Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Secretary of State John Kerry

Kerry Announces $60 Million Aid To Syrian Rebels - The Obama administration will provide food and medicine to Syrian rebel fighters, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said Thursday, announcing a cautious U.S. foray into front-line battlefield support that falls far short of the heavy weapons or high-tech gear the rebels seek.
 
“The stakes are really high, and we can’t risk letting this country — in the heart of the Middle East — be destroyed by vicious autocrats or hijacked by the extremists,” Kerry said following discussions among a group of Western and Arab nations that are funding, and in some cases arming, the fighters.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Coping With The Sequester - With time running short and little real effort under way to avert automatic budget cuts that take effect Friday, substantial and growing wings of both parties are learning to live with — if not love — the so-called sequester.

“It’s going to happen,” said Representative Jim Jordan, Republican of Ohio and a leading conservative voice in the House. “It’s not the end of the world.”

Some of the most liberal members of Congress see the cuts as a rare opportunity to whittle down Pentagon spending. The poor are already shielded from the worst of the cuts, and the process could take pressure off the Democratic Party, at least in the short run, to tamper with Social Security and Medicare.  The NY Times has more here.

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Harkin Calls For $10.10 Minimum Wage - Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) argues President Obama “missed the mark” in calling to raise the minimum wage to $9 in his State of the Union address, and he met with White House staff last week to argue for a higher number.

The veteran senator, who will retire at the end of this Congress, is working with Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.) on legislation that would raise the minimum wage to $10.10 over three years and then index future increases to inflation.  TheHill.com has more here.

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House to Vote on Violence Against Women Act - Today, Republican House leaders are expected to first try to pass a House-drafted version of the bill. If that measure fails, they will allow a vote on a Senate-passed version of the bill, a five-year reauthorization approved by the upper chamber by an overwhelming majority in February.

Democrats are optimistic that the latter version of the bill will see a vote and pass today.
The reauthorization of the law -– first sponsored by then-Sen. Joe Biden in 1994 –- has languished for months as the Democratic-led Senate and the Republican-led House wrangled over details of the legislation.  MSNBC.com has more here.

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Lew Confirmed as Treasury Secretary - Yesterday, the Senate confirmed Jack Lew, a former budget director and chief of staff to the president, as the next secretary of the treasury.

The vote was 71 to 26.

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First Lady Writes Op-Ed Promoting Healthier Foods - "Every day, great American companies are achieving greater and greater success by creating and selling healthy products," the First Lady writes in an op-ed, citing examples from Wal-Mart, Walgreens and Disney. "In doing so, they are showing that what's good for kids and good for family budgets can also be good for business."

Healthy eating and exercise are the most prominent causes Michelle Obama has taken on as First Lady.  The Wall Street Journal has more here.

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Caroline Kennedy Under Consideration for U.S. Ambassador to Japan - Caroline Kennedy is the top candidate to head to Tokyo as the U.S. Ambassador to Japan, to replace John Roos, a lawyer and former Obama fundraiser. The 55-year-old daughter of former President John F. Kennedy served as a co-chairman of President Barack Obama’s 2012 reelection bid, and was a key backer of his 2008 campaign.  Politico.com has more here.

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Himes To Chair DCCC Finance Committee - Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut will be the new national finance chairman for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee in the 2014 cycle, according to two well-placed Democratic sources on Capitol Hill.

Officials announced the new position for Himes, a three-term Democrat from Connecticut, at a morning meeting for members.

The committee previously named Rep. Allyson Y. Schwartz of Pennsylvania as its finance chairwoman, but in recent weeks, she has indicated she plans to run for governor in 2014.  RollCall.com has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Two-Thirds Disapprove of Way Republicans in Congress are Handling Federal Spending - For the past several years, congressional Republicans have focused relentlessly on a single message: Washington — led by President Obama — is spending too much money, and it needs to stop.
 
But according to new Washington Post-ABC News polling, that laser-like focus isn’t helping Republicans win the argument over federal spending — with 67 percent of those tested disapproving of the “way Republicans in Congress are handling federal spending.”  TheFix.com has more here.

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Obama To Meet With Congressional Leaders on Friday - After weeks of argument over the sequester, bipartisan congressional leaders will meet with the president at the White House on Friday -- the same day that automatic federal spending cuts are scheduled to go into effect.

President Barack Obama will meet with House Speaker John Boehner, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to discuss the across-the-board budget reductions to federal agencies, aides told NBC News.  FirstRead.com has more here.

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Senators McCain, Graham Optimistic on Immigration Bill After Meeting with Obama -President Obama understands Republican concerns about the need to link improved border security to changes in immigration law, two key Republicans involved in the effort said Tuesday after a White House meeting with Obama.

Sens. John McCain (Ariz.) and (S.C.) said they covered a variety of topics in the unusual meeting with Obama, including a robust discussion of how to reshape the nation’s immigration laws.

The GOP duo — members of a bipartisan group of eight senators working to write an immigration bill for introduction in March — emerged with strong praise for Obama’s leadership and optimism for the fate of the effort.

“It was one of the best meetings I’ve ever had with the president,” Graham said. “I think the president’s very sincere in wanting a bill and wanted to know what he could do to help.”  The Washington Post has more here.

