June 28, 2009 - July 4, 2009 Archives
Jul 4 2009, 7:54PM
The Palin Thing Is Still Wacko
A day later, the Palin speech is still one of the most bizarre events in politics that one can remember. (Mark Sanford's cri de coeur is a close second.) It's still unclear if she's out of politics for good and if she's not whether she has irreparably harmed her chances of running for higher office.
Jul 3 2009, 7:58PM
What Palin's Really Up To. (Hint: She Wants To Fight.)
Assuming there is no scandal shoe about to drop, to understand what Gov. Sarah Palin is doing, we ought to begin by taking her at her word. I readily admit that her statement today wasn't terribly clear, which is quite telling itself: she doesn't quite know why she is doing what she's doing, ALL CAPS notwithstanding. She can't explain it to herself, and so she certainly can't explain it to others. But it's not that complicated to get the gist: she's "not retreating," she's advancing. Palin, in Alaska, is a sitting duck for the people and forces she believes are ruining the country. She can't fight back -- she can't protect her family, her values, her worldview -- while she's governor. At the same time, her desire, perhaps conscious, perhaps not, to get into the mix -- to be invited to the fancy Washington dinners, to be courted by these very forces -- is irresistably pulling her towards the very fight she seeks.
Don't make the mistake of assuming that Palin has a grand strategy that relies on subterfuge, prestidigitation or rhetorical concealment. She has few close advisers, and she is prone to ignore their advice. She keeps her own counsel. She believes what she says (and implies): that she is a national political figure, that her destiny (and I think she capitalizes the D) is in the continental 48, that her personal characteristics are mocked by the elite because the elite cannot understand them, that her family and children are subject to relentless, negative and highly damaging personal attacks, and that there is no longer a place for her in the Alaska government.
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Jul 3 2009, 5:27PM
Three Theories of Palin's Resignation
Sarah Palin's stunning announcement that she'd not only decline to seek reelection as Alaska's Governor in 2010 but that she'd resign her term later this month caught everyone by surprise. After all, can you think of another presidential candidate who resigned their office to seek the presidency? Jimmy Carter and Mitt Romney had left their governorships when they sought the White House. Bill Clinton remained as Arkansas governor when he sought the presidency. George McClellan was fired by Lincoln before he ran for the presidency in 1864. The last person I can think of who left government service to run for the presidency was Dwight Eisenhower who gave up his NATO command in the Spring of 1952 and garnered the GOP presidendtial nomination a couple of months later. That's far different from cutting out of elective office 18 months before you're scheduled to leave.
Okay, so why would Palin do this on a Friday before a holday, traditionally a day for dumping bad news? A couple of theories:
1. She has more bad news to report. There's something going on with her family again. There's more to come with the state's finance. Whatever. There's no good reason for her to suddenly up and quit the governorship, her one claim on elective experience.
2. She wants the money. Palin is probably turning down tons of lucrative speaking offers, corporate boards and others ways of getting righ while she bides her time waiting for the presidency. Maybe she just cant say no to the money any longer?
3. She's totally impulsive. Assuming this wasn't a well calculated, move maybe she's just being utterly impulsive. She got sick of the job, sick of dealing with declining revenue, sick of having to stay close to Juneau and Wasilla when she really wants to be in Manchester and Des Moines.
I can't explain why Palin who abandon the people of Alaska before she finishes her first term as governor. But I suspect not that many Alaskans will be complaining.
Okay, so why would Palin do this on a Friday before a holday, traditionally a day for dumping bad news? A couple of theories:
1. She has more bad news to report. There's something going on with her family again. There's more to come with the state's finance. Whatever. There's no good reason for her to suddenly up and quit the governorship, her one claim on elective experience.
2. She wants the money. Palin is probably turning down tons of lucrative speaking offers, corporate boards and others ways of getting righ while she bides her time waiting for the presidency. Maybe she just cant say no to the money any longer?
3. She's totally impulsive. Assuming this wasn't a well calculated, move maybe she's just being utterly impulsive. She got sick of the job, sick of dealing with declining revenue, sick of having to stay close to Juneau and Wasilla when she really wants to be in Manchester and Des Moines.
I can't explain why Palin who abandon the people of Alaska before she finishes her first term as governor. But I suspect not that many Alaskans will be complaining.
Jul 3 2009, 10:02AM
The GOP's "Rebuilding Year"
If Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty runs for president in 2012 -- and early
signs suggest he is beginning to lay that groundwork -- he'll have two clear
things to offer: He's an affable Republican who's shown he can win a key state,
and he's a fiscal conservative who's ready to exploit any backlash to Barack
Obama's big government. In an interview at the Aspen Ideas Festival Thursday,
Pawlenty presented himself as a bulwark against federal spending. "The country
cannot sustain the level of financial commitments that we have now, particularly
in the entitlement programs. If we don't change it, we're going to have the
government equivalent of the mortgage foreclosure crisis, and it's going to come
relatively soon." (Video of interview to be posted on TheAtlantic.com early next
week, along with video of other interviews from the Festival.)
Pawlenty, who was on John McCain's short list for vice president, is on every great mention list for 2012 GOP candidates. "I don't know what I'm going to do be doing three years from now," demurs Pawlenty, who announced last month he will not run for a third term next year. He says he wants to travel the country and speak out on issues, but beyond that, "I don't know what my future holds."
