Obama Thanks Troops In Memorial Day Weekend Address
In this weekend’s Presidential YouTube address, President Obama recognized the troops on Memorial Day weekend — and said that the public hasn’t always fully support them, but he will change that:
“That is why I will send our servicemen and women into harm’s way only when it is necessary, and ensure that they have the training and equipment they need when they enter the theater of war,” said Obama. “That is why we are building a 21st century Department of Veterans Affairs with the largest single-year funding increase in three decades. It’s a commitment that will help us provide our veterans with the support and benefits they have earned, and expand quality health care to a half million more veterans.”
GOP Address: Barrasso Support “Red, White And Blue Jobs” For Energy
In this weekend’s Republican YouTube, address Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) also thanked the troops on Memorial Day weekend — and then proceeded to attack the Democrats on energy issues:
“Democrats have focused solely on what they call green jobs,” said Barrasso. “Those are jobs from alternative energy. I support green jobs, but why discriminate? American energy means American jobs, which is why I support red, white, and blue jobs.”
Obama At Camp David; No Obama Or Biden Public Events
President Obama is spending the weekend at Camp David, and departed from the White House earlier today. He will arrive back at the White House on Sunday night, and does not have any public events scheduled for this weekend. Vice President Biden is spending the weekend in Wilmington, Delaware, and also does not have any public events scheduled for this weekend.
Cheney Seeking Book Deal
The New York Times reports that former Vice President Dick Cheney is looking to sign a book deal, and is seeking a $2 million advance, to tell his story: “The coming crush of books reflects what former Bush officials describe as a desire to produce their own drafts of history after gritting their teeth for so long over the works of the journalists and disgruntled colleagues who penned the first, second and third drafts before them.”
Obama Predicts Recovery For Auto Industry — But Pain For Now
In an interview on C-Span, President Obama said the auto industry will be able to recover once the economy itself improves, and people then begin to make new-car purchases that they’d been delaying. “We’re confident that they can emerge and take advantage of that new market and actually be very profitable and thrive,” said Obama. “But it means going through some pain now, and the thing I worry about most is that so much of that pain is borne by workers and communities that have historically been the backbone of the auto industry and so we’re going to have to work intensely with those communities.”
Obama: I’ll Announce SCOTUS Pick Soon
Also during the C-Span interview, President Obama said he will announce his Supreme Court nominee soon. And while Obama said he doesn’t feel pressured by the time it takes to get a Justice confirmed, he does want it done by the time the Supreme Court begins its new term this Fall.
White House Approaches Cuba On Immigration Talks
The Obama Administration has reached out to Cuba to resume talks on legal immigration, which has previously been suspended by the Bush Administration after mid-2003. State Department spokeswoman Darla Jordan told reporters that Obama “wants to ensure that we are doing all we can to support the Cuban people in fulfilling their desire to live in freedom.”
