All Blog Posts from Political Hotsheet

President Obama will participate in the seventh-annual World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) special "Tribute to the Troops" by taping a holiday message for American troops, TV Week is reporting.

The program will show a trip to the Middle East by WWE "Superstars and Divas," who visited with and performed for troops. According to the Associated Press, it will also feature Gen. David Petraeus, the commander of American military forces in the Middle East, delivering holiday wishes.

Mr. Obama's greeting, which has reportedly already been recorded, has him following in the footsteps of his presidential predecessor: last year's special kicked off with a taped message from then-president George W. Bush.

Read full post…

In the morning, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will visit with U.S. Embassy staff and their families at the Grand Hotel in Olso, Norway.

The president and Mrs. Obama will then depart Oslo and return to Washington, D.C.

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

3:30AM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama visit with U.S. Embassy staff and their families.

4:40AM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama depart Oslo en route Andrews Air Force Base.

12:55PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at Andrews Air Force Base.

1:10PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive at The White House.

"It sounded like President Obama was making the case that in fact war is very good for many things," CBS News White House correspondent Mark Knoller said of the president's Nobel Prize speech on "Washington Unplugged" Thursday. "That sometimes in order to get peace, you have to go to war."

It was obvious that the president was "aware of the apparent incongruity" of a war president receiving the peace prize, Knoller continued. "He did not back away from it. He defended it."

Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak, meanwhile, said while it was impressive to see a sitting U.S. President receive the prestigious award, he found the speech to be "unfocused" and "incoherent."

"It was given from a position of defensiveness," Mackowiak said. Watch the full program above.

"Washington Unplugged" appears live on CBSNews.com each weekday at 12:30 p.m. ET. Click here to check out previous episodes.

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will arrive in Oslo, Norway, in the morning. They will then attend the Nobel Peace Prize signing ceremony at the Norwegian Nobel Institute.

Mr. Obama will then meet with Prime Minister Stoltenberg at his office, after which they will hold a joint press availability.

In the afternoon, Mr. Obama and Michelle Obama will meet with King Harald V and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace.

The president and the first lady will then attend the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony at the Oslo City Hall. The president will deliver remarks.

In the evening, the president and first lady will attend the Nobel Banquet at the Grand Hotel.

The president and first lady will spend the night in Oslo.

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

2:45AM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama arrive in Oslo, Norway

3:30AM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend Nobel Peace Prize signing ceremony

4:10AM: President Obama arrives and is greeted by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg

4:15AM: President Obama meets with Prime Minister Stoltenberg

4:45AM: President Obama and Prime Minister Stoltenberg hold joint press availability

6:10AM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama take official photo with King Harald V and Queen Sonja

6:15AM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have a private audience with King Harald V and Queen Sonja

7:00AM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony; President Obama will deliver remarks

1:05PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet the Torch Parade from the Grand Hotel Balcony

1:15PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are greeted by King Harald V and Queen Sonja and walk to Nobel Banquet

1:30PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend Nobel Banquet

In the morning, President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office.

Mr. Obama will then hold a bipartisan meeting in the Cabinet Room with members of Congress to discuss the economy and creating jobs. The Vice President will also attend.

Expected attendees include:
Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., Majority Leader
Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., Majority Whip
Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., Vice Chair of the Democratic Conference
Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., Secretary of the Democratic Conference
Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Chairman of the Democratic Policy Committee
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Republican Leader
Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., Ranking Member, Budget Committee
Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo., Ranking Member, HELP Committee
Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, Ranking Member, Finance Committee
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., Majority Leader
Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C., Majority Whip
Rep. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., Assistant to the Speaker
Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif, Democratic Caucus Vice Chairman
Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, Republican Leader
Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., Republican Whip
Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., Republican Conference Chair
Rep. Dave Camp, R-Mich., Ranking Member, Ways & Means Committee

Following the meeting, the president will make a statement to the press in the Diplomatic Reception Room.

In the afternoon, Mr. Obama will make a Recovery Act announcement on community health centers in the South Court Auditorium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Later, he will meet with business and environmental leaders regarding the Copenhagen conference in the Roosevelt Room.

In the evening, the president and the first lady will travel to Oslo, Norway, for the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony.

Here's the Full Schedule from the White House (all times Eastern):

9:35AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the Presidential Daily Briefing

10:50AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with bipartisan members of Congress

11:50AM: President Obama makes a statement to the press

12:20PM: President Obama makes a Recovery Act announcement on community health centers

2:00PM: President Obama meets with business and environmental leaders

7:15PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama depart The White House en route Andrews Air Force Base

7:35PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama depart Andrews Air Force Base en route Oslo, Norway

In the morning, President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and the Economic Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. The president will then meet with senior advisers in the Oval Office.

Later, Mr. Obama will deliver remarks on the economy at the Brookings Institution.

In the afternoon, the president and the vice president will have lunch in the Private Dining Room. They will later meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office.

Here's the Full Schedule from the White House (all times Eastern):

9:30AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the Presidential Daily Briefing

10:00AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the Economic Daily Briefing

10:30AM: President Obama meets with senior advisors

11:15AM: President Obama delivers remarks on the economy

12:10PM: President Obama and Vice President Biden have lunch

1:15PM: President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton

There'll be no effort by Barack Obama to disguise or obscure the fact that he's a war president when he accepts the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo on Thursday.

The ceremony takes place ten days after he announced plans to escalate the U.S. military engagement in Afghanistan by deploying another 30,000 American troops there.

Even the White House regards it as an odd "juxtaposition" and spokesman Robert Gibbs says the president will use his acceptance speech to address that irony.

It raises the question of whether the Nobel judges would have wanted to bestow one of the most highly-coveted awards on the planet on an American president newly-engaged in an expansion of military might in a conflict now in its eighth year.

The judges said they selected Mr. Obama to honor "his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples."

But asked specifically if Mr. Obama will be accepting the Nobel Peace Prize as a war president, spokesman Gibbs was unambiguous. "Exactly," he stated bluntly. And he will mention Afghanistan in his acceptance speech.

Read full post…

In the morning, President Obama and Vice President Biden will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and the Economic Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. The president will then meet with senior advisers in the Oval Office.

Later, the president and vice president will meet with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in the Oval Office, which is to be followed with a working lunch in the Cabinet Room.

In the afternoon, Mr. Obama and Biden will meet with General Stanley McChrystal, Commander, International Security Assistance Force, and United States Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry in the Oval Office.

In the evening, Mr. Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host a holiday reception for Members of Congress on the State Floor.

Here's the Full Schedule from the White House (all times Eastern):

9:45AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the Presidential Daily Briefing

10:15AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden receive the Economic Daily Briefing

10:45AM: President Obama meets with senior advisors

11:30AM: President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey

12:15PM: President Obama and Vice President Biden attend working lunch with Prime Minister Erdogan

3:30PM: President Obama and Vice President Biden meet with General McChrystal and Ambassador Eikenberry

7:30PM: President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host holiday reception for Members of Congress

Read full post…

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

Republican Whip Eric Cantor, who introduced his own jobs initiative Wednesday, said he "hopes" the jobs summit hosted by the White House Thursday is more than simply a photo opportunity on "Washington Unplugged" Thursday.

With the backdrop of a 23-year high in the unemployment rate, Cantor told moderator Nancy Cordes, "I know this job summit is happening at the White House. There have been plenty of summits before. I am just hoping this is a little bit more than a photo-op."

Read full post…