Obama To Name Sperling New Economic Adviser
Reuters reports: “President Barack Obama, retooling his economic team to boost sluggish U.S. growth and tackle emboldened Republicans, will on Friday name Gene Sperling as the new head of his National Economic Council…Sperling’s pick to replace Larry Summers at the economic council follows Obama’s naming of a new chief of staff and the resignation of his press secretary, as the president shakes up his team after Republicans took control of the House of Representatives this week.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:45 a.m. ET, and meet at 10:15 a.m. ET with senior advisers. At 11:20 a.m. ET, he will tour Thompson Creek Manufacturing in Landover, Maryland, and deliver remarks at 11:35 a.m. ET on the monthly employment report, and make economic personnel announcements — expected to be the announcement of the appointment of Gene Sperling.
Pentagon Moving Fast To End ‘Don’t Ask,’ Gates Says
The Washington Post reports: “Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates wants military leaders to start training troops about the formal end to the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy in a “very few weeks,” he said Thursday. He said Pentagon officials are working quickly on a three-part plan: overhauling applicable military personnel policy and benefits; providing training for top brass and military chaplains; and then formally instructing the nation’s 2.2 million troops on the ban’s repeal.”
Pentagon Aims To Cut Defense Budget And Slash Troops
Reuters reports: “The United States plans to cut $78 billion in defense spending over five years, including a reduction of up to 47,000 troops, in a politically contentious move that would trim the government’s growing budget deficit. The proposed cuts, unveiled at a somber Pentagon briefing on Thursday, follow increased White House and congressional scrutiny of military spending, which has doubled in real terms since the September 11, 2001, attacks.”
First DCCC Recruitment Meeting Focuses On Next Steps
Roll Call reports: “Newly appointed members of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee’s leadership team got off to a quick start Thursday morning with a meeting on recruitment. After watching Republicans post a net gain of 63 seats in the 2010 elections, recruitment will be critical for Democrats in 2012.”
Parts Of The Constitution Inadvertently Skipped
The Hill reports: “The U.S. Constitution has still never been read in its entirety and in order on the House floor. During Thursday morning’s ‘historic reading,’ one member apparently skipped Article 4 Section 4 and part of Article 5 Section 1 when he or she inadvertently turned two pages at once, Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), who was in charge of the reading, said on the House floor [Thursday] afternoon.”
Eric Kleefeld
Eric Kleefeld joined TPM as an intern for the final months of the 2006 midterm elections, and then kept showing up for work. His other interests include guitars, old comic books and the politics of various English-speaking countries.
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