The List, Obama's Seventy First Week in Office

Nachumlist.com ^ | 6/4/10 | Nachum

[Nachum]

Obama's Seventy First Week in Office

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Sestak-Gate (updated file)

The List" for 6/3/2010

Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell (D) said he and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel discussed how to persuade Rep. Joe Sestak (Pa.) not to challenge Sen. Arlen Specter in the 2010 Democratic primary.

Obama's new healthcare law reportedly doesn't allocate nearly enough money to cover the estimated 5.6 million to 7 million Americans with pre-existing medical conditions who will qualify for temporary high-risk insurance pools An analysis by the Center for Studying Health System Change found that the new law “could leave hundreds of thousands of potential participants with serious medical problems unable to obtain coverage,” and concluded that the $5 billion earmarked for the pools might cover as few as 200,000 people a year. That’s double the number of people now covered by underfinanced risk pools in 35 states

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said at his briefing today that White House discussions with Democratic Colorado Senate hopeful Andrew Romanoff do not undercut the Obama administration's claims of transparency. "I do believe we've been transparent, yes," Gibbs told reporters pressing him about revelations that White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina called Romanoff to discuss jobs that "might be available" if Romanoff dropped his primary challenge.

VIDEO: White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs telling the Press that President Obama knew nothing about White House offers of three possible jobs to Democrat U.S. Senate Candidate Andrew Romanoff to get him to drop his primary challenge to incumbent Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet

BP, feds could make millions from runaway well's oil

A tobacco tax loophole in President Barack Obama's children's health insurance program cost the government more than $250 million in its first year

The White House initially denied to Pennsylvania media Rep. Joe Sestak's (D-Pa.) claim that the administration had offered him a job in exchange for not running in that state's U.S. Senate primary against Sen. Arlen Specter (D.-Pa.)--an action that the White House admitted to on Friday with the release of a memorandum by White House Counsel Robert F. Bauer.

The White House responded Thursday to concerns that the ban on drilling for oil in the deep waters of the Gulf of Mexico will cost the region thousands of jobs

Obama is calling the deadly Israeli raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip "tragic" and says the loss of life that resulted was unnecessary. Obama stopped short of condemning the actions of Israeli forces, saying that the U.S. wants to wait for an investigation.

VIDEO: Obama fights the oil spill since day one

Among the twenty one tax hikes signed into law as part of Obamacare, at least seven directly break Obama’s central campaign promise.  The first of these tax hikes will take effect on July 1:  the excise tax on indoor tanning services -- a 10 percent tax on the retail price of a tanning session. 

US to probe American death in Israeli raid- "We will look into the circumstances of the death of an American citizen, as we would do anywhere in the world at all times," State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters. Crowley declined to specify who is "evaluating the facts" surrounding the death of the dual US-Turkish national, whom he identified as Furkan Dogan, a 19-year-old born in Troy, New York.

The White House says Obama was unaware one of his top advisers suggested job opportunities to potential Colorado Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff in hopes of persuading him not to run against Sen. Michael Bennet, whom the president favored.

VIDEO: Gov. Jan Brewer Reacts to Obama Meeting; Just Smiles when Asked if Obama Has Read the AZ Law

Obama Praises Kenya's Draft Constitution Allowing Unlimited Abortions

VIDEO: Gibbs: White House Has Been "Transparent" On Job Offers

Mortgage applications hit their lowest level in over 13 years

The Obama administration considers Israel’s blockade of Gaza to be untenable and plans to press for another approach to ensure Israel’s security while allowing more supplies into the impoverished Palestinian area, senior American officials said Wednesday.- describes flotilla defensive measures as a "deadly attack"

Hiring by the U.S. Census Bureau is expected to spike May’s job figures dramatically.

The U.S. Census said on Wednesday it had 573,779 workers on its payroll in mid-May, suggesting a huge boost in Friday's U.S. employment report.

India made a push Thursday to interview an American  citizen linked to the deadly 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, adding a note of tension to high-level talks with the United States.  Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn't publicly respond to the request by Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna.

