Obama’s Day Ahead: Meeting With Netanyahu
President Obama will meet one-on-one with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, at 10:30 ET in the Oval Office. He will hold an expanded meeting with Netanyahu at 11:30 a.m. ET, also in the Oval Office, and the two of them will attend a working lunch at 12:25 p.m. ET.
Bibi To Press Obama On Iran
Going into today’s meeting, Netanyahu will press President Obama on the issue of confronting Iran’s nuclear ambitions. “There is a sense of urgency on our side,” said Israeli National Security Adviser Uzi Arad. There could also be some tension on the two-state solution, which is resisted by many on the Israeli right.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will deliver the commencement address this morning at Wake Forest University in North Carolina, at 9 a.m. ET. Afterwards, he will depart for Southeastern Europe. Biden will be visiting Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo, where he will meet with the political leadership in all three countries, and with American officials and military personnel stationed there.
Gates: Two To Four Years Before Afghan Forces Can Step Up
During his interview on 60 Minutes, Sec. of Defense Robert Gates said it would be two to four years before Afghan forces can begin to take the lead in military operations. When asked what it would take for U.S. troops to be out in four years, he said: “You’re asking me to make up a fairy story…It would take a lot of different things to have a finite time when we can say, ‘We’re out of here.'”
NYT: Senate GOP Lowers Expectations On Court Fight
The New York Times reports that Senate Republicans are playing down any expectations of successfully taking on President Obama’s eventual Supreme Court nominee. “Everyone up here can see the political pieces on the board,” said an anonymous senior Senate GOP official. “No one is talking about the possibility of defeating any nominee, barring something coming out of left field.”
Obama Taps Stephanie Cutter To Guide SCOTUS Nominee
President Obama has reportedly tapped former presidential campaign adviser Stephanie Cutter, who has currently been advising Tim Geithner, to guide the upcoming confirmation process for the eventual Supreme Court nominee. She will coordinate the White House’s messages on behalf of the nominee — and interestingly enough, she previously coordinated the Democrats’ opposition to George W. Bush’s nominees.
Club For Growth Wears On Some Republicans
The Wall St. Journal reports that some Republicans are becoming openly opposed to the Club For Growth and its fight for ideological purity, in the wake of Sen. Arlen Specter’s switch to the Democratic Party. Said. Rep. Steven LaTourette: “If their goal is to increase the Democrats’ numbers in Congress, they’re doing a very good job.”
