TPMDC Valerie Jarrett
Department of Justice
Obama Administration Expands Definition Of Rape
On Friday, the Justice Department did something it hasn't done since 1929: it changed the definition of rape.
For over 80 years, for the purposes of crime collection data, rape was defined as forcible male penile penetration of a female. This excluded a vast number of sexual crimes including oral and anal penetration, or instances when a victim was unable to give consent. The new definition makes up for these oversights. It also expands the definition to reflect that anyone -- male, female, or transgender -- can be a victim of rape.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Department of Justice, Obama administration, Valerie Jarrett
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
Jarrett On Health Care Reform: 'We Are Confident That The American People Will Support This. It's Good For Them'
Appearing on This Week, White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett predicted that public opinion on the new health care law will improve: "There has been a lot of negative rhetoric that we've heard around the country. But what we are sure of is that this is as the American people begin to understand what's in this package...we are confident that the American people will support this. It's good for them. As you go around and you start talking about the individual components of this bill, we're seeing overwhelming support.
DeMint: Obama 'Mocking Americans Who Continue To Be Against This Bill'
Appearing on Face The Nation, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC) continued to push for repealing the new health care reform law. "All of us who believe in freedom in this country recognize that if this health care bill stands, it will not only destroy our health care system, we believe it will bankrupt our country. So to give up on repealing this bill will be giving up on our country, for me and, I think, for millions of Americans," said DeMint, who also added: "Bob, the president is mocking Americans who continue to be against this bill."
Topics: David Axelrod, Health Care, Jim DeMint, Lamar Alexander, Lindsey Graham, Michele Bachmann, Recess appointments, Roundup, Sunday Shows, Valerie Jarrett
Sunday Shows
The Sunday Show Line-Ups
Former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL)
Here are the line-ups for the Sunday talk shows this weekend:
• ABC, This Week: White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett, Gov. Ed Rendell (D-PA), Gov. Haley Barbour (R-MS).
• CBS, Face The Nation: Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN).
• CNN, State Of The Union: White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-TN), Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).
• Fox News Sunday: Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL), former state House Speaker Marco Rubio (R-FL).
• NBC, Meet The Press: Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY).
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: 2010 elections, Charlie Crist, Chuck Schumer, David Axelrod, Ed Rendell, FL-SEN, Haley Barbour, Jim DeMint, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio, Michele Bachmann, Sunday Shows, Tim Kaine, Valerie Jarrett
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
Jarrett: Obama Making Phone Calls On Health Care
Appearing on Meet The Press, White House Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett said that President Obama is continuing to work on health care reform: "What he's doing and what happened over the course of the weekend is there've been a series of phone calls and conversations to try to see what, what the climate is, what's the art of the possible. But what the president is always going to do is try to push hard for the American people. He's not going to give up on that because of one election in Massachusetts. He's going to continue to work hard. We don't know what's going to happen. But what we do know is that we have a president committed to delivering for the American people."
Joe Biden: Beau 'Doesn't Want To' Run For Senate
In an interview with the Wilmington News Journal, Vice President Biden said that his son Beau Biden, the state Attorney General, does not want to run for Joe Biden's former Senate seat -- which would badly damage the Democrats' chances of keeping the seat. "If you run into Beau, talk him into running; he respects you," Biden told reporter Harry Themal. When Themal responded that he doesn't think Beau wants to run, Joe Biden said: "I don't think he does either. I know he doesn't want to."
Topics: 2010 elections, Barack Obama, Beau Biden, Campaign Finance, DE-SEN, David Axelrod, Health Care, Joe Biden, John McCain, Mitch McConnell, Robert Gibbs, Robert Menendez, Roundup, Valerie Jarrett
Barack Obama
UPDATED: Some War! Chamber CEO Visited White House Ten Times
Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Tom Donohue
Last month, the White House was accused of launching "a frontal assault against free enterprise and the Chamber of Commerce," by an executive of the business lobby.
