TPMDC Morning Roundup

NYT: Withdrawal From Iraq Daunting, Complicated
The New York Times reports that the withdrawal from Iraq is an enormous logistical task: "By itself, such a withdrawal would be daunting, but it is further complicated by attacks from an insurgency that remains active; the sensitivities of the Iraqi government about a visible American presence; disagreements with the Iraqis about what will be left for them; and consideration for what equipment is urgently needed in Afghanistan."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will deliver remarks at 10:30 a.m. ET, presumably on his having been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. He will meet with Sen. Jim Webb (D-VA) at 11:35 a.m. ET. He will meet with Vice President Biden at 12:30 p.m. ET for lunch. At 1:40 p.m. ET, he and Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner will meet with five Americans who have been hurt by outdated rules regulating the financial sector, and Obama will deliver remarks on regulatory reform at 2 p.m. ET. Obama will meet with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan at 2:30 p.m. ET. Finally, the President and First Lady will host a barbecue for Secret Service members and their families on the South Lawn.

Biden's Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will attend President Obama's morning briefings. At 11:10 a.m. ET, he will host conference calls with governors and mayors from across the country, to discuss stimulus implementation. He will have lunch with Obama at 12:30 p.m. ET, and in the afternoon he will join the President's meeting with his national security team on AFghanistan and Pakistan.

Snowe: "I'd Rather Have Company"
In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME) acknowledged that her position as a Republican swing vote on health care and other issues in the Senate can be unpleasant. "I'd rather have company," said Snowe. "But it's a different political world we're in ... Most people represent either red states or blue states."

Most Republicans Turn Against Defense Authorization Over Hate Crimes
Roll Call reports that the Defense Authorization bill caused some division in the Republican caucus, due to Democrats attaching a hate-crimes bill protecting gays, with 44 Republicans voting yes and the majority voting no. "I have consistently opposed the passage of hate crimes legislation and I continue to oppose it today," said Rep. Howard McKeon (R-CA), who voted in favor of the troop-funding bill.. "Unfortunately, congressional Democrats made the political decision to attach the hate crimes legislation to this bill."

Palin Notably Absent From Gubernatorial Races
The Politico notes that Sarah Palin is notably absent from the campaign trail for this year's gubernatorial races: "Less than a month before voters go to the polls, it appears increasingly clear that the former Alaska governor, vice-presidential nominee and conservative favorite will not appear on behalf of either New Jersey's Chris Christie or Virginia's Bob McDonnell. Palin is the only one of the most talked-about potential 2012 presidential candidates who has not yet campaigned for either Republican candidate."

GOP Senators Brush Off Franken's Old Jokes About Them
The Hill reports that Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) is getting along fine with his Republican colleagues in the Senate, despite the fact that he wrote some rather barbed jokes about them in the past. "He's a comedian, so it's all in jest," said Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-ME), about whom Franken once wrote he would possibly like to have an affair with her. "I assume it is, anyway."