Obama Praises Energy Bill, Calls For Senate Passage
In this weekend’s YouTube address, President Obama praised the House of Representatives for passing the energy bill last night, calling it an important component of economic growth and technological development. And he urge the Senate to follow suit quickly:
“Now my call to every Senator, as well as to every American, is this: We cannot be afraid of the future. And we must not be prisoners of the past,” said Obama. “Don’t believe the misinformation out there that suggests there is somehow a contradiction between investing in clean energy and economic growth. It’s just not true.”
Boehner Blasts “Go-It-Alone” Democrats
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-OH) delivered the Republican address this weekend, going after the Democrats on the issues of spending, health care and energy:
“Republicans are offering common-sense solutions that will make a real difference in creating jobs, making health care more affordable, and promoting a cleaner, healthier environment, and reducing energy costs,” said Boehner. “We hope our Democrat colleagues will abandon their failed go-it-alone approach and work with us to make these reforms a reality.”
Ahmadinejad Lashes Out At Obama
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lambasted President Obama today, in the wake of Obama’s condemnation of violence against Iranian demonstrators. “Didn’t he say that he was after change? Why did he interfere?” said Ahmadinejad. He added: “They keep saying that they want to hold talks with Iran … but is this the correct way? Definitely, they have made a mistake.”
Jenny Sanford On Mark’s Argentina Trip: “It’s Tragic”
In an interview with the Associated Press, South Carolina First Lady Jenny Sanford said she had hoped her husband Gov. Mark Sanford really was hiking. “He was told in no uncertain terms not to see her,” said Mrs. Sanford. “I was hoping he was on the Appalachian Trail. But I was not worried about his safety. I was hoping he was doing some real soul searching somewhere and devastated to find out it was Argentina. It’s tragic.”
Dems Returned From Surgery, Rehab To Cast Votes On Energy Bill
Roll Call reports that House Democrats went to great lengths to get every last vote they could for the energy bill yesterday. Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) returned to the House for the first time in weeks, after having undergone heart surgery; Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) has been in rehab for his long-running problems with substance abuse, but he made it to the floor to vote; and Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) who had been confirmed by the Senate for a top position in the State Department, delayed her resignation so that she could cast a vote for the bill.
GOP: Don’t Call Our Sotomayor Criticism An Attack
CQ reports that Congressional Republicans object to the idea of people saying that their criticisms of Sonia sotomayor amount to attacking her. “We’re discussing matters of substance that directly relate to her role on the court, if she goes there,” said Senate Judiciary Ranking Member Jeff Sessions (R-AL). “Frankly, there’s some serious issues that have been raised that need discussion.”
NYT: Little Hope For GOP To Support Health Bill
The New York Times reports that Congressional Republicans are not giving much reason for Democrats to hope on bipartisan agreement on big changes in health care. “Given the sticker shock, there is not a lot of appetite for it,” said Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), who said that if Democrats push ahead, “we may have to stop what they are proposing to get them in a listening mood.”
Vitter Preemptively Attacking Melancon
Sen. David Vitter (R-LA), the staunch social conservative whose career became mired in the D.C. Madam prostitution scandal of 2007, is preemptively attacking potential Democratic opponent Rep. Charlie Melancon. In a new fundraising letter, Vitter attacks Melancon (who has not officially declared a candidacy) for being talked into running by “President Obama and congressional liberals,” and supporting the economic stimulus package and the Democratic budget plan.
