Congressional reaction to the 30,000-troop surge in Afganistan was as tepid as President Obama’s West Point speech. As details of the plan leaked out throughout the day — with more than 30 members traveling to the White House to be personally briefed — few spoke with passion: no one – including Obama – mentioned human rights, the …
2012 Election
Through The 2008 Campaign Looking Glass–John McCain on Medicare Cuts, Now And Then
One can be forgiven for the double take. Back during the 2008 campaign, Barack Obama was the one accusing John McCain of wanting to cut Medicare benefits for seniors–a claim that independent fact checkers called “false.” (McCain had proposed vaguely defined cost savings in Medicare, not benefit cuts.) Now everything is all reversed and …
Casey, and the Next Chapter of His Family’s Pro-Life Legacy
Pennsylvania Senator Bob Casey will tell you that he doesn’t get many more calls from fundraisers or constituents about abortion than he does the public plan, death panels or immigration. “We’re getting a lot of inquiries from lots of different groups on several differnet topics,” he demurrs. “I don’t think it’s any different or …
Reconciliation
For months few have mentioned it. But as the public option withers on the Senate vine, progressive groups are beginning to push Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to use reconciliation rather than pass a health care reform bill without a public option in it. I’ve heard a few whispers on the Hill that this is still an option, but for the …
Landrieu for $100 million
Senate Democratic leaders are wooing Senators Mary Landrieu, Ben Nelson and Blanche Lincoln — the last three hold outs who have not pledged to vote for the motion to proceed tomorrow night to start the debate on health care reform. Lincoln, an embattled Arkansas centrist, has been demanding 72 hours to read the bill — something she got …
Republican-not
E.J. Dionne has an interesting column today on the Republican party’s Senate strategy of forcing a cloture vote on everything, even on the few provisions they support. A few months ago, I wrote that the G.O.P. had become a party led by nihilists. This is further evidence of that. I have doubts about some of the legislation the Democrats …
Trigger Happy
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he will include a public option that states can vote to opt out of in his version of the health care reform bill that could be unveiled as early as Wednesday. But that certainly hasn’t ended the debate in the Senate about what kind of public option may finally end up passing the upper chamber …
Could the Senate be on the Cusp of Blowing Another Health Care Deadline?
Senate Democrats have been waiting on tenterhooks for a score from the Congressional Budget Office before they can introduce their health care reform bill and start the debate. Assuming the score comes today, the bill could be introduced as early as tomorrow. But, don’t get your hopes up for a vote any time soon. Senator Blanche …
Palin=W.?
We are in the middle of Palinmania and it’s going to last a while between Oprah, Barbara Walters, the book tour and the sniping between Palin and McCain worlds. Chris Matthews on MSNBC’s Hardball last night was astounded that America – or at least the Republican base – seems to love the aw shucks candidates, berating Rep. Judy …
Doug Hoffman Tells Glenn Beck He’s Hoping for Miracle
When Conservative Doug Hoffman conceded to Democratic Bill Owens on election night, even I thought it was a little too soon. Hoffman, who had been polling ahead of Owens in the race to represent New York’s 23rd congressional district, declared the race over just after midnight when he was down in the count by around 5,000 with as many as …
Sessions to Filibuster Obama’s 7th Circuit Nominee
Jeff Sessions, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee, today told reporters that he plans on filibustering David Hamilton, President Obama’s nominee to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. “I intend not to support going forward on the Hamilton vote,” Sessions said. “Unlike Justice Sotomayor, when asked to discuss the empathy …
Our Chatty Cathy Congress
Those of us former little girls of a certain age can remember a doll that we all had to have. She was called Chatty Cathy, and if you pulled a string in her neck, she would say things like “Please brush my hair” and “Let’s have a party!”
It turns out that Chatty Cathy and the United States House of Representatives have a lot in …
Video: Obama in Arlington
As Karen Tumulty noted on Thursday, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama made a solemn visit to Arlington National Cemetary on Veterans Day. TIME photographer Christopher Morris recorded the below video from that day.