Mideast Talks Open

Clinton, Netanyahu and Abbas deliver opening remarks ahead of discussions NOW. Watch live here.

Clinton:

"Now is the opportunity to start contributing to progress."

"Success will take patience, persistence and leadership."

"I fervently believe that the two men sitting on either side of me -- that you are the leaders who can make this long, cherished dream a reality and we will do everything possible to help you."

"Peace needs champions on every street corner and around every kitchen table."

Netanyahu:

"This will not be easy."

"A true peace, a lasting peace will be achieved only with mutual and painful concessions from both sides."

Initial unemployment filings fall unexpectedly to 472,000 for the week.

Full August numbers due out Friday.

Retiring, understated Bayh on "Morning Joe" says deficit spending creates "challenging environment" for Dems.

"Maybe" impacting party losses "at the margins" is possible.

HALPERIN'S TAKE: Democrats plan to start unfurling a fight-back message in the middle of next week, but five or six more days of this kind of chatter is going to be brutal for the self-fulfilling CW. And don't lose sight of the impact all this negative noise for the president's party is going to have on establishing the environment for the debate over what to do about extending the Bush tax cuts.