Democrats’ Defection From Pelosi Is Historic
The Washington Post reports: “With 19 Democrats withholding support from Nancy Pelosi for House speaker on Wednesday, it represented the largest defection from a party’s speaker nominee in nearly a century. The resistance in the Democratic Party to back now-former Speaker Pelosi (D-Calif.) in the ceremonial first vote of the 112th Congress registered higher than at any point since 1913, according to data from the Congressional Research Service.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET. Obama will meet at 10:30 a.m. ET with senior advisers, and meet at 12:30 p.m. ET with Biden for lunch. At 3:40 p.m. ET, Obama and Biden will meet with Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will attend President Obama’s daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET. He will meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD), the ranking Democrat on the House Government Affairs Committee, to discuss oversight issues. At 12:30 p.m. ET, he will have lunch with Obama. At 1:15 p.m. ET, he will administer the oath of office at a ceremonial swearing-in for Director of the Office of Management and Budget Jack Lew. At 4 p.m. ET, he will with Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara.
Obama Turning To Experienced Hands As He Remakes Staff
The New York Times reports on President Obama’s upcoming White House personnel announcements: “The moves would signal an effort by the White House to bring on experienced Washington hands with records of bipartisan deal making as it faces the realities of a Republican-controlled House, a slimmer Democratic majority in the Senate and a resurgent grass-roots conservative movement.”
GOPers With Gavels Not Likely To Seek Senate Seats
Roll Call reports: “They have seized committee gavels and newfound political clout, but the flurry of promotions within the new Republican House majority could complicate the GOP’s plans to wrest control of the Senate from Democrats in 2012. From New York to Ohio to Wisconsin, would-be Republican Senate candidates might prefer to hold on to new leadership posts rather than run for statewide office in the next cycle, a process that has already begun in some states.”
GOP Bends Its Own New House Rules
Politico reports: “Just hours after taking control of the House, Republicans passed a sweeping set of rules promising transparency and reform. But the new majority is already showing these promises aren’t exactly set in stone. After calling for bills to go through a regular committee process, the bill that would repeal the health care law will not go through a single committee. Despite promising a more open amendment process for bills, amendments for the health care repeal will be all but shut down.”
