TPMDC Rahm Emanuel
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Obama, GOP Start $50 Billion Apart
The Hill reports: "The Obama administration opened talks on a budget deal Thursday with congressional Republicans and Democrats, but the two sides appeared miles apart on how much to reduce this year's spending. The White House offered to slash spending by an additional $6.5 billion a day after President Obama signed short-term legislation cutting spending by $4 billion to prevent a government shutdown. Republicans, however, want $61 billion in cuts, and some dismissed the new offer from Democrats as small grapes."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. Obama will meet with senior advisers at 10 a.m. ET, will meet with Chicago Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel at 10:45 a.m. ET, and will meet with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner at 11:15 a.m. ET. Obama will depart from the White House at 12 p.m. ET, will depart from Andrews Air Force Base at 12:15 p.m. ET, and will arrive at 2:40 p.m. ET in Miami, Florida. At 3:05 p.m. Et, he will tour a classroom at Miami Central Senior High School with former Gov. Jeb Bush (R-FL) and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and deliver remarks at 4 p.m. ET. He will deliver remarks at a DSCC fundraiser at 5:35 p.m. ET, and deliver remarks at another DSCC fundraiser at 7:30 p.m. ET. He will depart from Miami at 8:30 p.m. ET, arriving at Andrews Air Force Base at 10:35 p.m. ET, and arriving back at the White House at 10:50 p.m. ET.
Topics: 2012 elections, Barack Obama, Budget, Joe Biden, Pres '12, Rahm Emanuel, Roundup, William Daley
Rahm Emanuel
Emanuel Could Win Chicago Mayor's Race On First Ballot
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel's toughest vote in the Chicago mayoral race may be behind him. Since the Illinois Supreme Court overruled an appellate court and placed Emanuel back on the ballot, new polls show him dominating the field and hovering around the 50% threshold needed to avoid a runoff election.
In a Tribune/WGN poll released today, 49% of Chicagoans said they intended to vote for Emanuel, giving him an enormous 30 point lead on his closest challenger, Gery Chico, the former Chicago Board of Education president. A survey conducted by Chicago's ABC affiliate pegged Emanuel's support even higher, as it found him leading Chico by 40 points, 54% to 14%.
A candidate must receive at least half of the vote to win the February 22 election outright. If no candidate reaches that threshold, the top two vote-getters will face off in a special election in April.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2011 Elections, Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, chicago
Rahm Emanuel
IL Supreme Court: Rahm Can Run For Mayor
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel can run for mayor of Chicago. The Illinois Supreme Court unanimously ruled today that Emanuel is eligible, overturning an appellate court decision, and ending months of legal back-and-forth.
In the decision, the higher court offered this criticism: "the novel standard adopted by the appellate court majority is without any foundation in Illinois law."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Chicago, Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Illinois Supreme Court: Rahm Can Stay On The Ballot -- For Now
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
The Illinois Supreme Court has granted Rahm Emanuel a stay of an appellate court's decision that booted him from the Chicago mayoral ballot. The court has ordered that ballots still be printed with Emanuel's name on them, according to WLS.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Rahm Emanuel
Chicago
Rahm Files Appeal To Illinois Supreme Court
Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel is fighting an appellate court's decision that booted him from the Chicago mayoral ballot. In a last-ditch appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court, Emanuel and his lawyers call yesterday's decision "one of the most far-reaching election law rulings ever to be issued by an Illinois court."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Chicago, Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Chicago Official: We're Printing Ballots Without Rahm's Name
Rahm Emanuel
Chicago Election Board Chairman Langdon Neal says ballots for the city's mayoral election will start to be printed tonight, and Rahm Emanuel's name won't be on them.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Chicago, Rahm Emanuel
Rahm Emanuel
Court Boots Rahm Emanuel From Ballot In Chicago
Rahm Emanuel
An appellate court panel in Illinois ruled 2-1 today that Rahm Emanuel should not appear on the Feb. 22 Chicago mayoral ballot.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Chicago, Rahm Emanuel
White House
Emotional Rahm Emanuel Chokes Up As He Departs White House (VIDEO)
Rahm Emanuel is known more for cursing than kind words, but he choked up today as he addressed West Wing staffers for a final speech announcing his departure from the White House.
