Obama administration

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Obama Picks Ex-Army Intel Chief to Head TSA

Robert Harding to replace blocked nominee Erroll Southers

(Newser) - President Obama plans to appoint a former Army officer with a career in intelligence to lead the Transportation Security Administration, and he'll announce his choice, retired Gen. Robert Harding, today, an administration official tells the AP. The TSA administrator is the most important unfilled post in the Obama administration; the...

David Axelrod Defiant, but Shows the Strain

Obama adviser taking a lot of heat about White House message

(Newser) - With the White House getting failing grades for having a muddled message, no Obama aide is taking more heat than David Axelrod. In an interview with the New York Times , Axelrod comes off as alternately:
  • Defiant: "I don't give a flying (the Times diplomatically says 'expletive') what the peanut
...

Obama Advisers Push Flip to Military 9/11 Trials

Switch would pave way for bipartisan deal on Guantanamo

(Newser) - Barack Obama’s top advisers want him to reverse Eric Holder’s decision to try Khalid Sheik Mohammed and the other 9/11 conspirators in civilian court. The president has personally favored civilian trials, but thanks to the popular outcry against them, he’s likely to accept their recommendation, the Washington ...

US Backs Bluefin Tuna Ban
 US Backs Bluefin Tuna Ban 
Mar 3, 2010 2:43 PM CST

US Backs Bluefin Tuna Ban

Obama administration stands with conservationists

(Newser) - The Obama administration will endorse a full ban on the international trade of Atlantic bluefin tuna, the strictest protection yet for the endangered sushi fish. Monaco proposed such a ban late last year, but the administration hesitated to endorse it, sparking criticism from marine scientists. Now, with less than two...

Obama Plans Easter Resurrection for Health Care

But master plan meets resistance as House afraid to vote first

(Newser) - The health care reform bill was, in a sense, born on Christmas Eve, and now Barack Obama’s hoping to resurrect it just in time for Easter, writes John Dickerson. According to the plan Obama sent congressional leadership, the Senate would vote through changes to its bill using reconciliation, holding...

Clinton Arrives in Chile, Promises Help
 Clinton Arrives in Chile, 
 Promises Help 
Chile Earthquake
Mar 2, 2010 1:24 PM CST

Clinton Arrives in Chile, Promises Help

'We'll be here to help when the others leave'

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton arrived in Chile today, embracing president Michelle Bachelet and promising assistance. The US is already preparing to send water purification units, temporary bridges, a field hospital, and medical supplies, the secretary of state said. She delivered 25 satellite phones intended to help coordinate relief efforts. “We’ll...

DC Consensus: Obama Should've Listened to Rahm

As big ticket failures abound, Emanuel's practicality could have helped

(Newser) - From health care reform to unemployment to Guantanamo Bay, many Washington insiders think President Obama would be much better off today had he listened to his brash-but-practical chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel. Top staffers like David Axelrod have a “strong view of the historic character Obama is supposed to...

Nine House Dems May Flip to 'Yes' on Health Care

Three of them are about to retire

(Newser) - Nine House Democrats say they have not ruled out switching their "no" votes to "yes" on Obama's health care overhaul, brightening the party's hopes in the face of unyielding Republican opposition. The White House has tried to smooth the way for them, showing its own openness to changes...

Emanuel, Graham Hammering Gitmo Deal
 Emanuel, Graham 
 Hammering Gitmo Deal 
ODD BEDFELLOWS
Mar 1, 2010 11:11 AM CST

Emanuel, Graham Hammering Gitmo Deal

Hard-nosed opposites form odd friendship

(Newser) - Rahm Emanuel and Lindsey Graham have become unlikely friends, and the most visible fruit of that friendship may be a new agreement on Guantanamo Bay. Emanuel hasn’t officially endorsed Graham’s plan—which would close the prison, but put the kibosh on civilian 9/11 trials, and allow the indefinite...

Dems Can Pass Health Care Bill Alone: Obama Aide

Nancy-Ann DeParle says Dems will likely use reconciliation to pass bill

(Newser) - Democrats will have the votes to pass health care reform, but they’re probably going to use reconciliation to do it, Nancy-Ann DeParle said yesterday. Obama seems to be leaning toward asking the House to pass a version of the Senate bill, then have the Senate appease House Dems by...

