As President Obama began addressing Federal Bureau of Investigation employees at FBI headquarters Tuesday, the crowd went wild with applause — and one FBI worker fainted.
“Did somebody faint? Do we have an EMT here?” Obama asked, pausing in his speech.
“Give him a little space,”
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
He makes the boys SWOON.
Specter To Switch Parties
By Carl Hulse
Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania said on Tuesday he would switch to the Democratic party, presenting Democrats with a possible 60th vote and the power to break Senate filibusters as they try to advance the Obama administration’s new agenda.
In a statement issued about noon as the Capitol was digesting the stunning turn of events, Mr. Specter said he had concluded that his party had moved too far to the right, a fact demonstrated by the migration of 200,000 Pennsylvania Republicans to the Democratic Party.
“I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans,” Mr. Specter said, acknowledging that his decision was certain to disappoint colleagues and supporters.
If Al Franken prevails in his ongoing court case in Minnesota and Mr. Specter begins caucusing with Democrats, Democrats would have 60 votes and the ability to deny Republicans the chance to stall legislation. Mr. Specter was one of only three Republicans to support President Obama’s economic recovery legislation.
If Al Franken prevails in his ongoing court case in Minnesota and Mr. Specter begins caucusing with Democrats, Democrats would have 60 votes and the ability to deny Republicans the chance to stall legislation. Mr. Specter was one of only three Republicans to support President Obama’s economic recovery legislation.
The news shocked Senate Republicans, who had been hanging on to their ability to block legislation by a thread. Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the Republican leader, called an emergency meeting of party leaders who had no forewarning of Mr. Specter’s plans.
On Capitol Hill, Mr. Specter arrived for a vote shortly after noon with his wife, and said he would be lunching in the private Senate dining room rather than joining either of the weekly party policy lunches that were being held.
Democrats were jubilant about the development.
President Obama was handed a note from an aide at 10:25 a.m. on Tuesday during his daily economic briefing. The note, according to a senior administration official, said: “Specter is announcing he is changing parties.”
Seven minutes later, Mr. Obama reached Mr. Specter by telephone. In a brief conversation, the president said: “You have my full support,” according to the official who heard the phone call. The president added that we are “thrilled to have you.”
“We will welcome him with open arms,” said Senator Debbie Stabenow, Democrat of Michigan.
Mr. Specter faced a primary challenge from former Republican Congressman Pat Toomey and polls showed him trailing Mr. Toomey. But he had previously resisted overtures to join the Democrats.
Mr. Specter faced a primary challenge from former Republican Congressman Pat Toomey and polls showed him trailing Mr. Toomey. But he had previously resisted overtures to join the Democrats.
Mr. Specter faced a primary challenge from former Republican Congressman Pat Toomey and polls showed him trailing Mr. Toomey. But he had previously resisted overtures to join the Democrats.Doug Mills/The New York Times Mr. Specter’s announcement shocked Senate Republicans.
“Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration tobecome Democrats,” Mr. Specter said in a statement released in the early afternoon. “I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.”
He said he has experienced a change of heart since the response to his vote for the stimulus legislation.
He said he has experienced a change of heart since the response to his vote for the stimulus legislation.
“Since then, I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion,” his statement said. “It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate.”
Mr. Specter, who has a history of finding his own way in the Senate, said he would not be a guaranteed vote for Democratic initiatives and he declared that he would remain opposed to a top labor priority – legislation that would make it easier to unionize American workplaces.
“Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by President Kennedy’s statement that sometimes party asks too much,” Mr. Specter said. “When it does, I will continue my independent voting and follow my conscience on what I think is best for Pennsylvania and America.”
Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona and a man with his own history of breaking with his party, expressed regret and said he had no indication that Mr. Specter would change parties. But Mr. McCain said he understood the reason for Mr. Specter’s shift: “It’s pretty obvious the polls show him well behind his primary opponent.”
Michael Steele, the chairman of the Republican National Committee, did not mince words about the senator, saying Mr. Specter “didn’t leave the G.O.P. based on principles of any kind. He left to further his personal political interests because he knew that he was going to lose a Republican primary due to his left-wing voting record. Republicans look forward to beating Senator Specter in 2010, assuming the Democrats don’t do it first.”
But Senator Olympia Snowe of Maine, who also supported the Obama administration’s economic stimulus legislation, said Mr. Specter’s decision reflected the increasingly inhospitable climate in the Republican party for moderates.
