Roundup

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | November 14, 2009, 1:04PM

Obama: Fort Hood Shooting Will Be Fully Reviewed
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama said there will be a full investigation of the shooting at Fort Hood, and whether better steps could have been taken to prevent it:

"The purpose of this review is clear: We must compile every piece of information that was known about the gunman, and we must learn what was done with that information," said Obama. "Once we have those facts, we must act upon them. If there was a failure to take appropriate action before the shootings, there must be accountability. Beyond that - and most importantly - we must quickly and thoroughly evaluate and address any flaws in the system, so that we can prevent a similar breach from happening again. Our government must be able to act swiftly and surely when it has threatening information. And our troops must have the security that they deserve."

Kirk: Dem Health Care Bill Would Make Top Taxes Worse Than France
This weekend's Republican address is by Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), a candidate for President Obama's former Senate seat in 2010. Kirk attacks the Democrats on health care -- and even says it would make some Americans worse off than if they were in France:

"The Pelosi health care bill has no significant lawsuit reforms and does not guarantee your medical rights from government waiting lines or restrictions," said Kirk. "In the teeth of the Great Recession, the Pelosi bill would impose ten new taxes on the American economy. The top combined tax rate for my state of Illinois would be four percentage points higher than France."

Read more »

Climate Change

Mark Kirk: I Voted For Cap And Trade In The House, Would Vote No In The Senate (And Crowd Cheers)

Eric Kleefeld | September 15, 2009, 2:44PM

Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), who is running for President Obama's former Senate seat in 2010, just pulled off an amazing trick at a Republican event over the weekend: He said that he voted for the climate bill in the House, but would vote against it in the Senate -- and got the crowd to switch from booing to cheering him.

"Let me say briefly about cap and trade. I voted for it because it was in the narrow interest of my Congressional district. But as your representative," Kirk said, then getting interrupted by booing. "As your representative, representing the entire state of Illinois, I would vote no on that bill coming up."

The amazing thing is how quickly the crowd switched from booing to cheering, even as Kirk flip-flopped right in front of them. This would explain Kirk's upcoming policy: "Abortions for some, miniature American flags for others."

Check it out at the 3:10 mark:

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Poll: GOPer Kirk has A Shot In Illinois Senate Race

Eric Kleefeld | August 17, 2009, 12:48PM

A new Rasmussen poll in Illinois rates the 2010 Senate race for President Obama's former Senate seat as a toss-up, with Republican Rep. Mark Kirk currently leading two Democrats.

The numbers: Kirk 41%, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias 38%; Kirk 47%, Chicago Urban League president Cheryle Jackson 30%, with Jackson having lower name recognition than Kirk and Giannoulias. The margin of error is ±4.5%.

The pollster's analysis makes clear that Democratic voters could solidify behind their eventual nominee, once the race has really gotten going: "Illinois, with a favorite son now in the White House, runs largely Democratic in statewide races, so much can change in the months ahead."

Roland Burris

Burris Now Won't Rule Out Running For Senate In 2010

Rachel Slajda | August 10, 2009, 1:55PM

Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL), who last month said he won't run for his Senate seat in 2010, seems to have changed his tune.

"You never say never," he told ABC News.

"What I'm still hearing," Burris said, is "people from all over the country and they are saying, 'Don't give up that seat.'"

Burris was appointed by former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who was thrown out after allegedly trying to sell the seat vacated by President Obama.

Burris has raised very little money so far, and polls consistently show him losing the Democratic primary.

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Did Kirk Break Military Regs With Twitter Posts?

Eric Kleefeld | July 30, 2009, 5:07PM

Did Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), who is now running in 2010 for the Senate seat formerly held by President Obama, violate military regulations when his campaign put up Twitter posts about his active service in the Naval Reserve?

This all started when The Capitol Fax Blog, a well-known state political site in Illinois, reported that Kirk (or his campaign) put up this Twitter post several days ago: "On duty @ the Pentagon's National Military Command Center. All is currently (relatively) quiet. Honor 2 be back w/ my fellow Navy colleagues"

Kirk's campaign now says that Kirk himself did not put up either this Tweet or another one. Instead, they say a staffer posted the pre-approved messages.

Read more »

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Dem Web Video Depicts Republican Candidate As Evil Rampaging Robot

Eric Kleefeld | July 21, 2009, 2:26PM

Check out this incredible Web video that the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee came out with yesterday evening, attacking Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) in the Illinois Senate race. They don't just say Kirk morphs between his moderate image versus his conservative positions -- he's now a full-fledged Decepticon:

"Now that he's running for Senate, Mark Kirk has become a Transformer," the announcer says.

