Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Obama Reflects on South Africa's Past and Mandela's Legacy - On a stage at a university in Soweto, Obama recalled the anti-apartheid student protests in the township three decades earlier, when a black youth was killed by police. Then the president hailed the lessons of Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid icon who lay seriously ill in a hospital.

“As you go forward, I want you to think about the man in our prayers today,” Obama said. “Think of the 27 years in prison, the hardship and struggles. . . . In your lives, there are times that will test your faith. Don’t lose those qualities of your youth: your imagination, your optimism, your idealism.”  The Washington Post has more here.

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RNC Chairman Says GOP has done a "Lousy" Job at Reaching Out to Latinos -The chairman of the Republican National Committee told a gathering of the nation’s Latino public officials Saturday that the GOP has done a “lousy” job reaching out to their community, but pledged that a new outreach campaign shows “we want to earn your trust, and your vote.”
 
RNC Chairman Reince Priebus also reiterated his belief in the need for “comprehensive” immigration reform but acknowledged he’s not a policy maker who can shape a plan for Republicans who control the House.

Priebus’ appearance before the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials, holding its 30th annual convention at a downtown Chicago hotel, marked another step in the GOP’s outreach efforts following an intensive study in the aftermath of the 2012 elections.  The Chicago Tribune has more here.

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Kerry Continues To Press for Israel-Palestine Talks - Secretary of State John F. Kerry prepared to leave the Middle East on Sunday afternoon without achieving an Israeli-Palestinian agreement to return to the negotiating table.

“We have made real progress, but we have a few things we need to work out,” Kerry said as he left a final round of talks with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, his third in as many days, in Ramallah, the seat of Palestinian government on the West Bank.

His three days of intensive, non-stop meetings with Netanyahu, in Jerusalem, and Abbas, first in Amman, Jordan and Sunday in Ramallah, were clearly the centerpiece of the trip. “We have had very positive discussions, very important discussions, for the last few days,” Kerry said as he stood with Abbas outside the Palestinian leader’s residence. “We both feel good about the direction.”  You can read more here.

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NSA Bugged European Union Offices - The U.S. bugged European Union embassies and hacked into internal computer networks, according to a report in a German magazine on Saturday, the latest disclosure from National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.

Der Spiegel said it had been shown a September 2010 classified document from Snowden detailing the NSA’s surveillance of EU offices in Washington, D.C. and at the United Nations.

The document referred to the EU as a “target” and the report suggests that the surveillance included documents and emails. The report also claims NSA surveillance extended to Justus Lipsius building in Brussels, the office for the European Council.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Protests Continue in Egypt - Egyptians and their security forces prepared for demonstrations on Sunday that may determine their future, two years after people power toppled a dictator and ushered in a democracy crippled by bitter divisions.

"The longest day," headlined government newspaper Al-Gomhuriya above pictures of two rival camps in Cairo. One was of Islamist supporters of President Mohamed Mursi, the other of protesters in Tahrir Square who said they wanted him out by day's end or they would sit there until he goes, like Hosni Mubarak in 2011.  Reuters.com has more here.

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Biden Calls Ecaudor About Snowden Asylum Request - President Rafael Correa of Ecuador said Saturday that Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. had asked him in a telephone call not to grant asylum to Edward J. Snowden, the fugitive former security contractor wanted in the United States.

Mr. Correa, speaking on his weekly television broadcast, said that the two had a “cordial” conversation on Friday initiated by Mr. Biden, but said he could not decide on Mr. Snowden’s request until he entered Ecuador. 

The fallout from Mr. Snowden’s disclosures widened Saturday, as the German magazine Der Spiegel reported that the United States had eavesdropped on European Union offices in Washington, Brussels and at the United Nations in New York. The NY Times has more here.

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



President Obama on Saturday urged voters to demand a commitment to action on climate change from political candidates.

“Remind everyone who represents you, at every level of government, that there is no contradiction between a sound environment and a strong economy – and that sheltering future generations against the ravages of climate change is a prerequisite for your vote,” Obama said in his weekly address.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Immigration Bill Moves To House Where Passage is Doubtful - On Thursday, by 68-32, a bipartisan coalition of senators passed a historic immigration reform bill. Fourteen Republicans joined all Democrats in passing the legislation.
 
The coalition, and thus the legislation, is held together less by a meeting in the middle than by marrying elements of conservative and liberal reform visions, and business and labor interests.

