Obama Address: I’m Bringing People Together On Health Care And Energy
In this weekend’s Presidential YouTube address, President Obama said he is bringing together different groups such as businesses and labor to deal with the issues of health care costs and clean energy:
“I have always believed that it is better to talk than not to talk; that it is far more productive to reach over a divide than to shake your fist across it,” said Obama. “This has been an alien notion in Washington for far too long, but we are seeing that the ways of Washington are beginning to change.”
GOP Address: Republicans Can Work With Obama On Health Care — But No Public Option
In this weekend’s RNC YouTube, Rep. Charles Boustany (R-LA) said Republicans can agree with President Obama on a lot of things regarding health care, and are prepared to work with him — but he warned strongly against any pursuit of a public option:
“A government takeover of health care will put bureaucrats in charge of health care decisions that should be made by families and doctors,” said Boustany. “It will limit treatment options and lead to rationed care. And to pay for government health care, your taxes will be raised.”
Obama Attends Daughters’ Soccer Games; No Public Events
President Obama attended his daughters’ soccer games this morning in Washington. Obama does not have any public events scheduled for today, nor does Vice President Biden, who is spending the day in Wilmington, Delaware.
Obama Picks GOP Gov. Huntsman For Ambassador To China
President Obama announced this morning that he is nominating Gov. Jon Huntsman (R-UT) to be Ambassador to China. Huntsman remarked that he did not expect, as a former campaign co-chair for John McCain, to be called to serve by the man who defeated McCain. “But I grew up understanding that the most basic responsibility one has is service to country,” said Huntsman. “When the President of the United States asks you to step up and serve in a capacity like this, that, to me, is the end of the conversation and the beginning of the obligation to rise to the challenge.”
Huntsman Pick Brings Big Political Implications
The Politico points out that the nomination of Huntsman is filled with political intrigue, due to Huntsman’s prior status as a potential Republican candidate for president: “Viewed purely through the lens of 2012 politics, the move looks like political genius by the White House: It’s like John Edwards or John Kerry joining the Bush administration in 2001.”
NYT: Obama “Leading By Second Thought”
The New York Times says that President Obama’s recent decisions on revising military tribunals and not releasing torture photos show a change in style from the broad liberal promises of the 2008 campaign: “Faced with the choice of signaling an unambiguous break with the policies of the Bush era, or maintaining some continuity with its practices, the president has begun to come down on the side of taking fewer risks with security, even though he is clearly angering the liberal elements of his political base.”
Sessions Lays Down Standards For SCOTUS Nominee
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) discussed the upcoming Supreme Court nomination process. “I do not have to approve of the nominee’s politics or morality or religion,” he said. “We can even disagree on certain key holdings. But I will not support a nominee that I don’t believe is committed to the faithful following of the law and the Constitution according to a fair construction of them.”
Ensign: GOP Will Try To Block Gitmo Closure
Sen. John Ensign (R-NV) said yesterday that Senate Republicans will offer amendments to block the Obama Administration’s planned closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay. “We might have a chance at winning some of these amendments,” said Ensign, because Democratic Senators would not want to vote to allow detainees into the United STates.