Unfortunately, this is only a Web video. The DSCC is not putting this amazing piece of advertising on TV.

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GOP Rep. Kirk Running Not Running Maybe Running For Senate In 2010

Eric Kleefeld | July 10, 2009, 4:39PM

So is Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) running for the Senate in 2010, or not?

Kirk began telling people in the last few days that he was running. Then it was reported this afternoon by Chris Cillizza that Kirk was suddenly telling people that he wasn't running.

Not so, Kirk told Roll Call. He is still talking the race over with his potential primary rival, state Republican chairman Andy McKenna.

The issue here appears to be that Kirk might have had trouble winning support from other Republicans in the state's Congressional delegation -- because he broke ranks to support the Democrats' energy bill.

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Burris Announces Retirement: "Political Races Have Become Far Too Expensive In This Country"

Eric Kleefeld | July 10, 2009, 3:42PM

Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) has made it official, announcing that he will not be running for a full term in 2010. In explaining the reasons why, Burris said that the strain of raising money would be too great, and the people of his state should come first.

"Political races have become far too expensive in this country," said Burris. "And in making this decision, I was called to choose between spending my time raising funds or spending my time raising issues for my state. I believe that the business of the people of the state of Illinois should always come first."

Burris reportedly raised only $20,000 last quarter. It should also be noted that polls have consistently shown that he would lose the Democratic primary, and that if nominated he would lose the general election, thanks to the controversies surrounding his appointment to the Senate by the later-impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

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Report: Sen. Roland Burris Won't Run In 2010

Eric Kleefeld | July 9, 2009, 5:52PM

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL), whose appointment to the Senate by then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich was embroiled in controversy, will not run for a full term in 2010.

Burris reportedly only raised $20,000 in the past quarter, making it impossible for him to run a real campaign. Polls also showed consistently that he would lose the Democratic primary, and if he were nominated he would lose the general election.

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is running for the Democratic nomination, and has raised a decent amount of money. It's also expected that businessman Chris Kennedy, a son of the late Robert F. Kennedy, could get in.

A source told the Sun-Times that Burris was concerned about how people will remember him, after all the controversy that has happened: "After 20 years in government service, Burris didn't want the last four months in office to be that legacy."

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GOP Rep. Kirk's Senate Run Opens Up District For Potential Dem Pickup

Eric Kleefeld | July 8, 2009, 2:29PM

With the news that Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) will reportedly run for Senate in 2010, let's take a quick look at the open House seat -- which on paper, looks like a plausible opportunity for the Democrats to pick up a seat.

Kirk won re-election 53%-47% last year, at the same time as President Obama carried his suburban Chicago district by a whopping 61%-38%. In addition, John Kerry won the seat by 52%-47% in 2004, making this a Dem-leaning seat under any normal circumstances.

Potential Democratic nominees include: State Sen. Michael Bond, who was already in the race; Dan Seals, who was Kirk's opponent in 2006 and 2008; and state Sen. Susan Garrett. Possible Republican candidates include state Rep. Elizabeth Coulson, state Rep. JoAnn Osmond, and businessman Dick Green.

Democrats think they'll have a pretty good shot at this seat, as it is one of only six districts that were won by both Obama in 2008 and Kerry in 2004, but are represented by Republicans. On the Republican side, a source told me: "This won't be an easy seat to hold, but with the right candidate and Kirk on the ticket, it is possible."

IL-10

Report: GOP Rep. Kirk Running For Senate In Illinois

Eric Kleefeld | July 8, 2009, 2:00PM

The Washington Post reports that Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) will be running for the Senate seat formerly held by President Obama, and now occupied by Democratic Sen. Roland Burris.

This follows today's news that state Attorney General Lisa Madigan, who would have been a shoo-in for both the Democratic primary and the general election, will not be running. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is currently in the race for the Dems, but could potentially face competition from Chris Kennedy, a businessman and son of the late Robert F. Kennedy. Burris has not announced his plans, but he has not raised much money, and polls show he would lose a primary by a landslide.

Kirk has been able to cultivate an image as a moderate, winning re-election in a suburban district that was carried by President Obama. But expect the Democrats to hammer him in this blue state over just how partisan he can really be: For example, he has said that he told Chinese leaders not to trust the American government's budget figures, and he also spoke at a Tea Party and made some rather hyperbolic comments.