The federal government is now $13 trillion in the red, the Treasury Department reported Wednesday, marking the first time the government has sunk that far into debt

VIDEO: Vice-President Joe Biden Defends Israel’s Right to Stop Smuggling of Weapons to Hamas

Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan's review of the book "A Confirmation Mess" is creating a confirmation mess of its own. Kagan's 1995 commentary on Stephen Carter's book rendered a harsh judgment on how lawmakers question Supreme Court nominees

Blagojevich reportedly subpoenas White House advisors Emanuel and Jarrett

The White House ordered BP to pay for construction of five more large sections of Louisiana barrier island sand berms

The List" for 6/2/2010

Romanoff Statement

Former Colorado state House Speaker Andrew Romanoff released a detailed statement tonight detailing his contacts with the White House last fall in which a top aide to President Barack Obama sought to convince him to leave the race

An Israeli government official said the White House asked Netanyahu for concessions in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in exchange for U.S. opposition to the establishment of a United Nations commission to investigate Israel's commando raid of a flotilla earlier this week that resulted in the deaths of nine violent activists.

U.S. Senate candidate Andrew Romanoff acknowledged tonight that he discussed three possible jobs with the deputy chief of staff of the Obama administration — all contingent upon a decision by Romanoff not to challenge U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet.

Obama will call Wednesday for rolling back billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies, and will vow to push for climate change legislation “in the coming months,” setting the stage for another potentially divisive battle in Congress

White House approves Louisiana berm project-Jindal ...* Louisiana gets permission for five sand berms *

The June 2nd Letter from top House Republicans to the White House counsel

Three top House Republicans sent a letter to the White House counsel Wednesday saying they believe that a memorandum the counsel released Friday purporting to explain the administration’s actions in offering to appoint Rep. Joe Sestak (D.-Pa.) to a federal position in exchange for Sestak declining to make a Democratic primary run against Sen. Arlen Specter (D.-Pa.) presents a set of facts that appear to violate the law

VIDEO: Fierce Flashback: Obama Excoriates Government’s ‘Unconsionable Ineptitude’ in Gulf Disaster

Obama is extending child care, medical leave and other benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees.

Obama offered Netanyahu guarantees that the U.S. would not let any decision made during the recent NPT review conference 'harm Israel's vital interests.'

The Fight over Kagan documents heats up: Elena Kagan's Supreme Court nomination is becoming contentious because of tensions over sensitive documents related to her past career. Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, has asked the Department of Defense for all records related to its efforts to recruit at Harvard Law School while Kagan served as dean.

Vice President Joe Biden defended Israel's handling of the raid on a Gaza aid flotilla, departing from the Obama administration's posture of wait and see. Biden said Israel has an "absolute right" to defend its security interest

Obama administration's signature stimulus program has been an "absolute success" so far, Vice President Joe Biden said

The Obama administration appears to be rebuffing calls from some Jewish groups for the United States to be more assertive and public in defending Israel regarding the flotilla incident.

Romanoff-gate? Administration officials dangled the possibility of a job for former Colorado House Speaker Andrew Romanoff last year in hopes he would forgo a challenge to Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet, administration officials said Wednesday, just days after the White House admitted orchestrating a similar job offer in the Pennsylvania Senate race

Lawyers for Rod Blagojevich have subpoenaed Rahm Emanuel

Feds approve the first new Gulf of Mexico oil well since President Barack Obama lifted a brief ban on drilling in shallow water

NASA workers facing the end of the space shuttle era are getting $15 million from the federal government to help them find new jobs. Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced the emergency grant Wednesday at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Obama on Wednesday called on Congress to roll back billions of dollars in tax breaks for oil and send him a clean-energy bill that would help the nation end its "fossil fuel addiction" for good

Obama on Wednesday will promise to find the votes for comprehensive climate change legislation in the "coming months," saying the case for putting a price on the nation's addiction to carbon has been made clear by the environmental catastrophe unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico

Citing his commitment to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), President Obama on Friday issued a proclamation declaring June 2010 “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Pride Month.”

As White House Memo on Sestak Raises More Questions, White House Refers to That Same Memo for AnswersWhite House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs on Tuesday would not say if there were multiple conversations with Rep. Joe Sestak (D-Pa.) about serving on a presidential advisory board in exchange for Sestak dropping out of the Democratic Senate primary race in Pennsylvania.

Obama administration is stumbling out of the gate on its early steps to implement the president’s health-care law. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has already missed as many as four deadlines under the law

Military chiefs split with Mullen on gays; The debate over gays in the military has driven an extraordinary public wedge between the nation's highest-ranking military officer and the four service chiefs who collectively make up the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Obama Asks *You* To Celebrate Homosexual Pride Month

VIDEO: Arizona Gov. Brewer to Obama- If he challenges the law:"We'll meet you in court"

Arizona Gov. to Obama: We'll see you in court

VIDEO: Sean Hannity interviewing veteran Philadelphia newsman Larry Kane, the man who broke the Sestak Job Offer story with an interview he did of Joe Sestak on February 20 of this year. Here’s what Kane asked Sestak that got the entire story going

The List" for 6/1/2010

Hillary condemned the Israeli flotilla raid, but not the White House: The White House and lawmakers on Tuesday refrained from condemning a deadly Israeli attack on Gaza-bound ships carrying humanitarian aid.

