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Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Daily Political Wire 3-31-2010

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will announce the lifting of the moratorium on offshore drilling -
he will make the announcement at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The NY Times has more here. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar will be with him to discuss the details of drilling which will now be allowed along the Atlantic coastline, the eastern Gulf coast and the north coast of Alaska.

An announcement that is sure to please conservatives and the oil companies, but anger liberals. Offshore drilling has major environmental impacts and the time frame from exploratory drilling to producing oil is decades. Research and development on alternative sources of energy over the same time frame would be more effective for future generations of Americans.


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U.S. 35 Billion contract for air refueling tankers of concern to French President Nicolas Sarkozy -
seems there was more to his visit with President Obama than just discussing future sanctions on Iran and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Politico.com has more here.

He also wanted assurances the Pentagon bidding process would be fair and if so, the European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. (EADS) would participate.


This is the same bid that drove Senator Richard Shelby (R-Al.) to block 70 Obama appointees from confirmation in the Senate. Northrup Grumman, who was in the bidding process and has since dropped out, happened to have a manufacturing facility in Alabama.


EADS was in the bidding previously with Northrup Grumman and is considering whether to compete with U.S. company; Boeing.


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Representative Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) predicts campaign finance reform bill will be passed prior to elections this Fall -
he along with Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) will introduce a bill in April that will offset the unlimited campaign contributions afforded to corporations as a result of the recent Supreme Court "Citizens united' decision. TheHill.com has more here

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Steele under fire for high rolling RNC expenses -
the staffer who was fired as as result of a nearly $2000 reimbursed expense at a "Bondage club", merely took the hit for what has been quite a comfortable ride for the RNC chair Michael Steele. MSNBC.com has more here.

A GOP consultant has agreed to repay the $2,000 he received. Interestingly, the same consultant has been receiving funds from the GOP for services rendered. Why fire a low level staffer who submits the reimbursement request from a GOP consultant? The consultant, Erik Brown is who should be fired.


While the GOP is at it, suggesting to Michael Steele that he resign would be a good thing. At a time when many Americans are out of work and many more are doing what they can to make ends meet, the private jets, the limos, and the luxury resort stays by Michael Steele is not helping the Republicans with their image prior to the important mid term elections.


The unseemly, but legal use of political funds for personal use goes back to when it was reported Michael Steele was receiving a salary from campaign funds while running for Lt. Governor in Maryland in 2002. He would serve one term with Republican Governor Robert Ehrlich before being defeated by the present Governor of Maryland; Democrat Martin O'Malley.


Hey, if Steele resigned as RNC chair, he could team up once again with Ehrlich who recently announced he will challenge Martin O'Malley for governor in this year's election. Ehrlich's campaign war chest is a little light however, doubtful the private limos and luxury resorts stays would be available to Steele.


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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Wednesday, March 31

    • Morning
    • Vice President Biden travels to Peoria, Illinois
    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing
    • 11:05 am
    • President Obama delivers remarks on energy security at Andrews Naval Air Facility
    • 11:30 am
    • Vice President Biden delivers remarks at the "Partners in Peace" event at the Peoria Civic Center
    • 12:30 pm
    • Press Secretary Gibbs delivers the daily press briefing
    • 2:40 pm
    • President Obama meets with the Chavez family and signs proclamation in honor of Cesar Chavez Day at the White House
    • 4:30 pm
    • President Obama delivers remarks at closing session of the Forum for Workplace Flexibility at the EEOB
    • Evening
    • Vice President Biden returns to Washington, D.C.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Daily Political Wire 3-30-2010

George Wenschhof

This morning, President Barack Obama will sign the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act -
it will take place in Alexandria, Virginia at Northern Virginia Community College at 11:00 AM ET.

Later today, the President will meet with French President Nicolas Sarkozy to discuss foreign policy issues and will host Sarkozy and his wife for dinner at the White House. The french have been resistant to sending additional troops to Afghanistan, so expect that issue to be included in the conversation.


Obama appeared on NBC "Today" with Matt Lauer this morning in an earlier taped interview.




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RNC $2,000 "Bondage Club" expense raises eyebrows -
seems a group of folks decided to go out for a night on the town following a Republican National Committee event. Republican consultant Erik Brown was ultimately reimbursed for the expense incurred at a West Hollywood club. Today, the RNC has said a staffer has been fired, but did not identify who. Politico.com has more here.

