President Obama outlined his vision for a bipartisan approach to health care today, saying that while he was open to considering new ideas from Republicans, he had little patience for a prolonged process where parties were more interested in scoring political points.
"We can't afford grandstanding at the expense of actually getting something done," Obama said, arguing that Americans don't want "another year of partisan wrangling" and "posturing."
Ahead of a scheduled February 25 summit on health care, the president said he would "start from scratch" only in the sense of giving a new airing to constructive proposals.
"My hope is that we can find enough overlap that we can say, this is the right way to move forward even if I don't get every single thing that I want," Obama said. "Bipartisanship can't be that I agree to all of the things that they believe in or want, and they agree to none of the things that I believe in or want."
Obama's comments came in a surprise visit to the press briefing room, which was emptier than usual as fewer reporters had made the trek to the White House through a snow-covered city. He said today's bipartisan, bicameral shows he's making a genuine outreach, though Republicans argue the White House is only reacting to a new political reality after a year in which they were shut out.
"We're interested in a bipartisan conversation about health care. But a bipartisan conversation ought to be just that: bipartisan from the beginning," House Minority Leader John Boehner told reporters after emerging from today's meeting. "We've been asking to be involved in these health care conversations going back to a letter that we sent to the president last May, and we got no response to it."
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer announced this afternoon that the House will not hold votes this week due to weather-related travel troubles for members attempting to get back into town. The House was already scheduled to be out of session next week for the President's Day recess.
"As a result of the inclement weather affecting Members' ability to travel to Washington, DC this week, there will be no votes in the House for the remainder of the week. The change this week means that we will add two days to the schedule as we look to take action on a jobs bill and other critical measures. Therefore, the House will reconvene on Monday, February 22, one day earlier than previously scheduled. The House will now also be in session on Friday, February 26th."
For more on the crazy weather we're having here in the D.C. area, check out the Washington Post's excellent Capital Weather Gang blog.
Congressional Leaders React To White House Meeting
The immediate reactions are in from the congressional leaders in attendance for a small gathering at the White House today to discuss a jobs bill.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid:
"Today's meeting with the President was productive. I applaud his continued efforts to work on a bipartisan basis to strengthen our economy. One of the most important issues on the minds of people in Nevada and across the country is the need to create jobs. Last year we took steps that prevented a bad situation from becoming worse, but it's time to make our country strong again. Senate Democrats remain hopeful that our Republican colleagues will work with us this week to take swift action and pass legislation to help businesses thrive and create jobs."
White House Health Care Meeting Met With Skepticism On The Hill
President Obama's recently proposed White House health care meeting was immediately met with skepticism on Capitol Hill -- Republicans are wary of the motives behind the move, while Democrats doubt the result will be any different than negotiations with the GOP over the past year.
Rep. Tom Price (R-Ga.), chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee, called it "a hollow PR blitz," adding, "Republicans welcome honest discussion, but this event reeks of political gamesmanship." GOP House leaders John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Eric Cantor (R-Va.) sent a lengthy letter to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel outlining their many concerns with the meeting.
On the Senate side, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) indicated a willingness to talk as long as the plans that passed the two chambers are scrapped and the two sides start from scratch, which Boehner and Cantor called for as well.
"If we are to reach a bipartisan consensus, the White House can start by shelving the current health spending bill," said McConnell.
Meanwhile, some liberal members aren't convinced Republicans are willing to negotiate and believe the opposing party has simply adopted an obstructionist political strategy -- and the event could provide a televised forum for political posturing.
"If there is an earnest effort to come to some kind of understanding, then it's worth the effort," Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-Ariz.), co-chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said Monday in an interview with RealClearPolitics. "Personally, I'm not optimistic."
President Obama announced the Feb. 25 meeting during an interview with CBS News just before the Super Bowl, hoping the televised effort will help bring transparency and solutions to the Democrats' stalled effort of reforming the health care system. Democrats and Republicans from the House and Senate will be invited, though it's unclear which of the many factions in the debate are willing to compromise their priorities to solve the impasse.
For instance, liberals are still pushing the public option, which was left out of the Senate bill after failing to receive enough support and assumed to be a nonstarter in bicameral negotiations. With weather permitting, Grijalva and other Progressive Caucus leaders will meet late this afternoon with several senators, including Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), to discuss the government-run insurance option, an insurance exchange and other reform measures.
