Yesterday when Speaker Pelosi went to the White House, following a tense few days of family feuding after White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs’ remarks on Sunday that Dems could lose the House, she had a series of demands. Leveraging her caucus’ outrage – aired to reporters yesterday – Pelosi wanted more money and more help …
Senate
Morning Must Reads: It’s All in the Wrist
–It’s the question of the moment and Crowley captures the White House’s delicate balancing act well in this week’s cover story for dead tree TIME:
Is the U.S. on a firm path to recovery — one that just needs more time to play out? Or are we trapped in the doldrums, perhaps en route to a lost decade like the one Japan had in the
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Democrats and Immigration
This time.com story I have out today grew from conversation after conversation on the Hill with Democratic aides who were flabbergasted at the Obama Administration’s focus on immigration reform. “Like a dog with a bone — a bad bone,” one aide said to me. “It’s just crazy – it makes no sense,” said another. Most of them fretted about …
Morning Must Reads: Salesmanship
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–John Dickerson reads the polls, sees a failure in salesmanship.
–The White House will get another chance today with the release of the Council of Economic Advisers’ latest stimulus report. Chairwoman Christina Romer will present her findings — that the Recovery Act “saved or created” …
Morning Must Reads: Confidence
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–BP has placed a new cap on the Deepwater Horizon leak and it appears as if oil has stopped gushing into the Gulf. They’re doing tests now to determine if the worst spill in American history is finally over.
–Financial reform has reached 60 and Harry Reid says he’ll call a vote this …
Scott Brown, Champion of the Democratic Agenda
For all the talk of being the “41st Senator” (thus denying the Democrats their supermajority), Scott Brown sure has a knack for delivering numero 60 for Harry Reid and Co. in a pinch. You may remember the time he saved the Democrats’ jobs bill. Today the Massachusetts Senator, who won late-in-the-game concessions in conference committee, …
Morning Must Reads: Contenders
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–Congress returns to work this week with plenty of business still on the table before August break. Unemployment benefits have run out for 2 million Americans, a Supreme Court nominee awaits confirmation, and the timing of the Senate’s vote on financial reform remains unclear.
—Hale …
When Fame Becomes A Weapon
Many people, myself included, have written about why 2010 isn’t exactly like 1994. Here is another reason: people actually know who Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid are, and not in a good way.
Back in 1994, who knew anything about House Speaker Tom Foley or Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell? Voters certainly didn’t. But in the age …
Morning Must Reads: Crossover
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–The National Governors Association’s annual meeting kicks off today in Boston.
–Tim Pawlenty will attend before heading to New Hampshire. MPR examines at his Granite State game.
–Nate Silver looks at West Virginia’s special election and how Gov. Manchin might tip the …
Quote of the Day: Thinking Outside the Box
“Another thing we can do for jobs is make toys of me, especially for the holidays. Little dolls. Me. Like maybe little action dolls. Me in an army uniform, air force uniform, and me in my suit. They can make toys of me and my vehicle, especially for the holidays and Christmas for the kids. That’s something that would create jobs. So you …
Morning Must Reads: Angst
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–The Fed, spooked by a floundering recovery, weighs growth measures.
—Karl Rove tells Republicans they need a positive economic agenda, suggests fighting to retain Bush tax cuts.
—Matt Bai writes Obama is relatively well positioned to make progress on the deficit, but he’ll need a …
GOP Opposition to Kagan Mounts
John McCain became the latest GOP senator to announce his opposition to Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. In a searing op-ed in today’s USA Today, McCain, who is in a tough reelection race, said “Kagan fails.” His reasoning? Her handling of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell as Dean of Harvard Law School.
In 1987, I had my first opportunity to
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How Much Would Cap and Trade Cost?
TIME’s energy and environment writer Bryan Walsh takes a look:
In a preliminary look at the American Power Act—the climate legislation that has been put forward by Senators John Kerry and Joseph Lieberman—the CBO found that the bill would actually reduce the budget deficit by about $19 billion over the 2011 to 2020 period. The CBO
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