All Blog Posts from Political Hotsheet

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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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:

** The White House faces limitations in what it can do for the job market...

** Congress questions Obama's Afghanistan plan...

** White House crashers may be forced to testify before Congress...

JOBS SUMMIT: Today, President Obama hosts the "Jobs and Economic Growth Forum" where he'll speak then hear from CEOs, small business owners and labor leaders, along with the heads of a number of nonprofit organizations.

"The forum will assemble economists, union heads and business leaders such as Eric Schmidt, chief executive officer of Mountain View, California-based Google Inc., and Fred Smith of Memphis, Tennessee-based FedEx Corp.," writes Bloomberg News' Nicholas Johnston. "With the nation’s unemployment rate at a 23-year high of 10.2 percent, Obama will solicit feedback on job-creation proposals such as incentives to make homes more energy efficient, increased access to financing for small business and tax credits for companies…

"The companies that will be represented at the White House, including Dallas-based AT&T Inc., Chicago-based Boeing Co. and New York-based Pfizer Inc., provide a snapshot of the nation’s employment woes, having cut more than 36,000 jobs this year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg."

"Obama convenes a summit here on jobs, then flies Friday to Allentown, Pa., for the first in what will be periodic listening tours on the economy," adds USA Today's Richard Wolf. "The goal is to develop new spending and tax proposals to help many of the nation's nearly 16 million unemployed people find work in 2010...

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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:

** Bipartisan support needed to fund buildup could hard for Obama to find...

** Senators target seniors and women with first health care amendments...

** White House crashers have some explaining to do after e-mails are revealed...

AFGHANISTAN: Following his highly-anticipated Afghanistan war speech last night, President Obama will let Congress mull over his plan today as he stays at the White House with no public events scheduled.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen will testify about the plan to the Senate Armed Services and the House Foreign Affairs Committees today.

Meantime, "A barrage of instant criticism blasting President Barack Obama's new Afghanistan strategy from across the political spectrum signaled the challenges ahead in selling the plan to a skeptical public and Congress," reports the Wall Street Journal's Peter Wallsten.

"Some of Mr. Obama's most loyal supporters among liberal grass-roots groups denounced the 30,000-troop escalation—despite a newly revealed plan for a quick drawdown that White House officials had hoped would mollify the left.

"Many Republicans, while supporting the troop increase, were quick to charge that the timetable for withdrawal would embolden U.S. adversaries. Arizona Sen. John McCain warned that Mr. Obama risked telling the enemy 'that you're coming and you're leaving.'"

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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:

** A new objective in Afghanistan...

** CBO report boosts Democrats' health reform argument...

** Huckabee in hot water for commutation...

AFGHANISTAN: "President Obama travels to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point tonight to lay out his expected troop buildup in Afghanistan. Before leaving D.C., he will meet with Vice President Joe Biden and Defense Secretary Robert Gates and he and Biden will also meet with congressional leaders to talk about the administration's strategy in Afghanistan.

"President Obama plans to send 30,000 to 35,000 additional soldiers and Marines to Afghanistan, U.S. officials said Monday, the largest single U.S. deployment since the 2003 invasion of Iraq," report the Los Angeles Times' Christi Parsons and Paul Richter.

"The additional troops, Obama's second major escalation of the conflict this year, will bring the number of U.S. forces in Afghanistan to about 100,000. But even as he dramatically escalates the war, Obama is expected to emphasize that there are limits to the length of U.S. military involvement in the region, White House officials said, though he is not prepared to set concrete deadlines for withdrawal.

"Obama will announce his newest Afghan strategy in a televised speech tonight before cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. It represents his second attempt to forge a joint strategy for dealing with Taliban fighters and other insurgents in Afghanistan and Pakistan. In addition to the military buildup, aides say the president's speech will lay out plans for civilian efforts to stabilize Afghanistan and benchmarks for measuring progress."