Its key tradeoff is a plan to send thousands of agents to the U.S.-Mexico border while simultaneously placing millions of current immigrants on a pathway to citizenship. But it also creates a highly regulated guest worker program, and a high-skilled worker visa program, and strict rules governing how immigrants already in the country can turn the promise of citizenship into reality.

But the House isn’t poised to pass anything similar, let alone adopt the Senate bill full stop. On Thursday, Boehner reiterated, and expanded, a standard for passing immigration reform legislation that will result in either a narrower, more conservative bill, or no bill at all.  TPM.com has more here.

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Obama Calls on House To Pass Immigration Bill - President Obama on Thursday called for the House to pass immigration reform after the Senate approved its bill.
“Today, the Senate did its job,” Obama said in a statement released minutes after the Senate’s 68-32 vote. “It’s now up to the House to do the same.”

Obama said the Senate vote brought the nation “a critical step closer” to fixing a broken system “once and for all.”

As this process moves forward, I urge everyone who cares about this issue to keep a watchful eye,” Obama added. “Now is the time when opponents will try their hardest to pull this bipartisan effort apart so they can stop common-sense reform from becoming a reality. We cannot let that happen.”  TheHill.com has more here.

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Retired General Under Investigation for Leaking Classified Information - A retired four-star Marine Corps general who served as the nation’s second-ranking military officer is a target of a Justice Department investigation into a leak of information about a covert U.S.-Israeli cyberattack on Iran’s nuclear program, a senior Obama administration official said.

Retired Gen. James E. “Hoss” Cartwright served as deputy chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and was part of President Obama’s inner circle on a range of critical national security issues before he retired in 2011.

The administration official said that Cartwright is suspected of revealing information about a highly classified effort to use a computer virus later dubbed Stuxnet to sabotage equipment in Iranian nuclear enrichment plants.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Egypt Clerics Warn of Civil War, Urge Calm - Egypt's leading religious authority warned of "civil war" on Friday and called for calm after a member of the ruling Muslim Brotherhood was killed ahead of mass rallies aimed at forcing the president to quit.

"Vigilance is required to ensure we do not slide into civil war," the Al-Azhar clerical institution said in a statement reported by state media. It blamed "criminal gangs" who attacked mosques for street violence. Clashes linked to the political tensions have killed five and wounded scores in recent days.  Reuters.com has more here.

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Texas Legislature Special Session To Pass Ban on Late Term Abortions - Texas Gov. Rick Perry has a message for those hailing new liberal icon Wendy Davis for bringing down a restrictive state abortion measure: Enjoy it while it lasts.

Come Monday, the Texas Legislature will reconvene in special session, and enacting far-reaching abortion limits is a top Perry priority.

“This is simply too important a cause to allow unruly actions of a few to stand in its way,” the Republican governor told the National Right to Life Convention in Dallas Tuesday. “And that is the reason I’ve announced that I’m bringing lawmakers back to Austin, Texas, to finish their business.” That includes banning most abortions after 20 weeks and approving related measures that could lead to the closure of most abortion clinics in Texas.  Politico.com has more here.
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Student Loan Rates Set To Double - The Senate is unlikely to strike a deal to prevent student loan rates from rising on July 1.

On Thursday, two groups of senators -- one a bipartisan group that includes Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Tom Coburn (R-OK), the other of just Democrats -- planned to release proposals to prevent rates from doubling from 3.4 percent to 6.8 percent while Congress is taking a vacation for the July 4 holiday.

A group of Democrats -- Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI), Kay Hagan (D-NC), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Al Franken (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) -- planned a press conference for Thursday afternoon to announce a plan for another one-year extension of current rates.

But neither is likely to come up for a vote on the floor before senators depart for that holiday. NBC News has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

Markey Wins in Massachusetts - Ed Markey has won the Massachusetts special Senate election, keeping both Bay State Senate seats in Democratic hands and denying Republican Gabriel Gomez’s bid to repeat Scott Brown’s stunning upset of 2010.
 
Markey led by 10 percentage points, 55 percent to 45 percent, with 99 percent of precincts reporting.  Politico.com has more here.
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Watch Gallery Fibuster Supporting Texas state Senate Wendy Davis - There was an extraordinary scene overnight in the Texas state senate as a packed gallery of pro choice protesters showed their support for state Sen. Wendy Davis (D), who led a filibuster aimed at derailing what would have been the toughest abortion measure in the country.
 
Although the bill ultimately died anyway, Davis' filibuster fell three hours short after the chairman ruled that she had veered off topic. The ruling prompted the protesters to stage their own "gallery filibuster," cheering and chanting for more than ten minutes. TPM.com has more here.

