President Obama's Schedule Today
President Obama will attend his first quarterly meeting of the President's Economic Recovery Board today at the White House.
Later, he will meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office and sign two mortgage bills – the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act – in the East Room.
Finally, he will call the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in the Oval Office and host a reception for a group of bipartisan members of the House. Here is more detail on the president's day from the White House Press Office (all times eastern):
9:10AM: President Obama receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
9:30AM: President Obama recieves the Economic Daily Briefing
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Later, he will meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office and sign two mortgage bills – the Helping Families Save Their Homes Act and the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act – in the East Room.
Finally, he will call the crew of the Space Shuttle Atlantis in the Oval Office and host a reception for a group of bipartisan members of the House. Here is more detail on the president's day from the White House Press Office (all times eastern):
9:10AM: President Obama receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
9:30AM: President Obama recieves the Economic Daily Briefing
Continue »
Obama Calls Reduction Of Nuclear Arms One Of His Highest Priorities
(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
"It is absolutely imperative that America takes leadership, working with not just our Russian counterparts but countries all around the world, to reduce and ultimately eliminate the dangers that are posed by nuclear weapons," Mr. Obama said. "We are going to be pushing this as one of our highest priorities, to take specific steps, measurable steps, verifiable steps, to make progress on this issue, even as we keep a long-term perspective and a long-term vision about what can be achieved."
He said the goal is particularly important because countries like North Korea and Iran are developing nuclear weapons capacity, and because of al Qaeda's presence in nuclear-armed Pakistan.
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President Obama Lauds Small Business Owners
President Obama told Small Business Administration award winners in the White House East Room Tuesday afternoon that small businesses are "the job creators responsible for half of all private sector jobs."
"You're the starting point for the products and brands that have redefined the market," he said. "After all, Google started out as a small business, as a research project. Hewlett-Packard began with two guys in a garage. The first Apple computers were built by hand, one at a time. McDonald's started with just one restaurant."
The president praised those who founded small businesses, saying their work strengthens communities, and argued that "our nation's government should be there to support you, to help you grow and expand and succeed."
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"You're the starting point for the products and brands that have redefined the market," he said. "After all, Google started out as a small business, as a research project. Hewlett-Packard began with two guys in a garage. The first Apple computers were built by hand, one at a time. McDonald's started with just one restaurant."
The president praised those who founded small businesses, saying their work strengthens communities, and argued that "our nation's government should be there to support you, to help you grow and expand and succeed."
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Did Obama And Granholm Meet?
(AP)
Long rumored to be on the president's short-list of potential nominees to replace Justice David Souter on the Supreme Court, all eyes on were on the Michigan governor today as she made an appearance at the White House.
While the governor and Harvard Law grad was there to talk about new fuel economy and emissions standards for cars and light trucks, the speculation was that she would get face-time with President Obama to talk about the Supreme Court vacancy.
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GOP Leader Says Party Must Challenge Obama's "Reign of Error"
5025813A Republican "renaissance" has begun, GOP leader Michael Steele said Tuesday, telling fellow party members they cannot be afraid to challenge the popular president or his policies.
"The Republican party is again going to emerge as the party of new ideas," said Steele, the Chair of the Republican National Committee, at a gathering of RNC officials in Maryland. "The two-party system is making a comeback, and the comeback comes today."
The embattled chairman said it is time for the Republican party to take President Obama on directly. He called Mr. Obama's first 100 days in office a "reign of error*... all designed for short-term political pay-off, with potentially catastrophic long-term effects on our nation's economic prosperity."
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"The Republican party is again going to emerge as the party of new ideas," said Steele, the Chair of the Republican National Committee, at a gathering of RNC officials in Maryland. "The two-party system is making a comeback, and the comeback comes today."
The embattled chairman said it is time for the Republican party to take President Obama on directly. He called Mr. Obama's first 100 days in office a "reign of error*... all designed for short-term political pay-off, with potentially catastrophic long-term effects on our nation's economic prosperity."
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Pentagon: No Plans To Repeal "Don't Ask"
(AP)
President Obama vowed to repeal the controversial 1993 policy during the campaign, but according to Morrell, there have not been serious discussions between the White House and the military about doing so.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen are "aware of where the president wants to go on this issue, but I don't think that there is any sense of any immediate developments in the offing on efforts to repeal 'don't ask, don't tell,'" Morrell said.
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White House Office Wins Appeal To Keep E-Mail Memos Private
(iStockphoto)
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, in a 3-0 decision, upheld a ruling from a federal judge last year that the White House's Office of Administration is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act.
In an attempt to learn how millions of White House e-mails were lost between 2001 and 2005, the Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) filed a lawsuit in 2007 to try to compel the Office of Administration to comply with a FOIA request for documents relating to the e-mails.
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Poll: Spending On Children's Health Care
(CBS)
But asked if they're willing to spend more in taxes to increase federal spending on children and they are less enthusiastic, according to the survey.