"We don't think they're dead," Grijalva said of the progressives' priorities. "I hate to be pessimistic about the White House meeting, but regardless of what happens with that we're still working to get something done."
Here is a look at John Murtha the man and congressman by Politico's David Rogers.
President Obama:
Michelle and I were deeply saddened today to hear about the passing of Congressman John Murtha. Jack was a devoted husband, a loving father and a steadfast advocate for the people of Pennsylvania for nearly 40 years. His passion for service was born during his decorated career in the United States Marine Corps, and he went on to earn the distinction of being the first Vietnam War combat veteran elected to Congress. Jack's tough-as-nails reputation carried over to Congress, where he became a respected voice on issues of national security. Our thoughts and prayers are with his wife of nearly 55 years, Joyce, their three children, and the entire Murtha family.
Rep. John Murtha (D-PA 12), an 18-term congressman from southwestern Pennsylvania, died today at age 77. He had been hospitalized for complications related to gallbladder surgery.
Murtha's death comes just days after he became the longest-serving member of Congress in Pennsylvania history. Murtha represented the 12th District since winning a special election in February 1974. Beginning with his election to a full term later that year, Murtha never won re-election with less than 58 percent of the vote.
Murtha's passing will set the stage for the seventh House special election in the 111th Congress, in a district that was evenly split in 2008 between John McCain and Barack Obama. Murtha had faced his toughest race that year as well, on the heels of a controversial remark about people in his district being "racist." He's also been the subject of scrutiny over earmarks he's secured for his Johnstown-based district.
This year, Murtha was facing a primary challenge from Ryan Bucchianeri, a former Naval officer and placekicker on the Navy college football team. Republican Bill Russell, whom Murtha defeated with 58% in 2008, is running again, as is Republican businessman Tim Burns.
Whoever replaces Murtha will have the impossible task of filling in for one of the more powerful members of Congress. Murtha, the first Vietnam veteran elected to Congress, was an Approprations committee "Cardinal" -- a title given to the chairmen of the various Appropriations subocommittees. Murtha chaired the Subcommittee on Defense.
The area that now makes up the 12th District was heavily Republican from the Civil War to the 1930s, according to the Almanac of American Politics. Without Murtha, it is the quintessential swing district. McCain won it by fewer than 1,000 votes; John Kerry won it by 8,000 votes four years earlier.
Democrats have won every special election in this Congress, including one pick-up from the GOP in New York 23. Another is set in the Florida 19th on April 13, with yet another seat opening soon when Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI) steps down to run for governor.
We survived the Snowmageddon in Washington this weekend, but don't look now -- there's more coming this week. Meanwhile, what a weekend in New Orleans: a landslide mayoral win for Mitch Landrieu preceded a big win for the Saints in Super Bowl XLIV -- and Mardi Gras is just a week away. Laissez les bons temps rouler.
** White House: President Obama managed to sneak in some news during his pregame interview with Katie Couric last night. He's invited leadership from both parties for a health care summit at Blair House next week, all of which will be televised. The practical effect is a delaying tactic on health care legislation.
The leadership was already scheduled to come to the White House this week for a session that is due to focus on other legislative priorities, a jobs bill in particular. Also on tap this week: the president hosts another White House concert, this one in honor of Black History Month. Also on Wednesday, Vice President Biden will give a broad speech on nuclear threats facing the nation.
** Capitol Hill:: Congress will likely be slowed this week by the District's massive snowstorm, with more snow expected Tuesday. The House wasn't expected back until Tuesday anyway, while the Senate delayed votes until tomorrow that had been scheduled for today. With jobs the No. 1 priority for Democrats this year, the Senate -- now with 59 Democratic votes -- is having trouble coming to a concensus on a jobs bill that was supposed to be voted on this week. Meanwhile, the House may vote this week on a piece of their comprehensive health care reform bill -- ending the antitrust exemption for insurance companies, titled, "Health Insurance Industry Fair Competition Act."
** Politics: Is New York Gov. David Paterson (D) resigning? During last night's Super Bowl, a report indicated that he would, with a coming bombshell in the New York Times being the trigger. Paterson's office quickly denied it. If Paterson did resign, it would elevate a man most New Yorkers would be hard-pressed to identify -- Richard Ravitch -- to the state's top job. Ravitch was only appointed lieutenant governor after a court fight this year over whether that position could be filled by the governor. If Paterson resigned, or at least announced that he won't run for election, it could speed up Attorney General Andrew Cuomo's entrance into the race. It's quite a saga in the Empire State that began with Eliot Spitzer's surprising resignation in 2008.
