A new poll suggests that Republicans are more enthusiastic than Democrats about voting in next year's midterm elections.

Washington (CNN) - When it comes to Congress, a 'throw the bums out' attitude appears to be alive and well.

According to a new Pew Research Center poll, 52 percent of registered voters would like to see their own member of the House of Representatives re-elected next year, while just over one in three say that most members of Congress should be returned to office. Both numbers come close to the all-time lows seen just prior to the 1994 election, when the Republicans won control of Congress, and the 2006 contest, when the Democrats returned to power in both chambers.

The survey indicates that only 42 percent of independent voters want to see their own representative re-elected in 2010, and just one in four independents think most members of Congress should be returned to office.

The poll suggests that Republicans are more enthusiastic than Democrats. Fifty-eight percent of people who say they plan to vote for Republican in next year's elections say they are very enthusiastic about voting. That's 16 points higher than the 42 percent of people of plan to vote for a Democrat who describe themselves as enthusiastic.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released last week also indicated that Republicans are more energized right now than Democrats.

"The party that is out of power usually gets to play on offense, while the party in power is essentially playing defense," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Playing offense gets your team pumped up. Maybe the same psychology is at work on the political playing field this year."

Next November, all 435 seats in the House and more than a third of the Senate seats are up for grabs. Democrats currently hold a 258-177 advantage in the House, and a 20-seat margin in the Senate.

The Pew Research Center poll was conducted October 28-November 8, with 1,644 registered voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

The president and first lady made a surprise visit on Veterans Day to Section 60 of Arlington National Cemetery, where the war dead from Afghanistan and Iraq are buried. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Washington (CNN) - Skip and Rhonda Rollins were visiting the gravesite of their son Justin at Arlington National Cemetery Veterans Day when they received condolences from unexpected visitors - President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama.

After making remarks at the Arlington's annual National Veterans Day Observance, the president made a surprise visit to Section 60 of the cemetery, where the war dead from Afghanistan and Iraq are buried.

Obama spoke with families, visited gravesites, and shook the hands of visiting veterans. The visit came just before he headed back to the White House to preside over what could be one of his last meetings with top advisers before he decides whether to send more troops to Afghanistan.

The Rollins' son Justin, who would have turned 25 years old the day before Veterans Day, was killed in Iraq in 2007.

The couple told CNN they were "extremely surprised" to see President Obama take the time to speak with the families in Section 60. Skip Rollins said that although he generally holds "different political views" from the president, that supporting American soldiers, both living and dead, "should always be a nonpartisan issue."

The couple comes from New Hampshire every year to visit their son's gravesite for the combination of Veterans Day and his birthday, though this was the first time they had ever seen a president walking the grounds of the cemetery. While the trip is fraught with emotion, the couple commended Obama's effort to speak with the families. "It was extremely nice of him to take this time out to come down here and do this, " Skip Rollins said.

Rhonda Rollins added, "When you come here and it's not just my son that I mourn for when I see all the others stones, the ages of the soldiers, and you know they've given the ultimate sacrifice for all of us. And you know it's hard for me to leave, to leave my son."

Washington (CNN) – Dede Scozzafava, the Republican New York assemblywoman who gave up her bid for a House seat late last month, is decrying the "vicious" attacks she underwent from people within her own party.

"The attacks were pretty vicious, especially since it was coming from people that identified themselves as Republicans," Scozzafava told CNN's John Roberts on American Morning Wednesday. "So that was difficult to overcome."

Scozzafava ultimately gave up her bid in New York's special congressional elections for the 23rd district after conservatives rallied around third-party candidate Doug Hoffman and charged Scozzafava was too liberal on a host of issues including government spending, taxes, and abortion rights.

Scozzafava, who maintains she is not as liberal as her critics claim, endorsed the Democrat in the race who ultimately went on to victory - the first time a Democrat won in that district in over 100 years.

"Hopefully a lesson can be learned and we can move forward and make the party stronger and understand that there are many voices that make a party but we can all agree around core principles," Scozzafava told CNN.

Viewed as a battle for the heart and soul of the Republican Party, the race attracted national attention and exposed divisions within the GOP between its conservative base and the party's leadership who often back more moderate candidates with a better chance of winning a general election.

In the interview with CNN, Scozzafava said conservatives should seek to understand the local issues in each race before rushing to make an endorsement in future elections.
"I hope that races can revolve around the needs of the district that the people are running to represent," she said. "I think that's the most important thing and the focus on every race. You're never going to have perfect ideology. If you are you're never going to move forward because no one's going to think independently."

Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama is considering four scenarios to move forward in Afghanistan, and was expected to discuss them at Wednesday's eighth meeting with his war council, sources told CNN.

The meeting in the White House Situation Room was to continue evaluating how best to carry out the mission in Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. military commander in the Middle East, told CNN beforehand.

Petraeus provided no specifics on options under consideration, but said the process is approaching completion.

"I think we are indeed nearing a decision on this very important topic," he said.

Though the options under consideration are not being spelled out, one is fairly well-defined.

Full story

Updated: 4:31 p.m.

Gov. Pawlenty will be visiting New Hampshire next month.

(CNN) - Next month, Gov. Tim Pawlenty is heading to New Hampshire, the latest presidential proving ground the Minnesota Republican will have visited this fall.

Pawlenty will keynote a $50-per-person fundraiser for the state's Republican Senate Majority Committee in Concord on December 16 in what could be seen as an effort to build early support in the key primary state.

The planned trip comes on the heels of a foray to Iowa last weekend, where Pawlenty headlined the state GOP's annual leadership dinner, one of the two major annual events for the state party.

Pawlenty announced this past summer he would not seek a second gubernatorial term in 2012, fueling speculation he is setting his sights on a presidential bid instead.

The governor also rolled out a new political action committee in October and announced a fleet of new advisers, several of whom advised Pawlenty's likely 2012 rival - former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney - during his 2008 presidential bid.

Join the conversation on Jack's blog.

It's an idea that's long past due and it will probably never happen...

A group of Republican senators is proposing a Constitutional amendment to set congressional term limits – 12 years for the Senate and six years for the House.

Senator Jim DeMint of South Carolina says real change will never happen in Washington until there's an end to the era of permanent politicians. DeMint says lawmakers have been re-elected about 90 percent of the time over the last 20 years – because the system favors incumbents.

We all know the drill: Some spend decades in Washington, get into bed with the special interest groups that feed their campaign coffers and forget all about the people they're supposed to represent.

And we've heard this before... Republicans who gained control of the House in 1994 promised to pass congressional term limits, but once they were in power, they failed to deliver. The Supreme Court later ruled term limits were unconstitutional – which is why this group of senators is trying to change the Constitution.

In order to pass, two-thirds of the House and Senate would have to approve the amendment – along with three-fourths of the 50 states.

To read more and contribute to the Cafferty File discussion click here

In an exclusive interview with CNN Wednesday, Gen. Petraeus closed the door to talk of him running for president in 2012.

Washington (CNN) - CENTCOM Commander Gen. David Petraeus is once again shooting down any suggestions that he has aspirations to run for the White House in 2012.

In an exclusive interview on CNN Newsroom Wednesday, Kyra Phillips asked Petraeus whether the door might be open for a 2012 run.

"I'll close it right here, right now," Petraeus said. "I will remind you of the great country song that used to ask 'What about no don't you understand.'"

In an interview with Politico in September of this year, former GOP Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole said he would like to see Petraeus mount a White House bid.

With a year to go before midterm congressional elections, a new national poll suggests that Republicans are making gains.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – With a year to go before midterm congressional elections, a new national poll suggests that Republicans are making gains but that Americans are divided over whether they'd vote for the Democratic or Republican candidate in their district.

According to a Gallup survey released Wednesday morning, 48 percent of registered voters questioned answered that they would vote for the Republican candidate if the 2010 election for the House was held today, while 44 percent said they would back the Democrat in the race. The GOP's 4 point advantage is within the poll's sampling error.

The Republican Party's lead is a switch from a Gallup poll released a month ago, when 46 percent said they'd back a Democrat, a two point advantage over the GOP. Republicans trailed the Democrats by 6 points when Gallup questioned Americans in July.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released last week indicated that 50 percent of registered voters would vote for the Democratic candidate, with 44 percent saying they would back the Republican candidate. The 6-point advantage for the Democrats was within that poll's sampling error.

Other polls conducted over the past two months also suggest a division among Americans when it comes to the generic ballot question, which asks a respondent if they would vote for a Democrat or Republican in their congressional district without naming any specific candidates.

According to the Gallup poll, Democrats said overwhelmingly they would vote for a Democratic candidate, while Republican voters said they would overwhelmingly back the GOP candidate. Independents broke 52 percent to 30 percent for the Republicans. That 22 point advantage for the GOP among Independents is up from a 9 point margin last month.

Next November, all 435 seats in the House and more than a third of the Senate seats are up for grabs. Democrats currently hold a 258-177 advantage in the House, and a 20 seat margin in the Senate.

"When Democratic and Republican candidates for U.S. House square off a year from now, they may face a very different electorate than the one that put Barack Obama in power a year ago," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "In 2008, Democratic voters were generally more enthusiastic about voting than Republicans; now it's the GOP's turn to benefit from an enthusiasm gap."

The Gallup poll was conducted by telephone from November 5-8, with the 894 registered voters questioned mostly before the House health care reform vote on November 7. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

In a letter making an endorsement for governor, South Carolina's first lady said her family was 'resilient' in the face of recent challenges.

(CNN) – In a letter released Wednesday, Jenny Sanford, the wife of embattled South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, said she and her family are persevering after a difficult year in which her husband admitted to an extramarital affair. And South Carolina's first lady endorsed Republican Nikki Haley's candidacy to be the state's next governor.

Haley, a South Carolina legislator and an ally of Gov. Sanford, is one of five Republicans who have formally announced bids to replace Jenny Sanford's husband.

In the letter to Haley's supporters, Sanford praised her husband's tenure as governor.

"I'm proud of the work Mark and his Administration have done over almost seven years now, trying very hard to move the ball forward on [growing the economy, improving public schools, and reforming government]."

Sanford also praises Haley as "principled, conservative, tough, and smart."

"So when I'm asked my wish for South Carolina's future, my wish is for a leader of state government like Nikki Haley," Sanford writes.

"And there's one other thing," Sanford writes before broaching the subject of her family's challenges in the last year.

"We all know this past year has been very difficult for our state on many levels. It's been hard for me and my family too. But our family is resilient, and we will be fine. And the people of our state are resilient too. I have no doubt South Carolina will get back on its feet. Nikki Haley would be exactly the kind of refreshing, inspiring, energetic, determined governor South Carolina needs to effectively lead our state to a brighter future."

In the wake of her husband's revelations that he was having an affair with an Argentine woman, Jenny Sanford has stayed largely out of the public eye but been candid about the challenges her marriage is facing.

"Now I think it's up to my husband to do the soul-searching to see if he wants to stay married," Jenny Sanford told Vogue magazine earlier this year. "The ball is in his court."

Updated: 4:10 p.m.

