Daily Political Wire 6-19-2010

George Wenschhof

As one would expect, Democrats seize on Barton's apology to BP and air ad - the ad calls on Republicans to stop apologizing to big oil and warns that if Republicans retake the House, Representative Joe Barton (R-Tex.) would be in charge of the probe into the BP oil spill. The Washington Post has more here.



---

Sunday morning "Talking Heads" lineup - expect a lot of discussion on the continuing BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill and some talk on the upcoming mid term elections.

NBC "Meet The Press" - Ken Feinberg - he was named the independent arbitrator for determining awards from the 20 billion BP escrow fund. He previously handled claims for families of the victims of 9/11. Also appearing will be senator Mary Landrieu (D-La.), Governor Haley Barbour (R-Miss.), Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.), and John Hofmeister, former president of Shell oil Co. Hofmesiter has been critical of the BP response to the Gulf coast oil spill.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Senators Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) and Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Representative Anh "Joseph" Cao (R-La.)

ABC "This Week" - White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel - a whole range of topics can be expected to be discussed ranging from the ongoing investigation of the BP oil spill, to challenging the state of Arizona's new immigration law. Somewhere along the way, the U.S. and the Obama administration relationship with Israel will be brought up for discussion.

As Emanuel is the only guest, other lingering questions are where and when will 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed be tried and will it be a civilian or military trial. ..and by the way, how about an update on the U.S. closing of Guantanamo Bay prison.

CNN - "State of The Union" - Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calf.), Richard Lugar (R-Ind.), Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Al.). Murkowski recently offered up an amendment which was defeated which would have prohibited the Environmental Protection Agency from regulation emissions.

Fox News Sunday - their favorite weekly guest Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Defense secretary Robert Gates.

---

Representative Chris Van Hollen's (D-Md.) bill delayed - this was offered to close the floodgates opened by the recent Supreme Court "Citizen's United" ruling on campaign financing - he offered amendments which would exclude long standing organizations such as the NRA and now his fellow Congressmen are taking another look at the bill. TheHill.com has more here.

---

More papers released from Supreme Court nominee Elana Kagan - another 11,000 pages of memos from her time working in the Clinton administration. Senator Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) says the Obama administration has been the most open administration in providing information on a nominee. Kagan also counseled President Clinton during some of the scandals that erupted during his time in office. Some of these memos have been not been released to the press, but were given to the Judiciary committee. President Obama wants Kagan confirmed by the end of august so she can participate in the fall session of the Supreme Court. MSNBC.com has more here.

---

To receive "Daily Email Updates" click on "Subscribe to this feed" below or use the sign up box located in the upper right hand margin.