Rep. Jeffries Reflects on D.C.: ‘The Tea Party Folks, They’re off the Chain’
Months into his first term, his short time in Washington D.C. has Congressman Hakeem Jeffries convinced the Tea Party is out of control. Read More
In State of the Union, Obama Makes Controversial Issues All About the Benjamins
In his State of the Union address this evening, President Barack Obama addressed several hot-button political issues including climate change, immigration reform and gun control. Overall, the president’s speech struck a populist tone, but when bringing up his proposals to address some of these more controversial issues, he characterized them as making good business sense. Read More
Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves
Women in the Senate Explain Why They Do it Better
Yesterday, a record 20 women were sworn in to the U.S. Senate. To mark the occasion ABC’s World News With Diane Sawyer had all of the female senators on for a group interview. One of the major topics of the discussion was the belief of many of the senators that they achieve better results than their male colleagues on a variety of issues including the budget, immigration reform and climate change. Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow got the ball rolling when she suggested women are more inclined to get results by working in a bipartisan manner.
“It was the first time in 2001 when we had enough women to actually be on every committee, to have a woman’s voice, a woman’s experience [and] a woman’s values on every committee. You fast forward to now, the new year. There will be six of us chairing committees and other women in the ranking member spot,” Ms. Stabenow said. “And I think the public understands to get things done, we’re the ones that want to work across the aisle to do that.”
Maine Senator Susan Collins took the argument a step further by saying if women were in charge of the Senate and in the White House there would be a solution to the budget debate that has gripped Washington.
“I think if we were in charge of the Senate and of the administration that we would have a budget deal by now,” Ms. Collins said. Read More
Mayor Bloomberg to Huddle With Top Congressional Leaders
Mayor Michael Bloomberg just released his public schedule for tomorrow, and it’s a doozy. Throughout the day, the mayor is set to meet with over a half-dozen members of the country’s congressional leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor and Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. Also on the list is former presidential candidate John McCain, a couple moderate Republicans and a press conference with New York’s two senators on the city’s request for billions of dollars in federal aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Read More
Storm Sandy Pulls Obama Off the Campaign Trail
President Barack Obama, who had been campaigning in Florida as Hurricane Sandy began to batter states in the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast, has canceled further events in the Sunshine State in order to return to Washington, according to a dispatch sent out by the White House this morning.
“Due to deteriorating weather conditions in the Washington, DC area, the President will not attend today’s campaign event in Orlando, Florida,” Jay Carney, Mr. Obama’s press secretary, announced. “The President will return to the White House to monitor the preparations for and early response to Hurricane Sandy.” Read More
Carolyn Maloney's Congressional Crash Pad
Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney rents out her Washington, D.C. home to a trio of her blue state Congressional colleagues–Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Rep.Terri A. Sewell of Alabama and Rep. Frederica S. Wilson. The Times profiled Congresswoman Maloney’s Democratic dorm in today’s paper. “The camaraderie in the house is very special,” Congresswoman Sewell said. Read More
Newt Gingrich's Mother-in-Law Is Afraid Of Occupy Protesters
Earlier this afternoon, Callista Gingrich, wife of newly minted Republican frontrunner Newt Gingrich, pointed a camera at the window of her office in Washington, D.C. and snapped a picture of a group of Occupy Wall Street protesters gathered on the rainy street outside. Ms. Gingrich proceeded to post the picture on her Facebook page inspiring concerned comments from her mother. Read More