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Hagel Sworn In as Defense Secretary - Chuck Hagel was sworn in as Defense secretary on Wednesday morning, less than 24 hours after he was confirmed by the Senate.

The Pentagon's Director of Administration and Management Michael Rhodes administered the oath for Hagel in a private ceremony.

Hagel addressed DOD employees and service members later this morning from the Pentagon, after meeting with senior staff and military leaders.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Kelly Win in Illinois Special Election a Boost for Gun Control Advocates - A multimillion-dollar ad blitz by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg to stop an NRA-backed House candidate in Illinois paid off Tuesday night, as local official Robin Kelly crushed more than a dozen Democratic candidates vying to replace disgraced former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr.

Bloomberg and gun control proponents seized on the results as evidence of momentum in their push to enact President Barack Obama’s gun control package. The mayor will take that message to Washington Wednesday in meetings with Vice President Joe Biden, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), according to Bloomberg’s public schedule.  Politico.com has more here.

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lran and Six Nations Agree To Continue Nuclear Talks - Two days of talks between six world powers and Iran over its nuclear program ended on Wednesday with specific agreement for further meetings in March and April over a proposal that would sharply constrain Iran’s stockpile of the most dangerous enriched uranium in return for a modest lifting of some sanctions.

But senior Western diplomats were less enthusiastic, saying that Iran had not in fact responded to the proposal of the six and that real bargaining had not yet begun. A senior American official described the meeting as “useful” — refusing to call it positive — and emphasized that it was “concrete results” that counted, not atmospherics. The NY Times has more here.

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Reich Wows Crowd in Santa Rosa

George Wenschhof

Robert Reich - Photo by John Johnson

Former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich spoke to an enthusiastic crowd last night at the Glasner Center in Santa Rosa, California and he did not disappoint them.  The number of attendees easily exceeded 300, as I joined many of those standing; a result of all the seats being taken.

While, Reich was invited by those who oppose Wal-Mart’s efforts to expand their presence in Sonoma County, he used the opportunity to highlight problems with the economy and to emphasize the makeup of our communities and society are still decided by the people who live in them.

Often repeating the “we the people” preamble, of the U.S. Constitution Bill of Rights, Reich urged those in attendance to “take back our economy and take back our democracy”.

Specifically addressing Wal-Mart and their claim to be a job creator, Reich said for every job they created, 1.4 jobs were lost in the surrounding area.  In addition, as a result of their low paying jobs, Wal-Mart employees were more likely to live in less expensive suburbs, adding to congestion on the highways.

As to the main areas that need to be addressed to improve our economy, Reich stated the need to implement universal health care, reform and enrich our education system, campaign finance reform and a return to a progressive tax system.

He took questions from the audience following his speech and afterward signed books.

This free event was sponsored by the Living Wage Coalition of Sonoma County, Project Censored, Media Freedoms Foundation, the North Bay Labor Council AFL-CIO, the Sonoma County Conservation Action, MoveOn.org of Sonoma County, the Sonoma State University Sociology Club, California Federation of Teachers Local 1946, the California Healthy Communications Network, and the North Bay Organizing Project.

 

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



Retired Military Officers Call For Gun Control Legislation - A group of retired military officials are featured in a new ad from Mayors Against Illegal Guns, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's gun control group.
 
"Guns in the right hand protect us," retired Maj. Gen. Paul D. Eaton said in the ad, which was posted online Monday.

"Guns belong on battlefields," retired Brig. Gen. Stephen A. Cheney added.
Assault weapons are "not for cowards to use," retired Rear Adm. Malcolm MacKinnon III said.

Several of the officials featured in the ad are scheduled to meet with Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday at the White House to discuss gun violence.

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Obama Visits Newport News, Bernanke Warns Sequester Cuts Will Slow Economy - President Obama will visit a Newport News, Va., shipyard on Tuesday, the latest in a series of events designed to highlight the potential effects of the billions in budget cuts set to trigger at the end of this week.
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke warned Congress risks slowing the economy by allowing $85 billion in automatic spending cuts to be triggered on Friday, arguing they should be replaced with more deliberate, long-term cuts.

In prepared testimony for the Senate Banking Committee, Bernanke argued the sequester would pose a “significant headwind” to the economic recovery.  TheHill.com has more here.
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62% Believe Republicans Out of Touch with the American People - A majority of the country believes the Republican Party is out of touch with the American people, too extreme and inflexible to change, according to findings released Tuesday by Pew Research Center, placing the GOP in decidedly lower public esteem than the Democratic Party.

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High Profile Republicans Sign Brief Supporting Same Sex Marriage - Advisers to former President George W. Bush, governors and members of Congress were among the dozens of notable Republicans to sign a legal brief arguing in favor of the constitutional right of gay people to get married, the New York Times reported online Monday.
 
The brief will be filed with the Supreme Court this week to show support for a suit that seeks to strike down Proposition 8, the 2008 California ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage.

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Obama To Meet With McCain and Graham To Discuss Immigration - President Barack Obama will meet Tuesday at the White House with Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina to discuss immigration changes, a White House official said.

McCain has complained in previous years that Obama dropped the ball on the issue — after one meeting at the White House early on in his presidency. McCain and Graham are the senior Republicans in the “gang of eight” that is pushing the immigration effort.