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Report: Lisa Madigan Won't Run For Senate In Illinois

Eric Kleefeld | July 8, 2009, 12:19PM

In the newest political development for the 2010 Illinois Senate race, state Attorney General Lisa Madigan will reportedly announce that she is not running for Senate -- nor is she running for Governor -- but will simply run for re-election.

The seat, of course, is currently held by the very controversial Democrat Roland Burris, who was appointed by the later-impeached Gov. Rod Blagojevich, and was formerly held by Barack Obama. State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is currently running for the Democratic nomination, and has raised a decent amount of money, while Burris has not made his plans clear.

There had been much speculation about whether Madigan would run for Senate, or perhaps challenge the new Gov. Pat Quinn in the Democratic primary. Instead, she's sticking with her current job.

Polls had consistently shown that Madigan would have won Democratic primaries for either of those two offices. Now that she seems to be out, Giannoulias appears to be the frontrunner for Senate, and Quinn can probably breathe a sigh of relief.

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Poll: Majority Of Illinois Voters Believe Burris Likely Committed Pay-To-Play Politics For Appointment

Eric Kleefeld | June 12, 2009, 2:59PM

A new Rasmussen poll finds that Sen. Roland Burris' (D-IL) political standing in Illinois is bad -- extremely, really, very bad -- with a majority of voters believing he engaged in pay-to-play politics to win his appointment.

Among likely Illinois voters, only 13% say he should run for a full term in 2010, to 74% who say he should not. If he does run, only 6% say they'll definitely vote for him, to 61% who say they'll definitely vote against him.

This question is particularly bad for Burris: "To win his appointment to the United States Senate, how likely is it that Roland Burris was involved in unethical pay to play politics?" The numbers are 50% very likely, 27% somewhat likely, 9% not very likely, and 2% not at all likely.

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Dem Giannoulias Pounces On GOPer Kirk For Bad-Mouthing America To China

Eric Kleefeld | June 11, 2009, 2:05PM

Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who is now running for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Roland Burris in the 2010 election, is now pouncing on GOP Congressman Mark Kirk -- who has been mulling whether to run for Senate himself -- for having openly told the Chinese government not to trust America's budget numbers.

Giannoulias released this statement:

"In the midst of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, Mark Kirk is essentially telling China, which holds more U.S. debt than any nation on earth, not to trust the American government, and by extension, the American people. This puts the full faith and credit of the United States at risk and threatens to permanently wreak havoc on the credit markets that are essential to our recovery and our economic future.

"Congressman Kirk's reckless actions demonstrate a terrible lapse in judgment and should be immediately retracted," said Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias.

Kirk is not an official candidate at this time, and Giannoulias has yet to actually nail down his own nomination. But a Dem is clearly taking an early opportunity to keep this story alive and attack a potential rival.

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Schakowsky Announces She's Not Running For Illinois Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | June 8, 2009, 9:41AM

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), who had been publicly mulling a 2010 Senate campaign for the seat formerly held by President Obama -- and currently held by Roland Burris -- has put out this YouTube, announcing that she will not be making the race, after all:

Schakowsky said that her polling and travels around the state convinced her that she could have won -- but the pressures of raising enough money would have distracted her from her work in progress on issues like health care. "I feel confident that I could raise the $10 million dollars needed for a primary race -- and the $16 million plus needed for a general election campaign," she said, "but to do it I would have to become a telemarketer five to six hours each day."

State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias is currently running in the Democratic primary, and businessman Chris Kennedy -- a son of Robert Kennedy -- is expected to get in soon. Roland Burris has not announced whether he will run.

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Poll: GOPer Kirk Could Be Competitive For Illinois Senate Seat, But No Guarantee

Eric Kleefeld | April 30, 2009, 2:09PM

A new survey of Illinois from Public Policy Polling (D) suggests that Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL) could potentially be a competitive candidate in the 2010 election for the Senate seat now held by Democratic Sen. Roland Burris. But this could easily change against him, if currently undecided Democratic voters lock in for the eventual nominee.

Against Burris, Kirk wins in a 53%-19% landslide. It seems highly improbable that Burris will actually be the nominee, and PPP polled some other Democrats: Kirk edges Rep. Jan Schakowsky 37%-33% and ties state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias 35%-35%, with high numbers of undecideds. But the well-known and popular state Attorney General Lisa Madigan leads Kirk 49%-33%.

