Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 26, 2010, 9:01AM

House And Senate Shatter Fundraising Records For Midterm Election
The Washington Post reports: "House and Senate candidates have already shattered fundraising records for a midterm election and are on their way to surpassing $2 billion in spending for the first time, according to new campaign finance data. To put it another way: That's the equivalent of about $4 million for every congressional seat up for grabs this year."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama has no scheduled public events for today, after a campaign swing from the past week. He will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:45 a.m. ET, will receive the economic daily briefing at 10:15 a.m. Et, and will meet at 10:45 a.m. ET with senior advisers. He will meet at 4:30 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Read more »

2010 elections

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | September 22, 2010, 9:00AM

GOP To Try To Block Spending On Health Care And Financial Reform
The Hill reports: "Republicans will try to block money requested by the Obama administration to implement Democrats' signature Wall Street and healthcare reforms in a stopgap spending measure expected to clear Congress next week. The GOP is seizing on the administration's funding request as an opportunity to send a message to voters that it wants to reduce government spending and provide a check on President Obama."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and meet at 10 a.m. ET with senior advisers. At 10:35 a.m. ET, he will visit a meeting of insurance commissioners. At 11:45 a.m. ET, he will hold a backyard discussion on health care reform at a private residence in Falls Church, Virginia. He will depart form the White House at 2:45 p.m. ET, and depart from Andrews Air Force Base at 3 p.m. ET, arriving at 3:55 p.m. ET in New York City. He will deliver remarks at 4:45 p.m. ET, at the Millennium Development Goals Conference. He will deliver remarks at a 6:35 p.m. ET DSCC/DCCC fundraiser, and also deliver remarks at a 7:30 p.m. ET DSCC/DCCC dinner.

Read more »

Roundup

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | August 14, 2010, 1:00PM

Obama: Republicans Want To Privatize Social Security, Haven't 'Learned Any Lessons' From Financial Crisis
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama attacked Republicans for wanting to privatize Social Security.

"I'd have thought, after being reminded how quickly the stock market can tumble, after seeing the wealth people worked a lifetime to earn wiped out in a matter of days, that no one would want to place bets with Social Security on Wall Street; that everyone would understand why we need to be prudent about investing the retirement money of tens of millions of Americans," said Obama. "But some Republican leaders in Congress don't seem to have learned any lessons from the past few years. They're pushing to make privatizing Social Security a key part of their legislative agenda if they win a majority in Congress this fall."

Read more »

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | August 11, 2010, 9:42AM

Democrats Call On Michelle Obama To Hit The Campaign Trail
The Washington Post reports: "The White House's efforts to hold on to a majority in Congress have expanded from the West Wing to the East Wing, where political operatives are calling on Michelle Obama to campaign for endangered Democrats. Unlike her husband, the first lady has maintained her appeal to women, independents, and the new and young voters who helped propel her family into the White House. She has won praise for the issues she has chosen to champion, such as curbing childhood obesity. She has become something of a cultural and fashion icon, drawing a different kind of attention to the White House. And with an approval rating of 66 percent, she is easily the administration's most popular figure."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. He will meet at 10:30 a.m. ET with senior advisers, and will meet at 11 a.m. ET with his national security team on Iraq. He will have lunch at 12:45 p.m. ET with Vice President Biden. At 2:50 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks and sign the Manufacturing Enhancement Act. He will meet at 3:45 p.m. ET with Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. He will meet at 5 p.m. ET with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Read more »

2010 elections

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | May 8, 2010, 1:10PM

Obama: 'This Is What Health Care Reform Is Achieving'
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama promoted the benefits that he said the new health care reform law has already achieved.

"I've said before that implementing health insurance reform won't happen overnight, and it will require some tweaks and changes along the way. Ultimately, we'll have a system that provides more control for consumers, more accountability for insurance companies, and more affordable choices for uninsured Americans," said Obama. "But already, we are seeing how reform is improving the lives of millions of Americans. Already, we are watching small businesses learn that they will soon pay less for health care. We are seeing retirees realize they'll be able to keep their coverage and seniors realize they'll be able to afford their prescriptions. We're seeing consumers get a break from unfair rate hikes, patients get the care they need when they need it, and young adults get the security of knowing they can start off life with one less cost to worry about. At long last, this is what health care reform is achieving."