Rahm said he knows he's supposed to be "tough" but talked about the honor he feels it has been working for President Obama. He said Obama has tackled massive challenges and credited the president with rescuing the economy from freefall. You can watch the video below.
[TPM SLIDESHOW: So Rahm, Farewell: A Salute To Rahm Emanuel's Time In Washington]
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2011 Elections, Barack Obama, CHI-MAYOR, Pete Rouse, Rahm Emanuel, White House
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Rahm's Replacement Pete Rouse Known As 'Fixer'
The Washington Post reports: "Few people outside Washington, and not many inside, have heard the name Pete Rouse. The man President Obama will name as his interim White House chief of staff on Friday is a quiet political player who avoids the spotlight. He does not suit up for the Sunday talk shows; there are no stories about him reducing staff members to tears for their slip-ups. He is in many ways the opposite of Rahm Emanuel, the brash chief of staff he will replace."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET. He will make a personnel announcement at 11:05 a.m. ET, on the new White House Chief of Staff. He will meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He will attend Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan's Investiture Ceremony at 2 p.m. ET. He will receive the economic daily briefing at 3:20 p.m. ET. He will meet with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates at 4 p.m. ET.
Topics: 2010 elections, Barack Obama, House '10, Joe Biden, John Boehner, Pete Rouse, Rahm Emanuel, Roundup, Senate '10
Rahm Emanuel
Emanuel Expected To Announce White House Departure This Week
Rahm Emanuel
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel is expected to announce this week whether he will leave the White House in order to run for mayor of Chicago.
Emanuel has not yet made a decision, according to a source close to him. "Because of family considerations, no final decision has been made," the source said, but added that Emanuel "is nearing a decision" and will announce "as early as Friday."
[TPM SLIDESHOW: Fist Bumps, Football And Friends: The End Of Summer With The Obamas]
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, Chicago Mayor, Rahm Emanuel, White House
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Report: Obama Aides Weigh Bid to Tie GOP To Tea Party
The New York Times reports that White House political advisers are considering ideas to cast the Republican Party as having been taken over by Tea Party extremists: "White House and Congressional Democratic strategists are trying to energize dispirited Democratic voters over the coming six weeks, in hopes of limiting the party's losses and keeping control of the House and Senate. The strategists see openings to exploit after a string of Tea Party successes split Republicans in a number of states, culminating last week with developments that scrambled Senate races in Delaware and Alaska."
White House Denies Effort To Tie GOP To Tea Party
However, Politico reports: The White House is pushing back hard against a New York Times report that the president's political team is considering a national ad campaign that would cast the GOP as taken over by tea party extremists. The story is '100 percent inaccurate,' a White House official told POLITICO. Times Washington bureau chief Dean Baquet counters that the 'piece is accurate.'"
Topics: 2010 elections, Barack Obama, Don't Ask, Don't Tell, Joe Biden, Joe Sestak, Lady Gaga, OH-Gov, PA-SEN, Rahm Emanuel, Roundup, Tea Party, Ted Strickland
Christina Romer
Romer: Current Economic Situation Is 'Unacceptable By Any Metric'
Council of Economic Advisors Chair Christina Romer
The outgoing chair of President Obama's Council of Economic Advisers acknowledged yesterday that the Democrats' recovery efforts have been insufficient, and that part of the reason was that the administration underestimated the severity of the economic recession.
"[C]ompared with the problems we face, the turnaround has been insufficient," said Christina Romer at the National Press Club in a farewell address of sorts. "Though the unemployment rate has come down six-tenths of a percentage point, it is still nine-and-a-half percent -- an unacceptable level by any metric."
"[W]e, like virtually every other forecaster, failed to anticipate just how violent the recession would be in the absence of policy, and the degree to which the usual relationship between GDP and unemployment would break down," she added.
Topics: Barack Obama, Christina Romer, Democrats, Economy, Rahm Emanuel, Republicans, Stimulus, Unemployment, White House
Sarah Palin
Palin In February: We'd Be 'Appalled' If Public Figure Used "N-Word"
Former VP candidate Sarah Palin (R)
Sarah Palin continues to defend Dr. Laura Schlessinger's use of the word "n****r" and blame liberals for forcing the controversial conservative radio show off the air. But just a few months ago Palin was adamant that using the "N-word," and other offensive terms, should be a firing offense...if you're a Democrat.
