Daily Democratic Wire 8-3-2009

George Wenschhof

This morning, President Barack Obama will travel to Fairfax, Virginia - at George Mason University he will discuss the new GI bill which provides for education. The president will be joined by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki and Senator Jim Webb (D-Va.). Politico.com has more here. I wonder where Creigh Deeds, the Democratic candidate for Governor in Virginia is that he can not make this event.

This afternoon, the president will meet with the amir of Kuwait. Yes, that is the country whose occupation by Iraq sparked the first Iraq war.

--------------------

New Gallup poll shows Democrats lead in 30 states - only 4 states were solid Republican. Gallup.com has more here. The Republicans have to hope history repeats itself in next year's mid term elections. Since 1946, the leading political party has lost an average of 26 seats in the House. However, even if the Republicans pick up 26 seats in the House in 2010, the Democrats would still lead 231-204.

--------------------

Senate Democrats to meet this week on health care reform - the Senate will be joining their House colleagues on recess at the end of this week but do not expect a health care bill to be approved by the Senate Finance Committee before the recess. Although Senate Democrats will meet three times this week, including a special meeting with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) in an effort to gain consensus. Senators Max Baucus (D-Mont.) and Kent Conrad (D-ND) favor a co-op option v. a public option, while liberal Democrats favor the public option. Stay Tuned. TheHill.com has more here.

--------------------

Senate vote on Sotomayor expected tomorrow - all indications point to confirmation of Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic Supreme Court Justice.

--------------------

Al-Qaeda #2 Ayman al Zawahri says conditional truce offered to George W. Bush still stands - in an interview published on an Islamic website, Zawahri spells out his positions. You can read more here.

--------------------

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.