Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 20, 2009, 9:00AM

Tomorrow's Cloture Vote Could Predict Bill's Success (Or Failure)
Roll Call reports that tomorrow's vote on cloture to proceed to debate on the health care bill could indeed be very crucial, and not simply a procedural motion. A Congressional Research Service report, requested by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), shows that on the 41 bills where such a vote has been held since 1999, the Senate ultimately passed the underlying bill in 40 of those occasions.

No Obama Events Today
President Obama does not have any scheduled public events today.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 18, 2009, 8:59AM

Obama Will Release Afghanistan Plan Soon, Promises Exit Strategy
In an interview with CNN, President Obama said he will soon release his plans for Afghanistan, and that there will be an exit plan. "The American people will have a lot of clarity about what we're doing, how we're going to succeed, how much this thing is going to cost, what kind of burden does this place on our young men and women in uniform and, most importantly, what's the end game on this thing," said Obama. "My preference would be not to hand off anything to the next president. One of the things I'd like is the next president to be able to come in and say I've got a clean slate."

Obama's Day In China And South Korea
President Obama held a bilateral meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, at 11:30 a.m. local time (10:30 p.m. ET last night), with a working lunch at 12:15 p.m. local time. Obama toured the Great Wall of China at 2:30 p.m. He departed Beijing at 5:10 p.m., arriving in Seoul, South Korea, at 7:45 p.m. local time (5:45 a.m. ET).

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 16, 2009, 9:01AM

Today: Palin On Oprah Winfrey
Sarah Palin's interview on the Oprah Winfrey show will be broadcast today. The interview was taped last week, and kicks off Palin's media tour for her new book, Going Rogue.

Obama's Day In China
President Obama visited U.S. Consulate employees and their families in Shanghai, China, at 10:20 a.m. local time (9:20 p.m. ET last night). He met at 11 a.m. local time with Party Secretary Yu Zheng Sheng and Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng, with a working lunch at 11:30 a.m. local time. He held a town hall meeting with Chinese leaders at 12:45 p.m. local time. He departed Shanghai at 2:40 p.m., arriving in Beijing at 4:50 p.m. He arrived at the Diaoyutai State Guest House at 6:30 p.m., and was greeted by President Hu Jintao. The two held a bilateral meeting at 6:35 p.m, and had dinner at 7 p.m.

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Roundup

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 15, 2009, 1:14PM

Axelrod: Obama Opposed To Bill With Stupak Amendment
Appearing on State of the Union, White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod said that President Obama would oppose the Stupak Amendment as a change in the status quo on abortion law. "The president has said repeatedly, and he said in his speech to Congress, that he doesn't believe that this bill should change the status quo as it relates to the issue of abortion," said Axelrod. Asked whether Obama would sign a final bill that contains the Stupak Amendment, Axelrod replied that Obama "believes both these issues and can and will be worked through before [the final bill] reaches his desk."

Conrad: Health Care Bill Can't Pass Without Restriction On Abortion Funding
Appearing on State of the Union, Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND) said that the health care bill cannot pass without something like the Stupak Amendment. "What is clear is at the end of the day, for this bill to be successful, that there cannot be taxpayer funding of abortion," said Conrad, also adding: "It was clear in the House. It'll be clear in the Senate."

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 12, 2009, 9:01AM

Report: Obama Wants Revised Afghanistan Options
President Obama reportedly wants revisions to all the options for Afghanistan that have been presented to him. This comes after Ambassador Karl Eikenberry, a former commander of U.S. troops in Afghanistan, has strongly disagreed with sending more troops, arguing that more troops would only make the Afghan government more dependent on the United States.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will make a statement at 9:15 a.m. ET, on the economy. He will depart the White House at 9:30 a.m. ET, en route to Alaska. He will arrive in Anchorage at 4:50 p.m. ET, will meet with service members at 5:10 p.m. ET, and will deliver remarks at 5:30 p.m. ET. He will depart form Anchorage at 6:55 p.m. ET, en route to Tokyo, Japan.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 11, 2009, 9:02AM

Poll: Public Opposes Afghanistan Surge, Split On Obama's Decision-Making
A new CNN poll finds that only 40% of Americans favor the war in Afghanistan, with 58% opposing it. American also do not support sending more troops to Afghanistan, by a 42%-56% margin. The public is split on President Obama's decision-making process with 49% saying he is taking too long, and 50% who disagree.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and the First Lady will host a Veterans Day breakfast, at 9:05 a.m. ET in the White House. At 11 a.m. ET, he will participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknowns, and will deliver remarks at 11:25 a.m. ET. He will meet at 2:30 p.m. ET with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 30, 2009, 9:00AM