From the pollster's analysis of the match-ups with Schakowsky and Giannoulias: "Those numbers aren't quite as encouraging for Republicans as they may seem to be though. In each case only 19% of GOP voters are undecided, while more than 30% of Democratic ones are."

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Poll: Illinois Dems Disapprove Of Burris -- He Would Lose Primary In 2010

Eric Kleefeld | April 29, 2009, 12:48PM

A new survey of Illinois from Public Policy Polling (D) finds that Sen. Roland Burris appears to be a sitting duck in any Democratic primary, if he does indeed run in 2010.

Burris' approval rating among likely Democratic primary voters is only 27%, to 49% disapproval. In a primary against state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who has already declared his candidacy, Giannoulias leads with 49% to Burris at 20%. Adding Rep. Jan Schakowsky, who is publicly mulling a candidacy and will announce her intentions in June, it's Giannoulis 38%, Schakowsky 26%, Burris 16%.

If state Attorney General Lisa Madigan were to get in, though, she could take the whole field: Madigan 44%, Giannoulias 19%, Burris 13%, Schakowsky 11%. If Madigan were to run for governor instead, she also has a 45%-29% lead over the new Governor Pat Quinn, who took office after Rod Blagojevich was removed from office.

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Bill Daley Not Running For Illinois Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | April 24, 2009, 12:03PM

Former Clinton Commerce Secretary Bill Daley, brother of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, has decided that he is not running for the Illinois Senate seat currently held by Roland Burris and formerly held by Barack Obama.

It had been reported a month and a half ago that Daley was likely to run, but he has now changed his mind. "I was gung-ho, and hired pollsters and talked to fund-raisers and planned to make an announcement in mid-April," he told the Chicago Sun-Times. "But I'm getting remarried in June and decided I want to take a new tack in my life."

This appears to leave the Democratic field for now to state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, who has raised over $1 million -- and perhaps Roland Burris, who thus far has only raised less than $1,000, and has not made a decision yet.

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Potential Burris Primary Opponent Raises $1.1 Million

Eric Kleefeld | April 7, 2009, 9:16AM

The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Illinois state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has raised $1.1 million for his Senate campaign exploratory committee, in his potential bid in the Democratic primary against Roland Burris -- an extraordinary amount, considering the tough economic environment, and the fact that Giannoulias only got in with 28 days left in the quarter.

The Giannoulias committee also says that this does not include any of his own personal or family wealth, or contributions from PACs.

Said Giannoulias: "We were thrilled and flattered by the outpouring of support that we've received over the last 3 1/2 weeks, and I think it's evidence that people are hungry for fresh leadership and new ideas in Washington, D.C."

Maybe people are just hungry for a candidate who isn't Roland Burris.

Afghanistan

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | April 3, 2009, 9:03AM

Obama Seeking International Agreement On Afghanistan
President Obama is meeting with NATO leaders today in France and Germany, seeking international backing for his new plans for Afghanistan and Pakistan. And so far he is picking up support, as French President Nicolas Sarkozy said at their joint news conference today: "We completely support the new American strategy in Afghanistan."

Obama's Day Ahead: France And Germany
President Obama and Michelle Obama arrived this morning in Strasbourg, France, at about 4:45 a.m. ET. AT 5:35 a.m. ET he met with French President Nicolas Sarkozy, and at 6:35 a.m. ET the two briefly addressed the press pool. He held a town hall at 7:25 a.m. ET. At 9 a.m. ET the Obamas will leave for Baden-Baden, Germany, with Obama meeting Chancellor Angela Merkel at 9:45 a.m. ET. Obama and Merkel will address the press pool at 10:45 a.m. ET. President Obama and Michelle Obama will attend the NATO Concert at 1 p.m. ET, and President Obama will attend a NATO leaders working dinner at 2:15 p.m. ET. The Obamas will depart from Germany, going back to Strasbourg, at 5 p.m. ET.

Read more »

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | March 6, 2009, 9:01AM

Senate Republicans Force Delay In Omnibus Bill
Senate Republicans successfully blocked cloture last night on the omnibus spending bill, leaving Democrats one vote short of 60 and forcing Harry Reid to delay the it until Monday, after debate and votes on GOP amendments that are not expected to pass. Congress will have to fund the government through a stopgap bill today, in order to avoid a shutdown of parts of the government.

Obama Speaking To Police Recruits, Promoting Stimulus
President Obama is speaking at 11 a.m. ET today to the Columbus Police Graduation Exercises in Ohio. The reason for this event: Before the stimulus package passed, the city was going to lay off these 25 new police recruits rather than swear them in as officers, but is instead using some of the money to pay their salaries.

