As Debt Ceiling Vote Nears, The Pressure Is On House Republican Freshmen
The Washington Post reports: “They ran against debt. They swore and swore again that they’d cut up the nation’s credit card. But now the 87 freshmen House Republicans are facing intense pressure from administration officials and even some natural allies on why they should — indeed, why they must — vote to allow the federal government to go even deeper into debt.
Obama’s Day Ahead
President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the presidential daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET, and Obama will meet at 11:45 a.m. ET with senior advisers. At 1:45 p.m. ET, Obama will present the Commander-in-Chief Trophy to the Air Force Academy football team. At 3:05 p.m. ET, Obama will be interviewed by KCNC Denver, WRAL Raleigh, WFAA Dallas and WTHR Indianapolis. At 4:30 p.m. ET, Obama and Biden will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Biden’s Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will attend President Obama’s daily briefing at 9:30 a.m. ET. Biden will meet at 11:30 a.m. ET with Budget Director Jacob Lew, National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, and senior advisers to discuss fiscal policy. At 2 p.m. ET, Biden will meet with the leadership of the African Union High-Level Implementation Panel for Sudan. At 4:30 p.m. ET, Obama and Biden will meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Clinton Vows Full Support For Disaster-Hit Japan
AFP reports: “US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pledged full support for quake-hit Japan on Sunday as the operator of its stricken nuclear plant said it expects to achieve “cold shutdown” in six to nine months…Clinton, on a brief, largely symbolic stop in Tokyo, voiced solidarity and vowed that the United States would ‘do everything we can to support you as you come through this time of trial.’ ‘And we know you will emerge even stronger than before,’ she said after meeting Foreign Minister Takeaki Matsumoto.”
GOP Hopes Unity Lies Ahead
Roll Call reports: “House Republicans are trying to recover their legendary discipline ahead of a defining battle on raising the debt limit. The effort comes following unprecedented GOP defections last week on a compromise proposal brokered by Speaker John Boehner (Ohio) to fund the government for the next six months, a vote that exposed fractures within the Conference over how far the House GOP should push for spending cuts and fiscal reform.”
Senate Democrats Bank On Incumbency
Politico repots: “Democratic senators confronting stiff electoral headwinds next year are emerging from the first fundraising quarter with an uplifting takeaway: They’re outraising their opponents out of the gate. Despite the daunting prospect of defending 23 seats and the residue of the hypercharged 2010 environment, most Democratic incumbents in battleground states stockpiled at least $1 million to begin the year as they hunker down to protect their four-seat majority. Comparatively, just two Republican challengers hit the million-dollar marker.”