Speaking of scandals, Illinois lieutenant governor nominee Scott Lee Cohen officially announced Sunday night that he would withdraw his candidacy -- a move that spares state Democrats of a potentially disastrous situation this November. Though Cohen won the nomination last week on his own, state law calls for him to run jointly on a ticket with Gov. Pat Quinn this fall. Now, the state Democratic committee gets the luxury of picking a new candidate for that slot -- which could provide an opportunity to find someone more electorally potent for the entire slate.
The Texas governor's race continues to heat up. Sarah Palin, fresh off her Tea Party Convention keynote address and Fox News Sunday appearance, joined Gov. Rick Perry yesterday for a rally. Meanwhile, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison paid for some Super Bowl ad space to air this attack on the incumbent.
** In Case You Missed It: It was a somewhat lackluster "SNL" this weekend, but this gem late in the show saved it. Andy Samberg's imitation of Rahm Emanuel wasn't great, but he nailed the White House chief of staff's attitude.
A bonus note: this fascinating behind-the-scenes look at one of the few good Super Bowl ads, the Oprah-Dave-Jay spot for "Late Show."
New Orleans has been in a football frenzy ever since the New Orleans Saints clinched their first-ever Super Bowl birth on Jan. 24. Overshadowed by that "Who Dat" mania is the city's mayoral election, scheduled for the eve of the big game this Saturday.
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu is the presumptive frontrunner in a crowded field. The brother of the state's senior U.S. senator and the son of the city's former mayor, Landrieu lost a close run-off vote four years ago against incumbent Mayor Ray Nagin, now term-limited. That 2006 election took place only months after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina; the mood of the city is far different today, with the Saints a focal point of the city's resurgent spirit.
At a time when all anyone can think about is football, candidates are doing their best to capture voters attention. One, Troy Henry, even launched a campaign ad featuring fan favorite Deuce McAllister and New Orleans native Marshall Faulk.
But it's not just the Super Bowl. The city's Carnival season is also about to kick off ahead of Mardi Gras on Feb. 16. Aware of these distractions, city officials and the campaigns have been encouraging voters to cast their ballots early, and those efforts seem to be successful. A record number of ballots have already been cast, surpassing even the total number of early votes in the 2008 presidential race.
The intersection of sports and politics is nothing new, of course. Though he spent more than $100 million of his own money on his re-election bid, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg soaked up some free media exposure during the Yankees' World Series run last fall. In 2008, then-Senator Joe Biden ended his campaigning with a rally with Jimmy Rollins just after the Phillies' clinched a championship. And Fenway Park and former Sox pitcher Curt Schilling proved to be key players in Martha Coakley's collapse in last month's Massachusetts Senate race.
A poll for WWL-TV released in mid-January showed Landrieu just shy of the 50 percent necessary to avoid a runoff. A final run-off vote would take place March 6, long after Saints-mania - and a Mardi Gras hangover - has worn off.
The Democratic Senate incumbents thought to be in the most electoral trouble this year came out of the 4th fundraising quarter of 2009 with sizeable cash-on-hand totals, as did the ones who are so far only marginally vulnerable.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (Nev.) and Arlen Specter (Pa.) each have $8.7 million; Blanche Lincoln (Ark.), $5 million; Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), $5.2 million; and Michael Bennet (Colo.), $3.5 million. Then there is Barbara Boxer (Calif.) -- who will face one of three Republicans battling for the nomination -- with $7.3 million; and Evan Bayh (Ind.) -- whose opponent, former Senator Dan Coats, just got in the race this week -- with $13 million.
In what has already been a tough year for Democrats, these senators all begin their election years on solid footing -- at least financially. Except for Specter's primary challenger, Rep. Joe Sestak ($5.1 million), no one's opponents come close to matching their bank account totals.
Even the Democrats not yet considered vulnerable but are worth keeping an eye on -- Russ Feingold (Wisc.) and Patty Murray (Wash.) -- begin the year with healthy cash-on-hand totals. Feingold, who trailed former governor Tommy Thompson (R) in a recent poll, has nearly $3.7 million in the bank.
