Politics Daily http://www.politicsdaily.com Politics Daily http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.politicsdaily.com/media/feedlogo.gif Politics Daily http://www.politicsdaily.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Biden in Russia: Pegs More U.S. Trade to Corruption Cleanuphttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/10/biden-in-russia-pegs-more-u-s-trade-to-corruption-cleanup/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/10/biden-in-russia-pegs-more-u-s-trade-to-corruption-cleanup/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/10/biden-in-russia-pegs-more-u-s-trade-to-corruption-cleanup/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

He mangled a couple of Russian names and scolded the government for not dealing more forcefully with corruption, but Vice President Biden got his point across in a speech at Moscow State University: the United States wants to do more business with the Russian Federation.

"Some say, 'How can you say those things out loud and expect to have a better relationship?'" Biden said Thursday in remarks to students, business leaders and politicians. "They are necessary to have a better relationship."

Biden said the United States supports Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization and believes that would bring expanded trade between the two countries. But he said the government must also respect the rule of law. Biden complained that a corporate lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, was arrested and died in prison after accusing the police of fraud -- "before even being tried."

Using a teleprompter, he got Magnitsky's name right, but flubbed on the great composer Tchaikovsky and missed on Mikhail Khodorkovsky, an oil tycoon who has been imprisoned since 2003 on charges heavy with political implications.

In the context of the struggles for more freedom in the Arab world, Biden urged "all of you students here, don't compromise on the basic elements of democracy."

Earlier, he spoke with Russian opposition leaders at the U.S. ambassador's residence, and also met separately with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. When Putin said to the vice president that he wanted to see visa-free travel between the U.S. and Russia, Biden replied, "Good idea."

During the portion of their meeting open to the press, Biden told Putin it was in the interest of both nations to see "our relationship grow . . . When other countries around the globe have a problem they either go to Moscow or Washington. They don't go to other capitals."

The vice president is in the midst of a five-day trip through Finland, Russia and Moldova.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Tom Diemer2011-03-10T14:15:00+00:00Biden's Absence From Budget Talks Miffs GOP Negotiatorshttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/09/bidens-absence-from-budget-talks-miffs-gop-negotiators/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/09/bidens-absence-from-budget-talks-miffs-gop-negotiators/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/09/bidens-absence-from-budget-talks-miffs-gop-negotiators/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Where's Joe?

With Vice President Biden on a five-day swing through Russia, Finland and Moldova, House Republicans are pressing for more direct involvement by the White House in negotiations to close a $50 billion gap between what they want to trim from 2011 spending and what President Obama and Democrats have been willing to accept.

"The vice president is not even in the country today," complained House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.). "We have less than a week to go [in the temporary budget]. . . . The vice president is the main negotiator." McCarthy referred to the latest in a series of stopgap budgets that have kept government functioning during a standoff over cuts meant to dent a looming $1.5 trillion deficit.

Obama picked Biden to lead a White House team in meetings with congressional leaders, hoping to find common ground on spending reductions through Sept. 30. The current budget -- called a continuing resolution -- expires on March 18, but McCarthy says another short-term plan will likely be required.

McCarthy was joined at a news conference Wednesday by House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.), who said Obama himself should get involved in the talks. "Where's the president?" Cantor asked. "We continue to hear from him and the White House that we're going to meet you halfway."

Obama was in Boston Tuesday night, speaking at a Democratic fundraising event where he said the nation is "turning the corner" on the economy.

In the budget debate, Obama said, "there are going to be some things that we will not do because we think it is wrong for the country -- and we're going to have some big fights about it." But wherever possible, he added, "we're going to have to . . . try to build consensus and make decisions based not necessarily just on short-term politics but also on what's good for the country in the long term."

"We are engaged," White House Press Secretrary Jay Carney insisted Wednesday. "We don't read out [make public] every meeting and phone call."

Biden, near the close of a long-planned trip, was in Moscow Wednesday, where he laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier -- a traditional duty for visiting dignitaries -- and also met with U.S. Embassy officials and American and Russian business leaders.

Biden told Russian President Dmitry Medvedev that the U.S. strongly supports his country's entry into the World Trade Organization, an issue still being negotiated. The vice president also praised the signing of a $2 billion deal between Boeing and Aeroflot for six Boeing Co. 777-300 airliners. "It will create high-tech jobs here in Russia and at home," Biden said.

Folo Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>dailyguidanceeric cantorKevin McCarthyTom Diemer2011-03-09T13:31:00+00:00'Feelings Thermometer': Michelle Obama Ranks 'Warmest' With Voters, Pelosi 'Coldest'http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/07/feelings-thermometer-michelle-obama-ranks-warmest-with-vote/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/07/feelings-thermometer-michelle-obama-ranks-warmest-with-vote/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/03/07/feelings-thermometer-michelle-obama-ranks-warmest-with-vote/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Everyone is used to the familiar "horse race" poll that tells us who is out front when it comes to a campaign, but Quinnipiac University has a different measure for some of today's leading political personalities: namely, who ranks the "warmest" and "coldest" on a "feelings thermometer"?

The winner when it comes to warmest? First lady Michelle Obama, with former President Bill Clinton close behind. The coldest? Sarah Palin and Nancy Pelosi. (Actually, Harry Reid ranks right in between them, but more later on why his result doesn't count as much).

The way Quinnipiac did this poll, which was conducted among registered voters Feb. 21-28, was to ask those surveyed to "choose any number between 0 and 100. The higher the number, the warmer or more favorable you feel toward that person, the lower the number, the colder or less favorable." The pollster then calculated a mean score for each.

But possibly a more bracing result for some of the politicians than being seen as "cold" was the measure of how little some of them are known nationwide, despite the relentless coverage they may get in Washington.

Quinnipiac asked respondents to say if they did not know enough about the person to rate him or her. The list of "least knowns" was topped by many of the Republicans who are considering making a run for president in 2012: former ambassador to China Jon Huntsman (84 percent don't know him); Gov. Mitch Daniels of Indiana (78 percent); former Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota (67 percent); Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi (65 percent); and former Sen. Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania (63 percent).

Now, back to Harry Reid. He may be the Senate majority leader and was much in the news last year because of his high-profile re-election contest against tea party favorite Sharron Angle, but 37 percent do not know enough about him to express an opinion. That's much less the case with his company at the "cold" end of the list - Palin, who is unknown by only 4 percent, and Pelosi, unknown by 15 percent.

At the other end of the thermometer, first-term Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey, who has been a hit on the speaking circuit lately, ranks as the third warmest, but 55 percent don't know enough about him, compared with Mrs. Obama (4 percent), Bill Clinton (2 percent) and President Obama (everyone knows him).

While Democrats feel almost equally warm about President Obama and Bill Clinton, Republicans are fonder of Clinton: His mean "temperature" among them was 41.5, compared with 30.4 for Obama.

The temperatures for Palin and Pelosi are a measure of how polarizing each is. Palin is seen warmly by 63.8 percent of Republicans while Pelosi gets a score of 58.2 from Democrats. But the feelings they inspire in members of the opposite party are cold indeed: Palin gets a 15.6 from Democrats and Pelosi gets a 13.1 from Republicans.