On Veterans Day, the president laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns . (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Washington (CNN) - President Obama paid tribute Wednesday to those who have lost their lives in the nation's wars as well as to the men and women who currently serve.

"There's no tribute, no commemoration, no praise that can truly match the magnitude of your service and your sacrifice," he said in a speech at Arlington National Cemetery on a rainy, overcast Veterans Day.

"We call this a holiday, but for many veterans, it's another day of memories that drive them to live their lives each day as best as they possibly can," he said.

"For our troops, it is another day in harm's way. For their families, it is another day to feel the absence of a loved one and the concern for their safety. For our wounded warriors, it is another day of slow recovery. And in this national cemetery, it is another day when grief remains fresh."

He vowed that "America will do right" by its troops.

"To all who served in every battle in every war, we say that it's never too late to say thank you."

Earlier Wednesday, the president laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknowns. He then stood solemnly as a bugle played taps. Some onlookers watched from under umbrellas.

Full story

Rep. Bachmann was a main attraction at last week's event on Capitol Hill.

Washington (CNN) - The thousands of restive conservative protesters milling outside the west front of the Capitol last week definitely didn't seem in the mood to listen - but there was at least one voice they wanted to hear.

The chant started from the back of the crowd, and rolled forward like a wave: "We want Michele! We want Michele!"

Michele Bachmann doesn't say she finds GOP leadership irrelevant. But with health care reform gathering momentum as the Democratic bill entered final debate in the House, she took her typical route around, not through them.

The swarms of Tea Partiers who descended on Washington on her week-old call didn't come to see John Boehner and Eric Cantor. The top Republican leaders in Congress were guests at Michele Bachmann's party.

Full story

WASHINGTON (CNN) – John J. O'Connor III, the husband of former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, died Wednesday, a statement from the court said. He was 79 and had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

O'Connor died in Phoenix, Arizona, the court said. He was at an assisted living facility there.
Sandra Day O'Connor, a moderate conservative and the first woman to serve on the high court, retired in early 2006, saying she needed to spend more time with her husband, who was then in the early stages of his disease.

Strickland's approval rating is slipping, a new poll suggests.

(CNN) – There is more evidence Wednesday that now is not a good time to be an incumbent governor facing re-election next year.

According to a new Quinnipiac University poll, Ohio Gov. Ted Strickland's approval rating now stands at 45 percent, with 43 percent of Buckeye state voters saying they disapprove of the job he's doing. The 45 percent approval rating is Strickland's lowest score in Quinnpiac polling since he won the governor's office in the 2006 election.

Strickland, a Democrat and former congressman, is up for re-election next year. The survey indicates that he's tied with possible Republican challenger John Kasich in a hypothetical 2010 match-up for governor. Strickland held a 10 point lead over Kasich, a former congressman, in a Quinnipiac poll conducted in September.

The survey, released Wednesday morning, suggests that Ohio voters see Kasich as better able to handle rebuilding the state economy and the budget. According to the poll, by 19 percent voters disapprove of how Strickland's handling the economy.

"When Quinnipiac University first began asking about a Strickland-Kasich race for Governor in February, the incumbent held a 56 -26 percent lead over his challenger. Now they are dead even. Obviously a lot has changed: the Governor's own ratings have gone down more than the challenger's have come up," says Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.
The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted November 5-9, with 1,123 Ohio voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 2.9 percentage points.

CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

President Obama made an unannounced visit to the Dover Air Force Base late last month to honor 18 Americans killed in the line of duty in Afghanistan.

Washington (CNN) - Americans are split over whether President Barack Obama is taking too long to make a decision on whether to send more U.S. troops to the war in Afghanistan, according to a new national poll.

But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey also indicates that by a narrow margin, Americans think that in making his decision, the president should listen to the recommendations of the generals in charge of U.S. troops in Afghanistan rather than taking other matters into account as well.

The poll's Wednesday morning release comes just hours before the president is scheduled to hold another meeting with his national security advisers to discuss policy in Afghanistan.

Full results (PDF)

According to the survey, 49 percent of people questioned say the president is taking too long to decide whether to increase U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan; 50 percent do not.

"There is a gender gap on this question, with most men saying Obama is taking too long and most women willing to give him more time," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "That's due in part to the partisan differences between men and women, but gender differences on the use of military force, and maybe even differences in how the genders make important decisions, can also be contributing to the split."

The poll indicates that 52 percent think Obama should listen to the generals, with 48 percent saying the president should take other matters into account as well. But a troop build-up remains unpopular, with a separate question indicating that a majority opposes sending more troops.

What's going on? Roughly one in five Americans oppose more troops, yet also believe that Obama should pay attention to the U.S. military leaders in that country, says Holland. "That suggests that a lot of people who don't support a troop build-up are unaware of General Stanley McChrystal's request for a bigger U.S. military presence there," he says. "And that, in turn, indicates that the military leaders in the field might provide Obama some political cover if he decides to increase troop strength there."

McChrystal, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, has reportedly submitted a request for as many as 40,000 additional troops.

While the public is divided right down the middle over whether Obama is taking too long to make the decision on troops, the poll suggests that there is widespread agreement that Afghanistan will never have a stable democratic government. Only one in 10 people questioned say that will occur within a year; only a third say that will ever happen. That may be one big reason why 56 percent of Americans oppose sending more troops, while 42 percent favor increasing troop strength.

According to the poll, four in 10 support the war in Afghanistan, with 58 percent opposing the conflict.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted October 30-November 1, with 1,018 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the overall sample.

–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Harry Reid is hoping to start debate on Senate health care legislation next week.

WASHINGTON (CNN) - The first crucial showdown over health care reform by the full Senate could come as early as next Tuesday.

That's when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid hopes the chamber will vote to start debate on health care legislation.

Though Reid put the wheels in motion for next week's vote, nothing is guaranteed.

Democrats need 60 votes to pass the motion to start debate. While there are 60 members in the Democrats' coalition, Ben Nelson, a moderate Democrat from Nebraska – says he hasn't decided whether he will give his party his vote, and won't until he sees the actual bill.

In fact, no one has seen the senate health care bill yet. Reid won't release the legislation until he knows the cost of the bill. Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, has been waiting nearly three weeks for the non partisan Congressional Budget Office to return its score, or cost, of the bill. Aides to the Senate Majority Leader say they expect the CBO information on the cost of the bill by the end of this week.

Saturday the House of Representatives voted 220 to 215 to pass their version of health care reform. Any legislation that emerges from the full Senate would then have to be reconciled with the House bill.

CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised President Ronald Reagan on Tuesday for being "circumspect" about putting American credibility or troops at risk in the absence of "a clear mission or strong odds of success."

Gates said Reagan "understood that erasing the impression of U.S. political and military weakness would ultimately reap diplomatic rewards and strategic breakthroughs."

Reagan's "willingness to use American power was a lesson that others would learn as well," Gates said at a Library of Congress event honoring Reagan's contribution to the fall of the Berlin Wall. "But President Reagan was circumspect about putting or keeping America's troops and America's credibility at risk without a clear mission or strong odds of success."

He wisely avoided a "direct and potentially catastrophic military conflict with the U.S.S.R.," Gates said. Instead, the president "expanded the containment playbook far beyond Europe and took the fight to the enemy worldwide. From Afghanistan to Cambodia, Nicaragua, Angola, Ethiopia and elsewhere, Soviet surrogates soon faced their own lethal insurgencies."

Regarding current U.S. military efforts, White House officials have suggested that President Barack Obama might announce a decision on U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan shortly before or after Thanksgiving.

Obama is to leave Thursday for Asia, with stops in Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea. He is to return on November 20.

On Tuesday, Obama and Gates attended a memorial service for victims of last week's Fort Hood shootings.

– CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry contributed to this report.

TOPICS: Afghanistan

Full results (pdf)

TOPICS: Veterans Administration

Full results (pdf)

(CNN) - Much like former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, Rep. Michele Bachmann's name has become a kind of cultural shorthand - a conservative rallying cry and a Jon Stewart punch line.

Both women have inspired a range of merchandise that includes mugs, T-shirts and even action figures. (The miniature Palin outsells Bachmann.)

Tina Fey's unforgettable "Saturday Night Live" impersonations of 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Palin featured exact quotes or close paraphrases. And a recently launched line of Bachmann-inspired comic books features the congresswoman's own words as well.

Bachmann occupies an increasingly familiar political niche: the tough-talking, unapologetic conservative woman. The similarities with Palin go beyond a fiery brand of working-class cultural conservatism delivered in a homey twang. Each cut their teeth in culture war fights at the state level and has experienced a relatively recent meteoric ascent to the national stage.

Full story

'Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians,' Sen. Jim DeMint said in a statement.

Washington (CNN) - A handful of Republican senators have proposed a Constitutional amendment to limit the amount of time a person may serve in Congress.

Currently, there are no term limits for federal lawmakers, but Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, and several of his colleagues are advocating that service in the Senate be limited to 12 years, while lawmakers would only be allowed to serve 6 years in the House.

"Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians," DeMint said in a statement released by his office. "As long as members have the chance to spend their lives in Washington, their interests will always skew toward spending taxpayer dollars to buyoff special interests, covering over corruption in the bureaucracy, fundraising, relationship building among lobbyists, and trading favors for pork – in short, amassing their own power."

Two-thirds of the House and Senate would need to approve the amendment - a stumbling block that short-circuited the idea 14 years ago. The new proposal echoes the Citizen Legislature Act, part of the original Contract with America proposed by Republicans before they won control of Congress in 1994. That measure, which would have allowed both senators and members of the House to serve just 12 years, won a majority in the Republican-controlled House in 1995, but failed because it did not meet the constitutionally-required two-thirds threshold.

"There is no question there are big obstacles in the way," said Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, a non-partisan organization that advocates putting time restrictions in place. "It is difficult to pass a Constitutional amendment, however the goal is worthwhile and it is very important to the country. Also, if not now, when?"

This time around, proponents are not calling on lawmakers who believe in the idea to place a self-imposed term limit on themselves.

"If you are asking people to self limit, what might happen and what did happen, is that honorable politicians who made the pledge left office," while others did not, Blumel said. "The answer to the term limit supporter is not self limiting. It is the body as a whole."

DeMint, who is currently serving his first six-year term in the Senate, echoed Blumel's rational for dismissing self-imposed term limits.

"I want to be clear: demanding that reformers adopt self-imposed term limits is a recipe for self-defeat on this issue," DeMint said in Tuesday's statement. "We lost the battle for term limits after the 1994 Republican Contract with America because we forced our best advocates for reform to go home, while the big-spending career politicians waited them out. We must have term limits for all or term limits will never succeed. Only when we apply the same rules to all will we be able to enact vital bipartisan reforms."

One of the original co-sponsors of the amendment is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who is serving her third term in the Senate, but is expected to resign her seat to focus attention on a gubernatorial bid.

A spokesman for Hutchison said it is easy to square the fact that the Texas Republican is advocating for a cap of two terms even though she is currently in the middle of her third term.

