Some bad news for Florida (and national) Democrats: State Chief Financial Officer Alex Sink has announced that she isn't running for the U.S. Senate seat of retiring GOPer Mel Martinez.

Had she entered the primary, Sink would have started out as the immediate frontrunner and probably a slight favorite for the general election, too. Rep. Kendrick Meek is running in the Democratic primary, and is currently the only announced candidate from either party. Meek could very well be a strong candidate -- and at least one other Dem, state Sen. Dan Gelber, is indicating he'll be getting in, too -- but Sink would have started out in an even better position.

So far both parties have managed to lose a top potential recruit for this seat: Sink on the Dem side, and Jeb Bush for the Republicans.

We now have our first poll looking at the open 2010 Senate race in Missouri, where four-term GOP incumbent Kit Bond's retirement has put this swing state up in the air, showing a very slight early edge for the Democrats.

The new numbers from Public Policy Polling (D) test Democratic Secretary of State Robin Carnahan against three Republicans:

• Against former Sen. Jim Talent, who narrowly lost re-election in 2006, Carnahan is ahead 47%-43%.

• Against Rep. Roy Blunt, who recently stepped down as House Minority Whip, Carnahan has a statistically insignificant edge of 45%-44%.

• Against former state Treasurer Sarah Steelman, who lost in the GOP primary for governor last year, Carnahan has a healthier lead of 47%-36%, but is nevertheless below 50%.

The poll has a margin of error of ±3.3%.

It's obviously too early in the cycle to draw any sweeping conclusions. But generally speaking we can expect a very close race given the history of most statewide campaigns in Missouri, and this poll seems to confirm that.

Former Rep. Rob Portman (R-OH) has officially announced his campaign for Senate this morning, running for the seat of retiring GOP Sen. George Voinovich.

Portman brings a few strengths to the race. For one, his campaign committee still has $1.5 million, which can be rolled over into the Senate race. And he remains popular in the Cincinnati area from his 12 years in the House, which could help him in a Republican primary if any of the other other GOPers that have been mentioned -- including former Rep. John Kasich and former Sen. Mike DeWine -- decide to get in.

On the other hand, Portman has some clear vulnerabilities because of his work in the Bush Administration. Portman left Congress in 2005 to be U.S. Trade Representative, and later became the White House Budget Director. In a state where the economy is always the biggest issue, and free trade is very unpopular, expect the Dems to hammer him on this stuff if he becomes the nominee.

Bush: I've Been Disappointed By Name-Calling In Washington
During his interview last night with Larry King, President Bush said he's concerned with the tone of political discourse. "During the course of this presidency, I've been disappointed at times by the silly name-calling that goes on in Washington -- it's really not necessary," said Bush. "I've done my best, though, to make sure I didn't bring the presidency down to that level."

Obama And Biden To Visit Supreme Court
Barack Obama and Joe Biden are headed to the Supreme Court today to privately meet with the justices, at the invitation of Chief Justice John Roberts. According to the Obama transition team, this is the third time in recent history that an incoming president met with the court, after Ronald Reagan in November of 1980 and Bill Clinton in December of 1992.

Biden And Lindsey Graham To Brief Obama
Joe Biden and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) will also be briefing Barack Obama at the D.C. transition office this afternoon, having returned home from their bipartisan fact-finding tour of Asia. The trip took them to Pakistan, Afghanistan, Kuwait and Iraq, and was conducted by Biden in his capacity as a sitting U.S. Senator and the outgoing chair of the Foreign Relations Committee.

WaPo: Geithner Still On Track For Treasury, But GOPers Making Noise
The Washington Post reports that Timothy Geithner continues to enjoy support for his nomination to be Secretary of the Treasury in the wake of the news about his flawed tax returns, but there could be some headaches. Democrats are standing by him, and even GOP Sen. Orrin Hatch says he still supports him -- but on the other hand, GOP Sens. Jon Kyl (AZ) and Jim Bunning (KY) have blocked a request to proceed with his nomination hearing on Friday.