Hillary Criticizes Pakistan On Terrorism Fight
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton criticized Pakistan's performance in fighting terrorists, telling a group of Pakistani journalists that she thought it was "hard to believe that nobody in your government knows where they are and couldn't get them if they really wanted to."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will sign at 11:50 a.m. ET the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009. At 1:30 p.m. ET, he will meet with the Joint Chiefs of Staff on Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 29, 2009, 9:00AM

Obama Seeks Additional Study On Afghanistan Situation
The Washington Post reports that President Obama has asked for a province-by-province analysis of the situation in Afghanistan, on the performance of local leaders and the different needs for additional help. Said a U.S. official who request anonymity: "How do you separate those who have taken up arms because they oppose the presence of foreigners in their area, because they're getting paid to fight us because we're there, from those who want to restore a Taliban government? How many of the people who we're fighting actually share al-Qaeda's ideology?"

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama last night visited the remains of fallen Americans, returning home from Afghanistan. Today, Obama will deliver remarks at 11:50 a.m. ET, on the administration's plans to help small businesses. He will meet at 1:45 p.m. ET with Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. He will meet at 2:40 p.m. ET with Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT). At 3:15 p.m. ET, he will sign the Girl Scouts USA Centennial Commemorative Coin Act. He will meet at 3:45 p.m. ET with senior advisers. and at 5:05 p.m. ET with representatives of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 26, 2009, 8:59AM

White House To Rein In 'Too Big To Fail' Institutions
The New York Times reports that the Obama administration is set to bring out new proposals for dealing with "too big to fail" institutions, with increased regulations for preventing failure: "The White House plan as outlined so far would already make it much more costly to be a large financial company whose failure would put the financial system and the economy at risk. It would force such institutions to hold more money in reserve and make it harder for them to borrow too heavily against their assets. Setting up the equivalent of living wills for corporations, that plan would require that they come up with their own procedure to be disentangled in the event of a crisis, a plan that administration officials say ought to be made public in advance."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan. He will depart from the White House at 12:45 p.m. ET, arriving at 2:45 p.m. ET in Jacksonville, Florida. He will deliver remarks at 3:15 p.m. ET to servicemen and women, and will meet at 4 p.m. ET, with personnel from the Navy and Marine Corps. He will depart from Jacksonville at 4:25 p.m. ET, arriving at 5:35 p.m. ET in Miami. He will deliver remarks at a 7:25 DSCC/DCCC fundraising reception, and at a 7:50 p.m. ET DSCC/DCCC fundraising dinner.

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Roundup

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 25, 2009, 1:02PM

Schumer: Dems 'Very Close' To 60 Votes
Appearing on Meet The Press, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said that Democrats are approaching 60 votes for a compromise public option: "The liberals, they like it stronger, but they're willing to live with level playing field, opt-out. The more moderate Democrats, there are some who actually like it. As long as it's a level playing field, they're comfortable with it. There are others who say that, 'I'm not sure I like it, but I won't hold up passage of the bill.' I think we're very close to getting the 60 votes we need to move forward, and my guess is that the public option level playing field with the state opt-out will be in the bill. But Leader Reid will make that decision after he talks to everybody several times.

Abdullah Calls For 'Dramatic Increase' In American Troops In Afghanistan
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Afghan presidential candidate Dr. Abdullah called for a "dramatic increase" in the number of American troops in his country: "If the situation is not reversed from deteriorating further the security situation, so the future of this country will be at risk, and the future of the engagement of the international community will be at risk. So this situation requires a sort of dramatic increase in the number of troops in order to stop -- stop it from further deteriorating and reversing it. The permanent solution is in a road map that Afghanistan stands on its own feet in a few years down the road, troops -- number of troops could be decreased in Afghanistan, finally, and eventually will stand on its own feet."