"Throughout her career she has fought for term limits and continues to do so and that is why she is cosponsoring this bill," said Hutchison spokesman Jeff Sadosky. "But until it is passed, it would do a disservice to Texas and the people of Texas to do away with the seniority she has gained unless all the states and all of the senators hold themselves to the same standard."

The two other original cosponsors of the amendment are Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, and Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas. Coburn, a first-term senator, is up for re-election to his second term in 2010, while Brownback is retiring next year after pledging to only serve two full terms in the Senate. As congressmen, both voted in favor of the GOP's Contract with America term limit proposal in 1995. Coburn, a longtime term limits supporter, retired from the House in 2000 after serving three terms based on that pledge.

The CNN Washington Bureau’s morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world.

WASHINGTON/POLITICAL
For the latest political news: www.CNNPolitics.com.

CNN: Fort Hood killings 'incomprehensible,' Obama says
President Obama led a memorial service Tuesday for the 13 people killed in last week's massacre at the largest U.S. military installation, telling thousands of mourners that the legacy of the dead will live beyond their "incomprehensible" slayings.

CNN: Obama considering 4 options for Afghanistan, sources say
President Obama is considering four scenarios to move forward in Afghanistan and is expected to discuss them at his eighth meeting with his war council on Wednesday afternoon sources told CNN.

CNN: Congress to miss health care deadline, key senator says
Congress will miss President Obama's deadline to enact health care reform by the end of the year, a key Democratic senator said Tuesday.

CNN: U.S. announces one-on-one talks with North Korea
U.S. officials will soon meet unilaterally with North Korean representatives to facilitate the resumption of talks on ending North Korea's nuclear program, State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said Tuesday.

CNN: Obama to seek stronger ties on Asia trip
Barack Obama is the first U.S. president to have lived in Asia as a child, and that unique perspective will help shape his nine-day trip to the region starting Thursday, U.S. officials say.

CNN: 'Regular guy' Thune is hot commodity in GOP circles
He walks through Washington's Reagan National Airport, arriving as he does nearly every Monday from a weekend home in South Dakota. He makes his way unnoticed.

Washington Post: Dodd's reform plan takes aim at the Fed
The chairman of the Senate Banking Committee on Tuesday unveiled a sweeping regulatory reform bill that would strip the Federal Reserve of nearly all of its power to oversee banks, setting up a possible clash with the Obama administration, which has argued for the central bank to play a pivotal role in addressing financial threats.

Washington Post: Dodd's overhaul goes well beyond other plans
A regulatory bill that Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.) introduced Tuesday would create three agencies aimed at policing threats to the economy, preserving banks in good health and protecting borrowers from abuse.

New York Times: Under Attack, Fed Chairman Studies Politics
With the Federal Reserve under more intense attack than at any time in decades, Ben S. Bernanke, the professorial chairman of the central bank, was schooled last month in how to handle the increased political demands of his job.

CNN: Dunn leaving White House
White House Communication Director Anita Dunn – who recently drew headlines for her criticism of Fox News – will be leaving her post at the end of November, administration officials confirmed Tuesday.

CNN: Emanuel: Settlement issue should not block Mideast peace
The White House chief of staff Tuesday reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel and said the dispute over settlements should not keep the Israelis and Palestinians from holding peace talks.

Washington Post: In Congress, injured vets signing on for duty
Dan Lasko swore his oath to join the Marine Corps early on the morning of Sept. 11, 2001 - just before the terrorist attacks. As he watched the towers fall and the Pentagon burn, he knew his service to his country would be more vital than he could have imagined.

CNN: Senators seek to limit congressional service
A handful of Republican senators have proposed a Constitutional amendment to limit the amount of time a person may serve in Congress.

CNN: Gates: "America's family is in mourning" over Fort Hood
The investigation into last week's shooting rampage at Fort Hood will be a "thorough accounting," Defense Secretary Robert Gates pledged.

CNN: Gates praises Reagan for 'circumspect' use of U.S. military
Defense Secretary Robert Gates praised President Ronald Reagan on Tuesday for being "circumspect" about putting American credibility or troops at risk in the absence of "a clear mission or strong odds of success."

Wall Street Journal: Congress Has History of Reversing Cuts
In 1997, Congress passed a budget law that mandated tough curbs on Medicare spending, setting up formulas to reduce doctor payments if broad spending targets were exceeded. But when the formula began taking a serious bite out of doctor reimbursements in 2002, Congress acted to reverse the cuts - a step it has repeated five times since then.

Wall Street Journal: Mortgage Program Gathers Steam After Slow Start
The Obama administration said Tuesday that its mortgage-modification program has enrolled one in five eligible homeowners, a sign the effort is gathering momentum after a slow start. But so far few of those trial modifications are turning into permanent fixes.

New York Times: Blackwater Said to Pursue Bribes to Iraq After 17 Died
Top executives at Blackwater Worldwide authorized secret payments of about $1 million to Iraqi officials that were intended to silence their criticism and buy their support after a September 2007 episode in which Blackwater security guards fatally shot 17 Iraqi civilians in Baghdad, according to former company officials.

CNN: Obama to name new USAID chief
President Barack Obama will nominate Dr. Rajiv Shah to fill the long-vacant position as head the U.S. Agency for International Development, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN Tuesday. The official spoke on background because a public announcement has not yet been made.

Washington Post: U.S. citizen sues over treatment in 'rendition'
An American who was captured by Kenyan forces in January 2007 filed suit in U.S. District Court in Washington on Tuesday, arguing that FBI agents allegedly involved in his interrogation and transfer to other countries violated his constitutional rights.

CNN: Scozzafava takes on Palin
Dede Scozzafava, the woman who has become the symbol of moderate Republicanism, is taking a shot at former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin, the woman who has become the darling of the Republican Party's conservative grassroots.

CNN: Senator: 131,000 homeless vets a 'disgrace'
Americans from coast to coast are getting ready to enjoy the annual Veterans Day holiday this week.

New York Times: You Can Quote Me, Next Week
The school newspaper at Dalton, a private school in Manhattan, contained a cryptic note from its editors last Friday. “We are not able to cover the recent visit by a Supreme Court justice due to numerous publication constraints,” the note said. It promised “an explanation of the regrettable delay” in the next issue.

CNN: First on the Ticker: Romney to speak at Reagan Ranch
Mitt Romney is heading to Reagan country. The former Massachusetts governor is scheduled to speak this Friday to the Young America's Foundation at the Ronald Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, California. Romney is expected to be the dinner banquet speaker for the foundation's West Coast Leadership Conference, which consists of young conservatives from 44 colleges and universities across 12 states.

CNN: Palin heading to Iowa
Sarah Palin's heading to Iowa. The former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee's upcoming book tour will taker her to Sioux City, Iowa, on Sunday December 6, according to an announcement posted on the Barnes and Noble Web site.

CNN: Police remove activists trying to occupy Lieberman's office
Police arrested six demonstrators Tuesday inside the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut), after a group protesting his views on health-care legislation refused to leave.

Boston Globe: Stimulus job boost in state exaggerated, review finds
While Massachusetts recipients of federal stimulus money collectively report 12,374 jobs saved or created, a Globe review shows that number is wildly exaggerated. Organizations that received stimulus money miscounted jobs, filed erroneous figures, or claimed jobs for work that has not yet started.

CNN: Reid invited Clinton to Hill after consulting with WH
Two sources tell CNN that the idea for having former President Bill Clinton talk with Democratic senators about health care came from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. A senior administration official says Reid asked Clinton to do it, and the White House had a role in helping to arrange it.

CNN: Top Connecticut gubernatorial candidate not running
A new poll suggests that Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell's approval rating is on the rise and that she would beat all her potential Democratic challengers in next year's election. The only problem, Rell is not running for re-election.

NATIONAL
For the latest national news: www.CNN.com.

CNN: Sniper John Allen Muhammad executed
Washington-area sniper John Allen Muhammad was executed Tuesday by lethal injection, a Virginia prisons spokesman said.

CNN: Official: Fort Hood suspect asked military to give Muslims an out
The suspect in last week's deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood urged in 2007 that Muslims in the U.S. Army be allowed to claim conscientious objector status when it comes to fighting other Muslims in war, a defense official said Tuesday.

CNN: King: Army strain, recovery at Fort Lewis
The pain is excruciating, but to Army Spc. Michael Ballard, pain is the price of progress.

Washington Post: Possible agency missteps debated
As the nation mourned the 13 people shot dead last week at Fort Hood, Tex., finger-pointing in Washington intensified Tuesday about whether officials at several agencies had failed to coordinate as they tracked the suspect's activities or to react to possible warning signs in the months before the attack.

Boston Globe: His next mission: finding civilian work
Sergeant First Class Robert Hornbrook of the Green Berets excels at many things. He can kick in doors and jump out of planes, roust insurgents, and rescue hostages. He knows how to survive capture, torture, the jungle, and the desert. He hits what he shoots at. He is an acknowledged leader among elite warriors, with a Bronze Star, hundreds of combat missions, and 20 years of military service under his belt.

CNN: No bond for 3 teens charged as adults in burning of 15-year-old
Three teens accused of setting a 15-year-old friend ablaze were held without bond Tuesday on adult charges of attempted murder.

New York Times: States Mold School Policies to Win Federal Money
Colorado’s lieutenant governor, Barbara O’Brien, has been parsing every public statement by Education Secretary Arne Duncan for nuances that could help her position the state as a winner in the $4 billion competition for federal school dollars known as Race to the Top.

CNN: Texas polygamist gets 10 years for sexual assault
A polygamist sect member arrested following last year's raid of a west Texas ranch was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting an underage girl, authorities said.

Washington Times: Peace Corps' popularity jumps
The Peace Corps, the volunteer program that emerged from President Kennedy's New Frontier in 1961 to promote international development and good will, is seeing a record number of applications.

CNN: Discharged under 'don't ask, don't tell'
Darren Manzella saw two tours of duty in Iraq, first as a combat medic and later as a liaison officer. He earned three promotions in his six years as a U.S. Army sergeant.

CNN: Ida dwindles to tropical depression off Gulf Coast
Ida has been downgraded from a tropical storm to a tropical depression as it lost momentum during its approach to the U.S. Gulf Coast early Tuesday.

CNN: Ex-astronaut in love triangle case avoids prison with plea deal
A former astronaut who was accused of assaulting a romantic rival in the parking lot of the Orlando airport will avoid prison after pleading guilty to lesser charges as part of a plea agreement.

INTERNATIONAL
For the latest international news: http://edition.cnn.com/

CNN: Pilot charged after UK airport arrest
British police said they stopped a United Airlines pilot from flying while intoxicated earlier this week, pulling him from a Boeing 767 aircraft at London's Heathrow airport and charging him with being on duty while his blood-alcohol level was over the limit.

CNN: At least 26 dead in Pakistan traffic blast
A suicide car bomber struck a congested traffic circle outside Peshawar Tuesday, killing at least 26 people - including several women and children - and wounding 60 others, police and hospital officials said.

CNN: New jihad code threatens al Qaeda
From within Libya's most secure jail a new challenge to al Qaeda is emerging.