“On the national level of the Republican Party, we haven’t certainly heard warm, encouraging words about how they view moderates, either you are with us or against us,” Ms. Snowe said. She said national Republican leaders were not grasping that “political diversity makes a party stronger and ultimately we are heading to having the smallest political tent in history for any political party the way things are unfolding.”
Senator Jon Kyl of Arizona, the No. 2 Republican in the Senate, called the decision “a real problem.”
Mr. Specter, who has had serious health problems in recent years, remains active on a variety of major issues and has been a leading advocate for increased funding for health care research.
Democrats called the decision a game-changer. “It helps on everything,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California. “This is a substantial change.”
Democrats called the decision a game-changer. “It helps on everything,” said Senator Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California. “This is a substantial change.”
Democrats said they made no promises to Mr. Specter about committee positions or other incentives to switch, but the party can provide significant campaign support and deter other Democratic candidates from running against him in the primary next year.
The turnabout was reminiscent of the decision in 2001 by Senator Jim Jeffords of Vermont to leave the Republican party and become an independent, handing control of the Senate back to Democrats just as President George W. Bush’s first term was beginning. The Jeffords switch flipped party control but some Democrats said Mr. Specter’s move could be just as consequential given the Senate’s recent struggles with filibusters.
“Specter’s decision could be more consequential because it came just as the Senate was beginning work on health care reform,” said Senator Ron Wyden, Democrat of Oregon. “Specter’s decision is a big impact decision.”
Mr. Specter’s move to the Democratic column is likely to have a chilling effect on other potential Democratic candidates for the Senate. So far, Joseph Torsella, former head of the National Constitution Center and a former deputy mayor of Philadelphia, is the only Democrat to have declared his candidacy.
Others with higher name recognition seem to have been holding back to see how the field would shape up. Even before Mr. Specter announced his switch today, Representative Allyson Schwartz, a Democrat representing parts of Philadelphia and the nearby suburbs, had told The New York Times she was unlikely to make the run. Other possibilities, including Representatives Patrick Murphy and Joe Sestak, had also stayed mum.
Gov. Edward G. Rendell, a Democrat, and Vice President Joseph Biden, both of them long-time friends of Mr. Specter, had urged him to switch parties several weeks ago but Mr. Specter declined. Mr. Rendell said in a recent interview that he had promised Mr. Specter that if he became a Democrat, he would help him raise money; Mr. Specter joked that if he became a Democrat, he wouldn’t need Mr. Rendell’s help on that front.
There had been speculation in Pennsylvania political circles that something was afoot because Mr. Torsella, a close colleague of Mr. Rendell, said little about Mr. Specter when he announced his candidacy.
But Mr. Specter put the kibosh on talk that he might leave the Republican Party and become either a Democrat or an independent, insisting, though without much evidence, that there was room in the Republican Party for moderates.
The move brings Mr. Specter full circle with his earlier political leanings. He was a registered Democrat when he first ran for district attorney of Philadelphia in the mid-1960s, though he ran on the Republican line.
Jeff Zeleny from Washington and Katharine Q. Seelye from New York contributed reporting.
The highs and lows of Obama's first 100 days
2 hrs 48 mins ago
Ever since FDR, the judging of the president's first 100 days is a time-honored tradition, something akin to a teacher issuing a report card. Or a fraternity hazing the new pledge.
Luckily for President Obama, there's only one "First 100 Days." But unluckily for President Obama, the stakes are much higher: In his hands lies the future of Wall Street, two wars and a recession. Here's a look at the president's report card so far:
HIGHS
Domestic policy: During the election, much was made about then-Sen. Barack Obama's lack of experience. But President Obama hit the ground running: Just days after his inauguration, Obama issued a White House pay freeze, ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay and signed his first bill into law.
Obama then pushed through a massive $787 billion stimulus bill, ended the ban on stem-cell research, and lifted travel limits to Cuba. Oh, and a few weeks ago, he authorized the use of U.S. force against Somali pirates holding an American sea captain hostage.
Foreign policy: Depending on whom you ask, Obama's European trip for the G20, NATO and EU-US summits was either a successful first step toward "soft diplomacy," or as Karl Rove dubbed it, the "President's Apology Tour."
