Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama To Hold Press Conference Today - for the first time since winning reelection, President Obama will address reporters at 1:30 PM ET from the White House.  Look to see lots of questions pertaining to the Petraeus/Broadwell, Allen/Kelley sex scandals and also inquiries on the looming fiscal cliff and Congressional hearings on Benghazi.  You can read more here.

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Obama Deficit Plan Includes Raising $1.6 Trillion from Corporations & Wealthy - over the next ten years.  This figure is twice as much as was offered by Republican House Leader John Boehner (Ohio) in 2011.  You can read more here.

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Petraeus To Testify on Benghazi - under the cloud of his recent resignation over an affair with his biographer, General David Petraeus agreed to testify in front of a closed Senate intelligence meeting investigating what was know and when surrounding the tragedy in Benghazi which claimed the death of the U.S. Ambassador and three other Americans.  You can read more here.

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Pelosi To Stay as House Minority Leader - as expected, Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.) announced this morning, flanked by women Representatives in the House, she will stay on as leader of the Democratic caucus in the House.

The election, by caucus members, is expected to be a formality with the 10 year House Leader of Democrats serving two more years.  You can read more here.

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Who Will Be Next Chair of DNC? - it is doubtful Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz will remain as chair of the Democratic National Committee, following her very successful stint. 

Names that are surfacing as possible replacements are Minneapolis Mayor R. T. Rybak, who is DNC vice-chair, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villariagosa and former Governors Ted Srictland (Ohio) and Jennifer Granholm (Michigan).  I would also throw in Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley.  You can read more here.

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57% Americans Support Pathway to Citizenship - in a new poll released by ABC News/Washington Post, a majority supported a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.  The poll also found 51% support same sex marriage and 48% support legalizing marijuana.  You can read more here.

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King To Caucus with Democrats - in no surprise, newly elected Independent U.S. Senator Angus King (Maine) announced today, he will caucus with Democrats.  King won the seat vacated by the resignation of Republican Olympia Snowe, who often sided with Democrats in the Senate.  Democrats will now have 55 seats in the Senate, with the inclusion of Independent Bernie Sanders (Vt.).You can read more here.

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