Election Central Morning Roundup
Tonight: Bush's Farewell Address
President George W. Bush will be speaking at 8 p.m. ET on national television, giving his farewell address to the American people. Wait a minute -- wasn't that press conference on Monday more than enough?
No Obama Events Today
Barack Obama is holding private meetings at his transition office in Washington, and does not have any public events scheduled for today.
Obama Moving Into Blair House Today
Barack Obama is also set today to move into Blair House, the mansion that has served as a temporary domicile for presidents-elect. The Obama family previously wanted to move in earlier than usual, but were turned down by the Bush Administration.
Today: Burris To Be Sworn In
Roland Burris will be sworn in today as the junior senator from Illinois. This is a great day for Burris, obviously, and a very mixed day for the Democratic leadership -- on the one hand this matter has been settled and they are seating a new Democratic member, but on the other hand they were thwarted in their efforts to block any appointment by Rod Blagojevich.
Senate To Vote On TARP Money
The Senate is scheduled to vote today on a motion to block the remaining $350 billion of the $700 billion Wall St. bailout. Even if this motion passes, it is certain to be vetoed by either George W. Bush or by Barack Obama after he takes office.
WaPo: Geithner Nomination Too Big To Fail
The Washington Post points out that even most Republican Senators aren't complaining about the Timothy Geithner nomination, in the wake of stories about his tax problems, because the alternative is to derail a nomination for Treasury in the middle of an economic crisis. Dana Milbank sums it up: "Put another way, the guy is too big to fail."
NYT: Pentagon Crafting New Iraq Plans For Obama
The New York Times reports that military commanders are drawing up plans for a quicker withdrawal from Iraq than previously planned out, in order to be more in line with Barack Obama's stated policies in favor of exiting sooner. "Various options are being drawn up to give the new president choices," said one military planner involved.
Boxer Saving Committee Seat For Caroline
The New York Times reports that Barbara Boxer, as chairwoman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, is holding Hillary Clinton's seat on the committee open just for Caroline Kennedy, should she be appointed. "I would love to see Caroline Kennedy in the Senate and I would love to have her on my committee to replace Senator Clinton," said Boxer.
That's EXACTLY my first thought too.
January 15, 2009 9:36 AM | Reply | Permalink
And mine.
What an out-of-touch narcissist this guy is! No wonder turning over Blair House a few days earlier was a non-starter -- they have so much merry self-congratulating to do!
I wouldn't be surprised if he finds some exclusive interview to do another televised goodbye in. It's his favorite thing, talking about himself as the Decider. He can't get *enough.*
January 15, 2009 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
National Throw Your Shoe at the Television Night
January 15, 2009 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
Sorry, George, but I'm going with (Obama supporter) LeBron and the Cavs-Bulls game on TNT.
January 15, 2009 9:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
What a pain for the Obama family. I HATE moving. They have to move twice. Luckily they won't have to worry about furniture.
January 15, 2009 9:59 AM | Reply | Permalink
Or schlepping their own boxes.
January 15, 2009 10:12 AM | Reply | Permalink
Actually it's three times in three weeks. Easier when you have money, yes, but still a pain in the ass, esp for the girls.
Our Shrub: classless to the end!
January 15, 2009 10:56 AM | Reply | Permalink
In other news Senator Boxer, the Senate does not get to chose the appointment for the Senator from New York. Caroline Kennedy is still losing support of NYers.
http://www.quinnipiac.edu/x1318.xml?ReleaseID=1246
I hope she is also saving that seat for Andrew Cuomo or Carolyn Maloney or Jerry Nadler or Randi Weingarten. You'd hate to see such a display of nepotism if the assignment is taken away because the incoming junior Senator from NY is not named Kennedy.
It's going to be a sweet moment if Paterson chooses someone else which I hope he does. He's a NY politician without national political goals. He knows who he needs to keep happy are his constituents, not the National Democratic party.
January 15, 2009 10:09 AM | Reply | Permalink
Babs may have guaranteed Paterson will appoint anyone EXCEPT Kennedy with her gratuitous assumption that it's Caroline's seat already and Paterson will just obey Kennedy and Senate orders.
January 15, 2009 10:49 AM | Reply | Permalink
I just don't get the personal vindictiveness people feel towards Kennedy. A little too much of a high school cafeteria vibe, IMO. I want Paterson to pick the most progressive and most electable (and it appears Kennedy is not that), but the childish snottiness I'm seeing from anti-Kennedy people sort of makes me want to see her picked just to piss you guys off.
January 15, 2009 10:53 AM | Reply | Permalink
Amen, Stroszek.
Still, Boxer isn't doing CK any favors with shit like that.
January 15, 2009 10:58 AM | Reply | Permalink
Do you folks live in New York State? I think what you are alluding to is people's passion about who gets appointed to be their own senator. I got plenty "childish" about my own states senate race, and so did many others. (In fact some of the antics were downright amusing.)
Thing is, it's THEIR senator, so negative comments from outsiders seem, I dunno, poor form?
January 15, 2009 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink
It's not childish snottiness - it's disgust. And I'm not anti-Kennedy. I'm anti-coronation of someone so unqualified as compared to other candidates. I used to respect Caroline Kennedy until she began this ill-advised campaign to be crowned as Senator and the PR folks, pressure on Paterson from out of state people has been disgusting. Never spoke a bad word of her when she endorsed Obama. The only negative comments I've made towards Ted Kennedy was that had he shown the grace and support as a runner-up to Carter that Hillary did to Obama, maybe we wouldn't have had a President Reagan.
Childishness would be taking away a committee assignment because it's not the person you were hoping for or punishing NYS in the Senate for not appointing Caroline.
January 15, 2009 11:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dana Milbank. MoDo without ovaries.
The story here, for a real reporter, would have been that the Republicans on the committee decided that the stakes are too high for them to play the traditional faux outrage bitchslap game with this nomination. That ought to be scary. He ought to be wondering why these guys, who've been among the most avid players of the Bitchslap Game for years and who really have every political incentive to do it, decided not to play. The fact that they think the economic situation is too dire for the Bitchslap Game ought to be scaring the hell out of him.
Instead, Dana's column fairly drips the outrage shared by himself and his other Villagers at having been deprived of all the delicious fun they were anticipating from watching a traditional display of of gross hypocrisy. Sombersby nails it when he compares them to courtiers at Versailles.
January 15, 2009 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
I regard Boxer's fawning as impolitic.
January 15, 2009 10:32 AM | Reply | Permalink
I think Milbank has it backwards: The Republicans are too weak for Geithner to fail.
http://pufferfish.typepad.com/
January 15, 2009 10:40 AM | Reply | Permalink
I initially supported Caroline Kennedy, if only because so many people and bloggers were attacking her unfairly, but after some reflection, I have reached the conclusion that appointing would be a bad idea because the way she has publicly comported hersefl has been underwhelming. If Paterson does appoint her, I think it could end up costing him the governorship in the next election.
January 15, 2009 11:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
Farewell Address?
Oh Come ON!
Is this going to pre-empt "House"?
January 15, 2009 11:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
CQ has a column saying historians will view Bush with Lincoln like greatness. I think their only historical similarity will be a sense of regret.
Regret that Lincoln did not dodge a bullet. Regret than Bush dodged both shoes.
January 15, 2009 11:40 AM | Reply | Permalink