Pawlenty acknowledged that the GOP is struggling. The president is popular, the Democrats control the government, and the GOP is the victim of several self-inflicted wounds, namely Ensign and Sanford. "If the Republican party were a sports team and the coach and general manager were sitting here, he or she would say, 'It's a rebuilding year. We gotta get some new draft picks, we gotta make some trades, we gotta do things differently.' "
One question is whether Pawlenty, a married father of two who's a convert to evangelical Christianianty, would be able to claim that his is the party of family values. Pawlenty insists it can, but concedes that Sanford makes this positioning more complex, at least for now. "For Republicans and others, if you say you're about one thing and you do something else, people don't like that. It's a basic fact of life...We're going to have to earn back the support of the American voter, that's for sure."
Pawlenty, who was on John McCain's short list for vice president, is on every great mention list for 2012 GOP candidates. "I don't know what I'm going to do be doing three years from now," demurs Pawlenty, who announced last month he will not run for a third term next year. He says he wants to travel the country and speak out on issues, but beyond that, "I don't know what my future holds."
Pawlenty acknowledged that the GOP is struggling. The president is popular, the Democrats control the government, and the GOP is the victim of several self-inflicted wounds, namely Ensign and Sanford. "If the Republican party were a sports team and the coach and general manager were sitting here, he or she would say, 'It's a rebuilding year. We gotta get some new draft picks, we gotta make some trades, we gotta do things differently.' "
One question is whether Pawlenty, a married father of two who's a convert to evangelical Christianianty, would be able to claim that his is the party of family values. Pawlenty insists it can, but concedes that Sanford makes this positioning more complex, at least for now. "For Republicans and others, if you say you're about one thing and you do something else, people don't like that. It's a basic fact of life...We're going to have to earn back the support of the American voter, that's for sure."
Jul 3 2009, 7:50AM
Obama's Inversion Of Harry And Louise
President Obama's arguments for health reform aren't without their fire-and-brimstone warnings.
As his opponents have sought to paint him as a liberal idealist, willing to spend a trillion of dollars to implement a big-government health care plan and place a big check mark on the liberal wish list, Obama has hit back on that notion hard--and he's done it, perhaps, by taking a page from the playbook of Harry and Louise.
Harry and Louise, of course, were the TV ad couple who helped torpedo the Clinton-led health reform effort in 1994, doing so with a simple message: if this reform plan goes through, your current health coverage will be taken away.
As his opponents have sought to paint him as a liberal idealist, willing to spend a trillion of dollars to implement a big-government health care plan and place a big check mark on the liberal wish list, Obama has hit back on that notion hard--and he's done it, perhaps, by taking a page from the playbook of Harry and Louise.
Harry and Louise, of course, were the TV ad couple who helped torpedo the Clinton-led health reform effort in 1994, doing so with a simple message: if this reform plan goes through, your current health coverage will be taken away.
Jul 2 2009, 4:40PM
The Democratic Party's Health Care Ad
The Democratic National Committee and Organizing for America are looking to raise money from supporters with a new TV ad promoting health care reform. Though they're asking for money to put the ad on air, the DNC isn't hurting for cash, unless you compare it to its GOP counterpart. The DNC has $12.1 million in the bank, with $5.6 million owed out, as of its latest financial disclosure. It could probably air the ad now if it wanted to, but sending it around to supporters makes for a better fundraising tool--and the RNC, by contrast, has $21.5 million with no debt. The ad went out to supporters today in a fundraising e-mail.
Holding fast to President Obama's messaging strategy on health care so far, the ad paints U.S. health care as unsustainable, with individuals attesting that, for instance, employer provided insurance only covers you until you're laid off. See the ad below:
Holding fast to President Obama's messaging strategy on health care so far, the ad paints U.S. health care as unsustainable, with individuals attesting that, for instance, employer provided insurance only covers you until you're laid off. See the ad below:
Jul 2 2009, 2:56PM
No Swimming Pools Or Frisbee Golf
Time's Michael Scherer illustrates Joe Biden's task in keeping stimulus spending in line. For the White House, it's critical that the $787 billion gets spent efficiently and appropriately, and it's worth noticing that we haven't heard as many rumblings about ridiculous pork projects as one might expect from a spending initiative of this size: there haven't been any major bridges to nowhere or Woodstock museums--though Sen. Tom Coburn outlined 100 examples in a report this month that, he says, are questionable. But stimulus critics seem more concerned with government borrowing and debt, and their macroeconomic effects, than whatever pork might be coming out of it; in that regard, sheriff Biden has kept the White House out of trouble.
Jul 2 2009, 12:58PM
Washington Post Draws Fire With "Salon" Series
UPDATE: Post CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth has canceled the series of dinners, saying, "Absolutely, I'm disappointed...This should never have happened. The fliers got out and weren't vetted. They didn't represent at all what we were attempting to do. We're not going to do any dinners that would impugn the integrity of the newsroom."
The Washington Post found itself the object of much criticism this morning after Politico's Mike Allen reported on a Post "salon" series, promising private, off-the-record, non-confrontational dinner discussions with Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and Washington Post reporters and editors, for $25,000 per person, marketed to lobbyists. "Bring your organization's CEO or executive director literally to the table," reads a flier. The dinners are to be hosted at the home of Post CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth; the topic of the first one, advertised int the flier, is health care.
