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  • Biden's Israel visit takes a rocky turn
    Mar 10, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to...
  • Biden assures Israel of support
    Mar 9, 2010 — Washington Post
    Vice President Biden strongly criticized Israel on Tuesday for approving construction of 1,600 new housing units in the eastern part of Jerusalem, a decision announced a day after Israeli leaders and the Palestinians agreed to U.S-mediated, indirect peace negotiations and while Biden himself was meeting with top officials here."I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem. The substance and timing of the announcement,...
  • Biden reassures Israel of U.S. commitment
    Mar 9, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    ...unvarnished commitment to Israel's security," he said. In meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni, Biden emphasized his long personal ties to Israel and his affection for the country. "It's good to be home," he told Peres. When Netanyahu told Biden that Israel had planted a small stand of trees in honor of his late mother, Biden responded, "My love for your country was watered by this Irish lady."...
  • Biden to Israel: Take risks for peace
    Mar 9, 2010 — USA Today
    Biden said he was pleased that Israelis and Palestinians had agreed this week to resume indirect peace negotiations with U.S. mediation. Obama began his term with a push for Mideast peace, prodding Israel to freeze its construction of West Bank settlements that swallow up land the Palestinians want for a future state. But hours after Biden's arrival Monday, the U.S. announced the sides would begin indirect peace negotiations.
  • Joe Biden still has one foot in the Senate; may be key to healthcare
    Mar 9, 2010 — The Hill
    J. Taylor RushingUnlike his predecessor, Vice President Joe Biden does not attend the weekly lunches in the Senate. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Biden’s longtime chief of staff and interim replacement. “He’s just a Senate guy. Cheney would attend Senate GOP lunches every week, Republicans recall, although he would rarely speak.“I liked what Cheney did.
  • U.S. condemns new Israel housing units
    Mar 9, 2010 — CNN
    The Israeli Interior Ministry denies the territory is in East Jerusalem. However, Meir Margalit of the Jerusalem Municipality -- representing the leftist party Meretz -- said the ministry's planning and building committee is a political committee that acts under the minister's political guidance. However, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had refused to re-enter negotiations until Israel enacted a complete freeze of all settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
  • Deal to Save Everglades May Help Sugar Firm
    Mar 8, 2010 — New York Times
    Crist’s deal with United States Sugar, even in its downsized form, offers the Everglades its best hope. Crist are confidants, and the governor referred to Mr. “This was going to save the Everglades.
  • In Deal on Everglades, a Dream Is Deferred
    Mar 8, 2010 — New York Times
    Crist’s deal with United States Sugar, even in its downsized form, offers the Everglades its best hope. Crist are confidants, and the governor referred to Mr. Wade, the United States Sugar senior vice president, does.
  • Vice President Biden on goodwill trip to Israel
    Mar 8, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    But the lack of a visit to Israel alienated many here. Palestinians refused to engage in direct talks without a full freeze and felt betrayed when the U.S. appeared to back away from its original position. The Obama administration is also eager to demonstrate that its efforts in the Middle East peace process have yielded results, analysts say. "U.S. elections are coming up.
  • Obama's health care pitch to Democrats: Trust me
    Mar 7, 2010 — USA Today
    The party's strategy calls for House Democrats, despite many misgivings, to go along with a health care bill the Senate passed in December. Republicans are playing on House Democrats' suspicions of their Senate colleagues, saying Senate Democrats may not keep their end of the bargain. White House and Democratic leaders counter with their own warnings to nervous House Democrats who might consider switching from "yes" to "no" on health care.
  • Obama, Gates Not Always Eye-To-Eye On New Nukes
    Mar 6, 2010 — Politico
    Gates “still believes in the fundamental goals of ensuring warhead safety, security, and reliability, and believes we need a modern infrastructure to support that. Those investments are in the budget,” the spokesman said. “The RRW [Reliable Replacement Warhead] program was killed by Congress, and isn't coming back. Gates recognizes that fact.”However, Morrell said it was too soon to say how modernization of nuclear warhead stocks would be carried out.
