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By Jim Davenport
Associated Press
COLUMBIA, S.C. -- South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford faces ethics charges he broke state laws more than three dozen times by violating rules on airplane travel and campaign money, according to details of the allegations released Monday.

The civil charges, which carry a maximum $74,000 in fines, stem from a three-month investigation by the state ethics commission and could be pivotal in a push by some lawmakers to remove him from office. The state attorney general is deciding whether the governor would face any criminal charges.

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Attorney James Bopp, pictured in 2006. (Linda Davidson/The Washington Post)

Updated 5:57 p.m.
By Perry Bacon Jr.
Conservative Indiana Republican James Bopp Jr. on Monday began circulating a draft resolution calling on the Republican National Committee to end funding and endorsements for any candidate who deviates from three or more of its ten planks.

Bop, an attorney, is vice chairman of the RNC; ten other committee members signed onto his call to arms.

"I think we have a very urgent task as Republicans and that is to reclaim our conservative bona fides and supporting liberal Republican party-splitters is very damaging to that task," Bopp said, referring to the saga in the New York 23rd congressional district earlier this month, where the Republican withdrew and endorsed the Democrat in what had been a three-way race also pitting her against a member of the Conservative Party. "So the resolution puts our money where out mouth is and provides standards for financial supporting Republican candidates."

Bopp said he has not talked to party chairman Michael Steele about the resolution, which Bopp said could come up for a vote at the RNC's winter meeting in January in Hawaii. He also said he hadn't checked to see if any candidates currently seeking RNC funds violate more than two of the document's principles.

"All we're requiring is that somebody agree with us most of the time," Bopp said, calling RNC support for former Republican Sens. Chafee (R.I.) and Specter (Pa.) and "the Republican in New York 23" (Dede Scozzafava) "very damaging to the party" because they "ended up either leaving the party or supporting the Democrat."

A spokesperson for the RNC said it was not yet clear that the resolution would be voted on in Hawaii. "The deadline for submitting Resolutions for the RNC Winter Meeting is more than 30 days away. At this point, we do not know what resolutions will be submitted nor what the final language of any resolution ultimately submitted may be," said the RNC's Gail Gitcho.

The "Proposed RNC Resolution on Reagan's Unity Principle for Support of Candidates" follows:

Our colleagues at Slate have released the latest version of their hit satirical feature, "Barack Obama's Facebook Feed." This edition has updates on health care and Sarah Palin -- as well as Khalid Sheikh Muhammad's iTunes playlist.

In case you missed it: former vice president Al Gore was on Saturday Night Live over the weekend in honor of NBC's "Green Week," joining Seth Meyers to promote Gore's new book Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis. On the show, Gore proposed -- with his usual deadpan -- a series of outlandish schemes to call attention to climate change, such as taping toy guns to trees and planting them in congressmen's yards in the middle of the night or delivering letters, along with a bucket of ice water, from the glaciers.

By Juliet Eilperin
The U.S. will identify a near-term emission reduction target as part of an effort to reach a comprehensive climate agreement in Copenhagen next month, senior administration officials said Monday.

The officials, who briefed a group of reporters on the condition that they would not be identified, said the U.S. delegation would put forward a target as long as other major greenhouse emitters, including major developing nations, did the same.

One official said any specific greenhouse gas cut the U.S. offers would reflect the fact that Congress has yet to finalize climate legislation. The House has passed a bill calling for a 17 percent reduction from 2005 levels by 2020 and an 80 percent cut by 2050. The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has passed legislation with a 20 percent reduction by 2020, but that number is expected to drop as more centrist lawmakers weigh in on the bill.

"There will be a submission that takes cognizance of where we are in the legislative process," the official said.

U.S. special envoy for climate change Todd Stern told The Post in an interview this month that any emission target the administration identified during the United Nations-sponsored talks would be contingent on the adoption of domestic legislation.

President Obama will make a decision "in the coming days" on whether to attend the Copenhagen talks, one of the senior administration officials said. Dozens of other world leaders have pledged to go, including French President Nicolas Sarkozy, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

President Obama poses with students from various schools following his remarks on science, technology, engineering and math education initiatives at the White House. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

By Michael D. Shear
President Obama today announced partnerships with private businesses to increase achievement in math and science, saying the country must do more to compete with the world in those areas.

The new federal campaign will encourage businesses and non profit groups -- including the Discovery Channel, Intel, and Time Warner -- to focus more energy and money to teach kids about math and science.

"The hard truth is that for decades we have been losing ground," Obama told a group in the East Room of the White House Monday, noting that American students are rated 21st in the world in science and 25th in math. "We all believe that we can't allow division and indifference to imperil our position in the world."

Obama's proposal, called "Educate to Innovate," will feature a new two-year focus on math and science by Sesame Street and a national "lab day," sponsored by several national philanthropic groups.

The president also announced a new, annual White House science fair for the winners of national science and math competitions.

"If you win the NCAA championships, you come to the White House," he said. "Scientists and engineers ought to stand side by side with athletes and celebrities as role models."

