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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-31-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, while still on vacation in Hawaii, President Barack Obama will receive the preliminary internal report he ordered on the attempted airline bombing -
tidbits already leaked to the press showed a shortcoming in the sharing of information between agencies. Time.com has more here.

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With the year ending, it seems everyone has something to say -

MSNBC FirstRead.com Blog has a good piece on the ten most over hyped stories of the decade -
remember Weapons of Mass Destruction and Iraq being an imminent threat? How about "Joe, the Plumber", the stupid story used by Republicans in the 2008 election. The guy's name was not Joe and he wasn't even a plumber. You can read more here.

The Chicago Tribune SwampPolitics.com has a story on the graying of President Obama during his first year in office.
You can read it here.

Politico.com weighs in with their top ten weirdest moments of 2009 -
remember Chief Justice Roberts misspeaking during the inauguration and Obama being sworn in twice? You can read more here.

TheHill.com writes about how extraordinary the 2009 year has been -
how about the impeachment of Illinois Governor Rd Blagojevich (D)? or the "You Lie!" comment from Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.)? The loss of the Lion of the Senate Ted Kennedy and of course the election of the first African American President. You can read more here.

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Following on the heels of a news report detailing a U.S. Army study showing the Afghan troops are nowhere near ready to assume security of their country, a suicide bomber wearing Afghan military uniform kills C.I.A. operatives at a camp base -
The NY Times has more on this story here.

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Democratic Change Commission charged with reviewing Democratic Party Presidential primary process issues first report -
chaired by Jeff Berman, the early recommendations include superdelegates having to cast their ballots based on the electoral results in their states. I still do not see the reason for superdelegates and would rather see them go away. Also discussed was making the earliest primary February 1. It was January 8, 2008 in New Hampshire. Politico.com has more here.

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-30-2009

George Wenschhof

The silliness continues over the political reaction to the terrorist botched attempt to explode a devise upon an airliner on Christmas Day -
Former vice President dick Cheney has said the Obama administration is weak on terrorism and Rep. Peter King (R-NY) is calling for Secretary Napolitano to resign. Democrats are countering with Republican Senators have been blocking the appointment of the Director of Transportation Security Administration. TheHill.com has more here.

The media is not helping by twisting what Homeland Security Secretary Napolitano said. As I reported yesterday, she was referring to the system worked after the failed attempt had been reported. That is; immediate notification to all airliners and airports, additional security measures immediately put in place etc. There was obviously a failure in the so called "fly lists" system and other measures which should have prevented the young man from boarding an airplane. The polarization between Republicans and Democrats is bad enough that the mainstream media does not have to stoke the debate with misleading reporting.


Interestingly, President George W. Bush did not make any comment for six days following the shoe bomber Richard Reid's failed attempt on an airliner which occurred during his administration
. This attempted bombing also brought to the light of day the shortcomings of the security system in place at that time. However, President Bush received no criticism from the press, nor did any Democrats publicly attack the President. Politico.com has more here.

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States Attorneys move closer to filling suit against Senate Health Care bill -
I reported on this a few weeks ago that about a dozen state attorneys question the legality of requiring that individuals buy health insurance or pay a fine. Florida State Attorney William McCollum is ratcheting up the rhetoric. Lets see, we require those who own an automobile to buy insurance, don't we? The NY Times has more here.

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As the unrest in Iran continues, the U.S. deadline for them to reach agreement with world leaders on their nuclear program nears -
the end of the year deadline is a day away with the type of sanctions to be used still under discussion. MSNBC.com has more here.

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On the Domestic front, GMAC is set to receive another 3.5 Billion -
last December, the government stepping in with 12.5 Billion in loans to the troubled auto maker's mortgage arm. this continues to be part of the reorganization of the company. The Wall street Journal has more here.

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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

The President Responds

George Wenschhof

There is no real time for vacation for a U.S. President -
the issues still find you as President Barack Obama has discovered while in Hawaii. Yesterday, he delivered two addresses broadcast to the nation. One, assuring Americans we will do whatever it takes to dismantle and eradicate terrorists and the other addressed U.S. support of the protesters in Iran. MSNBC.com has more here.