Obama's New Social Secretary Is Veteran Fundraiser

Julianna Smoot has strong ties to donors

(Newser) - The new social secretary of the White House is a Washington insider and veteran political fundraiser. Julianna Smoot, who served as finance director for President Obama's 2008 campaign, will replace the outgoing Desiree Rogers , reports the Hill . The move is good news for the president's wealthy donors, says Ben Smith...

Stop Being So Wimpy, Mr. President
 Stop Being 
 So Wimpy, 
 Mr. President 
OPINION
Feb 27, 2010 9:48 AM CST

Stop Being So Wimpy, Mr. President

He plays the '98-pound weakling' too often, says Dana Milbank

(Newser) - President Obama may be the world's most powerful man, but he "too often plays the 98-pound weakling," writes Dana Milbank. George Bush pushed through his agenda not with tact but through sheer political initimidation, and even Britain's Gordon Brown has been accused of throwing a Blackberry or two....

Mag Names Most Liberal, Conservative Lawmakers

Rankings show ideology trumping Obama's change agenda

(Newser) - National Journal 's rankings of the most liberal and conservative lawmakers confirm that President Obama's first term has had little effect on the partisan atmosphere in Congress. Most members stick to the ideological positions they've staked out for most of their careers, with Sherrod Brown, John Kerry, and Chris...

White House Social Secretary Will Step Down

Desiree Rogers presided over state dinner that drew party crashers

(Newser) - White House social secretary Desiree Rogers will leave her position next month. Rogers says she feels comfortable leaving because her principle goal—changing the White House into a more open "people's house"—had largely been achieved, she tells the Chicago Sun-Times . But her tenure will be best remembered...

Obama Weighs Foreclosure Ban

Proposal would require HAMP to review all delinquent mortgage loans

(Newser) - The Obama administration is considering kicking up the fight against foreclosures by banning any that haven't been reviewed by its Home Affordable Modification program. The move would prevent lenders from initiating foreclosure unless HAMP had screened the loan and found it unsalvageable. it would also require them to halt existing...

Obama Crafts Scaled-Down Health Care Plan B

Fallback measure would cover 15M uninsured

(Newser) - The White House has a less ambitious health care plan waiting in the wings if today's health care summit fails to win enough support for sweeping change. The scaled-back plan would provide health insurance to some 15 million Americans, about half the number the larger bill would cover, for a...

Small-Biz Owners Offer Obama Brilliant Ideas
Small-Biz Owners Offer Obama Brilliant Ideas
give me $40K. Now.
Feb 24, 2010 11:14 AM CST

Small-Biz Owners Offer Obama Brilliant Ideas

Jarrett was looking for ideas on jobs, found whole bunch of crazy

(Newser) - Valerie Jarrett might be questioning the wisdom of "ask and you shall receive" after the Obama adviser asked small businesses on LinkedIn what steps they think "government should take to help American businesses spur job creation." What she got, the Business Insider reports, is "a long...

Lieberman to Lead 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Fight

Says he sees it as extension of civil rights movement

(Newser) - Joe Lieberman will be lead sponsor on legislation to repeal the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy next week, he revealed in an interview today. “I see this as an extension, the next step of the civil rights movement,” he told James Kirchick of the New ...

Obama Aide: Change Is Out, Reform Is In

Plan is to scale back agenda, focus on government clean up

(Newser) - President Obama’s new 2010 strategy, arrived at after weeks of internal debate, is to replace his sweeping “change” agenda with a more modest push for government reform. First up: a tough new campaign finance law, pushing back against the deeply unpopular Citizens United Supreme Court ruling. “Americans...

America Is Governable&mdash; Just Not by This Man

 America Is 
 Governable— 
 Just Not by 
 This Man  
CHARLES KRAUTHAMMER
Feb 19, 2010 10:15 AM CST

America Is Governable— Just Not by This Man

Talk of systemic problems is whining because Obama failed: Krauthammer

(Newser) - There’s been a lot of crowing from liberals that the US is “ungovernable” because President Obama has not been able to enact key parts of his domestic agenda. Charles Krauthammer has heard the “usual litany of systemic explanations" before—this moment in history smacks of the Carter...

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