While the expense at a risque nightclub has received the headlines, the real story is the incredible expenses being racked up by RNC chair Michael Steele. The story first appeared in the Daily Caller who reported $17,500 was spent on private aircraft and $12,500 on limos during the month of February - yes, that's right - one month! Also reported was $9,000 spent at the Beverly Hills Hotel and $6,500 spent at the Four Seasons. Michael Steele even suggested the RNC buy a private jet. The Daily Caller has more here.

....and you wonder why the Republican Party has a hard time identifying with the working men and women? Will Michael Steele make it to the mid term elections as RNC chair? - probably, due to how close the elections are, the inability to hire someone fast enough and the negative impact the firing would have on the Republican Party prior to the mid term elections. Will Steele make it as RNC chair to the 2012 presidential election? - Doubtful.

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Cracks appearing in the Republican Party of "No" strategy -
perhaps realizing they were elected to do more than say no, some Republican Senators are now signaling they are willing to work with Democrats on upcoming legislation dealing with energy, immigration and finance reform. TheHill.com has more here.

Republican Senators Olympia Snowe (Maine), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), Judd Gregg (N.H.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.) have all indicated their desire to work with Democrats to advance legislation - what a novel idea...did someone say the mid term elections are approaching?...

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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Tuesday, March 30

    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing
    • 10:00 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the economic daily briefing
    • 11:05 am
    • President Obama delivers remarks and signs the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act at Northern Virginia Community College
    • 12:00 pm
    • President Obama meets with senior advisers
    • 12:20 pm
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden have lunch
    • 2:15 pm
    • Press Secretary Gibbs delivers the daily press briefing
    • 2:45 pm
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with Defense Secretary Gates in the Oval Office
    • 3:30 pm
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with President Sarkozy of France in the Oval Office
    • 4:45 pm
    • President Obama and President Sarkozy hold joint press availability in the Rose Garden
    • 6:30 pm
    • President Obama and the First Lady host dinner for President Sarkozy and Mrs. Bruni-Sarkozy at the White House

Monday, March 29, 2010

Daily Political Wire 3-29-2010

George Wenschhof



Yesterday, President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan -
after, he fooled most of the media (including me) with a story he was spending the entire weekend at the presidential retreat Camp David.

After giving a pep talk and the assurance of support to the 2000 troops at Bagram Air Base near Kabul, the President flew by helicopter for a meeting with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai.


Interestingly, reports are that Karzai was not informed until the President was within two hours of Afghanistan. The Karzai government remains fragile and full of corruption.


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President Nicolas Sarkozy of France arrives in D.C. today -
he will be in town for two days including a meeting and dinner with President Obama tomorrow. France has been an ally with the U.S. in Afghanistan so expect that to be part of the discussion. The NY Times has more here.

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Washington Post/ABC News poll shows bounce for Democrats -
76% of registered Democrats are now looking forward to the mid term elections and the poll also shows Democrats with a 4 point advantage (48-44) over Republicans in a generic ballot test.

The final passage of the health care reform bill along with the announcement by President Obama of a new agreement with Russia to reduce nuclear weapons has also given Obama a boost and he now has a 54% approval rating.

However, the economy, the federal deficit and immigration continue to be lagging indicators for the President and these three areas are sure to have an impact on the mid term elections. The Washington Post has more here.

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In case you missed some of the Sunday morning "Talking Heads", some highlights courtesy of Politico.com

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U.S. Treasury to sell it's entire assets of Citgroup -
the U.S. had acquired a 27% stake in Citigroup during the bailouts on 2008 and 2009. A trading plan has been developed and will be implemented based on market conditions. It is estimated this sale would result in 8 billion in U.S. profit. Citigroup has already repaid the other 20 billion it owed the Treasury. MSNBC.com has more here.

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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Monday, March 29

    • 10:00 am
    • President Obama arrives at Andrews Air Force Base
    • 10:15 am
    • President Obama arrives at The White House
    • 4:00 pm
    • President Obama participates in a credentialing ceremony for Foreign Ambassadors
    • 6:30 pm
    • President Obama mark the beginning of Passover with a Seder at the White House

Sunday, March 28, 2010

Daily Political Wire 3-28-2010

George Wenschhof

Finally, after continued Republican Party obstruction, President Barack Obama makes 15 recess appointments.
Craig Becker addition to the National Labor Relations Board was one of the appointments. Senate Republicans have kept 77 appointments from beginning work at government agencies. Becker was disliked by Republicans as he served as general counsel to the SEIU and AFL-CIO. Time.com has information of all fifteen appointments here.

Below, White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod speaks about the appointments on CNN "State of The Union" this morning. Interestingly, at this point in George W. Bush's administration there were only 5 appointments which had not been confirmed.