Poll: Bush Will Be Remembered As One of the Worst Presidents Ever
A new Rasmussen poll finds that a majority of Americans say George W. Bush will be remembered as one of the worst presidents ever. Only six percent say he will be known as one of the five best presidents, compared to 57% who say he'll be remembered as one of the five worst, and 34% who say he's somewhere in between.

Cornyn To GOP Senators: Start Campaigning Now
Roll Call reports that NRSC head Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) is urging his Republican colleagues who are up for election in 2010 to decide as soon as possible whether they are running, and to start their re-election fundraising and other campaign activities immediately. Cornyn said the message here is that modern campaign environment demands total dedication, or else an incumbent risks defeat: "I tried to lay that out in gruesome detail for them."

Rep. Kendrick Meek (D-FL) has officially announced his bid for the Senate, the first declared candidate from either party for the seat of retiring one-term GOP Sen. Mel Martinez.

Meek has a potentially attractive profile for a Senate candidate. He played football for Florida A&M, then became a policeman and later was elected to the state legislature in the 1990s. In 2002 he was elected to Congress after the retirement of his mother, Rep. Carrie Meek. If elected, he would be the first black senator from the South since Reconstruction.

Other Democrats are said to be looking at the race, and the Republican field is still sorting itself out after Jeb Bush announced that he won't be running.

Rob Portman, the former Ohio Congressman who is widely viewed as a frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the newly-open Senate seat, just held a press conference to announce...that he might be making an announcement tomorrow.

To be specific, Portman said he's "leaning toward deciding to run," but also that he needs more time to speak with people around Ohio and make a decision. The decision itself could come as soon as tomorrow.

With GOP Sen. George Voinovich retiring, this is going to be a top Democratic target in 2010. Should Portman actually run, which still seems to be the most likely scenario, he should be viewed as a formidable candidate for the Republicans in this perennial swing state.

With Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) now having announced that he's retiring from his Senate seat in this big swing state, both parties have some decent rosters of potential candidates for the race in 2010.

An Ohio Dem source walked us through the list of people who are contemplating the race on that side:

• Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher, who was the party's nominee for governor in 1998 and also served as state Attorney General in the early 1990s.

• Rep. Tim Ryan, who has represented Youngstown since 2002.

• Rep. Zack Space, who was elected to deep-red House seat in 2006.

• Rep. Betty Sutton, who was elected in 2006 to the Akron-based district formerly represented by Sen. Sherrod Brown.

• Rep. Marcy Kaptur, who has represented Toledo since 1982.

• Even Rep. Dennis Kucinich has been spreading his name around. "Look, he always runs for president," the source pointed out.

Read more »

Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) has just made it official: He is retiring from the Senate, rather than run for a third term in 2010, setting up a potential top-tier race in 2010.

Voinovich easily won re-election back in 2004, but recent polling had showed him with lackluster approval ratings. That said, having him run as an incumbent would still almost certainly have been better for Republicans than having to deal with an open seat in a state that just voted for Barack Obama.

Both parties have deep benches in this state. Former Congressman and ex-White House Budget Director Rob Portman would start out as the immediate favorite for the Republican nomination if he wants it, while potential Dem candidates include Lt. Gov. Lee Fisher and Rep. Tim Ryan. Whoever the candidates turn out to be, expect this race to attract a lot of money and manpower.

Obama Reworking TARP To Reduce Foreclosures -- And Win Over Congress
The Wall St. Journal reports that the Obama transition team is working some key new conditions into the Wall St. bailout, in order to win Congressional authorization for the remaining $350 billion. The bailout would now place new restrictions on recipients, and funds would also be used for additional purposes such as preventing foreclosures.

Obama Meeting With Calderon Today
Barack Obama is meeting in Washington today with Mexican President Felipe Calderon, a customary practice for presidents-elect before their inauguration. A big topic of discussion will reportedly be the Mexico drug war.

Bush Holding Final Press Conference
President Bush is holding a 9:15 a.m. press conference today, which is believed to be his final presser before leaving office.