Follow Poll Watch on Twitter

Visit the Poll Watch Home Page and see all the latest polls in one place

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Chris ChristieDonald TrumpHaley BarbourMichael Bloombergmichelle bachmannMitch DanielsRick SantorumRudolph GiulianiBruce Drake2011-03-07T06:30:00+00:00Tareq and Michaele Salahi Unlikely to Be Charged in White House Party Crashing Casehttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/24/tareq-and-michaele-salahi-unlikely-to-be-charged-in-white-house/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/24/tareq-and-michaele-salahi-unlikely-to-be-charged-in-white-house/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/24/tareq-and-michaele-salahi-unlikely-to-be-charged-in-white-house/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Remember Tareq and Michaele Salahi? They're the couple who dominated headlines for a month or so in late 2009 when they allegedly crashed a White House state dinner and got their pictures snapped with both President Obama and Vice President Biden.

Since then, federal law enforcement officials have been trying to determine whether the Salahis should face charges in the incident, which embarrased the administration and the Secret Service.

On Thursday The Wall Street Journal, citing the legal blog Ticklethewire, reported that no charges are likely to be filed against the Virginia couple.

Related Stories

Sources told Ticklethewire that the U.S. Attorney's Office in Washington believes it would be too difficult to prosecute the case, especially because the Salahis insisted (and still insist) they were invited and made no efforts to disguise themselves as they breezed into the White House.

The couple used the publicity from the episode to land a short-lived stint on Bravo's "The Real Housewives of DC."

The White House and the U.S. Attorney's Office have not commented.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>dailyguidancejoe bidenpresident obamasecret servicestate dinnerTareq and Michaele Salahiu.s. attorneywhite housewhite house party crashersChristopher Weber2011-02-24T19:50:00+00:00Biden: Unions 'Not the Problem' in States Facing Economic Woeshttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/24/biden-unions-not-the-problem-in-states-facing-economic-woes/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/24/biden-unions-not-the-problem-in-states-facing-economic-woes/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/24/biden-unions-not-the-problem-in-states-facing-economic-woes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Vice President Joe Biden says unions are not to blame for economic hardship in financially strapped states but are being singled out by Republicans looking for an excuse to enact conservative agendas.

"Public employees are not the problem," Biden said Wednesday night. "The problem goes much deeper."

The vice president, appearing at a Manhattan fundraising event for Rep. Carolyn Maloney, did not make direct reference to the unrest in Wisconsin, where Republican Gov. Scott Walker's bid to roll back collective bargaining rights for public workers has resulted in daily demonstrations.

"We are going to see the economic conditions that they [Republicans] created used as an excuse to fundamentally go after the social agenda that the far right has been trying to accomplish for a long time," Biden said. He planned to meet in Washington Thursday with AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka and the heads of state-based AFL-CIO organizations.

In Madison on Thursday, Wisconsin Assembly leaders agreed to bring Walker's bill to a vote within a day or so, clearing the way for the measure to go to the state Senate. But in a bid to deny the GOP-controlled Senate a quorum, Democratic members have boycotted the sessions and exited the state. Walker, who says state government is broke, also wants public employees to make bigger contributions to their pension and heath plans.

Walker's office confirmed Wednesday that the governor had engaged in a phone call with a man masquerading as conservative financier David Koch, one of his political supporters. In fact, the prank call came from a left-wing blogger based in Buffalo, N.Y., the Washington Post said. In the call, Walker recounted how he had told his cabinet officers, "This is our moment. This is our time to change the course of history."

Folo Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>dailyguidancelaborscott walkerunionsTom Diemer2011-02-24T11:15:00+00:00From Mike Huckabee to Sarah Palin, the Republicans Offer Indecision 2012http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/23/from-mike-huckabee-to-sarah-palin-the-republicans-offer-indecis/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/23/from-mike-huckabee-to-sarah-palin-the-republicans-offer-indecis/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/02/23/from-mike-huckabee-to-sarah-palin-the-republicans-offer-indecis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Like prominent Republicans from, well, Mississippi (Gov. Haley Barbour) to Alaska (c'mon, you can do it), Mike Huckabee admits that he mulls every day whether he should enter the wide-open GOP presidential contest.

But unlike other Republican White House dreamers -- with the conspicuous exception of the indefatigable Mitt Romney -- Huckabee knows the adrenaline rush and the arduous pressures of a presidential race from his quest for the 2008 GOP nomination. "If you've jumped out of an airplane," Huckabee told Washington political reporters Wednesday afternoon, "you have a whole lot better understanding of what you're going to do the next time you do it because you've done it."

Related Stories

Not since New York Gov. Mario Cuomo (aka "Hamlet on the Hudson") bowed out of the 1992 Democratic presidential race with a plane waiting on the tarmac to fly him to New Hampshire has a political party been so afflicted with "to be or not to be" indecision. In a rare burst of clarity, South Dakota Sen. John Thune, after "lots of prayer," announced Tuesday that he would remain on Capitol Hill. But whether it is deciphering Sarah Palin's intentions or guessing what is going on with Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, political reporting on the potential Republican 2012 field has morphed into a branch of soothsaying.

At the Wednesday afternoon coffee organized by the Christian Science Monitor, Huckabee conveyed the impression (at least to me) that he is poised to enter the GOP fray if the politics allow him to delay until summer. "The idea that somebody would crank up a campaign as early as possible -- having been through it -- doesn't make sense," the former Arkansas governor said. With his weekend show on Fox News, his paid speeches, his new book ("A Simple Government") and, yes, hosting an early June cruise to Alaska, Huckabee, who hails from the populist wing of the Republican Party, admits, "In the last few years, I certainly have done better than I ever have in my life."

Huckabee stressed that, after cashing in his life insurance and annuities to seek the presidency in 2008, "One thing I committed to myself, my wife and God was that, if I do this, I am going to be in a position where I'm not totally destitute at the end of it." But Huckabee, who clearly is devouring poll numbers even more intensely than he checks the bestseller lists, appears to believe that he has enough name recognition and enough support to mount a credible late entry.

"I'm in a very different position that I was four years ago," he said. "Obviously, I'm better known. I'm polling at the top of virtually every national poll. . . . It doesn't mean that I can wait indefinitely. It certainly means that I would be smart . . . to wait for the field to develop."

The decision to run for president -- the ultimate triumph of narcissism and ambition over rational behavior -- is one of the least understood aspects of presidential politics. Few would-be presidents are as blunt as Jimmy Carter was in his campaign autobiography, "Why Not the Best?" Recalling how he was courted by White House contenders in both parties when he was governor of Georgia, Carter wrote, "I lost my feeling of awe about presidents." A 1970s Democrat, who fell far short on his way to the White House, argued that the mental trick was believing that you were more qualified than your rivals for the nomination -- and not that you were superior to 250 million Americans.

Many candidates have run for president before they were politically ready, whether it was Bob Dole in 1980, Al Gore and Joe Biden in 1988 (actually, he dropped out in 1987) and, yes, Barack Obama in 2008. "For up-and-comers, there is really nothing to be lost in running," said Elaine Kamarck, a former adviser to Al Gore who now teaches at Harvard's Kennedy School. "Bill Clinton -- and I was privy to conversations about this -- never expected to win the nomination in 1992. He thought Mario Cuomo would be the nominee who would lose to George H.W. Bush in November. By running, Clinton was positioning himself for 1996." Former Minnesota GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who is 50, fits this up-and-coming probable candidate profile. Little known nationally, but respected by political insiders, Pawlenty should also be thinking about 2016 as he gets ready for the ordeal of visiting all 99 counties of Iowa.

