Beth Reinhard:
“Even as Democrats relish President Obama’ second inauguration, some
party leaders are worried about whether the campaign’s decision to form
its own advocacy group will hamstring future generations of Democratic
candidates… Some activists foresee a power struggle between the national
party, which aims to elect Democrats above all else, and the new group,
which aims to build the president’s legacy — and may have to pressure
wavering swing-state Democrats to tow the unapologetically liberal
agenda laid out in his inauguration speech.”
GOP Tries to Regroup
As the Republican National Committee meets for their annual meeting, the Charlotte Observer sets the stage:
“For most Republicans, November was grim. They lost the White
House and all but one battleground state. They lost seats in Congress.
They saw America’s fastest-growing minority groups reject their party.
But in North Carolina it was a happier story… A presentation scheduled
for Thursday is called ‘Success in N.C.: A Blueprint for the Future.’
But how much of that blueprint can be replicated is debatable.”
Clinton to Testify on Benghazi
NBC News:
“The political stakes will be high Wednesday morning when Secretary of
State Hillary Clinton testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee about her role in the events leading up to the September
attack on a U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya, that resulted
in the killing of Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans.
The stakes will also be high for a Republican member of the committee,
Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, whom some pundits see as a possible
presidential candidate in 2016. It will be a rare instance when one
potential White House hopeful gets an opportunity to interrogate a
potential rival from the opposing party. Clinton herself is thought to
be a strong contender for the Democratic nomination, should she chose to
throw her hat into the ring.”
Rick Klein: “It’s not the way she wanted to go out. After a two-decade career in the national political limelight — as first lady, as a senator, and now as secretary of state — Hillary Rodham Clinton’s final official act with a title in front of her name is likely to come today, as she testifies about a tragic embarrassment of an episode that left four Americans dead in Libya.”
Clinton testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations at 9:00 am ET and
the House Foreign Affairs Committee at 2:00 pm ET.
If You’re Expecting a Political Appointment
Washington Post: “First, get those skeletons out of the closet pronto, says Tom Korologos, who shepherded many a nominee of Presidents Reagan and Bush I through the thorny thicket to confirmation. If anyone from the White House or a surrogate comes sniffing around, immediately disclose anything in your past that might prove embarrassing to the president (or whoever is doing the appointing)…”
“Then, once you’re on a list, it’s your public behavior that counts. In this phase, discretion isn’t just the better part of valor, experts say — it’s the whole thing. Lehane says the best course of action is to avoid talking to the press altogether (though it pains the Loop to pass on this advice).”
“We’re told it’s best to watch what you say — even to your friends. And to watch what your spouse says. Don’t talk about getting the job.”
Good Luck, John Kerry
Thomas Friedman: “First, my congratulations and condolences to John Kerry for being
nominated to be our next secretary of state. There is no one better for
the job today and no worse job to have today. It is no accident that
we’ve started measuring our secretaries of state more by miles traveled
than milestones achieved. It is bloody hard to do big diplomacy anymore.”
Clinton More Popular Than Biden
A new ABC News-Washington Post poll finds Hillary Clinton is significantly more popular than Joe BIden.
Clinton’s favorability rating is 67% as compared to Biden’s 48%. The outgoing secretary of state also outperforms the vice president in intensity of sentiment with more than twice as many Americans see Clinton “strongly” favorably than strongly unfavorably – 35% vs. 14% – while Biden breaks even, 22% vs. 23%, in this measure.
Britain Pledges Referendum on European Union
British Prime Minister David Cameron said it is “time for the British people to have their say” amid growing public discontent about the power of the European Union., the Daily Telegraph reports.
Cameron pledged an in-out referendum in the first half of the next parliament: “It is time to settle this European question in British politics. I say to the British people: this will be your decision.”
New York Times: “The speech was a defining moment in Mr. Cameron’s political career, reflecting a belief that by wresting some powers back from the E.U., he can win the support of a grudging British public which has long been ambivalent — or actively hostile — toward the idea of European integration.”
Quote of the Day
“We will look forward to interrogating him at his hearing next week, mercilessly. We will bring him back for only time waterboarding to get the truth out of him.”
— Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), quoted by Politico, joking that he’ll get the truth out of Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) when he faces confirmation hearings next week to be the next Secretary of State.