CNN: Iran urges Yemen's neighbors to stay out of rebellion
Iran's foreign minister Tuesday called on Yemen's neighbors to stay out of the conflict between Yemeni forces and Shiite Muslim rebels, while Yemen said it had seized an Iranian ship near its territorial waters.

Wall Street Journal: Hackers Indicted in Widespread ATM Heist
The U.S. Justice Department indicted eight Russian and Eastern European computer hackers, alleging they were part of a crime ring that allegedly broke into ATMs in hundreds of cities world-wide and stole $9 million in a matter of hours.

Los Angeles Times: Trafficking reports raise heart-wrenching questions for adoptive parents
Accounts of Chinese children being kidnapped, bartered and sold to orphanages have many adopters wondering about their children. Some may try to track down the birth parents - but then what?

CNN: Dam failure triggers huge blackout in Brazil
An important hydroelectric dam shared by Brazil and Paraguay failed Tuesday night, pushing a large swath of central and southern Brazil into darkness, said the country's minister of mines and energy, Edison Lobao.

Washington Post: In Afghanistan, Taliban surpasses al-Qaeda
As violence rises in Afghanistan, the power balance between insurgent groups has shifted, with a weakened al-Qaeda relying increasingly on the emboldened Taliban for protection and the manpower to carry out deadly attacks, according to U.S. military and intelligence officials.

CNN: Police: Enke's death apparent suicide
The goalkeeper for the German national soccer team was struck by a train Tuesday in what police called an apparent suicide.

CNN: Kalashnikov gun designer turns 90
Red Army tank commander Sgt. Mikhail Kalashnikov invented his first machine gun in 1942, during the Second World War, as he sat in a hospital bed recovering from a wound that he got in western Russia.

CNN: Chinese credit card debt mounts
The world economy is placing a bet on its future with China, but some Chinese are placing bets on their future with plastic.

BUSINESS
For the latest business news: www.CNNMoney.com.

Fortune: There are still too many houses
The lights are on in the housing market. But at more and more places, nobody's home.

CNNMoney: Former Bear Stearns execs not guilty
Two former Bear Stearns hedge fund managers were found not guilty on all charges on Tuesday in the first major criminal trial stemming from the housing and financial meltdown.

New York Times: Calming the Black Friday Crowds
A year after an unruly crowd trampled a worker to death at a Wal-Mart store, the nation’s retailers are preparing for another Black Friday, the blockbuster shopping day after Thanksgiving. Along with offering $300 laptops and $99 navigation devices, stores are planning new safety measures to make sure the festive day does not take another deadly turn.

CNNMoney: JPMorgan Chase to hire 1,200
JPMorgan & Chase announced plans Tuesday to hire 1,200 mortgage loan officers as the bank moves to expand its home loan business.

CNNMoney: The dollar is weak because ...
Here's the latest twist on the timeless chicken versus the egg debate. Which came first: the stock and commodities rally or the weaker dollar?

In Case You Missed It
To watch the latest interviews and reporting: http://www.cnn.com/video.

CNN: German Footballer Death
World Sport's Mark McKay talks to German football analyst Raphael Honigstein about the death of footballer Robert Enke.

Subscribe to the CNN=Politics DAILY podcast at http://www.cnn.com/politicalpodcast.

And now stay posted on the latest from the campaign trail by downloading the CNN=Politics SCREENSAVER at http://www.CNN.com/situationroom.

WASHINGTON (CNN) – The investigation into last week's shooting rampage at Fort Hood will be a "thorough accounting," Defense Secretary Robert Gates pledged.

"The president and I are committed to a thorough accounting of what happened, and to seeing that the shooting victims and their families have everything they need to recover from this ordeal," Gates said Tuesday at a Library of Congress event honoring President Ronald Reagan's contribution to the fall of the Berlin Wall.

"Tomorrow is Veterans Day, when we paused to remember the contributions and the sacrifices of all who have worn America's uniform," Gates said, adding that "America's family remains in mourning" over last week's rampage. He called for a moment of silence "for those so ruthlessly attacked at Fort Hood last week, and their families, and out of gratitude (for) veterans who have served in defense of their country."

He participated in a memorial service Tuesday at Fort Hood, honoring the 13 who died during the rampage, but he did not speak.

On Monday night, he visited Fort Hood to meet with the victims' families, as well as Fort Hood police Sgt. Kimberly Munley, who disabled the gunman as they shot at each other.

Gates also was slated to meet with military officials at the Army base, including Fort Hood's commanding general, Lt. Gen. Robert Cone, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen.

'Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians,' Sen. Jim DeMint said in a statement.

Washington (CNN) - A handful of Republican senators have proposed a Constitutional amendment to limit the amount of time a person may serve in Congress.

Currently, there are no term limits for federal lawmakers, but Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, and several of his colleagues are advocating that service in the Senate be limited to 12 years, while lawmakers would only be allowed to serve 6 years in the House.

"Americans know real change in Washington will never happen until we end the era of permanent politicians," DeMint said in a statement released by his office. "As long as members have the chance to spend their lives in Washington, their interests will always skew toward spending taxpayer dollars to buyoff special interests, covering over corruption in the bureaucracy, fundraising, relationship building among lobbyists, and trading favors for pork – in short, amassing their own power."

Two-thirds of the House and Senate would need to approve the amendment - a stumbling block that short-circuited the idea 14 years ago. The new proposal echoes the Citizen Legislature Act, part of the original Contract with America proposed by Republicans before they won control of Congress in 1994. That measure, which would have allowed both senators and members of the House to serve just 12 years, won a majority in the Republican-controlled House in 1995, but failed because it did not meet the constitutionally-required two-thirds threshold.

"There is no question there are big obstacles in the way," said Philip Blumel, president of U.S. Term Limits, a non-partisan organization that advocates putting time restrictions in place. "It is difficult to pass a Constitutional amendment, however the goal is worthwhile and it is very important to the country. Also, if not now, when?"

This time around, proponents are not calling on lawmakers who believe in the idea to place a self-imposed term limit on themselves.

"If you are asking people to self limit, what might happen and what did happen, is that honorable politicians who made the pledge left office," while others did not, Blumel said. "The answer to the term limit supporter is not self limiting. It is the body as a whole."

DeMint, who is currently serving his first six-year term in the Senate, echoed Blumel's rational for dismissing self-imposed term limits.

"I want to be clear: demanding that reformers adopt self-imposed term limits is a recipe for self-defeat on this issue," DeMint said in Tuesday's statement. "We lost the battle for term limits after the 1994 Republican Contract with America because we forced our best advocates for reform to go home, while the big-spending career politicians waited them out. We must have term limits for all or term limits will never succeed. Only when we apply the same rules to all will we be able to enact vital bipartisan reforms."

One of the original co-sponsors of the amendment is Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, who is serving her third term in the Senate, but is expected to resign her seat to focus attention on a gubernatorial bid.

A spokesman for Hutchison said it is easy to square the fact that the Texas Republican is advocating for a cap of two terms even though she is currently in the middle of her third term.

"Throughout her career she has fought for term limits and continues to do so and that is why she is cosponsoring this bill," said Hutchison spokesman Jeff Sadosky. "But until it is passed, it would do a disservice to Texas and the people of Texas to do away with the seniority she has gained unless all the states and all of the senators hold themselves to the same standard."

The two other original cosponsors of the amendment are Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma, and Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kansas. Coburn, a first-term senator, is up for re-election to his second term in 2010, while Brownback is retiring next year after pledging to only serve two full terms in the Senate. As congressmen, both voted in favor of the GOP's Contract with America term limit proposal in 1995. Coburn, a longtime term limits supporter, retired from the House in 2000 after serving three terms based on that pledge.

Dede Scozzafava, the woman who has become the symbol of moderate Republicanism, is taking a shot at former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin.

Washington (CNN) – Dede Scozzafava, the woman who has become the symbol of moderate Republicanism, is taking a shot at former Republican vice presidential hopeful Sarah Palin, the woman who has become the darling of the Republican Party's conservative grassroots.

In a new interview, the state assemblywoman also lets loose on former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who chose to endorse Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman over Scozzafava, her party's official nominee, in the closely-watched race in New York's 23rd congressional district.

The Hoffman campaign and many of his supporters targeted Scozzafava on some of her more moderate views, particularly on social issues.

The growing conservative support for Hoffman, including the endorsements from Palin and other prominent conservatives, eventually led Scozzafava - who had been hand-picked by local party leaders - to drop out of the race just days before Election Day.

"How can Sarah Palin come out and endorse someone who can't answer some basic questions?" Scozzafava told the Washington Post. "Do these people even know who they are endorsing?"

In the interview, Scozzafava - who ended up backing the race's victor, Democrat Bill Owens - sounded a bitter note about how she was treated by members of her own party.

"It was organized," Scozzafava told the Post about the attacks against her by Palin, other prominent conservative figures, and conservative advocacy groups. "There is a lot of us who consider ourselves Republicans, of the Party of Lincoln. If they don't want us with them, we're going to work against them."

Sen. Thune, foreground, is Senate Republican Policy Committee.

Washington (CNN) - He walks through Washington's Reagan National Airport, arriving as he does nearly every Monday from a weekend home in South Dakota. He makes his way unnoticed.

But John Thune's anonymity may not last forever.

He is a Republican on the rise: a freshman senator who is already a member of the GOP leadership.

As head of the Senate Republican Policy Committee, Thune runs the weekly strategy session where all Senate Republicans try to find consensus on the best way to challenge President Obama and the Democratic majority.

"It's probably the most candid assessment that we have in a given week," Thune said, riding the subway to the Tuesday lunch.

With just 40 Republicans in the Senate now, Thune insists that there is still a diversity of GOP views - but one that he argues must be expanded.

Full story

Washington (CNN) - Barack Obama is the first U.S. president who lived in Asia as a child, and that unique perspective will help shape his nine-day trip to the region starting Thursday, U.S. officials say.

Throughout the trip to Japan, Singapore, China and South Korea, Obama will emphasize the importance of Asian nations as vital U.S. partners on major issues such as economic growth, nuclear non-proliferation, the war in Afghanistan and climate change, three officials said in a briefing this week.

The itinerary includes formal talks with Asian leaders as a group and individually, a bilateral meeting with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, and the first participation by a U.S. president in a summit of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) economic alliance.

In addition, Obama's itinerary reflects his personal ties to Asia with a bilateral meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia, where Obama lived from 1967 to 1971.

As the first U.S. president with "an Asia-Pacific orientation," Obama "understands that the future of our prosperity and our security is very much tied to this part of the world," said Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser for strategic communications.

It won't be all diplomatic meetings, though. Obama's first trip to China will include a "town hall" style meeting in Shanghai and sightseeing in Beijing, while in Japan he'll meet the emperor and empress, according to Rhodes.

Obama's departure was delayed one day to allow his attendance at Tuesday's memorial service at Fort Hood Army Post in Texas. The revised itinerary cut a day from the stop in Singapore, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said earlier this week.

The president will meet with new Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Medvedev and Yudhoyono, and will take part in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and ASEAN summits.

Increasing U.S. exports to a region expected to grow by more than 7 percent next year will be an important topic, said Michael Froman, deputy national security adviser for international economic affairs.