Voinovich Expected To Announce Retirement
Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) is expected to announce today that he won't be running for a third term in 2010. The new development sets up this big swing state for what should be a very heated open-seat race.

Today: Burris' Lawyers In Washington
Roland Burris' attorneys will be in Washington today to press the Senate leadership on the legality of Burris' appointment to the Illinois Senate seat. This comes after Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White issued a certified copy of Burris' certificate of appointment -- though he did not sign the appointment itself -- and after the state Supreme Court declared that the appointment was legal under Illinois law regardless of White's signature.

The Forecast For Inauguration Day: Cold, But Dry
The weather forecast for January 20, Inauguration Day, currently predicts temperatures in the high 30s in Washington, with sunny skies and no precipitation. The New York Times points out that this is comparable to the sunny and cold weather for Bill Clinton's two inaugurals, and better than the foggy or icy weather that George W. Bush had for his two events.

WaPo: The Audacity Of Terry
The Washington Post reports that Terry McAuliffe's candidacy for governor of Virginia seems to be going against just about every fundamental assumption of state politics: "that successful candidates must have deep roots in Virginia, that they must spend years cultivating support in local and state party organizations and that, if they are Democrats, they must stay connected with conservative-minded Virginians by keeping their distance from the national party."

Obama: My Plan Will Save Or Create 3-4 Million Jobs
In his latest Presidential YouTube Address, Barack Obama announced that he is releasing a report analyzing the impact of his proposed stimulus package, saying the package would save or create three to four million jobs:

"The jobs we create will be in businesses large and small across a wide range of industries," Obama says. "And they'll be the kind of jobs that don't just put people to work in the short term, but position our economy to lead the world in the long-term."

NYT: Economists Worried The Stimulus Isn't Big Enough
The New York Times reports that some economists are worried the proposed stimulus package still isn't big enough, with Obama's hands tied by the political need to propose tax cuts to win Republican support, and also having to deal with an already-massive deficit. "We have very few good examples to guide us," said William G. Gale, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. "I don't know of any convincing evidence that what has been proposed is going to be enough."

Illinois Secretary of State Signs Burris Appointment -- Sort Of
Roland Burris' legal team has tried a new legal maneuver to secure Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White's signature on his Senate appointment: They have obtained a certified copy of the appointment paper, signed by White. Bear in mind that this is not necessarily the same as if White had signed the appointment form itself -- his signature here attests that the new paper is a true and accurate copy of the original, valid appointment. The Senate's lawyers will make their own decision as to whether it's binding.

Burris Legal Team: We're Going Back To Washington, Could Sue
The Chicago Tribune reports that Roland Burris' legal team is citing yesterday's state Supreme Court decision, holding that he doesn't even need White's signature in order for the appointment to be valid under Illinois law, as proof that the Senate must seat Burris. They are now promising to return to Washington on Monday, and will file a lawsuit in federal court if Burris isn't seated.

Al Franken To Attend Obama's Inauguration
Al Franken will be heading to Washington in a week and a half -- though for now it will only be to attend Barack Obama's inauguration, not to be sworn in as a Senator. A spokesperson for Norm Coleman said he will not be attending the event.

Coleman: Democrats Blocking Constituent Services
Norm Coleman is complaining that the Senate's decision to close his offices after his term expired -- leaving the seat vacant while Coleman challenges the election results in court -- is hurting Minnesotans who have been relying on him for constituent services. "There are people -- this is real-life stuff -- who come to us for help," Coleman. "They're being hurt by Harry Reid." Meanwhile, Reid's office denies that they promised Coleman they would let his staffers keep working, though they are working to come to an acceptable solution.

GOP Sen. Voinovich Could Retire In 2010
The office of Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) has acknowledged rumors that he could retire in 2010, saying in a statement: "If he changes his mind about running, he will share that decision quickly with the people of Ohio -- people he considers his second family." A Voinovich retirement would immediately set up a close and hotly-contested race in a big swing state.

Scalpers Turning Big Profits On Obama Inaugural Tickets
The Hill reports that ticket scalpers are already making a bundle off of the tickets to Barack Obama's inaugural parade, which sold out in minutes on Friday afternoon. The retail price of the tickets was $25, but they are now going for prices of more than $400.

