No Easy Path For Spending Deal
Roll Call reports: “President Barack Obama is hoping to reprise his role as deal-maker-in-chief in the budget standoff simmering on Capitol Hill. But his eleventh-hour entry into the debate leaves him in a far less desirable position than when he deftly ushered through a bipartisan tax deal in December: The only conversations happening right now between Senate Democratic and House Republican leaders are about whose fault it will be if the negotiations fail.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. At 10 a.m. ET, Obama and Vice President Biden will meet with the national security team for the monthly meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan. At 11:55 a.m. ET, Obama and Biden will meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderón. Obama and Calderón will meet one on one at 12:20 p.m. ET; they will hold a joint news conference at 1 p.m. ET; and they will meet for a working lunch at 1:35 p.m. ET. Later, at 5:03 p.m. ET, Obama will call the crews of the Space Shuttle Discovery and the International Space Station.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden held an 8 a.m. ET breakfast meeting with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who is now the Envoy of the Quartet on the Middle East. Biden will attend President Obama’s daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and attend the 10 a.m. ET meeting with the national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Obama and Biden will meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderón at 11:55 a.m. ET.
Newt Gingrich’s Route: 2012 Path Paved With Questions
Politico reports: “Newt Gingrich appears poised to become the first major Republican to enter the race for president, a step that would give him a first-mover advantage in a slow-forming GOP field. He’ll need it. Before the former House speaker can start competing against his Republican rivals in earnest he must bring order to the unruliness and chaos that surrounds almost every aspect of his candidacy – from Gingrich’s organization, to his message, to the candidate himself.”
Top U.S. Officials Cautious On Libya No-Fly Zone
Reuters reports: “Senior U.S. officials on Wednesday stressed the diplomatic and military risks of imposing a ‘no-fly’ zone over Libya to help rebels fighting Muammar Gaddafi’s forces, saying such a move was not imminent…’Let’s just call a spade a spade. A no-fly zone begins with an attack on Libya to destroy the air defenses,’ Defense Secretary Robert Gates told a budget hearing in the House of Representatives. ‘And then you can fly planes around the country and not worry about our guys being shot down.'”
Drug War Dispute To Dominate Obama-Calderon Meeting
Reuters reports: “Mexican President Felipe Calderon will press President Barack Obama to crack down on U.S. drug consumption and illegal arms sales when they meet on Thursday to smooth over troubles in their drugs war alliance. Calderon last week accused the United States of damaging efforts to beat back drug cartels, just days after one of the worst attacks on U.S. officials in Mexico left one Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent dead and another wounded.”