VIDEO: Sec. Hillary Clinton condemns the Israeli flotilla raid.

Robert Gibbs says White House did not offer Joe Sestak intel post but refuses to provide details of job offer

Obama intends to meet with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Thursday, a White House official told FoxNews.com, after criticism mounted over the president's refusal to meet her while she is in Washington this week.

VIDEO: Robert Gibbs Asked Why White House Waited 3 Months to Give Answer on Sestak Job Offer

Government to launch criminal probe into BP spill: Holder- Federal agencies, including the FBI, are participating in the probe and "if we find evidence of illegal behavior, we will be forceful in our response," Holder told reporters after meeting with state and federal prosecutors in New Orleans.

Obama warned Tuesday that if laws were broken in the BP oil spill, the federal government would prosecute anyone responsible.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been privately asking foreign leaders to "dial down" criticism of Israel until all the facts of the flotilla attack are known

Kagan: No need for court review of rogue juror

The Obama administration is taking steps to distance itself from BP and is dispatching Attorney General Eric Holder. to the Gulf Coast to meet with federal and state prosecutors.

The List" for 5/31/2010

The ranking member on the House Judiciary Committee said Monday that he's studying options for investigating the Sestak affair if the administration does not responded to calls for an inquiry.

Obama’s close family friends, terrorists Bill Ayers and Bernadine Dohrn, and top campaign bundler Jodie Evans from Code Pink are top activists with the Gaza flotilla group that attacked the IDF today.

Hill acts to keep Gitmo's inmates out of U.S. -House bill OK'd; Senate one advances

Republican Rep. Darrell Issa said the explanation for the Sestak affair -- that former President Bill Clinton offered the Democratic congressman an unpaid position on an advisory board if he would drop his challenge against party-switching Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter -- is not plausible because as a sitting congressman Sestak couldn't have served on a presidential commission. "It's a crime because they've admitted that they offered this position ... So that begs the real question. Do we believe this is a further cover-up because he's -- they're now talking about a job that President Clinton himself should have known Sestak couldn't take? " he said.

In a landmark Idaho case, the Justice Department forced a group of doctors to accept government price controls. -The Antitrust Division, joined by Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden, forced a a group of Boise orthopedists to accept price controls for worker’s compensation and HMO contracts as part of a settlement accusing the doctors  of “price fixing”

Obama,"I'm Not Going to Rest Until the Leak is Stopped"

Obama during oil spill — golf, parties, photo-ops… and more golf (photos)

‘I’m fully engaged’ in fixing oil leak, Obama says

Biden on Memorial Day, talks of gap between rich and poor

Socialist labor leader, Bill Lucy, slams Arizona, calls Obama “friend”

Millie Jeffrey, DSA and Obama

Obama to Netanyahu: wants to learn " all the facts and circumstances around this morning's tragic events as soon as possible.” about the Gaza raid

Netanyahu, who is currently visiting Canada, stressed Monday that IDF troops were forced to use force against Gaza sail activists after they refused to cooperate and attacked the soldiers.

Netanyahu is canceling a scheduled meeting with Obama at the White House to return to Israel to deal with the fallout of the raid by Israeli forces to enforce the Gaza blockade on a flotilla of ships trying to run the blockade

The White House on Monday said it "deeply regretted, and is currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy," said White House spokesman William Burton.

Elena Kagan took millions of dollars from the Saudis as dean of Harvard Law School and a chunk of it reportedly came from 9/11 mastermind Osama bin Laden. The bin Laden family has donated millions of dollars to the Ivy League university over the years, including generous endowments for the school’s Islamic law program and others to finance scholarships for students from Muslim countries

On Friday the full House voted 282-131 to prevent Obama from transferring any of the detainees being held at Guantanamo to the United States

The List" for 5/30/2010

Obama said he would veto any legislation to fund, over Pentagon protests, a controversial second engine program for the multinational F-35 fighter aircraft

Hamas leader says American envoys making contact, but not openly

Washington's unprecedented backing for a UN resolution for a nuclear-free Middle East that singles out Israel has both angered and deeply worried the Jewish state although officials are cagey about openly criticising their biggest ally

Obama doesn’t have time to meet with Arizona governor, White House says

Top PR firm for BP tied to White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel

Obama's Charm Offensive Masks Israel Policy Change: as Jewish leaders were meeting in the White House, the president's diplomatic team was busy in New York cutting a nuclear deal at the UN with Egypt and other Arab states that stabs Israel in the back. With U.S. support and endorsement, representatives of 189 nations adopted a nuclear non-proliferation declaration that calls for expedited action on a nuclear-free Mideast zone, with an international conference in 2012 to get this project moving to fruition.   But even before 2012, the declaration already calls on Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and invite UN inspectors' full access to lay bare its nuclear activities.

