Romney To Offer Health Plan — Starkly Different From Massachusetts Plan
Mitt Romney will give a speech at noon today laying out his health plan, which will be quite different from the Massachusetts Health Reform Law he signed when he was governor. His plan will reportedly include one aspect of the Massachusetts plan, redirecting public money currently spent on emergency room care and instead using it to get low-income people insured. But the plan will not require that people have insurance, as the Massachusetts plan does, and will include conservative pet issues like tax breaks and limits on punitive damages in malpractice cases.

Fox Poll: Hillary And Rudy Continue To Lead Nationally — Edwards Below Ten
The new Fox News poll shows Hillary Clinton ahead nationally with 35% support among Democrats, followed by Barack Obama at 23%, non-candidate Al Gore at 10%, and John Edwards with 6%. The numbers without Gore included: Clinton 38%, Obama 25%, Edward 8%. On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani has 29%, Fred Thompson 14%, Mitt Romney 11%, and John McCain 7%.

Arnold Dubious On California Electoral Vote Plan
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) gave a chilly reception to a Republican-backed voter initiative for 2008 that would award the state's electoral votes based on who carries the individual House districts — a proposal that would give the Republican nominee around 20 votes. "In principle, I don't like to change the rules in the middle of the game," Schwarzenegger. On the other hand, Schwarzenegger said he hasn't look at the proposal in depth and is not taking a definite position — so he could be keeping his options open.

Obama: Debate Over Maliki Is A Distraction
In an interview with CNN yesterday, Barack Obama said that Hillary Clinton's call for the ouster of Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is a distraction from the real issues. "We can replace Maliki with four, five other guys, but if the underlying political dynamic is not changing, then we will not see progress in Iraq," Obama said. Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman Carl Levin had previously called for a vote of no confidence in Maliki, while the White House is standing firm in their support of him.

Jerry Brown Eyeing 2010 California Gubernatorial Race
California Attorney General Jerry Brown told the Sacramento Bee that he is considering a run for governor in 2010, when he will be 72 years old. "I've certainly talked about it. But I've thought about it, and I've decided I'm not going to think about it in any serious way certainly for the next year," Brown said. Brown is a well-known brand in state politics, having already served two terms as governor in the late 1970's and early 1980's, mounting three bids for president in 1976, 1980 and 1992, an unsuccessful Senate campaign in 1982, and a recent successful tenure as mayor of Oakland.

Bob Kerrey Laying Groundwork For Nebraska Senate Comeback
Former Senator Bob Kerrey (D-NE), currently serving as head of the New School, has informed the trustees in a conference call that he might be going back to Nebraska and running for Senate if two-term Republican Chuck Hagel retires. "I am more and more certain Chuck is not going to seek re-election, and my intention is to make my decision before he makes an announcement," Kerrey told the Lincoln Journal Star. Kerrey has previously said that if Hagel does in fact seek re-election then he would not only not run, he would write his friend and former co-Senator a check. But if Hagel does leave, then expect this race to be a huge pickup opportunity for the Democrats.

Obama To Skip Iowa AARP Forum
Barack Obama will be skipping an AARP forum in Iowa on September 20, in accordance with his campaign's decision to not attend any more forums in 2007 except for those already confirmed. The forum, held in Davenport, will be broadcast live on PBS and feature three candidates to have confirmed thus far: Hillary Clinton, John Edwards and Bill Richardson.