"I would ask the president to show decency in this process by eliminating one member of [his] inner circle, Mr. Rahm Emanuel," Palin wrote in February. "The Obama Administration's Chief of Staff scolded [liberal critics] calling them, 'F---ing retarded,' according to several participants, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Just as we'd be appalled if any public figure of Rahm's stature ever used the "N-word" or other such inappropriate language, Rahm's slur on all God's children with cognitive and developmental disabilities - and the people who love them - is unacceptable, and it's heartbreaking."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Barack Obama, Dr. Laura, Laura Schlessinger, Rahm Emanuel, Sarah Palin
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
Rahm: 'In Case You Forgot What Republican Governance Was Like, Joe Barton Reminded You'
Appearing on This Week, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel linked the Republican Party as a whole to Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX), who apologized to BP for the treatment it has received from the Obama administration: "Do you think that BP is the aggrieved party here? Do you think that Wall Street should be left alone and not have any reforms? Elections are about choices. Those are what is fundamental. There is a difference in our philosophies. And not only in our philosophies, how we make sure that American strengthens its economy. Joe Barton and the Republican -- major voices in the Republican Party just told you their view. And in case you forgot what Republican governance was like, Joe Barton reminded you."
McConnell: 'I Couldn't Disagree With Joe Barton More'
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said, "I couldn't disagree with Joe Barton more," and that it was "nonsense" for Democrats to link Barton's apology to BP to the Republican Party's policies on the oil industry. McConnell also criticized the Obama administration's handling of the oil spill: "If you're going to advocate expansion of government it doesn't look very good when the government you're already in charge of doesn't function so well."
Topics: Andrew Romanoff, BP, Bill Nelson, Gulf Coast Oil Spill, Haley Barbour, Joe Barton, Joe Lieberman, Joe Sestak, Joseph Cao, Lisa Murkowski, Mitch McConnell, Oil Spill, PA-SEN, Rahm Emanuel, Roundup, Sunday Shows
Sunday Shows
The Sunday Show Line-Ups
Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT)
Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:
• ABC, This Week: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel.
• CBS, Face The Nation: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Rep. Joseph Cao (R-LA).
• CNN, State Of The Union: Sen. Richard Lugar (R-IN), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).
• Fox News Sunday: Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
• NBC, Meet The Press: Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS), Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA), Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA), former Shell Oil Company president John Hofmeister, Katty Kay of the BBC, TARP Executive Compensation Special Master Ken Feinberg.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barbara Boxer, Bill Nelson, Dianne Feinstein, Dick Lugar, Ed Markey, Haley Barbour, Joe Lieberman, Joseph Cao, Ken Feinberg, Mary Landrieu, Mitch McConnell, Rahm Emanuel, Richard Shelby, Robert Gates, Sunday Shows
PA-SEN
Sestak: 'I Said No' When Clinton Offered
Former President Bill Clinton and Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA)
Shortly after the White House released a memo in an attempt to diffuse the dust-up over claims there was a quid pro quo to influence the Pennsylvania Democratic Senate primary, Rep. Joe Sestak is confirming the administration's account.
The nominee's statement includes the first real details Sestak (D-PA) has offered since first acknowledging there was an offer, an issue which heated up since he won the May 18 primary over Sen. Arlen Specter.
Sestak said he was called last summer by President Clinton, who "expressed concern over my prospects if I were to enter the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and the value of having me stay in the House of Representatives because of my military background." Sestak said that during the call, which the White House said was in June and July, Clinton relayed a message from White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel there was interest in Sestak serving on a presidential board.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Arlen Specter, Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Joe Sestak, PA-SEN, Rahm Emanuel, White House
Audit the Fed
Dis! Sanders Learns Of White House Plans To Kill Fed Audit In New York Times
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT)
Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) keeps hearing from Rahm Emanuel about his proposal to force a comprehensive audit of the Federal Reserve. But the White House isn't calling to tell him about new plans to kill his amendment.
The White House is hoping to cobble together a separate proposal, to be offered as an alternative to Sanders' backers. The so called "side-by-side" would give them cover to vote down the Fed audit amendment, by offering them them a weaker plan to support.
