Politics Digest

CAMPAIGNS

Obama stumps for Democrats

With a fundraising stop in New York on Tuesday, President Obama will begin two weeks of intense political activity in the first election season since his own. On Tuesday, he will be in Manhattan to raise money for the Democratic National Committee and Bill Owens, a congressional candidate.

On Friday, he will campaign for the 2010 reelection of Sen. Christopher J. Dodd (D-Conn.), attempting to help Dodd "rebrand himself" after a controversy involving his efforts to protect the insurance giant AIG from new federal restrictions on bonuses.

The president will also campaign for Gov. Jon S. Corzine (D-N.J.) on Wednesday and Gov. Deval L. Patrick (D-Mass.) on Friday.

Next Tuesday, Obama will be in Virginia to campaign for Creigh Deeds, even though administration officials have concluded that the Democratic gubernatorial candidate has little chance of making up his nine-point deficit against Robert F. McDonnell.

Perhaps of greatest interest to the White House is the special House election in Upstate New York, in which Owens appears to hold a narrow lead over the Republican candidate in a three-way race for a seat long held by the GOP. Administration officials are hopeful that if Owens wins, it will signal continued strength for the president in moderate and Republican areas -- and counterbalance the elections in Virginia and New Jersey, where the Democratic contenders have been struggling.

IRAN POLICY

Romney critical of the administration

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney (R) condemned the administration's approach toward Iran -- which he described as "unalloyed evil" and controlled by "ruthless and fanatical" leaders -- in a speech Monday to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in San Diego.

"Stop thinking that a charm offensive will talk the Iranians out of their pursuit of nuclear weapons," he said. "It will not." Later in the address, he underscored that sentiment: "Once an outstretched hand is met with a clenched fist, it becomes a symbol of weakness and impotence."

Romney's speech came the same day that negotiators from the United States, France and Russia meet with Iranian officials in Vienna to discuss the country's controversial nuclear program.

The American public remains supportive of President Obama's approach to Iran, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll -- 52 percent approve of the job he is doing. But the numbers divide sharply along partisan lines, with 69 percent of Republicans disapproving.

Republicans -- and some Democrats -- have been roundly dismissive of Obama's approach to Iran since he showed a willingness to engage in direct talks with rogue nations during the 2008 presidential campaign.

So Romney's attack is smart politics for the former governor, who is angling toward a 2012 presidential bid. His call to meet force with force in Iran is likely to be well received by a GOP primary electorate.

-- Chris Cillizza