Michelle Obama is jumping into the midterm political fray in a big way

WASHINGTON (AP) - Michelle Obama is jumping into the midterm political fray in a big way: She'll headline at least nine fundraisers in six states next month for endangered Democrats.

That's a fairly big commitment for a first lady who's always said she's not a political animal, but the White House insists Mrs. Obama is eager to get out there.

And it's no surprise that the Democrats are anxious to use the first lady's star power: Polls show she's more popular than her husband, President Barack Obama.

Among those Mrs. Obama will campaign for is Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, who passed up a chance to appear with the president on Labor Day in Milwaukee. Feingold, in a tough re-election fight and slightly behind his opponent in spending, instead opted to attend a parade in his hometown about 60 miles away. He's also not expected to attend the president's rally in Madison next week because the Senate will be in session.

Overall, the first lady's political schedule tells the tale of the 2010 midterm elections: She's raising money for candidates who are trying to defend embattled Democratic turf, not stumping for challengers trying to make inroads in Republican terrain.

But don't expect Mrs. Obama to go negative against GOP challengers.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said Mrs. Obama is "a popular 'ask' on the campaign trail and I think she will go out and make a forceful and positive case" for the administration's achievements.

In addition to Feingold, those Mrs. Obama will be campaigning for include Sens. Michael Bennet of Colorado, Patty Murray of Washington, Barbara Boxer of California and Senate hopeful Alexi Giannoulias of Illinois, who is trying to hold the Senate seat once held by Barack Obama.

The first lady also will attend Democratic National Committee fundraisers in Los Angeles and New York for the party's Women's Leadership Forum, and appear at events for Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Illinois House contenders Debbie Halvorson, Bill Foster and Dan Seals.

So far, it all adds up to nine events over a 12-day span, Oct. 13-27, and aides said more political events are sure to be added, especially in the final week before the Nov. 2 elections.

The first lady's campaign schedule includes three days in California, where Boxer proclaimed herself "thrilled" to have the first lady's help. Andrea Saul, a spokeswoman for Boxer's opponent, Republican Carly Fiorina, countered that it was a sign of how nervous Democrats are about Boxer's seat "that they are forced to send in reinforcements."

White House aides said the first lady's political schedule was crafted to place her where she can be most helpful politically while she also tends to her official duties as first lady and the needs of her young daughters, Sasha and Malia. As for why the first lady will be appearing at fundraisers rather than rallies or other public events, White House aides said Mrs. Obama avoids travel on the weekends, when her girls are home from school, and that it's difficult to put together big rallies on workdays.

"From the beginning, she's wanted to hit the campaign trail," said Susan Sher, chief of staff to the first lady. "It was just a matter of figuring out what would work with her schedule and what would be most useful."

Recent first ladies all have stepped forward to help in the midterm elections.

In 2002, Laura Bush stumped for congressional candidates in bone-chilling cold and pronounced herself "emotionally vested" in their fates.

In 1994, Hillary Rodham Clinton served up one-two punches with her husband at a string of his-and-hers campaign events for Democratic candidates.

In 1990, Barbara Bush taped TV ads in Florida, debated Iraq policy on the stump in Nebraska and headlined a Hollywood fundraiser for a GOP candidate in California.

As for Mrs. Obama, "she's campaigning to advocate, to rally voters behind specific candidates based on what we can do together to build a better future," said Stephanie Cutter, an administration adviser. "She comes to this as a mom, and that's the lens through which she sees the world and that's her test for every issue—what it means for her daughters and all of our kids."

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Associated Press writers Darlene Superville in Washington, Scott Bauer in Madison, Wis., and July Lin in Sacramento, Calif., contributed to this report.

Race Baiting Loretta Sanchez caught on tape

by Larry O'Connor

Many observers believe that the turning point in Scott Brown’s inspiring Senate win in January was when he was able to shake-loose the Democratic narrative that somehow he was trying to take away “Ted Kennedy’s Seat” form the Democrats. His brilliant response, “It’s the PEOPLE’S seat” became a campaign slogan and, eventually, the theme of his victory speech.

