Obama Faces Challenge Of Defining Libya Strategy
Reuters reports: “President Barack Obama faces the challenge on Monday of convincing Americans he has clear military aims and a U.S. exit strategy in the Libya conflict as he seeks to counter growing congressional criticism. In a high-stakes televised address, Obama — accused by many lawmakers of failing to explain the U.S. role in the Western air campaign against Libya’s Muammar Qaddafi — will try to define the mission’s purpose and scope.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will participate in a 10:30 a.m. ET town hall on education, hosted by Univision. He will deliver an address on Libya 7:30 p.m. ET, from the National Defense University in Washington, D.C.
Congress Shell-Shocked At Home
The Hill reports: “Congress returns to Washington this week to confront a scenario few lawmakers envisioned when they left town less than 10 days ago: a third U.S. war in the Arab world. The question is now: What should Congress do about it?”
Lawmakers Still Upset Despite Flurry Of Libya Briefings
Roll Call reports: “The White House’s effort to play catch-up with Congressional leaders on U.S. military intervention in Libya has done little to placate lawmakers who have become increasingly frustrated with President Barack Obama.”
Carter Set For Cuba Visit Amid U.S.-Cuba Troubles
Reuters reports: “Former President Jimmy Carter, returning to Cuba for the first time since a groundbreaking 2002 trip, will start a three-day visit on Monday to discuss troubled U.S.-Cuba relations and the fate of imprisoned U.S. aid contractor Alan Gross. Although just 90 miles of water separate the two Cold War enemies, Carter, 86, is the only U.S. president, former or sitting, to visit the communist-ruled island since a 1959 revolution toppled a U.S.-backed dictator and put Fidel Castro in power.”
The Republicans’ Hispanic Problem
The Washington Post reports: “If demographics is destiny, then Republicans may have a major political problem on their hands. Why? Because numbers released by the Census Bureau late last week showed massive growth in the nation’s Hispanic population, a community that Republicans have struggled mightily to reach in recent years.”
NYT: Facebook May Hire Robert Gibbs
The New York Times reports: “Facebook is in talks to hire Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s former White House press secretary, for a senior role in helping to manage the company’s communications, people briefed on the negotiations said…The talks are still at an early stage and no formal offer has been made, these people said, adding it remained possible that the discussions could collapse.”