Biden Also Promoting Stimulus With Trip To Police Department
Joe Biden is visiting the Miami Police Department at 10:15 a.m. ET, joined by Mayor Manny Diaz and other local officials. As with Obama's trip to Columbus, the purpose of his visit is to highlight how the stimulus package has put $4 billion into local law enforcement throughout the country.

Hillary On Climate Change: "Never Waste A Good Crisis"
Hillary Clinton told a young audience at the European Parliament that climate change provides great opportunities to build a new, greener economy. "Never waste a good crisis," said Hillary, adding: "Don't waste it when it can have a very positive impact on climate change and energy security."

Gibbs Explains Media Strategy In Pundit Wars
In an interview with The Hill, Robert Gibbs explained why he has taken to calling out media hosts like Rush Limbaugh, Rick Santelli or Jim Cramer: "There's a certain amount of theater to it that might make it more fun, but it's important that people understand the policy." And his take on the GOP infighting over Limbaugh: "If your enemies are fighting themselves, then don't get in the way."

Anti-Burris Special Election Bill Dies In Illinois Committee
The Illinois legislature has given up on a recent push for a new special election for the Senate, in order to oust Roland Burris. A state Senate committee killed the proposal in a 3-2 vote -- Democrats against, Republicans in favor -- and a spokesman for Governor Pat Quinn told the New York Times: "He assessed the political reality that there was not going to be special election legislation."

Huck Heading To South Carolina
Mike Huckabee will be visiting the crucial presidential primary state of South Carolina -- the site of his narrow defeat by John McCain last year -- for a "Fair Tax" rally in April. It will be his second trip to South Carolina since the general election, after an earlier visit for his book tour.

Bunning: GOP Leaders Against Me "Are Kind Of Down The Scale"
The New York Times examines the continuing standoff between Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY), and the Republican leaders who are trying to force him into retirement. Bunning is standing strong -- and ridiculing his intra-party opposition. "When you've dealt with Ted Williams and Mickey Mantle and Yogi Berra and Stan Musial," he said, "the people I'm dealing with now are kind of down the scale."

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Report: Bill Daley Likely To Run For Obama's Senate Seat

Eric Kleefeld | March 5, 2009, 2:56PM

The potential field of candidates for President Obama's Senate seat -- for which Roland Burris may or may not be running -- keeps on growing.

The Hill reports that Bill Daley, former Commerce Secretary under Bill Clinton, is on the verge of entering the race for President Obama's former Senate seat. Daley is the brother of Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley, and son of the late Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley.

Daley was also a co-chairman of Obama's presidential campaign, and has reportedly spoken to top political talent including Larry Grisolano -- who works for David Axelrod and David Plouffe's campaign firm, AKPD Message and Media.

Meanwhile, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias has already filed paperwork for an exploratory committee, and Rep. Jan Schakowsky has also been mulling a bid in the Democratic primary.

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Burris Launches Campaign Site, Accepting Donations

Eric Kleefeld | March 2, 2009, 9:32AM

Roland Burris hasn't given a definite answer as to whether he'll be running for a full term in 2010, but he's clearly taking the steps to run just in case the answer is yes. Burris now has a new campaign Web site, complete with a "Contribute" button:

Meanwhile, the New York Times reports that a whole bunch of potential candidates are lining up on both sides to run for the seat. One possibility would even involve the state passing legislation to hold a special election in the middle of Burris' term, which he might challenge in court.

But if that Web site above means anything, it's that any new candidates should assume, until contrary evidence pops up, that they'll have one particular person as an opponent: Roland Burris.

(Via Politics1.)

Late Update: The Hotline reports that the site is a placeholder, set up by a Burris associate, and has been up since he was first seated, though it only just attracted notice. A Burris spokesperson says the Junior Senator from Illinois still hasn't made a decision about 2010.

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

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

Obama's Day Ahead: Announcing Sebelius For HHS
President Obama will announce at 1 p.m. the nomination of Kathleen Sebelius for Secretary of Health and Human Services. Then at 2 p.m. ET, he will meet with Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki.

NYT: Washington Offers Sebelius Big Chance On Health Care
The New York Times examines Kathleen Sebelius' record on health care, finding a Democrat whose efforts to expand health coverage have faltered against a heavily-Republican state legislature. "Now, with the backing of a Democratic Congress," the Times says, "Ms. Sebelius will have a chance to achieve in Washington what she failed to accomplish in Topeka, and then some."