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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:

** The president takes it all on, from Afghanistan to jobs...

** A message on Afghanistan for Americans and for Pakistan...

** The Senate health care debate gets started...

PRESIDENT OBAMA: "The White House says Afghanistan and climate change will top President Barack Obama's agenda when he meets with Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd [at 11:10am ET today]," reports the Associated Press.

"[Today's] meeting comes a day before Obama delivers a national address from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., where he's expected to announce an increase of up to 35,000 U.S. troops as part of a revised strategy for the war in Afghanistan. Australia has about 1,550 troops there, the largest contribution of any country outside of NATO.

"The meeting also comes ahead of global climate talks in Denmark. Rudd's government wants to slash Australia's greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25 percent below 2000 levels by 2020 if tough global targets can be agreed upon at the Copenhagen summit."

Wall Street Journal's Jonathan Weisman, "Critical Decisions This Week on Batch of Obama Initiatives": "A cascade of events this week, involving high-profile topics from Afghanistan to health care to jobs, is challenging the Obama White House's strategy of launching so many initiatives so fast in its first year."

New York Times' Jeff Zeleny, "Vital Tests for Obama on Mandate of Change": "In a narrow sense, President Obama’s handling of the critical issues of health care and Afghanistan in the weeks ahead will test the depth of his support among Democrats and determine whether he can draw Republicans to his foreign policy.

"But more broadly, how he manages those two challenges will provide the biggest trial yet of his ability to use the mandate he claimed more than a year ago to bring about substantial change in a political system that often conspires against it.

"He is heading into this pivotal moment with his job-approval ratings down and much of his initial shine tarnished by months of political combat."

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Politics Today is CBSNews.com's inside look at the key stories driving the day in politics. Because of the holiday, the column will not appear again until Monday. Happy Thanksgiving!

**President Holds Final Meeting on Troop Levels

**Said to be Planning to Add 34,000; Announcement to Come Next Tuesday

**Obama Hosting First Official State Dinner

Afghanistan: Following his latest (and apparently final) meeting with his national security team on a new U.S. strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan last night, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said President Obama "has the information he wants and needs to make his decision and he will announce that decision within days."

According to McClatchy Newspapers, which cites unnamed U.S. officials, the president will announce that he will send 34,000 additional troops to Afghanistan, slightly fewer than then 40,000 being sought by the top U.S. commander there, Gen. Stanley McChrystal. There are 68,000 U.S. troops in the country now, including the 21,000 already deployed by the president.

The president will make a primetime address Dec. 1 on the Afghanistan decision, CBS News confirmed.

"Obama is expected to announce his long-awaited decision on Dec. 1, followed by meetings on Capitol Hill aimed at winning congressional support amid opposition by some Democrats who are worried about the strain on the U.S. Treasury and whether Afghanistan has become a quagmire, the officials said," reports McClatchy's Jonathan S. Landay, John Walcott and Nancy A. Youssef.

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Politics Today is CBSNews.com's inside look at the key stories driving the day in politics

** Now the real fight over health care reform begins...

** President Obama tackles unemployment...

** Sarah Palin rises in polls during her book tour...

HEALTH CARE: Democrats Saturday night squeaked by with 60 votes on a procedural motion to move the health care debate forward.

Still, writes Shalaigh Murray of the Washington Post, " Democrats had little time to savor their weekend Senate health-care victory, as two of the lawmakers who voted to move the debate forward Saturday night indicated Sunday that they will not vote to pass the package if it includes a government-run insurance program."

"Despite the success in the test vote, the fragile consensus in the Democratic caucus will face its greatest test yet as the health-care debate moves to the Senate floor and Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (Nev.) struggles to stave off internal schisms. The cracks in the 60-member caucus are most obvious over the public insurance option.

"One member of the Democratic caucus, independent Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (Conn.), reiterated Sunday that he will oppose any bill that contains a public option. Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press," he called such a government-run plan 'radical.'

"Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), another centrist who supported the move to continue debate but has made it clear he has many objections to the legislation as currently written, restated his opposition to a public plan. 'I don't want a big-government, Washington-run operation that undermines the private insurance that 200 million Americans now have,' he said on ABC's 'This Week.'"

