Obama Looks To Regain Momentum Over Recess
Roll Call reports that President Obama plans to use the August recess to regain momentum in the health care debate. “It’s been confusing for people and there’s a lot of misinformation, so the president is going to use August to set the record straight,” said an unnamed senior White House official. “He’ll be very direct.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama is spending today in Guadalajara, Mexico. He will hold a trilateral meeting at 10 a.m. ET with Mexican President Felipe Calderón and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. The three of them will hold a press conference at 12:30 p.m. ET. Obama will depart from Mexico at 2:15 p.m. ET, arriving back at the White House at 6:35 p.m. ET.
Hillary: U.S. “Under No Illusions” About Iran Talks
Sec. of State Hillary Clinton said the United States will re-evaluate the chances of negations with Iran, and that the government is being realistic. “We are under no illusions. We were under no illusions before their elections that we can get the kind of engagement we are seeking,” said Clinton, also adding: “The president has also said, look, we need to take stock of this in September. If there is a response, it needs to be on a fast track. We’re not going to keep the window open forever.”
LAT: Obama Grassroots Network Being Put To Test
The Los Angeles Times reports that the August recess is turning into a test for Organizing For America, the Obama grassroots network. One supporter in North Carolina complained that staffers didn’t arrive in his area and begin reconstructing the campaign structure until five weeks ago: “It wasn’t clear to us why there was such a delay.”
NYT: Effort To Rein In Wall St. Exec Pay Hits New Hurdle
The New York Times reports that pay czar Kenneth Feinberg could hit new hurdles in his efforts to rein in Wall Street executive compensation, with firms bringing back guaranteed bonuses: “And it is not the only tough decision Mr. Feinberg faces. He also must decide how much overall compensation is too much, even when the pay is tied to performance, like the $100 million package that Citigroup has promised to Andrew J. Hall, a top trader.”
Dems Seize On Votes For Sotomayor By GOP Retirees
The Hill reports that Senate Democrats will focus on the fact that a large portion of retiring Republican Senators voted to confirm Sonia Sotomayor, saying this is proof of the other Republicans being pulled hard to the right by political pressures. “I think it was an exceptional nominee that garnered their support,” said DSCC Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ), “but I also think that if you’re free from seeking re-election, you’re even freer from your party’s pressure or the NRA’s pressure.”
Liberal Religious Group Airing New Pro-Health Care Reform Ad
Faith in Public Life, a progressive religious group, has this new ad in support of health care reform, which will run nationally on CNN and MSNBC, plus D.C. cable:
The spot features clergy members endorsing health care reform, and denouncing special interests who are working to stop it. Look at this ad as an effort to eat into the religious right’s denunciations of the Obama agenda.