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New Washington Post poll show only 37% view Sarah Palin favorably -
the poll conducted March 23-26 shows 55% view the former Alaska Governor unfavorably. The Washington Post has more here. Shows you can still keep your faith in the American voter. Surprisingly, she only receives 60% favorable rating among the "Tea Party" activists.

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Republican National Committee to use "Citizens United" Ruling to challenge McCain-Feingold ban on soft money -
after a 3 judge panel in D.C. district court struck down their request, the RNC hired conservative lawyer Ted Olsen (of 2000 election fame) to represent them in an appeal to the Supreme Court.

This follows a U.S. Court of appeals striking down the $5,000 annual limit of contributions to political groups in which they cite the "Citizens United" Supreme Court ruling. TPM.com has more here.

Let's hope that Congress can pass legislation soon that will effectively block the adverse impact the horrible "Citizens United" ruling has on campaign finance.

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Retired Army Major General Robert Harding becomes second Obama nominee to withdraw from consideration to head TSA -
the Transportation Security Administration oversees safety in the air, rail and roads. Erroll Southers withdrew in January when it was obvious his nomination had strong opposition in the senate. Harding faced questions pertaining to a security company he operated after retiring from the army.

The company owned by Harding was closed in 2009. It had a previous contract with the government to provide interrogation in Iraq and reached a 1.8 million reimbursement settlement in 2008 with the Defense Intelligence Agency over billing irregularities. MSNBC.com has more here.

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Saturday, March 27, 2010

Daily Political Wire 3-27-2010

George Wenschhof

President Obama at Camp David for the weekend -
the presidential retreat located in the Catoctin mountains is about 20 miles north of where I live and only an hour by car to Washington. Of course, the president uses helicopters.

Next week will be busy for the President. On Tuesday, he will sign the health care reconciliation bill at Northern Community College. This will also give him the opportunity to spell out the little know education components in the bill. On Thursday. he is off to Portland, Maine and Friday, he will be in Charlotte, North Carolina as he continues to hit the road to tout the benefits of health care reform.


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Sunday morning "Talking Heads" Lineup will have plenty to talk about -
headlining the discussion will be the recently passed and signed into law health care bill. How this will affect the Democratic and Republican parties in the mid term elections this Fall is surely to be talked about as well as the recent uptick in threats and use of inciting language in the debate.

However, Immigration will take center stage on NBC "Meet the Press" as David Gregory hosts Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC). They both recently met with President Obama and have co-sponsored an Immigration bill.


ABC "This Week" will have White House senior adviser Valarie Jarrett, along with Governors Ed rendell (D-Pa.) and Haley Barbour (R-Miss.).


CBS "Face The Nation" guests will include DNC chair Tim Kaine, Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC) and Representative Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.).


CNN "State of The Union" has White House adviser David Axelrod along with Senators Barbara Milkuski (D-Md.) and Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.).


It is unfortunate it does not appear guests have been invited to discuss the significant agreement in nuclear arms reductions between Russia and the U.S. - President Obama is scheduled to meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Prague on April 8 to sign the treaty. Below, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense
Secretary Robert Gates speak of the importance of this treaty.



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Iraq election fails to determine governing party -
with all the interest on health care reform at home, few are following the important results to the Iraq election held over three weeks ago. Ayad Allawi and his secular political party won 91 seats and current Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Malicki won 89 seats. The Kurds won 43 seats and Shiites won 70 seats. The NY Times has more here.

The Iraq parliament has 325 seats, so 163 are needed for a majority. Allawi is still considered a puppet of the U.S., so his work is cut out for him to gain support from the Kurds or Shiites to reach the 163 seat threshold. Meanwhile, Prime Minister al-Malicki wants a recount.

It is speculated it could take months for a government to take shape in Iraq and the possibility for violence is a major concern. How this works out over the next several months will surely impact the planned withdrawal of American troops from Iraq. Stay Tuned...

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Obama Weekly Address 3-27-2010

George Wenschhof



President Barack Obama discusses how the recently signed health care bill puts Americans in control of their health care. He also says he will signed the reconciliation of the health care bill on Tuesday. The President also discusses the little known education component of the bill and how this will help middle class Americans afford college and also save 68 billion over the next decade.


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Friday, March 26, 2010

Daily Political Wire 3-26-2010

George Wenschhof

President Obama fires up crowd in Iowa City, Iowa -
he gave a resounding speech on the benefits of the health care reform bill he had signed into law. He referenced the Republicans promise to work to repeal the law and said "let them go for it".

