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  • A frustrated caucus keeps complaints quiet
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    Michael LeahyA year ago, members of the Congressional Black Caucus openly wept at Barack Obama's inauguration. Many caucus members say they feel largely ignored by key White House advisers. But several members said they have few African American contacts with substantial sway in the White House.
  • Biden Gives 'hardest Truth' In Israel
    Mar 12, 2010 — Politico
    Israelis, you have to connect on a gut level. That is where Biden is strong. He cuts through diplomatese; it comes across as very authentic.”But the Israeli press reported that in his private sessions, Biden was nothing if not blunt.“People who heard what Biden said [to Israeli officials behind closed doors] were stunned,” the centrist Israeli daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported. “‘This is starting to get dangerous for us,’ Biden...
  • Biden seeks to nurture Mideast talks
    Mar 12, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    Israelis have shown little enthusiasm for the planned indirect talks, which would be mediated by the United States. They would prefer face-to-face negotiations. Palestinians broke off direct talks in December 2008 at the time of Israel's offensive against the Gaza Strip. He said he had personally "expressed his displeasure" to the Israeli interior minister.
  • Frustrated caucus keeps quiet
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    Michael LeahyA year ago, members of the Congressional Black Caucus openly wept at Barack Obama's inauguration. Many caucus members say they feel largely ignored by key White House advisers. But several members said they have few African American contacts with substantial sway in the White House.
  • Parliamentarian's ruling deals blow to healthcare reform chances
    Mar 12, 2010 — The Hill
    Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), assistant to the Speaker.Rep.
  • Questions abound after Biden's Israel visit
    Mar 12, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    But why was it made public during Biden's visit? Theories abound: Was Israel deliberately trying to sabotage talks with the Palestinians? Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of the conservative Yisrael Beiteinu party has ordered Israeli ambassadors to stop "groveling" and stand up to the nation's critics.
  • Reform's fate a question of trust
    Mar 12, 2010 — Washington Post
    I can't remember when Barack Obama said that. Rogers, the White House social secretary, and Mr. The Hill writes: "Seeking to trump Democrats, House Republicans on Thursday approved a moratorium on all earmarks for the rest of the year.
  • Theories abound about why Mideast housing news came during Biden's visit
    Mar 12, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    But why was it made public during Biden's visit?Theories abound: Was Israel deliberately trying to sabotage talks with the Palestinians? Is the country's far right beyond Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's control? Officials say the timing of the announcement was coincidental, and apologized.
  • Biden tells Palestinians U.S. won't be deterred
    Mar 11, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    Israeli officials degrade Israel by humiliating the vice president of the United States?" asked a commentator, Bradley Burston, in the liberal Ha- aretz newspaper. Yishai's unwillingness to delay the housing announcement by several days, until Biden had left the country, "proves his goal was to give the American administration a slap in the face," Meir Margalit, a Jerusalem City Council member and member of the leftist Meretz party, told Haaretz. Nonetheless, U.S. officials and...
  • Israel's Challenge to the U.S.
    Mar 11, 2010 — New York Times
    It is Obama who is unwittingly fueling the pro-settlement movement.Nor do Israelis trust the Palestinians. Its second message, no less vociferous, has been that Israel has no intention of ending its control over the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. President Obama has shown Israelis neither consideration nor resolve.
  • Israeli construction plans irk Biden, Palestinians
    Mar 11, 2010 — CNN
    Abbas made the comment while speaking to Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the Arab League, negotiator Saeb Erakat said. Abbas told Moussa he has asked the United States to demand that Israel stop the construction. Biden said he "immediately condemned" Israel's plans to build the new apartments.
  • Pelosi: 'the Choice Has To Be Made'
    Mar 11, 2010 — Politico
    That would complicate the efforts of House Democrats to shield their members from a vote on the Senate bill and its now-infamous deals for wavering senators in Florida, Louisiana and Nebraska. As such, they’re hoping to peel off the votes they need to pass health care without Michigan Rep. Jan Schakowsky, a leading advocate for abortion rights. “It doesn’t fit into reconciliation.
  • Pelosi: Dems close on health care agreement
    Mar 11, 2010 — USA Today
    The current hope of the White House and Democratic leaders is for the House to approve the Senate-passed bill from late last year, despite serious objections to numerous provisions. Pelosi and other House Democrats want to include Obama's proposed overhaul of the nation's student loan programs in the second, fix-it health care bill. Additionally, some House Democrats are hoping to avoid a straightforward vote on the Senate-passed health care bill.
