TPMDC Morning Roundup
Obama To Use Campaign Infrastructure To Build Support For Budget
President Obama and the Democratic National Committee will be leveraging Obama's 13-million name e-mail list in order to mobilize support for Obama's budget proposal. From the Washington Post: "Aides familiar with the plan said it is an unprecedented attempt to transfer the grass-roots energy built during the presidential campaign into an effort to sway Congress."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Treasury Sec. Tim Geithner will be meeting at 11:25 a.m. ET with small business owners and community leaders. Obama and Geithner will deliver remarks to the group and members of Congress at 12 p.m. ET. At 2 p.m. ET, Obama will speak at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Biden's Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will be speaking this afternoon at the International Association of Fire Fighters 2009 Legislative Conference. In the evening, Biden will attend an event for the Democratic National Committee, where he will be speaking.
Obama To Roll Out Small Business Aid Plan
At their White House event today, President Obama and Sec. Geithner will announce plan to help small business. The plan will include lower small-business lending fees, as well as an increase on the government guarantees for some Small Business Administration loans, and other steps aimed at unlocking the credit markets.
Poll: Economy Is Top Issue, And Unemployment Is Top Economic Issue
A new CNN poll finds 36% of Americans saying unemployment is the single most important economic issue -- compared to 13% last April, when the biggest economic issue during a time of rising gas prices was inflation. Overall, 63% say the economy is their top concern.
Simmons Running Against Dodd
Former Rep. Rob Simmons (R-CT) has announced that he is running for Senate against Chris Dodd in 2010. Simmons lost re-election by less than 100 votes in the 2006 Democratic wave, but a recent Quinnipiac poll gave him a 43%-42% edge over the embattled Dodd.
GOP Spending Big In Special Election For Gillibrand's House Seat
The Hill reports that the Republicans are investing heavily in the special election for Kirsten Gillibrand's former House seat, where the polls are showing just a small lead for GOP candidate Jim Tedisco (after he'd previously held a much larger one). In all, 82 members of the GOP conference have agreed to donate to Tedisco's campaign, and both John Boehner and Eric Cantor have held fundraisers for him.
| TOPICS: Barack Obama, Budget, CT-SEN, Eric Cantor, Joe Biden, NY-20, Senate '10
Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
I don't see us winning that special election but Repubs would be thrown into a tailspin if they lost it and Steele will be gone.
March 16, 2009 9:33 AM | Reply | Permalink
Are you close to the situation (are you in or near the district?)? I hate the idea of Tedisco winning, in part because of the vulgar victory dance to expect among Steele, Limbaugh, and everyone in between.
March 16, 2009 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
I live in NY's 20th and on the ground so far I see little evidence of the GOP taking the spending high ground. Perhaps they're saving it for a GOTV effort but from my perspective TV advertising, radio, signage all seem about even. This is by nature a slightly conservative district (though it's so long north/south it includes a broad population) and I wouldn't be too surprised if it reverted back to the GOP after Gillibrand's tenure. Watching her sweep the floor with Sweeney was a hoot but Sweeney was ready to be taken down that year, he basically defeated himself. Treadwell failed to make an impression with anybody except misogynists. It seems locally the most interesting dynamic is that nobody knows anything about either candidate if they know there's a special election at all.
March 16, 2009 10:50 AM | Reply | Permalink
Thanks for insights. I hope the Dems make a real play for this. I just don't want to see Steele et al doing the Macarena over it, proclaiming they're making great progress and well on their way back, and that the election shows that the public has lost faith in the President.
That's what'll happen, and I just DON'T WANNA HEAR IT.
March 16, 2009 11:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't want to hear it either. Let's all hope that somehow the dem pulls it off, especially when the republican party is realing with no message. They shouldn't win an election in this environment.
March 16, 2009 11:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
You are totally right; it should not be possible. Very low voter interest/awareness seems to be a factor.
Those who can this difficult economy could contribute. (If one is on the fence, I suggest looking at that Cheney interview from the weekend.)
http://www.scottmurphy09.com/
If one is in or near the 20th, it may be possible to volunteer as well.
Go Scott! Beat scoundrels!
March 16, 2009 11:31 AM | Reply | Permalink
AIG Execs to Use Bonuses for World’s Largest NCAA Pool
http://satiricalpolitical.com/?p=6586
March 16, 2009 9:51 AM | Reply | Permalink
Is it me or does Larry Summers REALLY HATE when sometime tries to stop him from finsihing his sentence.
March 16, 2009 9:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
I'd like for Obama and Co to be more reserved about the economic gains, because it's not over yet, and a few days of gains is really nothing. All of this glowing talk will be used against him in the near future.
March 16, 2009 10:10 AM | Reply | Permalink
What "glowing talk" are you referring to?
Is saying "there are some small positive signs?" glowing talk?
Oh, why am I bothering? It's just Jonze who sees everything in the worst possible light for Democrats.
March 16, 2009 10:16 AM | Reply | Permalink
cautious optimism eh?
March 16, 2009 10:18 AM | Reply | Permalink
"Glowing talk"?
Jesus, we must have listened to two versions of interviews.
March 16, 2009 11:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
So the good people of Connecticut will end up with a Republican and Lieberman as their senators?
That just doesn't sound right for such a blue state.
PEACE
March 16, 2009 11:49 AM | Reply | Permalink