By John Amick and T. Rees Shapiro
A day after the Senate voted to take up the health care reform bill, President Obama's top domestic priority dominated the discussion on Sunday morning talk shows.

ABC: THIS WEEK - Nelson pushes opt-in public option

On ABC's "This Week," Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) reiterated his likely support of an opt-in provision for the public option.

But Nelson, a moderate who voted Saturday to send the bill to the Senate floor for debate, said that "if there are a whole host of other items that are the same as they are right now," he would not vote for the bill. Those include the Senate's language on abortion, which is less restrictive on public funding than the House version.

"It depends on what the public option is," Nelson said. "I am opposed to the public option... where the states have to opt out. I said I would look at a public option where states could opt in."

Support from Nelson -- along with other Democratic moderates like Sens. Mary Landrieu (La.) and Blanche Lincoln (Ark.) -- has been a running guessing-game on Capitol Hill. The Nebraskan gave no solid indication on what his plans are for future procedural votes, nor did he say he based his vote Saturday night on his past comments that he would not vote to start debate without a bill he agreed with.

By Scott Wilson
President Obama used his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday to draw a line between his recent trip to the economic engines of Asia and job creation at home, calling it a "task I will continue to focus on relentlessly in the weeks and months ahead."

Obama's message, which he recorded before leaving Seoul, South Korea, the last leg of his Asia trip, highlights the mounting political concern in the White House over what so far appears to be a jobless economic recovery.

While expanding for the first time in more than a year, the economy continues to shed jobs, a trend that ranks as the chief worry of the electorate in poll after poll. The national unemployment rate has pushed above 10 percent for the first time in decades.

By Sarah Lovenheim
State dinners, banquets paid for by the government and hosted by a head of state, are held to foster relationships following serious conversations concerning foreign affairs. Many U.S. presidents have held state dinners in the State Dining Room at the White House, a room that seats 120 people. Guests typically include foreign dignitaries, members of Congress and the president's cabinet, among others. The occasion's marked by entertainment, a four or five course meal and speeches. Black or white tie dress is often required.

Then-President Clinton laughs during a toast by French President Jacques Chirac at a state dinner honoring Chirac in February of 1996 at the White House. (AP Photo/St. Petersburg Times, John Pendygraft)

A peek into the past recalls some state dinners to remember. Below you'll find a list of superlatives -- these nuggets can serve as dinner table banter on Tuesday, as President Obama hosts his first.

Caught reading during dinner
President Carter once permitted his daughter Amy, 9, to bring books to a state dinner. As officials engaged each other in conversation, Amy was spotted quietly reading "The Story of the Gettysburg Address" and "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator." A senator tried to get her to stop reading to eat her spinach, but no report indicates he had any success.

A spat between first ladies
The state dinner in 1987, held by President Reagan, was reportedly marred by tension between first ladies Nancy Reagan and Raisa Gorbachev. Repoters, eager to find out why, presed the women to answer some questions the following day. Nancy Reagan called the notion "so silly," but Raisa Gorbachev's body language suggested it was an issue. When asked about the tension, "Mrs. Reagan looked aghast. Mrs. Gorbachev merely looked at Mrs. Reagan." Nancy Reagan subsequently invited Raisa Gorbachev to tea. Gorbachev didn't RSVP for two weeks, reportedly annoying then-first lady Reagan further.

Finger food and Protesters
At a state dinner for Chinese President Jiang Zemin, White House pastry chef Roland Mesnier served marzipan panda bears. Fresh marzipan candy, made mostly from finely ground almonds and confectioners' sugar, used to be sold year round at Washington-area pastry shops and enjoyed at parties in the 1950s by the District's elite. The hand-formed and hand-painted almond confections by some reports "were almost too pretty to eat."

As officials enjoyed the declicacy, humans rights protesters outside the White House bitterly picketed the celebration with Zemin inside.

By Garance Franke-Ruta
President Obama's job approval rating has dropped below 50 percent for the first time since he assumed office, according to Gallup's tracking poll.

The poll averages results over three days. When Obama took office, the poll measured his approval rating at 68 percent for the Jan. 21-23, 2009, period. His approval rating was as high as 54 percent just two weeks ago, but the overall trend line has been down since the summer.

"Although the current decline below 50 percent has symbolic significance, most of the recent decline in support for Obama occurred in July and August," explains pollster Jeffrey L. Jones. "He began July at 60 percent approval. The ongoing, contentious debate over national health-care reform has likely served as a drag on his public support, as have continuing economic problems. Americans are also concerned about the Obama administration's reliance on government spending to solve the nation's problems and the growing federal budget deficit.

"Since September, Obama's approval rating had been holding in the low 50s and, although it has reached 50 percent numerous times, it had never dropped below 50 percent until now."

Obama's drop in support is similar to that experienced by Ronald Reagan, according to the pollsters. Reagan's drop to below 50 percent took place Nov. 13-16, 1981, they report, while Gerald Ford dropped below 50 percent in his third month in office, and Bill Clinton in his fourth month.