  • Biden seeks to reassure Palestinians on U.S. role in peace talks
    Mar 10, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad said the Israeli housing announcement Tuesday was "damaging for sure" and posed a challenge to the new round of peace talks, which are expected to start within weeks. Fayyad expressed Palestinians' appreciation for "the strong statements of condemnation" quickly issued by U.S. officials following publication of the new Israeli housing plan.
  • Biden's Israel visit takes a rocky turn
    Mar 10, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    Joe Biden, Israel unveiled plans for new housing in disputed Jerusalem on Tuesday, a surprise step that embarrassed and angered the highest ranking Obama administration official yet to visit the country. Biden, who had come to try to smooth relations with a longtime ally and promote new peace talks, denounced Israel's plans to build 1,600 housing units in traditionally Arab East Jerusalem as a threat to the search for peace. "I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to...
  • Biden: U.S. won't play favorites with Israelis, Palestinians
    Mar 10, 2010 — CNN
    Biden, in the region meeting Israeli and Palestinian leaders, repeated strong criticism he made of an Israeli move a day earlier. Biden arrived in Israel Monday and met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Peres called Biden a "true friend" of Israel, and Biden said, "It's good to be home." Biden is the highest-ranking member of the Obama administration yet to visit Israel.
  • Issa Raises Questions On Sestak
    Mar 10, 2010 — Politico
    Sestak about the 2010 race for the United States Senate? Sestak about the 2010 race for the United States Senate? Sestak about the 2010 race for the United States Senate?
  • Pelosi: 'we're Going To Get Started'
    Mar 10, 2010 — Politico
    John Adler -- 34 percent favor, 57 percent oppose; Pennsylvania Rep. Jason Altmire -- 30 percent favor, 58 percent oppose; and Colorado Rep. Betsy Markey -- 33 percent favor, 58 oppose.First-term New York Rep.
  • Biden assures Israel of support
    Mar 9, 2010 — Washington Post
    Vice President Biden strongly criticized Israel on Tuesday for approving construction of 1,600 new housing units in the eastern part of Jerusalem, a decision announced a day after Israeli leaders and the Palestinians agreed to U.S-mediated, indirect peace negotiations and while Biden himself was meeting with top officials here."I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem. The substance and timing of the announcement,...
  • Biden reassures Israel of U.S. commitment
    Mar 9, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    ...unvarnished commitment to Israel's security," he said. In meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Kadima party leader Tzipi Livni, Biden emphasized his long personal ties to Israel and his affection for the country. "It's good to be home," he told Peres. When Netanyahu told Biden that Israel had planted a small stand of trees in honor of his late mother, Biden responded, "My love for your country was watered by this Irish lady."...
  • Biden to Israel: Take risks for peace
    Mar 9, 2010 — USA Today
    Biden said he was pleased that Israelis and Palestinians had agreed this week to resume indirect peace negotiations with U.S. mediation. Obama began his term with a push for Mideast peace, prodding Israel to freeze its construction of West Bank settlements that swallow up land the Palestinians want for a future state. But hours after Biden's arrival Monday, the U.S. announced the sides would begin indirect peace negotiations.
  • Joe Biden still has one foot in the Senate; may be key to healthcare
    Mar 9, 2010 — The Hill
    J. Taylor RushingUnlike his predecessor, Vice President Joe Biden does not attend the weekly lunches in the Senate. Ted Kaufman (D-Del.), Biden’s longtime chief of staff and interim replacement. “He’s just a Senate guy. Cheney would attend Senate GOP lunches every week, Republicans recall, although he would rarely speak.“I liked what Cheney did.
  • U.S. condemns new Israel housing units
    Mar 9, 2010 — CNN
    The Israeli Interior Ministry denies the territory is in East Jerusalem. However, Meir Margalit of the Jerusalem Municipality -- representing the leftist party Meretz -- said the ministry's planning and building committee is a political committee that acts under the minister's political guidance. However, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas had refused to re-enter negotiations until Israel enacted a complete freeze of all settlement construction in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
  • Deal to Save Everglades May Help Sugar Firm
    Mar 8, 2010 — New York Times
    Crist’s deal with United States Sugar, even in its downsized form, offers the Everglades its best hope. Crist are confidants, and the governor referred to Mr. “This was going to save the Everglades.