The Obama administration Friday extended for another year the moratorium on most logging and mining in millions of acres of remote and rugged backcountry sections of national forests.

Former Secretary of State Colin Powell said Sunday that President Barack Obama has moved too slowly in asserting leadership over the Gulf spill response

Court accused of covering for Obama in 'Walpingate' : Court documents filed last week accuse U.S. District Court Judge Richard Roberts of failing to act within federally mandated time requirements and "doing nothing at all" to move the case forward.

The List" for 5/29/2010

Jerusalem Restricts Emanuel Bar Mitzvah Party; White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel’s son Zach will celebrate his Bar Mitzvah Sunday at the Davidson Center near the Western Wall but without catering or music.

Netanyahu to ask Obama to block measures over Israel's nukes: The Israeli prime minister will meet with the U.S. president at the White House on Tuesday, after the U.S. backed a call for inspection of Israeli nuclear installations at the NPT Review Conference. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will ask for clarifications about the U.S. position on the Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference when he meets with Obama at the White House on Tuesday.

The New York Times reported that Rep. Joe Sestak was not eligible for a place on the President's Intelligence Advisory Board, the job he was reportedly offered by former President Bill Clinton.

VIDEO: Sestak- "There was nothing wrong that was done"

Sestak: Clinton offered 'presidential board,' maybe intelligence or defense

Forced to disclose backstage political bargaining, President Barack Obama's embarrassed White House said on Friday it had enlisted Bill Clinton to try to ease Rep. Joe Sestak out of Pennsylvania's Senate primary with a job offer. Nothing wrong with that, the White House said. Oh, yes, there was, Republicans countered.

VIDEO: Obama, touring a beach in Louisiana to see the impact of the Gulf Oil Spill. Obama lectures the press on “tarballs,” picking one up and talking about how teams can be brought in to pick up the tarballs and dispose of them. But rather than disposing of it, Obama just throws it back down on the beach

24 Hours After Telling People in the Gulf "We're in This Together," Obama Hoops it up in Chicago

A Gulf Coast official is pleading with President Barack Obama to scrap the moratorium on new oil drilling and exploration as the investigation of the massive oil spill continues, saying the economic impact to her Louisiana parish would be too much to bear. Charlotte Randolph, president of LaFourche Parish, said she spoke to Obama in person during his visit to the oil-stricken region Friday.

Obama said Saturday that the failure of BP's latest effort to stop the damaging flow of oil into the Gulf of Mexico is "as enraging as it is heartbreaking."

Obama visited oil-stricken Louisiana, where he saw a little oil, a lot of officials but none of the local inhabitants he promised not to leave in the lurch amid the worst oil spill in US history.

The Obama Interior Department exempted BP's calamitous Gulf of Mexico drilling operation from a detailed environmental impact analysis last year, according to government documents, after three reviews of the area concluded that a massive oil spill was unlikely.

Did Gibbs know of Clinton connection when he had ‘nothing to add’ to Sestak story? When a reporter asked, “When did you personally find out about the Clinton connection?” Gibbs answered:I have talked to people — I answered questions on this I think in March that nothing inappropriate had happened based on conversations that I’d had with the lawyers. I’d have to go back and look at notes.

Obama has turned down Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer's request to meet while she's in Washington next week as tensions mount between his administration and Arizona over the state's new law cracking down on illegal immigrants. Brewer will be in Washington to meet with other governor

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates sought Friday to ease concerns among U.S. troops about a legislative repeal of the military's ban on openly gay men and lesbians, saying that a long, careful review process lay ahead. Hours later, the House approved a bill containing language aimed at ending the Clinton-era "don't ask, don't tell" policy.

