Labor Group Airs Ad Celebrating Stimulus Passage
The labor-backed political group Americans United For Change is already going on the air with this new pro-stimulus ad, seeking to claim the political narrative in the wake of the bill’s final passage into law:
The ad is running on national cable and in the D.C. media market — so it’s essentially aimed at the political classes, with the key message that there remains more work to be done.
Obama Delivering Speech Today On Mortgage Relief
President Obama is spending the morning in Phoenix, Arizona, where he will deliver a 12:15 p.m. ET speech on his mortgage relief plan, which would reportedly involve the government setting out to reduce foreclosures by providing subsidies and other incentives to help lower payments costs, and to encourage the renegotiation of loan terms. He will then head back to Washington, with a scheduled 5:45 p.m. ET arrival back at the White House.
Biden Meeting With Middle Class Task Force — And Ryan Crocker
Vice President Biden is having lunch today with members of the Middle Class Task Force, the White House effort chaired by Biden to study everyday economic conditions and make policy recommendations. Then in the afternoon, he will be meeting with Ryan Crocker, the Bush-appointed U.S. Ambassador to Iraq, for a closed-door meeting to discuss the situation in that country.
WaPo: Palin Caught Between Alaska, National Politics
The Washington Post takes a look at Sarah Palin’s political life these days, revealing a pol who is caught between the competing pressures of her state and national political lives, and whose every moved is analyzed with an eye towards 2012. “There’s nothing we can do to stop it,” said Palin aide Joe Balash. “People wonder why she’s doing something or not doing something.”
Two Ohio Dems Jump Into 2010 Senate Race
Ohio Democrats now have a primary for the open Senate seat of retiring GOP Senator George Voinovich, with both Secretary of State Jennifer Brunner and Lt. Governor Lee Fisher both declaring their candidacies yesterday. Both of them should be considered serious candidates for the primary and general elections, while the Republicans have rallied around former Rep. Rob Portman.
GOP Leaders Talk Up Pro-Life Issues, Ahead of Pelosi’s Papal Visit
Roll Call reports that John Boehner and Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) have sent a letter to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops praising Cardinal Justin Rigali for his work on pro-life issues — and which just so happens to have been sent ahead of Nancy Pelosi’s upcoming visit with the Pope. A GOP source told the paper that that the letter “certainly points to the very real difference” between political leaders who side with the church’s teachings and those who ignore them.
GOP Candidate On The Air For Gillibrand’s House Seat
The Republican National Committee has launched this ad for Jim Tedisco, the GOP candidate for Kirsten Gillibrand’s former House seat:
Tedisco has a serious chance of winning the March 31 special election, as he goes into the race with much higher name recognition as the state Assembly minority leader than does Democratic businessman Scott Murphy. If the GOP can pick up the seat, they’ll be able to claim a significant boost in their desired narrative of a party staging a comeback.