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Strong Support Among Democrats for Obama Drops - Obama’s favorability stands at 53 percent, compared to 44 percent of Americans who view him unfavorably. While 85 percent of Democrats regard Obama favorably, the number of those who are strongly supportive of him has dropped since the start of the year. Just 58 percent of Democrats describe themselves as having a “strongly favorable” view of Obama, down from 72 percent who said the same in January. Obama’s numbers among liberal as well as moderate/conservative Democrats are also at their lowest levels in Post-ABC polling since prior to the Democratic National Convention in the summer of 2012.  The Washington Post has more here.

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Weiner Leads in Race for New York Mayor - Former U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner leads City Council Speaker Christine Quinn in the race for New York City’s Democratic mayoral nomination for the first time, snatching the frontrunner mantle as the contest heads into the final months before the primary, the latest survey from The Wall Street Journal-NBC New York-Marist showed.

Among registered Democrats, Mr. Weiner had 25% of the vote, compared with Ms. Quinn, who had 20%, marking her lowest level of support since polling of the race began. Trailing them were former Comptroller Bill Thompson, at 13%, Public Advocate Bill de Blasio, 10% and city Comptroller John Liu, 8%. Fewer than one in five Democrats say they are undecided. The Wall Street Journal has more here.

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New Jersey Senate Candidate Corey Booker Releases First Campaign Ad - "I spent my career not running from challenges but toward them," Booker said in the ad titled "Run."

"Washington ducks our problems, I won't."

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Ted Olson and David Boise

Rulings on Same-Sex Marriage Expected from Supreme Court Today - The Supreme Court is expected to rule Wednesday in a pair of historic cases on same-sex marriage.

The court is set to rule in two cases on same-sex marriage. The first challenges the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) — the federal law, enacted in 1996, that prohibits same-sex couples from receiving federal benefits, even if they live in a state where same-sex marriage is legal.

Most observers expect the court to strike down DOMA, but as an encroachment on the rights of states rather than those of same-sex couples.

The second and more complicated case is a challenge to California's Proposition 8, which banned same-sex marriage in the state.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Mursi to Address Egyptian People as Unrest Grows - President Mohamed Mursi will speak to the Egyptian people on Wednesday in a televised address that could determine his political survival as millions prepare to rally to demand his removal this weekend.

Fears of a showdown in the streets between Mursi's Islamist supporters and a broad coalition of the disaffected have led people to stock up on food and buy up fuel supplies.

The army and police are preparing to contain any trouble, adding men and barriers around important public buildings.  Reuters.com has more here.

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Daily Political Wire

George Wenschhof

President Obama and Chinese President Xi  

Obama Warns Xi Continued Cybertheft Would Damage Relations - President Obama confronted Chinese President Xi Jinping in Rancho Mirage, California, with specific evidence of China’s widespread theft of intellectual property from U.S. companies and warned the newly minted Chinese leader that continued ­cybertheft would undermine economic ties between the rival nations, U.S. officials said.

The discussion came near the end of a high-stakes and unusual summit, where Obama and Xi reached breakthroughs on other critical issues, including an agreement to work together to denuclearize North Korea and to confront global climate change.  The Washington Post has more here.
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Richardson Charged with Mailing Threatening Letter to Obama - Shannon Richardson, a Texas-based actress who has had small parts in movies and television shows including “The Walking Dead” and “The Vampire Diaries,” was charged Friday for allegedly mailing a threatening letter to President Barack Obama. She was not charged in connection with the ricin found on the Obama letter or the two other ricin-tainted letters she allegedly mailed to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Mark Glaze, the director of Bloomberg’s Mayors Against Illegal Guns group.
 
Richardson’s arrest marked an abrupt twist in a case in which authorities say she initially contacted law enforcement and accused her husband, Nathaniel, of committing the crime. Court documents in the case reveal what led to Shannon’s arrest, including her alleged failure of a lie detector test, evidence the letters were printed from her laptop, and the fact her husband has an alibi for when the printing occurred. Nathaniel Richardson has not been charged.  TPM.com has more here.

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Booker Makes New Jersey Senate Run Official - Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker (D) formally announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate on Saturday.

"I'm here today to officially announce my candidacy to be New Jersey's next United States senator," Booker, speaking at the headquarters of Audible.com, a company that moved Newark in 2007, said.

Booker was introduced by former Sen. Bill Bradley (D-N.J.), who Booker praised as a "giant" in the Senate.