  • In Deal on Everglades, a Dream Is Deferred
    Mar 8, 2010 — New York Times
    Crist’s deal with United States Sugar, even in its downsized form, offers the Everglades its best hope. Crist are confidants, and the governor referred to Mr. Wade, the United States Sugar senior vice president, does.
  • Vice President Biden on goodwill trip to Israel
    Mar 8, 2010 — Los Angeles Times
    But the lack of a visit to Israel alienated many here. Palestinians refused to engage in direct talks without a full freeze and felt betrayed when the U.S. appeared to back away from its original position. The Obama administration is also eager to demonstrate that its efforts in the Middle East peace process have yielded results, analysts say. "U.S. elections are coming up.
  • Obama's health care pitch to Democrats: Trust me
    Mar 7, 2010 — USA Today
    The party's strategy calls for House Democrats, despite many misgivings, to go along with a health care bill the Senate passed in December. Republicans are playing on House Democrats' suspicions of their Senate colleagues, saying Senate Democrats may not keep their end of the bargain. White House and Democratic leaders counter with their own warnings to nervous House Democrats who might consider switching from "yes" to "no" on health care.
  • Obama, Gates Not Always Eye-To-Eye On New Nukes
    Mar 6, 2010 — Politico
    Gates “still believes in the fundamental goals of ensuring warhead safety, security, and reliability, and believes we need a modern infrastructure to support that. Those investments are in the budget,” the spokesman said. “The RRW [Reliable Replacement Warhead] program was killed by Congress, and isn't coming back. Gates recognizes that fact.”However, Morrell said it was too soon to say how modernization of nuclear warhead stocks would be carried out.
  • Biden's Job: Reassure Israelis
    Mar 5, 2010 — Politico
    Some countries, such as Brazil and China, which are members of the U.N. Security Council, believe sanctions are premature and must be approached slowly. In response, Clinton has traveled to Brazil and Riyadh, the latter trip an effort to persuade Saudi Arabia to offer energy guarantees to China if it would sign on to stiffer sanctions. Wernick was among U.S. Jewish leaders whom Biden consulted before his trip. “But a lot of that perception [in Israel about Obama] is misplaced.
  • Ten Who Could Decide Health Care
    Mar 5, 2010 — Politico
    Kathleen Dahlkemper — Stupak’s soldiersThe abortion fight has made Michigan Rep. Even more senior Democrats, such as Illinois Rep. Michael Arcuri — Empire State of oppositionTo get a bill, Speaker Nancy Pelosi needs to minimize defections.
  • Michelle: No Longer A 'caricature'
    Mar 4, 2010 — Politico
    They don’t see a caricature of me; they don’t see a sound bite of me; they see all of me. It’s understandable that he struggles with it. Michelle Obama dismissed the notion of a problem.“Fortunately, Barack, he’s a steady kind of person.
  • U.S. Fears Prospect of Violence After Iraqi Elections
    Mar 4, 2010 — New York Times
    Senior Obama administration officials maintained in interviews this week that Mr. Obama’s plan to withdraw all American combat troops by Sept. 1 would remain on track regardless of who cobbles together a governing coalition after the election. “Politics has broken out in Iraq,” Mr.
  • 'now Is The Time To Make A Decision'
    Mar 3, 2010 — Politico
    I believe it’s time to give the American people more control over their own health insurance. I don’t believe we can afford to leave life-and-death decisions about health care to the discretion of insurance company executives alone. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) told POLITICO that Senate Democratic leaders have decided to go the reconciliation route.
  • W.H. Warns Dems: Don't Flip-Flop
    Mar 3, 2010 — Politico
    Michael Arcuri, who voted for the initial House bill, in a bind. I don’t see how the Senate bill will do the kind of things I want to do with health care. Joe Courtney, an outspoken opponent of the Senate¹s tax on high-end health care plans, doesn¹t like seeing the so-called Cadillac tax in a finished bill.
  • Dems Gaining Momentum
    Mar 2, 2010 — Politico
    Step two: After the Senate bill becomes law, the House then amends the Senate bill through a reconciliation bill, to be passed by March 21. That bill would be the only opportunity to amend, add or strike provisions in the Senate bill. Alex Isenstadt in POLITICO: “With Arkansas Lt.
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