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 23, 2009, 9:02AM

NYT: Behind The White House Vs. Fox News Fight
The New York Times reports on the White House-Fox News feud, and how it followed an unsuccessful attempt by senior adviser David Axelrod and Fox head Roger Ailes to work out their problems. "We simply decided to stop abiding by the fiction, which is aided and abetted by the mainstream press, that Fox is a traditional news organization," said deputy White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will depart form the White House at 10:05 a.m. ET, arriving in Boston at 11:30 a.m. ET. He will tour a research laboratory at MIT, at 12 p.m. ET, and will deliver remarks on clean energy at 12:30 p.m. ET. He will deliver remarks at a fundraising reception for Gov. Deval Patrick at 2:05 p.m. ET, and will speak at a fundraising event for Patrick at 2:45 p.m. ET. He will depart from Boston at 3:40 p.m. ET, arriving at 4:35 p.m. ET in New York City. He will join Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), and tour a small business at 5:15 p.m. ET. He will deliver remarks at a Dodd fundraising dinner at 6:45 p.m. ET. He will depart from New York at 8 p.m. ET, arriving back at the White House at 9:10 p.m. ET.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 22, 2009, 8:56AM

Treasury To Order Steep Pay Cuts At Bailed-Out Firms
The Treasury Department is expected to order bailed-out financial firms to cut their compensation packages for their top executives -- with a 90% slash to base salaries, and a 50% cut to total compensation. Elizabeth Warren, the head of the TARP oversight committee, confirmed the reports: "It's real in the sense that it says,Guys, you have to understand that you can't party on like it's 2007. If you're going to take taxpayer dollars, then the game has to change. In that sense it's real."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will hold a videoconference at 10 a.m. with Lt. General Karl Eikenberry, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan. He will meet for lunch at 12:30 p.m. ET with Speaker Nancy Pelosi. At 2:15 p.m. ET, he will sign the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act. He will meet at 3:15 p.m. ET with Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner, and at 3:45 p.m. ET with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 21, 2009, 9:02AM

Obama Going Quiet In Health Care Public Debate
President Obama has decided to lower his public profile in the health care debate, the New York Times reports, moving away from public rallies and towards negotiation in Washington. "I think his time is better spent on this particular issue in conversation with members and in talking to his own advisers and instructing them on how to proceed," said senior adviser David Axelrod. "That's the phase that we're in."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 12:40 p.m. ET with Sen. John Kerry (D-MA). At 1:50 p.m. ET, Obama will announce a package of initiatives to increase credit to small businesses. At 3 p.m. ET, he will attend a Cabinet-level earthquake tabletop exercise. He will depart from the White House at 3:25 p.m. ET, arriving at 4:35 p.m. ET in Newark, New Jersey. At 6:05 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks at a rally for Gov. Jon Corzine, at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He will depart from New Jersey at 7:25 p.m. ET, arriving back at the White House at 8:35 p.m. ET.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 20, 2009, 9:01AM

Gates: Don't Wait For Afghanistan Election To Be Resolved
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that the United States should not wait for the Afghanistan election to be resolved before deciding on a strategy for the country -- putting him at odds with top White House officials. "We're not just going to sit on our hands, waiting for the outcome of this election and for the emergence of a government in Kabul," said Gates, also adding: "The outcome of the elections and the problems with the elections have complicated the situation for us. But the reality is, it's not going to be complicated one day and simple the next."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 10:40 a.m. ET with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. At 11:50 a.m. ET, he will honor recipients of the Presidential Unit Citation, honoring the 11th Armored Combat Regiment of the U.S. Army for service in the Vietnam War. Obama will meet at 1:10 p.m. ET with senior advisers, and depart the White House at 2:20 p.m. ET, arriving in New York City at 3:30 p.m. ET. Obama will tour the Joint Terrorism Task Force Headquarters at 4:15 p.m. ET, and deliver remarks to staff members at 4:30 p.m. ET. He will attend a 7:10 p.m. ET fundraiser for Bill Owens, the Democratic candidate in the NY-23 special election, and deliver remarks at 8:10 p.m. ET at a DNC fundraiser. He will depart from New York at 9:50 p.m. ET, arriving back at the White House at 10:55 p.m. ET.

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Roundup

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 18, 2009, 1:02PM

Jarrett: Obama 'Not Demanding' Public Option
Appearing on Meet The Press, White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett made it clear that President Obama is not demanding that a public option must be included in the health care bill: "He's not demanding that it's in there. He thinks it's the best possible choice. But I think, David [Gregory], let's not underestimate how much progress we've made. The fact that there's agreement on so much means that we are right on the brink of delivering for the American people, and that's a positive sign for our country."

