D.C. Afternoon Writeup
House Democrats Makes Gains on Health Care Reform Bill
AP: Building on a favorable report from the CBO on the Senate’s health care reform bill and a new deal with the Blue Dogs in the House, Democrats are looking to move their legislation forward.
“Under the terms of their agreement, party leaders will postpone a full House vote on the still-contentious health care measure until the fall, giving their rank and file another month — at least — to consider the sweeping legislation. That will also give opponents plenty of time to browbeat them. House liberals remain unhappy with Waxman’s negotiations with the Blue Dogs, but the committee seemed back on track as of Thursday night.”—Read More
Progressives Say They Won’t Accept the Blue Dog Compromise
HuffPo: The more liberal wing of the Democratic Party is unhappy with the deal the party leadership struck with the more moderate Blue Dog Democrats.
“As word of the agreement spread, liberals fired back. ‘We do not support this,’ said Rep. Lynn Woolsey, (D-Calif.), co-chair of the Progressive Caucus. ‘I think they have no idea how many people are against this. They can’t possibly be taking us seriously if they’re going to bring this forward.’ At a press conference, she said, ‘[W]e might have to come back and start over.’”–Read More
Health Care Fears Chip Away at Obama Support
WSJ: A new poll suggests 36 percent of Americans approve of Obama’s health care reform proposals. Only last month, the country was evenly divided on the issue. Disapproval among Americans with private health insurance has reached 47 percent, up from 37 percent last month.
“Declining popularity of the health-care overhaul reflects rising anxiety over the federal budget deficit and congressional debate over the most contentious aspects of the legislation, including how to pay for it. The poll also shows concern over the role of government in determining personal medical decisions.”—Read More
Questions Remain About DOJ’s Dropped Charges against Poll Intimidators
Washington Times: Under direction from an Obama official, the Department of Justice has dropped a complaint against the New Black Panther Party for voter intimidation during the Presidential election. Republican lawmakers are asking why.
“While the Obama administration has vowed a new era of openness, department officials have refused to answer questions from Republican members of Congress on why the case was dismissed, claiming the information was “privileged, according to congressional correspondence with the department. ‘Why am I being prevented from meeting with the trial team on this case?’ [Rep. Frank R. Wolf, Virginia Republican and a senior member of the House Appropriations Committee] asked. ‘There are many questions that need to be answered. This whole thing just stinks to high heaven.’”–Read More
U.S. Military Advisors: Iraqi Forces Can Handle Insurgency, U.S. Can Head Home
NYT: Col. Timothy R. Reese, adviser to the Iraqi military’s Baghdad command, says he thinks the U.S. should pull out of Iraq in a year, 15 months earlier than previously planned.
“Before deploying to Iraq, Colonel Reese served as the director of the Combat Studies Institute at Fort Leavenworth, the Army’s premier intellectual center. He was an author of an official Army history of the Iraq war — “On Point II” — that was sharply critical of the lapses in postwar planning. Colonel Reese’s memo comes at a sensitive time in the Iraq conflict as American forces are gradually shifting to an advisory role. American combat troops moved out of Baghdad and other Iraqi cities last month, as required by the Status of Forces Agreement concluded by the United States and Iraq.”—Read More
Dodd, Conrad: Republicans Are Causing Our Mortgage Controversy
Politico: Sens. Chris Dodd, D-CN, and Kent Conrad, D-ND, who have recently been asked to answer questions regarding the favorable terms of their mortgages, are blaming the incident on the GOP.
“In interviews with POLITICO, the two senators questioned whether Issa (R-Calif.) used a private deposition by former Countrywide Financial employee Robert Feinberg to push GOP attack lines that Dodd and Conrad knew that they were receiving lower-than-normal mortgage rates. Both senators slammed Issa for conducting a freelance investigation into their mortgages and never contacting them for their side of the story. Dodd and Conrad have denied getting any sweetheart deals on their mortgages.”—Read More
Dow Jones Surges Past 9000
AP: Based on a drop in unemployment numbers, the stock market seems to be on the upswing.
“Motorola and MasterCard’s earnings came in far better than analysts’ forecasts. General Electric is pulling stocks higher after an analyst raised his rating on the stock. The Nasdaq composite index is trading above 2,000 for the first time since October. It’s up 30 at 1,997 at midday. The Dow Jones industrial average is up 146 at 9,217. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index is up 17 at 992.”—Read More
LOOK: Fan Catches Foul Ball With One Hand, Holds Baby In Other
Daily Mail: Pictures from the Rangers game last night tell the whole story.
“The ball was struck out of the park during a game between the Texas Rangers and the Detroit Tigers in Arlington, Texas, last night. Texas Rangers player Michael Young had fouled the ball, sending it high into the stadium and straight into the hand of the waiting father.”—Read More
Massachusetts Takes Exception to Obama’s Bud Light
CNN: In preparation for the President’s meeting today with the Harvard professor and the officer who arrested him, the White House has announced Obama’s drink of choice. But one representative thinks the President should do the American thing and have a Sam Adams instead.
“In a letter to Obama dated Wednesday, Massachusetts Rep. Richard Neal strongly urges the president not to drink Budweiser, now owned by a Belgian company. Nor should the White House consider serving Miller or Coors, Neal writes, both owned by a United Kingdom conglomerate. Instead, the White House should serve the three men — all with ties to Massachusetts — the local favorite, not only because of its popularity in the region but also because it remains the largest American-owned and brewed beer, Neal says.”—Read More
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