Political Wire

Summers vs. Yellin for Fed Chair

July 25, 2013 at 11:12 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Ezra Klein says President Obama wants Larry Summers as the next Fed chair but the White House is weighing the choice:

“On the merits, they think the preference many on the left have for Janet Yellen is a bit puzzling. Yellen and Summers are both strongly committed to reducing unemployment. They’re both committed to implementing Dodd-Frank — as much as the left mistrusts Summers on financial regulation for his actions in the 1990s, the White House believes that he, like many others, is strongly committed to regulating Wall Street now. They see a lot of the opposition to Summers is based on bad or outdated information.”

“But they’re not unaware that Summers is a polarizing choice. So some of what’s happening right now, I think, is that they’re figuring out whether opposition to Summers is soft or hard.”

Bonus Quote of the Day

July 25, 2013 at 10:30 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“There are some collateral consequences that aren’t purely negative. I’d never say, ‘Gee, this is an affirmatively good thing,’ but if it tempers and changes public attitude because it softens someone who is now more empathetic and now more conscious of emotional dynamics with others, the public senses that.”

— Eliot Spitzer (D), quoted by Time, on the positive aspects of the prostitution scandal that forced him from office.

The Unprecedented Attempt to Sabotage a Law

July 25, 2013 at 10:20 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Norm Ornstein: “When a law is enacted, representatives who opposed it have some choices (which are not mutually exclusive). They can try to repeal it, which is perfectly acceptable–unless it becomes an effort at grandstanding so overdone that it detracts from other basic responsibilities of governing. They can try to amend it to make it work better–not just perfectly acceptable but desirable, if the goal is to improve a cumbersome law to work better for the betterment of the society and its people. They can strive to make sure that the law does the most for Americans it is intended to serve, including their own constituents, while doing the least damage to the society and the economy. Or they can step aside and leave the burden of implementation to those who supported the law and got it enacted in the first place.”

“But to do everything possible to undercut and destroy its implementation–which in this case means finding ways to deny coverage to many who lack any health insurance; to keep millions who might be able to get better and cheaper coverage in the dark about their new options; to create disruption for the health providers who are trying to implement the law, including insurers, hospitals, and physicians; to threaten the even greater disruption via a government shutdown or breach of the debt limit in order to blackmail the president into abandoning the law; and to hope to benefit politically from all the resulting turmoil–is simply unacceptable, even contemptible.”

Republicans are Defending Earmarks

July 25, 2013 at 10:16 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Republicans on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee are starting to quietly defend earmarks, three years after Congress banned the practice because members said it wasted taxpayer dollars during a time of trillion-dollar deficits.” National Journal reports.

Georgia Candidate Pledges to be His Biggest Investor

July 25, 2013 at 10:11 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Businessman David Perdue (R) entered the Georgia U.S. Senate race yesterday and told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that he doesn’t like the term “self-funder.”

He prefers “investor,” though he declined to specify the size of his investment.

Said Perdue: “I’ll see how it plays out. I will be the largest investor. I’m very confident it’s going to be well-funded. We will have the necessary resources. And our research shows if we get the message out we can win this thing…. I’ll have more skin in the game than any other person who invests with us. But I also ask of other four candidates: Where’s their skin in the game?”

Paul’s Tough Balancing Act

July 25, 2013 at 9:40 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Since declaring himself the tea party candidate in the 2010 elections,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) “has methodically tried to broaden his appeal beyond the conservative grass-roots movement. And nowhere has that been more apparent than in his increasingly close ties to McConnell, the Senate veteran who could be a critical asset in selling a Paul White House candidacy to the party establishment,” Politico reports.

“So as McConnell descends into a GOP civil war with tea party-backed candidate Bevin to defend his Senate seat in 2014, Paul must perform a careful balancing act: Show complete support for McConnell, all the while avoiding alienating the same tea party supporters who helped him in 2010 and whom he’ll need in 2016.”

First Read: “Any political junkie has to LOVE this year’s Kentucky Senate race — now that there’s a GOP primary in addition to a competitive general election.”

State Republican Parties Mired in Dysfunction

July 25, 2013 at 9:38 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“Plagued by infighting and deep ideological divisions, state Republican parties from Alaska to Maine are mired in dysfunction. Several state Republican leaders have been forced out or resigned in recent months, and many state GOP parties face financial problems and skeptical national leaders,” the AP reports.

Quote of the Day

July 25, 2013 at 8:02 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“As a person and as a woman and as a wife, I’ve been through the painful
reality of marriage with a troubled individual and having it in the
press. My heart goes out to her.”

— Jenny Sanford, quoted by the Washington Post, on Anthony Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin.

Republicans Prepare for Obamacare Showdown

July 25, 2013 at 7:49 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“With the Obama administration poised for a huge public education campaign on healthcare reform, Republicans and their allies are mobilizing a counter-offensive including town hall meetings, protests and media promotions to dissuade uninsured Americans from obtaining health coverage,” Reuters reports.