The president is right; are Republicans going to campaign on repealing that an insurance company can not drop your coverage for a pre-existing condition? Or, how about dropping the coverage for your kids in college which the bill allows you to keep on your coverage until they are 26.


Recent polling data is already showing the voter is in favor of these health care changes and as more of the Republican myths are exposed and the health care changes go into effect, the voters will overwhelmingly support it.


The Republican failed strategy of "No" has exposed them as not having the best interests of Americans in mind. Instead, they should be striving to help the country emerge from the most difficult economic times since the 1930's and help move the country forward.


Charlie Cook of the Cook Political report is sticking to a prediction that mirrors the average mid term election gain of 25-35 seats in the House for the political party not in the White House. Part of his analysis are the gains through the health care reform bill will offset the Republican myth effort. This will not be enough for Republicans to regain control of the House.


However, it would even out the House and perhaps this would be a good thing as the political parties would have to work together to move legislation.


Tonight, President Obama is off to Camp David, the presidential retreat located in the catoctin mountains near Thurmont, Maryland.


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Health bill amendments pass Senate and House -
after defeating over 40 ridiculous amendments offered by Republicans, the senate approved the house amendments with a 56-43 vote. The only Democrats to vote against were Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor of Arkansas along with Ben Nelson (Neb.).

The parliamentarian did find two technical and minor issues which needed to be addressed concerning an educational component of this bill dealing with some calculations pertaining to the issuance of Pell grants. The Senate passed bill then went to the House and received a 220 - 207 vote which now goes to the president for signature.


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Unemployment 30 day extension stalls in Senate -
once again, funding for a myriad of programs is being held up by Republicans. This happened recently when Senator Bunning (R-Ky.) filibustered the last extension. if agreement between the House and Senate is not reached today, funding would stop until Congress returns after a two week Easter recess. Programs affected would be unemployment benefits, COBRA benefits for the unemployed, federal funding for highways, and reimbursement fees to doctors serving Medicare patients. Politico.com has more here.

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Obama expected to announce new program to help Homeowners facing foreclosure -
today, the details of a 14 billion program paid for from funds form the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). Anticipated elements of the bill include refinancing of millions of current troubled mortgages into government back mortgages with lower payments. The NY Times has more here.

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or use the sign up box located in the upper right hand margin.

White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Friday, March 26

    • 9:00 am
    • President Obama meets with Secretary of State Clinton
    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing
    • 10:45 am
    • Press Secretary Robert Gibbs delivers briefing
    • 11:00 am
    • Vice President Biden attends Democratic National Committee event in Texas
    • 12:30 pm
    • Vice President Biden attends Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee event in Texas
    • 4:45 pm
    • President Obama departs the White House en route Camp David

Thursday, March 25, 2010

Fired Up! in Iowa - Obama Talks Health Care

George Wenschhof

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


During a speech, in Iowa City, Iowa today, President Obama touts the benefits of the recently passed Health Care bill. He spoke of how the bill will drive down costs, reduce the deficit, and help businesses.

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Daily Political Wire 3-25-2010

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will visit Iowa and give a speech on the highlights of health care reform for Americans -
it was may 2007 when, as a candidate for president, he first announced in Iowa City, his ideas for health care reform. CNN.com has more here.

Over 16,500 have requested tickets for a complex which holds 3,000. I will post the video of the speech later today.


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Republicans successful in requiring another House vote on Amendments to Health care bill -
after failing yesterday in about a dozen amendments introduced, Republicans saw the Parliamentarian rule in their favor on two minor provisions; one concerning a formula used to determine maximum Pell grants. Neither of which is considered a problem when sent back to the House. The health care bill signed by the president remains the law of the land.

The Senate is expected to complete work on the amendments today and a vote will follow shortly. It will then be sent to the House for another vote which could take place as early as tonight. The NY Times has more
here.

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U.S. and Russia set to reach agreement on nuclear arms reduction -
President Obama met yesterday with Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.); chair of the senate Foreign Relations Committee and Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) to discuss the details of the upcoming announcement. AP has more here.

President Obama will meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev within the next couple of weeks in Prague to announce the agreement. Long range nuclear weapons will be reduced by each side to 1,500. This agreement will replace the 1991 Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START).


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Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads home without agreement -
after meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice president Joe Biden, Congressional Leaders and President Barack Obama; no agreement was reached to restart the Palestine-Israel peace process. Time.com has more here.

Continued construction of settlements in East Jerusalem remains the main issue of dispute. U.S. Middle East Envoy George Mitchell has his hands full and he is a well respected negotiator.