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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:

** Gearing up for a long health care Senate debate...

** Stimulus tracking comes under fire...

** Republican governors focus on economic issues...

HEALTH CARE: "The Senate Thursday began what promises to be a bitter, lengthy battle over the future of health care in America, and taxes, abortion, affordability and federal deficits emerged as key flashpoints," reports McClatchy Newspapers' David Lightman.

"Senate Democratic leaders expect the first test vote on their new $848 billion, 2,074-page health care overhaul bill will come on Saturday evening. Although Democrats are likely to get the 60 votes they need to move forward with the debate, the outcome is uncertain.

"Should the measure pass that initial test, lawmakers made it clear Thursday that they're ready for weeks of political warfare.

"Democrats framed their mission in heroic terms.

"'This is about the woman with high cholesterol, or the man with heart disease, or the child with hay fever who can't get help,' said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. 'That's why we're stopping insurance companies from deciding they'd simply rather not give health care to the sick.'”

"The first test for the bill, which would extend coverage to 31 million more Americans while reducing federal deficits by $130 billion over the next decade, will come Saturday evening," write the Washington Post's Lori Montgomery and Shailagh Murray. "That is when Democratic leaders hope to keep together all 60 of their caucus members to turn back Republican procedural objections. Reid's efforts are focused on three moderate Democrats who oppose various provisions in the measure and have not declared whether they will support efforts to advance it.

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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:

** Senate health care bill pleases most Democrats...

** President Obama gives a stern message to North Korea and Iran...

** Sarah Palin hits the road...

HEALTH CARE: "Senate majority leader Harry Reid unveiled his long-awaited version of a sweeping health care bill last night, setting the stage for a tense Senate showdown pitting Republicans against a fragile and fractured Democratic majority," report the Boston Globe's Lisa Wangsness and Susan Milligan.

"The proposal would expand coverage to most Americans and is predicted to cut the deficit by $127 billion over 10 years, a benefit Senate leaders hoped would help it attract fiscally conservative moderates who will decide the bill’s fate. It also includes a so-called public option, a government-backed insurance plan in states that want one, a concession to liberals.

"With President Obama calling for a bill to be sent to his desk by the end of the year, Reid is hoping to bring the historic health care package up for a test vote on Saturday.”

"Sixty votes are needed to begin debate on the measure, and Senate leaders said they're confident they'll get the votes to proceed after talking with three wavering moderates, Arkansas' Blanche Lincoln, Louisiana's Mary Landrieu and Nebraska's Ben Nelson," adds McClatchy Newspapers' David Lightman.

"Nelson said that while he remained undecided, the possible Saturday vote shouldn't be seen as a judgment on the bill's substance. 'It is a motion to start debate on a bill and to try to improve it,' he said.

Other moderates were also cautious. 'We'll wait and see,' Lincoln said. Added Sen. Evan Bayh, D-Ind., 'I'm going to reserve judgment until I've had a chance to read it, but the numbers on deficit reduction are encouraging.'

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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:

**Palin book tour kicks off in Michigan

**Analysis and reaction to Obama's visit to China

**Reid nears unveiling of health care bill

**Obama says Gitmo won't be closed by January

SARAH PALIN: CBS affiliate WWJ Radio reports, "Sarah Palin's book tour gets under way Wednesday at a Barnes and Noble store in Grand Rapids [Michigan].

"In her new HarperCollins book, 'Going Rogue,' the former governor of Alaska and 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate states that Michigan is 'where I 'went rogue' trying to reach out to during the campaign.' She and running mate John McCain made a stop there last fall.

"In fact, people were already standing outside the Barnes and Noble store early Wednesday amid the cold and wind. 'I've wanted to meet her ever since I saw her...speak at the Republican Convention,' said one woman. 'We purchased two books, one for each other,' said another couple.

"'I don't think people realize she's down to earth,' said one man."

"Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Tuesday she is not trying to reach 'the liberal elites' on her book tour, but instead is focusing on 'everyday, hard-working Americans,'" Politico's Andy Barr writes.

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