Presidential candidates not only have to believe in their almost super-human abilities and their potential to bend the national destiny in their bare hands, but they also have to see political openings where often, in reality, none exist. Larry Rasky, who advised Biden on both his 1987 and his under-funded 2008 presidential campaign, said shrewdly, "Some of these people who run know that they will have the money. Some of these people think they will have the money. And some of these people convince themselves that they will somehow have the money."

Not all presidential candidates face a wrenching decision. "Once Ronald Reagan got into politics, it seemed like the only natural end of his career was the presidency," said Republican strategist Rich Galen, who worked for Fred Thompson's failed 2008 campaign. "More recently, 'W' was like Reagan. Once he got bit by the running-for-office bug, there was no stopping him." Sitting vice presidents (unless they are counted out for health reasons like Dick Cheney) automatically run for president at the end of eight years as George H.W. Bush did in 1988 and Al Gore in 2000.

For my book on the 2004 Democratic race, "One-Car Caravan," I interviewed all the presidential contenders about their decisions to throw their hats into the ring (or a yarmulke in Joe Lieberman's case). There was something naively touching about former Florida Sen. Bob Graham, who dropped out before the Iowa caucuses, telling his wife, Adele, as they drove by the White House, "Maybe we'll be in that house over there in a couple of years." And Howard Dean -- long before he became the tribune of the anti-Iraq protest vote -- decided to run for president because the alternative was serving on corporate boards "and swearing at The New York Times every morning and saying how outrageous it was."

It has been nearly 60 years since both Dwight Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson were drafted for the 1952 presidential nominations. These days, even fake drafts (like the one that Donald Trump apparently is trying to gin up) strain credulity. In truth, the only way to run for president is to nominate yourself as a candidate. That is why the first primary takes place in the minds and hearts of the men and women who fantasize about being the 2012 Republican nominee.

Follow Walter Shapiro on Twitter (lucky you).

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>2012 Republican presidential nominationHaley BarbourMike Huckabeemitch danielsMitt RomneyRepublican presidential candidatesSarah PalinTim PawlentyWalter Shapiro2011-02-23T21:47:00+00:00John Boehner Gets Emotional (Again) at JFK Eventhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/21/john-boehner-gets-emotional-again-at-jfk-event/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/21/john-boehner-gets-emotional-again-at-jfk-event/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/21/john-boehner-gets-emotional-again-at-jfk-event/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

House Speaker John Boehner, who grew up in a family of Kennedy Democrats in Ohio, appeared to tear up at an event at the U.S. Capitol marking the 50th anniversary of President Kennedy's inauguration speech.

Boehner was seated next to his predecessor, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, inside the Capitol Rotunda. About 15 minutes into the Thursday ceremony, he appeared to become emotional and wiped his eyes, The Hill newspaper and the Washington Post reported.

Despite his rather stern demeanor, Boehner has been known to choke up at landmark occasions -- such as when he became speaker -- and also in talking about his family roots.

House Speaker John Boehner, Republican of OhioBoehner later spoke at the event, as did JFK's daughter, Caroline Kennedy, and Vice President Joe Biden. The young president galvanized the nation on a bitterly cold Jan. 20, 1961, when he challenged Americans: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country."

Boehner was 11 at the time. He turned Republican early in his successful business career and was already a conservative stalwart by the time he was elected to the Ohio House in the early 1980s. But he has a history with the Kennedys that extends beyond his upbringing in a large Catholic family: Boehner and the late Sen. Ted Kennedy worked closely as co-sponsors of the "No Child Left Behind" education bill that was signed into law last decade by former President George W. Bush.

When it was his turn to speak Thursday, Boehner gently teased Caroline Kennedy, who briefly sought an open Senate seat in New York when Hillary Clinton left it to become secretary of state in 2009. Sadly, Boehner said, this is the first Congress to convene "without a Kennedy since the Truman administration." Then, turning toward her with a smile, he said "Caroline . . . there's still time."

Watch video of Boehner's remarks, courtesy YouTube.



 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Caroline KennedydailyguidancejfkPresident John F. KennedySen. Ted KennedyTom Diemer2011-01-21T09:55:00+00:00Biden to Center? Moderate Democrat Bruce Reed is New Chief of Staffhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/15/biden-to-center-moderate-democrat-bruce-reed-is-new-chief-of-st/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/15/biden-to-center-moderate-democrat-bruce-reed-is-new-chief-of-st/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/15/biden-to-center-moderate-democrat-bruce-reed-is-new-chief-of-st/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Bruce Reed, an influential voice for moderation in the Democratic Party, is Vice President Joe Biden's new chief of staff.

Reed, who most recently worked as executive director of President Obama's deficit commission, succeeds longtime Biden loyalist Ron Klain, now bound for a job with former AOL Chairman Steve Case.

Reed has a deep resume. As a leading light for the centrist Democratic Leadership Council, and then domestic policy adviser to President Clinton, he was widely respected as an intellectual force behind the "New Democrat" movement -- a bid to nudge the party toward stronger stands on national defense issues and also more business friendly policies. With Clinton, he worked on landmark welfare reform legislation that ended the much-maligned Aid to Families With Dependent Children program.

Related Stories

Reed's hiring is more evidence that the Obama White House is inching toward the political center as the president shuffles the senior staff. Reed's appointment follows the naming of another moderate, onetime Clinton cabinet member William Daley, as White House chief of staff.

"I've known and admired Bruce for over 20 years," Biden said in a statement. "We worked closely together to pass the crime bill in the 1990s (when Biden was a senator) and I've frequently sought his advice and counsel in the years since."

Folo Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>bruce reeddailyguidancewelfare reformTom Diemer2011-01-15T13:50:00+00:00Biden Tell U.S Troops, 'You Will Be Proud' of Moving Iraq Forwardhttp://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/14/biden-tell-u-s-troops-you-will-be-proud-of-moving-iraq-forwar/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/14/biden-tell-u-s-troops-you-will-be-proud-of-moving-iraq-forwar/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/14/biden-tell-u-s-troops-you-will-be-proud-of-moving-iraq-forwar/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Vice President Biden returned Friday from a four-day swing through Afghanistan, Pakistan, and finally Iraq, where he told U.S. troops they have successfully trained Iraqi forces "to the point now where they can be in the lead."

Yet in the next breath, the vice president cautioned that even though the Iraqis are getting stronger, "they're going to continue to need our assistance and your assistance for some time." While Biden said the Obama administration remains committed to pulling American troops out by the end of the year, he also suggested the U.S. would continue to train and equip the Iraqis, the Associated Press said.

"Our mission has fundamentally shifted since September," he said, referring to the departure of most combat troops. "But it's going to shift again at the end of 2011. We will probably be in the position of still maintaining and giving support."

Joe BidenBiden, who arrived in Iraq from a tour that began Monday in Afghanistan and then touched down in Pakistan, spoke emotionally to about 400 U.S. soldiers in Baghdad. "You are leaving a legacy, a legacy of not just having helped free a country, but helped getting the country on its feet," he said. "You will be proud" of what you "put in motion."

Biden said he thinks the Iraqis "are on the verge of literally creating a country that will be democratic, sustainable and, God willing, prosperous." But he also told the New York Times that Iraq still has "a long way to go."

It was Biden's seventh trip as vice president to the war-scarred country. He has emerged as President Obama's point man in the region. Is he effective? "I've got to say, it was positive across the board," a senior administration official told reporters traveling with Biden. "I think we came away feeling that the Iraqis . . . were in a good place."