Booker specifically mentioned gun violence and job creation in his speech.  TheHill.com has more here.

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Emily's List: Republican "War on Women" Never Ended - A Friday memo by Jess McIntosh, the group's communication director, points to several off-the-wall statements made by Republican pols and candidates in the last two weeks that has "effectively re-opened the wound that caused the historic gender gap in 2012."

A number of conservatives raised eyebrows for claiming that female breadwinners are antithetical to nature, that women "don't want" equal pay, that working mothers ruined the American education system and that "hormone levels created by nature" drive sexual assaults in the military.

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Obama Weekly Address

George Wenschhof



Obama says in his weekly address that the immigration reform bill would offer a path to citizenship for 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally provided they meet certain criteria, strengthen border security and generally "modernize" the nation's immigration system.

"That’s what immigration reform looks like. Smarter enforcement. A pathway to earned citizenship," Obama said. "Improvements to the legal immigration system. They’re all commonsense steps. They’ve got broad support – from Republicans and Democrats, CEOs and labor leaders, law enforcement and clergy. So there is no reason that Congress can’t work together to send a bill to my desk by the end of the summer.

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Join Obama Campaign Kick-Off Call Tonight at 8:30 PM ET

George Wenschhof

Jim Messina, campaign manager for the Obama 2012 reelection campaign, sent supporters an email today inviting them to join in a telephone conference call tonight April 5th, with President Obama and Vice President Biden.

You can join in the conference call or listen live online with an RSVP here.

If tonight is not good for you, there will be another conference call with David Axelrod on Thursday April 7th, at 7:00 PM ET. You can RSVP to that call here.

This appears to be a continuation of the online strategy that worked so well for Obama in the 2008 election.

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Daily Political Wire 8-18-2010

George Wenschhof

Today, President Obama is in Columbus, Ohio - where he will meet with a family in their home and also meet with families in a roundtable discussion. Later, he will speak at a fundraiser for Democratic Governor Ted Strickland. The president then travels to Florida where he will speak at a fundraiser for the state Democratic Party.

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Blagojevich found guilty on only one of 24 charges - after two weeks of deliberations, the jury could only agree on guilt relating to one charge of lying to the FBI by the former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. The prosecutor has vowed to retry the case and Blagojevich's attorneys have said they will appeal the guilty verdict on the single charge. The Washington Post has more here.

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Gore Shows frustrations with lack of action on Climate/Energy bill - in a recent Blog post, the former Vice President spoke of how activists need to protest and take to the streets. he was speaking in regard to the lack of action by the senate on a comprehensive Climate/Energy bill. TheHill.com has more here.

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Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) calls for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to be abolished - the chair of the House Financial Services Committee says they should be replaced by a single mechanism to help subsidize housing.

The two huge mortgage corporations were private with government assistance until taken over entirely by the government toward the end of the George W. Bush administration. Together, the two companies have receive 150 billion in bail out funds. Reuters.com has more here.

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Robert Murdoch's News Corporation donates 1 million to Republican Governors Association - among the news outlets owned by Murdoch are Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and the New York Post.

So much for "Fair and Balanced" reporting. MediaMatters.com has more here.

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Murray to face Rossi for U.S. Senate in Washington - the open primary held yesterday had the two top moving on to the general election. No surprises as Democratic candidate Patty Murray was the top vote getter with 46%, followed by Republican Dino Rossi with 34%. Clint Didier, a former tight end with the Washington Redskins who also received an endorsement by Sarah Palin, received on 12% of the vote and will not move on to the general election in November. MSNBC.com has more here.

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White House Schedule

From: http://thepage.time.com/

The Political Schedule

*all times Eastern

Monday, August 9

• • 9:05 am
  • President Obama welcomes the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints to the White House
• • 9:45 am
  • President Obama departs the White House en route Andrews Air Force
• • 10:00 am
  • President Obama departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Austin, Texas
• • 1:05 pm
  • President Obama arrives in Austin, Texas
• • 2:05 pm
  • President Obama delivers remarks at a DNC finance event
• • 3:00 pm
  • President Obama delivers remarks on higher education and the economy
• • 4:30 pm
  • President Obama departs Austin, Texas en route Dallas, Texas
• • 5:20 pm
  • President Obama arrives in Dallas, Texas
• • 6:25 pm
  • President Obama attends a DSCC finance event
• • 7:35 pm
  • President Obama departs Dallas, Texas en route Andrews Air Force Base
• • 10:15 pm
  • President Obama arrives at Andrews Air Force Base
• • 10:30 pm
  • President Obama arrives at the White House

Daily Democratic Wire 8-26-2009

George Wenschhof

Senator Edward Kennedy passes away at age of 77 - his battle with brain cancer mirrored his many battles in the Senate. First diagnosed in May 2008, he courageously fought the incurable form of cancer, living longer than what medical experts had predicted. It doesn't seem that long ago when his picture with his brothers President John Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy hit the newsprint in 1960. They looked so young back then and I was but seven, but the photos and the name became etched in my memories along with "...and the Dream lives on..". Much will be written of the Lion of the Senate over the following days and weeks, as it should be for the champion of those less fortunate.