In a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Obama set the tone for his trip, telling Brown that he came to Europe "to listen and not to lecture." By reaching out, Politico declared that Obama made it clear to the world that "the Bush era of foreign policy is over." In return, various heads of state lavished praise for the new U.S. president. A sampling:
- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown: "Your first 70 days in office have changed America, and you've changed America's relationship with the world."
- French President Nicholas Sarkozy: Called Obama a "U.S. president who wants to change the world and who understands that the world does not boil down to simply American frontiers and borders."
- Chinese President Hu Jintao: "Since President Obama took office, we have secured a good beginning in the growth of this relationship."
Back home, however, analysts were on the fence as to what Obama actually accomplished. The New York Times called the trip a "mixed bag," while Politico commented that Obama got "a warm embrace and a cold shoulder" from our NATO allies. The verdict? Not a solid "high," but since Obama was universally well-received, his trip falls into the "plus" column — for now.
The White House: So far, the Obama White House might be the most relaxed — and open — administration yet. Even after he was elected president, Obama was seen in Chicago, taking Michelle out for Valentine's Day dinner. In D.C., the president was seen sipping a beer courtside watching the Bulls play the Wizards.
It's definitely the most wired administration; Obama managed to keep his Blackberry and his weekly radio addresses are the first to be released as Web videos. In March, Obama became the first sitting president to appear on "The Tonight Show" and hosted the first virtual town hall at the White House.
And honestly — when was the last time the president and the secretary of state held a briefing meeting at a picnic table?
LOWS
Vetting nominees: But it hasn't been all roses and rainbows since inauguration day. No less than four nominees have been flagged for not paying taxes, including Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, despite what the administration called a "comprehensive" vetting form.
Geithner paid his overdue taxes and still got the job, but three nominees — Nancy Killefer, Tom Daschle and Bill Richardson ended up withdrawing their nominations.
Missteps, mixed messages: On the way to the White House, Obama earned the nickname "No-Drama Obama" for his famously disciplined campaign. But as of late, that famous discipline seems to be slipping. In March, when news of AIG bonuses became public, Obama waited several days before making an official statement. When it became known that the White House knew about the bonuses for almost a week, the story turned into "who knew what when" — and why Obama didn't say something sooner.
Things came to a head at a press conference at which CNN's Ed Henry asked the president why he waited so long to respond. Obama replied tersely, "It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak." (Watch the clip here.) Afterward, Obama sought to limit the damage, going on a whirlwind media tour, appearing on "60 Minutes," "Jay Leno" and ESPN.
Obama's latest misstep — and one that may have the most lasting consequences — involves the investigation of detainee interrogations. On April 21, AP reported that Obama was open to a probe of the Bush-era detainee program. Days later, however, the White House declared Obama was opposed to a special commission to investigate detainee interrogations. But the president is still facing pressure from key Democratic lawmakers to establish a "truth commission" to probe abuses.
The divider: Yes, Obama has the high approval marks, but for someone who made bipartisanship a theme of his campaign, polls also show that Obama is "a polarizing figure in the mold of Bush," says RealClearPolitics. An ABC/Washington Post poll shows 93 percent of Democrats support his actions, while only 36 percent of Republicans do.
Pew Research Center finds that "Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades." AP reports that for every step toward bipartisanship by the White House, there has been one step back: Obama put two Republicans in his Cabinet, but when Republicans pushed for more tax cuts in the stimulus package, Obama replied, "I won. So, I think on that one, I trump you."
According to David Axelrod, Obama's senior adviser, the 100-day review is the "journalistic equivalent of the Hallmark holiday." But perhaps because of Wall Street, two wars and a recession, these 100 days do matter, because now more than ever, people need the change Obama promised.
- Lili Ladaga
Yahoo! News bloggers compile the best news content from our providers and scour the Web for the most interesting news stories so you don't have to.**
Ever since FDR, the judging of the president's first 100 days is a time-honored tradition, something akin to a teacher issuing a report card. Or a fraternity hazing the new pledge.
Luckily for President Obama, there's only one "First 100 Days." But unluckily for President Obama, the stakes are much higher: In his hands lies the future of Wall Street, two wars and a recession. Here's a look at the president's report card so far:
HIGHS
Domestic policy: During the election, much was made about then-Sen. Barack Obama's lack of experience. But President Obama hit the ground running: Just days after his inauguration, Obama issued a White House pay freeze, ordered the closure of Guantanamo Bay and signed his first bill into law.