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McCain and Palin to reunite tomorrow in Arizona
- Palin will speak at a fund raiser for Senator John McCain to be held in Phoenix. The Hill.com has more here. About 1000 are expected to attend. His Republican primary opponent J.D. Hayworth is going the "tea party" route; attending many of their functions. It is rumored "Joe the Plumber" used by McCain-Palin in the 2008 presidential election will be supporting Hayworth. McCain is leading Hayworth 48% - 41% in the latest Rasmussen polling.

With those type of endorsements for the Republican candidates, there appears hope for the Democratic candidate for senate; if one would declare. To date, no Democrat has announced for this seat.


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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Thursday, March 25

    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing
    • 10:00 am
    • President Obama meets with senior advisers
    • 10:40 am
    • President Obama departs the White House en route Andrews Air Force Base
    • 10:55 am
    • President Obama departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    • 1:05 pm
    • President Obama arrives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
    • 2:00 pm
    • President Obama delivers remarks on health care reform
    • 3:35 pm
    • President Obama departs Cedar Rapids, Iowa en route Andrews Air Force Base
    • 5:25 pm
    • President Obama arrives at Andrews Air Force Base
    • 5:40 pm
    • President Obama arrives at The White House

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Ehrlich to Run for Governor of Maryland

George Wenschhof

After months of speculation,
ABC 7 News is reporting Republican Robert Ehrlich will run for Governor to reclaim the seat he lost four years ago. According to sources, the announcement will be in Rockville, Maryland on April 7, followed by an event in Arbutus; his childhood home.

For the last several months, the
Maryland Democratic Party has been lobbing shells at an expected Ehrlich campaign, including the airing of the video below. in addition, the Maryland Democratic Party has set up a website BobEhrlich.org which is sure to confuse some voters as it is an anti-Ehrlich website.



Maryland Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley defeated incumbent Governor Ehrlich in the 2006 election. Interestingly, it was voting results from Baltimore County in 2002 that helped Ehrlich defeat the Democratic candidate in 2002; Kathleen Kennedy Townsend.


I worked on that campaign in 2002 and arranged the western Maryland announcement event in Frederick, Maryland of her Lt. Governor selection; Admiral Charles R. Larson. A choice, I and many others disagreed, preferring instead an established African-American state politician.


The campaign was also top heavy managed by Alan H. Fleischman who advocated muzzling Ms. Townsend as her speaking skills were not so dynamic. I disagreed and found her to be articulate with a genuine concern about the issues in my conversations with her.


Her campaign was also very heavy handed when it came to discouraging other Democrats from entering the race. Some speculate it was the handling of then Baltimore County Executive Dutch Ruppensberger (D) - who had entertained thoughts of running for Governor - that resulted in the vote count for Ehrich from Baltimore County which contributed to his narrow 51% - 48% victory in the Governor's race in 2002. He is now Representative Ruppensberger in Maryland district 2.


Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley, on the other hand has an excellent campaign organization, believes in an entire state campaign strategy and his Lt. Governor; Anthony Brown is well liked across the state. He narrowed the margins of vote loss in congressional districts one and six and won Baltimore County when he beat Ehrlich in the 2006 election. You can access the O'Malley for Governor campaign website
here.

Look to see Ehrich attack based on the horrible world wide economy, the O'Malley administration efforts to balance the budget and the less than satisfactory roll out of slots in Maryland.


Stay Tuned...


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Daily Democratic Wire 3-24-2010

George Wenschhof



Yesterday, in a bill signing ceremony at the White House, President Obama signed into law the Health Care Reform bill.


Today, President Obama will sign the executive order which makes clear the "Hyde amendment" which restricts use of federal funds for abortion, also applies to the health care reform bill. He has invited about a dozen pro-life Democrats from the House, including Representative Bart Stupak (Mich.), to attend
.

Tomorrow, Obama is off to Iowa City, Iowa where he gave his first speech on the need for health care reform in May, 2007. Reports are over 16,500 have requested tickets online so far and the field House only holds 3,000.

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Gallup poll shows Americans favored passage of health care reform -
in their daily tracking poll conducted a day after the House vote, 49% felt it was a good thing and 40% felt it was a bad thing. Voting was primarily along political party lines with Independents slightly in favor 46% - 45%. Gaullup.com has more here.

This shows the American voter is not buying the myths and outright lies put forward by many Republicans in regard to health care reform. Look to see the margin for those who approve to increase as the components of the bill are implemented and for the Republican Party strategy of "No" to backfire on them in the upcoming mid term elections.