Today: Illinois House Set To Impeach Blago
The Illinois state House is expected to vote today to impeach Gov. Rod Blagojevich, after the special impeachment committee approved its full report yesterday evening. Assuming that Blagojevich is impeached by the House, the case will then proceed to the state Senate for a trial.

Obama Press Conference This Morning
Barack Obama is holding a press conference at 10:30 a.m. ET, officially billed as an "announcement." Specifically, Obama is expected to announce the appointment of Leon Panetta as head of the CIA, and retired Adm. Dennis Blair as Director of National Intelligence.

Joe Biden In Pakistan
Joe Biden has arrived in Pakistan, accompanied by Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-SC), where they will be meeting with government officials. The Pakistan trip is the first part of a longer South Asian tour.

Pelosi: Bush "Did Great Harm To America"
In an interview with PBS, Nancy Pelosi declared: "I think the Bush presidency did great harm to America, with this war, with the enormous budget deficits, the challenges to the Constitution of the United States, the financial crisis that we are in." Pelosi also found it very curious that Bush recently said his attempt to privatize Social Security was his proudest achievement -- even though he didn't succeed at it.

Geithner Preparing Overhaul Of Wall St. Bailout
The Washington Post reports that incoming Secretary of the Treasurer Timothy Geithner is working on a reformulated second half to he Wall St. bailout, a necessity if Congressional authorization for the additional $350 billion is to be obtained. The new package would expand aid well beyond Wall St. itself, giving aid to municipalities, small businesses and homeowners.

Blunt, Talent Looking At Missouri Senate Race
House Minority Whip Roy Blunt and former Sen. Jim Talent are reportedly among the Republicans who are considering a run for the Senate seat of retiring GOP Sen. Kit Bond. Both have their strengths in terms of experience and popularity with the party base, but both have their drawbacks -- Blunt's son Matt just retired after one term as an unpopular governor, and Talent lost re-election in 2006.

Chris Christie Running For New Jersey Governor
U.S. Attorney Chris Christie has announced that he is running for governor of New Jersey against Democratic incumbent Jon Corzine. Christie starts out as the immediate frontrunner for the Republican nomination and should be taken very seriously, thanks to his record of putting corrupt politicians from both parties in prison.

Campaign Spending Hit Record High In 2008
Bloomberg reports that campaign spending by candidates and political parties for all federal offices reached a record high of $4.1 billion in 2008, blowing away the $3 billion from 2004. This statistic can be viewed in different ways: Is it a matter of too much money in politics, or a good sign that so many more people were contributing to campaigns and getting involved, or a combination of both?

So with Chris Matthews now officially out of the race for Senator from Pennsylvania against Republican incumbent Arlen Specter, who are the more established (though less colorful) local Democrats who could end up going for it?

A Pennsylvania Dem source told us that while it could be a few months before we have any official candidates, and there are no true frontrunners at this point, these are the potential candidates who have dropped their names in the gossip circles of state Democratic politics, looking to see what the reaction might be:

• Jack Wagner: The second-term state Auditor, who was just re-elected in a landslide this past November, and is said to be weighing whether to run for governor or Senate in 2010. Like Sen. Bob Casey, he is a pro-life and economic populist Democrat, which would make for a fun match-up against the pro-choice and pro-business Specter -- and if he won, the state would have two pro-life Dem Senators.

• Allyson Schwartz: Congresswoman and former state Senator from the Philadelphia area. She previously ran for Senate in the 2000 primary, so it's hardly unrealistic to see her trying for it again.

More potential Senate candidates, after the jump.

Read more »

The Republicans now have an open seat that they'll have to work very hard to retain: Four-term Sen. Kit Bond of Missouri has announced that he isn't running again.

Expect a tight race for this one. John McCain carried the state in a squeaker, but the Dems took over the governorship in a landslide and also hold a lot of other major offices. The Republicans have a deep bench, too, with majorities in the state legislature and in the House delegation.