Eight in ten Americans – including 93 percent of Democrats – favor using tax money to pay for health care for children who cannot afford it. Eighty-five percent favor using tax money for school meals for low income children, and 73 percent favor spending tax dollars on dental care for kids who cannot pay for it.
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Guantanamo Detainees? Not In Their Backyards
4818723This story was updated at 1 PM ET with new information about the lack of Senate support for the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay.
In his first several days in office, President Obama announced that he would close the Guantanamo Bay detainee facility in Cuba. He did not indicate where the prisoners living there would be relocated. For their part, U.S. lawmakers know where they don't want them to go: Anywhere near their districts.
The president is reaching out to countries around the world to take in former Guantanamo detainees, but as the Associated Press points out, he is facing strong opposition very close to home.
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In his first several days in office, President Obama announced that he would close the Guantanamo Bay detainee facility in Cuba. He did not indicate where the prisoners living there would be relocated. For their part, U.S. lawmakers know where they don't want them to go: Anywhere near their districts.
The president is reaching out to countries around the world to take in former Guantanamo detainees, but as the Associated Press points out, he is facing strong opposition very close to home.
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Morning Bulletin: Tuesday, May 19, 2009
A roundup of news, schedules, and key stories from CBS News Political Director Steve Chaggaris:
President Obama will announce new fuel efficiency standards for automobiles and the first-ever national emissions limits today at the White House.
The program will begin with model year 2012 cars and by 2016, the average fuel efficiency will be 35.5 miles per gallon, according to a senior administration official, hitting that standard four years before the previously passed CAFE law required. The 2009 model year average fuel efficiency is 25 mpg.
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President Obama will announce new fuel efficiency standards for automobiles and the first-ever national emissions limits today at the White House.
(AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
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President Obama's Schedule Today
President Obama will announce plans to introduce new fuel standards for automobiles from the Rose Garden today.
Earlier in the day, he will recieve his daily and economic briefing and meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office.
Later this afternoon, President Obama will meet with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State George Schultz, former Senator and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Sam Nunn, and former Secretary of Defense William Perry to discuss U.S. nonproliferation policy.
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Earlier in the day, he will recieve his daily and economic briefing and meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office.
Later this afternoon, President Obama will meet with former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, former Secretary of State George Schultz, former Senator and Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee Sam Nunn, and former Secretary of Defense William Perry to discuss U.S. nonproliferation policy.
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Netanyahu Gives Obama A Loaded Gift
(AP)
The 1867 travel memoir paints a bleak picture of Israel under Muslim rule. "Renowned Jerusalem itself, the stateliest name in history, has lost all its ancient grandeur, and is become a pauper village," Twain writes.
The essay, which is part of Twain's "The Innocents Abroad," describes the diversity of the Jewish state at the time. "It seems to me that all the races and colors and tongues of the earth must be represented among the fourteen thousand souls that dwell in Jerusalem. Rags, wretchedness, poverty and dirt, those signs and symbols that indicate the presence of Moslem rule more surely than the crescent-flag itself, abound," Twain said.
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Climate Change Bill Faces Hurdles Due To GOP, Some Dems
(AP Photo/Gene Blythe)
The House Energy and Commerce Committee kicked off today what is likely to be a long and arduous process of altering the "American Clean Energy and Security Act" so that it can win committee approval. Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), one of the lead sponsors of the bill, has said he wants the bill to be ready for a full House vote by Memorial Day.
In order to achieve his goal, Waxman must ensure no more than six Democrats on the committee vote against the bill. During today's meeting, however, some Democrats raised previously unvoiced objections, according to The Hill.
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Obama To Announce New Fuel Standards
(AP Photo/Elise Amendola)
Top officials will reportedly convene in Washington for the White House announcement, including, potentially, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Governor Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), a potential Supreme Court nominee, is also rumored to be attending the announcement.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations, tells CBS News' Chief White House Correspondent Chip Reid that the new policy includes "harmonized standards."
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Cheney's "Undisclosed Location" Revealed?
(CBS)
One of the things former Vice President Dick Cheney will be remembered for his having been spirited off to an "undisclosed location" following the Sept. 11 attacks. And now we know where that location may be.
As Eleanor Clift of Newsweek writes, Vice President Joe Biden talked about the possible spot earlier this year during the Gridiron Club dinner, an exclusive annual event for Washington journalists and bureau chiefs.
Biden reportedly suggested Cheney's hideaway is a "bunker-like" room under the Naval Observatory in Washington, where Biden, in his role as vice president, now lives. A young naval officer leading the vice president on a tour of the building reportedly showed Biden the "massive steel door" at the end of a narrow hallway where he said Cheney's aides – and apparently the vice president himself, though that's unclear from Clift's report – would spend their time in lock down, surrounded by communications equipment.
One of the most powerful vice presidents in history, Cheney played a major role in crafting many of former president George W. Bush's policies. At the dinner, Biden reportedly hinted that those policies were not surprising, given what the bunker looked like.
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