  • Biden's Job: Reassure Israelis
    Mar 5, 2010 — Politico
    Some countries, such as Brazil and China, which are members of the U.N. Security Council, believe sanctions are premature and must be approached slowly. In response, Clinton has traveled to Brazil and Riyadh, the latter trip an effort to persuade Saudi Arabia to offer energy guarantees to China if it would sign on to stiffer sanctions. Wernick was among U.S. Jewish leaders whom Biden consulted before his trip. “But a lot of that perception [in Israel about Obama] is misplaced.
  • Ten Who Could Decide Health Care
    Mar 5, 2010 — Politico
    Kathleen Dahlkemper — Stupak’s soldiersThe abortion fight has made Michigan Rep. Even more senior Democrats, such as Illinois Rep. Michael Arcuri — Empire State of oppositionTo get a bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to minimize defections.
  • Michelle: No Longer A 'caricature'
    Mar 4, 2010 — Politico
    They don’t see a caricature of me; they don’t see a sound bite of me; they see all of me. It’s understandable that he struggles with it. Michelle Obama dismissed the notion of a problem.“Fortunately, Barack, he’s a steady kind of person.
  • U.S. Fears Prospect of Violence After Iraqi Elections
    Mar 4, 2010 — New York Times
    Senior Obama administration officials maintained in interviews this week that Mr. Obama’s plan to withdraw all American combat troops by Sept. 1 would remain on track regardless of who cobbles together a governing coalition after the election. “Politics has broken out in Iraq,” Mr.
  • 'now Is The Time To Make A Decision'
    Mar 3, 2010 — Politico
    I believe it’s time to give the American people more control over their own health insurance. I don’t believe we can afford to leave life-and-death decisions about health care to the discretion of insurance company executives alone. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told POLITICO that Senate Democratic leaders have decided to go the reconciliation route.
  • W.H. Warns Dems: Don't Flip-Flop
    Mar 3, 2010 — Politico
    Michael Arcuri, who voted for the initial House bill, in a bind. I don’t see how the Senate bill will do the kind of things I want to do with health care. Joe Courtney, an outspoken opponent of the Senate¹s tax on high-end health care plans, doesn¹t like seeing the so-called Cadillac tax in a finished bill.
  • Dems Gaining Momentum
    Mar 2, 2010 — Politico
    Step two: After the Senate bill becomes law, the House then amends the Senate bill through a reconciliation bill, to be passed by March 21. That bill would be the only opportunity to amend, add or strike provisions in the Senate bill. Alex Isenstadt in POLITICO: “With Arkansas Lt.
  • House Dems eye switch to 'yes' on health care
    Mar 1, 2010 — USA Today
    The House version of health care passed 220-215 in November, with 39 Democrats voting against it. With four House seats now vacant, Pelosi would need 216 votes to approve the Senate-passed version, which replaces the jettisoned House bill. For every yes vote that switches to no, Pelosi and the White House must persuade one of the 39 Democrats who voted "nay" in November to switch to yes.
  • Letter From Washington: Obama Needs to Twist Arms on Health Care
    Feb 28, 2010 — New York Times
    About 90 percent of Democratic lawmakers want to see a health care overhaul. The 1996 welfare bill also passed under reconciliation. Both were passed through reconciliation, requiring only a majority vote.
  • Dems Feel Out Next Step For Health Bill
    Feb 26, 2010 — Politico
    Anh “Joseph” Cao, the lone Republican who voted for the House bill, has already declared his opposition to a final package, and a pair of vacancies narrows Pelosi’s margin significantly. Brian Baird, who voted against the initial house bill, said, “I’m totally undecided,” which he acknowledged was an upgrade from his earlier “no” vote.
  • Are summit expectations too high?
    Feb 25, 2010 — Washington Post
    But does anyone think the substance of Obama's health-care plan or the proposals of Republicans will change significantly at the summit? The Washington Post writes that Obama "tried to rally business leaders Wednesday to support the administration's goals of health-care reform, climate legislation and financial regulation. The governor also said he would suspend Mr.