Evidently a lobbyist felt uncomfortable with the ethics of it--a newspaper appearing to peddle influence in a $25,000-per-ticket lobbying session, serving as interlocutor between lobbyists and the White House, assuring the cooperation of its editorial staff, and perhaps the chance to influence reporters--and gave a copy of the flier to Allen. Lots of bloggers shared the sentiment. The Post's Ezra Klein, one of the paper's most notable health care experts, called it "appalling" and said he would have refused to attend, had he been invited or informed.
The Washington Post found itself the object of much criticism this morning after Politico's Mike Allen reported on a Post "salon" series, promising private, off-the-record, non-confrontational dinner discussions with Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and Washington Post reporters and editors, for $25,000 per person, marketed to lobbyists. "Bring your organization's CEO or executive director literally to the table," reads a flier. The dinners are to be hosted at the home of Post CEO and Publisher Katharine Weymouth; the topic of the first one, advertised int the flier, is health care.
Evidently a lobbyist felt uncomfortable with the ethics of it--a newspaper appearing to peddle influence in a $25,000-per-ticket lobbying session, serving as interlocutor between lobbyists and the White House, assuring the cooperation of its editorial staff, and perhaps the chance to influence reporters--and gave a copy of the flier to Allen. Lots of bloggers shared the sentiment. The Post's Ezra Klein, one of the paper's most notable health care experts, called it "appalling" and said he would have refused to attend, had he been invited or informed.
Jul 2 2009, 10:24AM
Democrats To Raise Money On Twitter
The new tech wave in politics is now going a step further: Democrats are raising money directly on Twitter.
Through a new program launched by ActBlue, an online fundraising group launched in 2004 that channels online donations to Democratic candidates, Democratic supporters can make donations by tweeting the amount and the candidate or party committee they want to give it to.
Through a new program launched by ActBlue, an online fundraising group launched in 2004 that channels online donations to Democratic candidates, Democratic supporters can make donations by tweeting the amount and the candidate or party committee they want to give it to.
Jul 2 2009, 9:54AM
Unemployment: Still Rising, By .1 Percent
The unemployment rate continued to rise today, from 9.4 percent in May to 9.5 percent in June, with 467,000 nonfarm payroll jobs being lost. (Click here to see the Bureau of Labor Statistics report, which includes breakdowns by sector.)
It was a smaller jump than we've seen in previous months. Last month, BLS announced a rise from 8.9 percent to 9.4 percent. From November to March, the average monthly job loss total was 670,000; from April to June, it's been 436,000. Still, this month's drop in payroll employment was more than expected.
The political calculus on unemployment hasn't changed much. President Obama, in an interview with Bloomberg in June, predicted unemployment would hit 10 percent by the end of the year, giving himself some room as observers wondered when the continued job losses would begin to hurt his high standing in the public's eye.
It was a smaller jump than we've seen in previous months. Last month, BLS announced a rise from 8.9 percent to 9.4 percent. From November to March, the average monthly job loss total was 670,000; from April to June, it's been 436,000. Still, this month's drop in payroll employment was more than expected.
The political calculus on unemployment hasn't changed much. President Obama, in an interview with Bloomberg in June, predicted unemployment would hit 10 percent by the end of the year, giving himself some room as observers wondered when the continued job losses would begin to hurt his high standing in the public's eye.
Jul 1 2009, 7:30PM
The Day In Politics, 7/1
Today, we learned that South Carolina Democrats are calling on Gov. Mark Sanford to resign; so are a host of others; and Sen. James Inhofe predicts no more than 35 Senate votes for the cap and trade bill.
We also pondered what Al Franken will be like as a senator; some more thoughts on Obama, Truman, and Don't Ask, Don't Tell; a court fight over detainee confessions obtained through harsh interrogations; and the recent Vanity Fair piece on Sarah Palin.
Tomorrow: President Obama departs for Camp David for the Fourth of July.
We also pondered what Al Franken will be like as a senator; some more thoughts on Obama, Truman, and Don't Ask, Don't Tell; a court fight over detainee confessions obtained through harsh interrogations; and the recent Vanity Fair piece on Sarah Palin.
Tomorrow: President Obama departs for Camp David for the Fourth of July.
Jul 1 2009, 7:00PM
The Invisible Primary, 7/1
Jul 1 2009, 6:35PM
Court Battle: Should Harsh Interrogation Confessions Be Allowed?
That's the question Mohammad Jawad's defense attorneys are trying to answer with a motion filed Wednesday afternoon in the Guantanamo detainee's habeas petition, charting a course into some new legal territory and arguing that statements made to U.S. and Afghan interrogators should be rendered inadmissible in U.S. courts, given the conditions that yielded them.
Now that detainees can challenge their detentions in federal U.S. courts, a result of the Supreme Court's 2008 Boumediene v. Bush decision, and now that President Obama has signaled he wants to move some Guantanamo detainees into the U.S. court system, it's a question that will likely arise again.
Jawad is one of 229 detainees still at Guantanamo, and, though his age has been disputed, his attorneys estimate he was between the ages of 13 and 16 at the time of his arrest in Afghanistan in 2002. It's been suggested he was as young as 12. Nude photographs taken of Jawad in custody show an adolescent in his early teens, his attorneys say.
Now that detainees can challenge their detentions in federal U.S. courts, a result of the Supreme Court's 2008 Boumediene v. Bush decision, and now that President Obama has signaled he wants to move some Guantanamo detainees into the U.S. court system, it's a question that will likely arise again.
Jawad is one of 229 detainees still at Guantanamo, and, though his age has been disputed, his attorneys estimate he was between the ages of 13 and 16 at the time of his arrest in Afghanistan in 2002. It's been suggested he was as young as 12. Nude photographs taken of Jawad in custody show an adolescent in his early teens, his attorneys say.
