Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

James Comey

Obama To Nominate Comey as FBI Director -President Barack Obama will officially nominate James Comey as the next director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation on Friday, the White House announced today.
 
He will succeed outgoing director Robert Mueller, who took over the post just days before September 11, 2001.

Comey, a Republican, served as the deputy attorney general in the George W. Bush administration and as the top federal prosecutor for the Southern District of New York.  TPM.com has more here.

---

Howard Dean

Howard Dean Considers Run for President - Howard Dean, the former Vermont governor who electrified anti-war liberals during the 2004 presidential race, said Thursday he would consider another run for the White House – a statement that will surely be met with mixed reaction in the Democratic Party.
Dean, whose underdog presidential campaign officially launched 10 years ago this weekend, said he has "mixed feelings" about running for office again but added he would consider another bid for the Democratic presidential nomination if he doesn't think the other candidates are adequately addressing progressive issues that are dear to his heart.

"I am not driven by my own ambition," Dean told CNN in an interview at the Netroots Nation conference, an annual gathering of left-leaning political activists. "What I am driven by is pushing the country in a direction that it desperately needs to be pushed; pushing other politicians who aren't quite as frank as I am who need to be more candid with the American people about what needs to happen.  CNN.com has more here.

---

Obama To Meet With Privacy Oversight Board - President Obama will hold his first-ever meeting with the Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board (PCLOB) — the group charged with ensuring the executive branch balances privacy and civil liberties needs with its national security efforts — on Friday, according to a senior administration official.

The move comes as the White House is under intense scrutiny for how it conducts its secret surveillance programs, including through monitoring Americans’ cell phone and e-mail traffic. The board is charged both with overseeing the executive branch’s approach to national security and to make sure that civil liberty concerns are taken into account when the federal government develops and implements law, regulations and policies related to national security.  The Wsahington Post has more here.

---

Dow Drops After Federal Reserve Meeting - The stock market suffered heavy losses Thursday, one day after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke laid out how the central bank hoped to wean the U.S. economy off its stimulus in the coming year.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed down 353 points, or 2.3 percent. The blue-chip index also suffered heavy losses Wednesday after the Fed's latest statement, resulting in a two-day total loss of 550 points.  TheHill.com has more here. 

---

Senators Close To Agreement on Student Loans - A bipartisan group of senators is close to reaching an agreement to stop student loan rates from doubling on July 1, aides said Thursday afternoon.

The legislation would represent a compromise between the plan pitched by President Barack Obama and Senate Republicans. It would link the rate of new loans to Treasury bonds and lock the rate in for the life of the loan — a key priority for the White House that was missing from a House Republican bill.  Politico.com has more here.

---

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Farm Bill Fails in House - A major piece of farm legislation went down to a surprising and dramatic defeat in the House on Thursday, as conservatives joined with most Democrats to oppose the $940 billion bill.

The House voted 195-234, with 62 Republicans joining 172 Democrats, to defeat the bill. The vote was regarded as a surprise, and represented an embarrassment to the House GOP leadership team.

President Barack Obama had threatened to veto the House legislation had it somehow eventually reached his desk.  NBC News has more here.

---

Donations to Frederick Politics are Appreciated - Click on the Donation Button in right hand margin of page - Thank You!

Sunday morning "Talking Heads" Lineup for 8-22-2010

George Wenschhof

Some foreign policy discussion will join domestic issues on the Sunday morning "Talking Heads" this weekend. The withdrawal of all combat troops from Iraq took place this past week while the struggle in Afghanistan continues.

The announcement Friday by Secretary of state Hillary Clinton of Israel/Palestine direct peace talks to take place in Washington D.C. beginning September 2 does not appear to be receiving a lot of discussion this coming Sunday.

U.S. General Ray Odierno will appear on both CNN "State of The Union" and CBS "Face The Nation" and share his thoughts on the future of Iraq and the mission of the remaining 56,000 U.S. troops within Iraq.

Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai will be a guest on ABC "This Week" - look to see if some hard questions are ask of him; such as what is he doing to rid the wide spread corruption in his government. Expect Karzai to be critical of the u.S. use of Drones to launch missile attacks which have resulted in civilian deaths.

NBC "Meet the Press" gets back to speculation of the mid term elections with guests Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), Tea Party founder Dick Armey, and Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.)

The construction of a Mosque near ground zero in New York City receives some continued scrutiny on ABC "This Week" with the executive director of American Society of Muslim Advancement Daisy Khan and Jewish Community Center Rabbi Joy Levitt.