The first statement was needed after Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano had her statement made on a Sunday talk show taken out of context. When she said "the system worked...", she was referring to the response to the incident and what transpired after the incident when all airlines around the world were immediately notified and new security measures implemented at airports.


It was painfully obvious something failed in the so called "fly watch lists" and the President said he had ordered an investigation.




The WhiteHouse.gov Blog has the full text of the President's remarks
here.

An interesting side note is the position of Director of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), whose responsibility is to handle these type of issues, is vacant due to more obstructionist actions being taken by Republicans. Senator Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) has held up the confirmation of nominee Erroll Southers even after two Senate subcommittees have given their approval. The Washington Post has more
here.

The second point the President addressed to the nation in regard to the unrest in Iran was most likely due to the criticism he received for staying out of the international fray when Iran held their suspect elections earlier this year and protesters in Iran took to the streets in defiance.


The WhiteHouse.gov Blog has the text of the President's remarks on Iran
here.

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Monday, December 28, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-28-2009

George Wenschhof

This morning, President Barack Obama will speak on the recent attempted terrorist attack on an airplane -
he is sure to emphasize he has already ordered the review of the "watch lists" used by security personnel assigned to airports and the heightened security he ordered upon learning of the incident. He will speak to reporters covering him while on vacation in Hawaii.

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Senator Joe "The Hawk" Lieberman (I-Conn.) says U.S. should act in a preemptive manner toward Yemen -
replacing the cry to stop the spread of communism is the new cry to stop the spread of terrorism. Lieberman feels the U.S. should act against Yemen after the latest terrorist action taken by a young man who allegedly acquired the explosive device in Yemen. TheHill.com has more here.

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Chris Van Hollen, chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) says no more party switches expected -
the Maryland Representative made this statement on the heels of the recent defection to the Republican party by Alabama representative Parker Griffith. Look to see Griffith be defeated in the Republican primary which will serve him right. I liked it when Chris Matthews said recently "that no Democrat has two last names anyway". Politico.com has more here.

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Many of next year's 37 Governor races are competitive -
so far, neither incumbent Republican or Democrats are spared close contests. TheHill.com made a list of what they feel are the top ten races with Florida, California and Texas among those states vulnerable for Republicans. Democrats were vulnerable in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan. You can read the full article here.

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The Republican party of "No" responsible for over 200 pending nominations by President Obama to high posts being held up
- only 75 of the 200 have gotten through a committee review and they were being held up for various reasons in the senate. Another example of how the republican party in partisan foolishness, is working against finding solutions to the problems faced by Americans today. The NY Times has more here.

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Sunday, December 27, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-27-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama and family continue vacation in Hawaii -
even though a President is never really off the clock. He was singing Christmas carols with his family when an aide interrupted to inform him of the attempted terrorist attack aboard an airline. His vacation home is equipped with secured telephone lines and they were put to use immediately as he ordered investigation into the use of the terrorist "watch list". The NY Times has a article on how Presidents have chosen to vacation in
the past you can read here.

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Senator Tom Harken (D-Iowa) to introduce legislation in January to reform Senate Filibuster procedure -
politics in the 21st century have given Americans a steady dose of civic lessons. The filibuster which is unique to the Senate, was subject to an attempt to reform back in 1995, also by Harkin, which failed. TheHill.com has more here.

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Moderate Senate Democrats urge White House to hold back on "Cap and Trade" bill scheduled for next year -
Senators Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) and Evan Bayh (D-Ind.) are among a handful of Democrats who want the legislation delayed during the mid term election year. Politico.com has more here.

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Governors Mitch Daniels (R-Ind.) and Ed Rendell (D-Pa.) appear on CNN "State of The Union" and discuss economic conditions within their states.




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Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) calls for Generals who spoke publicly about wanting more troops in Afghanistan to be fired - the liberal Congressman points out the military takes orders from the Commander-in-Chief, who is the President. Furthermore, they are banned from speaking publicly in regard to politics. He was referring to general Stanley McChrystal who spoke early and often about the need for an additional 30,000 troops in Afghatp://thehillnistan. You can read more here.