Jul 1 2009, 5:21PM
Reagan, Palin And That Vanity Fair Palin Story
Lots of buzz today about my my friend Todd Purdum's story on Sarah Palin in the new issue of Vanity Fair. The story's a good reminder of the still enduring role of the monthly magazine in the age of blogs and Twitter. By going over ground that was not exactly unfamiliar--the contempt that McCain staffers felt toward their charge, the governor of Alaska--Purdum was able to find the new in the well-trod, the headline amidst what seemed to be an old story. The level of vitriol and consternation expressed toward Palin is remarkable and so is the extent to which the senior officials of the McCain campaign were continually amazed by her lack of knowledge and her audacity. She tried to make her own concession speech on election night, something that veep candidates never do, and after refusing to take no for an answer from top McCain aides, had to be told no by the Arizona Senator himself.
Jul 1 2009, 3:13PM
Pressure Mounts on Sanford
In the wake of Gov. Mark Sanford's admission this week that he had "crossed lines" with other women, and the revelation last Thursday that he visited his Argentinian liaison while on a taxpayer-funded trip last June, the calls on Sanford to step down are growing.
A wave of calls for his resignation were issued last night and today. According to the latest head counts, at least 12 (14 according to one published count) of the state Senate's 27 Republicans are calling on him to resign--a list that includes Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, who orchestrated a letter signed by five of his colleagues yesterday. They were joined this morning by a call from at least one additional GOP senator, that one being the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee.
A wave of calls for his resignation were issued last night and today. According to the latest head counts, at least 12 (14 according to one published count) of the state Senate's 27 Republicans are calling on him to resign--a list that includes Majority Leader Harvey Peeler, who orchestrated a letter signed by five of his colleagues yesterday. They were joined this morning by a call from at least one additional GOP senator, that one being the chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee.
Jul 1 2009, 2:09PM
Your Thoughts On Truman, Obama And Gays In the Military
Yesterday, I noted that the Obama administration could learn a thing or two from Harry Truman's 1948 executive order integrating the military. Readers rightly noted that I left out some important variables. First, Truman didn't rush to integrate. He took office in 1945 and waited until 1948 to do the deed. Second, Obama needs congressional approval to overturn the don't-ask-don't-tell policy, and I implied that it was his prerogative alone. That's not quite right.
On the first point, I don't think it diminishes Truman's political courage or risk taking to note that he waited until 1948 to integrate the military, a far harder task than faces Obama given the virulence of Jim Crow. It's true that there were political benefits to the integration order that helped Truman win the votes of blacks who had migrated north to states where they weren't largely prevented from voting, such as Illinois. But overall it was a gamble of astonishing proportions in an election year and far riskier than anything Obama is thus far avoiding. Truman's position helped lead to the Strom Thurmond/segregationist walkout from the party. No Democrat in Congress is going to bolt over this.
On the first point, I don't think it diminishes Truman's political courage or risk taking to note that he waited until 1948 to integrate the military, a far harder task than faces Obama given the virulence of Jim Crow. It's true that there were political benefits to the integration order that helped Truman win the votes of blacks who had migrated north to states where they weren't largely prevented from voting, such as Illinois. But overall it was a gamble of astonishing proportions in an election year and far riskier than anything Obama is thus far avoiding. Truman's position helped lead to the Strom Thurmond/segregationist walkout from the party. No Democrat in Congress is going to bolt over this.
Jul 1 2009, 12:59PM
Another Problem With Bailouts -- Political Persuasion
The Washington Post today has the kind of article I hate to read. It explains that Senator Daniel Inouye (D-HI) may have used his political influence to reverse an FDIC ruling that a local bank should get bailout money. It gets worse: he helped to establish the bank and had most of his personal wealth there.
From the Post:
The bank, Central Pacific Financial, was an unlikely candidate for a program designed by the Treasury Department to bolster healthy banks. The firm's losses were depleting its capital reserves. Its primary regulator, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., already had decided that it didn't meet the criteria for receiving a favorable recommendation and had forwarded the application to a council that reviewed marginal cases, according to agency documents.
Two weeks after the inquiry from Inouye's office, Central Pacific announced that the Treasury would inject $135 million.
Jul 1 2009, 12:53PM
Inhofe: No More Than 35 Votes For Climate Bill
The cap and trade bill that narrowly passed in the House last week won't get more than 35 votes in the Senate--despite the additional, presumed "yea" from Al Franken--according to Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), the top Republican on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee and formerly it's chairman. Inhofe has long been the Senate's leading global warming skeptic, and, naturally, he's against this bill. It enjoys a broader coalition of lobbying support than one might expect, as companies such as Shell and Duke energy have backed it through a business climate-change coalition orchestrated by Environmental Defense. Here's a breakdown, done by National Journal's Ron Brownstein, of where the votes came from in the House.
Jul 1 2009, 12:27PM
South Carolina Democrats Join Calls For Sanford To Resign
The South Carolina Democratic Party added its voice today to growing calls on Gov. Mark Sanford to resign today, citing Sanford's "stream of confessions" and "immoral and reprehensible behavior" as distractions from state business.
"State officials seem unable to do anything except worry and talk about Governor Sanford's extramarital affair, which we learn more about every few hours," party Chair Carol Fowler said in a statement. "South Carolina can't afford to be at a standstill for the next 18 months with a governor who ignores his job responsibilities while pursuing personal interests."
