All Blog Posts from Political Hotsheet

Russell Wiseman, the mayor of Arlington, Tennessee, wrote a post on his Facebook page accusing President Obama purposely preempted "The Charlie Brown Christmas Special" in his speech on the war in Afghanistan Tuesday evening.

Wiseman suggested the president is Muslim. Many Christians have embraced "The Charlie Brown Christmas Special" for what they percieve as a Christian message.

Here's what Wiseman wrote, as reported by the Commercial Appeal: "Ok, so, this is total crap, we sit the kids down to watch 'The Charlie Brown Christmas Special' and our muslim president is there, what a load.....try to convince me that wasn't done on purpose. Ask the man if he believes that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he will give you a 10 minute disertation (sic) about it....w...hen the answer should simply be 'yes'...."

"...you obama people need to move to a muslim country...oh wait, that's America....pitiful," he wrote.

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After meeting with leaders from India, China and elsewhere, President Obama has decided to change the timing of his appearance at the United Nations climate conference to take place in Copenhagen, Denmark later this month.

The president was scheduled to appear at the climate change summit on Dec. 9, ahead of his trip to Oslo, Norway to accept the Nobel Peace Prize. The summit takes place from Dec. 7 through Dec. 18. Mr. Obama will now attend the end of the conference.

"Based on his conversations with other leaders and the progress that has already been made to give momentum to negotiations, the President believes that continued U.S. leadership can be most productive through his participation at the end of the Copenhagen conference on December 18th rather than on December 9th," the White House said in a statement. "There are still outstanding issues that must be negotiated for an agreement to be reached, but this decision reflects the President's commitment to doing all that he can to pursue a positive outcome."

The United States will have representation in Copenhagen throughout the negotiating process by State Department negotiators and Cabinet officials, the White House said. The officials will highlight ways the U.S. has moved toward a clean energy economy. The House of Representatives passed a climate bill in the summer, but the legislation has stalled in the Senate.

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White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters today that President Obama will likely back using some portion of the $700 billion in TARP bailout funds during a speech on the economy next Tuesday.

That idea isn't sitting well with House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA), who released a statement this afternoon arguing that such a move would be against the law.

"The President and Speaker Pelosi need to recognize that TARP money was borrowed from the taxpayer to deal with a dire emergency, and now it must be returned," he said. "In fact, current law states that returned TARP funds are to be used to reduce the debt – not more spending preferred by the President. This country is in debt, and the only responsible action is to pay it down, not preserve and expand it."

"TARP funds borrowed from the taxpayer should not become a slush fund for the political whims of Washington," he added.

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SCHNECKSVILLE, Pa. – It's enough to make President Obama long for questions from the White House press corps. Well, almost.

At the end of a speech about the economy and today's drop in the national unemployment rate, the president invited members of his audience at Lehigh Carbon Community College to tell him what's on their mind.

Have you considered legalizing prostitution, gambling and drugs as a way of stimulating the economy, asked a college sophomore?

"I appreciate the boldness of your question," said the president as laughter filled the hall. But he made it clear the suggestion "will not be my jobs strategy."

He commended the college kid for questioning conventional wisdom. "You're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing - which is thinking in new ways about things."

There are studies that show legalizing certain vices – and taxing them – would provide economic stimulus and reduce, if not eliminate, government deficits. But don't expect many politicians to get behind the idea.

Another questioner had a request, not a suggestion.

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SCHNECKSVILLE, Pa. - President Obama traveled to the economically hard hit Lehigh Valley region of Pennsylvania to say, "I know times are tough."

To illustrate his message of commiseration, he suggested that joblessness hits close to home. He told a community college audience in Schnecksville, Pennsylvania, "Michelle and I were talking the other day. There are members of our families that are out of work."

Mr. Obama added, "We're not that far removed from struggling to pay bills."

A White House official declined to identify any unemployed relatives of the Obamas except to say, "I don't think they are close close" family members.

Mr. Obama's stop in came as part of his economic tour across the country to discuss job creation.

Obama Takes Jobs Message to Allentown
Obama Deflects Question on Legalizing Pot, Prostitution
Photo: President Obama in Allentown

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Peter Maer is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here.

Updated at 3:45 p.m. ET.

When President Obama told attendees at his economic town hall today that he only had time to take three questions, he probably did not expect the first question to be about legalizing drugs and prostitution.

