TPMDC Saturday Roundup

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Obama: Congress Must Stop ‘Potential Corporate Takeover Of Our Elections’
In this weekend’s YouTube address, President Obama called upon Congress to pass a new set of campaign finance reforms in reaction to the Citizens United decision from the Supreme Court:

“Now, we can expect that these proposed changes will be met with heavy resistance from the special interests and their supporters in Congress. But I’m calling on leaders in both parties to resist these pressures,” said Obama. “For what we are facing is no less than a potential corporate takeover of our elections. And what is at stake is no less than the integrity of our democracy. This shouldn’t be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue. This is an issue that goes to whether or not we will have a government that works for ordinary Americans – a government of, by, and for the people.”

Hoekstra: Obama Is Visiting Michigan, But Michigan Has Fewer Jobs
This weekend’s Republican address was delivered by Rep. Pete Hoekstra (R-MI), who is also a candidate in a contested GOP primary for governor of Michigan, responding to President Obama’s commencement speech today at the University of Michigan.

“I join with Michiganders across the state in welcoming President Obama to our home. We also welcome the opportunity to show the President – first hand – the painful plight of the people of Michigan,” said Hoekstra. “Like countless Americans, they face fewer jobs and fewer opportunities today than when he took office. The Democrats have run Congress since 2007, and yet when the residents of Michigan and across America ask themselves are they better off now than they were four years ago, the answer is – inevitably – ‘no.'”

Obama’s Saturday
President Obama departed from the White House at 8:10 a.m. ET, and from Andrews Air Force Base at 8:25 a.m. Et, arriving at 9:45 a.m. ET in Detroit, Michigan. At 11 a.m. ET, he delivered the commencement address at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He will depart from Detroit at 1:05 p.m. ET, arriving back at Andrews Air Force Base at 2:25 p.m. ET, and at the White House at 2:40 p.m. ET. Later, at 8 p.m. Et, the President and First Lady will attend the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, where Obama will deliver remarks.

Biden’s Saturday
Vice President Biden will deliver keynote remarks tonight at the Arizona Democratic Party’s annual Heritage Dinner in Phoenix. Tomorrow, he and his wife Dr. Jill Biden will travel back to Wilmington, Delaware, and have no further public events scheduled.

Obama Responds To Anti-Government Rhetoric: ‘In Our Democracy Government Is Us’
During his commencement speech at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor, President Obama called for a more civil political discourse, and responded to anti-government rhetoric from his opponents. “But it troubles me when I hear people say that all of government is inherently bad,” said Obama. “For when our government is spoken of as some menacing, threatening foreign entity, it conveniently ignores the fact in our democracy, government is us.”

Obama To Visit Gulf Oil Spill
President Obama will visit the Gulf Coast on Sunday for a firsthand update on the underwater oil spill, the White House has announced. The Associated Press reports: “Obama has relied on reports from agency chiefs and Coast Guard officials since the magnitude of the spill became clear late Wednesday. Aides report he’s been getting regular updates…Deputy press secretary Bill Burton said Obama got another update early Saturday before flying to Ann Arbor.”

Report: Pelosi Tells White House To Back Off Washington-Bashing
Politico reports that the House Democratic leadership told White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod that President Obama should stop attacking Washington. “If the president is going to go out and talk about how Washington’s broken, he’s got to include a strong contrast with congressional Republicans or else we’re going to get blamed for it,” said one meeting participant.

U.S.: Consensus Unlikely At Nuclear Treaty Meeting
The United States is conceding that next week’s meeting of 189 countries, to review a treaty to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons, is unlikely to reach consensus. However, it still hoped that the meeting can build momentum. “It is not about a final communique or a product that comes out other than an ambition to move forward together on doing the things that we believe we can reach consensus on,” Undersecretary of State Ellen Tauscher told reporters Friday.

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