"State officials seem unable to do anything except worry and talk about Governor Sanford's extramarital affair, which we learn more about every few hours," party Chair Carol Fowler said in a statement. "South Carolina can't afford to be at a standstill for the next 18 months with a governor who ignores his job responsibilities while pursuing personal interests."
Jul 1 2009, 10:17AM
Hitting Sanford
As Gov. Mark Sanford's story has gotten juicier with published e-mails, the revelation that he "crossed lines" with other women, and his defense of the affair with a former reporter in Argentina as "a love story--a forbidden one, a tragic one, but a love story at the end of the day," the South Carolina Democratic Party has put together a video collage (watch after the jump) of media clips on the ordeal--late night hosts riffing on Sanford, cable news anchors parsing his admission, and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell dodging a question on whether Sanford should resign. Sanford ignored the same question at his press conference.
The Monica Lewinsky showed that scoring points off a sex scandal doesn't always work--sometimes, people think it shouldn't be a public or political matter. The Eliot Spitzer scandal was a bit different: the former attorney general actually did something illegal. Sanford's case has an important distinction: he disappeared to South America without announcing his departure or leaving anyone in charge, and his staff was kept (at least mostly) in the dark. The SC Democrats allege an "abuse of power," not an ethical shortcoming.
At this point, the SC Democratic Party has not yet called on Sanford to resign, though calls from Republicans are growing, as Politico's Jonathan Martin reports, and The Greenville News said the same in an editorial this morning.
The Monica Lewinsky showed that scoring points off a sex scandal doesn't always work--sometimes, people think it shouldn't be a public or political matter. The Eliot Spitzer scandal was a bit different: the former attorney general actually did something illegal. Sanford's case has an important distinction: he disappeared to South America without announcing his departure or leaving anyone in charge, and his staff was kept (at least mostly) in the dark. The SC Democrats allege an "abuse of power," not an ethical shortcoming.
At this point, the SC Democratic Party has not yet called on Sanford to resign, though calls from Republicans are growing, as Politico's Jonathan Martin reports, and The Greenville News said the same in an editorial this morning.
Jun 30 2009, 8:14PM
Senator Franken: Part Hillary, Part Teddy, Not Liddy
What can we expect from Sen. Al Franken? My colleague, Jay Newton-Small at Time, makes some predictions about his impact here. All true, I say. But I'd add a few other points. First, you can fully expect Franken to follow the Hillary model for how to be a celebrity Senator. (It's also the Obama model, to a lesser degree.) That is, keep your head down. Don't do a lot of TV, at first. Go genuflect to Robert Byrd and sit in his ornate Capitol office and let the giant of West Virginia ramble on about the Romans and talk about the minutiae of Senate rules. In other words, don't act like you're a celebrity senator deserving of more airtime than Mark Begich or Tom Udall. Franken will do his homework, study hard and pay attention to constituent services just like Clinton did when she came to the Senate in 2001. Anyone who expects Air America appearances, books, or showboating at hearings will probably be disappointed.
Jun 30 2009, 7:30PM
The Day In Politics, 6/30
Today, the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in favor of Al Franken; a faith-based coalition started airing a handful of health care radio ads; and the Obama administration announced a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
We also rated Norm Coleman's concession; Sarah Palin's political future; the difficulty (or ease) of eliminating Don't Ask, Don't Tell; whether Franken's victory really gives Democrats 60 Senate seats; and we discussed whether the Justice Department is taking aim at Oracle.
Tomorrow: President Obama holds a health care town hall meeting in Annandale, VA.
We also rated Norm Coleman's concession; Sarah Palin's political future; the difficulty (or ease) of eliminating Don't Ask, Don't Tell; whether Franken's victory really gives Democrats 60 Senate seats; and we discussed whether the Justice Department is taking aim at Oracle.
Tomorrow: President Obama holds a health care town hall meeting in Annandale, VA.
Jun 30 2009, 7:00PM
The Invisible Primary, 6/30
Tracking to GOP race to 2012
A Vanity Fair article by Todd Purdum painted an unflattering picture of Gov. Sarah Palin; Palin told Runner's World that she'd probably beat Obama in distance running; Mike Huckabee will deliver a keynote speech at a conservative dinner in Syracuse, NY in October; and Newt Gingrich addressed a crowd of 800 at a fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker in Milwaulkee.
A Vanity Fair article by Todd Purdum painted an unflattering picture of Gov. Sarah Palin; Palin told Runner's World that she'd probably beat Obama in distance running; Mike Huckabee will deliver a keynote speech at a conservative dinner in Syracuse, NY in October; and Newt Gingrich addressed a crowd of 800 at a fundraiser for gubernatorial candidate Scott Walker in Milwaulkee.
Jun 30 2009, 5:49PM
Is Oracle In The Justice Department's Crosshairs Again?
In May, Christine Varney, the new antitrust chief at the Justice Department, promised to scrutinize high-tech mergers more closely than her Bush-era predecessors. In the early Obama administration, talk of a possible antitrust action has focused almost exclusively on Google. The latest example is this Sunday Times profile of the apple-cheeked Googler whose job it is to furiously spin decision makers on the idea that Google is not really so big after all. But that's not the only antitrust issue lurking. If the recession, the energy bill, the prospects for health care, and a dozen other stories weren't already dominating headlines, yesterday's news that the Justice Department is taking a closer look at Oracle's $7.4-billion purchase of Sun would be a really big deal.
