National Briefing

OBAMA

1. Father's Day Pregaming

Pres. Obama is blocking out "an unusual devotion of time" today "to promote the importance of being a good dad." This afternoon, Obama will "visit a nonprofit center that helps train young adults for professional careers; host a town hall on personal responsibility, where successful everyday dads will share their stories; and invite male students from local schools" to the WH "to have fun hanging with some famous faces."

The day's events are intended to kick off a WH "effort on fatherhood and mentoring." The WH "Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships will host forums around the country this summer and fall to gather ideas on good programs and to help promote them." Office dir. Joshua DuBois: "We think if we can lift some of that up, we can inspire more activity and engagement on these issues. Is everything going to change because of one day at the White House and a sustained commitment throughout the year? No. But the president thinks it's important to lead by example, and to do something about these matters" (Feller, AP, 6/19).

Exit Obama, Enter Lobbyists

"Aiming to shore up" the Dems' majority in '10, Obama raised $3M for the DCCC/DSCC on 6/18, "highlighting his own accomplishments but insisting he's not done with the 'marathon'" (Bellantoni, Washington Times, 6/19). Obama also used the fundraiser "to target his critics," blasting GOPers who have criticized his admin's "efforts on healthcare reform, stimulus spending and financial regulatory reforms." In doing so, Obama appeared to be warning Dem fundraisers that GOPers "were sharpening their attack lines for the midterm elections, a subtle prod to 'dig deep' lest they lose control of Congress." Obama "noted that many of the actions that he has taken are 'not necessarily popular,' and he warned that the criticisms" of his admin "will only get worse as he takes on more issues" (Youngman, The Hill, 6/19).

New York Times' Zeleny writes, When Obama arrived at the Mandarin Oriental hotel for the DCCC/DSCC fundraising reception on 6/18 pm, the new WH "rules of political purity were in order: no lobbyists allowed." But at "the same downtown hotel" this am, "registered lobbyists have not only been invited to attend an issues conference" with Dem leaders, but they have also been asked to come with a $5K "check in hand if they want to stay in good favor" with the party's re-election cmtes. Obama "repeatedly declared while campaigning last year that he would 'not take a dime'" from lobbyists or PACs. So to follow through with that promise, Obama "is simply leaving the room" (6/19).

Consensus Census

The WH said 6/18 "it was seeking ways to include same-sex marriages, unions and partnerships in 2010 Census data," the second time in a week the admin. "has signaled a policy change of interest to the gay community."The admin "has directed the Census Bureau to determine changes needed in tabulation software to allow for same-sex marriage data to be released early in 2011 with other detailed demographic information from the decennial count. The bureau historically hasn't released same-sex marriage data."

In response to charges that "gay activists say they have been frustrated by what they see as" Obama's "slow approach to rolling back discriminatory policies," WH spokesperson Ben LaBolt said "the administration continues to make progress on the president's longstanding commitment to promoting equality for [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] Americans" (Sherman, Wall Street Journal, 6/19).

We'll See Your 140 Characters And Raise You A WH Briefing

The admin "again chose caution over condemnation in its comments" 6/18 "on the Iranian election crisis (AP, 6/19). The WH also defended Obama's "stance on Iran's political crisis, amid fresh" GOP "demands for him to strongly back demonstrators in Tehran." WH press sec. Robert Gibbs said Obama "believes that he's struck the right tone as do others in the Administration, as do others in the Republican Party, as do others in the Democratic Party." Earlier on 6/18, the New York Times reported that Sec/State Hillary Clinton and VP Biden have been urging the WH "to take a slightly stronger tone in favor of the protestors." Gibbs, however, "disputed" the report, saying: "There's no debate in the White House. Everybody's on the same page. There's no difference of opinion" (AFP, 6/19).

Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) used Twitter, on 6/18 to say: "Mass peaceful demonstrations in Iran today, let's support them & stand up for democracy & freedom! President & his Admin should do the same" (Jackson, USA Today, 6/19).

McCain was on "Hannity" to talk about Obama's approval numbers slipping, as well as his handling of health care reform and Iran.

McCain: "I think that the personal job approval always follows approval or disapproval of policies, and that's beginning to happen. But he still has strong popularity. But this health care reform issue, Americans are beginning to figure out that this would be a massive government takeover with a multi-trillion dollar additional cost. ... The out-of-control spending staggers the imagination."

McCain, on Obama's health care efforts: "The devastating blow to the administration's plans was a Congressional Budget Office study that came out two days ago that said under the plan that we are considering in the Senate, that it would mean a trillion dollar cost and only cover 1/3 of those that are presently uninsured. Do the math, my friend. That's at least $3 trillion cost and, of course, they have no plan for how to pay for it."