It's true that the White house signaled its intention to play hardball with the Chamber. But it's not like the group has been shut out from 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue since Obama took office.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, Chamber of Commerce, Larry Summers, Thomas Donohue, Valerie Jarrett, Visitors Logs, White House
Barack Obama
Cory Booker Met With Obama, Jarrett
Newark Mayor Cory Booker
Newark mayor Cory Booker has visited President Obama's White House four times, including one meeting with the president himself, according to the White House visitor logs that were released this afternoon.
The meeting with Obama occurred in March. There was another White House visit later that month for Booker, as well as one in May. And in August, Booker met with Valerie Jarrett, a close confidante of the president.
Booker and Obama have long been political allies, and some observers have noted that Booker's "post-racial' political style echoes the president's own.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, Cory Booker, Valerie Jarrett, Visitors Logs, White House
Roundup
TPMDC Sunday Roundup
Lieberman Pledges To Filibuster Public Option, Blames Its Supporters For Holding Up Reform
Appearing on Face The Nation, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) pledged to filibuster against the public option: "The government going into the health insurance business -- I think it's such a mistake that I would use the power I have as a single senator to stop a final vote." He also blamed public option-supporters for being the ones who are obstructing reform: "All of a sudden if you're not for this government health insurance company, you're against health care reform. I'd say to them, 'Don't stop us from getting something good and important done for the American people.'"
Boehner: NY-23 Election Part Of 'Political Rebellion Going On In America'
Appearing on State of the Union, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) addressed the situation in NY-23 by delcaring, "We're in the middle, I think, of a political rebellion going on in America," and said that the Republicans will work to earn the support of people coming into the political system. At the same time, he insisted that the GOP was not excluding moderates, in light of moderate GOP candidate Dede Scozzafava's withdrawal from the race: "We accept moderates in our party. We want moderates in our party. We cover a wide range of Americans."
Topics: David Axelrod, David Plouffe, Fox News, Health Care, Joe Lieberman, John Boehner, NY-23, Public Option, Roundup, Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, Sunday Shows, Timothy Geithner, Valerie Jarrett
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: Senior White House Adviser Valerie Jarrett.
• CBS, Face The Nation: Senior White House Adviser David Axelrod, Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT).
• CNN, State Of The Union: House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH), Gov Haley Barbour (R-MS).
• Fox News Sunday: Rush Limbaugh.
• NBC, Meet The Press: Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner, Obama 2008 campaign manager David Plouffe.
PERMALINK | COMMENTS | RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)Topics: Barack Obama, David Axelrod, Haley Barbour, Joe Lieberman, John Boehner, Rush Limbaugh, Sunday Shows, Timothy Geithner, Valerie Jarrett
Roundup
TPMDC Morning Roundup
Gates: Don't Wait For Afghanistan Election To Be Resolved
Speaking to reporters yesterday, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that the United States should not wait for the Afghanistan election to be resolved before deciding on a strategy for the country -- putting him at odds with top White House officials. "We're not just going to sit on our hands, waiting for the outcome of this election and for the emergence of a government in Kabul," said Gates, also adding: "The outcome of the elections and the problems with the elections have complicated the situation for us. But the reality is, it's not going to be complicated one day and simple the next."
Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 10:40 a.m. ET with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki. At 11:50 a.m. ET, he will honor recipients of the Presidential Unit Citation, honoring the 11th Armored Combat Regiment of the U.S. Army for service in the Vietnam War. Obama will meet at 1:10 p.m. ET with senior advisers, and depart the White House at 2:20 p.m. ET, arriving in New York City at 3:30 p.m. ET. Obama will tour the Joint Terrorism Task Force Headquarters at 4:15 p.m. ET, and deliver remarks to staff members at 4:30 p.m. ET. He will attend a 7:10 p.m. ET fundraiser for Bill Owens, the Democratic candidate in the NY-23 special election, and deliver remarks at 8:10 p.m. ET at a DNC fundraiser. He will depart from New York at 9:50 p.m. ET, arriving back at the White House at 10:55 p.m. ET.
Topics: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Bill Owens, Chamber of Commerce, Hillary Clinton, Joe Biden, John Boehner, Medicare, NY-23, Robert Gates, Roundup, Valerie Jarrett
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
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