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Portman Decides Against Presidential Bid

December 2, 2014 at 6:57 am EST By Taegan Goddard 16 Comments

Sen. Rob Portman (R-OH) said in a statement early Tuesday morning that he would not seek the 2016 Republican presidential nomination, ABC News reports.

Said Portman: “I have decided to run for re-election in 2016. I am excited about continuing to serve, especially with the change in the Senate leadership. With the new Republican majority, I see a real opportunity over the next two years to break the gridlock in Washington and actually get things done to help Ohioans and all Americans. That’s where I believe I can play the most constructive role. I don’t think I can run for president and be an effective senator at the same time.”

Democrats Split on Tax Breaks

December 2, 2014 at 6:23 am EST By Taegan Goddard 4 Comments

“A simmering war between pro-business Democrats and liberals, which fueled the collapse of a $400 billion tax bill last week, is the latest policy fight to underscore deeper divisions within the party,” Politico reports.

“Senate Democratic leaders had basically sealed a two-year deal with Republicans on a wide range of expiring tax breaks but were undercut by the Obama administration and liberals. So the entire package collapsed two days before Thanksgiving, and Congress on Monday moved toward a short-term extension of a tax bill that affects millions of Americans.”

GOP Divided Now on Many Issues

December 2, 2014 at 6:01 am EST By Taegan Goddard 2 Comments

Politico notes Republicans are increasingly divided on issues that go beyond just immigration reform.

“The Common Core is one issue that once inspired broad agreement; now most prospective candidates are following Texas Gov. Rick Perry in moving in the other direction. Meanwhile, Ohio Gov. John Kasich is a big supporter of the Medicaid expansion that was part of the Affordable Care Act; but Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker argues it will simply make more people dependent on government. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is trying to roll back surveillance programs; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie warns that doing so could weaken national security.”

Obama Dealt Major Setback in Closing Guantanamo

December 2, 2014 at 5:50 am EST By Taegan Goddard 1 Comment

“President Obama’s 5-year-old campaign to close the federal prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, suffered a major setback as lawmakers finalizing the annual defense policy bill rejected steps toward shuttering the facility,” the AP reports.

The final bill “omits a provision giving the president the authority to transfer terror suspects to the United States if Congress signs off on a comprehensive plan to close the prison.”

McCain Recommended Lieberman for Defense Secretary

December 1, 2014 at 6:22 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 23 Comments

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), incoming chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, told White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough that former Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) should be the next defense secretary, the Washington Post reports.

McCain added that he did “not think his close pal, the former senator from Connecticut, a Democrat turned Independent, would be considered for the job. (After all, he did endorse McCain over Obama in ’08.)”

Landrieu Ad Claims Cassidy Prefers Slavery Over Welfare

December 1, 2014 at 6:17 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 26 Comments

Another new ad from Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) says that challenger Bill Cassidy (R) “has endorsed a documentary which claims slavery was better for black folks than welfare,” according to BuzzFeed.

The ad goes on: “But worse than that, Cassidy and Jindal are trying to impeach our President.”

Reid Threatens to Keep Senate in Session

December 1, 2014 at 5:12 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 9 Comments

Politico reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “is using his final weeks as majority leader to threaten one of lawmakers’ most valuable assets: Recess.”

“Facing down a daunting list of tasks, ranging from funding the government past Dec. 11 to approving a number of new ambassadors, and less than two weeks to do it before Congress’s target adjournment at the end of next week, the Nevada Democrat said that the lame duck Congress’s work may require senators to stay in Washington for an extra week — and may even threaten Christmas.”

Landrieu Ad Claims Obama Will Be Impeached

December 1, 2014 at 2:54 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 18 Comments

A new radio ad for Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-LA) features Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-LA) saying Republicans will impeach President Obama if Bill Cassidy (R) wins the U.S. Senate runoff on Saturday, BuzzFeed reports.

[speech_bubble type=”std” subtype=”a” icon=”pwdome.jpg” name=””]Landrieu, of course, says she “approves this message.” [/speech_bubble]

GOP Staffer Had Her Own Tough Teenage Years

December 1, 2014 at 1:26 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 78 Comments

Elizabeth Lauten, the Republican congressional staffer who resigned after saying President Obama’s teenage daughters “should try showing a little class,” was arrested when she was 17 for shoplifting, according to documents obtained by The Smoking Gun.

Roll Call: “Hours after the original post, Lauten deleted it. She also followed up with an apology for her rant, and set her Facebook profile to private.”

Obama Approval Up Sharply Among Hispanics

December 1, 2014 at 1:19 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 26 Comments

Gallup shows that President Obama’s approval rate among Hispanic voters has surged from 49% to 68% since he took executive action on immigration.

