Obama Set For Outreach To Skeptical Arab World
Reuters reports: “President Barack Obama will lay out a new U.S. strategy toward a skeptical Arab world on Thursday, offering fresh aid to promote democratic change as he seeks to shape the outcome of popular uprisings threatening both friends and foes. In his much-anticipated ‘Arab spring’ speech, Obama will try to reset relations with the Middle East, but his outreach could falter amid Arab frustration over an uneven U.S. response to the region’s revolts and his failure to advance Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama will receive his daily briefing at 10:30 a.m. ET, and meet at 11 a.m. ET with senior advisers. At 11:40 a.m. ET, he will deliver a speech on the events in the Middle East and North Africa, and U.S. policy in the region. At 2:55 p.m. ET, he will be interviewed by the BBC. He will meet at 3:30 p.m. ET with Treasury Secetary Tim Geithner. At 7 p.m. Et, he will deliver remarks at the Women’s Leadership Forum. At 8 p.m. ET, he will deliver remarks at a DNC event.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will travel in the morning to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he will attend a DNC event at 1:45 p.m. ET. He will then travel to Cincinnati, Ohio, where he will attend a DNC event at 5:15 p.m. ET. He will travel in the evening to Denver, Colorado, where he will spend the night.
After Gang Of Six Dissolution, Eyes Turn To Biden Deficit Talks
The Hill reports: “Sen. Tom Coburn’s (R-Okla.) exit from the bipartisan Gang of Six budget talks has left hopes for a grand deficit-reduction deal in tatters. All eyes are now on the debt talks being conducted by Vice President Joe Biden, but those efforts are not expected to result in anything more than a piecemeal approach to cutting the deficit.”
Gates: ‘Somebody’ In Pakistan Knew Of Bin Laden Hideout — But No Proof That Leaders Knew
AFP reports: “‘Somebody’ in Pakistan knew about Osama bin Laden’s hideout but there is no proof that Pakistan’s political and military leaders were aware of it, US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said. Despite anger in Congress directed at Islamabad, Gates and the US military’s top officer, Admiral Mike Mullen, also warned against cutting off aid to Pakistan, saying Washington had important interests at stake and that the country had already been ‘humiliated’ by the US raid that killed bin Laden.”
Clinton Aims To Improve Ties With Latin America
The New York Times reports: “As tumult rages across the Middle East, and relations with Pakistan border on a breakdown, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton was scheduled Wednesday night to host a private dinner with at least six former Latin American presidents, part of a quiet campaign to repair relations with a region that complains it has been ignored by American policy makers.”
Democrats Scale Back 2012 Map
Roll Call reports: “Democrats evaluating the 2012 map are confident President Barack Obama can win enough battleground states to earn a second term, but via a far less aggressive path than what he forged in 2008. Party strategists, Obama aides and top Democrats see multiple routes for the president to reach the 270 Electoral College votes that he needs on Nov. 6, 2012. But some Democrats splash cold water on the big talk of outreach in all 50 states, saying it is obvious the president will focus on traditional swing territory.”
