WASHINGTON, March 18 (UPI) -- Capital Comment -- Daily news notes, political rumors, and important events that shape politics and public policy in Washington and the world from United Press International.
Partisan split...
Republicans are criticizing Senate Minority Leader Tom Daschle, D-S.D., for trying to score political points on the eve of war with Saddam Hussein. Responding to comments Daschle made Monday in a speech to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees labor union, Republican National Committee Chairman Marc Racicot said: "As President Bush, our commander in chief, addresses the grave and serious threats we face at home and abroad, it is disheartening and shameful for Senator Daschle ... to blame America first." The South Dakota Democrat said he was "saddened that we have to give up one life because this president couldn't create the kind of diplomatic effort that was so critical for our country." Daschle, the GOP said, was attempting to gain partisan advantage, blaming the president for potential U.S., allied and Iraqi casualties when and if war comes.
Count us in...
A poll taken over the weekend for CBS News shows the American people are behind President George W. Bush as war against Saddam Hussein gets closer. The survey, taken while Bush was attending the summit in the Azores, found 67 percent of those surveyed back the president on the use of military force to remove Saddam from power.
More significantly, 75 percent said that giving Iraq more time to disarm would probably just delay the inevitable military conflict rather than secure a peaceful outcome.
The survey of 1,049 adults has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Pack up your troubles...
The Council on American-Islamic Relations is, in advance of war in Iraq, distributing what it calls "Community Safety Kits" designed to help Muslim and Arab-Americans who might find themselves victimized by religious or ethnic profiling. The 9-page booklet opens with an exhortation for American Muslims "to do their part to ensure the safety and security of our nation" and to urge anyone who notes "suspicious persons or activities in their community ... (to) report it immediately to the local Field Office of the FBI."
The CAIR document also urges American Muslim communities to develop positive relations with law enforcement agencies, meet with elected official to discuss concerns and build supportive coalitions with interfaith and other ethnic minority groups.
"It is important that local Muslim communities take steps now to promote the safety and security of our nation and to defend against anti-Muslim hate during any war with Iraq," CAIR Board Chairman Omar Ahmad said.
Ose can you see...
On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to take up a bi-partisan resolution crafted by California Republican Doug Ose expressing the view that the recent federal court decision ruling the Pledge of Allegiance unconstitutional should be overturned. The resolution says the ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals is inconsistent with the U.S. Supreme Court's established interpretation of the First Amendment.
In June of 2002, the lower court found, in Newdow vs. United States Congress that the Pledge unconstitutionally endorses religion in violation of the establishment clause because it includes the phrase, "One nation, under God." Supporters expect the measure, which does not have the force of law, to pass easily.
Paul Revere, please call your office...
The American Civil Liberties Union continues to urge Americans to help them to "Stop the new Patriot Act!" In a message to the group's Action Network Members, the ACLU says Attorney General John Ashcroft "has been secretly preparing new legislation that would significantly reduce privacy protections and essentially eliminate some of the most fundamental checks and balances on governmental power."
Referring to a leaked draft outlining potential enhancements to existing laws designed to aid in the war against terrorism, the ACLU says the program would, if enacted, "severely undermine basic constitutional rights." A free fax service to send messages to legislators on Capitol Hill has been set up on the group's Web site at ACLU.org in the "safe and free" section.
Florida flash...
There is still no definite word on whether White House Counselor Karl Rove was successful in his efforts to persuade U.S. Housing Secretary Mel Martinez to jump into the race for U.S. Senate in Florida. The news around Washington is that Martinez is still considering it and will, with some additional persuasion from others high up in the administration and the national and state GOP, announce that he is in. Those efforts are likely on hold until at least until the president's 48-hour window inside which Saddam Hussein and his sons might leave Iraq shuts.
Officials of the other campaigns in the race brushed off the news of Martinez's potential candidacy. Nevertheless, there was considerable excitement among some party activists and major contributors who are not happy with the current choices. Said one: "I am so happy he is even thinking about it. The news certainly has the other two on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Martinez would be the man to beat in the primary and the general elections."
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