[speech_bubble type=”std” subtype=”a” icon=”pwdome.jpg” name=””]I don’t think Republicans will help themselves much in the coming weeks as they try to fight this. [/speech_bubble]

British Politician Explains Why She Gave Her Cock Speech

December 1, 2014 at 12:43 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 14 Comments

Conservative British minister Penny Mordaunt “gave a speech in Parliament last year that was ostensibly about the welfare of chickens, but was actually written with the express purpose of saying ‘cock’ as many times as possible,” Gawker reports.

Mordaunt “revealed this week that she gave the March 26, 2013 cock speech in the House of Commons after losing a bet with some Marine training officers.”

An Inside Look at Committee Assignments

December 1, 2014 at 12:34 pm EST By Taegan Goddard 1 Comment

David Hawkings: “The jockeying and suspense will be especially acute in the House. Its 435 seats make specialization something close to a job requirement, so committee membership takes on outsize importance in driving each member’s legislative priorities and perceived areas of expertise — and in many cases fundraising focus as well. That helps explain why campaigning for a good assignment is an essential focus during every newly elected member’s two-month transition to office, and why the party leaders act as the gatekeepers of membership.”

“It’s a very different situation in the Senate. Because of statewide constituencies, each senator has a vested interest in becoming familiar with several different areas of public policy. With almost 400 committee seats but only 100 people to fill them, each senator is guaranteed a spot on at least one of the most powerful panels. And because of the seniority system’s continued sway over the institution, the veterans generally get the pick of the litter and the newcomers are left to choose from the best of the rest.”

Florida Democrats Want to Shift Governor’s Race

December 1, 2014 at 11:57 am EST By Taegan Goddard 37 Comments

“After yet another defeat blamed on low voter turnout, some Florida Democrats want to change the rules and elect the governor in the same year voters pick the president — when turnout is always much higher,” the Miami Herald reports.

“The 2014 election was the first Florida midterm in which 6 million people cast ballots, but that figure pales in comparison to the 8.5 million who voted in the 2012 presidential election in Florida. For Democrats, the call for change is an admission that they can no longer compete with Republicans in statewide races for governor and three down-ballot, powerful Cabinet seats.”

Voters No Longer Want to Repeal Obamacare

December 1, 2014 at 9:42 am EST By Taegan Goddard 18 Comments

A new Rasmussen survey finds that most voters for the first time want Congress to fix the new national health care law rather than repeal it.

While 30% of likely voters still think Congress should repeal it entirely and start over again, 52% prefer instead that Congress go through the law piece by piece and improve it. Just 13% want to leave the law as is.

Wonk Wire: Obamacare supporters’ rhetoric could undermine latest legal challenge

Obama Proves His Relevance

December 1, 2014 at 9:11 am EST By Taegan Goddard 11 Comments

Rick Klein: “Less than a month after suffering an electoral drubbing, President Obama has succeeded in placing the majority of the internal party angst back in the other camp. The president’s move on immigration has made that the overriding issue as Republicans face down a government funding deadline of next Friday. In fact, it now looks likely to become the overriding issue when Republicans try to do much of anything, in the current Congress and the new Congress, for the next few months at least. GOP leaders’ early plans of avoiding shutdown talk have already been forced into rewrite. It’s now clear that Republicans will have to work through their internal party discord – yes, again – even as they reconvene in Washington in substantially greater numbers.”

GOP Governors Start Slow on White House Bids

December 1, 2014 at 8:43 am EST By Taegan Goddard 8 Comments

Time: “While 2016 presidential hopefuls such as Sen. Rand Paul and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton are moving ahead with White House runs, Christie and other Republican governors are biding their time. None will declare their campaigns before the New Year, and most are looking even later into 2015 to announce.”

“That doesn’t mean they’re standing still. The six governors looking at White House runs are doing their fair share of thinking and talking about 2016. Christie, Ohio’s John Kasich, Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, Louisiana’s Bobby Jindal, Indiana’s Mike Pence and Texas’ Rick Perry are all openly flirting with presidential runs.”

Huffington Post: It’s beginning to look an awful lot like 2016

Quote of the Day

December 1, 2014 at 8:28 am EST By Taegan Goddard 9 Comments

“Kind of cool. I always say, cooler than most politicians, not as cool as actual cool people. He’s not cool like Jay Z’s cool. He’s not Eddie Murphy. But in a world of politicians…”

— Comedian Chris Rock, in an interview with Frank Rich, on his impressions of President Obama.

Clinton Schedules Another Paid Speech Next Year

December 1, 2014 at 7:44 am EST By Taegan Goddard 8 Comments

Hillary Clinton will be giving another paid speech in Canada in late January, according to The Carillon.

It’s widely expected that Clinton would not give paid speeches after she announced a presidential bid.

[speech_bubble type=”std” subtype=”a” icon=”pwdome.jpg” name=””]This would seem to contradict speculation that Clinton was scheduling an announcement for just after the New Year. [/speech_bubble]