“Party officials, political analysts and lobbyists say the coming showdown will mark a new phase in the years-old battle over healthcare reform by shifting the focus from political ideology to specific examples of how ‘Obamacare’ allegedly falls short, just as the administration presses the public on its benefits.”

Majority Supports Abortion Ban After 20 Weeks

July 25, 2013 at 7:47 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

“By a margin of 56% to 27%, more Americans say they’d prefer to impose limits on abortions after the first 20 weeks of pregnancy rather than the 24-week mark established under current law,” according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

“Another 10% surveyed in the poll volunteered they would prefer to outlaw abortion in the United States altogether or limit it earlier than 20 weeks after fertilization. At the same time, however, 54% say they oppose state laws that make it more difficult for abortion clinics to operate; compared to 45% who support such legislation.”

McCain Makes McConnell Look Weak

July 25, 2013 at 7:44 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

The relationship between Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) “is going to be awkward in the coming months,” The Hill reports.

“McConnell finds himself increasingly constrained by both his new primary challenger and McCain’s expanded deal-making role with Democrats… McCain is interested in being a major player in the talks later this year when Congress must pass legislation to continue government funding and raise the national debt limit.”

GOP senators say that McConnell “is in danger of looking weak” if McCain again seizes the leadership reins as he did to broker a deal to avert the “nuclear option” on President Obama’s executive nominees.

Third Woman Comes Forward In Filner Harassment Scandal

July 25, 2013 at 7:39 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Morgan Rose told KPBS that San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) “repeatedly tried to kiss her in a public restaurant” in 2009.

She is the third woman to step forward this week to publicly make allegations against the embattled mayor.

The Most Unpredictable Senate Primary of 2014

July 25, 2013 at 5:17 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Roll Call: “Other than a clear front-runner, Georgia’s GOP race for Senate race has it all — including three sitting congressmen, a minister, a runner-up for the 2010 gubernatorial nomination and three candidates who may be capable of at least partially self-funding.”

Swedish Lawmaker Bares All in Social Media Gaffe

July 25, 2013 at 5:05 am EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Swedish lawmaker Lars Ohly “was caught with his pants down Wednesday after flashing his private parts in a picture meant to show off his newly-inked Liverpool football club tattoo,” AFP reports.

He deleted the photo on Instagram but other Swedish politicians “were quick to weigh in on the issue after the picture went viral.”

Responded political opponent Carl Bildt: “Congratulations to you, after all these years, for getting this genuinely public breakthrough!”

Weiner Says Sexting Continued Until Last Summer

July 24, 2013 at 9:40 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Anthony Weiner finally offered “a rough date” for when his sexting with women online finally ended, Politicker reports.

Said Weiner: “Last summer. Yeah, roughly August. Maybe even a little earlier than that.”

Obama’s Legacy

July 24, 2013 at 9:36 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Walter Shapiro listened to President Obama’s speech on the economy today but says it “comes three years too late. In early 2010, Obama confronted the question that ultimately every president has to answer: What will be my legacy?”

“Obama chose health care reform, and it has made all the difference. To govern is to choose – and by choosing health care, Obama inadvertently lost his chance to put a lasting imprint on the economy. High unemployment, and the personal anguish that comes with it, will be as much a legacy of his two terms in office as Obamacare.”

Thompson Would Win NYC Runoff if He Makes It

July 24, 2013 at 4:04 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

A new Quinnipiac poll in New York City finds Anthony Weiner leads in the Democratic mayoral race with 26% of likely voters, followed by Christine Quinn at 22%, William Thompson at 20%, Bill deBlasio at 15% and John Liu at 7%.

The poll was conducted before news that Weiner continued his “sexting” issues even after he resigned from Congress. If Weiner drops out of the race, Quinn leads with 30% to Thompson’s 26% with de Blasio at 21% and Liu at 10%.

In a Democratic primary runoff, however, Thompson tops Weiner 52% to 41% and leads Quinn 51% to 42%.

Marc Ambinder: Hath Weiner no shame?

Obama Speaks Even if GOP Isn’t Listening

July 24, 2013 at 4:01 pm EDT By Taegan Goddard Leave a Comment

Zeke Miller: “Obama’s address, spread over an hour and six minutes, read like a laundry list of prior policy announcements, from job training and education programs to mortgage relief, health care and raising the minimum wage. But there is little appetite in Washington for making these programs a reality. The administration sees value in just talking about them.”

“Officials are approaching the speeches as part of a coordinated, campaign-style effort to gain the upper hand in the looming fiscal fights over the debt limit and the budget this fall. The White House wants to increase funding from the current levels under sequestration, but House Republicans are opposed to any measure that would raise taxes to pay for a fix.”

Wonk Wire: Obama signals new perspective on the economy.

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