McCain and Graham also have been among the harshest critics of the president’s foreign policy, particularly the handling of the terrorist attack in Benghazi, Libya, and the nomination of former Sen. Chuck Hagel as secretary of Defense. The Senate will vote Tuesday on overcoming a filibuster of Hagel’s nomination.

Graham, meanwhile, signaled an interest again in reaching a broad budget deal, telling CNN that he was open to $600 billion in new revenue if Democrats agreed to entitlement cuts.  RollCall.com has more here.

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Senate Finance Committee Approves Lew Nomination - The Senate Finance Committee approved the nomination of Jack Lew to be Treasury secretary on Tuesday, paving the way for a full Senate vote.

The nomination was approved by the committee on a 19-5 vote. Senate leaders have not yet scheduled a vote by the full Senate.  Politico.com has more here.

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Senate Vote on Hagel Nomination Expected Today - Chuck Hagel’s seven-week struggle to win confirmation as secretary of defense appears near the end with an expected Senate vote Tuesday on his nomination.

President Barack Obama’s choice to run the Pentagon is expected to win confirmation since a few Republicans announced that they’ll join Senate Democrats in voting for him.

The vote would put an end to a rocky nomination process that came after Hagel’s GOP foes succeeded in delaying the confirmation.  MSNBC.com has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

White House Relaeses Details of How Looming Sequester Cuts Impact States - By releasing sequestration reports on 50 states, plus the District of Columbia, the Obama administration is hoping that local media outlets will spotlight the jobs and services that are threatened in their areas.

The reports list numerous cutbacks in federal programs that have big constituencies or political popularity, including Head Start, military readiness, the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and Clean Air and Clean Water programs.  USA Today has more here.

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GOP Governors To Republicans in Congress: Do Something! - Ask Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert what they think of Hill Republicans’ strategy on the sequester, and you get the exact same response: “What strategy?”

Their message for House Speaker John Boehner and other GOP leaders: It’s not OK to just sit on the sidelines. It’s time to do something to stop the automatic cuts, and fast.  Politico.com has more here.

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Voters Favor Cutting Military Spending - In order to reduce America’s debts and deficits, more than twice as many voters said they would support defense cuts as said they would support cuts to social programs.

Forty-nine percent of respondents said they would support cutting military spending, while just 23 percent said they would support slashing Social Security and Medicare. An overwhelming majority, 69 percent, said they would oppose cuts to social programs. TheHill.com has more here.

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Supreme Court to Hear Voting Rights Case on Wednesday - The case will focus on a provision of the Voting Rights Act that requires areas with a history of discrimination to “preclear” any changes to their voting procedures with the Justice Department. The legal team representing Shelby County, Ala., will argue that the requirement is outdated and unnecessarily burdensome. The Justice Department and civil rights attorneys will say it is still a powerful, and needed, tool to address entrenched voting discrimination.

The outcome will be influenced by the steps Congress took when it last reauthorized the provision in 2006 for another 25 years. The renewal passed the House 390-33 and the Senate 98-0. Some of the justices have indicated in previous rulings that Congress should examine adjusting the methodology that is used to determine which geographic areas are covered by the statute. The current formula uses decades-old election data.  RollCall.com has more here.

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Gibbs Told Not To Acknowledge Drone Program - "When I went through the process of becoming press secretary, one of the first things they told me was, you're not even to acknowledge the drone program. You're not even to discuss that it exists," Gibbs said on MSNBC's "Up with Chris Hayes." Gibbs, who also served as an adviser to President Obama's re-election campaign, is now a paid contributor at NBC News and MSNBC.

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Talks Tomorrow on Iran Nuclear Program Unlikely to Produce Results - When Iran's nuclear negotiating team sits down with its Western counterparts in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Tuesday, it will offer no new plans or suggestions, people familiar with the views of the Iranian leadership say. More likely, they say, the Iranian negotiators will sit with arms crossed, demanding a Western change of heart.

Iran’s leaders believe that the effects of Western sanctions have been manageable, and Iran continues to make progress on what it says is a peaceful nuclear energy program. And Iran’s leaders see that North Korea, which openly admits that it wants nuclear weapons, has performed three nuclear tests without suffering any real penalties.  The NY Times has more here.

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Kerry Begins First Trip as Secretary of State - Secretary of State John Kerry landed in London, England on Sunday, using his first overseas trip as America's chief diplomat to introduce himself to some of the United States' top allies.

Kerry will visit nine countries over the course of his ten-day trip, meant to be an introductory tour but also with a focus on ending the violence in Syria.

Along with the United Kingdom, Kerry will visit Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.  MSNBC.com has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



In Case You Missed It:  First Lady Michelle Obama Has The Moves in "Mom Dancing"

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Group of Senators Near Deal on Gun Background Checks - A bipartisan group of senators is on the verge of a deal that would expand background checks to all private firearms sales with limited exemptions, but significant disagreements remain on the issue of keeping records of private gun sales, according to aides familiar with the talks.

“These negotiations are challenging, as you’d expect on an issue as complicated as guns,” the chief negotiator, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.), said in a statement Saturday. “But all of the senators involved are approaching this in good faith. We are all serious about wanting to get something done, and we are going to keep trying.”  You can read more here.