More than 4,400 U.S. troops have been killed since the U.S.-led invasion in 2003. Biden said he was heartened that the casualty rate has decreased, and that he would not be returning to Washington with a "coffin strapped the floor of the aircraft as we take off."

Update: After Biden's departure, the AP said a dozens suspected terrorists, disguised in police uniforms, busted out of an Iraqi jail in one of Saddam Hussein's former palaces near the southern port city of Basra.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>dailyguidancepakistanTom Diemer2011-01-14T13:00:00+00:00Boehner Gets the Gavel: Look, My Eyes Are Dry! (The Gift Is Ours to Borrow)http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/05/boehner-gets-the-gavel-look-my-eyes-are-dry-the-gift-is-ours/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/05/boehner-gets-the-gavel-look-my-eyes-are-dry-the-gift-is-ours/http://politicsdaily.com/2011/01/05/boehner-gets-the-gavel-look-my-eyes-are-dry-the-gift-is-ours/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


Melinda Henneberger: I think I speak for a bipartisan majority when I say how relieved I was for John Boehner that our often emotional new House speaker kept it together during his acceptance speech on Wednesday. We may have his predecessor to thank for that; in her final moments in the job, Nancy Pelosi recited the many accomplishments of the 111th Congress -- a curtain call that peeved some conservatives. Then she ended her historic tenure by remarking upon the unusually large gavel John Boehner had chosen for himself. Though the implied joke (Is that a gavel in your pocket, or are you just glad to see me?) seemed completely unintended, a less sensitive soul might have burst out laughing at that point.

Only twice since 1955 has the House changed from one political party to the other. But it happened again when Nancy Pelosi, a Baltimore-born and San Francisco-elected Democrat, ceded that gavel to the incoming Republican speaker, Ohio's John Boehner.

Perhaps his dark, out-of-season evocation of Ash Wednesday, which falls in March this year, just stoked my desire for Catholic world domination, what with the Supreme Court properly packed at last, and one of us handing the speaker's gavel to another. But I found both his humility and possible depressive tendencies unexpectedly appealing:

"In the Catholic faith,'' he said, "we enter into a season of service by having ashes marked on our foreheads. The ashes remind us that life in all its forms is fragile -- our time on this Earth, fleeting. As the ashes are delivered, we hear those humbling words: 'Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return.' The American people have humbled us. They have refreshed our memories as to just how temporary the privilege to serve is. They have reminded us that everything here is on loan from them. That includes this gavel, which I accept cheerfully and gratefully, knowing I am but its caretaker.''

On his big day, Boehner came across as both a plain old nice guy - and someone fully capable of surprising us over the next two years.


Alex Wagner: Despite the breathless anticipation and speculation about just how many tears John Boehner would shed, he kept it coolly professional as he picked up the (comedic) outsized gavel and called the 112th Congress to order. Boehner, for all his emotional outpourings of the past, was tactical and uncompromising in his remarks -- if not exactly inspiring.

Boehner made clear that compromise is not really on the menu: "We will honor our Pledge to America," he said. "We will stand firm on our principles." His most conciliatory remarks concerned the tenor and language of the debate -- that the two parties could play nice with one another -- but did not address how the each side might ever come to a resolution.

But if Boehner was firm in his conservative prescriptions for the country, Pelosi was defiant. Clocking in at 13 minutes of remarks to Boehner's 12, the outgoing speaker introduced the incoming speaker by celebrating the landmark legislation she had overseen (to his chagrin). Needless to say, the applause was absent on one side of the aisle -- but Pelosi was having her curtain call and would take a deep bow, thankyouverymuch. Perhaps the most legitimately warm, though fleeting, moment came as she handed the gavel to Boehner, and reminded the country of the one (and perhaps only) thing they have in common -- Catholicism -- saying, "God bless you, Speaker Boehner."

Carl Cannon: I'm neither Italian-American like Pelosi, nor Catholic like Boehner and Pelosi, but speaking as a man, a native San Franciscan, and a political observer whose instincts are always and naturally bipartisan, Wednesday's hand-off of power was just right. I'm not dumb enough to think that tribal warfare won't break out on Capitol Hill starting Thursday. But this was a day to enjoy:

As a man, I was grateful that Boehner didn't cry during his speech. In fact, he started with a cowboy-like quip. "It's still just me." What a refreshing attitude for a pol to project. As a San Franciscan, Pelosi's classy handoff of the gavel brought to mind the dignity of the DiMaggio brothers. And my inner "No Labels" persona was cheered by the sight of Pelosi encouraging her young grandsons to clap while Boehner -- the guy who used to raise money for needy schools with Ted Kennedy -- made his remarks. Boehner has been compared to Don Draper and Dean Martin, but on this day, he was just himself.


Jill Lawrence: Speaker John Boehner campaigned in prose, so I guess it wasn't surprising that his maiden speech wasn't poetic. In fact it was almost painfully grounded -- all that talk about rules, procedure, humility, ashes and the shortness of life ("remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return"). This does not sound like a guy who is anticipating a fun time. At least he didn't cry.

Oh wait. When Nancy Pelosi singled out his wife and she waved from the gallery, an overcome Boehner took out a white handkerchief and wiped his eyes.

Pelosi was gracious as she handed Boehner a gavel she called "larger than usual." But like the relentless political pro she is, she used most of her time to remind Americans of what Democrats had done for them. As she spoke, I could almost hear the sound track played at countless rallies on the campaign trail: "I Won't Back Down" by Tom Petty and "No Surrender" by Bruce Springsteen. Or maybe it was that famous line from "The Terminator": "I'll be back."

Matt Lewis: When John Boehner held up the gavel, I was reminded of when Joe Biden was selected as Barack Obama's running mate. Regardless of your politics, both are likable, blue-collar guys who worked hard, didn't always get the breaks, but ultimately achieved a dream. Boehner's speech was much like his performance these last few months -- smart and understated. There is a time and place for grandiosity, and there is a time and a place for understated modesty. Boehner made it clear he understands his job is to carry out the people's "instructions." Considering the environment, Boehner has wisely taken the modest route.

Annie Groer: Outgoing House Speaker Nancy D'Alesandro Pelosi's farewell was graciously partisan in her final recap of Democratic achievements -- health care reform, the GI Bill of Rights, consumer protection, blah blah blah. And in a discreet nod to her own historic role, she reminded the world she'd made history as both the first woman and first Italian-American to hold the job.

The word that came to mind about her exit was "classy," another bloodless transfer of power that came with congratulations to the new Republican majority and her take-no-prisoners successor. They were well-matched rivals on that dais, but as she walked back to her seat, she was thronged by three of her grandchildren, a welcome reminder that there is life after power.

For his part, Boehner was the magnanimous victor, speaking of wanting to usher in an era of openness and respect in a House grown unduly unruly in the past few years. He mentioned the word "people" more times than I could count, but that is what propelled his party into power, along with promises of transparency, accountability and budget cutting. I was personally heartened by his statement that "we will not always get it right or agree on what is right," adding that hopeful Washington cliché, "we can disagree without being disagreeable." Fine sentiments all, I thought. Let's see how long it lasts.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>112th Congress112th Congress swearing inboehner speechrepublican majorityspeaker of the housetransfer of powerPolitics Daily Staff2011-01-05T21:18:00+00:00Christine O'Donnell Denies Misusing Campaign Funds, Cites 'Disgruntled' Former Staffershttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/29/report-christine-odonnell-under-federal-investigation-for-camp/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/29/report-christine-odonnell-under-federal-investigation-for-camp/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/29/report-christine-odonnell-under-federal-investigation-for-camp/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Defeated Delaware Senate candidate Christine O'Donnell, who is reportedly under federal investigation to determine whether she used campaign money for personal expenses, said Thursday the claims come from "disgruntled" former employees, channeled through a "left-wing" watchdog group.

