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Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has been under fire for days because of his statement that small-town Americans “cling” to guns, religion and bigotry because they are “bitter” about their economic circumstances. But other candidates may be tested by Obama’s “bitter” comments, too.

The National Republican Senatorial Committee is trying to attach Obama’s words to Democratic Senate candidates Al Franken of Minnesota and Mark Warner of Virginia. The NRSC issued a video press release that all but dares them to endorse Obama.

The video releases also target Democratic convention “superdelegates” John Kerry of Massachusetts, Mary Landreiu of Louisiana, Mark Udall of Colorado and Tom Udall of New Mexico.

Categories: Virginia, Colorado, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Producer's Picks, Gun Rights, Politics, John Kerry, Mary Landrieu, Religion, Tom Udall, Race, Mark Warner, Al Franken, Mark Udall

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Congress is set to begin its annual congressional break this weekend, but a dozen Republican senators being tagged as obstructionists may not find it to be a relaxing vacation.

Americans United for Change and the Campaign for America’s Future today announced plans for a campaign aimed at calling attention to the tactics of those senators in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia. An online video titled “The Plot To Bury Progress,” featuring actor Jason Alexander (George Costanza of “Seinfeld” fame), is part of the effort.

The campaign targets Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., as “Senate Obstruction Leader” and lists 10 specific “obstruction votes.” The broader numbers for the year: 43 “filibusters” in seven months and 31 vetoes threatened by President Bush between May 1 and Aug. 1.

“The Republican minority in the Congress is now planning to use this August recess to rail against the ‘do-nothing’ Congress,” Campaign for America’s Future co-Director Robert Borsage wrote on the group’s blog. “Already the House and Senate minority leaders are trotting out laugh lines about the ‘post-office Congress’ that does nothing but name post offices and launch divisive witch hunts against the administration.

“This is akin to someone mugging the postman and then complaining that the mail isn’t delivered on time. In fact, the Bush White House and Republican minority have pursued a systematic and openly admitted strategy of obstruction.”

Categories: Senate, Virginia, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Producer's Picks, Mitch McConnell, 110th Congress, Republicans

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The House on Thursday passed a bill that would expand federal funding of embryonic stem-cell research, and California Democrat George Miller, a supporter of the legislation, dedicated his weekly video podcast, MillerTV, to the subject.

After the 247-176 vote, he interviewed fellow Democrat Diana DeGette of Colorado, who sponsored the measure. “[T]he president’s restrictions have stopped research all around the country,” DeGette said, “and we think that if it’s done ethically, we can be a leader in scientific research around the world.”

Categories: California, Colorado, Health, Social Policy, George Miller, Diana DeGette

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The Family Research Council is compiling a video voter guide that features presidential candidates sharing their views on what the group characterizes as “faith, family and freedom.”

All of the Republican and Democratic candidates for 2008 have been invited to participate. Here are three video responses from Republicans on past tax cuts advocated by President Bush and whether the candidates favor extending them:

Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, R-Ark.

Rep. Tom Tancredo, D-Colo.

Categories: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Producer's Picks, Sen. Sam Brownback, Presidency 2008, Sam Brownback, Taxes, Mike Huckabee, Rep. Tom Tancredo, Tom Tancredo

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The battle for control of the Senate in 2008 thus far looks like it may be rather “boring,” according to Quinn McCord, The Hotline’s Senate campaign analyst. “[R]ight now there are only two races [Colorado and Minnesota] that actually have two challengers,” he said.

Other potential hot spots include Louisiana, Maine and Oregon, but there are no challengers yet.

Categories: Colorado, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Oregon, HotlineTV, Senate 2008

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