Daily Political Wire 5-4-2010

George Wenschhof

President Obama will deliver speech to Business Council today - the President will talk about his administration's approach to job creation and ways in which the business community can help.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and White House Budget Director Peter Orzag will also address the conference of corporate executives over the next two days. Reuters.com has more here.

---

Times Square Bomber arrested at JFK Airport - Suspect Pakistani-American Faisal Shahzad was apprehended just prior to the plane taking off for Dubai, with a final destination of Pakistan. Attorney General Eric Holder made the announcement of the quick arrest of the man suspected of trying to detonate explosives in a van located in busy Times Square. The Washington Post has more here.

---

Three states hold primaries today - voters in North Carolina, Indiana and Ohio go to the pols today. No big surprises expected in any of the races. For some inside scoop on some of the intrigue, TheFix.com has more here.

---

Speaking of Intrigue, Specter losing ground to Sestak in Pennsylvania Primary - Senator Arlen Specter the long time Republican turned Democrat, finds himself in the middle of a closely contested race, he had not counted on with only two weeks to go to the May 18 election.

Specter changed political parties after his support of the Stimulus bill ensured him the wrath of the Republican Party and a contested primary. In spite of support from the Obama administration and Democratic leadership, Representative Joe Sestak challenged Specter in the Democratic primary.

Sestak is closing when the time is right, with a new Quinnapiac poll showing him only down 47-39. Stay Tuned....

---

Climate/Energy bill faces new hurdles - the bill backed by former Vice President Al Gore and sponsored by Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.), Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) seems almost destined to continuously fall behind other legislation. TheHill.com has more here.

Over a year ago, it originally had to overcome negative reaction to what was considered a onerous cap-and trade provision designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The latest effort was a tri-partisan approach to the bill included off-shore oil drilling in an attempt to woe business and conservative votes. Oops, that was before the BP Oil Rig disaster in the Gulf coast which threatens to be the largest oil spill in history. Environmental groups will now fight any provision which allows for off-shore oil drilling.

Prior to the oil disaster transpiring, Senator Lindsey Graham, withdrew his support of the bill because senate majority leader Harry Reid was considering moving immigration reform legislation ahead of the climate/energy bill.

Almost seems like a dark cloud is over this proposed bill.... Stay Tuned...

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below or use the sign up box located in the upper right hand margin.