At first glance, an obvious potential Democratic candidate might be Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, the daughter of the late Gov. Mel Carnahan and former Sen. Jean Carnahan. On the GOP side, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder would be an obvious choice as the only Republican other than John McCain to win statewide in 2008. But again, both parties could have plenty of candidates to pick from.

Late Update: Missouri Dems already appear to be coronating Robin Carnahan, though her actual candidacy isn't official yet.

Jeb Bush has announced that he is not running for Senator from Florida, dealing a blow to the GOP's chances to hold on to their open seat here.

Jeb told the Associated Press that his brother's poor poll numbers were not a factor: "While I'm proud of my brother and I love my brother ... people know that I'm Jeb Bush and I don't think that would have been a problem."

Truth be told, Jeb is probably right on this one. While the Bush name is generally a loser at this point, the name "Jeb" is still popular in Florida. He would have been the best possible candidate the Republicans could have lined up.

That said, this is Florida, so expect a close race until undeniable evidence to the contrary pops up. And the state GOP still has a very deep bench to draw from, including possible candidates who were holding off until Jeb made his decision.

The St. Petersburg Times reports that Florida Republicans are running into a problem in holding on to the seat of retiring GOP Sen. Mel Martinez: Their absolute best potential candidate, Jeb Bush, is starting to seem reluctant about making the race.

"I put it at dead even -- 50/50," said former Jeb aide Justin Sayfie, who met with Bush a few weeks ago. "I wouldn't be surprised if he decided to run, I wouldn't be surprised if he decided not to run." After Martinez first announced his retirement, state Republicans were generally sounding much more optimistic than this about lining up Jeb.

Even if Bush doesn't run, though, the GOP does have a few things going for them: The Republican primary is nearly 20 months away (it's held in late August), and the state party has a whole lot of elected officials making up a very deep bench. They would have plenty of time to find someone else and to make it a real race in the country's biggest swing state. But it would probably be much more difficult.

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) will announce tomorrow who he is appointing to the Senate seat of Democratic Sen. Ken Salazar, the Rocky Mountain News reports, which Salazar will be leaving to become Barack Obama's Secretary of the Interior.

There are many names out there as to who could get it: Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, Rep. John Salazar (brother of Ken), state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, and many others. Polling has suggested that any of the notable Democrats would start out as the favorite to hold the seat against the Republicans in 2010, due to the state's recent big shifts to the Democrats.

Think of how remarkable it is, in this day and age: A Senate seat being filled in a calm and orderly fashion.

Late Update: The Rocky Mountain News now reports that the appointee is expected to be Michael Bennet, the superintendent of the Denver public schools.

So is Chris Matthews really going to run for Senate from Pennsylvania? Two NBC execs have independently said that they don't believe so, and they think he's sticking around.

NBC News chief Steve Capus said Matthews isn't running: "Well, look, if he were running for office, he wouldn't be on TV."

Meanwhile, MSNBC president Phil Griffin cast doubt on the idea, too. "I've talked to Chris. I think he's going to be here for a long time," Griffin said. "I want him to be here for a long time."

Yet another poll is suggesting that Chris Matthews could have a real shot at being elected to the U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania, if he decides against renewing his contract at MSNBC and in favor of mounting a campaign.

The numbers from Research 2000: Matthews is in a near-tie with GOP Sen. Arlen Specter, with Specter at 45% and Matthews at 44%. In a three-way Democratic primary with Reps. Patrick Murphy and Allyson Shwartz, it's Matthews 24%, Murphy 19%, Schwartz 15%, with "undecided" leading the race at 42%.

This internal might surprise people: Against his lesser-known potential opponents in the Democratic primary, Matthews currently has a plurality among women voters, and is doing better with them than men, though obviously it's hard to draw any solid conclusions when the undecideds are this high.

Here's another number that should seriously worry Specter: He's under 50% in the Republican primary, with 43% against 2004 primary opponent Pat Toomey's 28%. Specter just barely won his 2004 primary 51%-49%, and could be in for another dogfight if Toomey or another conservative challenger mounts a bid -- and if he were to lose his primary, a Democratic pickup would become very likely.