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Major Banks Aid Payday Lending Banned By States - Major banks have quickly become behind-the-scenes allies of Internet-based payday lenders that offer short-term loans with interest rates sometimes exceeding 500 percent.

With 15 states banning payday loans, a growing number of the lenders have set up online operations in more hospitable states or far-flung locales like Belize, Malta and the West Indies to more easily evade statewide caps on interest rates.

While the banks, which include giants like JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America and Wells Fargo, do not make the loans, they are a critical link for the lenders, enabling the lenders to withdraw payments automatically from borrowers’ bank accounts, even in states where the loans are banned entirely. In some cases, the banks allow lenders to tap checking accounts even after the customers have begged them to stop the withdrawals. The NY Times has more here.

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Organizing for Action Ratchets Up Fund Raising - the former Obama campaign organization is gearing up to raise big money to influence issues and elections. The first of an expected wave of ads on gun control, for example, has targeted only Republicans. And OFA board member Jim Messina, who managed Obama’s reelection campaign, has been talking with Democratic Party leaders, including those responsible for success in the 2014 midterm elections.

Over the past month, Messina and Jon Carson, a leading strategist, have traveled the country meeting with members of the Obama 2012 National Finance Committee, who are being pressed back to work to find support for the new organization.

In huddles with Hollywood studio executives, California energy investors and Chicago business titans, they have suggested $500,000 as a target level for OFA bundlers and that top donors get invitations to quarterly OFA board meetings attended by the president.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Cheat Sheet

George Wenschhof

The discussion Sunday morning will focus on the looming sequester.  Only, one week remains before the automatic cuts cut in and politicos will weigh in on their effects and what should be done.

In what is becoming a familar pairing, Governors Martin O'Malley (D-Md.) and Bob O'Donnell (R-Va.) will appear on CBS "Face The Nation".  They will give their thoughts on the impact of the spending cuts will have on states.

CBS "Face The Nation" will also examine the relationship between gun violence and video game playing with psychologist and Congressman Tim Murphy, R-Penn., National Alliance on Mental Illness Executive Director Michael Fitzpatrick, Parents Television Council President Tim Winter, former FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole and Texas A&M International's Chris Ferguson.

Chuck Hagel is expected to finally receive confirmation by the Senate this week for Defense Secretary, but not before senator John McCain (R-Az.) squares off against senator Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) on CNN "State of The Union".

ABC "This Week" will take on the cyber threat from China with House Intelligence Committee Chair Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., and Foreign Affairs Committee ranking member Rep. Eliot Engel D-NY.

Louisiana Republican Governor Bobby Jindal, who flubbed the GOP reponse to the state of the union address by President Obama a year ago, has to be feeling better after watching an equally horrific performance by senator Marco Rubio.

Jindal has been critical of the Republican party, saying they need to change and quit being"the stupid party".  He must of read the recent polls which show only 1 of 5 Americans indentify themselves as republicans.  Jindal appears on NBC "Meet The Press", where he will match up with Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick (D).

The scheduled guests follow below.

NBC "Meet The Press" - Governors Deval Patrick (D-Mass.) and Bobby Jindal (R-La.)

Roundtable with Harold Ford, Peggy Noonan, Maria Bartiroma and Jim Camp

ABC "This Week" - Representatives Mike Rogers (R-Mich.) and Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.)

Roundtable with George Will, Donna Brazile, Steven Brill, Stephen Rattner and Kimberley Strassel.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Governors Martin O'Malley (D-Md.), Bob McDonnell (R-Va.), Jan Brewer (R-Az.) and John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.).

Senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.)

Roundtable with Nancy Cook, John Dickerson and Scott Wilson

CNN "State of The Union" - Senators John McCain (R-Az.) and Pat Leahy (D-Vt.)

Roundtable with Gov. Dan Malloy (D-CT.), former Gov. Haley Barbour (R-Miss.), Gwen Ifill, and Jackie Calmes.

Fox News Sunday - Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Tom Coburn (R-OK.) 

Governors Jack Markell (D-DE.) and Scott Walker (R-Wis.)

Roundtable with Evan Bayh, Bill Kristol, Nick Ayers, and Mara Liasson

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Obama Weekly Address

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President Obama stepped up his efforts to blame congressional Republicans for looming automatic spending cuts on Saturday, calling on the GOP to compromise to undo the sequester.

Congress, Obama said, “can cut spending in a smart way, and close wasteful tax loopholes for the well-off and well-connected.”

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Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) continues Republican criticism of President Obama and calls for spending cuts.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Hagel Confirmation Expected Next Week - A week has passed since a Republican filibuster stalled Chuck Hagel’s nomination to be defense secretary, and yesterday we received even more evidence that Hagel will win confirmation on Tuesday. Let us count the ways: First, yet another GOP senator -- Richard Shelby, who backed the filibuster -- is now expected to vote for Hagel's confirmation, becoming the third Republican “yes” vote (Thad Cochran and Mike Johanns are the others). Assuming every Senate Democrat votes for Hagel, that’s at least 58 votes for simple passage. But more importantly, the Shelby news means that there are now at least 60 votes to beat any additional filibusters, because the Obama White House was just one vote away from reaching that threshold.

FirstRead.com has more here.