The Associated Press reported Wednesday that the case has not been sent to a grand jury but has been assigned to two federal prosecutors and two FBI agents in Delaware.

The O'Donnell camp immediately labeled the probe "politically motivated." She blamed political rivals for what she called "thug tactics."

"Keep in mind," O'Donnell said on CNN Thursday morning, "we upset the Delaware political establishment, and we beat their so-called untouchable incumbent [Rep. Mike Castle]. There's a vendetta to stop this movement. . . . [But] we are going to continue to put the political establishment on notice." The charges are false, she said, noting that the campaign workers making them were fired during an earlier Senate race. She called her accusers "disgruntled 2008 former volunteers." And she denounced Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), the organization bringing the complaint, as a "left-wing, George Soros-funded liberal group."

O'Donnell, who was backed by former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin in her unsuccessful campaign this fall against Democrat Chris Coons, echoed those comments on several network morning news programs, including the "Today" show.

On Wednesday, O'Donnell told The News Journal in Wilmington, Delaware. ""I don't know if an FBI investigation even exists. If it is happening, of course we're going to cooperate, because we have nothing to hide." And she said on NBC Thursday that it's "very suspicious" that she has yet to be personally notified of any inquiry even though information has been leaked to the Associated Press.

The allegations were first raised against O'Donnell, a tea party favorite, by CREW in a Sept. 30 news release. CREW said it had filed complaints with the Delaware U.S. Attorney's Office and the Federal Election Commission against O'Donnell "for using campaign funds for personal living expenses."

O'Donnell shocked political Washington when she upset Rep. Mike Castle in a Republican primary to run for Vice President Joe Biden's old Senate seat. But O'Donnell, plagued by her own miscues, lost the general election to Coons.

O'Donnell raised more than $7.3 million from around the country during her campaign. In her post-election FEC report filed in early December, O'Donnell reported $924,745 on hand with only $2,692 in debts.

In an e-mail, Matt Moran, former O'Donnell campaign manager, said the charge against O'Donnell "was all started by false accusations by Christine's political opponents," citing CREW. And O'Donnell implied that Biden had a hand in the investigation:
"Given that the King of the Delaware Political Establishment just so happens to be the Vice President of the most liberal Presidential administration in U.S. history, it is no surprise that misuse and abuse of the FBI would not be off the table," she said in a statement. O'Donnell told the Today Show a former Biden staffer was involved in framing the CREW complaint against her.

O'Donnell's last tweet was on Dec. 2 when she wrote, "You heard the spin about the 2010 elections. It's time to set the record straight & move forward - signed a book deal w St. Martins Press!" The book will be about her candidacy.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Chris CoonsChristine ODonnellcitizens for responsibility and ethics in washingtondailyguidanceDelaware Senate Racefederal election comissionJoe BidenMike CastleSuzi Parker2010-12-29T18:52:00+00:00The Top 10 Political Moments of . . . 2011http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/28/the-top-10-political-moments-of-2011/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/28/the-top-10-political-moments-of-2011/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/28/the-top-10-political-moments-of-2011/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

It's end-of-year time, and that means journalists and pundits, looking to survive the news dead-zone of the holiday season, toss out the easy-to-compile Top 10 lists. The Top 10 political events of the year. The Top 10 quotes of the year. The Top 10 campaign ads of the year. And so on. Well, anyone can use Google to assemble such a feature. I'm going to do a little more and offer you a list of the Top 10 political moments of the coming year. After all, in the world of punditing, it is never too early to predict what will be. As for 2012 . . . well, you'll just have to wait until this time next year.

January 5, 2011. After being handed the speaker's gavel at the opening of the 112th Congress, Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio) breaks down in tears, as he recounts how he has gone from being a barkeeper's son to speaker of the House. Later in the day, during an interview on Fox News, when questioned about the bawling, Boehner cries again, explaining that he is a symbol of the American Dream. Once he regains his composure, Boehner bursts into sobs, as he outlines his plans to repeal President Obama's health care legislation. "It's all about the children," he says, weeping.

John BoehnerJanuary 20, 2011. The House of Representatives considers the Just Say No to Obama bill, a non-binding resolution declaring that the House will decline to consider any legislation proposed by the White House. In an interview on Fox News, House majority leader Eric Cantor says, "The American public sent us here to say no, and that's what we're doing." Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), however, leads a walk-out of tea party caucus members, who protest that the measure ought to be binding.

February 7, 2011. Fox News announces it has signed Sarah Palin to star in a new reality show called "So You Want to Be President." The press release issued by Fox says, "The show will follow the controversial and popular ex-governor and Fox News commentator as she pursues a possible presidential campaign. It will feature behind-the-scenes footage of Gov. Palin writing her own tweets and Facebook messages -- as she hunts caribou and juggles the demands of a working mother." In an interview on Fox News, Palin says she has no plans to say whether or not she has plans to run for president.

March 3, 2011. Vice President Joe Biden, working the crowd at a fundraiser at Katy Perry's home, is caught on a cell phone video saying, "Of course, the war in Afghanistan can't be won. My father was a used car salesman who didn't know anything about the Treaty of Gandamark, and he could've told you that." In a subsequent appearance on Jay Leno's "Tonight Show," Biden apologizes to used car salesmen everywhere.

March 10, 2011. Fox News announces it is hiring Mitt Romney as a commentator. And Tim Pawlenty. And John Thune. And Mike Pence, Haley Barbour, Mitch Daniels, and Rick Santorum. The network also announces that all GOP presidential 2012 debates will be conducted by Fox News, with each debate to be moderated by Glenn Beck.

May 8, 2011. Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), appearing on "Fox News Sunday," discusses the ongoing GOP effort to repeal Obama's health care reform measure and says, "If God had wanted Americans to receive health care regardless of preexisting conditions, he wouldn't have created insurance companies." During a later interview on Fox News, Paul says, "I must clarify my remarks. What I meant to say was that if God had wanted Americans to receive health care regardless of preexisting conditions he wouldn't have created the free enterprise system that led to the creation of insurance companies."

June 19, 2011. During an interview with student journalists from Starkville, Miss., Barbour, asked whether it was a "good thing" that the South lost the Civil War, says, "It's complicated." In a subsequent interview on Fox News, Barbour explains that he was "just engaging in a thought-experiment meant to show the kids that there are no easy answers in life."

July 4, 2011. At a rally in North Carolina, Obama announces he will seek reelection in 2012. As the event begins, Secret Service agents prevent Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid from appearing on the stage. Later, the White House explains, "An intern on the advance team made a simple mistake."

September 3, 2011. Hillary Rodham Clinton denies rumors that she will be replaced as secretary of state by her husband, Bill. A media frenzy ensues, and Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), the chair of the House oversight committee, announces an investigation. On Fox News, Issa explains, "We can't know whether there is anything here that deserves investigation until we investigate."

