George Wenschhof
51 days to go to the swearing in ceremonies for President-elect Barack Obama - this can not come soon enough as the "lame duck watch"(I stole that phrase from Rachel Maddow of MSNBC - her talk show is 9:00 PM ET M-F and I highly recommend watching!) of President Bush has been painful to follow.
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Attacks in Mumbai lead to resignations - Indian federal home Minister Shivraj Patil and National Security Adviser M.K. Narayanan both resigned. More information is being released indicating many of the attackers came from Pakistan, a country formed from part of India back in 1947. Since then, the two countries have fought three wars. However, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has pledged full cooperation in the investigation. Rueters.com has more here.
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Obama set to announce his national security and foreign policy team tomorrow morning - No surprises are expected - Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) as Secretary of State, Robert Gates to remain at least one year as Secretary of defense, retired General Jim Jones as National Security Advisor, and retired Admiral Dennis Blair as Director of National Intelligence. The press conference is scheduled for 10:40 AM.
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More details revealed of conditions agreed on by former President Bill Clinton paved way for Hillary appointment to Secretary of State - reportedly nine conditions were agreed on with one being the full disclosure of 200,000 names of donors to his foundation. Another was Bill Clinton must submit future speeches and business activities for review by the State Department and if necessary, White House Counsel. The NY Times has more here.
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Washington Post and NY Times call for Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) to step down as chair of the House Ways and Means Committee - House Speaker Nancy Pelosi continues to say she is waiting for the report from the House Ethics Committee and still hopes to have a decision by the close of the current Congress on January 3. Some of the issues surround paying below market rent on apartments in New York and using one illegally for a campaign office. Also failure to report income and pay taxes on rental income on a condominium owned in the Dominican Republic. TheHill .com has more here.
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Sunday, November 30, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-30-2008
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-29-2008
George Wenschhof
President-elect Barack Obama issued a statement last night on Mumbai - He sent his condolences to the families of those who had lost their lives in the terrorist acts and also spoke with India Prime Minister Singh. America must stand with India and all nations committed to destroying terrorist networks. He also reiterated their is one president at a time and that he has been grateful for the cooperation he has received from President George W. Bush and his staff. The Wall Street Journal has the statement here.
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President Bush will address the nation on the terrorist attacks in India - He returns to D.C. this afternoon after spending Thanksgiving at Camp David and is expected to make a statement upon his return.
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Indian military root out last terrorists - the death count is near 200 as a result of the terrorists acts. President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan has promised complete cooperation in the investigation as claims the terrorists were from Pakistan are being heard. Rueters.com has an update on the situation here
As radical Islamic militants battle to destabilize India and Pakistan, it is important for the two countries to work together against terrorism. The Washington Post has more here.
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Senator John McCain (R-AZ) sends fundraising letter to help Chambliss in Georgia - Georgia is one of the two remaining states to determine who won the U.S. Senate race. A runoff election will be held December 2 after incumbent Senator Saxby Chambliss (R) failed to win a majority of the vote. His opponent is democrat Jim Martin. McCain's letter was full of all the red meat sayings such as the need to stop the liberals reach 60 in the Senate and the need to keep liberals from raising your taxes. he also used what is now a very tired and old refrain, asking them to go into battle one more time to support Chambliss. The Chicago Tribune Swamppolitics.com has more here.
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Who will fill Obama's Senate seat? - Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich (D) has not named the replacement but may have slipped when he announced Representative Danny Davis as Senator. Other front runners are Representatives Jesse Jackson Jr., Jan Schakowsky, and Luis Gutierrez. TheHill.com has more here.
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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" 11-30-2008
George Wenschhof
Hard to believe this Sunday will mark 26 days since Barack Obama won a 2-1 electoral victory to become President-elect. Although he will not be President until January 20 when he is sworn in, he and his transition team has hit the ground running.
Today, expect more discussion on Obama's selection for White House staff and his Cabinet. Since he began unveiling his economic team the Dow Jones has continued to exhibit a gain every day. There is a little gossip being spread around on Lawrence Summers who was picked to head the National Economic Council - seems he has been a consultant with a major Hedge Fund Firm, D.E. Shaw & Co. for the last two years and has announced he will resign. But on the whole, the economic team has been well received by both the voters and the financial community.
More talk will most likely be focused on the national security and foreign policy team that will be announced next week with Hillary Clinton leading the way as Secretary of State. President Medvedev of Russia has continued to express his displeasure over the planned "missile shield" to be deployed in Poland and other European countries. Al Qaeda 2nd in command. Atman al-Zawahri also appeared in the news via a tape recording saying the U.S. led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are responsible for the current economic crisis.
The recent tragic terrorist activities in Mumbai, India will receive a lot of attention as no one wants anything to provoke a war between India and Pakistan, two nuclear armed nations. Also, additional deployment of U.S. troops to Afghanistan and hopefully a economic development plan to aid the country will be discussed. In addition, the US.-Iraq Security Agreement was ratified by the Iraqi Parliament. Expect discussion on what this means to the incoming Obama administration.
