrett about Stevens
"As far as he's concerned he's not guilty. And I believe him," Inouye said.
Hatch's song for Kennedy
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/29/art.ken.gi.jpg caption="Kennedy and Hatch are longtime friends."](CNN) - Sen. Orrin Hatch, a longtime friend of Sen. Ted Kennedy despite the two men's ideological differences, has written a song for the Massachusetts Democrat who was diagnosed with brain cancer last spring.
First reported by The Boston Globe earlier this month, the song, called "Headed Home," is co-written by Hatch and composer Philip Springer and is set to be played at the Democratic National Convention at the end of August.
Hatch, who has written several patriotic songs, released the song Tuesday to the media.
"The song, sung by baritone Tony Middleton, is a tribute to my cherished friend Senator Edward Kennedy, who, as you are aware, recently has been tragically stricken," Hatch wrote in a letter accompanying audio of the song. "Senator Kennedy and his family are in my thoughts and prayers daily, and I know of no better way to communicate my sentiments or to honor my friend than through the undeniable power of music."
Listen: Tony Middleton performs the song Hatch wrote
Cafferty: Why isn’t Obama doing better in the polls?
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It's a mystery to many: why isn't Barack Obama farther ahead in the polls?
CNN's poll of polls shows Obama up by 5 points, leading John McCain 45% to 40%. In most polls, he rarely breaks 50%. A new USA Today/Gallup Poll actually shows McCain leading Obama 49% to 45% percent among likely voters.
It seems like Obama should be miles ahead of McCain when you consider the political climate.
To read more and contribute to the Cafferty File discussion click here
Source: Stevens to be indicted
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/29/art.stevens.gi.jpg caption="Stevens is facing a federal indictment."](CNN) - Sen. Ted Stevens is expected to be indicted this afternoon by a federal grand jury, CNN has learned. A government source and a source familiar with the investigation would not tell CNN what charges are expected to be filed against the Alaska Republican.
Stevens has been the subject of a wide-ranging federal investigation focusing on Alaska state lawmakers and an Energy company in the state.
Steven's Alaska home was searched last July.
Watch: Stevens' home gets raided
FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents searched Stevens' Alaska home in July 2007 in connection with the probe, which has already snared two oil-company executives and a state lobbyist. At the time, he urged constituents "not to form conclusions based upon incomplete and sometimes incorrect reports in the media."
The 84-year-old senator is a former chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and is renowned for his prowess in steering federal funds to his vast, sparsely populated state. He has represented Alaska in Washington since 1968 and is up for re-election in November.
A day of high-profile meetings for Obama
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/07/29/art.obama.nevada.jpg caption="Obama holds Tuesday meetings with Secretary Paulson and Prime Minister Gilani."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) – Spending a rare second day in a row in Washington, Barack Obama is speaking Tuesday with the country’s top two economic officials as well as a visiting prime minister, highlighting his emphasis on the economy and foreign relations that has dominated both presidential campaigns in recent weeks.
Tuesday morning he spoke with Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson by phone, and later in the day he will meet with Chairman of the Federal Reserve Ben Bernanke. These talks come on the heels of Obama’s Monday roundtable with almost 20 economic advisors during which he said the country was in an “economic emergency.”
Since arriving back in the country following an eight-day overseas trip that garnered some criticism because of mounting economic issues at home, the Illinois senator has made assurances that his focus going forward to November’s election will be the struggling economy.
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