Read more »

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | March 17, 2010, 8:59AM

Report: Hillary Clinton To Call Netanyahu
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will reportedly speak with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an effort to ease the diplomatic feud between the two countries that has come in the wake of an announcement of settlement expansion that came during Vice President Biden's visit to Israel. The call could come as early as today.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and the economic daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET. He will meet at 10:45 a.m. ET with Irish Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Brian Cowen. He will deliver remarks at 12:35 p.m. ET, at Speaker Pelosi's Friends of Ireland Luncheon. The President and First Lady will host a St. Patrick's Day reception at 7:25 p.m. ET.

Read more »

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | February 10, 2010, 8:59AM

Reid Puts Off Senate Business -- But Dems Still On Hand
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has delayed efforts to pass a jobs bill this week, due to the snowstorm shutting down Washington. However, Reid still expects to have Democratic Senators on hand to work on the bill -- because they can't go home. "You certainly aren't probably going to be able to leave if you wanted to with the storms being such as they are," said Reid.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 11:45 a.m. ET with a group of African-American leaders, to discuss the economy and jobs. The expected attendees include: Dr. Dorothy I. Height, Chairwoman, National Council of Negro Women; Benjamin T. Jealous, President, NAACP; former New Orleans Mayor Marc H. Morial, President and CEO, National Urban League; and Rev. Al Sharpton, President and Founder, National Action Network.

Read more »

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | February 9, 2010, 9:03AM

Cloture Vote On NLRB Nominee To Test Strength Of Dem, GOP Caucuses
Senate Democrats are facing a key test today of their voting strength, with a cloture vote on the nomination of Craig Becker for a seat on the National Labor Relations Board. Senate Republicans now have 41 members, thanks to the election of Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA), and Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) has announced he will vote against Becker, meaning that Democrats need at least two Republicans to cross over, and to hold on to all 58 other members of the Democratic caucus.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will sign a memorandum on childhood obesity at 9:15 a.m. ET. Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and meet at 10:15 a.m. ET with bipartisan leaders of the House and Senate, to discuss the economy and jobs. Obama and Biden will have lunch at 12 p.m. ET. Obama will receive the economic daily briefing at 2:30 p.m. ET, and meet with senior advisers at 3 p.m. ET.

Read more »

White House

Marzipan Bo Obama Newest Addition To Traditional WH Holiday Gingerbread House

Christina Bellantoni | December 2, 2009, 6:44PM

Reporters couldn't stop asking White House Pastry Chef Bill Yosses if holiday visitors take bites out of the gingerbread and white chocolate replica of the South Portico.

He confessed that in his three years of helping craft the traditional White House gingerbread house he sometimes sees little nibbles taken out of it.

But once he explained the process - letting more than 100 pounds of overcooked, crunchy gingerbread go stale, and making sure to dust the house in the weeks it sits in the State Dining Room - everyone realized it was better as a decoration than as a snack.

After First Lady Michelle Obama announced the theme of this year's White House Christmas, Yosses laid out in great detail for reporters how he made the home, from hand carving the white chocolate steps to shrinking a computer printout of Abraham Lincoln for the photo on the wall in the dollhouse-sized state dining room replica.

Yosses and his team spent six weeks crafting and designing the gingerbread house, which has new additions this year with a new First Family at the helm.

Read more »

Roundup

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | October 28, 2009, 8:59AM

Kyl Prefers Opt-In Over Opt-Out; Thune Condemns Any Public Plan
The Hill reports Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said he would much prefer an "opt-in" public option for state, over the opt-out model being offered by Democrats. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) expressed surprise at this, as it implies acceptance of a public option at all. "I'd be really surprised if Sen. Kyl votes for anything that includes a government plan," said Thune. "[Democrats] have to come up with a way for this to not look like what it is, but at the end of the day it still is what it is, which is a government plan."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will deliver remarks at an 11 a.m. ET Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, honoring former Sen. Edward Brooke (R-MA), the first black Senator since Reconstruction. Obama will have lunch with Vice President Biden at 12 p.m. ET, and the two of them will host a 1:20 p.m. ET meeting with the co-chairmen of the President's Intelligence Advisory Board and the senior leadership of the intelligence community. At 2:30 p.m. ET, Obama will sign the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. Obama and Biden will meet at 3:10 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Obama will attend a commemorative tree planting at 5:30 p.m. ET, and he will deliver remarks at a 6:05 p.m. ET reception, commemorating the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Read more »

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | September 30, 2009, 8:58AM

New DNC Ad: Tell Republicans To "Stop The Lies" On Health Reform
The Democratic National Committee has a new ad on health care, attacking Republican leaders for "trying to scare seniors about health reform." The ad will air on national cable and in Washington, D.C.