Asia "already takes about a quarter of our exports, and those exports are expected to increase as the region grows" Froman said. The result could be an increase of "hundreds of thousands" in the current 1.6 million U.S. jobs linked to Asian exports, he said.

The officials were careful to avoid any perception that Obama's presence at the ASEAN meeting would amount to a bilateral discussion with the prime minister of Myanmar, who also will attend.

After years of refusing direct talks with Myanmar, also known as Burma, the United States has indicated a possible re-engagement with the military regime it considers repressive for cracking down on political opposition, including the National League for Democracy led by detained Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.

"The statement we're trying to make here is that we're not going to let the Burmese tail wag the ASEAN dog," said Jeffrey Bader, the National Security Council's senior director for East Asian affairs. "We're going to meet with all 10 and we're not going to punish the other nine simply because Burma is in the room, but this is not a bilateral."

In China, Obama will continue efforts to define and strengthen the relationship with the world's largest emerging economy, which has a growing influence in Asia, Bader said.

"We see it as a relationship where we're obviously going to have differences, where we are going to be competitors in certain respects," he said. "But we want to maximize areas where we can work together because the global challenges will simply not be met if we don't."

Bader cited North Korea's nuclear weapons program, the economy, climate change, human rights and Afghanistan as among the top issues for the China swing. On human rights, Bader said Obama is likely to address "freedom of expression, access to information, freedom of religion, rule of law, and certainly Tibet."

Obama will make clear to Hu that he intends to meet in the future with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader, Bader said. China, which rejects Tibetan aspirations for autonomy, opposes such high-level contacts with the Dalai Lama.

On North Korea, the State Department announced Tuesday that U.S. officials will travel to the country by the end of the year to seek a resumption of broader talks on ending the Pyongyang government's nuclear program.

The Obama administration has claimed initial progress in its strategy of forging an international effort including China, South Korea and other countries to put pressure on North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions.

Also Tuesday, North Korea and South Korea reported an encounter involving gunfire between two of their naval ships off the Korean Peninsula. No casualties were reported, and a State Department spokesman downplayed the significance of the incident.

Sen. Menendez said Tuesday that 'Veterans' homelessness is a national disgrace.'

Washington (CNN) - Americans from coast to coast are getting ready to enjoy the annual Veterans Day holiday this week.

For thousands of homeless men and women who once served in the armed forces, however, the day is merely another reminder of "the thin line that exists between survival and despair," one U.S. senator said Tuesday.

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 131,000 veterans are homeless on any given night, Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey noted at a Senate subcommittee hearing on the subject.

"Veterans' homelessness is a national disgrace," he said.

"American heroes (are) huddled over a heating grate in the shadow of the Washington Monument, or curled up on a bench by the war memorials on the Mall in Washington, or trying to find shelter in cities across America."

The VA has concluded that 260,000 veterans are homeless over the course of a typical year, he added. An estimated one in four homeless men or women served in the military.

The increasing number of servicemen and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, combined with the economic downturn, Menendez noted, has contributed to a recent spike in the number of homeless families with veterans.

"The federal government ... is not doing nearly enough when so many new veterans are falling through the cracks," he said. "The current system of dealing with their needs is being overwhelmed."

The VA is on track to spend approximately $3.2 billion on programs for homeless veterans this year, claimed Peter Dougherty, who heads up the VA's programs addressing homelessness. Out of that total, $2.7 billion will be directed toward health care services.

Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki recently outlined a five-year program designed to eliminate homelessness among veterans.

There may be a number of federal and state services, Iraq war veteran Lila Guy argued, but "most veterans don't know what options are out there for them."

Guy, who spent a year in Iraq with the Army, found herself homeless shortly after returning to the United States in 2006. Her husband left her and their children at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, when he learned that she would have to redeploy within a year, she said.

Guy was able to get a hardship discharge, but had trouble readjusting to civilian life as a single mother. Finding herself suddenly homeless, she moved back in with her parents.

She was eventually able to move into VA-assisted housing after being helped by her congressman, Rep. Joe Sestak of Pennsylvania.

A lot of soldiers, "come back with so many mental issues," she told the committee.

"The transition is hard. ... They train (you) to fight and do all those things (but) they don't teach you how to live a normal life when you get back."

Emanuel filled in for President Barack Obama, who canceled his scheduled appearance to attend the Fort Hood memorial service.

Washington (CNN) - The White House chief of staff Tuesday reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to Israel and said the dispute over settlements should not keep the Israelis and Palestinians from holding peace talks.

"No one should allow the issue of settlements to distract from the goal of a lasting peace between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab world," Rahm Emanuel told participants at a conference of the Jewish Federations of North America.

He urged Israelis and Palestinians to hold peace negotiations soon to address key "final status" issues of security, borders, refugees and Jerusalem. But he added that that "unilateral actions should be avoided and cannot dictate the outcome," a pointed reference to continued settlement activity by Israel.

Emanuel filled in for President Barack Obama, who canceled his scheduled appearance before the group to attend the Fort Hood memorial service. He reiterated statements made by Obama stressing the "unbreakable" bond between the United States and Israel.

Emanuel pushed back against critics who say Obama is turning his back on Israel by engaging with the Arab and Muslim world. Obama's motives are "just the opposite," he said, adding, "It is only through dialogue that we can achieve lasting peace that Israel seeks.

"As this administration has sought to engage the region, there are some who suggest this implies a diminished level of support for Israel," he said. "That is not the intent and that is not the case and never will be."

He warned about the dangers of Israel abandoning efforts to reach a peace deal with the Palestinians, saying that a two-state solution is critical to preserving Israel's identity as a Jewish state.

"Demographics cannot be denied," he said, nothing that without a neighboring Palestinian state Israel would have to "attempt to preserve a democratic state, a Jewish state, when Jews will soon be a minority west of the Jordan River.

While acknowledging the peace process is difficult, Emanuel said, "The path towards peace is not one Israel should be asked to walk alone."

The United States will remain actively engaged and will "stand by Israel as one true friend as it takes steps toward peace," he said.

Emanuel spoke of his family's roots in Israel and the "privileged point of view" he gained by seeing Israel "as a homeland." He noted that he will be taking his son and nephew to Israel to celebrate their bar mitzvahs this spring.

He also touched on domestic issues, saying that last weekend's vote by the House of Representatives on health care legislation brought the United States "closer than ever to achieving" health care reform. He began his remarks by calling for a moment of silence for the victims of the Fort Hood shooting.

His speech came a day after Obama met with leaders from the Jewish Federations as well as with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who addressed the group Monday.

In his remarks, Netanyahu called for an immediate resumption of peace talks with Palestinians, saying his goal "is to achieve a permanent peace treaty between Israel and the Palestinians, and soon."

"Let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement; let us begin talks immediately," he said.

"No words can fill the void that has been left," President Obama told the loved ones of the thirteen killed by the recent shootings at Fort Hood. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Fort Hood, Texas (CNN) - President Obama led a memorial service Tuesday for the 13 people killed in last week's massacre at the largest U.S. military installation, telling thousands of mourners that the legacy of the dead will live beyond their "incomprehensible" slayings.

Related video: Obama speaks at Fort Hood memorial

Obama told the families of those killed that "no words can fill the void that has been left." But he added, "Your loved ones endure through the life of our nation."

"Their life's work is our security, and the freedom that we too often take for granted. Every evening that the sun sets on a tranquil town; every dawn that a flag is unfurled; every moment that an American enjoys life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness - that is their legacy," the president said.

The boots, helmets and rifles and service photographs of the slain soldiers were lined up before the podium where Obama spoke, and family members of the dead wore white ribbons as they were escorted to seats at the ceremony.

"This is a time of war. And yet these Americans did not die on a foreign field of battle," Obama said to a crowd estimated at about 15,000. "They were killed here, on American soil, in the heart of this great American community. It is this fact that makes the tragedy even more painful and even more incomprehensible."

Full story

"I broke the top of my femur, so with the plate and screws, now I'm actually, two months later, able to walk - do some walking on my own," Ballard told us. "Physical therapy is coming along very well."

Once the hip is back to full strength, Ballard will need knee surgery to repair ligament damage, but he shrugs and voices encouragement at his progress and smiles a confident smile when asked about his ultimate goal.

"Get back and fight," Ballard said without hesitation. "Return to duty."

Veterans Day traditionally has been set aside more to honor those who have served rather than those still serving. But eight-plus years of war in Afghanistan and Iraq have created a huge class of combat veterans who still wear the uniform, many of them with two or three or more deployments under their belts and perhaps more in their futures.

Full story

Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama will nominate Dr. Rajiv Shah to fill the long-vacant position as head the U.S. Agency for International Development, a senior administration official confirmed to CNN Tuesday. The official spoke on background because a public announcement has not yet been made.

Shah, a physician and former executive with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, is currently under-secretary for research, education and economics, and chief scientist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture. He manages the Agricultural Research Service, the Economic Research Service, the National Agricultural Statistical Service and the National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

The official described Shah as leader in global development with "deep experience" in health, agriculture, water and financial services.

At the Gates Foundation, Shah helped launch the Global Development program and directly managed the foundation's nearly $1.3 billion portfolio of investments in agricultural development. He also was the founding director of the foundation's Financial Services to the Poor portfolio, and held numerous leadership roles within the Foundation Global Health program.

Shah, the official said, also helped lead, and is an important contributor to, Obama's global food security initiative.

According to the official, at the Agriculture Department Shah manages more than 10,000 federal employees and a budget of more than $2.6 billion, working with Congress, the State Department, the White House and the international development community on issues such as health and nutrition, bio-energy and climate change.

Join the conversation on Jack's blog.

Call it CBS News versus the White House.

CBS reports that President Obama intends to give General Stanley McChrystal most – if not all – of the 40,000 troops he's asking for in Afghanistan. They say the president has tentatively decided to send four combat brigades plus thousands of more support troops.

According to CBS, the troop buildup would last for about four years – until the Afghan military doubles in size. This surge would mean the number of U.S. troops would grow from the current 68,000 to about 100,000 by the end of the president's first term.

But the White House insists the CBS story is false. They call reports that the president has made a decision about Afghanistan "absolutely false." They say Mr. Obama still hasn't received or reviewed "final options" with his national security team.

So – who's telling the truth here? It comes down to the word of the Obama White House against the network of Edward R. Murrow and Walter Cronkite.

Of course... CBS News also saw Dan Rather step down in 2005 after apologizing for a report that questioned President George W. Bush's National Guard service. Rather said the report was based on false documents.

To read more and contribute to the Cafferty File discussion, click here

Sen. Durbin, background, said Tuesday that Senate Democrats expect to miss the deadline for the health care bill set by President Obama.

Washington (CNN) – Despite President Obama's pressure on Senate Democrats to finish health care legislation so he can sign a final bill by the end of year, a Senate Democratic leader said Tuesday they expect to miss that deadline.

Sen. Dick Durbin, the second-ranking Democrat in the chamber, said he hopes, at best, to complete the Senate's version of the bill by that time.

"I would say our goal is to get it out of the Senate this year," said Durbin.

