Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Biden To Present Gun Violence Task Force Recommendations on Tuesday - Yesterday, Vice President Joe Biden mentioned several measures that he said he has heard supported repeatedly — universal background checks, limits on high capacity magazines, and the government’s ability to do research on gun violence. Biden clarified that background checks would go beyond closing the so-called gun show loophole.  RollCall.com has more here.

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Revoling Door Continues for White House Chief of Staff - with the nomination of Jack Lew for Treasury Secretary by President Obama, the attention now shifts to who will replace him as chief of staff.  The replacement will be the fifth person to serve in this position in the Obama administration.  The changes beginning just 20 months into OBama's first term when Rahm Emanuel resigned to run for mayor of Chicago.

The two at the top of the list for the current opening are Denis R. McDonough, the current deputy national security adviser in the White House, and Ronald A. Klain, former chief of staff to Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr., and before that to Al Gore.  The NY Times has more here.

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Rockefeller's Retirement Adds Intrigue to 2014 Elections - West Virginia Democratic Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s decision not to run for a sixth term is boon to Republican chances of picking up a seat that hasn’t been in GOP hands since the 1950s, because of a strong Republican candidate who is already in the running, and the overall tilt of the state.

Democrats, with the Independents who caucus with them, currently have a 55-45 advantage in the Senate.  More Democratic Senate seats than Republican are up for election in 2014, making for a competitive race for the majority.  The Washington Post has more here.

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State of The Union Address to Be February 12 - House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) has invited President Obama to deliver the annual State of the Union address before Congress on Feb. 12, a House GOP aide announced Thursday.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.): Todd Akin "Partly Right" On Rape - U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.) said that former Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) was “partly right” regarding Akin’s remarks — which were proven untrue by doctors — about women being able to prevent pregnancy if they are raped.  Politico.com has more here.

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