Jun 30 2009, 4:58PM
60! Wait, No... 58!
The headline over at Talking Points Memo right now is "60!" in reference to Al Franken's pending arrival in the Senate, reflecting the fact that Democrats now have 60 seats, a filibuster-proof majority. At least on paper. In reality, it's not quite so simple. A quiet concern in the White House is the logistical difficulty of getting Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd, both of them long absent with serious health issues, to the Senate floor to cast a vote. This is putting additional pressure on conservative Democrats like Evan Bayh to toe the party line, and raising the importance of Olympia Snow and Susan Collins, considered to be the two most gettable Republicans on issues like health care.
Jun 30 2009, 4:50PM
Coleman Concedes, And Handles It Pretty Well
So after the long, long battle in court, Sen. Norm Coleman (R) has conceded to Al Franken (D).
Appearing in St. Paul, Minnesota, Coleman smiled and urged unity. He didn't look particularly upset, and he didn't look like the decision had hit him particularly hard. As reporters questioned him about his political past and future, instead of waving them away, he answered calmly.
"I've been blessed to represent the greatest state in the nation," Coleman said. "I'm proud of my 32 years of public service, and I'm here today to offer my congratulations to Al Franken."
Coleman said he'll start "talking a little bit about what my future is" next week, and that he won't have any word about his next step until then. Though he's had time to think about it, that future may be up in the air; after holding office and losing a statewide race, it can be difficult to win another one.
Appearing in St. Paul, Minnesota, Coleman smiled and urged unity. He didn't look particularly upset, and he didn't look like the decision had hit him particularly hard. As reporters questioned him about his political past and future, instead of waving them away, he answered calmly.
"I've been blessed to represent the greatest state in the nation," Coleman said. "I'm proud of my 32 years of public service, and I'm here today to offer my congratulations to Al Franken."
Coleman said he'll start "talking a little bit about what my future is" next week, and that he won't have any word about his next step until then. Though he's had time to think about it, that future may be up in the air; after holding office and losing a statewide race, it can be difficult to win another one.
Jun 30 2009, 4:35PM
New Consumer Financial Protection Agency A Mixed-Bag
The Obama administration unveiled their plan for creating an agency to regulate the financial products offered to consumers. Measures from the government to attempt to protect consumers from products leading to unfair or deceptive lending are not novel. But this agency hopes to take consumer protection a step further by intensifying such efforts and promoting access to financial products as well. I applaud the administration's desire to protect consumers but wonder if its dual purpose will lead to internal conflict.
Let's start with the good. This new agency will implement and enforce new transparency standards for consumer lending. That's important. Even the most brazen of free marketers will have trouble arguing that clarity and simplicity are not valid goals for regulations. If individuals do not have full, clear and accurate information, markets cannot work.
Jun 30 2009, 3:52PM
Franken Def. Coleman
238 days--over two thirds of a year--after Election Day, Al Franken has won his U.S. Senate race against Norm Coleman, as the Minnesota Supreme Court ruled in his favor 5-0 after the protracted legal battle that saw an election recount, allegations of unconstitutionality by Coleman's lawyers and of fraud by partisan observers, and 32 absentee ballots allegedly left in an election official's car. Read the opinion here. Coleman reportedly has not ruled out a federal case.
So the Democrats are up to 60 Senate seats with this result--which many in Washington thought would happen eventually--presuming Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) certifies Franken, as he's said he would if the court ruled in Franken's favor.
With 60 seats, Democrats can now break Republican filibusters and pass whatever legislation they want...as long as the centrists in their caucus, particularly Sens. Arlen Specter (PA), Ben Nelson (NE), Mark Pryor (AK), and Blanche Lincoln (AK) agree...or as long as they can win over a centrist Republican like Sen. Susan Collins (ME) or Olympia Snowe (ME). As we saw with the stimulus, the clump of senators in the middle possess a lot of influence...in that regard, not much has changed, though Franken's vote should help.
So the Democrats are up to 60 Senate seats with this result--which many in Washington thought would happen eventually--presuming Gov. Tim Pawlenty (R) certifies Franken, as he's said he would if the court ruled in Franken's favor.
With 60 seats, Democrats can now break Republican filibusters and pass whatever legislation they want...as long as the centrists in their caucus, particularly Sens. Arlen Specter (PA), Ben Nelson (NE), Mark Pryor (AK), and Blanche Lincoln (AK) agree...or as long as they can win over a centrist Republican like Sen. Susan Collins (ME) or Olympia Snowe (ME). As we saw with the stimulus, the clump of senators in the middle possess a lot of influence...in that regard, not much has changed, though Franken's vote should help.
Jun 30 2009, 2:11PM
A Faith-Based Push For Health Care
A coalition of progressively minded faith-based groups is waging a campaign to support health care reform (which launched in May), and it's put out a series of new ads that will air on Christian radio today through July 4, targeting senators in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Nebraska, and North Carolina--states belonging loosely to the Bible belt whose moderate senators often cast swing votes in the upper chamber--as they return home for Congress's July 4 recess.
The faith-based angle on health care, for this coalition, differs notably from the talking points offered by President Obama and reform opponents in Washington, who have stuck mostly to talking about costs: Obama has sought to hammer in the point that national health care costs are unsustainable, while strategy memos on both the Democratic and Republican sides this month have advised, based on polling data, that talking about costs and government spending resonates most thoroughly with the public.
