Gulf Coast Oil Spill

Administration Officials Plead With Landrieu To Drop Hold On OMB Nominee Jack Lew

Christina Bellantoni | September 29, 2010, 8:47AM

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA)

Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu is holding up President Obama's key economic appointee in critical fiscal times over a local issue his economic team has no control over, giving Republicans campaign ammunition and throwing a wrench into budget planning just as the Senate is set to go home for the elections.

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and other top administration officials have been pleading with Landrieu (D-LA) to release her hold on the nomination of Jack Lew to be President Obama's new Office of Management and Budget director. But Landrieu says she won't budge until the moratorium on Gulf Coast drilling is lifted.

OMB doesn't have jurisdiction over drilling, and Democrats are privately outraged someone from their own party would block such a critical nomination -- with several suggesting the state of gridlock in the Senate has reached an untenable level. What's more, the delay to install Lew creates big budgetary problems just as the administration is prepping for several major initiatives, including the 2012 spending blueprint.

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Supreme Court

Top Strategist Advises GOP To Prolong SCOTUS Fight To Block Obama Agenda

Brian Beutler | May 10, 2010, 12:00PM

Curt Levey

Liberals have been warning President Obama for weeks that Republicans and conservative activists would fight and seek to delay confirmation of his Supreme Court nominee no matter whom he picked. Turns out they were right.

In an April 22 conference call with RNC members, which was recorded and passed my way by a source, activist Curt Levey, director of the conservative Committee for Justice, offered Republican operatives candid strategic advice, pressing them to put up a fight against even the most moderate of judges, and providing a glimpse of the GOP's playbook for obstructing Obama nominees.

The crux of the GOP's strategy is to use Obama's nominee to wedge vulnerable Democratic senators away from the party, and drag the confirmation fight out until the August congressional recess, to eat up precious time Democrats need to round out their agenda.

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Sunday Shows

The Sunday Show Line-Ups

Eric Kleefeld | April 30, 2010, 5:45PM

Gov. Charlie Crist (I-FL)

Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:

• ABC, This Week: Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

• CBS, Face The Nation: Rep. Charlie Melancon (D-LA), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ).

• CNN, State Of The Union: Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Gov. Charlie Crist (I-FL), Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL).

• Fox News Sunday: Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Senate candidate Marco Rubio (R-FL).

• NBC, Meet The Press: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Gov. Charlie Crist (I-FL), Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), Gov. Bill Richardson (D-NM).

Climate Change

Salazar: 'Cap And Trade' Not In The Lexicon Anymore

Rachel Slajda | March 31, 2010, 9:56AM

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, on CNBC this morning, suggested the administration will no longer use the term "cap and trade" to describe climate change legislation.

"I think the term 'cap and trade' is not in the lexicon anymore," Salazar said, adding that supporters -- including senators working on legislation -- will focus more on ideas such as slowing pollution, creating jobs and becoming energy independent. "It's in that context" the Senate will move forward, he said.

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CO-GOV

Poll: Salazar Might Have Lost In Gubernatorial Race

Eric Kleefeld | January 7, 2010, 2:39PM

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar

A new Rasmussen poll of Colorado suggests that if Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar had run for governor -- he has just decided against it -- the former Colorado Senator and state attorney general may well have lost, and might not even have been the strongest possible Democratic candidate.

Salazar and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper were both tested in the poll, which was conducted yesterday, against Republican former Rep. Scott McInnis. Salazar trailed McInnis by 47%-41%, while Hickenlooper is also behind by a narrower 45%-42%.

That said, the pollster's analysis argues that Democratic chances of holding this governor's mansion have actually improved since the retirement announcement by incumbent Dem Gov. Bill Ritter, noting that Ritter trailed McInnis by an eight-point margin last month.

CO-GOV

Salazar Will Not Run For CO Gov, Endorses Denver Mayor

Rachel Slajda | January 7, 2010, 1:36PM

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar

Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar will not run for Colorado governor, the Denver Post reports. Instead, he will endorse Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper.

"John Hickenlooper is a uniter. He transcends political and geographic divides to bring people together to develop solutions. If he decides to run, he will make an excellent Governor for the State of Colorado," Salazar said in a statement.

Sources had told TPMDC that Salazar was "seriously considering" such a run, and the White House had reportedly told him they wouldn't oppose a run.

Today, sources confirmed that national Democrats were talking to Salazar about a run. A Democratic source with knowledge of the process said they "didn't know" what was behind Salazar's choice not to run. Asked if Hickenlooper was the best "Plan B" for national Democrats hoping to hold the governor's mansion in Colorado, the source said Democrats "love" Hickenlooper and called him "Plan A2."

Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter announced earlier this week that he would retire rather than run for re-election.

Additional reporting by Evan McMorris-Santoro

CO-GOV

Ken Salazar 'Seriously Considering' Run For Governor

Christina Bellantoni | January 7, 2010, 10:00AM

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar

Might Ken Salazar put on another hat and go from senator to Cabinet secretary to governor?

