Political Director, NBC News
Political Director of NBC News; former editor of the National Journal's "The Hotline," a daily news briefing on American politics
PROFILE
Chuck Todd
Guest
FROM Chuck Todd
To the Point
The Day Before the Iowa Caucuses The presidency of the United States is up for grabs almost as never before. For the first time in 80 years, neither the Republican nor the Democratic Party has an incumbent or a vice president in the running. Tomorrow, real people will get a chance to state their preferences in the Iowa Caucuses , which are happening earlier than ever before. However, when these ordinary voters finally start choosing the next president, the process will violate basic tenets of American democracy. Forget about the secret ballot or giving each person one vote. The Iowa caucuses don't work that way, especially for those who call themselves "Democrats." We find out how tomorrow's caucuses will work, and why they're getting more attention than ever before. What are the candidates saying and doing to stay alive for campaigns that may be over on the fifth of next month?
To the Point
Presidential Campaign Is Already Underway The New Hampshire Primary will be held exactly a year from today. The days before that will see presidential caucuses in Iowa and Nevada . That might sound far off, but with no president running for re-election and no vice president stepping up, the 2008 race is moving at record speed. Chuck Todd is Editor of the National Journal 's Hotline, the favorite website for political junkies. Declared candidates: Former Senator/presidential candidate John Edwards (D-NC) Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM) Those officially exploring campaigns and other possible condenders: Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) Senator John McCain (R-AZ) Governor Mitt Romney (R-MA) Former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (R-NY)
To the Point
Polls Offer First Look at '08 Presidential Race In the latest Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg Poll on the incipient 2008 presidential race, Democrats are leaning toward Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton . But she would get thumped if she ran against Republican Senator John McCain , and she's would barely edge out the lesser known Mitt Romney if he were to get the GOP nomination.
To the Point
Are the Democrats This Year's October Surprise? "Strategists and consultants of both parties now believe the House is lost and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi will become speaker. At best, Republicans will cling to control of the Senate by a single seat, two at most." That's from conservative columnist Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard, quoted today in ABC's political website The Note . Democrats are so optimistic that Pelosi is already talking about which office she'll use as House Speaker. But President Bush and Carl Rove are reportedly full of confidence, both publicly and in private. Will the mid-term elections be a referendum on the President himself, Iraq and scandals in Congress? Can Republicans change the subject to local issues? What about money, organization and the partisan gerrymandering of district boundaries?
To the Point
Political Fallout of the Mark Foley Scandal Florida's Republican Congressman resigned on Friday after reports that he sent sexually charged e-mail to teenage boys who were Congressional pages. One former page says he was warned about Mark Foley five years ago, and colleagues in the GOP leadership were told about possible problems a year ago. The former chair of the House Caucus on Missing and Exploited Children and a champion of anti-pornography legislation is being investigated by the State of Florida and the FBI.
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To the Point
Ex-FBI Director Comey tells his side of the story Today, former FBI Director James Comey came close to calling the President who fired him a liar. The White House denied the claim and called it insulting, but Republican Senators did not challenge Comey’s truthfulness. Many questions remain: did the President try to obstruct a federal investigation? Later, we’ll go behind the “velvet rope” for a look at 5-Star health care for the richest Americans.
To the Point
Terrorism and tweets, hate speech and murder Just days before an election, Britain is coping with a rash of deadly terrorism, and Prime Minister Theresa May is on the defensive. And again today, President Trump has tweeted criticism of the Mayor of London. Later, a double murder in Portland, Oregon has revealed the ugly past of a supposedly “progressive” city. One immediate question: is “hate speech” protected by the First Amendment?
To the Point
Replacing Obamacare: Now you see it… now you don’t As the Senate deliberates replacing Obmacare, health coverage for millions of people is at stake. There've been no public hearings, and a draft measure won't be made public. Is the House version so unpopular that that Senate is hiding a version that looks much the same?
To the Point
The Trump agenda: where's the beef? President Trump says big things are happening. After celebrating a House bill on health care, he doesn’t yet have Senate agreement. With James Comey’s public testimony scheduled tomorrow, the President today tweeted his selection of a new FBI Director. Is the Chief Executive all style and no substance? Later, terror attacks in Iran and conflicting claims about who’s behind them.