President Obama's statement pertaining to the importance of freedom of religious belief within the U.S. has become a lightening rod for those who oppose the building of the Mosque at this location.

Former DNC chair Howard Dean who has publicly disagreed with the president on the building of the Mosque, will also be on CNN "State of The Union". Dean has also angered members of Democracy for America (DFA) with his position on this issue. DFA was started by Dean after his loss in the Democratic primary for president in the 2004 election.

The failure of the government prosecutors to obtain a conviction on 22 of the 23 counts of corruption against former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich will be the topic of discussion on Fox New Sunday who will have Blagojevich as their guest. Look to see Blago continue his colorful comments with claims of persecution against him and his family.

NBC "Meet The Press" - House Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), former House Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Tex.) and Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-Mich.)

ABC "This Week" - Hamid Karzai, Joy Levitt, and Daisy Khan.

Roundtable discussion with Al Hunt, Robert Reich, Judy Woodruff, and George Will.

CBS "Face The Nation" - General Ray Ordierno and Senator Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.)

CNN "State of The Union" - General Ray Ordierno and Howard Dean

Fox News Sunday - former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich

---

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.

Sunday Morning "Talking Heads" Lineup for 7-25-2010

George Wenschhof

The Wall Street Reform bill was finally passed and signed into law by President Obama this week and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has the dubious honor of trying to explain a very complicated, but necessary bill, to American voters. He will be on two of the morning shows; NBC "Meet the Press and ABC "This Week". Expect him to also be asked about the struggling economy and when unemployment numbers will finally drop across the country.

The unfortunate circumstances which led to the forced resignation of Agriculture Department employee Shirley Sherrod has brought the spotlight on race in America and the proper role of the media. This situation will be discussed on most of the morning shows this Sunday with CBS "Face The Nation" having a panel discussion on the subject of race.

NBC "Meet The Press" - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Roundtable with David Brooks, EJ Dionne, Anita Dunn, Marc Morial, and Rick Santelli.

CBS "Face The Nation" - Abigail Thermstrom, Michael Eric Dyson, Cornel West, John Fund, and Michael Gerson.

ABC "This Week" - Governor Chris Christie (R-NJ) and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Roundtable with Steven Hayes, Sam Donaldson, Cokie Roberts, and Donna Brazile.

CNN "State of The Union" - General Michael Hayden (Ret.), Steve Forbes, Christopher Edley, John McWherter, and Mort Zuckerman.

Fox News Sunday - Howard Dean, Jesse Jackson, and Newt Gingrich.

---

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.

Democratic Chatter 3-7-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

In his weekly address to the nation this morning, President Barack Obama again spoke of the efforts being made to help the struggling economy - you can watch the video of his address here. The President and his family will be spending the weekend at Camp David. This is the presidential retreat in the Catoctin Mountains near Thurmont, Maryland.

--------------------

President Obama to reverse ban on stem cell research - It is being reported he will sign an executive order on Monday morning that will overturn the ban of federal funds for stem cell research. The Washington Post has more here.

--------------------

Howard Dean for U.S. Surgeon General? - now that Dr. Sanjay Gupta has withdrawn from consideration. Howard Dean is also a doctor, a former Governor of Vermont, a candidate in the 2004 Presidential election and most recently the chair of the Democratic National Committee. We reported recently Dean had returned to work with Democracy for America, the organization he formed after his failed presidential bid. His supporters are not happy that so far, he has been passed over by the Obama administration. Reuters.com has more here.

--------------------

410 billion Omnibus bill hits wall in Senate - the spending bill needed to fund government agencies throughout the remainder of this fiscal year stalled in the senate. This may have been the one too many bill with increased funding to come before Congress. Even democrats are fighting with each other over tack ons or earmarks which were added to the necessary funding. The result was a compromise to keep government running for five days until Congress can reach agreement on the bill. MSNBC.com has more here.

--------------------

On the foreign policy front, the U.S. has begun talks with Syria - secretary of state Hillary Clinton announced talks were underway with the country that has had strained relations with the U.S. - any break though here would be welcomed in a very troubled Mid-East region. Reportedly, two U.S. representatives; Jeffrey Feltman and Daniel Shapiro are in Syria conducting talks. You can read more here.

--------------------

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Democratic Chatter 3-3-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

This morning, President Barack Obama will speak at the Departments of Transportation and Interior - he will be discussing his Stimulus bill and how it affects them. He will be accompanied by Vice President Joe Biden. Later, the President will meet with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. ThePage.Time.com has more here.