But Sanders had to read about this plan in the newspaper.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Audit the Fed, Bernie Sanders, Federal Reserve, Financial Reform, Rahm Emanuel, White House
Palace intrigue
CNN Asks Rahm If He'll Stay Or Go (VIDEO)
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
There have been numerous stories in recent weeks speculating about White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel's future. He might be a cursing administration staffer who rubs people the wrong way, but he has President Obama's confidence and just helped the Democrats achieve a major political win with health care reform.
Emanuel, a former member of Congress, was a critical member of the Democratic leadership team that helped win back control of the House in 2006. He's been known to have higher political aspirations and didn't initially want the top White House job. Emanuel worked in the Clinton White House as well.
Chiefs of staff at the White House historically have short tenure in part because the job is so stressful. So, will he stay on?
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: CNN, Health Care, Palace intrigue, Rahm Emanuel, White House
Health Care
Dems To White House: Enough With The Health Care Timelines Already!
Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
Congressional Democrats are under increasing pressure to finish up health care reform, but they've had enough of the White House dictating deadlines to them. And at a bicameral leadership meeting this afternoon--attended by White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and other administration officials--they made that very clear.
"I was at a meeting with Rahm Emanuel and he was certainly informed that we don't feel that we want any deadline assigned to us," House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman told a few reporters outside of a Democratic caucus meeting this evening. "We want to pass the bill, we want to make sure it's the way it should be, and soon as possible, but we don't feel that we have to have any particular deadline."
I asked Waxman how Emanuel reacted to the pushback?
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Democrats, Dick Durbin, Health Care, Henry Waxman, House of Representatives, Rahm Emanuel, Robert Gibbs, Senate, Steny Hoyer, White House
Health Care
Rahm: Health Care Will Come After Jobs And Bank Regs
Rahm Emanuel
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel has told the New York Times that health care will have to wait until after legislation aimed at creating jobs and regulating banks.
Emanuel said he hopes Congress will take up a jobs bill next week and then turn to President Obama's plan to tax banks to help pay for the TARP program. Then, after looking at an overhaul of financial regulations, they'll turn to health care.
"All these things start and lead to one place: J-O-B-S," he said.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Health Care, Rahm Emanuel, White House
White House
Emanuel Says White House And Senate Dems Have 'Absolute' Confidence In Harry Reid (VIDEO)
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said President Obama and the Senate Democrats have "100 percent, absolute confidence" in Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid following the publication of old comments Reid made on Obama's race.
"What's important is not what was said a year ago, it's the challenges they are facing here today in the country," Emanuel said, appearing on the new MSNBC show "The Daily Rundown."
The defense of Reid comes after weekend revelations that the majority leader talked about Obama being "light-skinned" and not having a "Negro dialect" and his private support for Obama during the 2008 presidential primary.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Harry Reid, Rahm Emanuel, White House
House of Representatives
Latest Health Care Flashpoint Strains Relationships Among Democrats
President Barack Obama and Rahm Emmanuel
Last year's health care debate was dominated by a bruising--and ultimately losing--fight over the public option. But simmering on the back burner for weeks while the public option ran its course has been a battle among Democrats over how to pay for health care reform. And now, with the public option swept into the dustbin, the fight over taxes has come to the fore, and is testing relationships all the way up the Democratic ladder to party leadership and the White House.
At issue is whether expanding insurance coverage to over 30 million Americans should be paid for by wealthy Americans (as the House would like), or, as the Senate calls for, by people who have expensive health care plans--many of whom are middle class. The vast majority of House Democrats--and the public at large--oppose the Senate proposal. But the idea has one powerful ally: President Obama.
"The polling just hasn't moved an inch," Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT) told me. Recent data indicates that the public opposes the Senate's so-called "Cadillac tax" plan by a two-to-one margin. "Frankly, it's the same polling that was there when Obama went after McCain on this."
According to Courtney many in the House believe that, after sacrificing the public option, Democrats should draw a line in the sand over the excise tax--including one Democratic leader.
Topics: Barack Obama, Cadillac Tax, Excise Tax, Health Care, House of Representatives, Joe Courtney, John Dingell, Nancy Pelosi, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel
Health Care
Dean Softens On Senate Health Care Bill: If The GOP Hates It, It Can't Be So Bad
Governor Howard Dean raised the ire of the White House and Democratic leaders last week when he publicly denounced the Senate health care bill, and urged liberal members to kill it. Dean's influence with progressive reformers goes without saying, so members weren't shy about dismissing his proclamation.
But he seems to have changed his tune.
