President Obama for a nationwide grassroots push for gun control in his weekly radio address on the anniversary of the Newtown, Connecticut tragedy.
This comes a day after a gunman shot at least one student and then committed suicide at a suburban high school in Colorado, a few miles from Columbine High School, the site of a mass shooting in 1999.
“We haven’t yet done enough to make our communities and our country safer. We have to do more to keep dangerous people from getting their hands on a gun so easily. We have to do more to heal troubled minds,”
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George Wenschhof President Barack Obama continues his Asian tour as he arrives in Singapore. Tomorrow, he is scheduled to meet with Russian President Dimitry Medvedev and attend a meeting with the ASEAN-10. Then, he is off to China. Time.com has more here. ----
In his weekly address today, the President discusses the tragedy at Fort Hood and talks about the sacrifices our soldiers make as they protect our country. You can watch the weekly address here.
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Former Democratic congressman William Jefferson gets 13 years - yes, this is the same guy who was caught with $90,000 in his freezer. He lost in his reelection bid last year and now faces 13 years in prison for bribery and other charges. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former NY Mayor Rudy Giuliani headline the guests on the "Talking Heads" shows Sunday morning. Clinton is on "Meet The Press" and "This Week" and Giuliani is on "Fox News Sunday", "State of the Union" and "This Week". Giuliani is rumored to be running for Governor of New York next year. Which reminds me of the great line by Vice President Joe Biden during one of the presidential debates last year when he said of Giuliani "the only thing he knows how to do is string a noun a verb and 9-11 in a sentence. You can read Politico.com "Sunday Talk Show Tip Sheet" here. ---- Immigration to be major topic on the Hill during mid-term elections next year - Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said yesterday the Obama administration intends to move forward on legislation next year that will toughen enforcement laws against illegal immigrants and the employers who hire them. They also intend to include a tough and fair pathway to earn legal status for the estimated 12 million undocumented workers in the United States. In addition, a streamlined system for legal immigration will be developed. The NY Times has more here. ----
Tea Party organizers sink to new low - plans are to hold a rally in Danville, located in southern Virginia where they plan to burn in effigy House speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) and Rep, Tom Perriello (D-Va.). CNN.com has more here.
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George Wenschhof Today, in his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama spoke of how there were positive signs the recession was easing and better days were ahead for Americans. You can watch his address by clicking on the photo below.
George WenschhofBio Today, in his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama speaks of the global challenges we face. He discusses the highlights of his overseas trip to date and the potential for the U.S. to face these challenges with renewed international alliances.
NATO Summit has shaky start - Turkey was the only one of 28 nations who would not agree on the new Secretary-General. This blocked the announcement of danish prime Minister Andres Fogh Rasmussen to the post. Violent demonstrations continue to mar the site of the meeting in Strasbourg, France. President Obama announced he was not asking for NATO troops in Afghanistan but was looking for support. Reuters.com has more here.
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Will NY special election be a Minnesota redo? - as the final vote tallies are coming in from precincts the vote is now tied between Republican Jim Tedisco and Democrat Scott Murphy for the Congressional seat in District 20. Let's hope this is settled in a shorter time frame than the U.S. senate race in Minnesota where legal maneuvering has kept that seat open with no winner decided between Norm Coleman (R) and Al Franken (D). Politico.com has more here.
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Top Obama economic adviser Lawrence Summers earned 5 million salary while working for Hedge fund D.E. Shaw & Co. - Summers was named by the president to be director of the White House National Economic Council. Summers also earned considerable speaking fees from the same Banks receiving federal bailout funds today. Bloomberg.com has more here.
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George WenschhofBio Today in his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama talks about the dangerous flooding possibilities facing Americans in N. Dakota, S. Dakota, and Minnesota. The Red River is expected to crest on Sunday. He also speaks of opportunities for Americans to volunteer to serve and help their communities.