Specter: GOP 'A Party Of Obstructionism' With No Plan
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) blasted his former party: "On the Republican side, it is no, no, no -- a party of obstructionism. You have responsible Republicans who had been in the Senate -- like Howard Baker, Bob Dole, or Bill Frist -- who say Republicans ought to cooperate. Well, they're not cooperating ... Take a look at the absence of any Republican plan."

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 16, 2009, 9:00AM

Obama Teaming Up With Bush 41, Promoting Volunteerism
President Obama is teaming up today with former President George H.W. Bush, to promote the cause of community service at Texas A&M University. The event at the conservative school will also be protested by the college chapter of the Young Conservatives of Texas. "I actually did get an invitation," said chapter chairman Justin Pullman, age 19, "but I had to decline due to our protest."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will depart from San Francisco at 12:35 p.m. ET, arriving in Houston at 3:55 p.m. ET. He will attend a Point of Light Forum at Texas A&M University, at 5:50 p.m. ET, hosted by former President George H.W. Bush. He will depart from Houston at 8:25 p.m. ET, arriving back at the White House at 11:15 p.m. ET.

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 14, 2009, 9:00AM

Hillary Clinton Calls For Political Freedom In Russia
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke at Moscow State University, calling for human rights and political freedom in Russia. "In an innovative society, people must be free to take unpopular positions, disagree with conventional wisdom, know they are safe to challenge abuses of authority," said Clinton. "That's why attacks on journalists and human rights defenders here in Russia is such a great concern: because it is a threat to progress."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 9:45 a.m. ET with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan. At 2:05 p.m. ET, he will join Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to tour the Fairfax County Parkway Extension construction site, and he will speak at 2:20 p.m. ET. AT 3:50 p.m. ET, he will sign an executive order restoring the White House Advisory Commission and Interagency Working Group, concerning the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. He will also observe the holiday of Diwali. At 7:10 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks at an event celebrating the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate.

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Roundup

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 11, 2009, 12:58PM

Liz Cheney: Obama Given Nobel Prize For Opposing American Dominance
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Liz Cheney attacked President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. "Well, I think what the committee believes is they'd like to live in a world in which America is not dominant. And I think if you look at the language of the citation, you can see that they talk about, you know, President Obama ruling in a way that makes sense to the majority of the people of the world," said Cheney. "You know, Americans don't elect a president to do that. We elect a president to defend our national interests. And so I think that, you know, they may believe that President Obama also doesn't agree with American dominance, and they may have been trying to affirm that belief with the prize. I think, unfortunately, they may be right, and I think it's a concern."

McCain: Palin 'Energized Our Party'
Appearing on State of the Union, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) defended his former running mate Sarah Palin, against the criticism of his former campaign manager Steve Schmidt. "There are fundamental facts ... that cannot be denied," McCain adds. "When we selected or asked Sarah Palin to be my running mate, it energized our party. We were ahead in the polls, until the stock market crashed. And she still is a formidable force in the Republican Party, and I have great affection for her."

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Roundup

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 10, 2009, 1:06PM

Obama Boasts of Bipartisan Support For Health Care Reform -- And Shames The Opposition
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama proudly touted the support for health care from prominent Republicans such as Bob Dole, Bill Frist, Mike Bloomberg, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Louis Sullivan and Tommy Thompson -- and contrasted this with the opposition from other Republicans in Washington:

"These distinguished leaders understand that health insurance reform isn't a Democratic issue or a Republican issue, but an American issue that demands a solution," said Obama. "Still, there are some in Washington today who seem determined to play the same old partisan politics, working to score political points, even if it means burdening this country with an unsustainable status quo."

LeMieux: Dem Health Care Solutions Worse Than The Problems
In this weekend's Republican address, the recently appointed Sen. George LeMieux (R-FL) attacked the Democratic health care proposals as being worse than the current problems:

"We in the Congress have a duty to tackle this problem, but the solution we settle upon should not be rushed, and the solution should not be worse than the problem we are trying to solve," said LeMieux. "Right now, Senate Democrats and White House officials are behind closed doors crafting their final health care overhaul proposal. While the Democrats in Congress have not yet provided the actual language of their proposed law, we do know enough for Americans to be concerned."

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Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 7, 2009, 9:00AM

Poll: Obama's Approval Rating Going Back Up
The new AP/GfK poll finds that President Obama has a 56% approval rating, up from 50% in September -- and the first time that his approval rating has increased in the AP/GfK surveys. Disapproval is at 39%, down from 49% last month.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 10:45 a.m. ET with Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. At 1:30 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks and award the National Medal of Science and the National Medal of Technology and Innovation. At 3:30 p.m. ET, he will meet with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan. At 8 p.m. ET, the President and First Lady will host an event for local middle students, to star gaze and conduct hands-on experiments with astronomers.