Here he is on the Rachel Maddow show last night.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Health Care, Howard Dean, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel, Senate, Tom Harkin
Health Care
Rahm To Reid: Give Lieberman What He Wants
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
Obama administration officials were not pleased when word leaked out earlier today that the White House was leaning on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to cut a deal with Joe Lieberman on a public option alternative--and they gave their counterparts on the other end of Pennsylvania Ave. an earful about it. But in the end, sources are unanimous: The White House wants Reid to hand Joe Lieberman the farm.
An aide briefed on discussions with the White House says that there would be no story if Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel hadn't interceded. The aide confirmed an account, reported by Huffington Post, that Emanuel visited Reid personally, telling him to cut a deal with Lieberman.
Then the aide provided more detail.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (3)Topics: Harry Reid, Health Care, Medicare, Medicare Buy-In, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel, White House
White House
Blago Lawyers Looking For Obama's FBI Interview
Former Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D-IL)
Attorneys for former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich are reportedly asking the FBI for interviews authorities conducted with President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and top adviser Valerie Jarrett.
The Chicago Sun-Times has details of the request, and sources told the paper that Michelle Obama was never interviewed by the FBI as authorities investigated Blagojevich.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, FBI, IL-SEN, Michelle Obama, Rahm Emanuel, Rod Blagojevich, White House
Health Care
Baucus, Dodd: Votes Likely Tomorrow
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), Senator Max Baucus (D-MT)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and key health care principals met with White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Nancy-Ann DeParle, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and other officials to discuss, among other things, the GOP logjam preventing progress on a reform bill.
After the meeting, Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT) and Max Baucus (D-MT) said there would likely be many votes tomorrow--the first of the debate.
Republicans, who have a long menu of obstructive options before them, have been blocking amendments for several days now, provoking the ire of Democratic leaders.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Chris Dodd, Harry Reid, Health Care, Max Baucus, Rahm Emanuel, Republicans, Senate
Health Care
White House Officials, Reid, Meet Tonight To Discuss Health Care
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
With the health care debate under way in the Senate, Majority Leader Harry Reid will be in continuous discussion with top White House officials regarding legislative strategy and other issues until a bill can pass with 60 votes. Tonight, Reid will meet with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Tom Daschel and others, and an aide says "they'll continue to be highly involved throughout the process."
Sometimes these meetings pass without incident. Other times they're the font of big news. We'll keep you posted on major developments.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Democrats, Harry Reid, Health Care, Kathleen Sebelius, Rahm Emanuel, Senate, White House
Barack Obama
Rahm Orders Health Care Article Be Must-Read For Staffers
President Obama, Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, and Ron Brownstein
When President Obama likes a magazine article, White House staffers had better read it.
Obama's must-read is Ron Brownstein's Saturday blog post "A Milestone in the Health Care Journey" at the Atlantic's political Web site.
Politico noted today that Obama found the article, which lauds Max Baucus' approach to health care, a good summary of the cost controls in the health care bill.
An administration official tells TPMDC that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel assigned the article as homework during a recent meeting.
According to the official, Emanuel told senior staffers "not to come back to the next day's meeting if they hadn't read the article."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)Topics: Barack Obama, Health Care, Rahm Emanuel, Ron Brownstein, White House
White House
Top WH Aides Sitting Down With Women's Groups, Faith Leaders On Stupak
Women's rights groups enraged over the Stupak amendment included in the House health care bill passed Saturday got some time with Obama administration officials today, but the president's aides also will be huddling with faith groups as the negotiations continue.
As we reported earlier, the head of the National Organization for Women went to the White House to voice her dismay over the last-minute deal to vote on the amendment.
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was among the expected attendees, but Obama did not attend.
"As part of our ongoing outreach surrounding health insurance reform, staff met with today with representatives of the women's rights community. Staff will also be meeting in coming days with leaders from communities of faith and other groups involved in the effort," said White House spokesman Reid Cherlin.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Abortion, Barack Obama, Health Care, Rahm Emanuel, Stupak amendment, White House
Health Care
Bill Clinton Meeting Today With Senate Democrats
Fmr. President Bill Clinton
Senate Democrats today are huddling for their first weekly lunch since the House passed its version of the health care plan and they have a special guest with firsthand experience of what can happen when legislation fails.