Durbin, of Illinois, blamed the shifting timeline on a slower than expected cost analysis of the legislation by the Congressional Budget Office and an uncertain schedule for floor debate, which Durbin said they hope to begin before Thanksgiving.

Durbin's comments contrasted with those of White House spokesman Robert Gibbs who adamantly told reporters Monday that "the president wants to sign a health care bill before the end of the year."

Asked if there is a disconnect with the White House, Durbin, who is close to the president, responded, "The president called me yesterday, and I know what he wants - to bring a health care reform bill to him as quickly as possible."

Full story

(CNN) - Mitt Romney is heading to Reagan country.

The former Massachusetts governor is scheduled to speak this Friday to the Young America's Foundation at the Ronald Reagan Ranch Center in Santa Barbara, California. Romney is expected to be the dinner banquet speaker for the foundation's West Coast Leadership Conference, which consists of young conservatives from 44 colleges and universities across 12 states.

"Young people provide much of the energy in the conservative movement, and if we are going to be successful as a party we need to harness that energy and put it work on behalf of the principles we all believe in – more freedom, lower taxes and limited government," says Romney Adviser Eric Fehrnstrom.

Since February, Romney has made a series of moves that could aid in any 2012 reprise of his 2008 presidential bid: He has attended nine events for senatorial candidates, appeared at more than a dozen rallies or fundraisers for those running for governor this year or next, and spoken at almost two dozen meetings of Republican Party groups or conservative organizations. He's also finished a new book, due out next year.

"From now until November of 2010, I will be working to help conservatives across the country," Romney told CNN last week. "The country, in my view, is being taken a direction that is very damaging, and I think people want to see a strong return of fundamental American principles."

–CNN Political Producer Kevin Bohn contributed to this report

Protesters were arrested trying to occupy Sen. Lieberman's office Tuesdayon Capitol Hill.

Washington (CNN) - Police arrested six demonstrators Tuesday inside the Capitol Hill office of Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Connecticut), after a group protesting his views on health-care legislation refused to leave.

Lieberman was not there at the time.

A group calling itself the "Mobilization for Health Care for All" littered the floor and hallway with symbolic "money," and said campaign donations to Lieberman by the insurance industry have affected his judgment of health-care legislation.

The group is upset that Lieberman refuses to support the "public option," that they believe would reduce the number of people without health-care insurance.

Lieberman later denied that his view has been affected by political support from the insurance industry. "I'm for health insurance reform," he told CNN, "I don't want however, as part of that to create another large, government-run insurance company. We can't afford it, we're already deeply in debt, the taxpayers can't afford it, our government can't afford it."

But one of the protesters, Sheila Dvorak, said "insurance companies bribe our elected officials." She was among those arrested and charged with unlawful entry, according to U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Kimberly Schneider.

While only about a dozen demonstrators showed up for the protest, they were determined not to leave until they could directly ask the senator to reject future financial support from the insurance industry.

Lieberman had departed for a hearing about ten minutes before demonstrators began to assemble outside his office.

Staffers offered to convey their concerns, but the protesters then started singing and chanting, prompting a call to police.

Reached outside a hearing room, Lieberman told CNN, "Everybody has a right to express their point of view, I much prefer to have a dialogue, of course. But I think, some of these folks come in to get arrested, that's their right too."

Palin's upcoming book tour will take her to Iowa, the early proving ground for presidential hopefuls.

(CNN) - Sarah Palin's heading to Iowa.

The former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee's upcoming book tour will taker her to Sioux City, Iowa, on Sunday December 6, according to an announcement posted on the Barnes and Noble Web site.

Palin will kick off the tour in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 18, one day after her book, "Going Rogue: An American Life," is released.

Iowa's caucuses traditionally kick off the presidential primary season and any appearance in the Hawkeye State by a Republican who may be considering a run for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination sparks speculation.

Sioux City is in the heart of the conservative northwest part of Iowa.

Palin isn't the only possible Republican White House hopeful making an appearance in Iowa. Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor and 2008 Republican presidential candidate, visited three bookstores in eastern and central Iowa on Sunday to sign copies of his new holiday themed book. And Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty was in the state Saturday to give the keynote address at a major Iowa Republican party dinner.

– CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

The president saluted as he and the first lady deplaned from Air Force One and headed for Fort Hood on Tuesday.

Fort Hood, Texas (CNN) - President Barack Obama joined top brass, thousands of rank-and-file troops and other dignitaries Tuesday to pay tribute to the 13 people killed in last week's massacre at the largest U.S. military installation.

Obama will be among the speakers at the Fort Hood memorial, which is scheduled for 1 p.m. (2 p.m. ET).

"The president will use the opportunity to honor 13 men and women who died, to talk a little bit about each of them and to discuss the contributions they made, and the notion that their memory lasts in the service and the dedication of the armed forces and that the people they touched, both in the military and outside," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters aboard Air Force One.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey, Texas Gov. Rick Perry and more than a dozen members of Congress are among those scheduled to attend the memorial.

Shortly before the ceremony and 1,200 miles away, the remains of one of the 12 soldiers killed in Thursday's slaughter were carried off a chartered jet in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

An honor guard met the casket of Sgt. Amy Krueger on the apron at General Mitchell International Airport. Krueger, 29, was a high school athlete who joined the military after the September 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, and was assigned to a medical unit that was doing checkups on soldiers bound for Afghanistan and Iraq when the shooting erupted, leaving 12 soldiers and a civilian dead and 42 wounded.

The suspected gunman in the attack is a 39-year-old Army psychiatrist, Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan. He was shot several times during the rampage and was in intensive care at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Hasan was removed from a ventilator over the weekend, but he has refused to speak to investigators and asked for a lawyer, senior federal investigative officials told reporters Monday.

No charges have been filed yet, and authorities have not identified a motive in Thursday's attack. But in a statement issued Monday night, the FBI said its investigation so far "indicates that the alleged gunman acted alone and was not part of a broader terrorist plot."

Hasan, a U.S.-born citizen of Palestinian descent, was a licensed psychiatrist who joined the Army in 1997. He was promoted to major in May and was scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan sometime soon, but had been telling his family since 2001 that he wanted to get out of the military.

He told his family that he had been taunted for his Muslim faith after the terrorist attacks of 2001. In August, he reported to police that his car was keyed - scratched - and a bumper sticker that read "Allah is Love" was torn off, leading to criminal mischief charges against a neighbor.

And in 2007, he argued during a medical seminar that Muslims in the Army should be allowed to claim "conscientious objector" status as the United States fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Washington Post reported Tuesday.

–CNN Correspondent Jill Dougherty contributed to this report.

Washington (CNN) - White House Communication Director Anita Dunn – who recently drew headlines for her criticism of Fox News – will be leaving her post at the end of November, administration officials confirmed Tuesday.

Dunn, who took the post on a temporary basis, had originally been slated to leave the job at the end of the summer, but stayed on at President Obama's request. She will be replaced by Deputy White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer, and retain a consulting role.

After months spent largely behind the scenes, Dunn burst into public view when she charged that Fox News was acting as an arm of the Republican Party. She later drew controversy after Fox host Glenn Beck broadcast footage of a comment in which she appeared to speak favorably about former communist Chinese leader Mao Tse-Tung. Watch: Dunn goes on the offensive vs Fox.

Pfeiffer, who headed the Obama communication shop during the 2008 presidential campaign, is a Democratic political veteran who has also worked for former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Sen. Evan Bayh as well as Vice President Al Gore's 2000 presidential campaign.

Dunn, a seasoned political operative, assumed the role earlier this year when then-Communications Director Ellen Moran left the post for a role at the Commerce Department.

Some 650,000 troubled borrowers have been put into trial loan modifications under the president's foreclosure rescue plan, the Treasury Department said Tuesday.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - Some 650,000 troubled borrowers have been put into trial loan modifications under the president's foreclosure rescue plan, the Treasury Department said Tuesday.

That number represents 20% of eligible homeowners at least 60 days behind in their payments, according to the Treasury report. This is up from 16% a month earlier.

Despite the progress, housing counselors say the number of people falling into foreclosure vastly exceeds the ranks getting assistance. The number of filings hit a record high of 937,840 in the third quarter, according to RealtyTrac, an online marketer of foreclosed homes. That's a 5% increase from the second quarter and a 23% jump over the third quarter of 2008.

Full story

WASHINGTON (CNN)– White House National Security Adviser Retired Gen. Jim Jones issued a rare public statement Monday vehemently denying media reports suggesting President Obama has privately decided to send close to 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, as tensions between the White House and Pentagon appear to be flaring up over exactly what the president will announce.

"Reports that President Obama has made a decision about Afghanistan are absolutely false," Jones, who generally keeps a low public profile, said in a prepared statement Monday night. "He has not received final options for his consideration, he has not reviewed those options with his national security team, and he has not made any decisions about resources. Any reports to the contrary are completely untrue and come from uninformed sources."

The statement was issued shortly after CBS News' veteran Pentagon Correspondent David Martin reported that Obama has "tentatively decided" to send four more combat brigades to Afghanistan and several thousand more support troops starting early next year. That would bring the total number of new troops to close to the 40,000 figure originally requested by Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

Two other senior administration officials flatly told CNN that the CBS report and other similar speculation is false. The Associated Press reported Monday that Obama is "nearing a decision to add tens of thousands more forces to Afghanistan, though not quite the 40,000 sought [by] his top general there."

The two senior administration officials suggested the information is being leaked by Pentagon sources who are trying to box Obama in by setting public expectations that he will send close to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan as McChrystal requested.

"People at the Pentagon are trying to force a certain outcome," one of the senior administration officials told CNN.

Both senior administration officials insisted Obama has not made any decision on troop levels in Afghanistan, noting the President has another meeting with his national security team on Wednesday to receive a final set of recommendations from the Pentagon brass. The senior officials said the president could not possibly make a decision on troop levels before even receiving the Pentagon's final recommendations.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday it's "doubtful" Obama will announce a troop decision before he leaves for a trip to Asia on Thursday. It's conidered unlikely that Obama will make such an announcement during his trip to Asia, which is largely focused on economic matters and separate diplomatic issues like North Korea's nuclear program.

Obama is scheduled to return from Asia on Friday November 20 after stops in Japan, Singapore, China, and South Korea. Officials have suggested the President could announce a troop decision sometime shortly before or after Thanksgiving, though Gibbs has vaguely said the decision will be revealed in "coming weeks" so as not to be pinned down.

Two sources tell CNN that the idea for having former President Bill Clinton talk with Democratic senators about health care came from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

Washington (CNN) – Two sources tell CNN that the idea for having former President Bill Clinton talk with Democratic senators about health care came from Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. A senior administration official says Reid asked Clinton to do it, and the White House had a role in helping to arrange it.

On Capitol Hill, a senior Democratic leadership aide confirms to CNN that Reid invited the former president after discussing the idea with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, who worked in the Clinton White House. The leadership aide says Clinton is expected to discuss "what's at stake - the historic moment" and to call on Democrats to "finish the job."

Rell leads in a new poll, but announced she is not seeking re-election.