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Republican Governors Change Course, Now Support Obamacare - Under pressure from the health care industry and consumer advocates, seven Republican governors are cautiously moving to expand  Medicaid, giving an unexpected boost to President Obama’s plan to insure some 30 million more Americans.

In Florida, where Gov. Rick Scott reversed his position and on Wednesday announced his support for expanding Medicaid, proponents say that doing so will not only save lives, but also create jobs and stimulate the economy. Similar arguments have swayed the Republican governors of Arizona, Michigan, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota and Ohio, who in recent months have announced their intention to expand Medicaid.
      

The shift has delighted supporters of the law. The NY Times has more here.

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Republicans Losing Because They are Stuck in the Past - a good read by Michael Gerson in the Washington Post today.

An excerpt: Out of the past six presidential elections, four have gone to the Democratic nominee, at an average yield of 327 electoral votes to 211 for the Republican. During the preceding two decades, from 1968 to 1988, Republicans won five out of six elections, averaging 417 electoral votes to Democrats’ 113.

This stunning reversal of electoral fortunes has taken place for a variety of reasons: changing demographics; the end of a GOP foreign policy advantage during the Cold War; a serious gap in candidate quality; the declining relevance of economic policies that seem better suited to the 1980s; and an occasionally deserved reputation for being judgmental and censorious.

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Obama Deploys 100 U.S. Troops To Niger - President Obama said in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) Friday that 100 U.S. troops have been deployed to Niger to assist the French operation in Mali.

"The total number of U.S. military personnel deployed to Niger is approximately 100. The recently deployed forces have deployed with weapons for the purpose of providing their own force protection and security," Obama said in the letter.

Obama added that the troops were deployed "in furtherance of U.S. national security interests." TPM.com has more here.

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DSCC Outraises NRSC By $2.7 Million in January - The Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee raised $1.5 million in the first month of the 2014 cycle, bringing in $2.7 million less than the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in January.

TheHill.com has more here.

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Obama Holds Off-Record Meeting with White House Reporters - President Barack Obama held an off-the-record meeting with top White House reporters on Thursday afternoon, Politico.com has learned.

The meeting, with reporters from major print and television outlets, comes days after the White House Correspondents Association complained publicly about their lack of access to the president during a golf outing in Palm Beach, Fla., and one day after Obama met with local television reporters.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Approval Reaches 55% - the highest since September 2009.  Only 35% approve of Republican lawmakers performance.  Bloomberg.com has more here.

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Poll Shows Obama with Clear Advantage Over GOP on Major Issues -  President Obama starts his second term with a clear upper hand over GOP leaders on issues from guns to immigration that are likely to dominate the year, a USA TODAY/Pew Research Center Poll finds. On the legislation rated most urgent — cutting the budget deficit — even a majority of Republican voters endorse Obama's approach of seeking tax hikes as well as spending cuts.

The survey underscores the quandary for the GOP as it debates the party's message in the wake of disappointing losses last November for the White House and in the Senate.

Now just 22% of Americans, nearly a record low, consider themselves Republicans.  You can read more here.

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Democrats Pressure Boehner To Call Congress Back to Deal with Sequester - House Democrats on Wednesday amplified their calls for Congress to return to Washington and work to prevent across-the-board sequester cuts poised to hit in nine days.

Echoing President Obama, the Democrats are warning of the dire effects those automatic cuts would have on jobs and the nascent economic recovery.

"Speaker [John] Boehner should call the Congress back into session [and] we should act to prevent this self-inflicted loss of three-quarters of a million jobs," Rep. Rob Andrews (D-N.J.) said in a phone call with reporters.

"Being on recess during this period is absolutely absurd," echoed Rep. Bobby Scott (D-Va.).  TheHill.com has more here.

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Florida Republican Governor Agrees To Key Health Care Provision - Florida Gov. Rick Scott reversed course on Wednesday and said his state would temporarily accept the provision expanding Medicaid coverage included in the new healthcare law spearheaded by President Barack Obama.
 
Scott becomes the seventh GOP governor to sign on to the plan, rejected by some high-profile state chief executives still at odds with the politically charged law considered by many Republicans as a government overreach and widely known as Obamacare.  CNN.com has more here.

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Caprara Named as Political Director of DSCC - Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee officials plan to name Anne Caprara as their political director for the 2014 cycle Thursday.

“Anne is a rising star in the Democratic Party and I’m pleased that she is returning as a member of our team for the 2014 cycle,” DSCC Executive Director Guy Cecil said in a statement. “We know the challenges that we face this time around and it’s not going to be easy — but battle tested talent like Anne who knows what it takes to build strong campaigns will be one of the reasons we hold the Senate.”

Caprara served as the committee’s deputy political director during the 2012 cycle. She has also been a top aide to former Rep. Betty Sutton, D-Ohio, and has worked for EMILY’s List, an advocacy group promoting female Democratic candidates who support abortion rights.  RollCall.com has more here.

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George Wenschhof 

Obama Keeps Pressure on Republicans for Sequester Deal - President Obama has scheduled eight local tv networks today as he keeps up the pressure on Republicans to avoid the automatic cuts scheduled for March 1.

"By speaking to anchors from stations around the country, the President will have an opportunity to focus on the harmful local impacts that will be felt if congressional Republicans refuse to compromise," a White House official said in a statement.