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Senate vote on House amendments to Health Care bill nears -
after seven of the 20 hours of debate were used yesterday, senate Majority Leader Harry Reid yielded the remaining Democratic time. First Read has more here. That leaves about eights hours of debate and there is some speculation Republicans might also yield the remainder of their time for debate. this would allow the voting to begin in the senate. After, more than a year of debate, there is not likely to be new discussion at this point anyway. So, yielding the time for debate makes sense.

The latest Republican tactic to slow approval of the amendments is to offer new amendments which would be likely to pass and then require the bill to go back to the House for passage - and Republicans say Democrats use tricky legislative maneuvers.

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President Obama meets with Israel Prime Minister -
for nearly two hours yesterday the two met. Interestingly, there was no press conference, no photos or press release following the meeting. Politico.com has more here. Relations between the U.S. and Israel have been strained after Israel announced during a visit by Vice President Biden, the approval of 1600 building units on the disputed West Bank.

Middle East Envoy George Mitchell had spent the past year setting up "proximity" peace talks between Palestine and Israel. The start of these talks were to be announced by Vice President Biden during his trip to Israel. Biden did not issue the announcement and Palestine has since dropped out of the planned talks.


Netanyahu's visit to the U.S. has continued with a stubborn insistence on Israel's right to build settlements in disputed land they captured in the 6 day 1967 war. Interestingly, at an AIPAC conference yesterday the differences were highlighted with secretary of state Hillary Clinton speaking on how continued building of settlements undermined the peace process and Netanyahu boldly stating Israel will continue to build.


Netanyahu also moved to changed the subject somwhat when he called for more severe sanctions against Iran, who to date, has refused to be forthcoming in regard to their nuclear development. AIPAC and pro-Israel political action committees are very powerful and this is an important foreign policy issue in the U.S. so stay tuned...


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Senator Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) donates 1 million to Ellsworth campaign -
TheHill.com has more here. Wow! is likely a record contribution. Bayh is sitting on 13 million in campaign funds from a reelection campaign he decided to end. The lucky one million recipient is Indiana Representative Brad Ellsworth (D) who is running for what will be an open seat. The one million will go to the Indiana Democratic Party who will spend it on efforts to elect Ellsworth. I wonder where the other 12 million will go....

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To
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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Wednesday, March 24

    • 9:00 am
    • President Obama meets with Senator Kerry and Senator Lugar
    • 9:35 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing
    • 10:15 am
    • President Obama meets with Sen. Dodd and Rep. Frank to discuss financial reform
    • 12:30 pm
    • Press Secretary Gibbs delivers daily briefing
    • 2:30 pm
    • President Obama signs an executive order reaffirming the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act's consistency with longstanding restrictions on the use of federal funds for abortion

Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Daily Democratic Wire 3-23-2010

George Wenschhof

Today, a little after 11:00 AM, President Obama will sign the health care bill into law -
he will follow with some remarks to the press around noon. On Thursday, he will be in Iowa City, Iowa, the city where he first spoke of his plan for health care reform in may 2007. You can read more here.

This afternoon, President Obama will meet with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. brokered peace talks between Israel and Palestine broke down a week ago. Israel announced during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden the approval of 1600 more building permits in the disputed West Bank, leading Palestine to withdraw from the planned peace talks. Netanyahu is in the U.S. to repair the strained relations. CNN.com has more
here.

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House Amendments to Health Care bill to hit Senate today -
after the President signs the health care bill into law this morning, the Senate will begin a 20 hour debate on amendments offered by the House. Dependent on the outcome of what will be many Republican procedural objections, the Senate vote on the amendments could take place by Sunday. TPM.com has more here.

The first Republican objection related to an excise tax on "cadillac" insurance plans and delaying it until 2018 which they claimed impacted Social Security and would then have made it impossible to vote on.


Senate Parliamentarian Alan Frumin ruled in favor of the Democrats so the amendments can proceed to debate in the Senate.


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Unacceptable Republican conduct in Congress fuels hateful comments by Demonstrators -
the latest idiotic statement was made by Representative Randy Neugebauer (R-Tex.) who shouted "baby killer" from the floor when Representative Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) arrived at the podium to speak during House debate on health care reform. This follows the lack of decorum rules exhibited by Representative Joe Wilson (R-SC) when he shouted "You lie" as President Obama was addressing a joint session of Congress. TheHill.com has more here.

Over the weekend, angry "tea party" demonstrators yelled racial comments and even spit on an African-American lawmaker as Democratic members of the House walked across the Hill. This behavior is simply unacceptable.