November 15, 2011. As a government shut-down looms, the Senate and House pass one gigantic omnibus bill covering all the legislative business of the entire year. The first session of the 112th Congress comes to a close. Obama hails it as a sign that "we can all work together." Palin, who still hasn't declared her 2012 intentions, tweets, "Our guys/gals did best could;Shows why USA needs real ldr. Me for POTUS? Answer coming soon. On "SYWTBP" on Fox. Go liberty!Go freedom!" On Fox News, Boehner cries.

You can follow David Corn's postings and media appearances via Twitter.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>eric cantorJohn Boehnermichele bachmannRand Paulsarah pDavid Corn2010-12-28T05:00:00+00:00Joe Biden on Gay Marriage: Legalization Is 'Inevitable'http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/24/joe-biden-on-gay-marriage-legalization-is-inevitable/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/24/joe-biden-on-gay-marriage-legalization-is-inevitable/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/24/joe-biden-on-gay-marriage-legalization-is-inevitable/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Vice President Joe Biden, who in the past has backed civil unions for gay men and lesbians, says a national consensus for the legalization of gay marriage is inevitable.

Biden, in an interview Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America," said the acceptance of gay marriage will become part of public consciousness in the same way that the repeal of the ban on gays serving openly in the armed forces eventually won favor with many Americans, including military leaders.

"I think the country's evolving and I think there's an inevitability for a national consensus on gay marriage," he said in comments also reported by the New York Daily News.

President Obama has endorsed civil unions for gays, but he said Wednesday at a White House news conference that his views on the controversial social issue are evolving. Same-sex marriage, which is strongly opposed by the Catholic Church as well as other religious and self-described pro-family groups, is legal in only a handful of states. Biden, who is Catholic, did not describe how he saw the road to legalization taking shape.

Watch George Stephanopoulos' interview with Biden below:




 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>dailyguidancedont ask dont tellgay marriageTom Diemer2010-12-24T11:57:00+00:00WikiLeaks' Julian Assange Fires Back at 'Idiot' Criticshttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/23/wikileaks-julian-assange-fires-back-at-idiot-critics/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/23/wikileaks-julian-assange-fires-back-at-idiot-critics/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/23/wikileaks-julian-assange-fires-back-at-idiot-critics/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

From his house arrest in a British mansion, beleaguered WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is firing away at his critics, including the unlikely trio of Vice President Joe Biden, Sarah Palin and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee. All have taken shots at Assange as he fights extradition to Sweden where authorities want to question him about sexual misconduct complaints.

Related Stories

In an interview with MSNBC Wednesday, Assange said he wondered whether the United States was descending into a "state of anarchy" after the withering criticism of him by those outraged over WikiLeaks' publication of classified war and diplomatic documents. Assange called them idiots, "trying to make a name for themselves."

Biden has likened him to a "high-tech terrorist." Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, said he should be pursued with the "same urgency" the U.S. exerts going after al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders. And Huckabee, who ran for the GOP presidential nomination in 2008, said "whoever in our government leaked that information is guilty of treason and I think anything less than execution is too kind a penalty."

WikiLeaks found Julian AssangeSome critics, Assange said, have even "called for my assassination." If "we are to have a civil society," he told MSNBC, "you cannot have senior people making calls on national TV to go around the judiciary and murder people. That is an incitement to commit murder." Is the legal tradition of due process "just thrown to the wind whenever some shock jock can use it to make a name?" he asked.

In an interview with the Times of London, Assange compared himself to Martin Luther King Jr. When he was locked up briefly in London's Wadsworth prison, he said a black guard handed him a note that read: "I have two heroes in the world, Dr. King and you." That sentiment, Assange said in a New York Times account, "is representative of 50 percent of people." He also referenced the "persecution" of Jews in America in the 1950s, saying there was a common thread between them and WikiLeaks' supporters as "people who believe in freedom of speech."

Even in semi-detention, Assange is waging what the New York Times calls a media offensive. He asserts that he is a victim of a smear campaign led by the United States because his whistleblower website is posting tens of thousands of classified State Department cables. Though the Justice Department is considering a criminal case, officials deny the U.S. government is part of any organized publicity campaign against Assange, a 39-year-old Australian.

Assange again said he did not know whether Army Pfc. Bradley Manning, who is under arrest on suspicion of involvement in an earlier leak, is the source for the State Department documents given to WikiLeaks.

Assange is at a 650-acre estate just outside of London where he is required to wear an electronic tag on his ankle and report daily to a police station to sign a register. In Sweden, two woman have accused Assange of forced, unprotected sex over a four-day period last summer. He has denied the allegations and is resisting extradition.

Watch the MSNBC interview below:



Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>dailyguidanceJoe BidenJulian AssangeTom Diemer2010-12-23T13:32:00+00:00U.S. House Members Fleeing Washington as Holiday Approaches and Congress Grinds Awayhttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/22/u-s-house-members-fleeing-washington-as-holiday-approaches-and/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/22/u-s-house-members-fleeing-washington-as-holiday-approaches-and/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/22/u-s-house-members-fleeing-washington-as-holiday-approaches-and/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

They're bailing out. More than 60 U.S. House members missed votes Tuesday as Congress continues its hectic lame duck session, even as the Christmas holiday draws nigh.

Sixty-three lawmakers -- two dozen of them among those members not returning to Capitol Hill next year -- missed all seven votes in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which is keeping tabs. Some of them probably had a good excuse, the newspaper's Jame Dupree acknowledged. Twelve represent districts in far-away California. And Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) gave birth to a baby girl on Dec. 1, and might have other things on her mind.

Still, on some House roll calls Tuesday, upwards of 70 to 80 congressmen were missing from the 435-member chamber, the Washington Post reported.

U.S. Capitol at ChristmasAcross the Capitol, where the Senate debated the U.S.-Russia nuclear arms treaty, attendance held up a little better. Only five senators missed Tuesday night's debate, the Post said. Four of them did not seek re-election last month, and one, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) recently underwent surgery for prostate cancer. Wyden surprised colleagues by showing up Wednesday for the decisive final vote on START, as the Senate ratified the treaty 71-26.

Official, workaholic Washington has little patience with complaints about toiling through the holidays.

Sen. Joe Manchin apologized earlier this week for missing last Saturday's Senate session because he was celebrating Christmas early with a daughter and a grandchild. And when some Senate Republicans griped that Majority Leader Harry Reid's schedule was interfering with a sacred season, Vice President Joe Biden scolded them. "Don't tell me about Christmas," he said. "I understand Christmas. I have been a senator for a long time. I have been there (the Senate) many years where we go right up to Christmas."'

Follow Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>ChristmasdailyguidanceJoe BidenJoe ManchinRon WydenvotesTom Diemer2010-12-22T14:45:00+00:00Biden to GOP: 'Don't Tell Me About Christmas'http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/16/biden-to-gop-dont-tell-me-about-christmas/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/16/biden-to-gop-dont-tell-me-about-christmas/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/16/biden-to-gop-dont-tell-me-about-christmas/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

It wasn't exactly a Scrooge moment, but Vice President Joe Biden has little patience with Senate Republicans who cite the holidays as a reason to put off finishing work on such matters as the START treaty, a huge priority for the Obama administration.

"Don't tell me about Christmas," an irritated Biden said in remarks reported by the NBC Nightly News, the New York Times and Politico. "I understand Christmas. I have been a senator for a long time. I have been there [the Senate] many years where we go right up to Christmas."