Biden Laying the Groundwork for 2016
“Joe Biden summoned more than 200 Democratic insiders to the vice presidential residence Sunday night to chat about the 2012 triumph — but many walked away convinced his rising 2016 ambitions were the real intent of the long, intimate night,” Politico reports.
“Biden, according to a number of advisers and Democrats who have spoken to him in recent months, wants to run, or at least be well positioned to run, if and when he decides to pull the trigger. Biden has expressed a clear sense of urgency, convinced the Democratic field will be defined quickly — and that it might very well come down to a private chat with Hillary Clinton about who should finish what Barack Obama started.”
AP:
“Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton remains the heavy favorite
of the Democratic party faithful, but Biden is making clear that he has
no intention of closing any doors that could lead to the White House —
especially if Clinton decides not to run.”
Narrow Window for Obama Agenda
“The Constitution may promise President Obama another four years in the White House, but political reality calls for a far shorter time frame: he has perhaps as little as a year to accomplish his big-ticket goals for a second term,” the New York Times reports.
“Tensions are already emerging between the White House and some Democrats about how much emphasis the president and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. should give their gun control measures and whether a drawn-out debate over the Second Amendment could imperil the rest of the party’s initiatives, particularly on immigration.”
Carter Eyed for Energy Secretary
Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter is the leading candidate to replace Steven Chu as energy secretary in President Obama’s second term, Bloomberg reports.
Christie Way Ahead for Re-election
A new Quinnipiac poll in New Jersey finds voters think Gov. Chris Christie (R) deserves re-election by a stunning 68% to 24% margin, with even Democrats in favor by 47% to 43%.
Christie crushes his possible Democratic rivals. He tops Richard Codey (D), 59% to 30%, beats Barbara Buono (D), 63% to 22%, and is way ahead of Stephen Sweeney (D), 61% to 25%.
Clinton Pays Off Remaining 2008 Campaign Debt
More than four years after Hillary Clinton lost the Democratic nomination for president, her 2008 presidential campaign is finally debt-free, Politico reports.
CNN: “A federal law known as the Hatch Act prohibited Clinton and other
federal government employees from personally soliciting or accepting
political contributions. The law does allow others to raise funds on
Clinton’s behalf, without her direct involvement. Former President Bill
Clinton periodically sent out fundraising appeals to his wife’s campaign
email list to help retire her debt.”
Ex-Staffer Says Bachmann Campaign Made Illegal Payments
Peter Waldron, a former campaign aide for Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), claims the one-time presidential candidate hid thousands of dollars in payment to an Iowa state senator so he wouldn’t violate Senate ethics rules, the Quad City Times reports.
Waldron claims the payments were funneled through a third party. If true, the alleged scheme may violate the Senate ethics rule against state senators being employed by political campaigns.
Report Shows Details of Possible Attempt to Kill Speaker
The pre-booking Declaration of Arrest for Nevada Assemblyman Steven Brooks (D) is truly extraordinary.
Investors Say Budget Discord is Threat to Economy
A new Bloomberg poll of global investors finds that 47% say Washington’s recurring fiscal showdowns are discouraging them from investing in U.S. financial markets.
House Speaker John Boehner was viewed unfavorably by 46%, while 31% view him favorably. By comparison, President Obama was view favorably by 55% and unfavorably by 41%.
Lautenberg Suggests Booker Deserves a Spanking
Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ), who might face a 2014 primary challenge from Newark Mayor Cory Booker (D), said his fellow Democrat is “entitled” to run if he chooses to but suggested that he had to give a “spanking” to his potential rival for so openly coveting his seat, the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
Said Lautenberg: “I have four children, I love each one of them. I can’t tell you that one of them wasn’t occasionally disrespectful, so I gave them a spanking and everything was OK.”
He would not give a timetable for when he might make up his mind about making a re-election bid.
Paul Ryan, Now and Then
“No one is suggesting that what we call our earned entitlements — entitlements you pay for, like payroll taxes for Medicare and Social Security — are putting you in a ‘taker’ category. No one would suggest that whatsoever.”
— Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), criticizing President Obama’s inaugural speech on Laura Ingraham’s radio show today.
“Right now about 60 percent of the American people get more benefits in dollar value from the federal government than they pay back in taxes. So we’re going to a majority of takers versus makers.”
— Ryan, on Washington Watch in June 2010.