The List" for 5/28/2010

Sestak Still Hasn't Denied He Was Offered Navy Job

Denver Post Finally Gets Around to Mentioning Romanoff Job Offer Allegation Again- Romanoff silent

U.S. Trying to Deport Born-Again 'Son of Hamas' as Terrorist: The Department of Homeland Security is trying to deport the son of a Hamas founder who told of his conversion to Christianity and decade of spying for Israel in a New York Times best-seller. "Son of Hamas" author Mosab Hassan Yousef revealed on a blog hosted by his publisher he is scheduled to appear June 30 before Immigration Judge Rico J. Bartolomei at the DHS Immigration Court in San Diego. Yousef said the DHS informed him Feb. 23, 2009, he was barred from asylum in the U.S. because there were reasonable grounds for believing he was "a danger to the security of the United States" and "engaged in terrorist activity."

Jindal to Obama: "We don't understand why our federal government would be making excuses for BP."

Larry Kane writes about the interview with Sestak that "spread like wildfire"

Lawmakers oppose FCC plan to reassert Net authority

The White House acknowledged on Friday that it tried to get Representative Joe Sestak  to drop his Senate bid in exchange for an unpaid job with the administration, but said an internal review concluded it broke no laws.

Justice Department officials told the Arizona attorney general and aides to the governor in face-to-face meetings Friday in Phoenix that the federal government has serious reservations about Arizona's new immigration law.

Refuting allegations that the Obama administration offered Rep. Joe Sestak, D-Pa., a job in exchange for dropping out of the contested Pennsylvania Democratic senate primary earlier this month, the White House says an internal investigation shows nothing improper took place and "that the allegations of improper conduct rest on factual errors and a lack of basis in the law."

GOP asks FBI to investigate ‘collusion,’ possible obstruction of justice in Sestak case

In Sestak news conference, he answered the question about his brother's involvement in this issue. He said his brother was contacted by the White House to serve as a conduit (to Sestak) and the White House gave his brother a heads up on what the White House statement was going to be. So now we know how they got their stories coordinated.

CBO Director Dr. Douglas Elmendorf refutes Obama claims about his health care legislation: For months the President and his Budget Director correctly argued that the goal of health care reform was to “bend the cost curve down.” The projected path of per capita health spending is unsustainable and will result in three bad outcomes: 1. Those with health insurance will have less money available for other needs; 2. It will be harder for the uninsured to buy insurance; 3. Government spending on Medicare and Medicaid will break federal and state budgets.

VIDEO: Sestak: Conversation With Clinton Was Not "Inappropriate," Lasted 60 Seconds

VIDEO: Former President Clinton refuses to comment on Sestak offer

Three months before the massive BP oil spill erupted in the Gulf of Mexico, the Obama administration proposed downsizing the Coast Guard national coordination center for oil spill responses, prompting its senior officers to warn that the agency's readiness for catastrophic events would be weakened

Issa's response to Sestak

Statement from Joe Sestak on White House Counsel's Report

Did Obama Knew Birnbaum Was Fired?

As Harvard Law Dean, Kagan Did Not Require Study of U.S. Constitutional Law But Did Require Study of International and Foreign Law

Obama US stopped Israel from targeting Hizballah missile shipment

Obama hasn't returned call of lawmaker representing district of rig

VIDEO: Jindal - Obama sat on sand berm request 2 weeks, still no reply

VIDEO: 20 Days Before the Spill Obama Said Rigs Were Safe

White House admission to Sestak offer: Memo

White House asked Bill Clinton to talk to Joe Sestak about Senate run

The White House asked former President Bill Clinton to talk to Rep. Joe Sestak about the possibility of obtaining a senior position in the Obama administration if he would drop out of the Democratic primary race against establishment-backed Sen. Arlen Specter, the Obama administration will say in a report to be released Friday morning, Fox News has confirmed.

[Nachum]

It has been a busy week for the Comminist in Chief.

Lots of Golf, Israel bashing.

I think something was going on.... um... an oil spill or something?...

Let me know if you want to be on or off the ping list. High volume. Complete record at Nachumlist.com.

[b4its2late]

It’s only been 71 weeks? Damn. Seems like it’s been forever.

[GreyFriar]

And everything bad that happens is STILL “Bush’s fault.”

[WayneS]

I think part of the problem is that h keeps getting the words “golf” and “gulf” confused.

It could happen to anyone, right?

[Mobties]

Nicely done!

You’ve saved the House of Representatives a good deal of time in drafting a bill of impeachment.

[b4its2late]

Yes, you are so correct.

[Phlap]

Here is a list of accomplishments to date:
1.

[murron]

The suspense is killing me. What is his one accomplishment?

[Nachum]

You’ve saved the House of Representatives a good deal of time in drafting a bill of impeachment.

Which was my intention since day one....(maybe they'll offer me a job :)