TPMDC Goodwin Liu
Harry Reid
Post-Liu Filibuster, California Dems Tell Reid To Break Out The Nuclear Option
Goodwin Liu
With the Republicans filibustering judicial nominee Goodwin Liu, the chairman of the California Democratic Party says it's time for Senate Democrats to deploy the so-called nuclear option, according to a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid obtained by TPM.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Goodwin Liu, Harry Reid, Judicial nominees
Goodwin Liu
Cornyn: Democrats To Blame For Republican Filibuster Of Goodwin Liu
Sen. Cornyn (R-TX) and Goodwin Liu
Republicans just filibustered President Barack Obama's judicial nominee Goodwin Liu, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) says Democrats should take the blame.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Goodwin Liu, John Cornyn, Orrin Hatch
Senate Republicans
Republicans Poised To Filibuster Liu Nomination
Goodwin Liu
Republicans in the Senate are poised to block one of the youngest and most promising liberal legal minds from ascending to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit more than a year after President Obama appointed him.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Tuesday night filed a motion to limit debate on Liu's nomination. The motion requires 60 votes to pass, but Republicans are signaling strong opposition and may have enough votes to sink the motion and effectively filibuster the nomination when it comes to the floor Thursday.
Topics: Goodwin Liu, Samuel Alito, Senate Democrats, Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Republicans, Supreme Court
Melody Barnes
White House's Melody Barnes To Progressives: Don't Jump Off The Bridge!
You know that scene in "It's A Wonderful Life" where George Bailey is standing on the bridge ready to end it all? That's where White House Director of Domestic Policy Council Melody Barnes sees liberals now, as they await the GOP takeover of the House. In her metaphor, Barnes is a guardian angel of sorts, trying her best Thursday night to pull progressives back from the brink.
Speaking at the American Constitution Society's holiday party at the Center for American Progress last night, Barnes drew parallels between the famous Christmas-themed movie (one of her favorite films) and the situation liberals find themselves in post-election 2010.
Yeah, it's bad, Barnes acknowledged. But, she implored, think of how much worse it would have been if Democrats hadn't been in power at all.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: American Constitution Society, Center for American Progress, Dawn Johnsen, GOP, Goodwin Liu, Melody Barnes, Senate, Senate Democrats, Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Republicans
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
GOP: Dems 'Lucky' In Arrest of Shahzad
The Washington Post reports that Republicans are spinning the government's arrest of Times Square bombing suspect Faisal Shahzad as a product of luck, rather than any effectiveness on the part of the Obama administration. "Yes, we have been lucky," House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) said Thursday, "but luck is not an effective strategy for fighting terrorism."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will make a statement at 11 a.m. ET, on the monthly job numbers. Joining him will be Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Labor Secretary Hilda Solis, Budget Director Peter Orszag, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers Romer and National Economic Council Director Larry Summers. There are no other public events scheduled.
Topics: 2010 elections, BP, Barack Obama, Filibuster Reform, Goodwin Liu, Joe Lieberman, Mike Pence, Roundup, Sherrod Brown, Ted Kaufman
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Obama Extends Health Care Visitation Rights To Gay Couples
President Obama has ordered the Department of Health And Human Services to draft rules requiring that hospitals receiving Medicare and Medicaid funding grant all patients the ability to designate people who can visit with them and consult on medical decisions -- a move aimed at guaranteeing health care visitation rights to same-sex couples. In his statement, Obama said: "all too often, people are made to suffer or even to pass away alone, denied the comfort of companionship in their final moments while a loved one is left worrying and pacing down the hall."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. Obama will deliver remarks at 10:15 a.m. ET, at the White House Conference on America's Great Outdoors. Obama will meet at 11 a.m. ET with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama and Biden will have lunch at 12:45 p.m. ET. Obama and Biden will meet at 1:30 p.m. ET with the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board.
Topics: Barack Obama, Campaign Finance, Citizens United, Goodwin Liu, Jeff Sessions, John McCain, Roundup, Steny Hoyer
Goodwin Liu
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Report: White House To Remove References To 'Islamic Radicalism'
The Obama administration will reportedly remove terms such as "Islamic radicalism" from the upcoming National Security Strategy document, in an effort to emphasize that the administration does not view Muslim nations through a lens of terrorism. "You take a country where the overwhelming majority are not going to become terrorists, and you go in and say, 'We're building you a hospital so you don't become terrorists.' That doesn't make much sense," said National Security Council staffer Pradeep Ramamurthy.
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 9:30 a.m. ET. He will receive the presidential daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET, and meet with senior advisers at 11 a.m. ET. He will depart from Andrews Air Force Base at 7:30 p.m. ET, en route to Prague, Czech Republic, where he will sign the new nuclear arms control treaty with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Topics: Arlen Specter, Barack Obama, Goodwin Liu, Joe Biden, John Edwards, Rielle Hunter, Senate Judiciary Committee, Timothy Geithner
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