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John McCain

Fly On The Wall: Details Emerge On Obama's Exchanges In WH Afghanistan Meeting

Christina Bellantoni | October 6, 2009, 10:35PM

Details are still emerging about President Obama's 90-minute closed-door session with 31 members of Congress today about his plan for Afghanistan, but mentioned in some stories is that Sen. John McCain had a terse exchange with his onetime rival.

Both the New York Times and Politico are reporting tonight that McCain (R-AZ) suggested Obama was making the decision about whether to send a surge of troops at a "leisurely" pace and was rebuffed.

While disputing the suggestion of a tense moment, sources confirmed the general sense of the exchange -- and that Obama assured everyone that he was moving as quickly as he believes prudence allows.

TPMDC checked in with McCain spokeswoman Brooke Buchanan, who said the senator was "astonished" by early reports characterizing the exchange as an argument because they aren't accurate. The White House also suggested there weren't any fireworks.

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Afghanistan

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 6, 2009, 9:04AM

Gates: "We're Not Leaving Afghanistan"
In an interview with CNN, held jointly with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates bluntly declared that "we're not leaving Afghanistan." He explained: "There should be no uncertainly in terms of our determination to remain in Afghanistan and to continue to build a relationship of partnership ... with the Pakistanis."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet with the National Counterterrorism Center leadership at 11:10 a.m. ET, and will deliver remarks to NCTC staff members at 11:40 a.m. ET. Obama and Vice President will meet with the Congressional leadership and the chairs and ranking members of the relevant committees to discuss Afghanistan and Pakistan.

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Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 5, 2009, 9:00AM

NYT: Petraeus' Voice Becomes Harder To Hear
The New York Times reports that Gen. David Petraeus has become a less prominent voice in the policies of the Obama administration than he was under George W. Bush: "The change has fueled speculation in Washington about whether General Petraeus might seek the presidency in 2012. His advisers say that it is absurd -- but in immediate policy terms, it means there is one less visible advocate for the military in the administration's debate over whether to send up to 40,000 additional troops to Afghanistan."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will deliver remarks from the Rose Garden at 11:10 a.m. ET, with doctors from across the country on the need for health care reform this year. Obama will meet at 4 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

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James Jones

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 4, 2009, 1:04PM

James Jones Hits Back At McCain: I Don't Play Politics With National Security
Appearing on State of the Union, National Security Adviser James Jones fired back at Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), who said on the Senate floor that Jones doesn't "want to alienate the left base of the Democrat [sic] Party." Jones responded: "I've known him for many, many years. And he knows that I don't play politics with national - I don't play politics. And I certainly don't play it with national security. And neither does anyone else I know. The lives of our young men and women are on the line. The strategy does not belong to any political party and I can assure you that the President of the United States is not playing to any political base. And I take exception to that remark."

Greenspan: Economic Growth To Be 3%, Unemployment To Go Over 10%
Appearing on This Week, former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan predicted that the third-quarter economic growth figure will hit 3% -- but that this won't be enough to prevent an increase in the unemployment rate. "But remember, the end of the job loss is not the same thing as if the unemployment rate is going to start down," said Greenspan. "My own suspicion is that we're going to penetrate the 10 percent barrier and stay there for a while before we start down."

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Afghanistan

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 2, 2009, 8:58AM

Obama Meets With McChrystal
President Obama met today with Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the head of American and NATO troops in Afghanistan. McChrystal flew to Copenhagen from London, and the two met for 25 minutes on Air Force One.

Obama's Day: Campaigning For The Olympics
President Obama arrived in Copenhagen at 2:10 a.m. ET (8:10 a.m. local time). He delivered remarks at the Chicago 2016 presentation at 2:50 a.m. ET, and he and other Chicago 2016 panel members participated in a 3:40 a.m. ET question and answer session with IOC members. Obama and the First Lad attended an informal IOC reception at 4 a.m. ET, and they were greeted at 4:45 a.m. ET by Queen Margrethe II and Prince Consort Henrik. Obama met at 5:20 a.m. ET with Danish Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen. They departed from Copenhagen at 6:55 a.m. ET, and are scheduled to arrive back at the White House at 3:30 p.m. ET. Obama will deliver brief remarks at 4 p.m. ET.

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