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Obama Pushes For $50 Billion Infrastructure Plan - The White House outlined the plan in a press release Wednesday, saying Obama wants to spend $40 billion on “most urgent upgrades” to highways, bridges, public transportation systems and airports.

The remaining $10 billion of the plan would go toward the creation of a national infrastructure bank. TheHill.com has more here.
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81% of Americans Disapprove of Congress - Americans' approval of Congress is at 15% in February, one percentage point higher than in January and exactly matching the 15% average for all of 2012. More than eight in 10 Americans (81%) disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job.

Congressional job approval continues to be at the low end of the historical spectrum. The February reading of 15% matches last year's average, which was the lowest yearly average in Gallup's history extending back to 1974. More broadly, Americans' approval of Congress has been low for several years now, averaging 17% in 2011 and 19% in 2010. Gallup.com has more here.

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McAuliffe/Cuccinelli Tied in Virginia Governor Race - Former Democratic National Committee chair Terry McAuliffe and state Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) each claim the support of 38 percent of Commonwealth voters in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup tested by Quinnipiac.   Quinnipiac has more here.

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Allen Retires in Wake of Petraeus Scandal - John Allen’s decision to retire instead of pursuing the top U.S. command in Europe opens up a vacancy in one of the most coveted military jobs in the world and confirms that scars are still visible after the David Petraeus scandal.

The four-star Marine general, who until this month was the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, officially retained the support of the White House after President Barack Obama nominated him last year to take the NATO command, even after he’d been ensnared in the adulterous web that forced out Petraeus last year as director of the CIA.  Politico.com has more here.

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NRA To Target Democratic Senators Up For Reelection in 2014 - The National Rifle Association will launch a print advertising campaign targeting mostly Democratic senators up for re-election in 2014, according to sources close to the group.

On Thursday, full-page ads are scheduled to run in local newspapers in Arkansas, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina and West Virginia. They will be supplemented by digital advertising in these states and 10 others, including Alaska, Colorado, Montana, New Hampshire and South Dakota.

Additionally, the group has scheduled full-page ads to run Feb. 25 in regional editions of USA Today, reaching parts of 15 states.

The campaign is estimated to cost north of $375,000, sources said.  RollCall.com has more here. 

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Urges Republicans in Congress To Act on Sequester - "With less than two weeks before these cuts hit, Obama challenged Republicans to make a very simple choice: do they protect investments in education, healthcare and national defense, or do they continue to prioritize and protect tax loopholes that benefit the very few at the expense of middle- and working-class Americans?"
 
Speaking from the White House this morning, Obama said "Thousands of teachers and educators will be laid off,". "Tens of thousands of parents will have to scramble to find child care for their kids. Hundreds of thousands of Americans will lose access to primary care and preventive care, like flu vaccinations and cancer screenings."

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Simpson-Bowles To Offer New Deficit Reduction Plan - Alan Simpson and Erskine Bowles, the co-chairmen of President Obama’s deficit-reduction commission, unveiled a new framework on Tuesday that would cut deficits by $2.4 trillion over the next decade.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Colorado Passes Gun Violence Legislation -  The Democratic-led state House of Representatives in Colorado made it four-for-four Monday, passing the final two gun measures brought to a vote in the chamber.
 
After already passing measures limiting gun magazines to 15-rounds and requiring universal background checks on private firearms purchases, the House approved two more pieces of legislation: a ban on concealed weapons on public college campuses and a bill requiring gun buyers to pay the cost of their state background checks.

The bills will now go to the state Senate, which is also controlled by the Democrats.  The Denver Post has more here.
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Supreme Court to Hear Challenge on Campaign Donation Limits - The court today agreed to take up a challenge brought by an Alabama man who claims it's unconstitutional to prevent him from giving more than $46,200 to candidates and $70,800 to PACs and political committees. He does not challenge the limit on contributions to an individual candidate, but he does claim it's unconstitutional to prevent him from contributing to as many candidates as he wishes.

The court previously, in a 5-4 "Citizens United" decision, allowed for unlimited contributions by corporations.

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Chinese Army Tied To Hacking Against U.S. - On the outskirts of Shanghai, in a run-down neighborhood dominated by a 12-story white office tower, sits a People’s Liberation Army base for China's growing corps of cyberwarriors.

The building off Datong Road, surrounded by restaurants, massage parlors and a wine importer, is the headquarters of P.L.A. Unit 61398. A growing body of digital forensic evidence — confirmed by American intelligence officials who say they have tapped into the activity of the army unit for years — leaves little doubt that an overwhelming percentage of the attacks on American corporations, organizations and government agencies originate in and around the white tower. The NY Times has more here.

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Axelrod Joins NBC/MSNBC - David Axelrod, the former White House senior advisor and senior strategist for President Obama’s 2008 and 2012 campaigns, has joined NBC News and MSNBC as a senior political analyst, the networks announced today.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof



Watch Saturday Night Live on Rubio's Water Gulp

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Israel To Present Obama with Presidential Medal of Distinction - When President Barack Obama visits Israel next month, he'll be awarded the Presidential Medal of Distinction, Israeli President Shimon Peres' office announced Monday.
 
