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Kyl Prefers Opt-In Over Opt-Out; Thune Condemns Any Public Plan
The Hill reports Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said he would much prefer an “opt-in” public option for state, over the opt-out model being offered by Democrats. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) expressed surprise at this, as it implies acceptance of a public option at all. “I’d be really surprised if Sen. Kyl votes for anything that includes a government plan,” said Thune. “[Democrats] have to come up with a way for this to not look like what it is, but at the end of the day it still is what it is, which is a government plan.”

Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will deliver remarks at an 11 a.m. ET Congressional Gold Medal ceremony, honoring former Sen. Edward Brooke (R-MA), the first black Senator since Reconstruction. Obama will have lunch with Vice President Biden at 12 p.m. ET, and the two of them will host a 1:20 p.m. ET meeting with the co-chairmen of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board and the senior leadership of the intelligence community. At 2:30 p.m. ET, Obama will sign the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010. Obama and Biden will meet at 3:10 p.m. ET with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. Obama will attend a commemorative tree planting at 5:30 p.m. ET, and he will deliver remarks at a 6:05 p.m. ET reception, commemorating the enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will attend President Obama’s morning briefings. Biden will meet at 10:45 a.m. ET with Sen. Bob Casey (D-PA) and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). At 12 p.m. ET, he will have lunch with Obama, and will be at the 1:20 p.m. ET intelligence meeting. He will attend the bill-signing of the Defense Authorization Act, and will meet with President Obama and Secretary Gates at 3:10 p.m. ET.

Clinton: ‘This Is A New Day’ In Pakistan
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Pakistan, where she spoke of improved relations between America and the people of that country — and criticized the approach of her predecessors in the Bush administration. Clinton said in a TV interview: “Maybe some in your country will say, No, I really didn’t have a good opinion (of the U.S.) before; I thought it was all about, ‘Are you going to be with us or against us on the war on terrorism.’ But this is a new day.”

Geithner: More Bailout Paybacks Coming
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner predicted yesterday that more large banks will be paying back their bailout money to the federal government. “It will depend on the institution, but for major banks in the country I think that money will come back relatively quickly,” said Geithner. He did, however, have a word of caution about General Motors and Chrysler: “It will take time to get out of those companies.”

House GOP Giving Freshmen Frontline Role
Roll Call reports that House Republicans been relying on their freshman members — who hail from safely conservative districts — to engage in the sort of political messaging that is normally reserved for more senior members who don’t have to worry as much about re-election. “This is only my first year in Washington, but if this is business as usual then it’s time for business to change,” said Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS). Rep. Chris Lee (R-NY) said: “We haven’t been tainted yet.”

Michelle Obama And Jill Biden Attending World Series To Promote Support For Military Families
Michelle Obama and Jill Biden will attend tonight’s opening game of the World Series, in order to promote support for military families. “I share the concerns, the anxieties and the pride that come with being a member of a military family,” said Jill Biden, whose stepson Beau Biden has served in Iraq. “And I have also seen firsthand what a difference it makes when people reach out to show support, whether in school, in the neighborhood, or in the workplace.”

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