Obama Health Team Turns to Carrying Out Law
The New York Times profiles the Obama administration officials whose job it will now be to put the new health care reform law into practice: “Jay Angoff, a longtime consumer advocate and nemesis of the insurance industry, will lead efforts to regulate insurers and insurance markets. Jeanne M. Lambrew, an idealistic veteran of the Clinton White House, is carrying out provisions of the law aimed at expanding coverage. And Phyllis C. Borzi, a top Labor Department official, will police the conduct of employers, who provide health benefits to more than 150 million Americans. Their task is to translate the promise of the law into reality, with help from the private sector, if possible.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will meet at 12:30 p.m. ET with senior advisers. He will meet at 1 p.m. ET with Sudan Special Envoy General Scott Gration. He will depart from the White House at 3 p.m. ET, and from Andrews Air Force Base at 3:15 p.m. ET, arriving in Los Angeles at 8:25 p.m. ET. He will deliver remarks at a 9 p.m. ET fundraising reception for Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and the DNC, at another fundraising event for Boxer and the DNC at 9:40 p.m. ET, and at a fundraising dinner for Boxer and the DNC at 11:45 p.m. ET.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will deliver remarks at 10 a.m. ET, to the Building and Construction Trades Department, AFL-CIO’s 2010 National Legislative Conference. In the afternoon, he will meet with senior advisers at the White House.
Tea Partiers In Two Camps: Sarah Palin vs. Ron Paul
A new Politico exit poll of the recent Tea Party protest on the National Mall finds a split within the movement between social conservatives and libertarians: “The results, however, suggest a distinct fault line that runs through the tea party activist base, characterized by two wings led by the politicians who ranked highest when respondents were asked who ‘best exemplifies the goals of the tea party movement’ — former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin and Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas), a former GOP presidential candidate.”
Geithner To Meet With Susan Collins On Financial Reform
The Hill reports that Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner will meet today with Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) to discuss financial reform: “Even if all 59 Senate Democrats support the bill, they’ll need to pick off at least one Republican in order to overcome objections to moving forward with the legislation. Geithner’s meeting with Collins is one of the most high-profile examples of pressure beginning to amp up on those Republicans to win their support for the legislation.”
Senate Leadership Races Brew
Roll Call reports that Senate Democrats could have a whole set of leadership race, should Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) lose re-election this fall. In addition to the expected leader’s race between Sens. Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Chuck Schumer (D-NY), there would also be heated raised for party whip, vice chair and secretary.
Potential Diane Wood Nomination Debates Could Focus On Abortion Rulings
The Washington Post reports that if Judge Diane Wood were to be nominated for the Supreme Court, conservative activists will fight the nomination on the grounds of her pro-choice legal rulings. “That’s her Achilles’ heel,” said Curt Levey, executive director of the Committee for Justice. “It tells you that she’s probably not going to be selected, because Obama doesn’t have the stomach for this to be about an abortion debate.”
