This week’s podcast features Jay and Alex talking about Bob Bennett’s tough road to re-election, David Obey’s retirement and more. Enjoy:
Nancy Pelosi
Obey Bows Out
House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, 71, today announced he would not seek reelection after more than 20 terms in office. The Wisconsin Democrat’s departure is the latest example of veteran Democrats deciding to withdraw rather than face tough reelections — a troubling sign for House speaker Nancy Pelosi for whom
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And the Winners Are…
The deadtree cover this week is TIME’s annual 100 most influential people of the year. Who’d we miss? Who shouldn’t be on this list? Let the debate begin.
Update:
Even better: TIME’s least influential list. Hysterical.
The Cornhusker Kickback Take 2
A conservative Democratic senator is a hold out, and possibly deciding vote, on pivotal legislation that tops the President’s agenda. He had a deal that benefits his Midwestern state, but it was taken out and now his attempts to put it back in and the substance of the deal itself is drumming up a bit of controversy. The Cornhusker …
Morning Must Reads: Ifs, Ands or Buts
Official White House Photo by Samantha Appleton
–Obama will make a his case for financial reform “in the shadow of Wall Street” today at Cooper Union. A taste:
I believe in a strong financial sector that helps people to raise capital and get loans and invest their savings. But a free market was never meant to be a free license
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Morning Must Reads: The First Act
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–If Mitch McConnell raised the curtain on this season of financial reform political theater yesterday, then the White House serves as backdrop for the first act today. Obama is set to meet with Speaker Pelosi, Leader Reid, Senator McConnell, Rep. Boehner and Rep. Hoyer at the White House …
Morning Must Reads: Making Their Case
Official White House photo by Pete Souza
—Mega-scoop from Ben Smith: Andy Stern reportedly plans to step down as president of the Service Employees International Union. Stern is a titan of the labor movement and the American left, not to mention an intimate ally to the White House. Marc Ambinder
Stupak Steps Aside
Updated, 3:50 p.m.
During the press conference at which he announced he will not run for re-election, Bart Stupak made only passing allusion to the hailstorm of controversy he’s endured since voting for the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The nine-term incumbent said his decision was spurred by a desire to spend more …
TIME 100
As most of our readers know, every year we do a big dead tree edition on the 100 people that mattered most in the past 12 months. Today, the 200 nominees are up. Let the voting for the most influential person of 2009 begin. Will it be President Obama? Sarah Palin? Nancy Pelosi? Katheryn Bigelow? Rahul Singh? Sandra Bullock? And, yes, as …
A GOP Silver Lining
The passage of health care reform hasn’t been easy for the GOP. But there is a silver lining (though, some Republicans might argue that encouraging their party chairman is not exactly in the Party’s best interests): Michael Steele has finally figured out a way to raise money. The RNC’s webite, www.firenancypelosi.com, which depicts the …
Morning Must Reads: Moment of Victory
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–There’s a lot to digest after last night’s historic vote on health care reform. Might as well dive right in:
–David Sanger writes in the New York Times that Obama succeeded at reshaping American social welfare — a feat the last two president’s failed to accomplish — but at the cost …
Health Care: A Historic Win for Obama
Stupak’s a Yea?
MSNBC and C-SPAN are reporting that Michigan Democrat Bart Stupak will vote for the bill, bringing along at least half a dozen votes with him. Apparently, an executive order on abortion that the White House had been negotiating with Stupak is what pushed him over the edge. Stupak, a pro-life Democrat, nearly derailed the passage of …