Roundup

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | July 3, 2010, 1:03PM

Obama: GOP Senators 'Using Their Power To Hold This Relief Hostage'
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama announced the funding of two solar energy companies by the Department of Energy, with nearly $2 billion. He also attacked Republican leaders for blocking his economic relief proposals.

"In the short term, we're fighting to speed up this recovery and keep the economy growing by all means possible. That means extending unemployment insurance for workers who lost their job. That means getting small businesses the loans they need to keep their doors open and hire new workers. And that means sending relief to states so they don't have to lay off thousands of teachers and firefighters and police officers," said Obama. "Still, at a time when millions of Americans feel a deep sense of urgency in their own lives, Republican leaders in Washington just don't get it. While a majority of Senators support taking these steps to help the American people, some are playing the same old Washington games and using their power to hold this relief hostage - a move that only ends up holding back our recovery. It doesn't make sense."

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Roundup

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | June 6, 2010, 1:00PM

Adm. Allen On Oil Spill: 'This Is A Siege Across The Entire Gulf'
Appearing on Face The Nation, Coast Guard Adm. Thad Allen said that the fight against the BP oil spill will last into the fall. "This will only end when we intercept the well bore, pump mud down it and put a cement plug in. It's bottom kill rather than top kill. The spill will not be contained until that happens," said Allen. "Even after that there will be oil out there for months to come. This will be well into the fall. This is a siege across the entire Gulf."

Kerry: Israel Not A Burden, But Gaza A 'Humanitarian Challenge'
Appearing on This Week, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) disagreed with a recent statement by the head of Israeli intelligence, who said that the country had turned into a burden and not an asset for the United States. "No, I don't believe that. But there are obviously tensions with respect to certain policies. We've seen that," said Kerry. "But let's begin at the very beginning of a big picture here. Israel has every right in the world to make certain that weapons are not being smuggled in after the thousands of rockets that have been fired on it from Gaza. And Israel has every right in the world, as recognized by the international community -- because it is not just Israel conducting this blockade; it is Israel and Egypt. So you begin that Israel has this right to protect itself. Now, that said, Gaza is a -- is a humanitarian challenge, and Israel understands that, I think. And this has underscored it."

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Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | April 9, 2010, 8:59AM

Obama: McDonnell's Omission Of Slavery From Confederate History 'Unacceptable'
In an interview with ABC News, President Obama said that Gov. Bob McDonnell (R-VA) made "an unacceptable omission" by not mentioning slavery in his proclamation for Confederate History Month. "I don't think you can understand the Confederacy and the Civil War unless you understand slavery," said Obama.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama held a bilateral meeting in Prague with Czech President Vaclav Klaus, at 9:30 a.m. CEST (3:30 a.m. ET). He departed from Prague at 10:25 a.m. CEST. He will arrive back at Andrews Air Force Base at 1:05 p.m. ET, and at the White House at 1:20 p.m. ET.

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Liz Cheney

Liz Cheney: White House Fight With Fox News Is 'Censorship' And 'Abuse of Power'

Eric Kleefeld | October 21, 2009, 4:43PM

Liz Cheney appeared on Sean Hannity's TV show last night, and had some very tough things to say about the Obama administration's public feuding with Fox News.

Cheney said that David Axelrod and Rahm Emanuel were sending a "clear warning" against other networks: "It's clear censorship, and it's, in my view, abuse of power from the White House."

As for why the Obama administration has it in for Fox, Cheney said: "They became accustomed to an environment where they just got a lot of adoration, and they don't like to be challenged. And Fox News has sure been, you know, at the top of the list of those asking the hard questions."

She may have a point about a White House being accustomed to an environment of adoration and not being challenged. This would explain why the Bush-Cheney White House liked Fox News so much.

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 13, 2009, 8:59AM

Senate Finance Committee To Vote On Health Care Bill
The Senate Finance Committee is expected to vote today on the Baucus health care bill. Democrats hold a 13-10 majority on the committee, so approval is widely expected -- though questions remain as to whether any Dems will vote against it from the left, or whether Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe might vote yes.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 11:25 a.m. ET with Vice President Biden. He will meet at 12:15 p.m. ET with President Zapatero of Spain, and the two of them will make statements to the press at 1:05 p.m. ET. He will meet at 2:10 p.m. with Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN). Obama and Biden will meet at 4:35 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. At 7:15 p.m. ET, the Obamas and Bidens will attend a performance on the South Lawn, "Fiesta Latina."