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Saturday, December 26, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-26-2009

George Wenschhof

The White House put out a statement saying it appears the man who attempted to detonate a device while on board a plane headed for Detroit had al Qaeda ties -
the Nigerian boarded the plane in Amsterdam where the flight originated. Interestingly, the man was allegedly on "watch lists" for terrorists but managed to board without a thorough search. Reuters.com has more here.

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President Obama and his wife Michelle visit Marines on Christmas Day -
while vacationing in Hawaii, they stopped by the Marine base to say hello to the troops as they were enjoying Christmas dinner. Politico.com has more here.

Vice President Joe Biden and his wife Jill also paid an unexpected visit to Walter Reed Medical Center in D.C. -
while there they helped serve the traditional Christmas dinner to the troops recovering there. TheHill.com has more here.

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Reason to prevail in pregnancy orders issued by a General in Iraq -
seems Major General Anthony Cucolo was concerned over losing soldiers when they became pregnant and issued a order saying they could be subject to court martial if the became pregnant along with the man involved if he was a soldier. General Ray Ordierno who is in charge of operations in Iraq will be issuing new guidelines absent of those written by Cucolo. The NY Times has more here.

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Stocks close prior to Christmas at highest level in 14 months -
the Dow Jones closed at 10,520.10 amid reports of a weaker dollar and a fall in unemployment claims. MSNBC.com has more here.

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Friday, December 25, 2009

Obama Weekly Address 12-25-2009

The President is joined by his wife Michelle in this early and special weekly address to the nation.



Thursday, December 24, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-24-2009

George Wenschhof

Earlier this morning, the Senate passed their version for health care reform -
the vote of 60-39 was again along party lines with no Republican voting for the bill. Democratic Leaders spoke about how Americans will benefit from the passage of this bill.



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The health care reform debate has highlighted how much polarization exists in politics today -
while there have certainly been other times in American history where disagreement between political parties was heightened, this is a new era with 24 hour news and the Internet. The NY Times has a good read here.

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Health care bills in House and Senate now move to conference committee -
prior to being sent to President Obama for signature, the two bills need to be reconciled. Initial indications is this effort will follow the difficult pattern that has existed throughout this process. Senator Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) and Rep. John Dingell (D-NY) both are disappointed there is no public option. Politico.com has more here.

Some have wondered why we don't look at health care as a public utility and regulate it ensuring affordable coverage for all Americans. The President remains hopeful, the bill will be presented to him for signature prior to when he delivers his State of the Union address the end of January. Stay Tuned...


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Forever the obstructionists, Republicans continue to try whatever means to derail passage of health care reform -
Yesterday, they failed in a 60-39 vote to declare the bill unconstitutional due to the mandate Americans must buy some sort of insurance. They claimed the mandate violated the constitution. TheHill.com has more here.

Now the effort is to challenge the deal made with Nebraska Senator Ben Nelson in which his state would receive an exemption on their share of medicaid payments. Republican States Attorney from 11 states held a conference call to determine if they will sue. Politico.com has more
here.

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In case you missed Jim Lehrer of PBS interviewing President Obama, below is some video -
The President talks about how he is "getting 95% of what he wanted" in the Senate bill.




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With the final passage of the health care bill by the Senate this morning, the President and family are now in route to Hawaii -
This is the fourth time in the last eighteen months he has visited his home state. The HonoluluAdvertiser.com has a good piece on Obama's ties to Hawaii you can read here.

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White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Thursday, December 24

    • 8:45 am
    • President Obama delivers brief remarks in the State Dining Room
    • 10:00 am
    • First Family departs The White House
    • 10:15 am
    • First Family departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Honolulu, Hawaii
    • 8:10 pm
    • First Family arrives in Honolulu, Hawaii

Wednesday, December 23, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-23-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, at the White House, President Barack Obama is interviewed by NPR News and PBS -
Robert Siegel and Julie Rover will be asking him about his first year in office. Jim Lehrer of PBS also has an interview scheduled today. You can read more here.

While there, the reporters will see the White House holiday decorations have the touch of the First Family:



The Senate has now scheduled the final Health Care bill vote for tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM ET. Afterward, the President and family will head to Hawaii for the holidays.


