Today: The Health Care Summit
Today’s big event will be the health care summit between President Obama and members of Congress from both parties. The Associated Press does not have high expectations for success: “Expect them to collide, not come together. Without a no-nonsense referee to slam the gavel on mind-fogging jargon, not to mention apocalyptic rhetoric, some viewers might wish Judge Judy was presiding.”
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:15 a.m. ET. Obama will walk to the Blair House at 9:50 a.m. ET, and at 10 a.m. ET will host the bipartisan health care summit. At 4 p.m. ET, Obama will walk back to the White House. At 4:30 p.m. ET, Obama will deliver remarks and present the awards for the 2009 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal.
Bush And Cheney To Meet For Coffee Today
The New York Times reports that former President George W. Bush and former Vice President Dick Cheney are scheduled to have coffee today, which will be the first time the two have met with each other since they left office on January 20, 2009. Cheney, who was released from the hospital this week after a minor heart attack, is not expected to attend a breakfast reunion tomorrow for former Bush administration officials.
Sebelius And DeParle: ‘It Would Be A Shame’ For GOP To Delay Health Reforms They Agree With
In a new guest column in the Washington Post, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and White House health reform director Nancy-Ann DeParle boast that President Obama’s health care plan contains many ideas that have been supported by various Republican members of Congress: “With so much common ground, it would be a shame for anyone to delay needed reforms by insisting on a specific package of changes. That’s why President Obama and this administration are going into today’s meeting with an open mind. We’re ready to hear Republicans’ best ideas, and we hope they’re ready to hear ours.”
Former House Colleagues Not Fired Up About Ford
CQ reports that former Rep. Harold Ford (D-TN) has been unable to gain support among the New York Democratic House delegation for his potential primary challenge against New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand. “Anytime you have a candidacy, the question is, what’s your political base? And I don’t think Harold has been able to identify or show he has a political base in New York,” said Rep. Gregory Meeks, who added that he had communicated this viewpoint to Ford.
Ben Nelson Fighting Like It’s 2012
Roll Call reports that Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) is already campaigning hard for his re-election in effort in 2012 — and he’s not shy about admitting it. “I’m always running for support from Nebraskans,” Nelson told the paper in a statement. “I used to get kidded when I was governor: ‘When are you going to stop running?’ I’d say, ‘what do you mean? If you never stop you never have to start.'”
McCain: I’m Not Bitter
In an interview with The Hill, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) denied allegations that he might be bitter about losing the 2008 election to President Obama. “I am the luckiest guy who has ever lived that I’ve ever known,” said McCain. “For me to look back in anger, I mean, it’s just foolish. Some people say, ‘He’s bitter, he’s resentful.’ I’m not. I’m grateful.”