A previous Rasmussen poll showed Matthews only three points down against Specter.

Caroline Kennedy has quickly become the new favorite of New York's Democratic voters to be their new Senator, eclipsing the previous big name Andrew Cuomo, the state attorney general and son of former Gov. Mario Cuomo, according to two separate polls.

From Public Policy Polling (D): Kennedy 44%, Cuomo 23%, with all others in single digits. And from Marist: Kennedy 31%, Cuomo 21%, and all others way behind.

Of course, the real authority in picking the next Senator is Gov. David Paterson, who doesn't have to be guided any polls as he makes the appointment. Then again, he could certainly take the popularity of candidates into account as he seeks to win votes for his own 2010 campaign.

One other important caveat: Neither of these polls included Fran Drescher.

Poll: Obama Approval Rating Reaches 79%
A new CNN poll shows Barack Obama's honeymoon approval reaching new heights, with 79% of Americans approving of him and only 18% disapproving. "That's the sort of rating you see when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster," said CNN's Bill Schneider. "To many Americans, the Bush Administration was a national disaster."

Obama And Biden Meeting With Gore
Barack Obama and Joe Biden are meeting today in Chicago with none other than Al Gore, to discuss energy issues and climate change. The meeting is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET.

White House Internal Memo: Bush Maintained "The Honor And The Dignity Of His Office"
The Los Angeles Times reports that Bush Administraton officials have been given an internal memo containing talking points to use in their public appearances, praising President Bush's record as he left office. Among other things they are to discuss how he "kept the American people safe," helped the economy through his 2001 tax cuts, fought AIDS in Africa, and "maintained "the honor and the dignity of his office."

Big Business Likes Obama's Infrastructure Plans
Barack Obama's policies are now receiving some support from big business, with U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of the Manufacturers asking members of Congress to support Obama's big infrastructure plan. Essentially, the more roads and building that are made, the more opportunity there is for business to receive government contracts.

NRA Gearing UP To Fight Obama
The Hill reports that the National Rifle Association's is preparing to do battle with Barack Obama, saying he can't be trusted on his statements about respecting the Second Amendment. "We have no doubt that he's going to break his promise to the American people that he made during the campaign, and we're prepared to fight him every step of the way," said Chris W. Cox, executive director of the NRA's political arm.

Inauguration Could See 10,000 Buses -- Or More
The transportation business expects an astonishing 10,000 chartered buses to bring tourists to the big event, while D.C. officials think the number could go even higher. "It's best in planning for this event to try to plan for bigger than anything we've planned for before," said city administrator Dan Tangherlini.

Fran "The Nanny" Drescher Declares Interest In Hillary's Senate Seat
Forget about Caroline Kennedy or Andrew Cuomo. A spokesperson for actress Fran Drescher -- best known for starring on the sitcom The Nanny -- has told CNN that she is putting her name into contention for Hillary Clinton's Senate seat, putting forward as her credentials her experience as a women's health advocate.

Mitt Laying Groundwork For 2012, Using Leadership PAC Money
The Boston Globe reports that Mitt Romney appears to have his eyes on 2012 -- and he's using money from his personal leadership PAC, which was ostensibly set up to support other Republican candidates. Only 12% has actually gone to down-ticket GOP candidates, a fraction of the total amount that has been spend on political consultants and fundraisers.

No Obama Or Biden Events Today
Barack Obama is holding private meetings today in Chicago, while Joe Biden also meets with people in Washington. There are no public events scheduled for today.

WaPo: Obama Will Change Balance Of Federal Courts
The Washington Post reports that Barack Obama and the big Democratic majority in the Senate now have the opportunity to flip the ideological balance in many lower federal courts -- the places where most case law is truly handed down. "The change will be most striking on the Richmond-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, long a conservative bastion and an influential voice on national security cases, where four vacancies will lead to a clear Democratic majority," the Post says.

