Small Presidencies, Big Sticks, VAWA Passes Senate, Student Loans to Pass House, Neither Headed to President, ABC DC Puppy War (PM Note) Pre-Note Silliness - Vote for the ABC DC Cutest Pup- @eliwalterwoof or @winstontapper? Senate Passes VAWA - Bill to reauthorize violence against women act heads to the House -http://abcn.ws/Iu3su9 Al Franken's Teary Tribute to the Wellstones - http://abcn.ws/I8J2Ed A Democrat's Harsh Spins to Jon Karl - "31 of 46 Republicans voted against VAWA. But it still passed thanks to vulnerable Republicans (Brown, Heller), those running for Veep (Thune, Portman, Ayotte) and one who slept with hookers (Vitter). Rhetorical Dovetail Today - Boehner: "Obama made the presidency smaller" http://abcn.ws/IHQR5L Biden: "I promise you, the president has a big stick." Boehner's Point was About Student Loans - Boehner accused President Obama of diminishing the traditional role of the presidency by inventing "fake fights" over the student loan rate extension and parading around the country on campaign trips aboard Air Force One disguised as official business at taxpayers" expense. This is the biggest job in the world and I've never seen a president make it smaller... The president keeps attempting to invent these fake fights because he doesn't have a record of success or a positive agenda for our country. It's as simple as this: The emperor has no clothes. They can't talk about their record on jobs because their policies have made the economy worse. Arlette Saenz Biden's Point Was About Foreign Policy and Teddy Roosevelt - He accused Mitt Romney of having a "cold war mindset." ""If you're looking for a bumper sticker to sum up how President Obama has handled what we inherited, it's pretty simple: Osama bin Laden is dead, and General Motors is alive." He said later, "You have to ask yourself... if Gov. Romney were president, would he have used the same slogan in reverse?" http://abcn.ws/JJ1gPZ (Devin Dwyer) Biden's Policy Speeches - By the Numbers - Yahoo! News" Chris Wilson finds that in Biden's five speeches to frame the choice this election, the term "middle class" is far and away the most used - http://yhoo.it/JJFFH4 Rob Portman is Not Boring - He might be the "safe" bet, but Matt Negrin finds he's far from boring - Have you kayaked through China? - http://abcn.ws/ITERhp I'm not going anywhere, don't worry. Chris Christie to New Jersey - http://abcn.ws/IjA6ls (Shush Walshe) Differences Persist in Student Loan Debate - John Parkinson - Republicans and Democrats have both proposed alternative methods to cover the cost of the extension and, judging by their comments today, a huge gulf remains between the two parties. While House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, announced Wednesday that the House would vote Friday on a one-year extension that is paid for by pulling funds from the president's health care law, Democrats prefer to raise taxes on small businesses in order to cover the $6 billion cost of a one-year extension. http://abcn.ws/JD8arG Pelosi Says GOP Student Loan Plan is "Assault on Women's Health" - http://abcn.ws/JJFFH5 Carney on New El Salvador Allegations Against Secret Service - "While this is an ongoing investigation, we're not going to comment more broadly, and we're certainly not going to comment upon, you know, rumors or speculation that appears in the media about either this incident or other potential incidents" http://abcn.ws/I5lCAG (Mary Bruce) Tired of Cool - Karl Rove group attacks Obama for being too cool - http://abcn.ws/IIpDfm Why Romney Should Follow George Onto Pawn Stars - Stephanopoulos on How Democrats like Modern Family, Republicans like Wheel of Fortune, and why Mitt Romney should volunteer for a cameo on Pawn Stars - http://yhoo.it/Is0HGt Rick Klein Notes, Eyebrows Raised, That Karl Rove Lists South Carolina as a Tossup - http://bit.ly/JttNH5 Rove Tweets Back - @rickklein "Likely to change as state polling picks up. (latest SC poll from 12/6.) Look for more "toss-up"/"lean-Romney" in wks ahead." Hand-written Note Okayed OBL Strike - See it at Time's 1 year anniversary package - http://yhoo.it/IIpB7j White House: No Threat Linked to OBL Death Anniversary - http://abcn.ws/IkUWzz After Angry Bird Strikes, Gillibrand Declares War on Geese - http://abcn.ws/IjA7G2 Malaise - 56 percent of Young People tell Gallup they'll vote. 80 Percent of everyone else will - http://abcn.ws/JJFFH8 Michelle Obama's Fantasy? It's Not Running for President - Mary Bruce reports the first lady referred to her husband's terms - plural - in talking to sons and daughters on "take your kids to work day" - http://abcn.ws/I4S9H7 WH Distances Itself From EPA Administrator Who Would "Crucify" Polluters - http://abcn.ws/ITESSp