Dean: I Would Have Liked Health And Human Services Post
In an interview with the Huffington Post, Howard Dean discussed his previous desire for the HHS post. "I was pretty clear that I would have liked to have been Secretary of HHS but it is the president's choice and he decided to go in a different direction," Dean told Sam Stein. But he made sure to compliment Kathleen Sebelius: "I think she will be very good. She is a very nice person and I think she will be fine."

WaPo: Geithner And Summers Steer Obama's Economic Policy
The Washington Post profiles the partnership that has developed between Tim Geithner and Larry Summers. "I'm struck in meetings by the fact that when Tim says something, it was exactly what I thought needed to be said," said Summers, also adding that the two of them will often finish each other's sentences, and can communicate through a single glance.

Reid Reopens Senate Debate, Allowing More GOP Amendments
Roll Call reports that Harry Reid has made a decision to open up Senate debate in a much less controlled manner than he did during 2007 and 2008, in the hopes that such an environment can make it easier to adopt amendments and attract the necessary Republican support to pass bills. Thus far, the paper notes, the decision has attracted praise from Republicans and some consternation from Dems.

Durbin: Race Factored Into Burris Controversies
Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) has acknowledged that race became a factor in the discussions surround Roland Burris' appointment to the Senate. "My colleague from Illinois, Congressman Bobby Rush, made strong statements along those (racial) lines," said Durbin. "They were painful and hurtful, and it became part of this calculation."

Hillary Promises Aid For Palestinians, Says No Funds For Hamas
Hillary Clinton is pledging $900 million in U.S. aid for humanitarian help for the Palestinians, including $300 million for Gaza. Hillary has also promised that the money will not go to Hamas: "We have worked with the Palestinian Authority to install safeguards that will ensure our funding is only used where and for whom it is intended and does not end up in the wrong hands."

Canada's Harper: Afghan War Can Never Be Won
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper is making it clearer that his county will not be providing more troops for Afghanistan, a war that President Obama is trying to beef up, without a clear exit strategy. "My own judgment is, quite frankly, that we are not going to ever defeat the insurgency," the Conservative prime minister said, adding: "We have to have an Afghan government that is capable of managing that insurgency and improving its own governance."

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Durbin Asks Burris To Resign

Eric Kleefeld | February 24, 2009, 4:04PM

Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) just told reporters that he asked Roland Burris (in a very polite manner) to resign. And Burris said no.

"If I were in your shoes, I would consider resigning," Durbin said, reciting what he told Burris.

Durbin said he also asked Burris whether he would be running for a full term in 2010, and Burris said he hasn't made up his mind. Durbin then recalled telling Burris that it would be very difficult to win either the primary or general elections.

"What I've done is, I made my recommendation to Senator Burris," Durbin said. "And he's told me clearly that he will not resign."

Durbin added that he doesn't have much persuasive power with Burris -- he previously advised Burris during the Blagojevich scandal to not seek or accept the appointment, and Burris did that, anyway.

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Burris Told To Resign By...David Vitter

Eric Kleefeld | February 24, 2009, 2:24PM

Senator David Vitter (R-LA), whose career became mired in controversy back in 2007 when he became implicated in the D.C. Madam prostitution ring, is now calling upon Roland Burris to resign.

That's right. Vitter is challenging someone else's ethics and fitness to serve in the Senate.

In an interview with The Hill, Vitter dismissed any idea that his own personal scandals made him a hypocrite for calling upon Burris to quit. "I honestly don't know anybody who would compare these situations," he told The Hill on Tuesday. "They are dramatically different."

There are differences, obviously. Burris' scandal involves being metaphorically in bed with somebody.

Barack Obama

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | February 22, 2009, 12:57PM

Obama Plans To Cut Deficit -- From Enormous Down To Huge
President Obama is reportedly planning a budget policy that would cut the deficit in half by cutting the budgets for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and by ending the Bush tax cuts for individuals making over $250,000. But here's some math to show just what a tough job he has ahead of him: The deficit would still be $533 billion by the end of his first term, down from the $1.3 trillion he inherited from George W. Bush.

Obama Hosting Governors At The White House Tonight
President Obama and the First Lady are hosting the National Governors Association for dinner at the White House tonight, with entertainment by Earth, Wind and Fire. Expect this to be a huge, momentous gathering -- and that's just Earth, Wind and Fire.