McCain, on Iran: "You and I are both students of history and we've seen this movie before. When Ronald Reagan stood up for the workers in Gdansk in Poland, when he stood up for the people of Czechoslovakia in Prague Spring. ... And some good Democrats did, too. ... We have a
fundamental belief in the rights of every human being, and that is as was articulated on July 4th, 1776, that we believe that all have our God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."

More McCain: "We are walking by on the other side of the street here. We should weigh in and say we're not going to send arms, we're not for violence, but we are for the rights of people to go to the streets and peacefully disagree with their government."

McCain, asked if the U.S.' enemies have concluded that Obama is weak: "I think it's too early to say that. But when the president says that it would be meddling if we raise our voices in support of fundamental human rights and that is the ability to peacefully disagree with your government, then there's something very wrong. ... We're on the wrong side of history, my friend, and we've been on the right side of history for a long time" (FNC, 6/18).

Consider Yourself Defended

Meanwhile, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA) made the TV rounds 6/18 to discuss McCain's criticism of Obama's response to the situation in Iran.

Kerry, on McCain saying Obama is not taking the leadership that is incumbent upon a POTUS: "I don't know where he was when the president went to Cairo and gave a speech and stood up in Cairo and talked about democracy and the rights of women and people to be able to express their views. I think the president has been more than powerfully heard across the world about his support for those kind of movements."

More Kerry: "For the president of the United States to get in the middle of what is happening in Iran right now, I believe -- and I think many people believe -- would be an enormous mistake, because it just gives the Iranian clerics, who are already, in some cases, oppressive and restrictive with respect to what people in Iran can do -- more excuse to make America the target and America an excuse for their actions."

Kerry, on the New York Times reporting that sr. admin. members, including Biden and Hillary Clinton, would like to strike a stronger tone in support of the protesters: "Is there any question in anybody's mind about where the president or anybody in America is with respect to what's happening in Iran? Please."

Kerry, on Obama: "His first obligation, frankly, is to do what's necessary to protect the United States of America and our citizens. And the first effort with respect to that is the nuclear program of Iran. I think he's on track to try to deal with that" ("Situation Room," CNN, 6/18).

Kerry, on McCain's criticism that Obama hasn't done enough: "We've seen what hardline rhetoric has gotten us over the last eight years. It's created an Iran that's more powerful in the region, an Iran that's been more reluctant to engage with the rest of the world. The president has opened up new possibilities. I think even the elections in Lebanon a week ago showed the results that come from a different kind of diplomacy, and we need to let the president pursue that."

Kerry, on Obama saying there's "really little difference" between the two sides, and whether he agrees: "No, I don't completely agree with the president on that part of it. I do think there's a difference. There's already some clear stated differences between Mr. Mousavi and where he wants to go. I think what the president is really talking about, though, is not a clarity as to where they might be with respect to the nuclear program and some of the Iranian foreign policy issues. On that, he may be closer to correct than not" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 6/18).

Following Kerry's appearance on "Hardball," Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA) also weighed in on the situation.

Chambliss, on whether he agrees with Kerry about how Obama is handling the situation: "I thought the president was right to give it a day or two to see what direction we thought these elections were going in. But now it's pretty obvious from these large demonstrations all over Iran that these elections were held in a fraudulent way. And we are a beacon of hope for freedom and democracy around the world, and one thing we've always stood for is free and open elections. ... I don't think it's the right direction that America needs to be perceived as taking in this situation" (MSNBC, 6/18).

Clearing The Air And The Brush

The WH "shot back" at George Bush's 6/17 "critique" as the ex-POTUS' remarks continued to gain media attention. (See 6/18 Hotline for more). WH press sec. Robert Gibbs, on 6/18: "President Obama inherited an economic catastrophe." Gibbs said Obama "believes the free market is what governs our economic principles'" but that he "took office facing 'massive unemployment, a huge deficit, insolvent banks' and car companies 'being handed billions of dollars' but still 'coming back every three months to ask for more'"(Bellantoni, Washington Times, 6/19).

Bush's remarks garnered lots of reaction in the media:

• Karl Rove: "His remarks last night in Erie, Pennsylvania, were reflective of things that he said earlier in southeast Michigan at a recent public speech and in Calgary, Canada, and in Toronto, where he had a joint appearance with President Clinton. President Bush is very clear. He will not engage in attacks on the administration. He will say what he is for. He will say what his views are for. But he feels very keenly about not engaging in a set of back-and-forths with the current administration, and he'll keep to that."