Former President Clinton will speak to the caucus about health care, a Democratic source confirmed to TPMDC.
The White House has been coy for months when reporters ask if Clinton (or Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) are advising President Obama on health care.
Late update: Another source tells us that Clinton is attending the lunch at the request of Obama Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (who worked in Clinton White House) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, Harry Reid, Health Care, Rahm Emanuel, Senate, White House
Barack Obama
As Leaders Try To Pass Health Care Reform By Year's End, The Nearest Obstacles Are In Their Own Party
Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY)
With less than two months to go until Congress breaks for the holidays, the White House and Senate leaders are huddling to figure out how to pass a bill before the end of the year. As part of their push, both camps are meeting with conservative Democrats--most notably Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-AR)--whose unanimous support is absolutely required simply to bring the bill to the floor. But leading Democrats are unlikely to make any progress until these swing-vote senators see the bill Majority Leader Harry Reid put together, along with a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office. They say that's necessary before they make any decisions on even the earliest procedural votes, and there's no clear indication as to when the CBO will weigh in.
Last night, Reid met with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and others to discuss, among other things, how far they've come in convincing caucus conservatives to support the bill's public option. "That's one of many subjects, that wasn't the main subject," said Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). Along the same lines, Reid spokesman Jim Manley suggests that this is part and parcel of an effort to move legislation sooner rather than later. They met, he said, to "discuss ways to try and get a bill done by the end of the year."
But with conservative Democrats cold to the public option, and withholding their commitments to allow the bill to be debated on the floor, the White House and Democratic leaders have a lot of work ahead of them and they'll likely have to work in tandem. On that score, this week, Lincoln--perhaps the most electorally vulnerable of all moderate Democrats--met with both Reid and President Obama to discuss the Senate bill.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Barack Obama, Ben Nelson, Blanche Lincoln, Chuck Schumer, Democrats, Harry Reid, Health Care, Joe Lieberman, Mary Landrieu, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel, White House
Health Care
Obama Gets More Visible On Health Care As House Prepares Weekend Vote
Capital Building and President Barack Obama
President Obama will travel down Pennsylvania Avenue Friday to speak privately with House Democrats on the eve of a critical vote on health care.
The White House may be attempting to put more of a stamp on the legislation as it weaves its way through the halls of Congress, and administration officials have been forcefully pushing back against reports suggesting health care won't happen until next year.
Last night, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and administration health care staffers huddled with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and leadership senators Dick Durbin, Chuck Schumer and Patty Murray on Capitol Hill.
Leadership and administration officials were mum on the details.
Meanwhile, the DNC's Organizing for America has been urging supporters to phone their member of Congress before the Saturday vote.
"We expect it to be very close," Mitch Stewart, director of OFA, wrote to the campaign's 13 million-strong email list.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Barack Obama, Democrats, Health Care, House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel
Public Option
Progressives Want Rahm Unleashed In Favor Of The Public Option
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel
Members of the progressive lobby are calling on White House Chief Of Staff Rahm Emanuel put some of his legendary pressure on Congress to pass the public option.
The NAACP, the Campaign For America's Future and MoveOn.org dispatched a letter to Emanuel's office today asking backup in the fight for a public option. From the letter, as reported by The Hill:
"We respectfully ask that the Office of the President take a stronger stand on a robust public option in order to enact true health care reform this year."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)Topics: Health Care, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel
Liz Cheney
Liz Cheney: White House Fight With Fox News Is 'Censorship' And 'Abuse of Power'
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.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: David Axelrod, Fox News, Liz Cheney, Rahm Emanuel
Health Care
Dems Keep Quiet As Leaders Hash Out Key Health Care Details
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV); Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel; Senator Max Baucus (D-MT); Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Another day, and still a dearth of details. Senators and White House officials were almost comically tight-lipped throughout the afternoon on the progress of health care reform negotiations, even though it's clear by now that the people in the room hashing out the Senate's bill are getting down to the nitty gritty.
During a weekly caucus meeting, Democrats were briefed on the details of last night's health care powwow, yet, afterward, none were forthcoming with details.
"What I'm especially pleased about is that we're not rushing," said Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE). "I'm sure there's some who are impatient."
"It wasn't a townhall meeting at all. It was more like a prayer meeting," said Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE), who declined to divulge any specifics.
"We got into it a little bit, not a lot," added Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI). "[Leadership is] extremely open and working with everybody."