  • Chicago Tribune John Kass column
    Feb 25, 2010 — Chicago Tribune
    They were foolish to get trapped in his so-called summit on national health care. As an acolyte of the Chicago Democratic machine, he's seen muscle at work in Daleyland. After the Hopium smokers nod off to pleasant dreams, what counts is who has the muscle.
  • Obama's Task: One Tune, Five Crowds
    Feb 24, 2010 — Politico
    He’ll be pitching Beltway graybeards obsessed, as always, with bipartisanship. Bob Kerrey of Nebraska. “The American people are obviously one big piece of his audience, especially independent voters who are moving away from Democratic policies. Margolies-Mezvinsky was sent packing after one term in office.The PublicMore important to members of Congress than the judgment of history, however, is American public opinion.
  • Summit Theatrics
    Feb 24, 2010 — Politico
    In the end, the top U.S. executive for Toyota said the recalls might not even solve the rapid-acceleration problems.”FINANCIAL REFORM DEAL? The Bob Corker-Chris Dodd pairing seems to be working out quite well so far – even though some Senate Republicans weren’t happy that Corker decided to actually work with a Democrat. A skeptical Senate might not even go along with a bank tax at all.
  • Dysfunction Function: Charting the Ideal and Real Legislative Process
    Feb 23, 2010 — New York Times
    In this lesson, students chart the basic process of how a bill becomes a law, and then consider Senator Evan Bayh’s criticisms of the Senate. They then dig into a current piece of legislation, and create a detailed flow chart showing the complexity of the real process. This flow chart should show the basic process in which bills are developed, written, voted upon and enacted.
  • Obama sets stage for summit fight
    Feb 23, 2010 — The Hill
    Bart Stupak (Mich.) favor a stronger prohibition on federal money being used for abortion services than the Senate bill provides. Abortion-rights supporters, however, oppose the limitations in both versions of the bill. The president also is silent on whether the bill should include a government-run public option, which the House approved but the Senate did not.
  • Democratic senatorial candidates vie to be seen as outsiders
    Feb 22, 2010 — Washington Post
    Shailagh MurrayChris Coons wants to be a Democratic Senate incumbent. Robert Menendez (N.J.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.To be sure, the party is desperate for a winning formula. Carnahan, for one, is a member of a prominent Missouri family; his brother Russ is a congressman from a St.
  • Obama's Strategy: Replace Change With Reform
    Feb 22, 2010 — Politico
    Lawmakers and the White House were emboldened by a Washington Post-ABC News poll finding 80 percent or respondents opposed to the court decision. Regis Hotel address the CEOs who make up Business Roundtable.
  • Summit Spin: Real Effort Or Photo Op?
    Feb 22, 2010 — Politico
    As late as Sunday, four separate House aides said they didn’t know exactly what the White House is planning to propose.The stakes for Obama couldn’t be higher. Despite a year of having sizable majorities in the House and Senate, he has been unable to bring fractious Democrats together to complete health reform.
  • The Obama Plan
    Feb 22, 2010 — Politico
    Our hope is republicans will come together around their plan and post it online.Pfeiffer said the plan is the White House’s proposal.
  • Candidates acting as outsiders
    Feb 21, 2010 — Washington Post
    Shailagh MurrayChris Coons wants to be a Democratic Senate incumbent. Robert Menendez (N.J.), chairman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.To be sure, the party is desperate for a winning formula. Carnahan, for one, is a member of a prominent Missouri family; his brother Russ is a congressman from a St.
  • Obama heads west to help Reid
    Feb 19, 2010 — Washington Post
    Leading up to the 2006 election, we had a Republican-controlled Congress and a Republican president, and Washington was dysfunctional. Now we have a Democratic Congress and Democratic president, and the federal government is still dysfunctional. After November's midterm elections, we may very well have a Republican House and a marginally Democratic Senate to go with a Democratic president.
  • Reid Tries To Resurrect Public Option
    Feb 19, 2010 — Politico
    But his spokesman, Rodell Mollineau, said, "If a decision is made to use reconciliation to advance health care, Sen. Obama will present his plan to Republicans and ask for their ideas.
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