(CNN) - A new poll suggests that Connecticut Gov. Jodi Rell's approval rating is on the rise and that she would beat all her potential Democratic challengers in next year's election. The only problem, Rell is not running for re-election.

According to a Quinnipiac University survey, 64 percent of registered voters in Connecticut approve of the job Rell is doing as governor, up 5 points from September. The poll's Tuesday release comes just hours after Rell, a Republican, announced she would not seek re-election in 2010.

The survey indicates that Rell would top Secretary of State Susan Bysiewicz 46 percent to 40 percent, leads businessman Ned Lamont 53 percent to 33 percent, and Stamford Mayor Dan Malloy by 19 points, in hypothetical general election matchups.

In a possible Democratic primary matchup, Bysiewicz gets 26 percent to 23 percent for Lamont, with 9 percent for Malloy, according to the poll.

With Rell not running for re-election, the Democratic Governors Association is moving Connecticut into its top tier of targeted 2010 pickup races.

"We are fortunate to have a strong field of Democratic candidates who are well-known public servants, each of whom has the knowledge, leadership, and judgment to
guide the state through these tough economic times," says Nathan Daschle, DGA executive director, in a press release.

Connecticut appears to be friendly territory for Democrats. President Obama won the state by 23 points and Democrats control both chambers of the Legislature. But the last Democrat to win a gubernatorial contest in Connecticut was William O'Neil in 1986.

Rell took over as Connecticut governor in July 2004, when predecessor John Rowland resigned in a corruption probe that eventually landed him behind bars. Rell was elected to her own full term in 2006, winning 63 percent of the vote.

The Quinnipiac University poll was conducted November 3-8, with 1,236 Connecticut registered voters questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 2.8 percentage points for the overall sample.

Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn

Clinton will address Senate Democrats Tuesday.

Washington (CNN) - Two senior Democratic sources that former president Bill Clinton will attend the Senate Democrats' weekly luncheon Tuesday to address the caucus on health care.

"All Senators should be aware that former President Clinton will be making a presentation on Health Care at tomorrow's caucus lunch," said a notice sent to all Senate Democrats. "Senator Reid has requested that all Democratic Senators attend."

Democratic leaders have consistently cited what they call a lesson of the Clinton administration: fail to pass health care, and congressional Democrats will suffer on Election Day.

Full story

TOPICS: H1N1 flu.

Full results (pdf)

Huckabee wants to be taken seriously.

(CNN) – There's a likely GOP 2012 presidential candidate who is a former governor, darling of the party's conservative base, and the leader of nearly every early presidential poll.

And his name is not Sarah Palin.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whose upstart presidential campaign toppled Mitt Romney in Iowa and nearly brought down John McCain in South Carolina last year, wants people to know he's every bit as serious as other potential presidential aspirants, and suggested there's a double standard when it comes to how some in his party treat him and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

"Some of the people who had excoriated me and really been very dismissive of me for views that I had taken, and labeled me anything from a populist to an ignoramus - the same people have been very defensive [of] and laudatory to Sarah Palin," Huckabee told Politico in an article published Monday.

I'm a very serious person," he also said. "I may not be dour, but I'm serious."

The former two-term Arkansas governor has expressed criticism of Palin before, suggesting her abrupt resignation of the Alaska governorship may suggest she's not ready to handle the pressures of a hardscrabble presidential primary campaign.

"If she's looking to be a national political figure, it's not going to get easier," he said in July. "In a primary this is going to be an issue she'll have to face. Will she be able to withstand the pressure?"

In many respects, Huckabee should be considered the early favorite in what already appears to be a crowded field of 2012 Republican contenders. He consistently leads Palin and his old rival Romney in presidential polls and has maintained a legion of faithful followers. He's also out with a new book this month and a concurrent book tour through some of the country's most conservative townships - including some in politically important Iowa.

Huckabee was also the winner of a recent Values Voter Summit straw poll, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field that, in addition to Palin and Romney, included Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

But Huckabee's fundraising pales in comparison to Romney's and Palin's, and it's the former Republican vice presidential candidate who has been dubbed the party's rock star, and whose upcoming book tour will make national headlines - a fact Huckabee brushed off with his trademark humor.

"I'm glad she's getting the props - I know I'm not nearly as attractive," he said.

Washington (CNN) – Americans are starting to lose confidence in the government's ability to prevent a nationwide epidemic of the H1N1 flu, according to a new national poll.

But the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey, released Tuesday morning, indicates that a small majority continue to say that the government and private industry will eventually produce enough swine flu vaccine to inoculate everyone who wants it.

According to the poll, 51 percent of those questioned are confident in the government's ability to prevent an H1N1 epidemic, with 49 percent not confident. The number of Americans who are confident is down 8 points from August, while those not confident are up 9 points.

"Only one in 10 say they are 'very confident' that the government can ward off an epidemic," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "But the growing doubts may not be directly related to the shortfall of vaccine so far."

The survey suggests that 53 percent say that government and private industry can produce enough vaccine for everyone who wants a swine flue shot. That number is essentially unchanged since August.

The poll indicates that one group in particular is skeptical about the government's efforts to battle swine flu.

"Only 43 percent of mothers with children under the age of 18 are confident in the government's ability to prevent an epidemic," says Holland. "That's 7 points lower than fathers and 10 points lower than people who don't have young children. Mothers are also most likely to think that there will not be enough vaccine to go around."

According to the poll, 57 percent approve of how President Barack Obama's handling the government's response to H1N1, with 4 in 10 saying they disapprove.

The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted October 30-November 1, with 1,018 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points for the overall sample.

Federal health officials report that the swine flu is still widespread in 48 states, but add that the supply of vaccine has reached 32 million doses, double what was available two weeks ago.

Full results (pdf)

–CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report

The CNN Washington Bureau’s morning speed read of the top stories making news from around the country and the world.

WASHINGTON/POLITICAL
For the latest political news: www.CNNPolitics.com.

CNN: Bill Clinton to address Senate Democrats on health care
CNN has learned from two senior Democratic sources that former President Bill Clinton will attend the Senate Democrats' weekly luncheon Tuesday to address the caucus about health care.

CNN: House, Senate differ sharply on health care reform
Where does the battle for health care reform go from here? More importantly, what does it mean for you?

CNN: White House: No Afghanistan troop decision made
White House National Security Adviser Retired Gen. Jim Jones issued a rare public statement Monday vehemently denying media reports that suggest U.S. President Barack Obama has privately decided to send close to 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan.

CNN: Senate controversy over abortion already underway
In a sign that the wrenching House debate over abortion is already vexing Senate Democrats, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson told CNN Monday he will vote against any health care bill that does not include the strict abortion restrictions that passed the House.

Washington Post: For doctor, the Senate is a bitter pill
Tom Coburn is a Southern Baptist deacon, a family man married to a former Miss Oklahoma, a white-coated physician back in Muskogee who has delivered more than 4,000 babies and sees patients free of charge every Monday.

Wall Street Journal: Effort to Assist Older Voters May Raise Costs for the Young
A provision in the House health-care bill sets up a stark choice for Democrats between the interests of younger voters and older ones.

CNN: Netanyahu urges renewed Mideast talks
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for an immediate resumption of peace talks with Palestinians on Monday, hours before he met with President Obama.

Wall Street Journal: U.S. Lowers Goals for Asia Trip
President Barack Obama jets to Asia on Thursday for a four-nation swing that White House officials say will highlight the centrality of the continent to U.S. economic health and security.

USA TODAY: Some key Obama administration jobs still unfilled
Medicare may be cut and Medicaid expanded as part of President Obama's health care plan, but there's no one permanently in charge of the two federal programs.

CNN: Romney builds political capital while biding time on 2012 run
For a moment, you might think Mitt Romney was still running for office if you look at his travel schedule crisscrossing the country.

CNN: Huckabee suggests Palin double standard
There's a likely GOP 2012 presidential candidate who is a former governor, darling of the party's conservative base, and the leader of nearly every early presidential poll.

CNN: Palin returns to 'death panels'
Sarah Palin is returning to the two words widely credited with helping to spur angry town-halls on health care reform over the summer: "death panels."

Washington Post: 'Scozzafava' turns into epithet
Over Halloween weekend, Dede Scozzafava morphed from a rosy-cheeked Republican mom to a political figure of speech. "My name's a verb now," she said.

POLITICO: Scozzafava loses post
Dede Scozzafava, the GOP nominee who dropped out to endorse Democrat Bill Owens in New York’s special election, resigned from her spot in the state’s assembly leadership Monday.

Boston Globe: Lynch’s wife tied to agencies he won grants for
US Representative Stephen F. Lynch has engineered four federal grants for a community health center and another three grants for a nearby substance abuse program, organizations for which his wife, Margaret, is an employee or board member.

CNN: Connecticut governor opts against 2010 re-election bid
Republican Gov. Jodi Rell of Connecticut will not seek re-election, according to spokesperson Rich Harris.

CNN: Liberal groups provide air cover to Democrats
A coalition of unions, liberal interest groups and other organizations is providing air cover for 20 House Democrats who voted this past weekend in favor of the Democratic leadership's health care reform bill.

Washington Post: FHA's reserve fund hits 7-year low
The Federal Housing Administration, which has played a crucial role supporting American home buyers after the collapse of the mortgage market, has burned through a huge cash reserve in less than a decade and could soon wind up with what amounts to an automatic taxpayer bailout if the agency's fortunes don't improve, according to a review of FHA finances.

CNN: Club For Growth officially picks Rubio
The conservative Club For Growth formally endorsed former Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio Monday over the Republican Party's choice of current Gov. Charlie Crist in that state's Senate primary race, setting the stage for what again could be a bitter intra-party battle within the GOP.

CNN: New Hampshire Senate battle heats up
The field in the race for New Hampshire's open Senate seat is growing.

CNN: Armey says health care reform will kill innovation
Dick Armey, the former House majority leader whose leadership of FreedomWorks has proved vital to organizing opposition to Democrats' health care reform efforts, told CNN Monday the recently-passed House health care bill could cripple the entire pharmaceutical industry.

NATIONAL
For the latest national news: www.CNN.com.

CNN: Investigators look for missed signals in Fort Hood probe
Investigators believe the suspected gunman in last week's massacre at Fort Hood acted alone, but his communications had been flagged by U.S. intelligence agencies in late 2008, the FBI said Monday.

CNN: Fort Hood soldier: I 'started doing what I was trained to do'
Pvt. Joseph Foster was filling out routine paperwork for his upcoming deployment to Afghanistan on Thursday when he heard a shout quickly followed by a burst of gunfire from just a few feet away.

Washington Post: Hasan e-mails to cleric didn't result in inquiry
Maj. Nidal M. Hasan corresponded by e-mail late last year and this year with a radical cleric in Yemen who has criticized the United States for waging war against Muslims, but the contact did not lead to an investigation, federal law enforcement officials said Monday.

CNN: Supreme Court won't halt D.C. sniper's execution
The Supreme Court refused Monday to block the execution of John Allen Muhammad, the mastermind of the sniper team that terrified the suburbs of the nation's capital in October 2002.