Sanford: Clyburn's Accusation About Stimulus Money "Is Absurd"
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Gov. Mark Sanford (R-SC) fired back at House Majority whip James Clyburn (D-SC) for saying his potential refusal of stimulus money was a "slap in the face" to his African-American constituents. "I think that any of us as governors -- and we do have 50 different incubators of different ideas and trying to get it right within our respective states, trying to make the judgment as best they can," said Sanford. "But the idea that color would filter into that decision-making process is absurd."

Barbour Accuses Obama Of Waging Permanent Campaign
In an interview with CNN, Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS), a former RNC chairman, noted that President Obama has been promoting the stimulus plan in swing states like Colorado, Indiana and Florida. "He's going to those places for a reason," Barbour said, attributing this development to the campaign skills of David Axelrod. "And so this is what we've become accustomed to, the perpetual campaign."

Feds Question Burris About Blago
The Chicago Sun-Times reports that federal authorities questioned Sen. Roland Burris (D-IL) at his lawyer's office on Saturday, regarding the Blagojevich case and the circumstances of his Senate appointment. He has not been accused of wrongdoing.

Franken Camp Files New Ballot List
The Franken campaign has filed an amended list of 1,585 rejected absentee ballots that they say should be reconsidered for counting. Quite interestingly, nearly half of them were already on Norm Coleman's list of 4,800 -- but the conventional wisdom has been that both sides pick ballots that they believe will skew towards themselves. Does the Franken campaign know something that Team Coleman doesn't?

Schwarzenegger: GOP Is Creating Insecurity, Should Work With Obama
Appearing on This Week, Arnold Schwarzenegger criticized the Republican Party in Washington for being overly ideological, and not working constructively with President Obama. "They should make an effort to work together and to find what is best for the people," said Arnold, "because by derailing everything, it's not going to help anybody, and it creates instability and insecurity."

Bailout

Lobbies React to Obama's Mortgage Plan

Matthew Cooper | February 18, 2009, 3:06PM

Now that President Obama has unveiled his long anticipated mortgage relief plan, what does the permanent government of Washington have to say about the plan? The plan got a tentative thumbs up from the American Bankers Association. Diane Casey-Landry, ABA senior executive vice president and chief operating officer said in a statement.

"The American Bankers Association welcomes the Homeowner Affordability and Stability Plan announced today by President Obama. The plan is a constructive, flexible and multifaceted initiative likely to have a positive effect on preventing mortgage foreclosures. The ABA is committed to working closely with the administration as it completes the remaining details of the plan. In particular, the plan is:

*A major commitment of funding sufficient in scope to have a significant impact.

*Aimed at those at-risk homeowners most likely to avoid foreclosure under the planned assistance and incentives.

* Designed to include market incentives, and to complement and reinforce industry initiatives and FHA programs."

I've been trying to reach the National Association of Realtors and the National Home Builders Association for their reaction as well.

Not surprisingly, the reaction from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac has been positive. They stand to get $200 billion in new funds. Besides, they're under government conservatorship and not really in a position to criticize the big guy.

"The Administration's unprecedented effort to prevent foreclosures and expand refinancing options for more borrowers offers hope to many struggling families across America. This is just the beginning of a sustained effort that will build over time. Fannie Mae is committed to working with the Administration," says Herb Allison, Fannie's CEO.

The biggest obstacle that lies ahead is the administration's plan to give bankruptcy court judges the power to rewrite mortgage terms. Not surprisingly, the banks are not crazy about this and will oppose it but the threat of giving judges such power--something opposed by the Bush administration--gives the banks plenty of incentive to rewrite the terms of loans before the judges do. Benjamin Lockwood in The Atlantic argues against these judicial "cram downs" here.

Will update as we hear more but this fight over bankruptcy judges is the one to watch.

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | February 16, 2009, 8:59AM

Hillary Warns North Korea -- And Slams Bush
During her overseas trip to Asia, Hillary Clinton simultaneously warned North Korea about their nuclear program -- and blasted the Bush Administration for creating the conditions that have helped it get this far. "There is no debate that, once the Agreed Framework was torn up, the North Koreans began to reprocess plutonium with a vengeance because all bets were off," said Clinton. "The result is they now have nuclear weapons, which they did not have before."

Obama Going Back To Washington Today
President Obama is heading back to Washington today, after having spent the weekend in Chicago. He is scheduled to leave O'Hare at 11 a.m. ET, and to arrive back at the White House at 12:45 p.m. ET.

Biden Meeting With Fire Fighters Union Head
Vice President Biden is in Washington today, where he'll be meeting with Harold Schaitberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters.

