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McConnell: Finance Bill Has Bailout Fund — It Doesn’t Matter That It’s Produced From Banks
Appearing on State of the Union, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) stood by his contention that the financial reform bill would create a permanent bailout fund. When it was pointed out that this $50 billion fund would be funded by the banks themselves, rather than the taxpayers, McConnell responded: “Regardless of where the – how the money is produced, it is a bailout fund that sort of guarantees in perpetuity that we’ll be intervening once again to bail out these big firms.”

Warner: McConnell Should Provide ‘Specifics, Not Just General Attacks’
Appearing on State of the Union, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) rebutted McConnell on financial reform, noting that the $50 billion fund “would be funded by industry.” Warner said that the fund was conceived of as a way “to keep the lights on [at a collapsing firm] until you could actually borrow enough money through the FDIC process to orderly resolve and get rid of the firm.” Warner also added: “I’d love to hear from Senator McConnell and some of the others, specifics not just general attacks.”

Geithner Confident On Passing Financial Reform
Appearing on Meet The Press, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner said: “I am very confident that we’re going to have the votes for a strong package of financial reforms that will bring derivative markets out of the dark, help protect the taxpayers from having to fund future bailouts and trying to make sure we’re getting Americans some basic protection against fraud and abuse.”

Odierno: U.S. On Track To Withdraw Combat Troops From Iraq By September
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Gen. Ray Odierno said that the United States is on track to remove its combat troops from Iraq by this September, leaving only a force of 50,000 troops to advise and assist the Iraqis. “The Iraqi security forces are now in the lead of going after Al Qaeda,” said Odierno, also adding: “Our plans are intact. I feel very comfortable with our plan and unless something unforeseen and disastrous happens, I fully expect us to be at 50,000 by the first of September.”

McCain: ‘Pull The Trigger’ On Sanctions Against Iran
Appearing on Fox News Sunday, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called upon the Obama administration to “pull the trigger” on increasing sanctions against Iran. Asked whether a military option should be on the table, McCain replied: “Every contingency has to be on the table.”

Scott Brown Says He’ll Filibuster Finance Bill
Appearing on Face The Nation, Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) reaffirmed that he would filibuster the current financial regulation bill. He also denied that Republicans are politicizing the issue, instead blaming the Obama administration: “Throughout our caucuses that issue has been in the forefront with the teams that are negotiating with the banking chairmen to try to find common sense reforms and address situations like the one that I just pointed out, where companies are caught in the big web, when you have government interfering in business, small businesses’ lives and just throwing a ‘one size fits all’ approach just to score political points.”

Bill Clinton: Obama Should Pick Someone Younger For SCOTUS
Appearing on This Week, former President Clinton said that President Obama should appoint a younger nominee to the Supreme Court, rather than someone like himself: “Because I’m already 63-years-old, I hope I live to be 90. I hope I’m just as healthy as Justice Stevens is. But it’s not predictable. I’d like to see him put someone in there, late 40s, early 50s, on the court and someone with a lot of energy for the job.”

McConnell: Crist ‘Would Lose All Republican Support’ If He Makes Independent Bid
Appearing on State of the Union, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) warned against any potential independent campaign for Senate by Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL). “He would lose all Republican support if he were to run as an independent,” said McConnell.

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