CQ: 2010 Senate Map Narrowly Favors Dems
CQ points out that Senate Republicans face another tough map in 2010, though it's not quite as bad as 2008 was. More Republican seats will be up for election than Democratic ones, with six GOP-held seats in states won by Barack Obama, compared to only two Dem-held seats in McCain states.

Senate Dems Don't Rule Out Joining Minnesota Dispute
Roll Call reports that Senate Democratic leaders are not ruling out an intervention into a disputed election result in Minnesota. "As the process moves forward, Sen. Reid will be watching to make sure that the proper authorities in Minnesota are looking very carefully to make sure that no voter is disenfranchised," said Reid spokesman Jim Manley.

Mark Penn Denies Calling Obama Unelectable
Mark Penn told the Independent in England that he did not write in internal Hillary campaign memos that Barack Obama was unelectable. "Huh. No. It doesn't say that at all," Penn said. For the record, Penn wrote: "The right knows Obama is unelectable, except perhaps against Attila the Hun."

Obama: Economy "Going To Get Worse Before It Gets Better"
In his new interview on Meet The Press, Barack Obama laid out a blunt assessment of the economy, declaring twice that, "The economy is going to get worse before it gets better." He also said he would support the proposed $15 billion loans to save the auto industry from bankruptcy during the lame-duck period, but with conditions for the companies to make changes.

Obama Holding Press Conference, Announcing Shinseki For Veterans Affairs
Barack Obama is holding a 2 p.m. ET press conference in Chicago, at which he will announce his pick of retired Gen. Eric Shinseki -- who was famously ridiculed by the Bush Administration after he accurately predicted in early 2003 that many more troops would be needed for the Iraq War -- to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Obama confirmed the pick during his interview on Meet The Press.

RNC: We Can Still Win Elections
RNC chairman Mike Duncan released a statement last night trumpeting the GOP's victories in yesterday's House elections in Louisiana. "Coupled with the recent Senate win in Georgia, it's clear that Republicans still know how to win elections as we continue to build a solid foundation for the elections in 2010," said Duncan.

It's Official: David Gregory Is New Host Of Meet The Press
NBC News has officially announced that they've picked White House correspondent David Gregory to be the new host of Meet The Press. "I'm filled with a great sense of purpose as I join a superb team to cover Washington and the world from a treasured platform in our country," Gregory said in the press release. "Above all, I want to make Tim proud."

Report: Matthews Inks New Contract With MSNBC, Won't Run For Senate
The Politico reports that Chris Matthews has signed a new contract with MSNBC, set to be announced on Tuesday. If this proves to be true, then Matthews will not be running for U.S. Senate from Pennsylvania

Sebelius Withdraws Her Name From Consideration For Cabinet
Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, who endorsed Barack Obama in the run-up to Super Tuesday and helped deliver him a landslide win in her state's caucuses, has taken herself out of consideration for a cabinet post. Sebelius said she wanted to focus her time on solving Kansas' current fiscal crisis, but her decision has one other effect: It leaves her open and available for a possible run for Senate in 2010.

Obama's Speechwriter Favreau Caught In Facebook Antics
Barack Obama's top speechwriter Jon Favreau just got in a bit of trouble on Facebook, with photos posted that showed him apparently groping a life-size cardboard photo of Hillary Clinton at a house party. The reaction from a Clinton spokesperson: "Sen. Clinton is pleased to learn of Jon's obvious interest in the State Department, and is currently reviewing his application."

Louisiana GOP Senator David Vitter would have seemed like a prime candidate for retirement this cycle. After all, he went through a particularly nasty scandal last Summer when it was revealed that he was on the D.C. Madam's client list, a prostitute came forward and said he'd been a client of hers back in Louisiana, and he confessed to a "very serious sin."

But not so -- local Louisiana station KTBS reports that Vitter has decided to run again! And considering the generally Republican nature of Louisiana's voters these days, he probably starts out at the very least as the slight favorite to win, too.

Vitter will be launching his re-election campaign with a fundraiser next week, flanked by other big-name Louisiana pols like Gov. Bobby Jindal and members of the House delegation.

Somewhere in America right now, Eliot Spitzer is kicking himself.