Here is the morning lineup - check local listings for the time in your area.
NBC "Meet The Press" - Tom Brokaw will interview first Lady Laura Bush, Billionaire Ted Turner and Afghanistan Ambassador to the U.S. Said Jawad.
ABC "This Week" - Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Richard Lugar (R-IN). The roundtable discussion will include George Will, Donna Brazile, Matthew Dowd, and Torie Clarke.
CBS "Face The Nation" - Bob Schieffer will interview Bob Woodward, Fareed Zakaria (he has his own foreign policy interview show on CNN which I have watched a handful of times and he is very good), Michael Eric Dyson and Jane Mayer.
Fox News Sunday - Chris Wallace will interview Senators Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Claire McCaskill (D-Mo), and Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga) who is facing a runoff election with Democratic challenger Jim Martin on December 2.
CNN "Late Edition" - Wolf Blitzer will interview Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) who will be replacing Senator Schumer (D-NY) who stepped down as chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Also appearing will be Senator Arlan Specter (R-PA) and UAW President Ron Gettelfinger.
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Friday, November 28, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-28-2008
George Wenschhof
Yesterday, in a preview to his weekly radio address, President-elect Barack Obama urged Americans to acknowledge the blessings we all share - Change.gov has more you can read more and you can also watch a video of his speech here.
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155 estimated dead and 327 injured in the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India - CNN.com has an update here. Keep an eye on this situation as the relations between India and Pakistan are very fragile with the new government in Pakistan still getting its legs. Although early reports are some of the terrorists spoke a Pakistani language, it is highly unlikely the Pakistan government would be behind such an attack. Stay tuned.
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Yesterday, President George W. Bush calls India Prime Minister - he expressed his condolences to Mahoman Singh over the unfolding tragedy in Mumbai. USA Today has more here.
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Black Friday begins - never having been much of a shopper, I have never personally experienced what is known as the busiest day in retail sales across the country. Gallup.com says their polling shows a drop of 29% in spending by consumers. Bloomberg.com has more about this day here.
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Vice-President elect Joe Biden continues advisory role - some pundits have said Biden has dropped out of the spotlight, yet he was present for the unveiling of the economic team, continues to have weekly business luncheons as well as frequent phone conversations with the President-elect. Politico.com has more here.
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Who will replace Rahm Emanuel? - the musical chairs continue as Representative Rahm Emanuel (D-Ill.) the incoming White House Chief of Staff is expected to resign soon. The Illinois constitution calls for a special election and many Democrats are lined up to toss their hats into the ring. It is expected the special election primary and general election would be held in February and April to coincide with already scheduled local elections. Some of the names being floated are 38th ward alderman Thomas Allen, 47th ward alderman Gene Schulter, and Cook county commissioner Mike Quigley. The Washington Post has more here.
Time to Move Election Date for City of Frederick, MD
George Wenschhof
January 2009 will not only bring the swearing in of Barack Obama as the 44th President, it will also mark the month candidates can begin filing for office in the City of Frederick, Maryland election. The elected offices up for grabs will be the Mayor and five Aldermen.
The City of Frederick is a charter government with what is known as a strong Mayor, who is the elected administrator and a five member Board of Alderman who act more as a legislative branch.
The key dates to keep in mind are as follows: January 5, 2009 - first day candidates can file for office, July 7, 2009 - the last day candidates are able to file for office, September 15, 2009 - Primary Election Day, and November 3, 2009 - General Election Day.
While this off-year election hypothetically brings more attention to the city race as the Mayor and Alderman are the only positions on the ballot, the voter turnout for the general election has only averaged around 30 per cent. This is an embarrassing low percentage of voters determining the political leaders of what is argued to be the second largest city in the state of Maryland.
The just concluded Presidential election is every four years and only includes on the ballot the local Representative in Congress which is held every two years and sometimes a U.S. Senate seat which is held every six years. This election receives the highest participation of voters with an excess of 70% of the registered voters.
The next highest voter participation occurs in the state and county elections held every four years with the next election in 2010. The ballot in this election is very crowded with the many state and county positions. In the 2006 election, the voter turnout in the state and Frederick County was 58%.
It would seem reasonable to move the City of Frederick election to coincide with the Presidential election. This would ensure a higher turnout of voters and most likely also result in cost savings by the Frederick County Board of Elections as a separate election year would be eliminated.
If this election date change was enacted by the current Mayor and Board, as a result of a charter amendment, the 2009 City of Frederick election would be held as scheduled. The 2009 elected Mayor and Board would serve a three year term with subsequent city elections beginning in 2012 resulting in the traditional four year term. This charter amendment changing the future date of city elections to coincide with the Presidential election would more than double the current voter turnout in the City of Frederick general election.