CNN: Ida bears down on Gulf Coast
Tropical Storm Ida churned northward toward the U.S. Gulf Coast on Monday evening, but flooding from the storm's rain bands was already reported in at least one location, hours before Ida was expected to make landfall.

Wall Street Journal: Life on Severance: Comfort, Then Crisis
Paul Joegriner hasn't worked since March 2008, when he was laid off from his $200,000-a-year job as chief executive officer of a small bank. But you wouldn't know it by appearances.

CNN: Niece of Cleveland mayor lived with murder suspect Sowell
The niece of the mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, once lived with murder suspect Anthony Sowell, a registered sex offender charged with murder after the remains of 11 victims were found at his home, a spokeswoman for the mayor said Monday.

CNN: 3 teens accused of setting boy on fire face attempted murder charges
Three teens who allegedly set a 15-year-old friend ablaze were charged Monday as adults, and with attempted murder, prosecutors said.

Washington Post: Head games
Blake Lawrence tried not to think about injuries when he was on the football field. But Lawrence, a junior who until recently played linebacker at the University of Nebraska, could have been forgiven for worrying about his head. In one 12-month span, from spring 2008 to spring 2009, three on-field blows left Lawrence with a trio of mind-numbing concussions.

CNN: Texas resists family's effort to clear executed man's name
Cameron Todd Willingham's family here in Oklahoma never believed he set the fire that killed his three daughters.

New York Times: Power for U.S. From Russia’s Old Nuclear Weapons
What’s powering your home appliances? For about 10 percent of electricity in the United States, it’s fuel from dismantled nuclear bombs, including Russian ones.

CNN: Plea deal offered in astronaut love triangle case
A plea deal has been offered in the case of a former astronaut accused of being involved in a well-publicized, violent love triangle, prosecutors said.

Wall Street Journal: Border Arrests Decline Again
The number of people caught illegally entering the U.S. dropped by more than 23% during the past year, continuing a longer trend, federal data shows.

INTERNATIONAL
For the latest international news: http://edition.cnn.com/

CNN: Iran to charge 3 American hikers with espionage, says prosecutor
Iran is charging three American hikers with espionage, a Tehran prosecutor said Monday.

CNN: Report: Two Koreas' navies in skirmish
North and South Korean naval forces exchanged fire Tuesday in disputed waters, South Korea's semi-official Yonhap news agency reported.

New York Times: Future of Palestinian Authority Is in Question
The collapse of the Palestinian Authority, Israel’s negotiating partner, was raised as a possibility on Monday, as several aides to its president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that he intended to resign and forecast that others would follow.

CNN: War's 'Lost Boy' grows up to graduate from college
Kuol Dut was six when the swirling chaos of war churned through his village.

CNN: Venezuela, Colombia in war of words
The Colombian government said it would appeal to international bodies over what it called a threat made over the weekend by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez.

New York Times: Women Ascend to Iraq’s Elite Police Officer Corps
As one, the stony faces broke into a free-for-all of kisses, hugs and tears on Monday as the 50 women who called themselves the Lioness group became the first female graduates of Iraq’s police officer training academy.

CNN: Floods, mudslides kill scores in El Salvador
At least 130 people have died and dozens are missing after heavy rains triggered flooding and mudslides that buried communities Sunday and left a swath of destruction in El Salvador, officials said Monday.

CNN: U.S. relieved as Iraq passes election law, ambassador says
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill said Sunday that American officials were extremely relieved that Iraq's parliament passed a long-awaited election law.

Los Angeles Times: Glorious vision in Kenya's sky melts away
Mt. Kenya's ice cap was so stunning that some began revering it as God's home. But most of the shining glacier has now disappeared, robbing communities of water and leading to a crisis of faith.

McClatchy: Fear and secrecy cloak Eritrea, Africa's hermit nation
In this lonely corner of the world, the first sign of distress is the luggage. When one of the few international flights that are still operating here touched down one recent afternoon, the returning passengers emerged from baggage claim as if from a big shopping trip. Old metal trolleys squealed under the weight of mundane items: tires, a laptop computer, tubs of detergent and duffel bags crammed so tightly with food that tin cans bulged through the fabric.

BUSINESS
For the latest business news: www.CNNMoney.com.

CNNMoney: Banker's bonuses: 40% bigger this year
Bonuses at financial firms worldwide will increase by an average of 40% this year, according to an annual report released Monday.

CNNMoney: Dow surges to 13-month high
Stocks rallied Monday, with the Dow industrials surging to a 13-month high, as investor optimism gained momentum.

CNNMoney: Good news: Fewer underwater mortgages
Fewer people are underwater on their mortgages - further evidence that the real estate free-fall may be slowing.

In Case You Missed It
To watch the latest interviews and reporting: http://www.cnn.com/video.

CNN: Berlin Wall dominos tumble
Dominos painted by artists across Germany tumble to symbolize the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Subscribe to the CNN=Politics DAILY podcast at http://www.cnn.com/politicalpodcast.

And now stay posted on the latest from the campaign trail by downloading the CNN=Politics SCREENSAVER at http://www.CNN.com/situationroom.

Huckabee wants to be taken seriously.

(CNN) – There's a likely GOP 2012 presidential candidate who is a former governor, darling of the party's conservative base, and the leader of nearly every early presidential poll.

And his name is not Sarah Palin.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, whose upstart presidential campaign toppled Mitt Romney in Iowa and nearly brought down John McCain in South Carolina last year, wants people to know he's every bit as serious as other potential presidential aspirants, and suggested there's a double standard when it comes to how some in his party treat him and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.

"Some of the people who had excoriated me and really been very dismissive of me for views that I had taken, and labeled me anything from a populist to an ignoramus - the same people have been very defensive [of] and laudatory to Sarah Palin," Huckabee told Politico in an article published Monday.

I'm a very serious person," he also said. "I may not be dour, but I'm serious."

The former two-term Arkansas governor has expressed criticism of Palin before, suggesting her abrupt resignation of the Alaska governorship may suggest she's not ready to handle the pressures of a hardscrabble presidential primary campaign.

"If she's looking to be a national political figure, it's not going to get easier," he said in July. "In a primary this is going to be an issue she'll have to face. Will she be able to withstand the pressure?"

In many respects, Huckabee should be considered the early favorite in what already appears to be a crowded field of 2012 Republican contenders. He consistently leads Palin and his old rival Romney in presidential polls and has maintained a legion of faithful followers. He's also out with a new book this month and a concurrent book tour through some of the country's most conservative townships - including some in politically important Iowa.

Huckabee was also the winner of a recent Values Voter Summit straw poll, grabbing nearly 29 percent of the vote in a crowded field that, in addition to Palin and Romney, included Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, Indiana Rep. Mike Pence, House Speaker Newt Gingrich, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, Texas Rep. Ron Paul, and former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum.

But Huckabee's fundraising pales in comparison to Romney's and Palin's, and it's the former Republican vice presidential candidate who has been dubbed the party's rock star, and whose upcoming book tour will make national headlines - a fact Huckabee brushed off with his trademark humor.

"I'm glad she's getting the props - I know I'm not nearly as attractive," he said.

Washington (CNN) - White House National Security Adviser Retired Gen. Jim Jones issued a rare public statement Monday vehemently denying media reports suggesting President Obama has privately decided to send close to 40,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, as tensions between the White House and Pentagon appear to be flaring up over exactly what the president will announce.

"Reports that President Obama has made a decision about Afghanistan are absolutely false," Jones, who generally keeps a low public profile, said in a prepared statement Monday night. "He has not received final options for his consideration, he has not reviewed those options with his national security team, and he has not made any decisions about resources. Any reports to the contrary are completely untrue and come from uninformed sources."

The statement was issued shortly after CBS News' veteran Pentagon Correspondent David Martin reported that Obama has "tentatively decided" to send four more combat brigades to Afghanistan and several thousand more support troops starting early next year. That would bring the total number of new troops to close to the 40,000 figure originally requested by Gen. Stanley McChrystal.

Two other senior administration officials flatly told CNN that the CBS report and other similar speculation is false. The Associated Press reported Monday that Obama is "nearing a decision to add tens of thousands more forces to Afghanistan, though not quite the 40,000 sought [by] his top general there."

The two senior administration officials suggested the information is being leaked by Pentagon sources who are trying to box Obama in by setting public expectations that he will send close to 40,000 more troops to Afghanistan as McChrystal requested.

"People at the Pentagon are trying to force a certain outcome," one of the senior administration officials told CNN.

Both senior administration officials insisted Obama has not made any decision on troop levels in Afghanistan, noting the President has another meeting with his national security team on Wednesday to receive a final set of recommendations from the Pentagon brass. The senior officials said the president could not possibly make a decision on troop levels before even receiving the Pentagon's final recommendations.

Meanwhile, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Monday it's "doubtful" Obama will announce a troop decision before he leaves for a trip to Asia on Thursday. It's considered unlikely Obama will make such an announcement during his trip to Asia, which is largely focused on economic matters and separate diplomatic issues like North Korea's nuclear program.

Obama is scheduled to return from Asia on Friday November 20 after stops in Japan, Singapore, China, and South Korea. Officials have suggested the President could announce a troop decision sometime shortly before or after Thanksgiving, though Gibbs has vaguely said the decision will be revealed in "coming weeks" so as not to be pinned down.

Washington (CNN) - In a sign that the wrenching House debate over abortion is already vexing Senate Democrats, Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson told CNN Monday he will vote against any health care bill that does not include the strict abortion restrictions that passed the House.

"If there's public money going to fund abortions, I can't support it, period, no matter what else is in it," said Nelson, a staunchly anti-abortion Democrat.

The House approved a health care bill Saturday night that prohibits abortion coverage in a government-run plan, and in private plans that accept anyone using government subsidies to buy insurance coverage. People would be permitted to by supplemental coverage with their own money that includes covers abortions.

Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California, a leading abortion rights voice in the Senate, told CNN Monday that approach was "radical" and "unfair to women," and said she will meet with a group of female senators Tuesday to start looking for a way to limit abortion restrictions in the Senate health care bill.

"We want to make sure we don't deny women the opportunity to avail themselves of a totally legal procedure," Boxer told CNN in a phone interview. "We believe this is unfair to women, it singles them out as a group. There is no other procedure in this bill that is denied."

With Boxer's Democratic colleague from Nebraska, Ben Nelson, just as adamantly opposed to a health care bill without strict abortion prohibitions, it appears the Democratic abortion divide in the Senate is threatening to derail its health bill - just as it almost did in the House.

Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus admitted it is going to be hard, but Democrats will be working around the clock to find a middle ground on abortion. "We will be burning the creative midnight oil," Baucus said.

House Democratic leaders only agreed late Friday night to allow a Saturday vote on the abortion amendment, after it became clear there were enough anti-abortion Democrats demanding it that their health care bill would fail without it.

Most House Democrats in favor of abortion rights voted for the health care bill despite the abortion restrictions they vehemently oppose.

However, more than 40 of those Democratic lawmakers sent a letter to the House Speaker Monday threatening to block the health care bill from going to the president's desk if the abortion restrictions are not eased.