The NY Times has a article this morning you can read here.

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This morning, President Barack Obama to make a statement to the press in regard to the death of Senator Kennedy - He and the First Family are vacationing on Martha's Vineyard and it was speculated the president might visit Ted Kennedy. Senator Kennedy's endorsement and backing of Obama during a very close Democratic primary in 2008 helped secure the Party nomination for Obama. You can read the prepared statement here.

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Representative Charles Rangel (D-NY) failed to disclose $660,000 in assets in 2007 - this may prove problematic as he is already facing an ethics panel inquiry surrounding several issues, including income from a vacation home in the Dominican Republic. Stay Tuned. Politico.com has more here.

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Howard Dean speaks at Health Care Reform Town Hall meeting in Virginia - the former DNC chair spoke at the meeting held by representative Jim Moran (D-Va.). Supporters of reform backed by Organizing for America (OAS) and Change that Works packed the 2700 seat auditorium. Opponents of reform were a minority, but nonetheless loud. TheHill.com has more here.

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It's Obama's Economy Now

George Wenschhof

Barack Obama moved with lightening fast speed to propose and have Congress pass the nearly 800 Billion Stimulus bill. The actual name of the bill is the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act. This followed closely after the passage of the 700 Billion Bailout bill approved at the end of the George W. Bush administration. That bill was entitled the Troubled Assets and Relief Plan (TARP).

Both were needed, according to bipartisan economic experts, or a financial meltdown of a magnitude never seen would follow. I will never forget the ash-white faces of the Senators standing behind then Secretary Henry Paulson when they announced the financial sector bailout bill following a private meeting. It was obvious they had been given the doomsday scenario if something was not done immediately.

Congress took the bait and approved the bailout bill in record time even though the details submitted by Treasury Secretary Paulson was less than three pages justifying the 700 Billion requested.

Many of the foremost economists knew the bailout bill would not be enough and Barack Obama, as the newly elected President listened. Ben Bernanke, the Federal Reserve guru and by happenstance, a scholar of the "American Great Depression", was one of many who urged action to put money into the economy. Thus, the creation of the 800 Billion Stimulus bill.

As President Obama would give his speeches on any subject including touting the importance of the Stimulus bill, he often would include the fact he had inherited this economic mess from the former Republican George W. Bush administration.

This statement, was of course, absolutely accurate. When George W. Bush took office, the U.S. national debt was 6.38 Trillion and the U.S. deficit was 159 Billion.

What followed was tax cuts for the rich, further deregulation of the financial markets, and an ill advised and unnecessary war with Iraq.

In eight short years, the Republican George W. Bush administration had increased the U.S. national debt to 10.6 Trillion and the U.S. budget deficit to 455 Billion (not including the 700 billion bailout bill).

Now, as health care reform is being debated in Congress, the Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats are questioning the Congressional Budget office estimated cost of one Trillion over the next ten years for health care reform.

The cost of the war in Iraq has been estimated to have been 3 Trillion over the past seven years.

The question I would ask those members in Congress questioning the need for health care reform to help the 47 million uninsured Americans is; "does the cost of a ill advised and unnecessary war in Iraq outweigh providing adequate health care for all Americans?".

Is it Obama's economy now? The answer is yes it is and it is economy we as Americans must now deal with as we move forward.

It is hypocritical for Republicans to now question the proposed spending by the Obama administration. A Stimulus plan and health care for Americans versus eight years of unregulated corporate greed and a misguided foreign policy that put the U.S. on a precipice should be an easy choice for members of Congress.

It's time to pass health care reform now.

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Daily Democratic Wire 6-26-2009

George Wenschhof

Today, President Barack Obama will meet with German Chancellor Angela Merkel - they will meet at the White House and are expected to discuss a wide range of issues such as Afghanistan, the global economy and climate control. A press conference is scheduled for 11:30 AM ET. Reuters.com has more here.