The City of Frederick continues to face serious growth related issues and will certainly face financial hardships as our nation grapples with the current economic crisis. It is no longer acceptable for a small number of registered voters to control who the elected leaders will be for the City.
It is past time to make this change to increase voter participation in the City of Frederick election.
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Thursday, November 27, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-27-2008
George Wenschhof
A coordinated series of planned terrorist attacks hit Mumbai, India - a number of high profile targets were selected such as the Taj Mahal and Oberoi Hotels, a train station, a woman and infants hospital and a Jewish center. It is estimated over 100 are dead and more than 300 injured. India Prime Minister Manhoman Singh says the attackers are unknown at this point but pointed at outside sources. The inference was toward Pakistan. Pakistan and India, both nuclear armed nations have had an adversarial relationship for many years. CNN.com has more here.
President-elect Barack Obama issued a statement: "President-Elect Obama strongly condemns today's terrorist attacks in Mumbai, and his thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families, and the people of India. ThePage.Time.com has the rest of the statement here. The Bush administration also issued a statement which can be read here.
Stay Tuned.
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Obama transition team establishes special team to focus on situation in India - It will interact with the State department's Operation Center and Director of National Intelligence. CNN.com has more here.
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U.S. - Iraq Security Pact approved by Iraq Parliament - this was necessary as the current agreement which allows for U.S. presence in Iraq was set to expire on December 31. The new agreement calls for U.S.troops to withdraw by the end of 2012. There continues to be some back and forth as to interpretation of some specifics of the agreement based on the English or Iraq printed versions. McClatchydc.com has more here.
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Will Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) stay as chair of the Ways and Means Committee? House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) is waiting to receive the investigative report on his financial disclosure issues due by January 3, 2009 from the Ethics Committee. It is likely this will be resolved prior to the swearing in of Barack Obama as President on January 20. Politico.com has more here.
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Obama Transition Team and Democratic Congressional Leaders to have Bills ready by Inauguration Day - realizing it is important to move forward, economic, health and spending bills are being prepared now for passage soon after Obama is sworn into office as President. The NY Times has more here.
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Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-26-2008
George Wenschhof
President-elect Barack Obama will hold his third press conference in three days this morning at 10:45 AM ET - He will announce the formation of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board designed to help stabilize the financial markets and create jobs. He will name Paul Volker, a former Federal Reserve Chair to head up the Board. Austan Goolsbee will be named the staff director for the Board. The remaining Board members will be chosen from outside government. The Wall Street Journal has more here.
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Obama wants to trim wasteful spending from federal budget - yesterday, when he announced Peter Orszag as director of OMB, Obama also spoke of the need for belt tightening. The NY Times has more here.
Over the years, trying to get a grip on the federal budget has been a goal for many Republicans and fiscally responsible Democrats with a lack of success. Remember President Reagan and his Budget director Stockman? They were going to trim the unnecessary spending from the federal budget but had little effect. The lack of a line item veto and earmarks are two of the factors that have lead to the bloated bureaucracy that exists today. Let's see how President-elect Barack Obama working with a Democratic controlled congress can do in these areas. With the economy in critical condition, the Democrats may just be able to accomplish these needed budget reforms.
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Obama to meet with Governors on Tuesday in Philadelphia - another good move by the President-elect. He called the meeting and invited all Governors to attend the conference on the impact the economy is having on state budgets. National Governor Association chair Governor Ed Rendell (D-PA) and co-chair Governor Jim Douglas (R-VT) will host the one day conference at Independence Hall in Philadelphia. Swamppolitics.com has more here.
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Expect Obama to announce national defense and security team next week - the long awaited formal announcement of Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY) for Secretary of State should take place early next week now that the economic team has been announced. Additional names expected to be announced will be Robert Gates staying on as Defense Secretary, Retired General Jim Jones as National Security Adviser, and retired Admiral Dennis Blair as Director National Intelligence. John Brennan has removed himself from the running for CIA Director. CNN.com has more here.
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Iraq Parliament scheduled to vote on US security agreement today - the agreement calls for the withdraw of US troops by 2012. Other conditions include the removal of US troops from Iraq cities by summer of 2009 and informing the Iraq government of any planned military action. McClatchydc.com has more here.
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Maryland Democratic Representative Elijah Cummings will not seek chair of Oversight Committee - although he was being urged to run for the position which became open after Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calf) defeated John Dingell (D-Mich) for chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee. It is expected Representative Edolphus Towns (D-NY) will become the chair of the Oversight Committee. TheHill.com has more here.
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Yesterday, Barbara Walters of ABC interviewed Barack and Michelle Obama in Chicago - it will air tonight at 10:00 PM ET. In a preview teaser, ABC News has some of the transcript and some video of the interview here.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2008
New Landfill v. Incinerator in Frederick County, MD - What is the Cost-Benefit?
