Morning Bulletin – Monday, April 6, 2009
A roundup of news, schedules, and key stories from CBS News Political Director Steve Chaggaris:
"Turkey's democracy is your own achievement. It was not forced upon you by any outside power, nor did it come without struggle and sacrifice. Like any democracy, Turkey draws strength from both the successes of the past, and from the efforts of each generation of Turks that makes new progress for your people," Obama said
"[O]ur friendship is strong, and our alliance endures. ... The United States and Turkey have not always agreed on every issue. That is to be expected – no two nations do. But we have stood together through many challenges over the last sixty years. And because of the strength of our alliance and the endurance of our friendship, both America and Turkey are stronger, and the world is more secure. Now, our two democracies are confronted by an unprecedented set of challenges. An economic crisis that recognizes no borders. Extremism that leads to the killing of innocent men, women and children. Strains on our energy supply and a changing climate. The proliferation of the world's deadliest weapons, and the persistence of tragic conflict.
"These are the great tests of our young century. And the choices that we make in the coming years will determine whether the future will be shaped by fear or by freedom; by poverty or by prosperity; by strife or by a just, secure and lasting peace. This much is certain: no one nation can confront these challenges alone, and all nations have a stake in overcoming them. That is why we must listen to one another, and seek common ground. That is why we must build on our mutual interests, and rise above our differences. We are stronger when we act together. That is the message that I have carried with me throughout this trip to Europe. That will be the approach of the United States of America going forward."
But on controversial issues such as official U.S. recognition of the 1915 Armenian genocide and the ongoing standoff between Greece and Turkey in Cyprus, the president left it to the parties involved to settle their differences.
"I know there are strong views in this chamber about the terrible events of 1915. While there has been a good deal of commentary about my views, this is really about how the Turkish and Armenian people deal with the past. And the best way forward for the Turkish and Armenian people is a process that works through the past in a way that is honest, open and constructive," Mr. Obama said, not using the term "genocide," which Armenians have complained that no U.S. President, except for Reagan, has used in reference to the events of 1915. During the presidential campaign, Mr. Obama promised to recognize those events as genocide.
Earlier today at a news conference with Turkish President Abullah Gul, Mr. Obama said "he stood by his 2008 assertion that Ottoman Turks carried out widespread killings of Armenians early in the 20th century, finessing the sensitive issue by stopping short of repeating the word 'genocide,'" reports the Associated Press. Tom Raum.
"'Well, my views are on the record and I have not changed views,' Obama said. ... Historians estimate that up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turks in the years leading up to and during World War I, an event widely viewed by many scholars as the first genocide of the 20th century. Turkey denies that the deaths constituted genocide, claiming the toll has been inflated and the casualties were victims of civil war and unrest."
According to the CIA World Factbook, "Tensions between the Greek Cypriot majority and Turkish Cypriot minority came to a head in December 1963, when violence broke out in the capital of Nicosia. Despite the deployment of UN peacekeepers in 1964, sporadic intercommunal violence continued forcing most Turkish Cypriots into enclaves throughout the island. In 1974, a Greek Government-sponsored attempt to seize control of Cyprus was met by military intervention from Turkey, which soon controlled more than a third of the island. In 1983, the Turkish-held area declared itself the 'Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus', but it is recognized only by Turkey."
Both issues are touchy subjects as U.S. presidents have consistently stayed away from taking sides, knowing Turkey's importance as an ally.
"Obama's visit is a nod to Turkey's regional reach, economic power, diplomatic contacts and status as a secular democracy seeking European Union membership that has accommodated
political Islam," write Reuters' Caren Bohan and Ibon Villelabeitia. "Turkey is a major transit route for U.S. troops and equipment destined for Iraq as well as Afghanistan. As the United States reduces its troops there, Incirlik air force base could play a key role."
"President Barack Obama's stop in Turkey is hardly an afterthought, a 'while I'm in the neighborhood' visit," adds the Associated Press' Steven R. Hurst.
"For starters, he wants to mend relations strained when the United States went to war in Iraq six years ago. Ankara's Islamic-rooted government denied Washington's request to use Turkish territory to invade Iraq from the north. But Turkey also is in line for thanks for trying to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians. Turkey is the only predominantly Muslim country in NATO, an alliance stalwart and America's best friend in the Islamic world. ...
"Turkey is one of only two key Muslim countries with cordial relations with Israel. "The Turks, along with the Egyptians, are working with France in trying to maintain a cease-fire and broker a permanent truce between Israel and Hamas, the Palestinian faction that rules the Gaza Strip. That is essential to America's pledge to spare no effort in establishing peace between the ancient antagonists and establishing a Palestinian state. Beyond that, Turkey has shepherded contacts between Israel and Syria, where a successful outcome could entice Muslim nations across the Middle East into accepting Israel's right to exist."
"Washington has long supported EU membership for Turkey, a prickly yet strategic U.S. ally," write the Wall Street Journal's Marc Champion and Farnaz Fassihi.
"Mr. Obama said Sunday at an EU-U.S. summit in Prague that pushing forward with membership would 'ensure we continue to anchor Turkey firmly in Europe.' But coming just a day after Turkey forced a series of concessions from fellow members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization before accepting their choice of a Dane to head the alliance, Mr. Obama's appeal drew a sharp response from French President Nicolas Sarkozy. ... Turkey has started membership talks with the EU, but the process has been partially frozen because of opposition from members including France, Germany and Cyprus."
PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE: President Obama heads to Istanbul where, tomorrow, he'll hold meetings with religious leaders, tour the Hagia Sofia and the Blue Mosque and also hold a roundtable with students before returning to the U.S.
BUDGET: "House lawmakers this weekend submitted formal requests to include thousands of earmarks in this year's government-spending bills, setting the stage for a potential clash with President Barack Obama that could distract from the Democrats' broader agenda," reports the Wall Street Journal's Brody Mullins.
"[A]s Congress begins putting together the bills to direct more than $1 trillion in government spending under Mr. Obama's watch, a potential showdown looms. ... The House Appropriations Committee required lawmakers to submit formal requests for their earmarks by Saturday. A review of some of those reports, available on lawmakers' Web sites, suggests that House lawmakers have requested, at the least, thousands of earmarks costing billions of dollars. The 60 members of the House Appropriations Committee submitted more than 3,000 earmark requests in total."
Meantime, the Washington Post's Dan Eggen writes, "Obama's Machine Sputters in Effort to Push Budget": "[I]n its first big test, the group dubbed Organizing for America (OFA) had little obvious impact on the debate over President Obama's budget, which passed Congress on Thursday with no Republican support and a splintering of votes among conservative Democrats. The capstone of the campaign was the delivery of 214,000 signatures to Capitol Hill, which swayed few, if any, members of Congress, according to legislative aides from both parties.
"The episode underscores the difficulty that Obama and his supporters face in attempting to transfer the excitement of a historic presidential campaign to the mundane and complex process of pushing legislation through Congress. It also comes as something of a relief to beleaguered Republicans, who cast the relatively humble pledge campaign as a sign of broader disaffection with Obama's economic priorities."
ALSO TODAY: Vice President Biden throws out the first pitch at the Baltimore Orioles' home opener vs. the New York Yankees at 4:05pm ET.
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner and Attorney General Eric Holder hold a news conference at 11am ET announcing a crackdown on mortgage scams. "[F]ederal officials will gather Monday at Treasury to announce a new multi-agency effort to crack down on foreclosure rescue scams and loan modification fraud," according to a Treasury Department official. They'll "announce new initiatives to coordinate information and resources across agencies to maximize targeting and efficiency in fraud investigations, alert financial institutions to emerging schemes, step up enforcement actions and educate consumers to help those in financial trouble avoid becoming the victims of a loan modification or foreclosure rescue scam."
FOREIGN POLICY
NY Times' Helene Cooper and David E. Sanger, "Obama Seizes on Missile Launch in Seeking Nuclear Cuts"
Politico's Jonathan Martin and David S. Cloud, "N. Korea launch reignites debate"
LA Times' Paul Richter and Geraldine Baum, "U.N. Security Council fails to agree on North Korea Reaction"
NY Times' Dan Bilefsky and Helene Cooper, "Obamas' Visit Eases Doubts of the Czechs"
Kathimerini English edition, "Karamanlis breaks the ice with Obama"
USA Today's Richard Wolf, "President's European trip a success and a reality check"
Politico's Jonathan Martin, "Obama trip no 'European Vacation'"
NY Times' Jane Perlez, "Time Is Short as U.S. Presses Pakistan, a Reluctant Ally"
AUTOMAKER BAILOUT
CBS News' Michelle Levi, "Geithner: Bankruptcy Still An Option For GM"
LA Times' Peter Wallsten, "For Obama, politics may be hard to avoid in auto bailout"
Wall Street Journal's Neil King Jr and Peter Lattman, "Rattner Rises as Obama's Mr. Fix-It"
NY Times' Louise Story, "Obama's Top Auto Industry Troubleshooter"
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION
Wall Street Journal's August Cole, "Gates to Reveal His Plans to Reshape the Military"
NY Times' John Harwood, "President's Agenda Demands a Star Player"
Wall Street Journal's John D. McKinnon, "Obama Team's Finances Released"
Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet, "Obama advisor David Axelrod sells stakes in Chicago firms for $3 million"
NY Times' Louise Story, "A Rich Education for Summers (After Harvard)"
GOP'S FUTURE
Reuters' Steve Holland, "Republicans struggling to find footing"
MINNESOTA SENATE RECOUNT
USA Today's Jill Lawrence, "Special panel set to do last count in Minn. Senate race"
Politico's Kenneth P. Vogel, "Franken-Coleman gravy train rides on"
NY-20 SPECIAL ELECTION
Albany Times Union's Jennifer A. Dlouhy, "House fight is a boon for lawyers"
FUTURE RACES
2010 IA Governor: CQ Politics, "Iowans Have Doubts About Their Governor"
2009 VA Governor: Roanoke Times' Cody Lowe, "McAuliffe stumps in Roanoke"
2009 VA Governor: Washington Post's Tim Craig, "McAuliffe Takes A Chapter From Obama Playbook In Governor Bid"
2010 VA Governor, CQ Politics' Greg Giroux, "Rivals for Governor Hope to Sow Support in Northern Virginia"
2010 CT Senate: Associated Press' Andrew Miga, "Ex-Rep. Simmons noisily taking on Conn. Sen Dodd"
2010 FL Senate: Tampa Tribune's William March, "Crist Facing Conservative Uprising"
2010 MO Senate: Kansas City Star's Dave Helling, "Tax breaks for Rep. Roy Blunt, wife under review"
ETC.
Politico's Nia-Malika Henderson, "Michelle and mom in Essence"
Washington Post's Krissah Thompson, "Blacks at Odds Over Scrutiny of President"