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Energy and Climate vote expected today in House - while the House is overwhelmingly made up of Democrats, this bill is expected to pass by a narrow margin. Many compromises have taken place in the effort to reduce emissions by 17% by 2020. The Washington Post has more here.

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Health care reform legislation reduced to 1 Trillion over ten years - this legislation resembles the making of sausage as so many details are constantly being negotiated and changed. The latest effort at reaching consensus is an announcement by the senate finance chair Max Baucus (D-Mont.) that the cost had been reduced from the estimated 1.6 to 1.8 Trillion to 1 trillion over ten years. MSNBC.com has more here.

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The slow dance to replace Senator Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) begins - Edward Kennedy has been Senator since 1962 and now at his age and battling brain cancer, the quiet shuffle to position oneself for the position begins. Kennedy's term ends in 2012 and in a Democratic party controlled state, the question becomes who will succeed him? Politico.com has a good read here.

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Lack of minority hiring on Capitol Hill scrutinized - in the Senate only two chiefs of staff are minority. Under consideration is the NFL's so called Rooney rule - named after the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The rule requires the owners of professional football teams to interview at least one minority for each vacant head coaching position. TheHill.com has more here.

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Gallup Poll shows differences between Republicans and Democrats on Economy - Republicans are concerned about increasing the federal deficit, increasing federal income tax, and problems states have with funding their budgets. Democrats are worried about rising unemployment, the rising cost of health care and those who are without health care. Gallup.com has more here.

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Daily Democratic Wire 6-20-2009

George Wenschhof

Unease continues in Iran - a day after the U.S. House and Senate passed resolutions condemning the violence in Iran following the election, police were out in force to block planned demonstrations. Rallies had been planned in both Freedom Square and Revolution Square in Tehran. CNN.com has more here.

The Iranian Guardian Council said they were prepared to hold a recount of 10% of the vote chosen randomly and in the presence of representatives from the three defeated candidates for president. Reuters.com has more here.

While some Republican leaders have been quick to attack President Obama for not speaking out in a more forceful manner in regard to the Iran election, I believe he is handling it correctly. Remember, the U.S. had an election in 2000 many felt was stolen from the people by the supreme court. However, no American would have wanted interference from other countries on our vote.

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80 Billion deal in the works to fund medicare drugs and help pay for health care reform - in a major agreement with the pharmaceutical industry, medicare beneficiaries would receive better drug coverage and part of President Obama's health care legislation would be paid for in the agreement being negotiated. You can read more here.

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Sotomayor resigns from all woman's club - after continued questioning from Republican leaders, supreme court justice nominee Sonia Sotomayor resigned from the organization. She sent a letter informing Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee of her decision and stating she did not feel it violated and judicial ethics. You can read more here.

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Last night, the President attended a Radio and TV Correspondents dinner - one of the requirements is a speech which includes a long list of hopefully funny one-liners for the crowd. In case you missed some of the television replays last evening, Politico.com has the video of Obama's speech and interviews with others who attended the dinner here.

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Hillary Clinton's Elbow surgery successful - she underwent the surgery yesterday at George Washington University hospital after suffering a fracture from a fall. Doctors say she is expected to recover fully without any lasting damage. MSNBC.com has more here.

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Obama names Ertharin Cousin as US Representative to UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture - she was a senior adviser during the campaign and is currently president of the Polk Street Group. Her past includes a stint as White House liaison to the state department and as a national leader in domestic hunger relief. Swamppolitics.com has more here.

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Democratic Chatter 4-8-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

President Barack Obama arrived home at 3:00 AM ET this morning - he arrived a little later than originally planned due to his surprise visit to Iraq. he was greet enthusiastically, when in a speech delivered to the troops, he spoke of the withdraw timetable from Iraq and the time for the Iraq government to take over security of their country. Reuters.com has more on the Iraq visit here.

The whirlwind eight day European trip is now over and all early reports have been that it was a tremendous success. Today, the president has no planned events.

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Fidel Castro meets with Congressional Black Caucus members in Havana yesterday - the ailing Cuban leader has not been seen publicly for some time. Bobby Rush (D-Ill.), Barbara Lee (D-Calf.), and Laura Richardson (D-calf.) meet with Castro and will be submitting their report to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi upon their return to the States. They indicated Castro wanted to know how Cuba could help President Obama and the u.S. better relations between the two countries. You can read more here.

