National Briefing

OBAMA

1. Permission To Engage

The situation in Iran, and Pres. Obama's response to it, dominated the weekend's news cycle, "with several senators calling for stepped-up engagement" from Obama and "others defending his response as carefully calibrated and correct" (Wilson, The Hill, 6/22). Under criticism over his approach to the Iran protests, "Obama met in the Oval Office with advisers" on 6/21 "for about a half-hour before an afternoon golf game. He had multiple briefings and meetings on Iran on" 6/20 (Weisman, Wall Street Journal, 6/22). For more, see today's IRAN story.

And while Dems are defending Obama's "arms length" approach to Iran, they say his hands-off approach to health care seems to have run its course. "While too early to rule out eventual success, it seems Obama will have to be more forceful and hands-on" if wants to pull off health-care (Babington, AP, 6/22).

Politico's Brown writes, Obama's "supporters are clamoring for him to campaign for health care like his own election was on the line. In a way, they say, it is -- because the fate of health care may well determine the course of his presidency, given how far out on the limb he is in calling for a bill this year" (6/22).

Los Angeles Times' McManus writes, Obama "has deliberately stayed out of the messy business of negotiating legislative proposals. At this point, he prefers to remain above it, laying out a broad list of goals for Congress to turn into a plan." But Obama needs to get more involved, both to save his Dems "from self-induced chaos and to rescue his signature initiative from becoming an unappealing combination of higher taxes and meager help for the uninsured -- the Amazing Shrinking Healthcare Plan" (6/21).

So What Will He Do?

Obama "will take his case to the American people this week." Obama invited the ABC to broadcast from the WH 6/24 and will "take health-care questions from the public in the East Room" (Jensen/Gaouette, Bloomberg, 6/22).

An "aide said Obama will do as much as he can, but was non-committal about how much more he'll do" (Politico, 6/22). Meanwhile, adviser David Axelrod "defended Obama's decision to let Congress work its way through the process rather than 'delivering stone tablets' with directives" from the WH (AP, 6/22).

Fully Loaded

In an interview on CBS this morning, Obama said the U.S. "is fully prepared for any contingencies" with North Korea-- including the regimes's reported threat to launch a long-range missile toward HI.

CBS' Smith, on North Korea intending to fire a missile toward HI on or about 7/4: "Beyond the sanctions and beyond the isolation that has already been tried, what has to happen to get North Korea to at least act like they're part of the community of nations?"

Obama: "First of all, let's be clear. This administration and our military is fully prepared for any contingencies."

Smith: "Is that a warning of a military response?"

Obama: "No. It's just we are prepared for any contingencies. I don't want to speculate on hypotheticals. But I do want to give assurances to the American people that the T's are crossed and the I's are dotted in terms of what might happen. More broadly, I think the international community has spoken. When you've got Russia and China, as well as South Korea and Japan, the United States, the entire Security Council saying unequivocally that North Korea has violated international law, and is willing to impose tougher sanctions..."

Smith: "They're still defiant, though."

Obama: "What that sends a signal, though, is of a unity in the international community that we haven't seen in quite some time. And one of the things that we have been very clear about is that North Korea has a path towards rejoining the international community. And we hope they take that path. What we're not going to do is to reward belligerence and provocation in the way that's been done in the past" (CBS, 6/22).

Dreams From My Father

More highlights from Obama's interview that aired this a.m. on "Early Show:"

Smith: "Leon Panetta intimated that the former vice president is playing politics with national security issues. The former president has intoned his own displeasure with some of your policy changes. I think they feel like some of the things that you've done, in fact, are treacherous."

Obama: "Before you go there, I think if you read President Bush's remarks, I think that is not a fair characterization of what president bush said."

Smith: "Maybe not so unfair what Vice President Cheney said."

Obama: "When it comes to Vice President Cheney, he and I have a deep disagreement about what's required to keep the American people safe. I think that disagreement has been amply aired, and certainly he has a right to voice his opinions. I would argue that our policies are making the American people safer and that some of the policies that he's promoted in the past have not."

Smith: "You wrote about -- an entire book basically -- looking for your own identify based on the fact that your father was a myth."

Obama: "He wasn't around. Now, one of the things I benefited from was my mother was so generous in describing him. Even though he wasn't there, I had this sense that he was smart and, you know, hard-working and talented. And so as a young boy, I could have a sense that my father was an important person. It was only later in life that I found out that he actually led a very tragic life. And in that sense, it was the myth that I was chasing as opposed to knowing who he really was. But despite the tremendous efforts of my mom, there's no doubt that that still left a hole in me. And I think that's true for a lot of kids."

Smith: "In this fatherless world, where did you learn to love?"