Indeed, while most Americans are engaged in holiday activities, Congress often goes deep into December, trying to finish work begun months before. Former President Clinton's impeachment in the House of Representatives crowded the holidays in 1998.

This week in Washington, Majority Leader Harry Reid irked some Republicans when he warned that the Senate might return during the time between Christmas and New Year's Day to complete action on START and other matters. One senator, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), told Reid that such scheduling impinged on "the most sacred holiday for Christians." Reid, in turn, said DeMint and other Republicans were being "sanctimonious."

All in the spirit of the season on Capitol Hill. Ratifying the START arms reduction treaty between the United States and Russia is worth the extra time spent legislating, Biden said Wednesday in New York. "There's 10 days between now and Christmas. I hope I don't get in the way of your Christmas shopping, but this is about the nation's business," he scolded the Senate. "This is national security at stake. Act, act."

Watch Biden, courtesy NBC News.


Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>dailyguidancestart treatyTom Diemer2010-12-16T13:36:00+00:00Tax-Cut Compromise Clears Senate Hurdle; Vote Expected This Weekhttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/tax-cut-compromise-clears-key-senate-hurdle-vote-expected-this/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/tax-cut-compromise-clears-key-senate-hurdle-vote-expected-this/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/13/tax-cut-compromise-clears-key-senate-hurdle-vote-expected-this/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Despite the objections of liberals and some conservatives, the Senate voted 83 to 15 Monday to begin the final debate on the tax-cut compromise struck between President Obama and Republican leaders last week. Among the coalition to vote no were liberal Sens. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), as well as conservative Republican Sens. Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Oklahoma's Tom Coburn and John Ensign of Nevada.

On the table was the legislation that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid released late Thursday night, a massive package of extensions, cuts and increases to 2010 tax rates. As the president outlined last week, the bulk of the bill is dedicated to extending the expiring Bush tax cuts for all income levels for the next two years.

Monday evening, President Obama met briefly with reporters, taking no questions but urging the House to act quickly on the package.

In addition to extending the tax cuts, the deal also temporarily cuts the 6.2 percent payroll tax to 4.2 percent for all workers and extends unemployment benefits for 13 months for Americans out of work up to 99 weeks. Most objectionable to liberal Democrats, the bill also sets the estate tax at 35 percent for estates valued at more than $5 million, well below the 45 percent rate on estates over $3.5 million that most Democrats had been pushing for.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell negotiated the package with President Obama last week and called it a step in the right direction, but only a first step. He also explained to senators Monday afternoon that the vote was just the beginning of a Republican effort to shrink the size of the federal government.

"This bipartisan compromise represents an essential first step in tackling the debt -- because in keeping taxes where they are, we are officially cutting off the spigot. And until we did that, Democrats in Washington were never going to be serious about cutting spending or debt," McConnell said.

Related Stories

Sen. Max Baucus, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, led a group of moderate Democrats who also voted for the bill, despite what they said were misgivings about the deal, out of worry that a lengthy standoff with Republicans would end up raising taxes on the middle class in January.

"While I strongly prefer acting in a way that focuses on the middle class, that focuses on creating jobs, and that gets us the most bang for our buck, inaction is not an option," Baucus said.

The bulk of the opposition to the compromise came from liberals, including Sen. Bernie Sanders, who has argued for a week that softening the effects of the estate tax and continuing the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy would be blatantly unfair.

Colorado's Sen. Udall also voted against the bill, but said his chief concern is over the effect the $900 billion in lost tax revenue will have on the ballooning deficit. Before the vote, he slammed the "irresponsible tax deal for wealthy Americans" and called the entire package "a step too far."

"I feel like we're operating in some kind of a parallel universe," he said.

Many of those who voted for the bill on Monday voiced their opposition to parts of it before supporting it. Sen. John McCain complained about the dozens of tax credits tacked onto the bill, which he called "unneeded, unnecessary, unwanted sweeteners."

"These credits are a form of special interest spending in the tax code, which is precisely the sort of business-as-usual behavior that Republicans told tea party voters they would not engage in," McCain said. "I'll vote for it, but it's not what the people said they wanted on Nov. 2nd."

Now that the Senate has voted to end debate, Senate Majority Leader Reid will schedule a final vote on the measure later this week, when senators are expected to approve it overwhelmingly. The it will head to the House of Representatives, where the bill will get a big dose of liberal opposition.

"I think the entire House of Representatives on the Democratic side has said we're not going for this deal," Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) said on NBC's "Meet the Press." "We're going to change this and hopefully the president's going to back us up as we try to take out the worst things that are in it."

Despite a clear message from Vice President Joe Biden to House Democrats last week that the compromise will not be changed, Speaker Nancy Pelosi defiantly indicated Thursday that she and her caucus are still working to modify the deal. She also said she had no immediate plans to bring the bill to the House floor until it's more palatable to her caucus.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer acknowledged the hostility to the package from some members of his caucus on Monday, but he told reporters at the National Press Club that passing the bill is probably inevitable. He would not, however, commit to passing a bill identical to the Senate-approved version.

"I think we're going to have a vote on the Senate bill, with possible changes," Hoyer said. "We may have it with amendments. We'll see what the process is," he said. "I think we will pass a bill."

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>bush tax cut extensionTax cut compPatricia Murphy2010-12-13T17:17:00+00:00START Treaty Backed by George H.W. Bush; Obama Predicts Passagehttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/08/start-treaty-backed-by-george-h-w-bush-biden-predicts-passage/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/08/start-treaty-backed-by-george-h-w-bush-biden-predicts-passage/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/08/start-treaty-backed-by-george-h-w-bush-biden-predicts-passage/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Former President George H.W. Bush came out Wednesday in support of the arms-control treaty with Russia known as New START, and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, who served under former President George W. Bush, backed the pact on Tuesday.
Whether the endorsements can budge skeptical Senate Republicans remains to be seen, but the Obama White House remains optimistic it can get the 67 votes -- a super majority -- needed for New START to pass.