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Iranian Leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad welcomes talks with the U.S. and President Obama - In a speech broadcast on state television, he stated Iran welcomed "honest" dialogue with the U.S. Iran has not had diplomatic relations with the U.S. since former president George W. Bush labeled them a terrorist nation and a member of the "axis of evil". You can read more here.

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Franken leads grows by 87 in Minnesota Senate race - good grief! five months later and we are still waiting for a Senator to be certified and seated from Minnesota. As expected, Democrat Al Franken's lead grew to 312 votes from 225 over Republican Norm Coleman after 351 absentee ballots ordered by the court were counted yesterday. The final court ruling is expected by the end of this week on various other issues surrounding the election. The Coleman campaign is expected to appeal the decision to the state supreme court. The Chicago Star Tribune has more here.

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7000 absentee ballots count begins today in NY Special Election - Republican Jim Tedisco has a slim lead of 17 votes over Democrat Scott Murphy. This is the election to replace Kirsten Hillibrand (D) in the 20th district after she was named to replace the vacancy Hillary Clinton U.S. Senate seat. Politico.com has more here.

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As expected, Democrat Mike Quigley easily wins special election in Illinois - the former Cook County Commissioner easily beat Republican Rosanna Pulido with 70% of the vote with 94% of the precincts reporting. Quigley will replace Rahm Emanuel in Congress. Emanuel vacated the position when he became White House Chief of Staff. You can read more here.

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Congressional Ethics office begins preliminary inquiry into actions of Representative Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.) - information is being sought pertaining to the filling of the vacant U.S. Senate seat in Illinois by former Governor Rod Blagojevich. TheHill.com has more here.

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Democratic Chatter 3-19-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

Today, President Barack Obama remains in California - He will tour a electric vehicle research plant in the morning and in the afternoon he will be joined by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger at a town hall meeting at the Miguel Contreras Learning Center in L.A. Before heading home, the president will tape a show with NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno which will be broadcast tonight at 11:30 PM ET. ThePage.Time.com has more here.

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The Federal Reserve announced yesterday it will spend another 1 Trillion to help stabilize the economy - The NY Times has more here. the question is rapidly becoming how much national debt can the country withstand? The one trillion will be spent to purchase mortgage and securities interests. The Obama budget for fiscal year 2010 will have an additional 1.75 trillion in deficit spending and we have not added the recent 787 billion Stimulus bill. When added to the current 11 Trillion in national debt, the total could near 15 Trillion by the end of fiscal year 2010.

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Senator Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) admits he added loophole allowing for A.I.G. to pay bonuses - CNN.com has more here. Reportedly, he first denied and then admitted to CNN, he added language to the Stimulus bill to allow for existing bonuses to be paid. He added Obama administration officials also pushed for the change over legal contractual concerns pertaining to the bonus agreements in place. These revelations will not help Dodd in his reelection bid in 2010 which is already shaky due to favorable mortgages he received previously on homes he owns. This news will not help the Obama administration either who claimed they were unaware of the planned bonus payments.

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) threw gasoline on the fire yesterday when testifying before Congress saying it is unlikely A.I.G. will be able to repay the government the 170 billion in loans received. McClatchydc.com has more here.

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Not all Congressional Democrats supportive of President Obama's budget - elected Democrats have not been shy in denouncing various aspects of the president's proposed 3.55 Trillion budget. Expect this to heat up even more as the budget debate moves forward. TheHill.com has more here. Up until now, the president has been able to blame the economic woes on the previous Republican George W. Bush administration and rightfully so. However, at some point the voters will say this is your problem Mr. President. Stay Tuned.

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New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson (D) signs repeal of the death penalty - this action was a reversal in thought by the Governor who indicated he is comfortable with his decision. Time.com has more here. Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley (D) was unsuccessful in his recent attempt to repeal the death penalty in his state, instead opting to support limitations.

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On the foreign policy front, North Korea detains two U.S. women journalists - an area where tensions are already high, two journalists who were filming on the frozen river Tumen on the border of China and were seized by North Korean security guards. Reuters.com has more here.

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Democratic Chatter 3-17-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

Today, President Barack Obama will be busy celebrating St. Patrick's Day - he has meetings and receptions all day with Irish leaders. He will also attend a traditional St. Patrick's Day luncheon hosted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.). ThePage.Time.com has more here.

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Number of Americans who fear U.S. will enter a serious depression increase - a CNN/Opinion Research poll showed 45% feared the country could be headed toward a serious depression which is up 7% from the 38% number from December. Seems former president Bill Clinton was right when he suggested recently that President Obama try to include some optimism in his comments on the economy. CNN.com has more here.