Obama: "I had a mother and grandparents. I had a stepfather at a certain point who was there for me. Where I learned to be a father was looking at some people that I respected. Michelle's father was just a wonderful man. I mean, here's a guy who had multiple sclerosis at the age of 30. And yet he went to every one of Michelle's dance recitals, every one of her brother's basketball games. ... And it just reminded me that, you know, whatever the hardships, whatever the obstacles, you can be a good dad."

Obama, on saying his daughters "earned" a dog during his acceptance speech: "We're pretty old school. ... Malia and Sasha, they have to make their beds. They have to walk the dog. They have to feed the dog. They have to do their homework. They don't watch TV during the week. But, you know, the amazing thing that we've learned -- and I think that is where, again, fathers make a difference -- is, kids thrive on order. They want structure."

Smith: "Your whole life is under a microscope now. And believe it or not, every parent in the country is watching your every move as a parent. Are you aware of that scrutiny?"

Obama: "Well, there's no scrutiny more powerful that Michelle's scrutiny. So I don't care what other folks are saying. The question is, is my wife and my kids feeling I am there for them" (CBS, 6/22).

Surgeon General Dire Warnings

Obama is scheduled to sign the "Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act" today during a Rose Garden event. The law allows the FDA "to reduce nicotine in tobacco products, ban candy flavorings and block labels such as 'low tar' and 'light.'" The bill "also requires tobacco companies to cover their cartons with large graphic warnings and reveal what chemicals they put into their products" (AP, 6/22).

Five Day Forecast

New York Times' Seeyle writes, Obama "promised that once a bill was passed by Congress, the WH "would post it online for five days before he signed it." Five months into his admin., Obama "has signed two dozen bills, but he has almost never waited five days." On "the recent credit card legislation, which included a controversial measure to allow guns in national parks, he waited just two."

Now, in a "tacit acknowledgment that the campaign pledge was easier to make than to fulfill," the WH is changing its terms. Instead of starting the five-day clock when Congress passes a bill, admin. "officials say they intend to start it earlier and post the bills sooner." WH spokesperson Nick Shapiro "said the move would provide more transparency" because the WH "site drew so much traffic. It also stretches out the time in which a bill will be posted, making it easier" for Obama to abide by the pledge (6/22).

Some Irrigation Ditches

Obama "is facing complaints from big-city mayors and county politicians that parts of the economic stimulus package are shortchanging their constituents." VP Biden "has been holding private conference calls on the stimulus with elected officials from around the country, some of whom have been telling him that metropolitan regions are losing out to rural areas in the competition for stimulus money."

Taxpayers for Common Sense VP Steve Ellis said that "across the board, the stimulus is not a smart program." Ellis: "Essentially, we're shoveling cash out, using the same old shovels we've had in the past. It doesn't surprise me that some urban communities that may have a greater need are disadvantaged simply because the playing field is tilted toward benefiting more states and the largest number of congressional districts."

On a conference call with elected officials 6/19, Biden "fielded a complaint about stimulus money flowing to states rather than to cities. Some of the local elected officials on the call said Biden seemed to take their side." But WH special advisor Edward DeSeve, who also was on the call, said Biden "was merely trying to show empathy" (Nicholas, Los Angeles Times, 6/22).

Just How To Ask

During an appearance on "Meet the Press," ex-Sen. Sam Nunn (D-GA) was asked about the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy.

NBC's Gregory: "This president has said he's going to reverse the ban. But he's getting criticism now for dragging his feet on that. Is now the time to do it?"

Nunn: "I think anytime a policy's been in place 15, 16 years, it's time to take a close look at it. But it ought to be done carefully. It ought to be done starting with the Pentagon and military services, and it ought to be done in terms of keeping our own cohesiveness in military units, effectiveness of our military forces, fairness to all the people concerned."

More Nunn: "And also, we need to make sure we recognize we're in the middle of two wars now. We have gays serving honorably in the military today. The policy we have now, 'don't ask, don't tell,' is the least worst policy we could have had 15 years ago. ... But it's probably time to take another look."

Gregory: "Are all those pieces in place?"

Nunn: "I would go very carefully and prudently. We've got a lot of strain on our military forces right now. And I would listen to the military, I would let them prepare not only for letting the country know how we're doing now with that policy, but also what would rules look like if you change the policy. It's not simply saying repeal the policy. ... It's what replaces it."

Nunn, asked if Obama will repeal it in the first term: "I don't know. I think there'll be a vigorous debate, and there should be a real debate" (NBC, 6/21).

To the Victor Go The Spoils

During an interview on "Face the Nation," Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) was asked how Obama has been performing thus far.