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Roundup

TPMDC Sunday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 11, 2009, 12:58PM

Liz Cheney: Obama Given Nobel Prize For Opposing American Dominance
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Liz Cheney attacked President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize. "Well, I think what the committee believes is they'd like to live in a world in which America is not dominant. And I think if you look at the language of the citation, you can see that they talk about, you know, President Obama ruling in a way that makes sense to the majority of the people of the world," said Cheney. "You know, Americans don't elect a president to do that. We elect a president to defend our national interests. And so I think that, you know, they may believe that President Obama also doesn't agree with American dominance, and they may have been trying to affirm that belief with the prize. I think, unfortunately, they may be right, and I think it's a concern."

McCain: Palin 'Energized Our Party'
Appearing on State of the Union, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) defended his former running mate Sarah Palin, against the criticism of his former campaign manager Steve Schmidt. "There are fundamental facts ... that cannot be denied," McCain adds. "When we selected or asked Sarah Palin to be my running mate, it energized our party. We were ahead in the polls, until the stock market crashed. And she still is a formidable force in the Republican Party, and I have great affection for her."

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Medicare

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | September 28, 2009, 9:01AM

WaPo: GOP Faces Role Reversal On Medicare
The Washington Post reports that Republicans have found themselves in an odd position on Medicare -- the party that usually seeks cuts in the program is now denouncing proposed reductions, and even the medical industry isn't supporting them. "In terms of this deal, we are better off. And, also, it's the right thing to do," said Charles Kahn, president of the Federation of American Hospitals, and who is also the man behind the "Harry and Louise" ads of 1994.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama does not have any public events scheduled for today. He will receive the presidential daily briefing at 10:15 a.m. ET, and will meet with senior advisers at 10:35 a.m. ET.

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Birth Certificate

Liz Cheney: Birthers Are "Concerned" About President Not Defending America

Eric Kleefeld | July 22, 2009, 11:59AM

Appearing last night on Larry King Live, Liz Cheney gave a defense of the Birthers:

"You know, one of the reasons I think you see people so concerned about this," Cheney explained, "I think that, you know, this issue is people are uncomfortable with having, for the first time ever, I think, a president who seems so reluctant to defend the nation overseas."

Larry King later bluntly asked, "Are you saying because he's a Kenyan?" To which she responded: "No, I'm not saying that."

In an e-mail to Ben Smith, Cheney clarified her position:

I don't have any question about Barack Obama's right to be President of the United States.

My concern is with his policies. I am deeply troubled about the path he is taking this country down -- massively expanding the size of government, weakening our national defenses, increasing taxes on all Americans and nationalizing health care. These are dangerous policies for the nation.

Note the artful phrasing that she uses. She says that she does not question Obama's "right to be President of the United States," which would logically imply that she accepts his citizenship. But she doesn't use the actual word "citizen," or otherwise include a more direct denunciation of Birther conspiracy theories.

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Liz Cheney

Liz Cheney Opposes Making Decisions Based On How You Want The Law To Work Out

Eric Kleefeld | May 27, 2009, 12:05PM

Appearing on Fox News today, Liz Cheney worried that a judge who makes legal decisions based on how they want the law to work out "moves us away from the rule of law":

"And you know, you're not supposed to make decisions based on how you want the law to come out -- how you want the results to come out. If you're a judge or a Justice, obviously one would hope that you would be just strictly interpreting the law, and I think we've heard in a number of instances President Obama talk about, sort of, a results-oriented approach to the law, or you know, making these determinations based on your heart or your empathy. And I think that's dangerous. I think that moves us away from the rule of law."

Of course, this comes form someone who is mounting a huge public relations campaign for her father's policy that "enhanced interrogation" was legal and not torture. Interestingly, this Republican concern about results-oriented legal judgement was also lodged yesterday by John Yoo, one of the authors of the torture memos.