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Senate Health Care approval expected tomorrow -
after two procedural votes received 60 yeas, the third vote tomorrow morning will be the charm in the Senate. You can read more here. Senate Democrats will cut holiday vacations short to set up conference committee so final bill can be in front of the President prior to his State of the Union address. TheHill.com has more here.

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House Democrat becomes a Republican -
ala Arlen Specter who changed from Republican to Democrat earlier in the year. However, unlike Specter who helped the Democrats reach the magic number of 60 in the Senate, the defection of Parker Griffith still leaves the Democrats with a 257-178 advantage in the House. MSNBC.com has more here.

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MSNBC First Read has a good read on "The Decade's Top 10 Political Downfalls" -
leading the list is former Democratic Vice Presidential candidate John Edwards and Republican South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford. You can read more here.

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White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Wednesday, December 23

    • 1:45 pm
    • President Obama interviews with NPR's Julie Rovner and Robert Siegel in the Oval Office
    • 2:15 pm
    • President Obama interviews with PBS's Jim Lehrer in the Oval Office

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-22-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama is scheduled to meet with heads of small and community banks -
about a dozen bankers were invited to the White House to discuss ways to stimulate lending. TheHill.com has more here.

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Yesterday, the President announced changes in government contracting that will result in 19 billion in savings in 2010 -
the goal is to cut another 40 billion in 2011. government contracting doubled under the George W. Bush administration, rising to 540 billion in 2008. CNN.com has more here.

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Senate Health Care bill passes second of three procedural votes -
aimed at cutting off debate and passing an amendment to the bill. The vote was 60-39 with the final procedural vote scheduled tomorrow. Final passage by simple majority is expected in the Senate on Christmas Eve. Reuters.com has more here.

Yesterday, the American Medical Association (AMA), the largest physician organization also gave their support to the bill. You can read more
here.

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Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee fights back against the party of "No" -
robocalls are being made to congressional districts in swing states such as Florida, Michigan and Pennsylvania pointing out Republicans voted against the financial reform bill that was passed recently by the House. Politico.com has more and the text of a robocall here.

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Unemployment funds in 40 states strained -
the recession is also resulting in the tapping of unemployment funds at record levels and it is projected 40 states will be without funds within two years. the Washington post has more here.

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Giuliani not running for Senate -
the often rumored candidate will not seek the seat but instead endorse Rick Lazio tomorrow. Politico.com has more here. The best line from the 2008 Democratic presidential debates came from Joe Biden when he said the only thing Giuliani can do is string three words together in a sentence; a noun, a verb, and 9/11.

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White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Tuesday, December 22

    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing in the Oval Office
    • 10:00 am
    • President Obama meets with senior advisors in the Oval Office
    • 10:15 am
    • Robert Gibbs delivers the daily press briefing at the White House
    • 10:40 am
    • President Obama meets with CEOs of several small and community banks in the Roosevelt Room
    • Afternoon
    • Michelle Obama visits the Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C
    • 4:10 pm
    • President Obama meets with members of the National Economic Council in the Oval Office

Monday, December 21, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-21-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, it's all about health care reform....

Health Care reform passes critical vote in Senate -
in the early morning hours today, the senate voted 60-40 which will now move the bill to a final vote later this week. The Republicans, who all voted against the bill, will no longer be able to filibuster. After the Senate vote, reconciliation between the House and the Senate bills will take place in a conference committee, followed by a final vote by both chambers. The White House is hoping for a bill on the President's desk to be signed just prior to the State of the Union address on January 12, 2010. The NY Times has more here.

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After the anticipated approval vote later this week in the Senate, the conference committee takes over -
if they follow the pattern of what has been transpiring over the health care reform debate in Congress, it will not be pretty. The House bill has provisions for a public option and a tax on the wealthy, both of which were solidly defeated in the Senate. However, expect the negotiations in the conference committee to be more tame as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) has already signaled their intent to compromise and move forward with passage. Politico.com has more here.

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Congressional Budget Office says Senate Health Care bill will cost 871 billion -
this falls within the guidelines previously set by President Barack Obama. More importantly, the bill will save the U.S. 132 billion over the first ten years and an additional 1.3 trillion over the second ten years. 31 million Americans who presently do not have health insurance will now be covered. MSNBC First Read has more here.