Obama 3.55 Trillion Budget vote in House and Senate expected next week - It passed through the Senate Budget Committee late Thursday evening. Chair of the Senate Budget Committee Kent Conrad (D-ND) will appear tomorrow morning on CNN's "State of The Union". Both the House and the Senate trimmed the total funds slightly, but not significantly. CNN.com has more here.In spite of the massive projected deficit of 1.75 trillion in the first year, the budget is expected to pass.
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President Obama nominates former Mississippi Governor Ray Mabus for Secretary of Navy - He is another Clintonista who served as U.S. Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994-1996. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Auto Task Force to announce Monday additional aid to auto industry - GM and Chrysler have already received 17.4 billion in funds and have asked for an additional 22 billion. Auto suppliers also received 5 billion. Reuters.com has more here. The Obama administration does not want the automakers to face bankruptcy so expect the funds to be provided with additional conditions of restructuring on the part of the companies.
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Meanwhile, the Congressional budget Office (CBO) reports the deficits under the Obama budget would equal 9.3 trillion - this is one-third larger than the projections coming from the Obama administration. Expect the 2010 budget battle to heat up soon. TheHill.com has more here.
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Then, Senator John McCain (R-Az.) followed with a statement saying the budget proposed by President Obama is a "threat to the nation" - he went on to say how the budget threatens the future of our children and grandchildren. With that statement, the budget battle is now engaged. CNN.com has more here.
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Also Yesterday, federal regulators took over two credit unions with combined assets of 57 billion - The U.S. Central Credit Union and the Western Corporate Federal Credit Union are considered the two largest credit unions in the country. McClatchydc.com has more here.
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Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to announce next week his toxic asset plan -Geithner and the White House had better hope he does a better job than he has to date in explaining his plan to the public or else Geithner is sure to be gone. The plan has been hinted at previously and involves the private sector investing with the government to buy troubled mortgages. Let's see how the roll out goes next week and let's hope it works to help stabilize the financial system. Politico.com has more here.
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George WenschhofBio Today, in his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama discusses food safety in the U.S. and announces several appointments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Dr. Margaret Hamburg will be Commissioner and Dr. Joshua Sharfstein will be deputy Commissioner for the FDA. You can watch his address by clicking on the video below. WhiteHouse.gov has the full text of his speechhere.
Lawrence Summers is the newest face from the Obama administration to discuss economic recovery plans - He is the chair of the national economic council and spoke yesterday to the Brookings Institute, a Washington D.C. think tank. He used phrases similar to what President Roosevelt used when he said "the excess of greed had lead to an excess of fear". FDR has said "the only thing we have to fear is fear itself". Tomorrow morning Mr. Summers will appear on "This Week" and "Face The Nation". If he fares well, look to see Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner moved out the the PR end of things. MSNBC.com has more here.
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Senate Commerce committee to hold confirmation hearing on Gary Locke next Wednesday - Locke is the third appointee of president Obama for the position and is expected to be easily confirmed as Commerce Secretary. Reuters.com has more here.
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Elizabeth King expected to be named by President Obama as head of legislative affairs for the Pentagon - she is the senior policy adviser to Senator Jack Reed (D-R.I.). Senator Reed at one point was lloked upon as a possible running mate for Barack Obama. TheHill.com has more here.
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On the foreign policy front, former U.S. foreign policy officials believe U.S. should have dialogue with Hamas - Former national security advisers Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brezinski are among the group of nine former U.S. officials who believe discussions are needed with Hamas to encourage them to disarm and work within the Palestinian authority. They believe this is critical to future peace in the Middle East region. Under the George W. Bush administration, Hamas had been labeled a terrorist organization and communication had ceased. The Boston Globe has more here.
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George WenschhofBio 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.
George Wenschhof Bio Today, in his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama discusses his budget he submitted to Congress. He speaks on how his budget will fulfill his campaign promises in regard to a fair tax code, energy, health care, and education. WhiteHouse.gov has the full transcript of the speech and the video you can watch here.