"I am confident that we are going to be able to get the START treaty on the floor, debated and completed before we break for the holidays," President Obama said Wednesday.
Added White House spokesman Robert Gibbs, "I think if they voted on it right now it would pass."
Vice President Joe Biden, briefing a small group of reporters on Friday, said if the treaty gets to the Senate floor, "I would be surprised if there are fewer than 75 votes for the treaty."
But getting the treaty to the floor with the votes to pass -- without threats by Senate Republicans to bog it down with amendments -- is still a challenge for the Obama White House.
Bush Senior issued a terse statement on Wednesday, which the White House hopes will help move at least nine Republicans to yes.
"I urge the United States Senate to ratify the START treaty," Bush said.
So far, only Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), top Republican on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is a public yes.
Obama and Lugar have a history when it comes to working on nuclear non-proliferation issues. When Obama was a senator, he traveled with Lugar to Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan in August 2005 as a member of the Foreign Relations Committee. Obama came to the Senate with an interest in proliferation issues and he latched on from the start to Lugar, who had a long track record trying convince nations to get rid of or secure stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) on Tuesday told Andrea Mitchell on her MSNBC show he was inclined to support the treaty. The Obama team is encouraged by what one source characterized as "very positive statements" from Maine Republican Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins; Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.); Sen. Robert Bennett (R-Utah); and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.)
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) met several times this week with Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who is leading the resistance to voting on the treaty. Kyl has several concerns about START and argues the vote can wait until next year. Obama is pushing for a vote now, when there are more Democrats in the Senate.
In its lobbying effort, the Obama team is emphasizing the backing from GOP national security officials from prior administrations and the Republican roots of the treaty.
"Contrary to some of the things you've heard from some of our colleagues up on the Hill, this treaty is extremely important and extremely worthwhile," Biden said at the briefing. "It continues a process begun by President Reagan. This is not a new idea. This is a continuation of a Republican idea, the Republican presidents, in order to move us further away from brinkmanship and continue to reduce our nuclear weapons."
Biden highlighted a string of GOP national security officials under Republican presidents who favor the treaty besides Rice: Former Defense Secretaries Harold Brown, Frank Carlucci, Bill Cohen, Bill Perry and James Schlesinger, and former Secretaries of State Jim Baker, Larry Eagleburger, Henry Kissinger, George Schultz, Colin Powell, and former National Security Advisers Steve Hadley and Brent Scowcroft.
David Sherzer, a spokesman for former President George W. Bush, asked about New START, told Politics Daily on Wednesday, "We have no comment."
The Obama White House has made a special effort to woo Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) who was sworn in by Biden on Nov. 29 to fill the weeks remaining of Obama's Senate term before starting his full six-year term in January.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton called Kirk after his election win to congratulate him -- and "put in a good word on START and to offer a briefing," said Brian McKeon, Biden's national security adviser.
Last week, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Director of National Intelligence James Clapper phoned Kirk. Ellen Tauscher, undersecretary of State for arms control and international security, also called Kirk.
"I hope the new senator will feel satisfied as the debate begins, God willing it begins, in talking to his colleagues who have been working on this a long time," Biden said.
The Obama team is pushing hard for a vote before the end of the year.
But Kirk is reluctant to take on New START before other issues -- including the pending tax compromise -- are settled. Kirk has asked the White House for the complete negotiating record of the treaty and other information.
What seems puzzling is the disconnect between GOP national security figures who vouch for the treaty and Senate Republicans who remain skeptical.
Meanwhile, Biden is working his former colleagues.
Said Biden, "Ever since the president asked me to shepherd the passage of this treaty, I have been in regular, constant, and continuous contact with my Republican colleagues on the Hill. I have worked closely -- I have met repeatedly in the office, at my home with John Kerry, with Dick Lugar, two men -- two of the men I most admire in the United States Senate. I have met repeatedly with Senator Kyl. I have met repeatedly with leading Republican senators like Lindsey Graham. I have had long discussions with everyone from John McCain to a dozen other Republicans that I can mention."

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>John KerryJon KylMark KirkNew START treatyRichard LugarLynn Sweet2010-12-08T22:00:00+00:00Hillary Clinton Says Secretary of State Will be Her 'Last Public' Jobhttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/03/hillary-clinton-says-secretary-of-state-will-be-her-last-public/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/03/hillary-clinton-says-secretary-of-state-will-be-her-last-public/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/12/03/hillary-clinton-says-secretary-of-state-will-be-her-last-public/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

She's not running for anything -- ever. Probably. Now, will you please stop asking? Hillary Clinton said Friday that serving as secretary of state will be her "last public position" and that she plans to return to private life, perhaps as an advocate for women and children.

Her comments, reported by the Washington Post, should tamp down ongoing speculation -- chatter that she has consistently denied -- that she will replace Joe Biden as President Obama's running mate in 2012, or even challenge Obama in a primary, or run for president in 2016.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Bahrain At a televised town hall meeting in Manama, Bahrain, Clinton said she has had a "fascinating public life" -- as first lady of the United States when her husband Bill Clinton was president, as senator from New York, and finally as the nation's top diplomat for the past three years.

"I think I will serve as secretary of state as my last public position, and then probably go back to advocacy, and probably on behalf of woman and children," she said. That ought to do it. Clinton, 63, is in the midst of a a six-day swing through Central Asia and the Middle East.

But wait a minute. Diidn't she say, "I think," and "probably?"

Follow Tom Diemer on Twitter http://twitter.com/tomdiemer

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Tom Diemer2010-12-03T14:01:00+00:00Secret Cables Show Deep U.S.-Pakistan Clashes Over Strategyhttp://politicsdaily.com/2010/11/30/secret-cables-show-deep-u-s-pakistan-clashes-over-strategy/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/11/30/secret-cables-show-deep-u-s-pakistan-clashes-over-strategy/http://politicsdaily.com/2010/11/30/secret-cables-show-deep-u-s-pakistan-clashes-over-strategy/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

NEW YORK -- Secret cables to Washington from the American ambassador in Islamabad, Pakistan, expose deep divisions over strategy in the Afghanistan war on issues like Pakistan's support of the Taliban as well as concerns about the country's nuclear fuel, The New York Times reported Tuesday.
One cable, sent shortly after President Obama declared in 2009 that Pakistan's nuclear materials "will remain in military hands," Ambassador Anne W. Patterson in Islamabad sent a secret message to Washington indicating she was worried about that very issue.
A stockpile of highly enriched uranium, stored for years near an old research nuclear reactor in Pakistan, was her concern. There was enough material to build several "dirty bombs" or possibly an actual nuclear bomb. In the cable dated May 27, 2009, Patterson said the Pakistani government was not moving quickly to remove the material. The fuel is still there.
The Islamabad-Washington cables show the complex and tense relationship between the United States and Pakistan in the 10-year war in Afghanistan.
The documents, obtained by WikiLeaks and released to The New York Times, The Guardian in Britain, Der Spiegel in Germany, Le Monde in Paris and El País in Spain, are part of a trove of secret cables from 2006 to the end of February this year released this week, setting off a worldwide diplomatic furor.
(On the first leg of an overseas trip, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton faced questions during an appearance on Tuesday at a university in Astana, Kazakhstan. Though some students treated the leaking of the cables as a joke, Clinton did not take it lightly. She reiterated her condemnation of the release of the cables, saying it would threaten human rights activists, religious leaders, and journalists.)

Related Stories

The Pakistan cables reveal U.S. efforts to support an unpopular civilian government in Pakistan while the real power there is in the hands of the army and intelligence agency, whose cooperation the Americans need to fight the militants holed up in the Pakistani-Afghanistan border.
The cables show the depth of U.S. skepticism that Pakistan will engage fully in that fight. In one message, Patterson, who left Islamabad in October after three years there, said more money and military assistance would not help persuade the Pakistanis.
"There is no chance that Pakistan will view enhanced assistance levels in any field sufficient compensation for abandoning support for these groups, which it sees as an important part of its national security apparatus against India," she wrote.
Like the other cables published in the past three days, the Pakistan documents paint an unflattering picture of foreign leaders.
President Asif Ali Zardari, for one, told Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. that he was afraid the military might "take me out."
Though Americans found Zardari, who became president after his wife, Benazir Bhutto, was assassinated in December 2008, sympathetic to U.S. goals, they say he lacked the power to face opposition and resistance from his military and intelligence forces.
"Pakistan's civilian government remains weak, ineffectual and corrupt," Ambassador Patterson wrote on Feb. 22, 2010. "Domestic politics is dominated by uncertainty about the fate of President Zardari."

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Anne W. PattersonAsif Ali ZardaridailyguidanceHillary ClintonIslamabad-Washington cablesnuclear fuelPakistan militaryPakistan-U.S. cablespaksitanPresident ObamatalibanWikileakswikileaks document dumpLuisita Lopez Torregrosa2010-11-30T18:51:00+00:00