"Of the post-World War II presidents, Obama now is the fourth fastest to drop below the majority approval level," Jones writes.

Updated 11:55 p.m.
By Garance Franke-Ruta
The Democratic Party raised $11.5 million in October, a record month for a non-presidential election year in the post-McCain-Feingold era, according to a party source.

That leaves the Democratic National Committee with $12.9 million in cash on hand and $4.4 million in outstanding debts. The Republican National Committee raised $8.7 million in October has $11.2 million cash and no debt.

All told, the DNC has raised $66.3 million so far this year, compared to the Republican National Committee's $69.2 million. Including transfers and in-kind donations, the total haul this year at the DNC was $73.3 million, compared to $76.9 million at the RNC, according to Democratic and Republican sources.

On Friday, the DNC e-mailed a fundraising solicitation that seeks to take advantage of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's return to the news.

"Remember, this is the person who coined the term 'Death Panels' -- and opened the flood gates for months of false attacks by special interests and partisan extremists," wrote Mitch Stewart, the director of Organizing for America, a project of the DNC that is the heir to the president's campaign organization, Obama for America.

By Paul Kane
Sen. Roland W. Burris (D-Ill.) has been admonished by the Senate ethics committee for his public comments about his appointment last December to the body.

In a three-page "public letter of qualified admonition" issued Friday, the committee formally reprimanded Burris for statements -- some made under oath to an Illinois legislative committee -- in which he denied trying to raise any campaign contributions for indicted former governor Rod Blagojevich for his political committees.

Continue reading at Capitol Briefing»

By Ben Pershing
Cancel those weekend plans: You've now got a date Saturday night with health-care reform.

The Senate measure faces a key procedural vote Saturday evening, and Harry Reid is still working to assemble the requisite 60 votes. Politico says Reid and fellow Democrats "projected confidence they could clear the first hurdle for health reform." The Washington Post writes that "a tepid assessment of the public insurance plan he crafted emerged as the latest potential obstacle" to passage. USA Today notes that the public option in the Senate bill "would cover less than 1.5% of the population," raising questions about how much impact the provision will actually have, positive or negative.

The New York Times says that Reid has essentially taken "ownership" of the Senate bill, which, if it eventually becomes law, "would be the biggest accomplishment of his career. Should the bill fall victim to the complex political, procedural and substantive fights raging around health care, it would be a stinging defeat for him, his president and his party -- all while he faces a tough re-election fight at home." Reid is courting moderates the old-fashioned way -- with cash. ABC News reports that the bill contains a provision, estimated to cost $100 million, that would boost Medicaid subsidies for "certain states recovering from a major disaster." Translation -- Louisiana, the home state of Mary Landrieu.

Continue reading at Political Browser »

An entry by Amy Martin to the Public Option Please art contest.

Urging artists to promote health-care legislation -- isn't that what got the NEA in trouble a couple of months ago?

This time, though, the push is coming from an advocacy group, Public Option Please, now seeking a political-aesthetic heir to Shepard Fairey, who can sway the minds of voters with clever graphic design.

Politicizing art? Art-icizing politics? Why?

"It allows people to participate in the movement for health care in a way that's not political policy-wonk talk -- to engage people emotionally," said Jane Hamsher, the lefty-blog royalty who is spearheading the campaign with a contest to pick the best poster. "We've had too much discussion about bending the cost curve, and not enough about health care as a human right."

Of course it was one thing for Fairey to turn an image of Barack Obama into the striking "Hope" poster -- he's a photogenic guy! -- another thing to dramatize the argument for government-funded health insurance. You can vote for your favorite on the group's Web site, though the winner will be picked by a panel of judges including Arianna Huffington, Margaret Cho and Jesse Dylan.

Hey, why not Yosi Sergant (the publicist behind "Hope," who resigned his NEA job after a conference call in which he exhorted artists to support the Obama agenda)? "He's been advising us," Hamsher said.

By Dan Eggen
The Federal Election Commission on Thursday eased restrictions on the use of luxury jets by federal candidates, ruling that Senate and presidential candidates can pay discount prices for private air travel as long as they are not doing so on behalf of their own campaigns.

Campaign-finance reform advocates immediately condemned the decision and said it will severely undermine the impact of 2007 ethics legislation, which was aimed at requiring all federal candidates to pay full freight when riding on private jets owned by corporate sponsors or wealthy donors.

But the FEC, by a vote of 4 to 2, ruled that a candidate is not actually a candidate if they are traveling on behalf of their leadership political action committee (PAC), a party PAC or any other committee not explicitly tied to an individual election campaign. The distinction does not apply to House candidates, who "are generally prohibited from making expenditures for travel on most non-commercial flights," the FEC said.

Election-law experts say the ruling means that candidates for Senate, vice president and president will be free to use corporate jets as a private air service as long as they claim to be traveling for reasons other than their election.