Are we now witnessing another such moment in Orange County California?

Democratic Rep. Loretta Sanchez appeared on Spanish-language Univision to appeal to her most important voting base: Latino voters. Perhaps with a false assumption that only Latinos from the left were listening, she let slip an offensive and patronizing charge: The Vietnamese are trying to take the seat from Latinos.

Rep. Sanchez district has seen an enormous influx of Vietnamese immigrants over the past two decades. There have often been tensions between the Latino population and the new arrivals from Asia. Because the vast majority of Vietnamese immigrants arrived here seeking refuge from a communist, totalitarian regime, they tend to lean more to the right than their Mexican counterparts.

Imagine a bomb going off when thousands are leaving Wrigley Field after a Dave Matthews concert

UPDATE: Another misunderstander of Islam:

"HASSOUN, according to a law enforcement source close to this author, is a “devout Muslim and permanent legal resident from Lebanon.” He appeared on the radar screen of federal authorities in early June, when he solicited assistance and advice from associates to “wage jihad on the streets of America.”

Imagine a bomb going off when thousands are leaving Wrigley Field after a Dave Matthews concert.

FBI: Man plotted to bomb Wrigleyville night spots (Chicago Breaking News) hat tip Armaros

A Northwest Side man has been charged with plotting to bomb a strip of crowded Wrigleyville night spots around the time people were leaving a Dave Matthews concert at the ballpark over the weekend.

Sami Samir Hassoun, 22, of the 4700 block of North Kedzie Avenue, was arrested as he placed a backpack containing what he thought were high-explosives in a trash can in front of Sluggers on Clark Street, about a block south of Wrigley Field, according to the FBI. (Read the federal complaint HERE.)

The bomb was a fake provided by an undercover federal agent. "At no time was the public in danger during this investigation," the FBI said.

Houssoun had also discussed other violent plots in Chicago, including a biological attack on the city, poisoning Lake Michigan, attacking police officers, bombing the Willis Tower and assassinating Mayor Richard Daley, the FBI said.

But he is so far charged only with attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and attempted use of an explosive device in connection with attempted bombing near Wrigley Field. The FBI said there was no indication any foreign or domestic terror group was connected to the plot.

"He was acting alone," said Robert Grant, head of the FBI's office in Chicago. "He was not, I would say, highly skilled but definitely desirous of finding the material he needed to carry out his attack.

"His intent was to kill as many people as he could in an area of town that was highly populated, in an effort to cause as much destruction as possible," Grant said.

Hassoun, who is a Lebanese citizen and a permanent U.S. resident, told an "associate" in June that he wanted to commit acts of violence to make money and cause "political transformation in Chicago," the FBI said.

Unknown to Hassoun, his associate was secretly cooperating with the FBI, the agency said.

Throughout the summer, he allegedly discussed with the associate the violent plots, but eventually selected the Wrigleyville area as his target, "utilizing an explosive device which he would detonate on a weekend night to inflict maximum damage," the FBI stated.

In July, the associate introduced Hassoun to an undercover federal agent who claimed he was from California and had access to explosives. While meeting with the agent, Hassoun discussed several plots and scenarios that would make a dramatic impact on Chicago and force Daley to resign, the FBI stated.

Hassoun eventually settled on a bombing outside a strip of Wrigleyville bars and nightclubs, the FBI said.

On Saturday night, Hassoun met with the agent, who provided him with a backpack that Hassoun thought contained high-powered explosives, according to the FBI. The agent showed Hassoun how it worked, though it reality it was made of inert materials and unable to explode, the agency said.

Early Sunday morning, Hassoun and the agent went in a rented vehicle toward Wrigleyville as crowds were leaving Wrigley Field after a concert by the Dave Matthews Band, the FBI said.

As agents watched, Hassoun placed the fake explosive into a trash container near Eddy and Clark, the FBI said. He was arrested and the fake device was recovered.

The slim, unshaven Hassoun smiled at relatives as he appeared before...