He ultimately responded to four questions from the crowd at Lehigh Carbon Community College in Schnecksville, Penn. but took his time to steer the initial inquiry from a discussion about drugs to the future of the U.S. economy, emphasizing that manufacturing will play a less significant role in the nation. The town hall was part of Mr. Obama's tour of cities around the country in which he will discuss the economy.

"I appreciate the boldness of your question," Mr. Obama said to laughter after a young man asked him if he would consider legalizing drugs, prostitution, gambling or nonviolent crimes. "That will not be my job strategy."

"First of all, part of what you're supposed to do in college is question conventional wisdom," the president continued. "You're doing exactly what you're supposed to be doing."

CBSNews.com Special Report: Marijuana Nation

The rest of the nation, Mr. Obama went on to say, will have to rethink the shape of the nation's economy.

"Manufacturing will never be as high of a percentage [of the economy] as it was in the 1950s," he said, but the capacity for states to cash in on new sectors is "enormous."

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President Obama is currently touring Allentown Metal Works in Pennsylvania, and CBS News White House Correspondent Peter Maer sent in a photo of the president, accompanied by an unidentified official, waving to plant workers from a catwalk. Check it out:

Former GOP Vice Presidential Candidate Sarah Palin said on a conservative talk radio show yesterday that the question of whether President Obama was actually born in the United States is "fair game." But following up on her Facebook page, Palin points out that she has never herself questioned where Mr. Obama was born.

Since Barack Obama emerged as a candidate for president, he has been plagued by rumors that he was not born in the United States and therefore is not eligible to serve as president. The rumor has persisted among people referred to as the "birthers," even though documents clearly show there is no disputing that Mr. Obama was born in the state of Hawaii.

On her Facebook page early Friday morning, Palin said that "at no point – not during the campaign, and not during recent interviews – have I asked the president to produce his birth certificate or suggested that he was not born in the United States."

However, she maintained that "voters have every right to ask candidates for information if they so choose."

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In the morning, President Obama will travel to Allentown, Pennsylvania. The president will tour Allentown Metal Works. He will then deliver remarks and hold a discussion on the economy at Lehigh Carbon Community College.

In the afternoon, Mr. Obama will make local stops in Allentown to visit with local citizens and discuss job creation and growing the economy. He will return to the White House in the evening.

Here's the full schedule from the White House (all times Eastern):

9:15AM: President Obama departs The White House en route Andrews Air Force Base

9:30AM: President Obama departs Andrews Air Force Base en route Allentown, Pennsylvania

10:20AM: President Obama arrives in Allentown, Pennsylvania

10:50AM: President Obama tours Allentown Metal Works

11:50AM: President Obama delivers remarks and holds a discussion on the economy

4:05PM: President Obama departs Allentown en route Andrews Air Force Base

4:50PM: President Obama arrives at Andrews Air Force Base

5:05PM: President Obama arrives at The White House

Politics Today is CBSNews.com's inside look at the key stories driving the day in politics, written by CBS News Political Director Steve Chaggaris:

** Obama tries to keep politics out of his economic tour...

** White House gives different stories on Afghanistan withdrawal...

** The Senate finally starts voting on health care amendments...

ECONOMY: Per the White House: Today, "President Obama will kick off his White House to Main Street tour by traveling to Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley to speak directly with Allentown families about both their experiences in this economy and their ideas about job creation. ... As part of his visit to the region, President Obama will tour Allentown Metal Works, make local stops in Allentown to visit with local citizens to discuss job creation and deliver remarks to area students, educators, business owners, and members of the community at Lehigh Carbon Community College."

Allentown Morning Call's Brian Callaway, "Of all the stops President Barack Obama is expected to make as his nascent jobs tour arrives in the Lehigh Valley today, perhaps none will be more sobering than his scheduled visit to the Allentown Metal Works -- it employs some of the region's last remaining steelworkers.

"Manufacturing was once the backbone of the Valley's economy, as it was for the nation's economy. Bethlehem Steel alone had more than 31,000 workers at its flagship plant during its heyday.

"'The Steel' is gone now, of course, and the United Steelworkers of America has only about 1,000 members left in the Valley. A relative handful of those workers are employed by Allentown Metal Works -- fewer than before the recession, and far fewer than possible if manufacturing's fortunes rebound."

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