George Wenschhof
A lot of discussion has been taking place in Frederick County, Maryland on how best to handle future waste disposal for the community. We have published columns from Jan Gardner, the President of the Frederick County Board of County Commissioners who supports the building of an Incinerator and Kai Haigen the only member of the five person Board who opposes the building of an Incinerator.
Recently, on November 18, Mr. Hagen was given the opportunity to present an alternative to the Board of Commissioners during a special planned public meeting. You may read his very thorough presentation here.
A high level of frustration continued to be evident from all who attended this meeting. Board President Gardner and Commissioner John Thompson repeatedly interrupted Commissioner Hagen as he gave his power point presentation. Their angst appeared generated by what they felt was no new information or alternatives being provided as to how to manage future waste disposal for county residents.
Commissioner Hagen and those who oppose the building of an Incinerator are upset for they feel equal money, time and resources have not been utilized to examine alternatives to the building of a 300+ million Incinerator. The Incinerator will also require a service contract which opponents point out have been extremely costly in other jurisdictions which are using Incinerators.
After watching the presentation, I also was left wondering what was the proposed alternative to a Incinerator. Board President Gardner wrapped up the meeting by requesting Commissioner Hagen present to them in a proposal, exactly what he wants them to study.
However, in fairness to Mr. Hagen, the presentation was very well thought out and appeared to have been set up to handle variables, such as the percentage of movement in the county toward "zero waste" methods and increased recycling efforts that are implemented over time.
Having followed this discussion for a little while, I've learned some new terms and been exposed to new concepts in the area of waste disposal - more so, than I ever intended. I've learned a little about Material Recovery Facilities (MFRs), Resource Recovery Parks, different ways to increase recycling, and waste-to-energy Incinerators.
It appears to me that one of the best ways for the community and their elected officials to decide as to how to move forward in this area is through a cost-benefit analysis which I wrote about in a column dated 11-17-2008. You can read that column here. It is also evident after reading much of the information out there, a new Landfill will be necessary, regardless of whether an Incinerator is built.
It would then follow that what is needed is a cost analysis of an Incinerator with a smaller complementary Landfill. Also needed would be a cost analysis of an appropriately sized Landfill supplemented by an increase in recycling and "zero waste" methods - this option would also include the construction of a Materials Recovery Facility and Resource Recovery Park.
There is a cost associated with both which would be clearly seen after figures were plugged in for these options. It would appear a cost-benefit analysis of these two options would aid the elected officials and the community in this difficult decision making process.
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Democratic Chatter 11-25-2008
George Wenschhof
President-elect Barack Obama will hold another press conference today at noon ET - AP is reporting he will introduce Peter Orszag as his new Director of the Office of Management and Budget. After introducing yesterday a huge stimulus plan, Obama is expected to discuss his plan for the Budget which will include some belt tightening. You can read more here.
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Federal Reserve and Treasury set to announce hundreds of more Billions to spur lending - reportedly Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson will make the announcement this morning. It involves the Federal Reserve Bank of New York lending 200 Billion to holders of consumer loans. The idea being to free up loans to consumers. CNN.com has more here.
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Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) is new leader of Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) - He was announced after Charles Schumer (D-NY) stepped down after two elections of helping steer Democrats back into the majority position in the Senate. TheHill.com has more here.
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Vice-President elect Joe Biden's Senate seat to go to his chief of staff - Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner will appoint Ted Kaufman who has indicated he will only serve the two years until a special election is held. Rumor is in two years the democratic candidate will be Beau Biden who is currently serving in Iraq. Politico.com has more here.
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Barbara Walters to interview President-elect Barack and future first Lady Michelle Obama - Tomorrow, Wednesday at 10:00 PM ET on ABC. ABC news has more here.
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Monday, November 24, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-24-2008
George Wenschhof
Today, President-elect Barack Obama will formally announce his economic team - He will be joined by Vice-President elect Joe Biden at the Hilton in Chicago for the 12:00 PM ET announcement. As previously reported, expect to be named the following: Timothy Geithner as Secretary of Treasury, Lawrence Summers for White House Economic Adviser and Christina Romer as Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers. It is unclear if Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM) will be announced as the pick for Commerce Secretary at this press conference or later in the day.
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President Bush will address the nation on the economic crisis - not to be outdone by Obama or maybe to show he is still in charge, Bush is scheduled to speak around 10:35 AM ET. This comes after meetings with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson and other cabinet members this morning. ThePage.time.com has more here.
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Add Citigroup Bank to the Bail Out List - it was announced the government will guarantee 300 Billion in loans and provide an immediate 20 Billion in cash. The government would receive the option of buying 2.7 Billion in Citigroup shares in the future. The NY Times has more here.
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Not wanting to be left out, Home builders are asking for a relief package - after all, the financial institutions are receiving all the help from the 700 Billion Bail Out bill and the auto makers are asking for 25 Billion. What do they want? Well, a 250 Billion stimulus package which they are lobbying for and calling "Fix Housing First". The Wall Street Journal has more here.