--------------------

Yesterday, the Dow Jones lost 300 to close below 7000 - at 6,763.29, this is the lowest close since 1997 and has investors wondering what is the bottom? The news that the government was going to be in for another 30 billion for AIG along with Warren Buffet's dire comments on the prospects for this year's economy helped to spur the selling yesterday. Bloomberg.com has more here.

--------------------

Steele - Limbaugh battle as Republican party infighting grows - the conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh and the chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC) Michael Steele are attacking each other as the Republican party continues it's meltdown. After losing the House, the Senate and the Presidency, Republicans are struggling to find a message and a leader. TheHill.com has more here.

--------------------

CIA acknowledges it destroyed close to 100 interrogation tapes, Obama releases Bush administration Justice Department memos on warrantless search and seizure - Wow! a double whammy for the George W. Bush administration that gives support for Democratic leaders who are calling for investigations. Seems close to 100 tapes of terrorists being interrogated were destroyed. You can read more here.

In addition, it was revealed today a total of nine memos were released by the Justice Department with one dated back in 2001 in which the Bush administration claimed the military could search and seizure without warrants. You can read more here.

--------------------

Oops! another Obama nominee with back tax issues - this time it is Ron Kirk, the nominee for U.S. Trade Representative. The Senate finance committee discovered the $10,000 in owed backed taxes during the confirmation process. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) chair of the committee still called Kirk the right man for the job. MSNBC.com has more here.

--------------------

Howard Dean returns to Democracy for America (DFA) - he sent a email to supporters last night informing them he was back with the organization he founded. After his failed bid for the Democratic party nomination for president in 2004, he founded DFA to promote Democratic candidates across the country. He was then elected chair of the Democratic National Committee and his brother took over at DFA. Today, with one million members, DFA provides grassroots training, training for candidates, and fundraising for candidates.

--------------------

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Democratic Chatter 2-9-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

Today, President Barack Obama is in Elkhart, Indiana - Elkhart, which has a population of 53,000, leads the country in unemployment. In December, the unemployment rate hit 15.3% in this town where the recreational vehicle industry is a major job source. The President will hold a town hall meeting to discuss his Stimulus bill at Concord Community High School at noon. The Indianapolis Star has more here.

--------------------

Tonight, the President will hold a press conference at 8:00 PM ET - part of his push this week to sell his stimulus bill known as the America Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. He will be back at the White House and will take questions from the Press from the East Wing. Read more here.

Meanwhile, the Senate continues to debate the bill with a vote to end discussion possibly taking place tonight. 60 votes are needed and presently it looks as though there will not be more than one or two more votes than are needed. The bill would then go to a full vote in the Senate tomorrow before heading to committee to reconcile differences with the House version of the bill. After reconciliation of the bill, it would be sent to the White House for signature.

--------------------

While the economy currently has the spotlight, the Obama administration is hard at work addresses the foreign policy issues facing the country - Vice-President Joe Biden just returned from a trip to Germany where he set a new tone for U.S. relations in Europe.

Also attending the conference in Munich was special envoy to Afghanistan-Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke. Holbrooke warned the stabilization of Afghanistan could be tougher than Iraq. The NY Times has more here.

An ABC-BBC-ARD German TV poll released today shows public support of U.S. plummeting in Afghanistan. In regard to is the country headed in the right direction?, the results were 40%, down from 77% in 2005. As to views favorable to the U.S.? the results were 47%, down from 83% in 2005. ABC News has more here.

--------------------

Howard Dean receives support for Secretary of HHS - we reported after Tom Daschle withdrew from consideration for the cabinet position that Howard Dean should be considered. Bernie Sanders, the Independent Senator from Vermont voiced support for the former Governor of Vermont. The Hill.com has more here. Others being considered are Governors Kathleen Sebelius (D-Kan.) and Phil Bredesen (D-Tenn.). Dean, the former chair of the DNC has not been considered for any positions within the Obama administration leading some to speculate there is a rift that exists.

--------------------

Terry McAuliffe receives early shot across the bow at Virginia annual Jefferson-Jackson Day Dinner - many look at the former national chair of the Hillary Clinton for president campaign and former DNC chair as an interloper in Virginia. One of his opponents in the Democratic primary is Brian Moran who took a swipe at Mcauliffe's bringing in national dollars to a local race and showing up after the tough battles had been waged to turn the state blue. CNN.com has more here.