McCain: "I think he's done well. ... If you want to look at a legislative scorecard, he has achieved literally every one of his legislative accomplishments. Unfortunately, it's by picking off a couple of Republicans. It's not been bipartisan."

More McCain: "So there really hasn't been that change in the climate in Washington. But elections have consequences. On the issue of national security, I think the president is facing a major challenge here, North Korea and others. And it's sort of an incomplete. Health care is another major challenge" (CBS, 6/21).

Bushing Daisies

There continued to be some talk about WH press sec. Robert Gibbs responding to George W. Bush's remarks by saying, "We kept score last November and we won."

NBC's Todd: "It was very bizarre that Gibbs struck that tone. ... President Bush can be accused of being a Republican and defending some positions that he held. He didn't criticize President Obama. ... And I'm surprised that that isn't the tact that this White House took with saying, 'Hey, he's just defending his own positions there, it didn't seem like he was attacking us.' The media, the people that covered it, including our friend Mr. Drudge, I think over hyped this a little bit. Interesting that the White House took the bait" ("Meet the Press," 6/21).

Meanwhile, Washington Post's Broder writes, Bush's relative silence since leaving office has made it harder "Obama to keep the public focused on Bush as being responsible for our present difficulties -- the weak economy, the unsettled wars," and Gitmo. In sum, Obama "has probably extracted most of the political benefit available from the high pitch of activity at home and abroad that has marked the early months of his presidency. Now people are starting to take a more critical look at the decisions he has made" (6/21).

Pimp Your Ride

In a 6/19 interview with WTOP reporter Mark Plotkin, RNC chair Micheal Steele challenged Obama to support DC "voting rights in Congress" by putting a "Taxation Without Representation" license plate on his limo. Steele "went even further, saying he would 'absolutely' put such plates on his own car," noting: "It would be a great symbol. I have no problem with that at all" ( Yehle, Roll Call, 6/22).

West Wing, Season I

Politico's Gerstein writes, for the "first time in his career," Obama "may soon confront one of the most weighty and unsavory decisions that a chief executive must make, whether to put a murder convict to death." The decision "could land on Obama's desk within a matter of months, due to cases winding their way through the federal courts." The timing of Obama's :first death-penalty decision is likely to be dictated by a case pending" in DC, "involving six federal death-row inmates at most imminent risk of execution. Their sentences were stayed by a federal judge, who is deciding whether to let their executions proceed, despite their challenge to federal execution protocols." If the "stay is lifted and execution dates are set, any of the men could ask the president to step in. And clearly, death-penalty opponents hope they have a sympathetic ear in Obama, despite his support for the limited use of executions" (6/22).

She's In Safely

In other admin. news:

• The Senate confirmed '04 SEN nominee/Ex-SC Educ. Supt. Inez Tenenbaum (D) to be chair of the Consumer Product Safety Commission on 6/19. The Senate "confirmed Tenenbaum in near-record time, approving her scarcely a week after getting her formal nomination papers."

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC), who defeated her in '04: "I'm confident she has the determination and skills to lead this important commission. I look forward to working with her to ensure our nation continues to have the safest products in the world" (Rosen, Columbia State, 6/20).

• Undersec/State-designate/Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) was approved by rhe Senate Foreign Relations Cmte and will "now go to the full Senate." It is "unclear when the Senate will take up the question of Tauscher's nomination," but "there is no evidence she will face any controversy or delay" (Richman/Vorderbrueggen, Contra Costa Times, 6/21).

• Obama has chosen Polk Street Group Pres. Ertharin Cousin, an Obama "family friend who served as a senior adviser" during the WH '08 campaign, as the U.S. rep. to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture (McCormick, Chicago Tribune, 6/21).

• Chicago Tribune's Kass writes, Obama's firing of Corp. for Nat'l and Community Service IG Gerald Walpin is "the Chicago Way. Now, formally, it's also the Chicago on the Potomac Way. ... The use of political muscle may be prohibited in the mythic transcendental fairyland where much of the Obama spin originates, sprouting green and lush, like the never-ending fields of primo Hopium" (6/21).

Editor-in-Chief: Amy Walter

Executive Editor: John Mercurio

Managing Editor: Quinn McCord

Senior Editors: Maura O'Brien, Tim Sahd, and Reid Wilson

TV Editor: Abby Livingston

Senior Writers: Holly Noe and Rachelle Douillard-Proulx

Staff Writers: Ian Faerstein, Sean J. Miller, Steven Shepard, and Felicia Sonmez

Online Producer: Carrie Dindino

Executive Assistant: Meredith Nettles

Associate Writers: Cyra Master, Michelle Price, Beth Sussman, and Kurtis Lee