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Existing 10.6 Trillion national debt with annual budget deficit of 1 Trillion will hamper new Administration efforts in regard to the economy - when the recent Bail Out bill and the upcoming stimulus bill is added to the annual budget deficit, it is anticipated the annual deficit to be between 1-1.2 trillion next year. The Boston Globe has more here.
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Just how big is the existing Bail Out? - Bloomberg.com has a column today entitled "Fed Pledges Top $7.4 Trillion to Ease frozen Credit". "The U.S. government is prepared to lend more than $7.4 trillion on behalf of American taxpayers, or half the value of everything produced in the nation last year, to rescue the financial system since the credit markets seized up 15 months ago.' You can the read the entire column here.
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Will disputed Ballots decide Minnesota Senate race? - the state mandated recount is well underway with about two-thirds of the ballots counted. This first senate recount in Minnesota is a result of the difference between incumbent senator Norm Coleman (R) and Democrat challenger Al Franken only being a few hundred votes out of approximately 2.5 million votes cast. The recount is expected to conclude by early December. So far, there are 2000 disputed ballots that have been challenged by the monitors from the two senators. After the recount is complete, the state canvassing board meets to determine the disputed ballots. CNN.com has more here.
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We all “Don’t get it”
Ken Kerr Bio
When automotive industry executives arrived on Capitol Hill last week in private jets to beg for money, we shook our collective heads and said, "They don't get it." They are so out of touch with the real world that it never occurred to them that $20,000-an-hour plane rides would appear inconsistent with the message they had arrived to deliver.
They don't understand that before you can ask someone else to help you out of your financial crisis, you should have already done all you can to address it yourself.
During the campaign, Barack Obama repeatedly told us that John "The-Fundamentals-of-our-Economy-are-Sound" McCain "doesn't get it."
McCain, Obama reminded us, is a nice guy who has served his country with honor and should be respected for his lifetime of public service. But he, with his seven homes and $100 million wife, doesn't get it.
I think we all don't get it. We are all nice guys, who work hard and do the right thing by others, but we don't get it.
We complain about the cost of energy while wasting over $100-a-year in our homes by keeping our instant-on electronics on standby. Five to fifteen percent of our electric bill comes from appliances on stand-by.We leave our cell phone chargers plugged in even when we are not charging a cell phone. The computer is never turned off. And just exactly how many digital clocks do we need in one room?
We drink bottled water that comes from someone else's tap, at 240-10,000 times the price, rather than drink water from our own tap. The cost to manufacture and dispose of the plastic bottles and truck the 7-pound-per-gallon water around the country is gluttonous.
As for gasoline, we think in dollars—not gallons. We feel like burning $50 of $2.00-a-gallon gasoline is less than burning $100 of $4.00-a-gallon gasoline. We don't get it. We may be bottom-line people, but we don't think about how we got to the bottom line.
We drive our SUV to the bank to ask for a renegotiation of our mortgage. We call the utility company on our iPhone to ask for emergency winter heating relief. And we complain about the state-of-things as we watch the Tivo-ed news on our premium digital cable package. It may not be on the level of a private jet or 7th house—but it's the same thing. We don't get it.
I was out at my favorite simulcast horse racing establishment last week when my new acquaintance, Mike, asked me, "What do you do?"
"I am an English professor," I replied. To which he said, "Oh! You'll be fine." He then turned to our other new acquaintance, Danny, and asked the same question. Danny said, "I am in commercial printing. And we are hurting."
Danny then told us about how he had to lay off 25% of his 60-worker department before Christmas. Mike then talked about his commercial construction business and how he sees bleak times ahead. It seemed, for a moment, like these guys were starting to get it.
Then we all got up and bet on the next race.
We all don't get it—not yet, anyway.
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Sunday, November 23, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-23-2008
George Wenschhof
Obama-Biden Transition Team officially announces Press Secretary - Robert Gibbs, who we earlier reported, was named the White House Press Secretary. Also announced was Ellen Moran as Director of Communications - she currently is the executive director of Emily's List and was a supporter of Senator Hillary Clinton during the Democratic primary. Dan Pfeiffer was announced as Deputy Director of Communications. Change.gov has more here.
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Democrats continue to weigh the pros and cons of Hillary Clinton in the Obama Cabinet - Unless, something monumental occurs within the next few days, it is expected Senator Clinton will be named Secretary of State shortly after Thanksgiving. President-elect Barack Obama, who admits to reading about President Lincoln lately, continues to make moves intended to unite, rather than divide. The NY Times has more here.
Nonetheless, some still wonder if a Clinton appointment is such a good idea. She criticized Obama for his lack of experience and his positions on foreign policy during the Democratic primary. For Hillary Clinton, it is a matter of staying in the spotlight. When Senator Ted Kennedy returned to Washington recently, he immediately moved to take control of Health Care legislation. This along with Harry Reid staying as Senate Majority Leader, leaves Ms. Clinton with no other options other than a cabinet position. For that matter. some would argue the Secretary of State position is much more powerful and influential than the Vice-President. For those who longed for the Democratic Party to move on without a polarizing Clinton, it appears they are going to have to wait a term or two.