Already in the race to challenge Murray is motivational speaker and author Chris Widener and former Washington Redskins tight end Clint Didier, while Rep. Dave Reichert is reportedly still considering a bid. Murray reports $5.2 million in the bank, while Reichert comes closest with less than $500,000 on hand.
Republicans hold the advantage in the open Democratic seats in Illinois and Delaware, as well as a lead in the polls. Democrats just found out their nominees in both states this week, as Alexi Giannoulias won the Illinois Democratic primary and Chris Coons joined the race in Delaware. Republicans hold the money advantage in Connecticut as well, though Richard Blumenthal (D) just entered the race a month ago and is currently 20 points up in the polls.
In the open GOP seats in Florida, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio, Republicans also are either competitive (Kentucky) or lead in the money race (the other three). In Florida, Gov. Charlie Crist has $7.6 million, with his GOP primary opponent Marco Rubio trailing with $2 million. Rep. Kendrick Meek, the likely Democratic nominee, had a successful fundraising quarter and begins the year with $3.4 million.
So while independent voters are trending away from Democrats, the money is still floating in. It's certainly a good sign for Democrats. Of course, raising the money is only the first step.
Rep. Paul Ryan, a sixth term Republican from Wisconsin's 1st District, has become the leading figure in the GOP's argument against the sustainability of President Obama's new budget blueprint.
President Obama praised the recently-turned 40-year-old last week at the House GOP's retreat in Baltimore for bringing forth a solid idea to put the country back on track, and this week -- after the president's budget was introduced -- Ryan has hammered two of the administration's financial experts in hearings on Capitol Hill.
Ryan's biggest complaint about the budget is that it fails to bring the deficit below 3 percent of the GDP, a mark previously cited by OMB Director Peter Orszag as the line of credibility. To get there, the White House has called for a fiscal commission made up of Democrats and Republicans in Congress, as well as administration appointees.
In an interview with RealClearPolitics on Wednesday, Ryan, who is ranking member of the House Budget committee and a senior member on Ways & Means, said he has major concerns about the transparency and fairness of the process.
"We do have legitimate concerns because it's stacked from a partisan basis two-to-one against Republicans," said Ryan. "This is something that's going to be written and introduced after the elections, and then voted on before the next session in a lame duck session of Congress. That doesn't strike me as open government."
Ryan is also unclear why the administration can't get the budget below 3 percent on its own, without help.
"If even Orszag says that it's not a credible budget minus the commission, the deficits are not sustainable using the administration's own methodology," said Ryan. "So we have a budget here that's not credible and not sustainable under the administration's own admission. And that to me is a huge dereliction of duty."
"I'm one guy from Wisconsin with a small staff, and if I can put out a plan that solves our fiscal crisis, surely the head of our government can do the same," he said.
New Castle County Executive Chris Coons formally entered the Delaware Senate race yesterday, a quick turnaround for the Democrat since Attorney General Beau Biden surprised many last week with the decision not to seek his father's former seat.
In an interview with RCP Wednesday, Coons said that Biden informed him of his decision just 10 days ago, and immediately urged him to consider running himself. That was followed the next day by a call from Vice President Joe Biden, who told Coons he was confident he could give Rep. Mike Castle (R) a strong challenge.
"There's no question that he will start with the lead in name recognition," Coons said of the state's 9-term Congressman and former governor. "I intend to give the people of Delaware a clear choice between Congressman Castle and his 18 year record of serving in Congress and what I've done to make our local government stronger and our communities safer."
On Tuesday, before Coons had formally entered the race, the elder Biden told MSNBC that he "is going to surprise the devil out of you" as a candidate. Coons chuckled at Biden's enthusiasm, and said it's a sentiment that he shared when they spoke last week.
"You've got this ability to connect with people, I think it's the preacher in you," Coons says Biden told him. "You listen to people, you engage with them and you lift them up. And if you keep doing that and you engage with people and you care about them the way I know you do, I think you'll surprise Congressman Castle."
That process will start later this month when Coons says he'll make a public announcement of his candidacy, and follow it up with a statewide listening tour. He intends to contrast the tough choices he's had to make in local government with the actions of lawmakers like Castle in Washington.
"Unlike the folks in Congress, local government leaders have to balance their budgets every year. We can't just print more money. And that forces a healthy discipline on us," he said.
As former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R) readies a campaign against Sen. John McCain (R), he'll be running without the support of his former colleagues in the Arizona Republican Congressional delegation. All, including Sen. Jon Kyl, are lining up behind the state's senior senator ahead of the August primary.