A Democratic source in Washington told TPMDC that Salazar, President Obama's secretary of the interior and former senator from Colorado, is "seriously considering" a bid for governor. Another Democratic source told TPMDC the Salazar rumors are "serious."

Since Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter signaled he will retire instead of seek reelection, Salazar has emerged as a top possibility to run for the seat. Officials told the Denver Post Salazar wants to make a decision within 72 hours and said he met with White House officials.

Reports from the ground are that other potential Democratic contenders are waiting for Salazar to make a decision.

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Joe Lieberman

Lieberman Visited By Obama Cabinet Secretary Salazar -- Who Helped Him With Dems In The Past

Eric Kleefeld | December 14, 2009, 3:06PM

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar.

Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) is receiving a visit, CNN reports, from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, who has been actively lobbying his former Senate colleagues on health care -- and it should be noted, also had a key role in Lieberman retaining his position in the Democratic caucus.

Back in 2006, Salazar continued to endorse Lieberman for re-election even after Joe had lost the Democratic primary to Ned Lamont. At the time, Salazar said that Lieberman's "ability to bring people together would be missed if he wasn't there."

And in 2008, in the aftermath of Lieberman's support for John McCain in the presidential election (and his frequent attacks on Barack Obama), Salazar took a lead role in helping Lieberman to keep his committee chairmanship, and thus stay in the Democratic caucus.

When Salazar arrived at Lieberman's office, he told reporters, "I'm just talking to my friends." One can only imagine what those two friends are talking about.

Barack Obama

White House Pressures Reid To Cut A Deal With Lieberman

Brian Beutler | December 14, 2009, 2:26PM

President Barack Obama

As Politico first reported, the White House is pressuring a reluctant Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to cut a deal with Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) to keep the prospects for health care reform legislation alive, a keyed in aide confirms.

Reid's inclination is to wait until the CBO reports back on the public option compromise at the root of Lieberman's filibuster threat. But the White House has made it clear that they don't want to mess around.

The White House denies the charge. Spokesman Dan Pfeiffer tells TPMDC, "The report is inaccurate. The White House is not pushing Senator Reid in any direction. We are working hand in hand with the Senate Leadership to work through the various issues and pass health reform as soon as possible."

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was less responsive. "The President is anxious to see progress and will continue to work with Democrats and Republicans and independents and everyone in between."

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Tom Daschle

Obama Confidant Tom Daschle Still Has Hand In Health Care

Christina Bellantoni | December 7, 2009, 6:17PM

Tom Daschle

He's a once-disgraced former senator straddling two worlds and with a finger on the pulse of health care debate, influential with former colleagues and close to President Obama, but not even employed by the White House.

TPMDC set out to find out what exactly is Tom Daschle's role in the health care debate.

Some question whether Daschle should be part of the process since he does health care consulting for influential groups who do health care lobbying. He's not a registered lobbyist. (He was with Alston and Bird most of this year, but just joined DLA Piper).

TPMDC spoke with lawmakers, administration aides and Senate staffers, who said Daschle has been crucial as they negotiate health care. Some said that his role is playing out exactly as they had hoped it would when Daschle was first nominated to be HHS Secretary.

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Health Care

Reid: Daschle And Salazar Provide Needed Expertise And Camaraderie

Brian Beutler | December 1, 2009, 3:32PM

Fmr. Sen. Tom Daschle (D-SD)

Last night, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid met with White House officials and associates, including former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and former Senator Ken Salazar. That's an interesting duo. Daschle has worked for high-powered lobbying firms over the years, and Salazar, though a former senator, hasn't really been distinguished by his health care expertise or influence. But he is currently the Secretary of the Interior.

At a press conference today, I asked Reid what role the two men are playing in the negotiations.

"I've served with a lot of Senators," Reid said. "There are none who have more quality than those two men. And as you know, Senator Daschle was the lead person in the Senate for getting the Clinton health care bill through. He is an expert in health care. Senator Salazar is an expert at getting along with people."

So there you have it...

Health Care

Health Care Wednesday: Biden Meeting With Reid Before CBO Score Released

Christina Bellantoni | November 18, 2009, 9:20AM

Vice President Joe Biden

Fresh off his Daily Show appearance, Vice President Joe Biden is on Capitol Hill this morning to speak privately with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid about health care.

As we reported earlier, Biden agreed it's "baffling" that Democrats need 60 votes to get anything done in the Senate.

The health care plan is far from a sure thing in the Senate, and a first test procedural vote is expected to get debate started either Friday or Saturday.

Biden and Reid are huddling this morning, hours before Reid is expected to reveal the chamber's bill and Congressional Budget Office score to his caucus members tonight. Former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle and Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, a former senator from Colorado, also are reportedly attending.