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Will Passage of Health Care Reform help Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) ? -
not always given high reviews for his leadership, he did preside over the wrangling to bring the entire 60 senators who caucus with the Democrats together in agreement. No small feat, considering the liberals desire for a public option and Independent Joe Lieberman (Conn.) seemingly just wanting to say no along with the Republicans. Reportedly it cost 100 million in assistance to Nebraska's medicaid program to secure Senator Ben Nelson's vote. Reid is facing a stiff challenge in his reelection bid next year so watch to see how both sides play this card during the campaign. TheHill.com has more here.

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The Senate version for health care reform has in it pluses and minuses depending upon what side you are on -
Some Democratic Senators used their support for the bill to add special provisions that would help back home in their states. But, it was not bad as Senate chair of the finance committee; Max Baucus (D-Mont.) added language that would benefit residents of Libby, Montana who suffer from asbestos related illnesses. AP talks about some of the winners and losers so far in the health care reform debate here.

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For those who have not already seen this - Senator Al Franken (D-Minn.) says no to request from Senator Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) for more time to speak - You can be sure one or two liberals were smiling.




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White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Monday, December 21

    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing
    • 10:00 am
    • President Obama meets with members of the National Economic Council
    • 11:15 am
    • President Obama meets with SAVE Award winner Nancy Fichtner at the White House
    • 11:30 am
    • President Obama delivers remarks on making government more efficient and effective in the Diplomatic Reception Room
    • 11:45 am
    • President Obama meets with senior advisers
    • 1:00 pm
    • Press Secretary Gibbs delivers press daily briefing
    • Vice President Biden hosts a conference call with mayors from across the country to discuss the stimulus
    • 4:30 pm
    • President Obama meets with Secretary of State Clinton in the Oval Office

Friday, December 18, 2009

Who Will Replace MD Delegate Weldon in District 3-B?

George Wenschhof

The not so unexpected announcement today that Rick Weldon has accepted the position of Executive Assistant to new City of Frederick Mayor Randy McClement and submitted his resignation as delegate starts the wheels moving on who will replace him in district 3-b.


The well liked Brunswick resident served in a similar position during Mayor James S. Grimes's administration. Mr. Weldon would then go on to be named to replace Frederick County Commissioner Illona Hogan (R) who had resigned. He would later successfully run as a Republican for the delegate seat in district 3-b.


A year ago, after falling from favor with some state Republicans over his vote in support for a "Maryland Slots Referendum", he changed his political party registration to "Unaffiliated" and announced he would not be seeking reelection in 2010.

Mr. Weldon's choice for this city position was rumored for some time as he had supported McClement's candidacy and also served on the transition team for the incoming mayor. He will bring experience to an all new mayor and board.


As was the case when Mr. Weldon was appointed to the vacant county commissioner seat, the process to fill his vacant delegate seat now begins. Adding some drama to this process is the state elections are held next year, giving the person named to fill this position an advantage. The appointed person will receive the attention of having been named to fill the open slot and have the benefit of being in office for almost a year before the September 2010 primary election.


One of the few powers a local central committee of a political party has is the submission of a name(s) to the Governor for appointment to fill seats which become vacant. In this local case, the question for the Frederick and Washington County Republican Central Committees will be who do they forward to the Governor?


Michael Hough, a member of the Frederick County Republican Central Committee has already announced he is running for this seat. In addition, Frederick County Commissioner Charles Jenkins has indicated his intent to run for the position. This will create an interesting decision for the local central committees as you can be assured neither announced candidate will favor the other being chosen. Of course, a selection by the committee of Charles Jenkins would then lead to another process of filling what would then be an open county commissioner seat which is also up for election next year. This makes the latter an unlikely choice.


Whispers have been heard however, that Commissioner Jenkins is having second thoughts in regard to running for delegate in district 3-b, in part due to the fund raising advantage Mr. Hough is believed to have over him. In addition, Jenkins may well decide he wants to continue his work as county commissioner, making the job of selecting the replacement for delegate by the Republican central committees a little easier.


