TPMDC Saturday Roundup

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Obama: The Iraq War Is Ending
In this weekend’s YouTube address, President Obama discussed the upcoming drawdown of troops in Iraq, and his administration’s commitment to veterans.

“In the months ahead, our troops will continue to support and train Iraqi forces, partner with Iraqis in counterterrorism missions, and protect our civilian and military efforts,” said Obama. “But the bottom line is this: the war is ending. Like any sovereign, independent nation, Iraq is free to chart its own course. And by the end of next year, all of our troops will be home.”

Rubio: ‘The American Dream Is Threatened’
In this weekend’s Republican address, Senate nominee Marco Rubio (R-FL) attacked PResident Obama’s agenda on such issues as spending, taxes and health care, and cited his parents’ backgrounds as Cuban refugees.

“Today the American Dream is threatened by out of control politicians in Washington, who think that more government deficit spending is what it takes to grow our economy. That has never worked anywhere it’s been tried and it won’t work now,” said Rubio. “Now for some it may be hard to imagine that the American Dream could actually be at risk, but as the son of exiles I know firsthand that it is possible to lose your country because my parents lost theirs.”

NRA Declines To Endorse Reid In Nevada Senate Race
The National Rifle Association has announced that it will not endorse Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) for re-election, citing his votes to confirm President Obama’s Supreme Court nominees. The Associated Press reports: “Christopher W. Cox, chairman of the NRA’s Political Victory Fund, said Friday that the organization strongly opposed the confirmation of Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court, and it had warned lawmakers that the NRA would weigh that vote when it came to its endorsements. ‘The vote on Elena Kagan’s confirmation to the court, along with the previous year’s confirmation vote on Sonia Sotomayor, are critical for the future of the Second Amendment,’ Cox said. Cox then indicated that the NRA would not endorse Reid. However, he stopped short of saying whether the group would support Reid’s opponent, Republican Sharron Angle, or stay neutral in the race.”

GOP Plans Wave Of White House Probes
Politico reports: “resident Barack Obama needed any more incentive to go all out for Democrats this fall, here it is: Republicans are planning a wave of committee investigations targeting the White House and Democratic allies if they win back the majority. Everything from the microscopic — the New Black Panther party — to the massive — think bailouts — is on the GOP to-do list, according to a half-dozen Republican aides interviewed by POLITICO. Republican staffers say there won’t be any self-destructive witch hunts, but they clearly are relishing the prospect of extracting information from an administration that touts transparency.”

Van Hollen ‘Confident’ That Dems Won’t Lose House
The Washington Post reports: “Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) said Friday that he is ‘confident’ that his party will keep control of the House after November’s election. Van Hollen, chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, said Democrats have three things working in their favor that will help prevent their losing the 39 seats that would cost them the House: Americans have a negative view of the Republican Party; Republicans have nominated extreme ‘tea party’ candidates in many races; and Democrats have been preparing for nearly two years for a difficult midterm election.”

Lugar Predicts ‘Large Majority’ Of Republicans Will Back START Treaty
The Hill reports: “Sen. Richard Lugar, the ranking Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, predicted Friday that a ‘large majority’ of members in his party will back a key nuclear arms reduction treaty with Russia and that it will be ratified. So far, Lugar (Ind.) has been the only Senate Republican to back the new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), which was negotiated in the spring but has yet to be ratified by the Senate. The Indiana Republican predicted that the treaty pass his committee in mid-September and will come up for a vote in the lame-duck session after the November elections.”

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