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Health and Human Services Secretary to be announced next week - White house Press secretary Robert Gibbs says it is likely the president will announce his pick. This is the last Cabinet position and has been without a nominee since Tom Daschle withdrew due to embarrassing tax issues. Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius is said to be the front runner. TheHill.com has more here. -------------------- Appeals Court allows warrantless wiretapping case can continue - in a case involving a Islamic charity in Oregon and the U.S. - the Bush administration and now the Obama administration had argued the case would jeopardize national security. McClatchydc.com has more here. -------------------- Education Secretary Arne Duncan favor longer school year for students - this is one of the suggestions he is considering as a way to improve their academic achievements. He argues China and India have longer school years than the U.S. CNN.com has more here.I do not see the logic in this argument at all. if the current educational system is not working as well as we want, extending the length will not do a thing to improve what is presently broken.
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George WenschhofBio President Barack Obama continued to speak about the recently passed 787 billion Stimulus bill in his weekly address to the nation - He points out that 95% of the working men and women will receive a tax cut. The President also said he will be addressing the massive deficits he inherited once the economy has recovered. You can watch the video of his address by clicking on the photo below.
Some disagreement among Democrats over the idea of nationalization of failing U.S. banks - Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) the chair of the senate Banking Committee suggested some nationalization may be needed. While, Barney Frank (D-Mass.) chair of the House Financial Services Committee disagreed. There has been some speculation the talk of nationalization has led to some losses on the Dow Jones last week. The Obama administration has said it prefers a private banking system. Bloomberg.com has more here.
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Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds press conference with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi - Clinton discussed the importance of working together in solving the worldwide economic crisis. It seems Human Rights, long a topic of discussion between the U.S. and China, were not the main focus of this meeting. The U.S. is a large purchaser of China goods and china is a huge holder of U.S. debt. Reuters.com has more here.
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New Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) calls on Senator Roland Burris (D) to resign - adding yet another voice to the many calling on the embattled Senator to resign. The Governor also says he supports a bill introduced in the Illinois legislature which would establish a special election to be held in future vacancies in the U.S. Senate seats. CNN.com has more here.
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Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) raises 3.5 million in January - this continues the success in fundraising the committee experienced last year. The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) raised 1.63 million in January. Both committees are still paying off debt from the last election with the DCCC reporting a debt of 16 million and the NRCC reporting 6.5 million of debt. Politico.com has more here.
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George WenschhofBio This morning, in his weekly address to the nation, President Barack Obama spoke of the passage by Congress of his American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan - better known as the 787 billion Stimulus bill. He cautioned there are no quick fixes for the economy and recognized some questioned the effectiveness of the bill. He said Americans can check on the progress of the bill at http://www.recovery.gov/. You can watch his speech below.
-------------------- 787 billion Stimulus bill passes late last night in the Senate - the vote in the Senate was 60-38 and the reason for the late hour approval was they waited for Senator Sherrod Brown (D-Oh.) to return from memorial services for his mother who had passed away. In fact, the White House arranged for a plane to fly him to D.C. and then back to Ohio in order for him to attend funeral services today. He gave passage of the bill a veto-proof measure of victory. Senator Edward Kennedy was unable to make the vote as he was in Florida receiving treatment for his brain cancer.
You wonder where the 100th vote went? Well, it wasn't cast due to no resolution to the Minnesota Senate race involving Norm Coleman (R) and Al Franken (D). The three Republican Senators to vote in favor of the bill were Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins from Maine along with Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania. Republican Senator Judd Gregg who just withdrew from consideration for Commerce Secretary voted against the bill.