Representative James Clyburn (D-SC) is right when he says the House should demand an apology from Neugebauer as his actions offended the entire body of the House and not just one member. He is right and the apology should include remarks condoning the behavior by the "tea party" activists over the weekend in Washington.


It is doubtful if Republicans continue to cast these hateful comments and exhibit the trait of losing badly, it will help their chances in the mid term elections this year.


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Financial reform bill passes Senate banking Committee -
the vote was 13-10 on the bill offered by Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), chair of the Banking Committee. While the bill does not include the creation of a separate consumer finance protection agency proposed by President Obama, it does create a committee that falls under the Federal Reserve. Additional oversight is offered in the bill, but it stops short of limiting the size of banks, which is needed to avoid the "too big to fail" problem the U.S. just experienced a year ago. NBC FirstRead.com has more here.


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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Tuesday, March 23

    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing
    • 10:00 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the economic daily briefing
    • 10:30 am
    • President Obama meets with senior advisers
    • 11:15 am
    • President Obama delivers remarks and signs the health insurance reform bill
    • 12:05 pm
    • President Obama delivers remarks on the health insurance reform bill
    • 3:00 pm
    • President Obama meets with Sen. Kerry and Sen. Lugar
    • 4:00 pm
    • Vice President Biden meets with Sen. Jack Reed
    • 5:30 pm
    • President Obama meets with Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel

Monday, March 22, 2010

DeArmon to run for MD State Senate

George Wenschhof

Democrat Don DeArmon has begun the process of running for state senate in district 3 by filing a candidate committee with the state of Maryland.
In a brief conversation with him today, Mr. DeArmon indicated he would be filing the necessary papers for candidacy soon and would have an announcement at that time.

He indicated he was looking forward to his announcement and detailing his positions on the issues in the very near future. A campaign website is also under construction and should be available for viewing at that time.


The filing of a candidate committee allows a candidate to raise funds prior to officially filing for office. When I asked him how the fund raising was going, he said very well and was pleased with how the campaign was progressing.


Some Frederick county voters may remember DeArmon from when he was the Democratic nominee for Congress against Republican incumbent Roscoe Bartlett in Congressional District 6 in 2000 and 2002. He and his wife Ann and their children live in the City of Frederick.


He has extensive government experience including working for
CRD Associates L.L.C. in Washington D.C. and overall has 28 years of experience in working on the Hill. He was formally the legislative director for Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA).

His background along with his previous campaign experience will make him a formidable candidate in this race.


The incumbent state senator in District 3 is Republican Alex Mooney who is known for his far right conservative beliefs and his ability to raise huge sums of campaign funds from all over the country. He first won election in 1998 when he beat incumbent Republican Jack Derr.


Former four term City of Frederick Mayor; Democrat Ron Young announced at an event back on January 28, 2010 that he was a candidate for state senate in district 3. However, he has been quiet since then.


Rumors that Frederick County Board of Commissioners President; Democrat Jan Gardner would run for state senate have also been circulating for some time. I wrote in a
column published on 11-16-2009, that while the talk was she was not going to run for reelection as county commissioner, I would not be surprised if she did so.

She indicated to me she was definitely not running for reelection to the board in a phone conversation several days after that column appeared. She said she was considering a run for state senate, but had yet to make up her mind.

On 11-24-2009, I published a column where I spoke of a meeting which was held with potential Democratic candidates for state senate in district 3, where they discussed who might run and what advantages there may be to have an uncontested Democratic primary.

It does not appear an agreement was reached to hold an uncontested Democratic primary and that is a good thing. The added attention a contested primary will bring to the Democrats will be a positive and result in a much stronger candidate to emerge against Alex Mooney.

Lisa Baugher, who was the first Democrat to publicly say she intended to run for state senate in district 3 has since said she had changed her mind and would not be running for the seat.

The deadline to file for candidacy is July 6. The primary will be on September 14 and the General Election will be on November 2.


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Daily Democratic Wire 3-22-2010

George Wenschhof



Last night, President Obama addressed the nation after the historic vote by the House passing health care reform.

Yesterday, the heavy lifting was done in the House with the final passage of the Senate bill on health care reform. President Obama will now sign the bill into lawn and the intrigue will surround the approval of the the amendments sent to the Senate from the House.

The NY Times has a good read today about how this battle for health care reform could shape the differences between Republicans and Democrats for years to come. You can read it
here.

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Tens of Thousands attend rally in D.C. for Immigration Reform -
overshadowed by the passage of health care reform, immigration reform may well be the next epic battle in Congress. Estimates were as high as 150,000 for the number attending the rally on the National Mall.

President Obama spoke to the crowd via video and promised he would do everything in his power to pass a bipartisan bill on immigration reform this year.

Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) recently met with the president to discuss their bipartisan bill on immigration reform.

Look to see this issue of immigration gain more momentum in this mid term election year. The question will be will the Republican strategy remain as the "Party of No" after displaying this unity of "No" in regard to the American Economic Recovery Act "Stimulus Bill" and on Health Care Reform. Voters want more from their Representatives, than simply saying no.

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Democrats lead in fund raising -
at the end of February, the three main Democratic and Republican fund raising committees reported their cash on hand totals:

Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee - 19.82 million, National Republican Congressional Committee - 6.06 million.

The Democratic Senate Committee - 14.3 million, National Republican Senate Committee - 12.86 million.

The Democratic National Committee - 10.71 million, Republican National Committee - 9.46 million.

Campaign fund raising reform, anyone?

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Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is in D.C. today -
after the mishap last week of Israel announcing 1600 new building permits on the West Bank while Vice President Biden was visiting Israel to announce the beginning of "proximity" peace talks between Israel and Palestine brokered by Middle East Envoy George Mitchell.

Netanyahu needs to make peace with the U.S., their strongest ally. He will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton this afternoon and have dinner with Vice President Biden tonight. He will also speak to the American Israel Public Relations Committee.


Netanyahu has been saying their needs to be stronger sanctions against Iran until they end or make more transparent their nuclear program. Ms. Clinton responded with the U.S. wants "biting" sanctions on Iran. AP has more
here.

The U.S. continues to do more than their part to help broker peace in the Middle East. Now, it is time for Israel to do the same. An announcement from Netanyahu that construction of new settlements would be frozen by Israel is what is needed to restart the Israel-Palestine peace talks.


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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Monday, March 22

    • 10:45 am
    • Vice President Biden makes announcement about Recovery Act tax cuts
    • 11:30 am
    • President Obama meets with senior advisers
    • 12:30 pm
    • Press Secretary Gibbs delivers daily press briefing
    • 3:45 pm
    • Vice President Biden hosts conference calls with governors and mayors on Recovery Act implementation
    • 7:00 pm
    • Vice President Biden hosts a dinner with Israeli PM Netanyahu at the Naval Observatory

Sunday, March 21, 2010

Yes We Can and The Dream Will Never Die! Health Care Reform Passes

George Wenschhof

The late Senator Edward Kennedy and his phrase "The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream will never die" is what comes to my mind after watching the House pass health care reform for Americans. He spent a lifetime advocating for those less fortunate and working tirelessly for health care reform.


A brain tumor kept him from seeing this day, but not before he had endorsed Barack Obama in the closely contested Democratic presidential primary in 2008 and helping him win the presidency.


Perhaps, it was fitting it was President Obama and his leadership which helped bring Democrats together to pass this legislation.


On a long day, at 10:45 PM ET, a day that will go down in history, the House voted 219-212 to concur with Senate amendment and passed health care reform. Numerous procedural delays were used by obstructionist Republicans, to no avail, in an attempt to derail the passage and to slow the approval process down.


As expected, no Republican voted for the bill, in spite of the fact over 200 Republican amendments were included in the bill.

After Republicans failed in an attempt to derail passage with a motion to recommit, the amendments to the bill to send to the Senate were passed with a 220-211 vote.

The day long session was punctuated by the late afternoon announcement by Representative Bart Stupak (D-Mich.) indicating he and his group of 6 had reached agreement with President Obama to vote "Yes" for the health care reform bill. Stupak and some other pro-life Democrats were concerned with the Senate bill language pertaining to the potential use of federal funds for abortions.


As I reported this morning, they had been working on a deal for the President to issue an executive order clarifying no federal funds would be used for abortions. They reached agreement this afternoon and the President has released the text of the executive order he will sign. You can read it
here.

Two votes which passed after this announcement, signaled passage of the bill was assured. The first was a procedural vote on rules which passed 228-202 and the second was the rule for debate which passed 224-206; both without a Republican voting in favor.


After the President signs the bill into law, the amendments voted on by the House will be taken up by the Senate using the "budget reconciliation" process where the Democrats will need a simple majority vote. Republicans are expected to continue their obstructionist ways and challenge many of these amendments. The senate parliamentarian is expected to get quite a work-out as a result.


Vice President Joe Biden may also become the man of the hour as he has the ability to break a 50-50 tie vote in the Senate and he has the authority to over rule the parliamentarian.


Finally, after more than a half century of U.S. Presidents; both Republican and Democrats, expressing their desire for health care reform for Americans, the time is here.


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