In a moment of coyness gone awry, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told reporters, "we're leaning towards talking about the public option." Last night his spokesman Jim Manley said, without going into detail, that Senate and White House negotiators discussed "the public option, affordability, and other key issues," during their evening scrum.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Chris Dodd, Harry Reid, Health Care, Max Baucus, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel, Senate, Senate Finance Committee, Senate HELP Committee, White House
Health Care
White House, Senate Principals Discuss Public Option, But Reach No Decisions--Talks Continue Tuesday
Senator Harry Reid (D-NV); Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel; Senator Max Baucus (D-MT); Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT)
Senate health care leaders, and White House officials including Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle and Sens. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Max Baucus (D-MT), Harry Reid (D-NV), met behind closed doors for over an hour in a leadership office Monday night to discuss and negotiate the merging of two different health care bills.
A spokesman for Reid was mum about the details, except to say that the group discussed the public option, affordability and other issues at the heart of the plan to reform the nation's health care system.
The same officials are expected to huddle again Tuesday to continue the talks.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Chris Dodd, Harry Reid, Health Care, Kathleen Sebelius, Max Baucus, Nancy-Ann DeParle, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel, Senate, Senate Finance Committee, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Health Care
Top Aide: It's Time For The White House To Take Stand On Public Option
Last week, at a meeting between Senate health care principals and Obama administration officials, the White House basically told Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid it would be leaving most of the big legislative decisions on reform to him. This week, Reid is faced with an onslaught from pressure groups, including labor and the grassroots, demanding that he include the public option in the health care bill he brings to the floor.
In a sign that Reid may be willing to acquiesce, if only the White House helps him whip the caucus into shape, a top Capitol Hill aide tells me "Right now, we don't have 60 Democratic Senators in lockstep with one another on the public option...we need the president to send a strong signal to those in the room negotiating the merger, that the public option is, really, what he wants in the final bill."
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (2)Topics: Barack Obama, Harry Reid, Health Care, Public Option, Rahm Emanuel, Senate, White House
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
Jarrett: Obama 'Not Demanding' Public Option
Appearing on Meet The Press, White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett made it clear that President Obama is not demanding that a public option must be included in the health care bill: "He's not demanding that it's in there. He thinks it's the best possible choice. But I think, David [Gregory], let's not underestimate how much progress we've made. The fact that there's agreement on so much means that we are right on the brink of delivering for the American people, and that's a positive sign for our country."
Specter: GOP 'A Party Of Obstructionism' With No Plan
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA) blasted his former party: "On the Republican side, it is no, no, no -- a party of obstructionism. You have responsible Republicans who had been in the Senate -- like Howard Baker, Bob Dole, or Bill Frist -- who say Republicans ought to cooperate. Well, they're not cooperating ... Take a look at the absence of any Republican plan."
Topics: Afghanistan, Arlen Specter, David Axelrod, Fox News, Health Care, John Kerry, Jon Kyl, Rahm Emanuel, Roundup, Valerie Jarrett
Sunday Shows
The Sunday Show Line-Ups
Rahm Emanuel
Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:
• ABC, This Week: White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod.
• CBS, Face The Nation: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH).
• CNN, State Of The Union: White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA).
• Fox News Sunday: Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), Sen. Arlen Specter (D-PA), Sen. John Thune (R-SD), former Bush White House adviser Karl Rove, former DNC chairman Terry McAuliffe.
• NBC, Meet The Press: White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ), California First Lady Maria Shriver, Center for American Progress president John Podesta.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Arlen Specter, Chris Dodd, David Axelrod, John Kerry, John Thune, Jon Kyl, Karl Rove, Kent Conrad, Rahm Emanuel, Sunday Shows, Terry McAuliffe
Health Care
Rahmbo Walked Down The Hall
Rahm Emanuel
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel paid a visit to his old pals in the House of Representatives yesterday.
Emanuel, on the Hill to discuss merging two Senate health care bills, also huddled later in the afternoon with Speaker Nancy Pelosi TPMDC has learned. A former representative from Illinois, Emanuel has been in frequent contact with members.
As we reported earlier, the House isn't being included in the negotiations yet. A Hill source notes the three bills from the House are closer to each other than the two Senate bills.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Health Care, Nancy Pelosi, Rahm Emanuel
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