
The chairs of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and of the three caucuses of black, Hispanic and Asian members of the House would like a word with President Obama before his Thursday jobs address.
In a Tuesday letter provided by a source, the leaders, who speak for a majority of House Dems, sought to make sure that Obama keeps his eye on the jobs crisis, which has disproportionately hit minority groups.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)The White House added something new to President Obama's schedule today - meetings with key members of House Democratic caucus groups who want to have their say on health care.
The conservative Democrats Obama is attempting to woo - several who attended his party last night - to win the needed votes on the final health care plan this month will get to speak with the president in the Oval Office at 2:30.
They are all leaders of the New Democrat Coalition. As we mentioned earlier the group's Health Task Force Co-Chair Rep. Jason Altmire told reporters today he won't change his mind.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)President Obama last night spent about an hour with leaders of several key Democratic caucuses talking about health care.
TPMDC waited to talk to members as they left the evening meeting, but it got started late so leaders of the Progressive, Black, Hispanic and Asian Pacific American caucuses hurried out instead of speaking to reporters.
A senior administration official tells us this morning:
It was a productive meeting that lasted for about an hour. The President congratulated the members on working so hard to get a meaningful reform bill put together in the House. They talked about strategies for ensuring choice and competition, expanding coverage, controlling costs, ensuring that minority health is addressed, and discussed the road forward.PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)
After House Democrats reveal their version of the health care bill this morning on the Capitol steps, President Obama later this afternoon will hold a private meeting with some of the most key groups he must keep united to pass a plan.
The White House says Obama will gather in the Roosevelt Room with members of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, Congressional Black Caucus, Congressional Hispanic Caucus, and Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus.
As TPMDC has written, Obama's relations with these groups have not always been warm. Progressives were irritated the conservative Blue Dog Democrats were hosted at the White House to discuss health care last month.
On an unrelated note, we're wondering if Obama will discuss with the members of the minority caucuses the accusations from Republican lawmakers that the Council on American Islamic Relations planted spies on Capitol Hill as interns.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)
