Nancy Pelosi

Biden Meets With Furious House Democrats

Brian Beutler | August 1, 2011, 3:15PM

V.P. Joe Biden

House Democrats convened Monday afternoon in an underground conference room in the Capitol Visitor's Center to hear Vice President Joe Biden explain the debt limit deal he helped broker with Congressional Republicans, and to vent to reporters in the strongest possible terms about the deal many of them are being asked to consider supporting.

"They expressed all their frustrations," Biden told reporters after the meeting. "I feel confident that this will pass."

He must've gotten an earful. The meeting, scheduled to last an hour, dragged on for over two. During that stretch, a steady trickle of Dems, entering and exiting, stopped to complain about the legislation, and the extent to which they'd been closed out of the process of crafting it.

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DC Voting Rights

WH Spox Says Obama Thinks D.C. Should Have Voting Rights

Christina Bellantoni | April 20, 2010, 6:38PM

President Barack Obama at Ben's Chili Bowl in Washington, D.C.

President Obama still thinks D.C. residents should have voting rights, despite the surprise yanking of a measure to do just that thanks to the legislation being gummed up with gun rights issues.

"The president has been very clear on his feelings about voting rights for D.C. and that folks who live in D.C. should have voting rights," White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters on Air Force One after House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer made his announcement today.

As we reported, Congress won't vote on a measure allowing Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton a vote. A floor vote had been scheduled for this week on the issue, critical to DC's 600,000 citizens. Hoyer said "it is a blight" on democracy that Norton (D) does not have a vote and said he was "profoundly disappointed" there will be no vote.