"Tell Republicans: Stop the lies on health reform," the announcer says.

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will tour a laboratory at the National Institutes of Health at 10:25 a.m. ET, with Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius. Obama will make a major announcement regarding the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act at 11 a.m. ET. He will sign the Arnold Palmer Gold Medal Act in the Oval Office at 1:30 p.m. ET, honoring the legendary golfer. At 3 p.m. ET, he will meet with his national security team on Afghanistan.

Read more »

Barack Obama

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | September 29, 2009, 8:58AM

U.S. Plans To Isolate Iran If Nuclear Talks Fail
The Washington Post reports that the Obama administration is preparing to further cut Iran's economic links with the rest of the world: "While officials stress that they hope Iran will agree to open its nuclear program to inspection, they are prepared by year's end to make it increasingly difficult for Iranian companies to ship goods around the world. The administration is targeting, in particular, the insurance and reinsurance companies that underwrite the risk of such transactions."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen. Obama and Vice President Biden will meet at 4:30 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Read more »

Barack Obama

TPMDC Saturday Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | April 4, 2009, 1:08PM

Obama: Global Coordination Needed For Global Crisis
In this weekend's YouTube Address, President Obama discussed the work of the G-20 leaders to fix the global economy:

"Ultimately, the only way out of a recession that is global in scope is with a response that is global in coordination," said Obama. "That is why I'm pleased that after two days of careful negotiation, the G20 nations have agreed on a series of unprecedented steps that I believe will be a turning point in our pursuit of a global economic recovery."

RNC Video: Obama Inherited A Fiscal Crisis, Is Making It Worse
In this weekend's RNC YouTube, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) gives the GOP's rebuttal on the budget -- and concedes the White House's point that the problems it is facing are inherited, rather than of its own making:

"There is no doubt that President Obama inherited a fiscal crisis," said Ryan. "But the question is, is he fixing it or is he making it worse? The President's budget, which passed the House and Senate this week, will make the crisis much, much worse."

Read more »

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

Election Central Morning Roundup

Eric Kleefeld | January 19, 2009, 9:02AM

WaPo: Unemployment Going Up Among Washington Republicans
The Washington Post reports that Republican political appointees are now facing unemployment in the middle of a tough job market, and with K Street preferring Democrats. Said former George H.W. Bush advisor Ron Kaufman: "You have lots of folks in the House and Senate on the streets and 3,000 administration appointees on the streets at a time when the job market is shrinking anyways. It's just not a fun time."

Barack And Michelle Obama To Attend Community Service Lunch
Barack and Michelle Obama are attending a lunch today with community service volunteers in Washington, as part of Obama's "Renew America Together" initiative, calling for more people to volunteer.

Obama To Honor Powell, McCain, Biden
Barack Obama will be attending three dinners tonight to honor three different political figures from across the spectrum. First up is a dinner honoring Colin Powell, beginning at 5 p.m. ET, then a dinner honoring John McCain, also beginning at 5 p.m. ET, and finally a dinner at 6:30 p.m. ET to honor Joe Biden.

Michelle Obama, Jill Biden Hosting Concert For Military Families
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden will be attending the Kids' Inaugural, a concert honoring military families and for which free tickets were distributed by the Presidential Inauguration Committee and the Department of Defense. The event begins at 7 p.m. ET, featuring acts such as Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers.

Sullenberger Gets Inauguration Ticket
Captain Chesley Sullenberger, the US Airways pilot who successfully landed his damaged passenger plane into the Hudson River with no deaths or serious injuries, has been given free tickets to Barack Obama's inauguration tomorrow, for both himself and his family.

NYT: Obama Reaching Out To McCain
The New York Times reports that Barack Obama has been consulting closely with John McCain on his appointments and other areas of foreign policy, seeking to build a consensus on how to pursue his own policy goals. "He said that he understands that we had differences but he wanted to let us know that he also understands that we have got to be responsible in how we leave Iraq," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC).

Poll: Nearly 7 In 10 Blacks Believe King's Dream Is Fulfilled
A new CNN poll finds that 69% of African-Americans believe Martin Luther King's dream has been fulfilled, to 30% who say it has not. This number is actually higher than it is among whites, only 46% of whom say it has been fulfilled, to 52% who say it has not.