The faith-based angle on health care, for this coalition, differs notably from the talking points offered by President Obama and reform opponents in Washington, who have stuck mostly to talking about costs: Obama has sought to hammer in the point that national health care costs are unsustainable, while strategy memos on both the Democratic and Republican sides this month have advised, based on polling data, that talking about costs and government spending resonates most thoroughly with the public.
Jun 30 2009, 1:12PM
Sarah Palin: Stayin Alive
Todd S. Purdum paints a gruesome picture of Sarah Palin, politically speaking, in his Vanity Fair piece that came out today. It's rife with examples of two-faced moments and old former allies who are now estranged from Palin because, as they intimate, she keeps friends close until they're no longer useful, or she takes disagreements personally, and fallings out ensue.
It's lurid, to say the least.
Purdum's article reads like a post-mortem, but it's not: Palin's political fortunes are still very much alive. A recent round of polling showed Palin neck and neck with Mike Huckabee as the most popular politician among Republicans nationwide.
It's lurid, to say the least.
Purdum's article reads like a post-mortem, but it's not: Palin's political fortunes are still very much alive. A recent round of polling showed Palin neck and neck with Mike Huckabee as the most popular politician among Republicans nationwide.
Jun 30 2009, 10:55AM
Clinton, Truman, Obama and Gays in the Military
President Obama tried to reassure gay leaders last night that he was still with them on eliminating the military's don't-ask-don't-tell policy. His press secretary, Robert Gibbs, said that it would be gone by the time that Obama sees reelection. At this point, I take them at their word, but what's interesting is that two Democratic presidents have now stumbled on this issue, showing the gap between campaign promises and what's at least perceived to be political reality. A third Democratic president offers a better way.
Jun 30 2009, 10:16AM
Waxman Markey And "Special Interest Giveaways"
On his Atlantic Correspondents blog, Conor Clarke tackles the politics of carbon credit distribution in the House's cap and trade energy bill, discussing whether the bill is, as some have said, chock full of "special interest giveaways":
Sure, the distribution of permits is still very important. When the government gives permits to select recipients, it is rewarding one industry over another, and favoring "incumbent" companies over those that might enter the market in the future. I think that is unfair. But those concerns about fairness are entirely separate from concerns about the environmental effectiveness of the bill. A cap and trade bill that gives all the permits to Donald Trump will be just as effective in reducing emissions as a bill that auctions off all of the permits and uses the revenue to fund an across the board payroll tax cut.
Jun 29 2009, 8:00PM
The Day In Politics, 6/29
Today, we learned that President Obama and Hugo Chavez have one thing in common (Honduras); the Supreme Court disagreed with Sonia Sotomayor; which Sotomayor's critics pounced on; Obama hosted an LGBT Pride Month reception, despite skepticism about him among gays; and Obama met with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and talked trade.
We also pondered why the SCOTUS decision won't bring back affirmative action as a hot-button issue; and the warm response Obama got from LGBT attendees at the reception.
We also pondered why the SCOTUS decision won't bring back affirmative action as a hot-button issue; and the warm response Obama got from LGBT attendees at the reception.
Jun 29 2009, 7:44PM
Obama's Warm LGBT Reception
Despite skepticism among the gay community and a wary sense that President Obama might not have the courage to deliver on his campaign promises, he got a pretty good reception from LGBT attendees at his Pride Month reception at the White House Monday.
Obama drew early and enthusiastic applause from the crowd of 250-300 LGBT families, volunteers, community leaders, federal employees, state and local lawmakers, and heads of LGBT lobbying/activist organizations gathered in the East Room as he called out greetings to openly gay appointees and gay rights activists, then delivered remarks for about 20 minutes. (Hear audio of Obama's remarks here.)
"Welcome to your White House," he said to the crowd as he addressed it.
Obama drew early and enthusiastic applause from the crowd of 250-300 LGBT families, volunteers, community leaders, federal employees, state and local lawmakers, and heads of LGBT lobbying/activist organizations gathered in the East Room as he called out greetings to openly gay appointees and gay rights activists, then delivered remarks for about 20 minutes. (Hear audio of Obama's remarks here.)
"Welcome to your White House," he said to the crowd as he addressed it.
Jun 29 2009, 6:15PM
The Invisible Primary, 6/29
Tracking the GOP race to 2012
Rep. Mike Pence will travel to Iowa in July; Gov. Tim Pawlenty spoke at the Arkansas GOP's annual governor's dinner in Little Rock Friday and told reporters Gov. Mark Sanford's affair shouldn't be viewed politically, also saying the scandal had damaged the GOP; he also said this weekend that he won't delay Al Franken's certification as a senator if the Minnesota Supreme Court rules in Franken's favor; and Gov. Sarah Palin traveled to Kosovo last week to visit Alaska National Guard troops, on a trip that continued through the weekend.
Rep. Mike Pence will travel to Iowa in July; Gov. Tim Pawlenty spoke at the Arkansas GOP's annual governor's dinner in Little Rock Friday and told reporters Gov. Mark Sanford's affair shouldn't be viewed politically, also saying the scandal had damaged the GOP; he also said this weekend that he won't delay Al Franken's certification as a senator if the Minnesota Supreme Court rules in Franken's favor; and Gov. Sarah Palin traveled to Kosovo last week to visit Alaska National Guard troops, on a trip that continued through the weekend.