Obama, the first sitting U.S. president to receive the recognition, will be awarded the medal for making "a unique and significant contribution to strengthening the State of Israel and the security of its citizens," according to a release announcing the news.
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Hillary Clinton To Begin Speaking Tour - Clinton, who has picked the Harry Walker Agency to represent her, is likely to start the paid speaking circuit in the spring and is expected to rake in fees that clock in at the six figure range.

The possible 2016 presidential contender may do some speeches for free, depending on the cause, and will sometimes donate some of that money for charitable purposes. She is also exploring book options and will be involved in nonprofit work.  Politico.com has more here.

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Obama Administration Wants Study of the Brain - The project, which could ultimately cost billions of dollars, is expected to be part of the president’s budget proposal next month. And, four scientists and representatives of research institutions said they had participated in planning for what is being called the Brain Activity Map project.

The project, which the administration has been looking to unveil as early as March, will include federal agencies, private foundations and teams of neuroscientists and nanoscientists in a concerted effort to advance the knowledge of the brain’s billions of neurons and gain greater insights into perception, actions and, ultimately, consciousness. The NY Times has more here.

 

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Sandoval Addresses Scandal in Campaign Ad - Sanford saw his political career derailed after he admitted an affair with an Argentine woman in 2009, while initially claiming he was taking time off to hike the Appalachian Trail.

He announced last month that he would reenter political life and run to fill the former House seat of Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.), who was appointed to replace former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) who departed the upper chamber to run the Heritage Foundation. Sanford served three terms in the House before becoming South Carolina governor.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Senators Schumer, Barrasso Spar on Looming Sequester - Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) predicted Sunday that Republicans would eventually accept Democrats’ combination of closing tax loopholes and spending cuts to replace sequestration.

“I think that the Democrats have the high ground both substantively and politically, and we will win on this issue. … I believe that just like on the ‘fiscal cliff,’ Republicans will come on board. They have no choice,” Schumer said on CNN’s State of the Union.

But Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) rejected the notion that Republicans would need to accept new tax hikes to replace the $85 billion of cuts slated for March 1.

He said a Senate Democratic package released last week had little chance of passing. That plan called for $55 billion in spending cuts and another $55 billion in tax code changes. Of the spending cuts, half would come from the Defense Department, and half from ending direct farm subsidies.

It also would have called for an income tax increase on Americans making at least $1 million per year, which Republicans have resisted.  TheHill.com has more here.

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First Details of White House Immigration Reform Emerge - An overhaul of the nation’s immigration system being drafted by the White House would allow illegal immigrants to seek permanent legal residency — the first step to citizenship — within eight years.

The draft bill would allow the nation’s estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to seek a “lawful prospective immigrant” visa, if they paid fees, submitted biometric information and passed a criminal background check. That would allow them to live and work freely in the country without fear of deportation, as well as to travel for brief time periods out of the country.

In eight years, they could then seek a green card, which would afford them permanent residency if they learned English and paid back taxes. Currently, those who hold a green card for at least five years can then seek citizenship. USA Today has more here.

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Hagel Inches Forward to Confirmation - on the Sunday morning political talk shows, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) indicated Hagel was likely to receive confirmation next week.  They both had supported the filibuster against the confirmation of Chuch Hagel for defense secretary.

"I'm confident that Sen. Hagel will probably have the votes necessary to be confirmed as secretary of defense," Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press."

Graham announced on "Fox News Sunday" that Hagel sent him a letter, saying that he did not recall making the remark in a 2007 speech at Rutgers University. In that speech, the former Republican senator from Nebraska reportedly said the State Department was an adjunct of the Israeli foreign minister's office. Graham, also a Republican, called that alleged remark "disturbing," as critics said it was part of a pattern where President Barack Obama's nominee to be the next secretary of defense has taken stances seen as hostile to Israel.

"He did not recall saying that," Graham said of Hagel's letter. "He disavows saying that. ... If that's true, that would end that matter."

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Menendez Ethics Continue to Receive Scrutiny - Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) has been embroiled in a controversy involving his relations with a Miami campaign contributor and the awarding of a security contract at a port in the Dominican Republic.

Menendez, whose relationship with Melgen is the subject of a Senate ethics inquiry, was a major beneficiary of the doctor’s generosity, repeatedly flying on his private plane to the Dominican Republic, staying as a guest at his seaside mansion and receiving large campaign contributions. Melgen donated $700,000 to Menendez and other Senate Democrats last year. The senator was also the most powerful champion of the port deal, publicly urging U.S. officials to pressure Dominican authorities to enforce the contract.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Cheat Sheet

George Wenschhof

If you guessed the looming budget cuts called for in the sequester would be a topic on the Sunsay morning political talks shows, you would be correct.

The House just voted to take a recess, with all Democrats joined by four Republicans voting against, with the scheduled budgets cuts scheduled to kick in on March 1.

The House and Senate will not reconvene until February 25, giving them only days to work out an agreement or an extension when they return.

The Republican Filibuster on the confirmation vote for Chuch Hagel as Defense Secretary will also receive attention, especially after Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) admitted in a interview Friday, the filibuster was a result of Republican anger against Hagel for his opposition to the war in Iraq and the subsequent strategy referred to as the "surge".

New White House chief of staff, Denis McDonough makes the rounds on the morning shows as he introduces himself while pushing for President Obama's second term agenda.