Rep. Jeff Flake (R) told RCP last week that in a year in which fiscal policy is a paramount concern for voters, no one will be able to challenge McCain's record on that issue.
"When it comes to the prescription drug benefit, whether it's farm bills, transportation bills, appropriations bills - McCain can point at his record and say he was opposed to that. It'll be more difficult for Hayworth to do that," Flake said.
The former presidential candidate can point primary voters to his strong opposition to the Obama agenda, Flake argued.
"I think people will look at records ... and say were it not for McCain and some others in the Senate, the election in Massachusetts would not have meant as much, because health care would have passed," Flake said. "It was the Senate that held that up, and John McCain was a big, big part of that."
Hayworth has telegraphed that he plans to challenge McCain from his right, calling himself a "consistent conservative." McCain has been vigorously responding already, and Flake says he can withstand those attacks.
"John McCain's support is both wider and deeper than people give him credit for. He works campaigns hard - he's a tireless campaigner. So I think he'll do fine," he said.
The Congressional delegation will be part of the campaign's leadership team, which will be rolled out soon. McCain has already been endorsed in Arizona by eight county sheriffs and the Arizona Chamber of Commerce. His national support is led by his former running mate, Sarah Palin, as well as Sen.-elect Scott Brown and Steve Forbes.
All of which is to say, Hayworth has an uphill fight on his hands as he starts to roll out his campaign.
President Obama has not yet spoken with Illinois Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, now the Democratic nominee seeking the president's former Senate seat. A spokesman for the Giannoulias camp says that the White House did send its congratulations last night via a text message, and promised that the commander in chief would be calling today. A White House spokesman confirms that Obama will likely call Giannoulias today.
Of course, Giannoulias was not the Chicago-heavy administration's preference to be the Senate nominee. Publicly they remained neutral, but state Attorney General Lisa Madigan was courted by administration officials. Here's what Robert Gibbs had to say last June:
"The president has a very long relationship with the attorney general dating back to their time in the state Senate, and has enormous respect for what she accomplished there and as attorney general. I think she'd be a terrific candidate. But we're not going to get involved in picking that candidate."
Breaking news last night was that former Republican senator Dan Coats was considering challenging Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh (D) this year. This morning, the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee dropped its first hit on Coats, highlighting his work as a lobbyist.
"Dan Coats is a federally registered lobbyist whose client lists include banks, private equity firms, and defense contractors," said DSCC spokesman Eric Schultz. "Coats is a Washington DC insider who lined his own pockets as taxpayers spent $700 billion bailing out Wall Street banks. Indianans won't ignore Dan Coats' decade as a lobbyist working the system to gain special favors for the banking industry at the time of financial collapse and at the expense of working Americans."
Meanwhile, the man many saw as the GOP's best chance at defeating Bayh -- Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) -- issued a statement of support for Coats this morning.
"I am very excited about the possibility that former Senator Dan Coats may run for the United States Senate in 2010 and I sincerely hope he does it," said Pence. "His integrity and conservative record would make him the ideal candidate for Hoosiers. If he runs, I will support him."
UPDATE (11:45 a.m.): And the first oppo research has come in. Politico's Ben Smith reports Coats has been voting in Virginia for the past decade.
Shocking news Tuesday night: As the political world focused on Illinois primaries, word that former Sen. Dan Coats (R) will announce his candidacy for Senate tomorrow in Indiana, challenging incumbent Evan Bayh.
The source, former aide Curt Smith of the Indiana Family Institute, said that Coats knows he has about two weeks to gather the 4,500 signatures - 500 per Congressional district - in two weeks.
Coats was up for re-election in 1998 when he decided to retire, citing the pressures of constant fundraising. Bayh went on that year to defeat former Fort Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke to reclaim his father's Senate seat.
Politico has confirmed the report.
Coats was the ambassador to Germany under Pres. Bush. After returning from that assignment, he was last seen in the public spotlight as the "sherpa" for the Supreme Court nomination of Harriet Miers, and then Samuel Alito in 2005.
The Coats candidacy will certainly put major pressure on Bayh, but an important note for the incumbent: he has just under $13 million cash on hand, the third-most of all incumbents in the Senate through the 2009 filings.
Ahead of a scheduled February 25 summit on health care, the president said he would "start from scratch" only in the sense of giving a new airing to constructive proposals.