Jun 29 2009, 5:15PM
Obama Meets With Uribe; Concerns Over Colombia Deal Remain
President Obama met with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe today, discussing a trade pact that had the full support of President Bush but stalled under opposition from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, congressional Democrats, and labor unions. Bush had pushed for the deal in the face of staunch opposition in Congress, and his administration organized trips to Colombia for U.S. lawmakers to visit with government and business leaders in the hopes of winning their votes. (Democrats, as well as Republicans, traveled there.)
Labor unions remain staunchly opposed to the deal, their main argument being reports of Colombian-military-sanctioned killings of trade unionists, and Pelosi has no plans to bring the agreement to the floor any time soon, according to her office. The safety of Colombian labor leaders needs to be dealt with before the content of an agreement can be ironed out, spokesman Brendan Daly said.
Labor unions remain staunchly opposed to the deal, their main argument being reports of Colombian-military-sanctioned killings of trade unionists, and Pelosi has no plans to bring the agreement to the floor any time soon, according to her office. The safety of Colombian labor leaders needs to be dealt with before the content of an agreement can be ironed out, spokesman Brendan Daly said.
Jun 29 2009, 3:58PM
Sotomayor's Critics Seize On SCOTUS Decision
In ruling against Sonia Sotomayor's appellate decision in Ricci v. DeStefano--the case brought by white firefighters in New Haven who claimed they were wrongfully denied promotions after an examination yielded no firefighters of color eligible for advancement--the Supreme Court has provided Sotomayor's critics with fodder today.
An official statement from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:
An official statement from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:
The Supreme Court today recognized that Judge Sotomayor's panel wrongly deprived the New Haven firefighters of equal justice under the law. Not only did Judge Sotomayor misapply the law, but the perfunctory way in which she and her panel dismissed the firefighters' meritorious claims of unfair treatment is particularly troubling. It stands in marked contrast to the way the Supreme Court addressed this very serious matter, underscoring my concern that she may have allowed her personal or political agenda to cloud her judgment and affect her ruling.
Jun 29 2009, 11:35AM
Obama Hosts LGBT Pride Reception; Gays Aren't Yet Convinced
President Obama will be hosting a reception at the White House this afternoon, at 3:30, honoring LGBT pride month. But there's still a sentiment among gays that he hasn't yet delivered what he promised on the campaign trail, and some in attendance (at least a couple leaders of gay rights groups will be there) are skeptical of his administration.
The administration's stance on the Defense of Marriage Act--which the Department of Justice recently defended--and a lack of progress on Don't Ask, Don't Tell lie at the heart of their frustrations.
The administration's stance on the Defense of Marriage Act--which the Department of Justice recently defended--and a lack of progress on Don't Ask, Don't Tell lie at the heart of their frustrations.
Jun 29 2009, 11:23AM
After New Haven, Affirmative Action Is Not Back
Affirmative action had been fading from American political life for the past two decades. Yes, there have been occasionally controversial Supreme Court decisions and a few legislative battles but for the most part it's not dominated the life of Washington or conversation nationally. California is an exception here where the Ward Connerly-led efforts to overturn affiramtive action in higher education prevailed. But if you think back to the landmark Bakke decision of the 70s, affirmative action has nowhere near the potency it once did. Early in the Reagan administration there was thought to repealing Executive Order 11246, the Kennedy-era dictum that became the basis of federal affirmative action programs. But it was never repealed and for the most part the basic structures of affirmative action have remained in place in Washington and thus the country. Affirmative action has become a part of daily life in thousands of corporate HR offices and in government ones, too. It's not as aggressive as many would like and it hasn't faded away as others would wish.
Jun 29 2009, 10:39AM
Supreme Court Disagrees With Sotomayor On Ricci
The Supreme Court has overturned one of Sonia Sotomayor's more talked-about rulings, siding with a group of white firefighters in a 5-4 decision on Ricci v. DeStefano.
Sotomayor had ruled against the firefighters, who filed suit after being denied promotions because an examination for advancement yielded no eligible black firefighters. This case was prime fodder for Sotomayor's opponents, who insinuated racism on her part before any of the "wise Latina" quote was stirred with Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh's criticism--before, in fact, Sotomayor was named as President Obama's nominee.
Sotomayor was on a three-judge panel that rejected the complaint in an appeals court.
The reversal of her decision will likely provide more fodder. More on the decision later today...
Sotomayor had ruled against the firefighters, who filed suit after being denied promotions because an examination for advancement yielded no eligible black firefighters. This case was prime fodder for Sotomayor's opponents, who insinuated racism on her part before any of the "wise Latina" quote was stirred with Newt Gingrich and Rush Limbaugh's criticism--before, in fact, Sotomayor was named as President Obama's nominee.
Sotomayor was on a three-judge panel that rejected the complaint in an appeals court.
The reversal of her decision will likely provide more fodder. More on the decision later today...
Jun 29 2009, 9:40AM
Some Common Ground With Venezuela
The Obama administration's decision last week to open diplomatic relations with Venezuela got relatively little media fanfare, probably due to the unfolding situation in Iran. But it was significant, given that 1) chilly relations had given the appearance of warming when President Obama shook hands with Hugo Chavez at a summit in April, 2) Venezuela is a top supplier of oil to the U.S., and 3) Chavez has cultivated a relationship with Iran, specifically Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, backing the Iranian president's declared election victory and accusing the U.S. and Europe of stirring up the protests. Now the U.S. and Venezuela find themselves on the same side of the Honduran coup, at least.
Copyright © 2009 by The Atlantic Monthly Group. All rights reserved.