The House vote was 246-183 with seven Democrats voting with all Republicans against passage of the Stimulus bill. So much for bipartisan spirit in Washington.... The President is expected to have a bill signing ceremony on Monday. The NY Times has more here. -------------------- Speaking of the Minnesota Senate race - yesterday, a three judge panel issued a ruling that appears will not be helpful for Republican Norm Coleman who is arguing for more rejected absentee ballots to be counted. The ruling was there had been not been a statewide problem in the counting of absentee ballots. They also provided a conservative guideline for the judges to use in determining what rejected absentee ballots should be examined. Maybe, by the end of the month Democrat Al Franken will be sworn in. Politico.com has more here. -------------------- President Obama lays out ambitious agenda for the next two weeks - not slowing down, the President plans to present his plan to aid the housing crisis next Wednesday while in Phoenix, Arizona. On February 23, the President intends to hold a "fiscal responsibility" summit where social security and medicare will be discussed. The following day, Obama will give a speech to the joint session of Congress. CNN.com has more here. -------------------- New fodder for Republicans to scream about - seems Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Calf.) loaned her campaign $150,000 back in 1998. Over the last ten years she has served in Congress, the campaign has paid her 18% interest on the debt amounting to $221,780 while only reducing the principle by $64,727. In 1999, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) ruled the interest payments were allowable. Nonetheless, in this economic crisis climate, expect this issue to gain traction among Republicans. Bloomberg.com has more here. -------------------- On the foreign policy front, U.S. fired missiles from drones kill 25 militants in Pakistan - this is the third U.S. missile strike within Pakistan since Obama became President. It is being reported the killed were al-Qaeda linked militants and the location was in the South Waristan region. Pakistan has expressed outrage of the continued U.S. missile strikes within their country. Reuters.com has more here. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave her first foreign policy speech yesterday to the Asia Society in New York - she will be leaving on her first trip as Secretary of State next week to visit Japan, China, South Korea, and Indonesia. MSNBC.com has more here. Special envoy to Afghanistan/ Pakistan Richard Holbrooke met with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai - the Karzai administration/U.S. relationship has been deteriorating as the Taliban has regained strength in Afghanistan. President Karzai has also expressed displeasure of U.S. military tactics which have caused civilian deaths. You can read more here. -------------------- To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.
George WenschhofBio The weekly address by President Barack Obama this morning focused on his Stimulus Bill entitled "America Recovery and Reinvestment Plan". The Senate last night appeared to have reached a compromise with a vote expected on Tuesday. Bloomberg.com has more here. Part of the compromise included a reduction in spending from 900 to 780 Billion in the Senate bill. However, keep in mind the House bill was 819 Billion so the 780 Billion Senate version is only 5% lower than the House version. Click on the picture below to watch the weekly address.
-------------------- Last night, The President and family watched the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater at the Kennedy Center. Today, they will be taking their first trip to Camp David, the Presidential retreat in the Catoctin mountains near Thurmont, Maryland. CNN.com has more here. -------------------- Vice President Joe Biden's foreign policy speech received warmly in Munich, Germany - he was speaking to a international conference on security policy. He pledged America would not use torture and promised diplomacy. Politico.com has more here. -------------------- CIA Director nominee Leon Panetta says no prosecution for those who used harsh interrogation techniques - when questioned, he indicated this was an Obama administration policy. This answer, much to the chagrin of the liberal netroots. Panetta is expected to be confirmed next week. MSNBC.com has more here. -------------------- To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.
George WenschhofBio Today, in President Barack Obama's weekly address he discuses the importance of the passage of his bill "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan". Click on the photo below to watch the video.
-------------------- Another Obama Cabinet nominee with back tax problems - previously it was Timothy Geithner for Treasury Secretary who did not pay taxes for several years before paying up along with penalties prior to his nomination. This time, it is Tom Daschle, the nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services. Seems he did not report lino services provided to him by the private equities firm he worked for as a consultant. Reportedly $100,000 in back taxes were paid and in spite of this embarrassment, expect him to be confirmed by the senate. Poliico.com has more here. -------------------- After six rounds of voting Michael Steele elected RNC chair - the meeting in Washington D.C. of the Republican National Committee, had lots of drama with the rules dictating the winner must receive 85 votes. The final vote was 91-77 with Michael Steele prevailing over Katon Dawson, the GOP South Carolina chair. Michael Steele, the former Maryland Lt. Governor, is the first African-American to chair the RNC. He immediately talked about competing in all 50 states. Sound familiar? - let's see - a Democratic African-American elected President and the former DNC chair, Howard Dean promoted the successful 50 state strategy which aided Obama in his victory. Time.com has more here. -------------------- Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) introduces bill to limit executives pay - the bill pertains to executives who are or will be working for companies receiving government funds from the 700 Billion bailout known as TARP, the Trouble Assets Relief Program. It would limit them to not making more money than the President of the United States. Reuters.com has more here. -------------------- Obama to send 20 million in humanitarian relief to Gaza - while government funds in the U.S. are being spent in record numbers, this is a wise move. Hamas, in the past after flare ups with Israel resulted in much destruction were quickly there in neighborhoods passing out money and offering assistance. The U.S. humanitarian aid will be administered to the Palestinians through the UN. CNN.com has more here.