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More bad news for U.S. Banks - reports show there was a 149% increase in troubled assets across the banking industry over the last year. The number of banks with more bad loans than capital increased to 163, up from 13 a year ago. However, there are over 8000 banks across the country and the overwhelming majority of them are healthy. MSNBC.com has more here.

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Obama's approval rating slips to 59% - the latest poll conducted March 9-12 by Pew Research Center showed a slight drop from the 64% approval rating Obama enjoyed in February. The disapproval rating for the President increased from 17% to 26%. You can read more here.

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Democratic Chatter 3-15-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

Tomorrow, President Barack Obama will announce steps being taken to help small business - He will discuss measures being taken to provide billions in lending aid to small business owners. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner back from a meeting with the G-20 nations will also be present. Small business has long been recognized as generating employment opportunities across the country. You can read more here.

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Yesterday, President Obama tells China and other countries that investments in U.S. debt are sound - this came during a press conference following a meeting with the President of Brazil, Ignacio Lula da Silva. The Chinese have 1 trillion invested in U.S. Treasury notes. TheHill.com has more here.

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Wow! AIG to pay 165 million in bonuses after receiving 170 billion in bail out funds - American voters will be outraged when they hear this. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner reportedly demanded the bonuses not be paid but lawyers for American International Group said they were obligated to pay them. How does a company pay bonuses in this situation? More importantly, should the government continue to provide funds to AIG? The NY Times has more here.

CNN is reporting this morning that AIG CEO Edward Liddy sent a letter to Geithner yesterday pledging a reduction in bonuses by 30%. The question remains how do you pay millions of bonuses to employees of a company on the verge of collapse?

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Left leaning groups coming together to form Unity '09 - reportedly many left leaning groups are coming together to promote positions on issues. Groups, such as MoveOn.org, American Civil Liberties Union, Panned Parenthood and others are involved. Aarin Pickrell a senior aide in the Obama campaign is said to be heading the day to day activities. Politico.com has more here.

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On the foreign policy front, keep an eye on Pakistan where police are battling protesters - fueled by a continuing rift between rivals Nawaz Sharif and President Asif ali Zardari. Sharif lost to Zardari in recent elections and the two have been unable to reach a power sharing agreement in this nuclear armed nation. The stability of Pakistan is imperative in the success of the U.S. in regard to Afghanistan and the Taliban. Stay tuned. MSNBC.com has more here.

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Democratic Chatter 3-13-2009

George Wenschhof Bio

Today, President Barack Obama will meet with Paul Volcker and receive a report on the 787 billion Stimulus Plan - Mr. Volcker is a former Federal reserve chair who is presently the chair of the Economic Recovery Board established by Obama. This afternoon, the President is expected to meet with the Press. Time.com has more here.

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Vice President Joe Biden will speak at Union Station today - he will be discussing the positive impact of the stimulus Plan on Amtrak. The Vice President will also swear in Labor Secretary Hilda Solis today. The Washington post has more here.

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How long will Michael Steele survive as RNC Chair? - since narrowly winning the chair of the Republican National Committee after 6 rounds of voting, Mr. Steele has had one misstep after another. While a delight to many Democrats, he has become an embarrassment to the Republican Party. His latest flap took place during an interview with GQ Magazine when he said he favored a woman's choice to an abortion. He went on to say it should be a state decision and not a federal decision. He has since been busy clarifying his statement. CNN.com has more here.

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Another withdraws from consideration for Deputy Director at Treasury - Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner is having a hard time getting out of the gate. Rodgin Cohen is the third to withdraw from consideration within the last week. Speculation is Geithner is a very good behind the scenes person, but not a good one to be leading the show and facing the spotlight. If this is true, the Obama administration should make a move here quickly as the Treasury Secretary will continue to be in the news daily during the economic crisis. Politico.com has more here.

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FBI raids D.C. office of Chief technology Officer - two individuals were arrested in a investigation of corruption. The head of this agency, Vivek Kundra was named recently by President Obama to be the federal government Chief Information Officer. Kundra is not considered a suspect in the investigation. Reuters.com has more here.

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Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao expresses concern about their investment in U.S. debt - this will certainly cause the Obama administration to listen as the Chinese government has 1 Trillion invested in U.S. debt. Stay tuned as foreign investment in U.S. debt has been a topic for discussion for some time. It is difficult to conduct sincere diplomatic discussions when a country's debt is secured by the country you are talking with on an international relations issue. The NY Times has more here.

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