The two Republican Central Committees are likely to advertise they will be interviewing for the position and probably choose at least three of the applicants who they will interview so it is also possible another name will surface who would be submitted to Democratic Governor Martin O'Malley for approval. The central committees could also hope for an applicant who only wants to serve the remaining year of the term and who would not run for election in 2010. This selection would avoid any unpleasant circumstances arising from the announced Republican candidates.


Another strange wrinkle would be if the local Democratic central committees would claim they have the right to also submit a name(s) to the Governor due to the fact Mr. Weldon was a "Unaffiliated" delegate and not a Republican delegate.


Stay Tuned....


--------------------


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Daily Democratic Wire 12-18-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama is in Copenhagen hopeful for an agreement to be reached -
the climate summit has been like the health care reform negotiations back home - difficult! The president has already had a busy day meeting with leaders of 20 countries and holding a private meeting with China prime minister Wen Jiabao. He also gave a speech to the summit attendees you can watch here. Verification measures are what is holding up agreement with the Chinese. Obama also plans to meet privately with Russian President Dimitri Medvedev with hopes of a breakthrough on arms agreement. The NY Times has more here.

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Senate could vote on health care bill Christmas Eve -
that is the schedule Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is pushing. Disagreements remain with a few Democratic Senators whose vote is critical due to the fact all 40 republican Senators are voting no. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is not happy there is no public option, Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) is unhappy with abortion language, and who knows where Joe Leiberman (I-Conn.) is at this point. TheHill.com has more here.

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Senate Banking Committee votes 16-7 on Bernanke nomination -
the Federal Reserve Chair is on his way to full senate confirmation. However, it is not without some who are not supportive. Politico.com has more here.

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Have you always thought Christmas at the White House would be fun? -
well it is, but also a lot of work. 17 holiday parties and 11 open houses are held over a three week period. The NY Times has more here.

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White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Friday, December 18

    • 2:30 am
    • President Obama arrives in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 3:30 am
    • President Obama and Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen of Denmark hold bilateral meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 4:00 am
    • President Obama delivers brief remarks during morning plenary session in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 5:00 am
    • President Obama and Premier Wen Jiabo of China hold bilateral meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 6:00 am
    • President Obama participaes in official photo of heads of state and heads of U.S. delegation in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 8:15 am
    • President Obama and Presiden Lula da Silva of Brazil hold bilateral meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 9:00 am
    • President Obama participates in afternoon plenary session in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • 10:30 am
    • President Obama and President Dmitry Medvedev in Russia hold bilateral meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark
    • Afternoon
    • President Obama departs Copenhagen en rout Andrews Air Force Base

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-17-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama heads to Copenhagen Climate Summit tonight as health care reform sputters at home -
with his approval numbers dropping, Democrats fighting among themselves on health care reform and U.S. policy in Afghanistan, the President heads to another hornet's nest. You can read more here.

Last night, the president appeared on ABC News with Charles Gibson. You can watch below.




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Can Secretary of State Hillary Clinton save Copenhagen Accords? - she arrived at the Summit yesterday and pledged the U.S. would build a 200 Billion fund to help poor nations cope with climate change if agreement is reached between developed countries and major developing countries. Meanwhile, China says no deal. The Washington Post has more here.

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Howard Dean, from the left, does his best Lieberman impersonation by calling for Democrats to kill the current health care bill in the Senate -
infuriated by Senator Joe Leiberman's seemingly singular effort to stymie anything close to resembling a "public option", the former Democratic National Committee chair and 2004 presidential candidate took to the airways last night and this morning. His appearances on MSNBC's "Hardball" and "Rachel Maddow Show" gave enough talking points to the Republicans to make them giddy in their efforts to kill the bill. Dean followed up with an op-ed in the Washington post today. You can read it here.

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) who caucuses with the Democrats says he will not vote for the current bill -
FirstRead has more here.

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House passes 174 billion Jobs bill -
in a close vote; 217-21 with no Republicans in support and 38 Democrats voting against. TheHill.com has more here.

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On the international front, the NY Times is reporting an American UN official; Perter Galbraith, suggested White House develop a plan to replace Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai -
more bad news for the Obama administration. Galbraith's suggestion reportedly came during the time leading up to the Afghanistan election in which widespread fraud and abuse was documented. When the suggestion came to light of day, Galbraith left Afghanistan and was fired several weeks later. The NY Times has more here.

