Tuesday Night Round-Up

Democrats want to bring the troops home safely from Iraq and Republicans want more wait-and-see. Period.

Louisiana: It turns out that, in addition to being a client of the notorious "DC Madame," Republican Senator David Vitter frequented a Canal Street brothel in New Orleans. Was Vitter addicted to prostitutes or just a big fan? Courtesy of Talking Points Memo, here is Vitter hypocritically talking about the sanctity of marriage:



You heard right. That is Republican prostitute-frequenter David Vitter saying, "Marriage is truly the most fundamental social institution in human history." I guess he meant to say that marriage is only slightly less fundamental to David Vitter than sex with hookers behind his wife's back. Bob Geiger looks at what happens if Vitter resigns; and, it looks like we'd see an appointment by Governor Kathleen Blanco, anybody of her choosing (any Party), until a special election to fill out the term, which ends in 2010. Meanwhile, Vitter's Republican colleagues are circling the wagons and offering more hypocritical apologies for Vitter:

“David has already resolved this with his family and taken responsibility for it,” Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said. “I’m sure if there are other things he’ll have to deal with, he’ll deal with them.”

Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) said the confession “is certainly a regrettable incident, but the senator confronted it head on.”

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.) was more to the point. “Have you ever done anything wrong?” he asked The Hill. “So have I.”

Is Coburn admitting that he has visited hookers, too? It really is incredible how quickly Republicans will turn a blind eye to "family values" when one of their own runs afoul of their feigned convictions. Just another instance of Republicans prioritizing partisanship over true values.

Colorado: Congressman Mark Udall raised a tidy $1.1 million in Q2 for his 2008 Senate campaign, bringing his cash-on-hand to nearly $2.5 million. No word yet on "Backwards" Bob Schaffer's take.

Iowa: Senator Tom Harkin raised over $1 million in Q2, bringing his cash-on-hand to over $2.6 million.

Alaska: Even more skeletons are leaking out of Ted Stevens' closet, if you can believe it. It turns out that Stevens has made millions of dollars in investments in just the last few years (during his time as Chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee) from a company, JLS Properties, whose owners have received millions of dollars thanks to earmarks secured by then-Chairman Stevens! This really is just getting ridiculous. The Stevens indictment clock is ticking louder and louder.

Minnesota: Norm Coleman put out a statement supportive of Bush's commutation of Scooter Libby. That should go over well. Meanwhile, both Al Franken and Mike Ciresi challenge Coleman to rethink his rubber stamp for Bush's failed Iraq policy. Further, while Republican military veteran Joe Repya continues to ponder a primary challenge to Coleman, could Smilin' Norm see another conservative challenger in far-right-winger Andy Aplikowski?

Oregon: Former NEA Chairman under Bush 41, John Frohnmayer, continues to stoke the speculation flame, saying that he'll decide on a Senate bid by Labor Day, while developer John Russell rules out a bid. Blue Oregon also offers a post questioning the veracity of Gordon Smith's anti-war-ness. Additionally, Loaded Orygun delves deeper into Smith's role in SalmonGate. Finally, the Ashland Daily Tidings looks at the potential Senate candidacies of State Senator Alan Bates and talk radio personality Jeff Golden.

New Jersey: Following lackluster poll numbers on Senator Frank Lautenberg, primarily due to voters being concerned about his age, Blue Jersey points out that Lautenberg historically has seen routinely lackluster poll numbers this early in an election cycle despite going on to reliably win time and time again.

New Mexico: Pajamas Pete Domenici continues to be paralyzed by his role in the Attorney Purge scandal. Seems like he's sweating.

Kentucky: Cliff Schecter sports a hilariously telling video about Mitch McConnell carrying Bush's water, especially on Iraq. Also, DMKY profiles potential Democratic Senate candidate retired Marine Lt. Colonel Andrew Horne.

Idaho: Red State Rebel offers an update on Larry LaRocco's campaign, including highlights of LaRocco's fundraising, his calling out Larry Craig on Iraq, and his ongoing and successful Working for the Senate campaign.

If it wasn't for NRSC Chair John Ensign narrating this inadvertantly hilarious fundraising pitch video for the NRSC, I would have thought it was produced in the 80's. mcjoan is right on with her observation: "Quick, what's the one word you don't hear in that clip, between the swelling music, smiling children, waving flags, and screeching about taxes? That's right. Iraq. Denial runs deep." Oh, and speaking of Ensign, he just got his payoff for taking the NRSC Chair gig that nobody wanted: a coveted seat on the Senate Finance Committee.