Obama then pushed through a massive $787 billion stimulus bill, ended the ban on stem-cell research, and lifted travel limits to Cuba. Oh, and a few weeks ago, he authorized the use of U.S. force against Somali pirates holding an American sea captain hostage.
Foreign policy: Depending on whom you ask, Obama's European trip for the G20, NATO and EU-US summits was either a successful first step toward "soft diplomacy," or as Karl Rove dubbed it, the "President's Apology Tour."
In a meeting with British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, Obama set the tone for his trip, telling Brown that he came to Europe "to listen and not to lecture." By reaching out, Politico declared that Obama made it clear to the world that "the Bush era of foreign policy is over." In return, various heads of state lavished praise for the new U.S. president. A sampling:
- British Prime Minister Gordon Brown: "Your first 70 days in office have changed America, and you've changed America's relationship with the world."
- French President Nicholas Sarkozy: Called Obama a "U.S. president who wants to change the world and who understands that the world does not boil down to simply American frontiers and borders."
- Chinese President Hu Jintao: "Since President Obama took office, we have secured a good beginning in the growth of this relationship."
Back home, however, analysts were on the fence as to what Obama actually accomplished. The New York Times called the trip a "mixed bag," while Politico commented that Obama got "a warm embrace and a cold shoulder" from our NATO allies. The verdict? Not a solid "high," but since Obama was universally well-received, his trip falls into the "plus" column — for now.
The White House: So far, the Obama White House might be the most relaxed — and open — administration yet. Even after he was elected president, Obama was seen in Chicago, taking Michelle out for Valentine's Day dinner. In D.C., the president was seen sipping a beer courtside watching the Bulls play the Wizards.
It's definitely the most wired administration; Obama managed to keep his Blackberry and his weekly radio addresses are the first to be released as Web videos. In March, Obama became the first sitting president to appear on "The Tonight Show" and hosted the first virtual town hall at the White House.
And honestly — when was the last time the president and the secretary of state held a briefing meeting at a picnic table?
LOWS
Vetting nominees: But it hasn't been all roses and rainbows since inauguration day. No less than four nominees have been flagged for not paying taxes, including Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, despite what the administration called a "comprehensive" vetting form.
Geithner paid his overdue taxes and still got the job, but three nominees — Nancy Killefer, Tom Daschle and Bill Richardson ended up withdrawing their nominations.
Missteps, mixed messages: On the way to the White House, Obama earned the nickname "No-Drama Obama" for his famously disciplined campaign. But as of late, that famous discipline seems to be slipping. In March, when news of AIG bonuses became public, Obama waited several days before making an official statement. When it became known that the White House knew about the bonuses for almost a week, the story turned into "who knew what when" — and why Obama didn't say something sooner.
Things came to a head at a press conference at which CNN's Ed Henry asked the president why he waited so long to respond. Obama replied tersely, "It took us a couple of days because I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak." (Watch the clip here.) Afterward, Obama sought to limit the damage, going on a whirlwind media tour, appearing on "60 Minutes," "Jay Leno" and ESPN.
Obama's latest misstep — and one that may have the most lasting consequences — involves the investigation of detainee interrogations. On April 21, AP reported that Obama was open to a probe of the Bush-era detainee program. Days later, however, the White House declared Obama was opposed to a special commission to investigate detainee interrogations. But the president is still facing pressure from key Democratic lawmakers to establish a "truth commission" to probe abuses.
The divider: Yes, Obama has the high approval marks, but for someone who made bipartisanship a theme of his campaign, polls also show that Obama is "a polarizing figure in the mold of Bush," says RealClearPolitics. An ABC/Washington Post poll shows 93 percent of Democrats support his actions, while only 36 percent of Republicans do.
Pew Research Center finds that "Barack Obama has the most polarized early job approval ratings of any president in the past four decades." AP reports that for every step toward bipartisanship by the White House, there has been one step back: Obama put two Republicans in his Cabinet, but when Republicans pushed for more tax cuts in the stimulus package, Obama replied, "I won. So, I think on that one, I trump you."
According to David Axelrod, Obama's senior adviser, the 100-day review is the "journalistic equivalent of the Hallmark holiday." But perhaps because of Wall Street, two wars and a recession, these 100 days do matter, because now more than ever, people need the change Obama promised.
- Lili Ladaga
Yahoo! News bloggers compile the best news content from our providers and scour the Web for the most interesting news stories so you don't have to.**
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