Gun Violence legislation will also be discussed when retired astronaut Mark Kelly, who is the husband of former representative Gabrielle Giffords, appears on NBC "Meet The Press".

Look also for the news yesterday of the plea agreement reached by the Justice Department with former Illinois representative Jesse Jackson Jr. to receive plenty of discussion.

The announcement by Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), he was not running for reelection buoyed the hopes of Newark Democratic mayor Cory Booker, who will appear on CBS "Face The Nation".  Booker had also though about running for Governor, but wisely chose against that option as New Jersey Republican Governor Chris Christie approval ratings have soared following super storm Sandy.

The scheduled guests follow below.

NBC "Meet The Press" - White House chief of staff Denis McDonough, Astronaut Mark Kelly and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.)

Roundtable discussion with Calf. Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Carly Fiorina, Alex Castellanos, and Chris Matthews.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Denis McDonough, Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Cory Booker and Haley Barbour.

Roundtable discussion with Tom Ricks, David Ignatius, Amy Walter, Michael Gerson and John Dickerson.

ABC "This Week" - Denis McDonough and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.)

Roundtable discussion with George Will, Newt Gingrich, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.), Ruth Marcus and Stuart Stevens.

CNN "State of The Union" - Senators Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Jack Reed (D-Rhode Island), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.).

Roundtable discussion with Dana Bash, Ron Klain, Jeff Zeleny and Steven LaTourette.

Fox News Sunday - Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

Roundtable discussion with Karl Rove, Bob Woodward, Kimberely Strassel, and Juan Williams

Bloomberg TV "Political Capital" - Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.)

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



President Obama continues to push his proposals he called for in his State of The Union Address.

The president said that, taken as a package, his ideas will lead to a thriving middle class.

“Every day, we should ask ourselves three questions: How do we bring good jobs to America? How do we equip people with the skills those jobs require? And how do we make sure your hard work leads to a decent living?,” he said.

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Republican Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Representative Martha Roby (R-Ala.) called for "better and more responsible spending cuts" than were set to go into effect with the looming sequester.

Instead of using a mixture of revenue increases and spending cuts, Republicans want spending cuts only.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama in Chicago Today - continuing his effort to reach out to voters on his proposals he spoke of in his State of The Union Address.

Obama is scheduled to speak at Hyde Park Academy at 3:45 p.m. ET. Obama is expected to discuss gun violence in his remarks, including the death of Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old girl who performed at Obama's inauguration and was shot a week later in Chicago. The Chicago Tribune has more here.

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Democrats Propose $110 Billion Plan To Avoid Sequester - Republicans Reject It - Senate Democrats on Thursday proposed a plan to put off dramatic cuts to the Defense Department and a host of popular government programs until next January.

Democrats agreed on an approximately $110 billion package -- half tax increases and half spending cuts -- during a caucus meeting at the Capitol. Their goal is to temporarily avert the looming sequester, set for March 1, by ending agricultural subsidies -- saving the government an estimated $27.5 billion -- and cutting defense by the same amount through 2021.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dismissed it as "a total waste of time."

"This is not a solution — even they know it can’t pass," McConnell said on the Senate floor Thursday.  MSNBC.com has more here.
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Obama Holds Online Fireside Chat - yesterday, for close to an hour, President Barack Obama opened the door to eliminating the penny, blasted the GOP for delaying Chuck Hagel’s nomination as Defense secretary and dished on the minimum wage, climate change, immigration, Benghazi and even the merits of Valentine’s Day in an online fireside chat Thursday afternoon.

The Google+ hangout featured questions from bloggers and others across the political spectrum.  RollCall.com has more here.

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Republicans Filibuster Hagel Nomination - Democrats fell short with 55 votes on the cloture vote, leading some liberal Democrats to question the decision by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) to not make changes to the 60 vote filibuster rule.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Emanuel Considers 2016 Presidential Bid - Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is reportedly considering launching a 2016 presidential bid, but the former Obama chief of staff's office attempted to throw cold water on those speculations.

Emanuel has discussed a possible run on the phone and in person with prominent party donors and fundraisers who are part of fundraising efforts for his 2015 reelection bid in Chicago.

"I heard there were some conversations with donors, especially during the inauguration,” said one unnamed "well-known Democratic politico," according to The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast has more here.

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Lautenberg Announces Retirement - Sen. Frank Lautenberg's (D-N.J.) decision Thursday to retire from the Senate opens a clearer path to the Democratic nomination for Newark Mayor Cory Booker, but a difficult primary fight could still lay ahead.

Booker (D) had already indicated he'd run whether or not Lautenberg retired, and likely faces a much easier path to the seat now that the senior senator has made the decision to bow out.

In a statement, the Newark mayor praised Lautenberg for his "legacy of service" and noted that they had worked together on issues in Newark. Booker made no reference to the 2014 Senate campaign.  TheHill.com has more here. 
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Democrats Lynch and Markey Battle for Kerry Senate Seat - Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) has the backing of the Democratic establishment, but a poll out Friday suggested that he may not have the party's nomination in the Massachusetts special U.S. Senate election sewn up just yet.
 
The survey from MassINC Polling Group, conducted on behalf of Boston-based public radio station WBUR, showed Markey holding a 7-point edge over Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) among Democrats and likely Democratic primary voters.

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