“The last time Senate Democrats passed a budget, the iPad didn’t even exist.”
— Sen. John Thune (R-SD), quoted by The Hill.
Obama Bets on Recess Apppointments and Loses
President Obama “made a big gamble last January when he issued four recess appointments during a three-day break between meetings of the Senate — and with the court ruling Friday broadly undercutting his ability to make such appointments, he may have lost even bigger,” Politico reports.
Legal experts say the president “almost certainly did not anticipate the gamble going as spectacularly sour as it did Friday when a federal appeals court not only invalidated the three NLRB appointments but cut the heart out of the recess appointment power presidents of both parties have wielded for two centuries.”
Washington Post: “The issue seems certain to end up before the Supreme Court, which
ultimately could clarify a president’s authority to fill his
administration and appoint federal judges when a minority of the Senate
blocks consideration of his choices.”
The View Obama Wanted to See One More Time
The Daily Beast has the photo as President Obama left the inaugural platform.
Sarah Palin and Fox News Part Ways
Sarah Palin’s contract with Fox News has ended and it is not being renewed, the New York Times reports.
“A Fox spokeswoman confirmed Friday that Fox had parted ways with the former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential nominee, effectively reducing her exposure to the channel’s millions of loyal viewers. It was unclear whether the parting was Ms. Palin’s choice, but it was described as amicable.”
A source close to Palin tells Real Clear Politics that Fox News offered Palin a contract but she turned it down.
Miller Mulls Another Senate Bid in Alaska
Former Alaska U.S. Senate candidate Joe Miller (R) is seriously considering challenging Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK) next year, Robert Costa reports.
“According to several sources, Miller huddled with Senator Jerry Moran of Kansas, the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee. He also stopped by the office of Senator Lisa Murkowski. It was the pair’s first encounter since Murkowski, running as an independent, beat Miller in 2010.”
Which U.S. County Most Loves Obama?
Josh Green: “The honor goes to Shannon County, tucked into the southwest corner of South Dakota with a population of about 13,000. Ninety-three percent of the county’s voters supported Obama, the highest percentage of any county in the country.”
Romney Pledges to Stay Involved
Mitt Romney “told top Washington bundlers, donors and senior campaign leadership in a meeting Friday morning that he would help out GOP candidates for governor in 2013, during the upcoming midterm elections and the 2016 presidential race,” Politico reports.
Said Romney: “We lost, but I’m not going away. I will continue to help.”
But he also made clear to people at the meeting that his ambition for elected office has ended.
Obama to Unveil Immigration Reform Next Week
President Obama “plans to launch his second-term push for an immigration overhaul during a visit to Nevada next week in a bid to win congressional approval of a reform package this year,” Reuters reports.
“Obama’s proposals would largely be based on a “blueprint” the president put forth in a policy speech he delivered on the border near El Paso, Texas, in 2011, but which never made it into legislation.”
McDaniel Drops Bid for Arkansas Governor
Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel (D), who was caught in a sex scandal last year, has formally ended his bid to become governor, KARK reports.
Extra Bonus Quote of the Day
“As a party, we must recognize that we live in an era of permanent
politics. We must stop living nominee-to-nominee, campaign to campaign.”
— RNC Chairman Reince Priebus, quoted by Roll Call, calling for a Republican permanent campaign.
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Brown Starts With Solid Lead in Massachusetts
A new MassINC poll in Massachusetts finds former Sen. Scott Brown (R-MA) leads a generic Democrat in a general election
match-up for U.S. Senate, 44% to 36%.
However, when matched up against Rep. Ed Markey (D)
specifically, Brown leads 53% to 31%.
The poll was
conducted prior to news about Rep. Stephen Lynch’s (D) potential entrance into
the race, and does not include a head to head match-up between Brown and
Lynch.
Key Virginia Republican Opposes Electoral Vote Change
Virginia state Sen. Ralph Smith (R) told the Roanoke Times he opposed efforts to change the way Virginia allocates electoral votes, calling it “a bad idea.”
“Smith sits on the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, which will hear the bill next week. Without Smith’s support, it’s unlikely the bill could get to the Senate floor. The Privileges and Elections Committee has eight Republicans and seven Democrats.”
The Cloakroom: GOP effort to rig the electoral vote loses momentum.
The Father of Modern Political Cartoons
Juts published: Thomas Nast: The Father of Modern Political Cartoons by Fiona Deans Halloran.
Gun Control Tied to Obama Popularity
Harry Enten: “Want to know how people feel about President Obama’s gun control plan? Simply ask whether they approve or disapprove of how the president and his administration are doing their job. When you attach Obama’s name by calling it “Barack Obama’s proposals”, the Post discovered that 53% of Americans favor the proposals – nearly identical to Obama’s approval rating of 55% in a separate Post poll last week. Gallup found the same, with 53% in favor of Obama’s gun control plan, compared to his monthly approval rating of 52%.”
“Drill down to specific demographics and the link between approval of the gun plan and approval of Obama’s administration becomes even clearer… Among the 24 subgroups tested [by the Post], the correlation between a subgroup’s opinion towards [the administration] and Obama’s gun plan is 0.98 – nearly perfect.”
Lynch Will Run for Kerry’s Seat
Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA) will run in the special U.S. Senate election to fill the expected vacancy if Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) is confirmed next week to be Secretary of State, the Boston Globe reports.
Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) has already announced his own bid.
First Read: “If Kerry steps down from his Senate seat on Tuesday, the primary to replace him would have to take place between Sunday, May 12 and Monday, May 27. And the general would be between Sunday, June 23 and Monday, July 8. State law requires the general to take place 145 to 160 days after a vacancy is created. The primary is required to occur six weeks before that.”
Brooks Speaks Out
The Las Vegas Journal-Review has a must-read interview with Nevada Assemblyman Steven Brooks (D), who was jailed last weekend for threatening to kill the state House speaker.
“The disjointed, 35-minute interview took place in a sparsely furnished North Las Vegas apartment. Present were Brooks, his attorney, Mitchell Posin, and a man who only identified himself as Darren and said he is Brooks’ driver. Brooks was shirtless much of the time, walking with a heavy limp and showing a reporter myriad swollen spots on his face, neck and torso that he and Posin attributed to mistreatment before and after his arrest.”
Gore’s Latest Book
Coming next week: The Future: Six Drivers of Global Change by Al Gore.