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Lawrence Summers expected to be named tomorrow as White House Economic Adviser - He was in contention for Treasury Secretary which Tim Geithner is expected to be announced tomorrow for that spot in the Cabinet. As part of the Obama Economic Team roll out tomorrow, Governor Bill Richardson (NM) will be named Commerce Secretary. Politico.com has more here.
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President-elect Obama speaks to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai yesterday and promises more aid to fight terrorism - while attention during the Bush administration shifted to Iraq, the Taliban and Al Qaeda have been regrouping in Afghanistan. The Wall Street Journal has more here.
I have often wondered why the U.S. has not provided more economic aid to this country. Poppy continues to be the number one crop. The criminal element behind this number one export of the country succeeds in part by paying starving farmers to grow this crop. How about a program to subsidize these farmers to grow domestic crops?
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Former Vice-President Al Gore in Georgia tonight - he is to appear at a fundraiser in support of Jim Martin, the Democrat facing Saxby Chambliss in a election run-off. Former President Bill Clinton was in Atlanta earlier in the week supporting Martin. You can read more here.
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Maryland Lt. Governor Anthony Brown rumored pick for Secretary of Veteran Affairs - He is also a colonel in the Army Reserve who served a tour of duty in Iraq. You can read more here. The others rumored to be in the running for the position are former Georgia Senator Max Cleland and Tammy Duckworth, a disabled Iraq war veteran.
Another member of Maryland's Governor Martin O'Malley administration reported to be receiving serious consideration for a position in the Obama administration is Tom Perez. Mr. Perez is currently the secretary for Maryland Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation.
I know both of these men and they would be a big plus for the Obama administration. If this would take place, Governor O'Malley will be looking for replacements.
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Saturday, November 22, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-22-2008
George Wenschhof
Obama intends to implement a two year economic recovery plan after taking office on January 20 - the plan to include the creation of 2.5 million jobs, repairing bridges and roads, modernizing schools, and developing alternative energy sources. You can watch Obama give his weekly address outlining this plan here.
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Dow increases almost 500 after rumors of Geithner for Treasury Secretary are leaked - although, this is a huge increase, the Dow which closed around 8000 yesterday is still thousands below what it was before the economic meltdown began to unfold. Most of the early analysis of the pick of Tim Geithner, the NY Federal Reserve Bank President has been positive with an emphasis on experience. McClathcydc.com has more here.
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The Obama's pick school for their daughters to attend - for those who are interested in the personal family issues, Sidwell School was chosen. It is a private Quaker school where Chelsia Clinton also attended. The NY Times has more here.
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Many liberal netroots and left leaning Democrats still wary of Hillary Clinton for Secretary of State - after all wasn't she the one who campaigned against his foreign policy positions during the Democratic primary? Joan Walsh of salon.com writes about why Senator Clinton will make a good Secretary of State and it is a good choice by President-elect Barack Obama. You can read her column here.
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Yesterday, President-elect Obama and vice-President elect Biden announced more White house staff - Patrick Gaspard for director of the Office of Political Affairs, Jackie Norris as Chief of Staff for the First Lady, Catherine Russell as Chief of Staff for Jill Biden, Cynthia Hogan as Counsel for the Vice-President and Moises Vela Jr. for Director of Administration for the office of the Vice-President. You can read more about the choices here.
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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" 11-23-2008
George Wenschhof
The Obama-Biden Transition and the economy will dominate Sunday morning with perhaps a little foreign policy sprinkled in the discussion.
Rising unemployment, the big three auto maker's meltdown and a Dow at 8000 are all continued signs of recession in the U.S. so expect all three to be mentioned.
The not so leak proof Obama-Biden Transition effort will also be talked about as the rumor mill in D.C. goes wild speculating on cabinet appointments.
On the foreign policy front; Al Qaeda 2nd in command Ayman al-Zawahri reportedly posted on the Internet criticisms of President-elect Barack Obama, Iraq's cabinet approved a security agreement with the U.S. and Russian President Medvedev made ominous statements pertaining to the Bush administration plan to deploy missiles in countries near Russia as part of a defensive shield.
Here is the lineup - check local listings for time and channel.
NBC "Meet The Press" - Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn), former Secretary of State James Baker and former Commerce Secretary William Daily. The roundtable will include Eugene Robinson, Chuck Todd, Erin Burnett, and Paul Ingrassia.
CBS "Face The Nation" - Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) and Obama economic adviser Austan Goolsbee.
ABC "This Week" - Incoming White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod, and Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). The roundtable will include George Will, Robert Knuttner, Arianna Huffington, and David Brooks.
Fox News Sunday - David Axelrod appears again along with House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH).