• More Rove: "President Bush, when he left office, like every other previous president, did not lose his free speech rights. ... They don't lose their right to opine on matters of public concern. In fact, we ought to welcome that. hey after all represent, you know, experience that is rare in our society. ... I thought it was unusual today that Robert Gibbs, the White House press spokesman, took President Bush's comments and turned them into attacks on President Obama and a return attack to President Bush in a highly political matter. I thought it was unbecoming" ("On the Record," FNC, 6/18).

• Dallas Morning News' Slater: "Look, this is about the legacy. This is about redeeming the message and who his candidacy was, what his presidency was all about. This is what this is all about. And he's finding it, I think, difficult now that he has several hours alone or with the former first lady in North Dallas to think about this."

• More Slater: "I think George Bush looks around, he's got three horses of the apocalypse, Rove, [Dick] Cheney and Rush Limbaugh. And Limbaugh ... it doesn't look like his heart is really in burnishing the Bush legacy. So I think he's decided it's time to get out there and begin talking about his administration" ("Rachel Maddow Show," MSNBC, 6/18).

• GOP strategist Alex Castellanos, on Bush saying "there are people at Gitmo that will kill American people at a drop of the hat": "I think that's respectful disagreement from a former president on policy."

• CNN's Crowley, in response: "I don't think President Obama has any problem with saying, some of these people want to kill Americans. I don't think that's a problem at all. The problem is what do you do with them? I don't look at that as a criticism rather than a statement of the obvious" ("Situation Room," 6/18).

• Chicago Tribune's Page: "Maybe the former vice president is the warm-up act for former president Bush. He certainly was talking in that same spirit. Most of what he said was platitudes, when you think about it, but that line about therapy isn't going to do it is right off of Karl Rove's quote book, not just his playbook. But it is interesting to see, though, after all of these weeks of trying to stay on the sidelines, that Bush is trying to work on personally redeeming his own record" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 6/18).

• Wall Street Journal's Moore, on Bush: "Maybe he should just be laying low for the next year or two, come out with his book of his memoirs. ... I just think it's awfully soon three months after a new president comes in for him to be even indirectly attacking him, just as I do not think it is very fair or appropriate for Barack Obama to blame every problem that he has caused on George Bush. I wish there was a kind of standoff between the two and a kind of detente" ("On the Record," FNC, 6/18).

• National Journal's Brownstein: "In fairness to Bush, Obama has been very explicit and tough in repudiating key elements of his agenda and legacy, as tough as presidents get. ... He's been very clear in arguing that the Bush economic strategy brought us to where we are. ... They're out there trying to draw that contrast as sharply as they can, because Bush left office with 71 percent of the country disapproving of him on Election Day. So, in a way, it's not entirely surprising ... that he would feel some urge to try to defend his legacy" ("Hardball," MSNBC, 6/18).

• The Nation's Hayes: "I actually think this entire convention that somehow it's un-statesmanlike or violating some, inviolable taboo for an ex-president to speak ill of the current president is kind of silly. They're private citizens. If they have something to say, say it. I really would have liked if, say, President Bill Clinton had vociferously used political capital to oppose the Iraq war. He didn't do it. ... So I'm not quite sure where this norm comes from, but I think it's kind of a dumb one anyway" ("Countdown," MSNBC, 6/18).

• Pat Buchanan, on Gibbs' response: "This White House has no humility whatsoever. ... Smug, arrogant. ... This is a former president of the United States. ... I don't think President Bush was deliberately trying to take on Obama."

• MSNBC's Scarborough, in response: "I guess when you pick Rahm Emanuel to run your White House, this is what you get" ("Morning Joe," 6/19).

Sail Away

According to a study released 6/18 by the Center for Responsive Politics, Obama's selections for ambs. to Belize, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Romania and Switzerland "brought in at least" $1.1M for Obama's WH '08 bid "as bundlers, and at least another half-a-million as bundlers for his inauguration."

To date, "this brings the contribution histories" of Obama's amb. nominees to "roughly" $1.8M in donations since '89. The 19 ambs.-designate, "along with their spouses and children, have given more than $98,200 to Obama personally," bundled "at least" $3.4M for his WH '08 run and bundled another $1.4M for his inauguration" (Tapper, "Political Punch," ABC News, 6/19).

He's A 24-Plus-1 Guy

The Senate Commerce, Science and Trans. Cmte voted 6/18 to approve the nomination of FCC Chair-designate/venture capitalist Julius Genachowski, 24-1. The lone "no" vote came from Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC). His nomination goes now to the floor, "although timing" for a confirmation vote "is uncertain," due to "a feud" between Dems and GOPers over the Obama admin.'s nominees.

The cmte also approved FCC Commis. Robert McDowell "for a second term" (CongressDaily AM, 6/19).

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