Report: Obama To Form Auto Task Force, Drop "Car Czar" Plan
President Obama will reportedly appoint a special task force, co-chaired by Tim Geithner and Larry Summers, to oversee the restructuring of the auto industry, replacing the prior proposal to appoint a single "car czar." This comes as General Motors and Chrysler face a deadline tomorrow to submit a business plan for how they can become viable again after receiving $13.4 billion in aid from the Bush Administration.

Burris: "I Responded To All Questions"
At a press conference yesterday, Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) responded to his critics over his failure to disclose during the Blagojevich impeachment hearings that Blago's brother had asked him for political contributions this past November -- though Burris says he didn't actually donate. "I responded to all questions that were asked of me by the impeachment committee in the time allotted," said Burris. "At no time did I ever make any inconsistent statements."

Cornyn: Coleman Knows How Important Keeping The Seat Is To Us
Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), the chairman of the NRSC, told the Politico that Norm Coleman will keep contesting the MInnesota Senate race "however long it takes" -- and it's important to the GOP. "I encourage him to see it through the end," Cornyn said. "He feels like he owes it to the voters of Minnesota and his colleagues here. He realizes how important retaining that seat is to us."

Stimulus Includes Money For Health Care Effectiveness Study
The New York Times reports that the stimulus bill now includes a key piece of health-care reform: $1.1 billion, and a 15-member advisory council to the president, to compare the costs and benefits of different treatments for the same illness. Rep. Peter Stark (D-CA) said the new research "will save money and lives," while Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) was less than enthusiastic, warning that "federal bureaucrats will misuse this research to ration care, to deny life-saving treatments to seniors and disabled people."

Ken Starr Predicts Trouble For Obama's SCOTUS Nominees
Speaking on Friday to a group of attorneys in Boston, Ken Starr hinted at some more partisan rancor to come when Barack Obama appoints a Supreme Court Justice. Starr gave this line about Obama, which is sure to be repeated by any Republicans who might filibuster a nominee: "He is the first president of the United States ever in our history to have participated in a Senate filibuster of a judicial nominee. Never before has that happened."

Barack Obama

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | February 15, 2009, 1:04PM

Obama: I'm An Optimist -- But Not A Sap
In an interview with National Journal, President Obama said he is open to reaching across the aisle, but policy results matter. "My bottom line is not how pretty the process was," he said. "My bottom line was: Am I getting help to people who need it?" He also added: "I am an eternal optimist [but] that doesn't mean I'm a sap."

Obama Heading To U. of Chicago Campus
President Obama and Vice President Biden do not have any scheduled public events for today. However, Obama is visiting the University of Chicago campus today, where he formerly taught as a part-time law professor.

Obama To Sign Stimulus On Tuesday, Discuss Foreclosures Wednesday
President Obama will sign the stimulus bill on Tuesday, in a special trip to Denver -- the city where he formally accepted the Democratic nomination. Then on Wednesday he will head to Phoenix, Arizona -- John McCain's home state -- to put forward a plan to fight home foreclosures.

Axelrod: Obama To Take Action On Stem Cells
David Axelrod said on Fox News Sunday that President Obama will soon take action on stem-cell research, and is considering an order to formally lift the ban on federal funding that was put in place by George W. Bush.

Burris: Blagojevich's Brother Asked Me For Contribution Last November
Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) has now admitted that Rod Blagojevich's brother asked him for campaign contributions last fall, which Burris says he declined to do. Burris didn't disclose this when asked by the state impeachment committee to name any contact he'd had with Blago's people about the Senate seat.

Cantor: I Get Advice From Gingrich
In a new profile in the New York Times, Eric Cantor said he has regularly sought out the advice of a previous House Republican Whip who faced similar circumstances as he did, and then put his party in the majority: Newt Gingrich. Said Cantor: "I talk to Newt on a regular basis because he was in the position that we are in: in the extreme minority."

McCain: Stimulus Bill A 'Bad Beginning' For Obama
Appearing on CNN today, John McCain lambasted President Obama's performance in passing the stimulus bill. "It was a bad beginning because it wasn't what we promised the American people, what President Obama promised the American people - that we would sit down together," said McCain, adding that "almost all of our proposals went down on a party-line vote."

GOP Senator Graham: 'The Country's Screwed'
Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) expressed his dissatisfaction today with the legislative process that led to the stimulus bill. Appearing on This Week, Graham had this to say about Democrats dominating the process: "If I may say, if this is going to be bipartisanship, the country's screwed."