Obama, Automakers To Roll Out New Mileage And Emissions Standards
President Obama and the country’s automakers are set to announce this morning a new set of national mileage and emissions standards, with cars and trucks required to get 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. The automakers cooperated with the government in reaching these standards in order to pre-empt battles with individual states, and they have been given more time to reach the goals.
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will deliver remarks at 12:15 p.m. ET, on the new set of auto emissions and efficiency standards. At 1:45 p.m. ET, he will meet in the Oval Office with formers Secs. of State Henry Kissinger and George Schultz, former Sec. of Defense William Perry, and former Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA). At 3:30 p.m. ET, he will speak at a ceremony honoring the National Small Business Award Winners. At 4:30 p.m. ET, he will meet with Sec. of Defense Robert Gates in the Oval Office.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden is spending Tuesday in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He will be joined by Javier Solana, the European Union’s High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy. He will also meet with Valentin Inzko, High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the Bosnian tri-Presidents Nebojsa Radmanovic, Haris Silajdzi and Zeljko Komsic. He will give a speech at the Parliament, and meet with political party leaders. He will also meet with Prime Minister of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nikola Spiric and Prime Minister of Republika Srpska Milorad Dodik.
Steele Speech Today: The Era Of Apologizing For GOP Mistakes Is Over
RNC Chairman Michael Steele is set to deliver a speech to state GOP chairmen today, seeking to re-energize the party. “The era of apologizing for Republican mistakes of the past is now officially over. It is done,” Steele will say. “We have turned the page, we have turned the corner. No more looking in the rearview mirror.” He will also declare: “Republicans may be the minority party at the moment, but we represent the ideas and concerns of the majority of Americans.”
Bibi To Meet With Congressional Leaders
Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will meet today with House and Senate leaders, as well as a group of Jewish legislators, to discuss his vision for the Middle East and his case for a strong stand against Iran. For their part, the legislators are likely to pressure Netanyahu on his refusal to endorse an independent Palestinian state.
Poll: Americans’ Fears Abating On H1N1
A new CNN poll finds that Americans’ concerns over H1N1 flu is diminishing, with only 17% saying they are worried that they or someone in their family could contract it. Another 20% say they were concerned over the past few weeks, but are no longer worried. Also, 54% of Americans say the government’s response has been appropriate, with Democrats and Republicans equally likely to give a thumbs-up.
LAT: Businesses Out-Hustled Unions On EFCA
The Los Angeles Times reports on the efforts businesses have made to peel moderate Democratic Senators away from the Employee Free Choice Act, looking at the successful efforts made in Arkansas to court Dem Sens. Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor. Said one anonymous union organizer: “We were outspent, out-hustled and out-organized.”
Palin-Backer Suggested Helping To Retire Hillary’s Debt; Palin Said No
The Politico reports that Palin-backer John Coale, a former Hillary Clinton supporter who switched to John McCain for the 2008 general election, suggested to Palin this past February that she use her PAC to win over women voters and forge bipartisan ties by helping to retire Hillary Clinton’s campaign debt. Palin’s camp quickly shot down the idea, determining that their supporters would be “crushed” to find their money going to Hillary.