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Adding to the woes in the region, fresh calls for Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari to step down are being made -
the Supreme Court recently ruled against any amnesty that protected him and his associates from corruption charges stemming from when his late wife; Benazir Bhutto was in office. During that time, Zardari was given the name "Mr. 10 per cent" for the kickbacks he allegedly demanded for doing business with the government. Time.com has more here.

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White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Thursday, December 17

    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama receives the presidential daily briefing in the Oval Office
    • 10:00 am
    • President Obama meets with members of the National Economic Council in the Oval Office
    • 11:00 am
    • President Obama meets with senior advisors in the Oval Office
    • 11:30 am
    • Vice President Biden makes an announcement about the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in Dawsonville, Georgia
    • 6:50 pm
    • President Obama departs The White House en route Andrews Air Force Base
    • 7:05 pm
    • President Obama departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Copenhagen, Denmark

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-16-2009

George Wenschhof

President Barack Obama hits 50% approval rating -
in a poll conducted by ABC News and The Washington Post from December 10-13. This is down 6 points from just one month ago. His handling of the economy and health care reform both drew negative responses with 52% disapproving of how he is handling the economy and 53% disapproving of how he is handling health care reform. ABC News has more here.

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Progressive Democrats angry at latest health care compromise -
the Senate Democratic caucus has been unable to agree on a public option, a medicare buy-in, exchanges, or even a state opt-in leaving the more liberal Democrats frustrated over what they feel is a weak bill. Politico.com has more here.

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Federal Reserve Chair Ben Bernanke is Time Magazine "Person of The Year" -
perhaps an appropriate choice as he is clearly the one most responsible for the country avoiding an even more serious economic depression. To play off the magazine's title, time will tell how effective the actions taken by Bernanke will be for Americans. Time.com has more.

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Climate talks in Copenhagen close to collapse -
as hundreds as angry protesters hit the streets and rich and poorer nations unable to reach agreement, the Summit Conference President resigned. Connie Hedegaard will be replaced by Danish Prime minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen as world leaders from 115 nations arrive over the next two days. MSNBC.com has more here.

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Obama considers creating bipartisan commission to study tax hikes and budget cuts -
the need to reduce the annual deficit and the national debt has never been greater so let's see if a bipartisan effort can be successful. CNN.com has more here.

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White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Wednesday, December 16

    • 9:45 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the presidential daily briefing in the Oval Office
    • 10:15 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the economic daily briefing in the Oval Office
    • 11:45 am
    • President Obama meets with Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams in the Oval Office
    • 12:10 pm
    • President Obama meets with Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum in the Oval Office
    • 2:15 pm
    • Robert Gibbs delivers his daily press briefing from the White House
    • 3:05 pm
    • President Obama meets with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in the Oval Office
    • 5:15 pm
    • President Obama and Michelle Obama host a Hanukkah reception on the State Floor

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-15-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will be in northern Virginia to promote "Cash for Caulkers" -
at a Home Depot store he will talk about his program to help homeowners make energy-efficient improvements to their homes. Time.com has more here.

During the late 1970's we had weatherization programs under the federally funded Comprehensive Employment and Training Act. To date, the president has resisted proposing federally funded public service employment programs that would put those in need to work immediately. This is a much needed program and the president is missing a vital cog in his efforts to create jobs.


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Tonight, President Obama will meet with all the Senate Democrats in the white House -
amazingly, with 58 Democratic senators and two Independents who caucus with the Democrats, agreement on health care legislation has not been achieved in the Senate. The NY Times has more here.

Instead of an invite to the White House for a supportive speech, perhaps the president would be well served to take a few obstructionist Senators (Joe Leiberman and Ben Nelson are you listening?) outside to the woodshed for a private talk.


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Representative Bart Gordon (D-Tenn.) says he will not run in 2010 -
the tongues are wagging early as we enter the midterm election year as he is the fourth Democratic Representative from a red district in the last three weeks to announce he will not run. TheHill.com has more here.

