Daily Political Wire 7-16-2010

George Wenschhof

This morning, President Obama will address the nation with an update of the containment efforts of the BP oil spill in the Gulf - Yesterday, the newest cap was closed completely for testing and no oil was escaping for the first time in nearly three months.

Later today, the president and his family will head to Bar Harbor, Maine for a quick two day vacation. They will be staying at Mount Desert Island where they will be able to visit easily Acadia National Park. You can read more here.

Acadia National Park and the coast of Maine is truly beautiful. I last visited during a backpacking trip in the late 1970's and we also traveled north to Moosehead Lake which is spectacular.

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Financial Reform bill finally passes - the final Senate vote was 60-39 with only three Republicans voting for the bill. While, intense Wall Street lobbying and Republican obstructionism diluted the impact of the bill, it still includes major improvements.

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West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin to announce Byrd replacement today - at 2:00 PM he will announce his appointment to the vacant seat held by the late senator Robert Byrd. The top three contenders for the seat are former governor Gaston Caperton, former Byrd aide Anne Barth and former Manchin general counsel Carte Goodwin. Chris Cillizza has more here.

The replacement will be an interim appointment as Governor Manchin has let it be known he intends to run for the seat.

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