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George Wenschhof Bio Obama delivers his first weekly address to the nation as President - He speaks of the importance of his Stimulus bill known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.
President Obama orders staff to come up with new restrictions on use of the remaining 350 Billion from the Bailout bill - this comes after reports of executives of banks renovating offices after receiving funds from the first 350 Billion. reportedly, Lawrence Summers, White House Director of National Economic Council is developing details of the new restrictions. Bloomberg.com has more here.
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The President to address a joint session of Congress in February - continuing to push for approval of his stimulus plans, Obama is expected to give a speech to members of congress in early February. The president hopes to have approval of his plan by the middle of next month. MSNBC.com has more here.
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NY Governor David Paterson pick to fill Hillary Clinton's seat not all that surprising - seems Kristen Hillibrand has been picking up supporters since her first victory in a Congressional race in 2006. A lawyer, she has been able to gain a 100% approval rating from the National Rifle Association while also receiving support from women's groups such as Emilys List. However, even with the advantage of being the incumbent, the Senate race in 2010 will not be as easy as a Congressional race. The NY Times has more here.
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William Lynn nomination for deputy Secretary of Defense raising questions - the new Ethics standards announced by President Barack Obama this week have already needed to be waived in this case. Mr. Lynn is a former executive/lobbyist for Raytheon. which is one of the largest defense contractors in the country. Carl Levin (D-Mich) who is the chair of the senate Armed Services Committee has expressed his support for Lynn but John McCain (R-AZ.) is questioning why the waiver is being provided to Lynn. TheHill.com has more here.
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Remember the SCHIP legislation President George W. Bush vetoed twice? - It's back, and the children's health insurance bill is likely to pass in the Senate on Monday. The House has already passed their version of the bill. Politico.com has more here.
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"Blago watch" continues - Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich's penchant for doing the bizarre, reached a new level yesterday as he said his impeachment trial was similar to a lynching. Last night on CNN Larry King show, it was announced the Governor would be his guest this coming Monday night and would be talking calls from the public. Who knows if the latest actions by the Governor prompted his defense attorney Ed Gensen to indicate he would no longer represent the Governor. CNN.com has more here.
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George WenschhofBio President-elect Barack Obama continues focus on the economy in his weekly address - he spoke today on how his proposed 800 Billion to 1 Trillion Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan will create up to 4 million jobs by 2010. Swamppolitics.com has the video of his address here. -------------------- Vice-President elect Joe Biden continues overseas trip - He left Pakistan and is now in Afghanistan where he is expected to meet with President Hamid Karzai. Reuters .com has more here. -------------------- "Blago watch" continues - IllinoisGovernor Rod Blagojevich's actions continues to drive Democrats crazy. Questions abound as to how to handle his appointment of Roland Burris to the vacant Obama Senate seat. The state supreme court ruled Burris did not need to have the signature of the state Secretary of State to be appointed and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid had refused to accept Burris without the signature. Jesse White, the Secretary of State has not signed the certification so stay tuned. Meanwhile, the Illinois House voted to impeach the Governor. CNN.com has more here.
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Obama Cabinet Confirmation hearings begin - Tom Daschle's initial hearing for Health and Human Services went smoothly and Hilda L. Solis for Labor Secretary received some tough questions from Republicans over her support for Unions. Politico.com has more here. -------------------- To receive "Daily Email Updates" from Air-it-Out with George Wenschhof, Click on "Subscribe to this feed" below.
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