Democrats currently hold 258 of the 435 House seats. Republicans will need to pick up 41 seats in the 2010 elections to gain a one member advantage in the House.


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Climate Control Talks Chill in Copenhagen -
reaching agreement among the richer and more developed countries and the poorer and underdeveloped nations have been troublesome. Former Vice President Al Gore is there to work at salvaging some type of an accord and U.S. Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) left the health care negotiations behind to lend a hand. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has weighed in saying all major economies must resolve to implement strong verifiable measures. President Obama is expected to arrive Friday. Politico.com has more here.

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Remember the missing emails from the George W. Bush administration? -
well, it seems they have been found. Computer professional have found 22 million previously misplaced or mislabeled emails after two groups sued. This goes back to the time when Valerie Plame's identity had been leaked and also a time when lawyers were let go and replaced. Unfortunately, the normal process of releasing known presidential information takes years so it may be 2014 before we know what were in the emails. MSNBC.com has more here.

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D.C. expected to pass "same sex" marriage bill today -
after the vote, it will be sent to Mayor Adrian Fenty for his expected signature. The U.S. Congress then has to approve all measures passed into law by the District of Columbia which could take several more months. CNN.com has more here.

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Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Tuesday, December 15

    • 10:45 am
    • President Obama holds a meeting to discuss the economic impact of energy saving home retrofits with labor, manufacturing, and small business leaders at the Northern Virginia Home Depot
    • 11:10 am
    • President Obama delivers remarks on the economic impact of energy saving home retrofits at the Northern Virginia Home Depot
    • 12:15 pm
    • President Obama has lunch with business leaders in the Private Dining Room
    • 1:40 pm
    • President Obama meets with members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building
    • 1:45 pm
    • Robert Gibbs delivers the daily press briefing in the White House
    • 3:00 pm
    • President Obama makes a statement to the press after meeting with Democratic Senators in the Diplomatic Reception Room
    • 4:45 pm
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with Secretary of Defense Gates in the Oval Office

Monday, December 14, 2009

Daily Democratic Wire 12-14-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will meet with executives of 12 major Banks -
he will be urging them to lend more freely to consumers and small businesses. This comes one day after appearing on CBS "Sixty Minutes" and saying "he did not run for office to help out fat cat bankers on Wall Street". Obama is expected to hold a short press conference following the meeting. Bloomberg.com has more here.

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S
enator Joe Leiberman (I-Conn.) says he will not support recent compromise put forward for health care reform - he was one who had been invited to the "gang of ten" discussions and instead skipped every meeting. Furthermore, the most recent proposal is similar to the Gore-Leiberman platform in the 2002 presidential election. In spite of being allowed to caucus with Democrats and even hold a chairman position, he seems to continue to exhibit bitterness toward liberal leaning Democrats and to relish the fact he can be a determining factor as to what passes in the senate. The Washington Post has more here.

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Senate passes 1.1 Trillion in appropriation bills yesterday -
In a 57-35 vote, mostly along party lines. 447 billion is directed at many government offices and 650 Billion went for Medicare and Medicaid. TheHill.com has more here.

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Al Gore arrives at Climate Summit in Copenhagen -
amid protesters and lack of agreement from participating nations on ways to move forward on this important issue. Politico.com has more here.

Back home, a new proposal is being floated to replace the controversial cap and trade bill -
Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine) are proposing direct rebates to households to offset higher energy costs. TheHill.com has more here.

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To receive "Daily Updates" from
Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

White House Schedule

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

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Monday, December 14

    • 9:30 am
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden receive presidential daily briefing
    • 11:10 am
    • President Obama meets with members of the financial services industry
    • 12:10 pm
    • President Obama delivers a statement on the economy
    • 12:25 pm
    • President Obama and Vice President Biden have lunch
    • 1:30 pm
    • President Obama meets with President Sleiman of Lebanon
    • 1:45 pm
    • Vice President Biden meets with Drug Control Policy Director Kerlikowske and Deputy Director McLellan
    • 3:00 pm
    • President Obama meets with Senator Bob Casey
    • Press Secretary Gibbs delivers press briefing
    • 4:30 pm
    • Vice President Biden swears in former Senators Hagel and Boren to the President's Intelligence Advisory Board