CNN "Late Edition" - Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.) and Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.). Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, Mitt Romney, Steve Forbes along with Republican strategist Ed Rollins and Democratic strategist James Carville.
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Friday, November 21, 2008
Geithner to be Named Treasury Secretary
George Wenschhof
It is being reported by NBC that Tim Geithner, NY Federal Reserve Bank President will be announced by President-elect Barack Obama as his pick for Treasury Secretary. This announcement along with other members of his economic advisers to occur on Monday, prior to Thanksgiving. FirstRead.com has more here.
Speculation is there is need for the incoming Obama administration to reassure the American public by showing how they plan to manage and rebuild a crippled economy. This is an awkward time as George W. Bush is still President and in charge and Barack Obama is the President-elect until being sworn in on January 20. CNN.com has more here.
The new rumor on who will be Commerce Secretary after Penny Pritzker said she was not interested in the position is New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson. Richardson served as UN Ambassador and Energy Secretary under the Clinton administration. You may also recall, he endorsed Barack Obama, much to the chagrin of the Clintons during the Democratic primary.
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Will MD 6th District Ever Turn Blue?
George Wenschhof
In spite of all the elements present that make up a "perfect storm", Democrats were unable to win in the Maryland sixth district congressional race. The elements of a national economy in the dumps with portions of the sixth district hurting worse than other parts of Maryland, along with an extremely popular Democratic candidate Barack Obama for President, had no effect in the outcome.
Republican incumbent Roscoe Bartlett, at age 82, easily won reelection with 57.8% of the vote. He will now enter his ninth term in office since beating Democratic candidate Thomas Hattery in 1992.
Former one term Mayor of the City of Frederick, Jennifer Dougherty with 38.8% fared no better than the Andrew Duck, the Democratic candidate in 2006. Mr. Duck ran again in 2008 and was defeated by Dougherty 44% to 37% in a crowded Democratic primary.
After the win by Democrat Frank Kratovil in the first district, seven of the eight Congressional districts in Maryland are now represented by Democrats.
Although Frederick County Democrats can rejoice in the huge increase in vote for President-elect Barack Obama over Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004, Obama had no coattails for Dougherty. Both Gore and Kerry received 40% of the vote in Frederick County while Obama received 49%.
Dougherty meanwhile, received 44.8% of the Frederick county vote, the same received by Andrew Duck in 2006.
One of the biggest problems Democratic candidates have faced in the sixth district, in addition to voter registration that favors Republicans, has been the inability to raise the funds necessary to effectively compete against a long term incumbent in a district that comprises all or parts of eight different counties.
The 10-15-2008 financial report showed Ms. Dougherty had raised $123,155 and spent $118,341. Two weeks before Election day, her cash on hand was $4,815. That number will go up somewhat when the final reports are filed.
Congressman Bartlett had raised $286,982 and spent $111,332 according to the 10-15-2008 financial report. With an ongoing campaign account his cash on hand was $372,886.
When I asked Bob Kresslein, chair of the Frederick County State Democratic Central Committee about the sixth district outcome, he acknowledged the inability to raise funds was a factor in the outcome of the recent election. ".....Unfortunately, it is clear that while Jennifer had decent name recognition in Frederick County, she remained a relative unknown in the balance of the district and did not have the financial resources to change that dynamic......".
The only time a Democratic candidate has raised significant money since Bartlett was elected in 1992, was Stephen Crawford in the 1996 election. In that election, he raised over $400,000 which allowed him to have paid campaign staff.
Interestingly, in that election, Crawford also received the highest vote total (43%) of any Democrat since 1992. I remember one of the discussions at the time was whether Mr. Crawford had spent too much money on staff and not kept enough on hand for the final direct mail, radio and TV media push at the end.
Another thought held by some Democrats is a second run by a candidate in the district will produce better results due to increased name recognition. Unfortunately, past results show the opposite, as a well qualified candidate who would have been a great congressman, Don DeArmon fared worse in his second race in 2002 after receiving 39% of the vote in 2000.
Then, this year Andrew Duck was defeated in the Democratic primary after receiving 38.4% of the vote in the 2006 election.
More effective representation is needed in the Maryland sixth district and a Democrat can win. However, the ability to raise needed funds to effectively campaign in a tough district for Democrats remains a requirement for the candidate.
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Democratic Chatter 11-21-2008
George Wenschhof
House battle for chair of Energy and Commerce Committee ends - the winner by a close vote of 137-122 was California Representative Henry Waxman. He defeated John Dingall (Mich.) who had been chair of the committee since 1981. Waxman is considered much more environment friendly than Dingall. Politico.com has more here.
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Democratic Leaders ask auto makers to provide plan showing changes they will be making prior to any aid being issued - the other issue is President Bush is likely to veto any plan by Congress to use any of the 700 Billion from the Bail Out bill. President Bush has repeatedly said the earlier approved 25 Billion bill provided to the auto industry for research into more fuel efficient autos be modified to provide cash to assist the troubled auto industry. TheHill.com has more here.
