Today: Midterm Super Tuesday Primaries
Voters are headed to the polls today for primaries in many states with key races. The polls in South Carolina and Virginia will close at 7 p.m. ET, in Arkansas at 8:30 p.m. ET, in Iowa at 10 p.m. ET, in Nevada at 10 p.m. ET, and in California at 11 p.m. ET. Voters are also headed to the polls in Maine, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Dakota, as well as a special election runoff for a safe GOP House seat in Georgia.
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama received the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. Et, and the economic daily briefing at 10 a.m. ET, and then a 10:30 a.m. ET briefing on the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. He will depart the white House at 11 a.m. ET, en route to the Ft. McNair landing zone. He will hold a tele-town hall meeting with seniors at 11:40 a.m. ET. He will meet with senior advisers at the White House at 2 p.m. ET. He will meet at 2:45 p.m. ET with Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-ND). At 6:30 p.m. ET, the President and First Lady will host a Congressional Picnic at the White House.
Biden’s Day in Africa
Vice President Biden spent the day in kenya, meeting with President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga. the Vice President and his wife Dr. Jill Biden laid a wreath at the August 7th Memorial Park. Biden met with the Speaker of Parliament Hon. Kenneth Marende, and with the Reform Caucus of Parliamentarians.
Israel Backers Push for Tough Resolution
Roll Call reports: “The debate over Israel’s blockade of Gaza could head to the House floor soon as lawmakers push for a resolution explicitly backing the Jewish state amid an international uproar over the deaths of nine people during an attack on a ship bringing aid to the territory last week. Israel’s actions received an outpouring of support from dozens of Members of Congress, although in the aftermath of the violent confrontation at sea, a handful of lawmakers sharply criticized Israel’s blockade of the impoverished land ruled by Hamas.”
White House Directing Agencies To Cut Budgets
Reuters reports: “President Barack Obama is asking government agencies to develop plans for 5 percent reductions in array of domestic programs, the White House said on Tuesday. ‘We are asking each agency to develop a list of their bottom 5 percent performing discretionary programs, as measured by their impact in furthering the agency’s mission,’ White House budget director Peter Orszag said in excerpts from remarks he is to deliver later at the Center for American Progress think tank. ‘In addition, to ensure that we can meet the president’s insistence on a freeze for non-security agencies while funding priority areas, we are asking non-security agencies to specify how they would reduce their budgets by 5 percent,’ Orszag said.”
Medicaid Cut Places States in Budget Bind
The New York Times reports: “Having counted on Washington for money that may not be delivered, at least 30 states will have to close larger-than-anticipated shortfalls in the coming fiscal year unless Congress passes a six-month extension of increased federal spending on Medicaid. Governors and state lawmakers, already facing some of the toughest budgets since the Great Depression, said the repercussions would extend far beyond health care, forcing them to make deep cuts to education, social services and public safety.”
GOP Putting Anti-Health Reform Initiatives On State Ballots To Boost Turnout
The Hill reports: “Republicans are banking that anti-health reform ballot initiatives will give them a significant edge in the November midterm elections…’What we’re trying to do is give voters an added reason to show up to the polls,’ said Joel Sawyer, executive director of the South Carolina GOP. ‘It’s a voter turnout tool.'”
