Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts last week lashed out at President Obama for his State of the Union criticism of the court’s Citizens United ruling — the line where Associate Justice Samuel Alito shook his head and mouthed the words “No true.” Roberts, speaking at the University of Alabama, called Obama’s remarks “very …
2012 Election
Make ’em Filibuster, Jobs Edition
The Senate is bracing for a possible all-nighter as leaders have thus far failed to reach an agreement on the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act. You may remember this as Harry Reid’s relatively small $15 billion jobs bill that he introduced after yanking the Baucus/Grassley deal. The House then passed an amended version, …
Morning Must Reads: Lock and Load
Photo courtesy of Ben Nelson’s office
–After so many months of vitriolic debate and soap-operatic drama, one might be skeptical when they hear this is the week health reform faces its ultimate test. But it is. House markup of the reconciliation package is scheduled to begin at 3 pm today. The final CBO score is forthcoming. The …
Axelrod To GOP: “Make My Day”
David Axelrod is responsible for crafting the master narrative that can most minimize Democratic losses this fall. His plan, as it is currently formulated, depends on Democrats getting off playing defense on process, and mounting a full scale attack on health policy if a bill is passed. Karen posted the PowerPoint yetserday. Here is that …
Introducing “The Call”
We’ve got a new feature here on Swampland. It’s a weekly podcast where you get to listen in to a few of our reporters talk about the stories they’ve been working on and the highlights of the week. Today’s call features Karen and Kate discussing Arlen Specter’s re-election battle and (of course) everything health care. Enjoy:
Morning Must Reads: Decisions, Decisions
Official White House photo by Pete Souza
–President Obama has decided to delay his trip to Asia, originally scheduled to begin March 18, in order to work on health care. He is now slated to depart March 21. The window is still tight; the House has just nine days before he leaves to pass the Senate bill and the final CBO score has …
Wake Up, Health Care Spectators – It’s About to Get Interesting
There has been a lot of intrigue on the Hill today about what’s happening in the health reform saga. For those of you dozing off, perk up. Next week is shaping up to be a big one.
* Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid officially informed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, via letter, that Senate Democrats intend to use …
House Votes to Investigate Dem Leaders
Taking a page from Nancy Pelosi’s own playbook, House Republican leaders today introduced a privileged resolution demanding that the Ethics Committee investigate what the Democratic leaders knew about former Rep. Eric Massa’s alleged groping of males interns and staff and when they found out. The resolution was almost identically worded …
Schumer v. Durbin
Morning Must Reads: Show Time
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–Vice President Biden gave a speech at Tel Aviv University today, a tricky balancing act after Israel’s settlement snub. Laura Rozen highlights five takeaways.
–Former Bush aide Dan Senor is being encouraged to take a run at Gillibrand’s Senate seat in New York, and he’s “seriously …
Speaking of Political Sex Scandals
No tickling here that we know of, but an important reminder that there is another member, Republican Senator John Ensign of Nevada, who is under investigation — criminal investigation — for his alleged lucrative attempts to silence the husband of the staffer he was having an affair with, as Eric Litchblau and Eric Lipton of the New …
Why God Invented C-SPAN
Retiring Rep. Patrick Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat, is clearly upset with the media’s morbid fascination with Tickle-Me-Massa. He feels that this episode is robbing newspaper inches and front-page real estate from the coverage our brave colleagues are producing out of Afghanistan. And when I say upset, I mean really, really, really, …
A Dispatch From Virginia’s Fightin’ Fifth
Our colleague Alex Altman files this story from the Commonwealth. Freshman Democrat Tom Perriello, a loyal party warrior who stuck his neck out on health reform, cap-and-trade, etc. despite the deep purples and reds of his district, faces an uphill re-election battle. With the GOP eager to capitalize, a crowded field and Tea Party …