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Penny Pritzker says no to Commerce Secretary - we reported yesterday she would be the pick but she quickly said no and that she will be concentrating on building her business and creating jobs. She was the chair of the national finance committee for the Obama campaign. CNN.com has more here.
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Michelle Obama names Jackie Norris as her Chief of Staff - you ask who is Jackie Norris? She was the Iowa state director for the Obama campaign. It was the convincing win in Iowa by Obama that started him on his way to the Democratic Party nomination. The Washington Post has more here.
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Yesterday, Stocks dropped another 444 and the Dow closed at 7552, the lowest level in 12 years - more banks on the bubble are Cirgroup, JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America even though they have all received funds from the Bail Out bill. The NY Times has more here. This adds to the urgency for President-elect Barack Obama to name his Treasury Secretary. Expect this announcement to come soon.
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AP reports Senator Hillary Clinton to be named Secretary of State by Obama after Thanksgiving - reportedly, agreements have been reached with former President Bill Clinton in regards to his financial disclosures and involvement with his charitable worldwide foundation. You can read more here.
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Obama campaign raised $500,000 online - an incredible amount which was achieved with donations by 3 million donors who made 6.5 million donations. The average donation was $80.00. The Washington Post has more here.
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Thursday, November 20, 2008
Democratic Chatter 11-20-2008
George Wenschhof
Today President-elect Obama in in Chicago continuing transition efforts - Vice-President-elect Joe Biden is home in Delaware where he is celebrating his 66th birthday.
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More rumored cabinet picks - Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano for Secretary of homeland Security . Politico.com has more here. Also, Penny Pritzker, who was Finance Chair for the Obama campaign for Commerce Secretary.
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Meanwhile, Obama-Biden Transition Team makes official four staff positions at the White House - all were previously rumored and are: David Axelrod - Senior Adviser to the President - Lisa Brown, Staff Secretary, Greg Craig - White House Counsel, and Chris Lu - Cabinet Secretary. Change.gov has more here.
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Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) set to become chair of Senate Foreign Relations Committee - the musical chairs continue as it now becomes apparent Kerry will not be chosen for Secretary of State, a position that was reported he wanted. He will replace Vice-President elect Joe Biden who will resign as chair. The Boston Globe has more here.
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Big Three U.S. Auto makers still looking for 25 Billion - in what one would classify as a "not so smart move", the CEOs all flew private jets to D.C. yesterday asking for funds to bail out the ailing auto industry. They left without any assurances. The White House and Congress have differing views on where the money should come from. The Bush administration says to redirect the earlier 25 Billion directed at fuel efficiency to a loan. While Democrats in Congress want to use some of the 700 Billion approved for the Trouble Assets Relief Program (TARP). Bloomberg.com has more here.
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Bad news on the economy continues - Unemployment hits highest level since 1992 as 542,000 new jobless claims were filed last week. Read more here. Yesterday, with a drop of 400, the Dow closed under 8000 for the first time since 2003. McClatchydc.com has more here.
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Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Obama Transition Team Asks For Your Input
George Wenschhof
In yet another display of transparency, John Podesta, co-chair of the Obama-Biden Transition Team has sent an email to suppoters explaining what they are doing and asking for input.
The Obama campaign experienced great success with the use of the Internet to help in the areas of grassroots organization and fundraising. Now, they are turning once again to the Internet to ask you for your input on the issues that are important to you.
In this first email, they have a video of a meeting with the Energy and the Environment Policy Transition Team and a interview with team member Heather Zichal. Also included is a space where you can enter your thoughts on this issue and email to them. How cool is that! You can watch the video and share your thoughts here.
They are committed to asking for your input on the issues that matter to you so make sure you go to Change.gov and sign up to receive email updates.
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Daschle to be Named Health and Human Services Secretary
George Wenschhof
It is being reported the former Senate Majority Leader from South Dakota, Tom Daschle will be selected for Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). An early supporter of President-elect Barack Obama, he was also rumored to be in contention for Secretary of State in the Obama administration.
It is also speculated he will be asked to be the point person to write and present to Congress the Obama administration health care plan. CNN.com has more here.
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FRAC Calls for Aid to Hungry
George Wenschhof
Today, the Federal Research and Action Center (FRAC) called on Congress and the in-coming Obama administration to address the needs of the hungry in the U.S. - you can read their press release here.
They are asking that a future economic stimulus bill include an increase in food stamp benefits and an increase for child nutrition programs, such as the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program.
Included in their request was research they had done on hunger in the U.S. An interesting and distressing statistic that stood out was 36.2 million still struggle to find food in America. In addition, the number in the worst-off category had increased 40% from 8.5 million in 2000 to 11.9 million today.
Statistics have also long shown that good nutritional habits at an early stage is critical in the development of a child.
You can find out more about FRAC by going to their website: http://frac.org/index.html
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