Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) reamed President Barack Obama Thursday for threatening to veto a bill that would guarantee members of the military can freely express their religious beliefs.
“We have reports of servicemen and women being told that, ‘If you share your faith with others, you will face disciplinary action and perhaps court martial,’” Cruz told an evening reception of social conservatives at the Capitol. - More
Republicans are casting the intense battle between Senate hopefuls Gabriel E. Gomez and U.S. Rep. Edward J. Markey as an early referendum on the scandal-wracked Obama administration, as Democrats scramble to widen the congressman’s lead in the polls just 10 days before the election.
“This is definitely a canary-in-the-coal-mine race,” Republican consultant Ron Bonjean said. “You’re seeing the polls dropping and a Republican in Massachusetts once again having a very decent shot at winning the election. - More
President Obama exhorted a crowd of thousands to support US Senate hopeful Edward J. Markey, who Obama said, would “carry on the legacy of John Kerry and Ted Kennedy” and “be my partner.”
At the Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center in Roxbury, Obama told a fired-up crowd that he needed Markey to help accomplish his agenda.
“I’ve got to have folks in the United States Senate who are willing to stand up for working people just like I am,” he said to cheers and applause. - More
Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, a conservative firebrand and a favorite of tea party Republicans, said Wednesday she will not run for another term in the U.S. House.
Bachmann, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination last year, announced her decision in a video on her website. - More
Sen. Ted Cruz doesn’t have as many friends as he says he does.
In the latest round of Cruz’s simmering debate with Sen. John McCain (who labeled Cruz a "wacko bird"), Cruz spoke of "my friend, the senior senator from Arizona" while painting him as out of touch with his party and country.
It usually takes a while for senators to learn how to weaponize compliments and imprecations of friendship, but Cruz is a quick study. - More
“As a matter of fact, I don’t think there’s anyone in public life who I’ve kind of sought out their approval or even much advice,” Weiner, who used to described Sen. Chuck Schumer as his mentor, told Talking Points Memo.
“I know that I have to prove myself to my colleagues in government just as much as I do to the rest of New Yorkers … I wouldn’t even consider asking the Clintons for an endorsement or support in a race like this.
I mean, obviously, the former president and the former secretary of state have bigger fish to fry.” - More
Eric Garcetti has won the race to be the 42nd mayor of Los Angeles, becoming the first Jewish person elected as mayor in the city's history.
City Controller Wendy Greuel conceded defeat early Wednesday to Garcetti, a City Council member and former Council president, according to the Los Angeles Times. - More
It was “a bad week for the White House,” according to the National Journal. USA Today said it was ”one of the most challenging weeks at the White House for the Obama administration.” The Washington Examiner went with ”Obama’s roughest week.” Our colleagues at The Fix dissented a bit: They didn’t think it was Obama’s worst week ever. Just his second-worst week ever. - More
Anthony Weiner's run for a renaissance is officially on.
The ex-congressman whose career imploded in a rash of raunchy tweets two years ago said in a YouTube video announcement late Tuesday that he's in the New York City mayoral race. He'd said last month he was considering it. - More
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