Scott Brown’s Win Could Impact More Than Health Care
The Hill points out that Sen.-elect Scott Brown’s (R-MA) victory last night could impact more than just the health care vote: “Democrats, already fractious, are likely to be even more on edge. Lawmakers already worried about addressing issues such as climate change and immigration may grow more anxious about taking politically dangerous votes in an election year where voters have suggested they are disillusioned with Washington. An early legislative victim may be climate change, though its future was in doubt before the rumblings in Massachusetts.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. Obama will deliver remarks and sign an executive order at 10:15 a.m. ET, aimed at preventing companies that are delinquent in paying taxes from obtaining new government contracts. Obama will meet with senior advisers at 11:50 a.m. ET. Obama will deliver remarks at 4:05 p.m. ET, in honor of National Mentoring Month.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will attend President Obama’s daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and Obama’ executive order signing at 10:15 a.m. ET. Biden will meet at 2:30 p.m. ET with Earl Devaney, chairman of the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board. Biden will meet at 4 p.m. ET with Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic of Montenegro.
Obama To Create Panel To Study Deficit
The New York Times reports that President Obama plans to create a bipartisan commission to make recommendations on reducing the deficit: “The agreement is tentative, pending consultations between Congressional leaders and some House and Senate lawmakers. Some details remained in flux. But according to people familiar with the deal, in principle it commits Democrats to work with Republicans to do what they have not been able to do for a decade through the regular process: compromise on spending cuts and tax increases to produce reductions in annual deficits that, under George W. Bush and now Mr. Obama, have reached the highest levels since World War II.”
Congress Seeking Info On Flight 253
The Obama administration is set to face tough questions during hearings this week on the Flight 253 attempted bombing. “If the answer is, ‘We don’t have enough money for marshals,’ well, we’ve got to have marshals,” said Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV), chairman of the Intelligence Committee. “I know a marshal when I see a marshal, and I feel good when I see a marshal. And the Farouks of the world don’t feel good when they see a marshal.”
Gates: Terrorists ‘In Effect A Syndicate’
Speaking in India, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates said that terrorism in South Asia, India and Pakistan is a complex problem involving several different terrorist groups working under a common umbrella. “It’s dangerous to single out any one of these groups and say, ‘If we can beat that group, that will solve the problem,’ because they are in effect a syndicate of terrorist operators intended to destabilize this entire region,” said Gates, who also added: “A victory for one is a victory for all.”
Brown’s Win Has Dems Soul-Searching
CQ reports that Democratic campaign operatives are already soul-searching after the loss in Massachusetts. “This is a wakeup call for Democrats,” said an unnamed aide at EMILY’s List, a group dedicated to supporting pro-choice Democratic women, which supporter Coakley. The aide added: “I think all of us probably shouldn’t have rested on our laurels so much.”