--------------------

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Democratic Chatter 2-4-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

President Barack Obama will announce $500,000 pay limit for executives of companies receiving bailout funds - He will hold a press conference this morning at 11:00 AM ET. Joining him will be Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner who will spell out additional rules for the remaining $350 Billion of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). Reuters.com has more here. This comes after revelations surfaced of no accountability on how the first 350 Billion was spent, executives receiving million dollar bonuses, and expensive Jets and office renovations taking place by companies who had received bailout funds.

--------------------

Speaking of the Bailout bill, how about helping homeowners in distress? - this is what everyone was led to believe the 700 Billion TARP bill was intended to do. Instead, the first 350 Billion went with no strings attached to financial institutions. Now, both Republicans and Democrats are looking at ways to provide funds to help distressed homeowners and the housing market. The NY Times has more here.

--------------------

"I screwed up" - was one of many statements made by the President last night as he made the rounds appearing on the major television networks. The scheduled interviews had been set up for President Obama to explain the importance of passing the Stimulus Bill. Instead, he was apologizing for the withdrawals of two of his nominees; Nancy Killefer and Tom Daschle due to tax issues. ThePage.time.com has some videos of the interviews here.

--------------------

How about Howard Dean for HHS Secretary? - the former Vermont Governor and Democratic National Committee chair also happens to be a doctor. Now that Daschle has removed himself, how about considering Dean for the position? The question was posed by Chris Matthews on MSNBC "Hardball" last night. Dean, who as chair of the DNC, successfully implemented a 50 state strategy that helped Obama win the Presidency. Since the election, he has been replaced by Virginia Governor Tim Kaine and mostly snubbed by the Obama administration. He deserves consideration for the position.

--------------------

Remember the Minnesota senate race? - a Minnesota court ruled yesterday to consider an additional 4800 of the 12,000 previously rejected absentee ballots. Republican Norm Coleman's campaign was pleased with the ruling and democrat Al Franken said it was good to have clarity. The Franken campaign also intends to ask the court to instruct Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Secretary of State Mark Ritchie to issue a temporary election certificate. They have refused to do so until all legal challenges have been decided. Franken won by 225 votes in the state mandated recount. CNN.com has more here.

--------------------

Bonnie Newman named to replace Judd Gregg as Senator in New Hampshire - as we reported previously, Democratic Governor John Lynch announced the appointment today. This keeps the seat as a Republican after Gregg was nominated to be Commerce Secretary by the President. In what appears to be a little bit of wheeling and dealing, Newman will not run in 2010 and she will not endorse a candidate in that race. Politico.com has more here.

--------------------

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.

Democratic Chatter 1-17-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

Today, President-elect Barack Obama begins his Whistle Stop Tour - He and his family will depart from Philadelphia this morning and head to Wilmington, Delaware to be joined by Vice President-elect Joe Biden and his family. After a late afternoon stop in Baltimore, the final destination will be Washington, D.C. - We posted the schedule yesterday and it can be seen here.

--------------------

Solis nomination for Labor Secretary receives Republican opposition - Representative Hilda Solis continues to receive opposition that threatens to derail her nomination. The republican opposition surrounds her ties with Labor and her vague answers to questions pertaining to right-to-work laws and the card check bill. Politico.com has more here.

--------------------

Minnesota Senate race may be determined soon - the Coleman campaign challenge has been scheduled for January 26. Democrat Al Franken won the state mandated recount by 225 votes and was certified the winner by the state canvassing board but due to the legal challenge has not been able to be seated in the Senate. The Minneapolis Star-tribune has more here.

As to the only other open senate seat, NY Governor David Paterson has said he will make his decision on the person to fill the vacant Hillary Clinton Senate immediately following the Inauguration. Caroline Kennedy and Andrew Cuomo are the favorites to receive this appointment.

--------------------

Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich update - His lawyer, Ed Gensen has informed the Governor he will not defend him in the upcoming impeachment proceedings in the Illinois Senate. The reason was the rules were not fair. Gensen will continue to represent the Governor in the criminal charges against him. NBC affiliate has more here.

--------------------

No job for outgoing DNC chair Howard Dean in Obama administration - Howard Dean will step down as chair of the Democratic National Committee the day after the Inauguration of the President-elect and Virginia Governor Tim Kaine will be his replacement. To date, there have been no offers forthcoming from the incoming Obama administration. This, in spite of his successful 50 state strategy which was embraced by the Obama campaign. MSNBC.com has more here.

--------------------

To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.