About those "special interests"

As President Obama slaps his former friends at Goldman Sachs, he might consider removing his other hand from the pockets of his friends down South, deep in the old cotton belt.

Some of the more thoughtful members of Congress have just sent Obama a letter he might consider reading. It wonders why the administration has twisted itself into a special-interest pretzel that is so absurd it makes the jaw drop. See here and here.

To wit: our crusading president is going to send $150 million of your tax dollars to subsidize the Brazilian cotton industry. Why? so that he can continue to spend several billion more of your tax dollars subsidizing U.S. cotton farmers.

This is the Obama administration's idea of how to fix the problem of a WTO finding that the U.S. cotton subsidies are illegal, permitting $800 million in Brazilian sanctions against all manner of U.S. exports, perhaps the ones our dear Chron readers make in Silicon Valley.

Reps. Jeff Flake,R-Az., Ron Kind, D-Wisc., Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., and Barney Frank, D-Mass. (find the last time Barney Frank and Paul Ryan agreed on anything) have penned a note to the prez suggesting that perhaps the way to fix the problem is to end the U.S. cotton subsidies.

Duh.

If the administration gets away with this one, shameless takes on a whole new meaning.

Posted By: Carolyn Lochhead (Email) | April 23 2010 at 06:53 AM

Dems in LaLa Land: There's an Obama as Hitler photo here

\

Los Angeles-- Greeting attendees to the California Democratic Party convention here Friday outside the J.W. Marriott: Several images of Obama sporting the trademark Hitler moustache.

They were courtesy of a handful of supporters of Lyndon LaRouche. Asked one LaRouchie to explain why she linked the president to the Nazi leader. About seven minutes and several follow-up questions later, there still wasn't a link...and my ears were starting to melt and slide off of my head.

Nonetheless, here it is for the record:

Posted By: Joe Garofoli (Email, Twitter, Facebook) | April 16 2010 at 09:00 PM

Obama tax returns

They're up on the the White House web site. Top line: $5.5 mil for the prez. Who knew you could make that much from books and Nobel prizes?

Posted By: Carolyn Lochhead (Email) | April 15 2010 at 10:07 AM

Ken Starr says he's sorry about Clinton/Lewinsky case

One day after being chosen the next president of Baylor University, former independent counsel Ken Starr said he was sorry about the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal that led to the 42nd president's impeachment.

"Oh, I am. Absolutely," he told ABC's George Stephanopoulos today. "Who's not sorrowful for the entire chapter in American history."

During his interview with the ex-Clinton aide, Starr said that he is willing to "accept thoughtful criticism" of his handling of the Clinton/Lewinsky investigation. But his bottom line is unrepentant: "The law is the law."

Starr, who has been dean of California's Pepperdine Law School, leavened the serious questions with an inside joke at the expense of the liberal group that was created in response to his investigation.

"To coin a phrase," Starr said, "move on. And I've moved on."

Posted By: Richard Dunham (Email) | February 16 2010 at 05:16 PM

'Eternal optimist' Obama hopes he can get Dems to work with GOP on energy

It looks like President Obama could reach a bipartisan deal with Republicans on energy legislation -- if he just didn't have those pesky Democrats in the way.

At an unannounced press conference in the White House briefing room today, Obama told reporters that he believes he can get members of his own party to go along with some of the GOP's energy-policy goals if that's what it takes to get an agreement that can be signed into law.

AP photo Obama: "I'm an eternal optimist."

"I'm an eternal optimist," the president said optimistically.

Congressional Democrats led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have been balking at Republican demands -- and White House acquiescence -- to include expanding offshore drilling and more nuclear energy generation as part of bipartisan energy-security legislation. There is widespread support in both parties for new tax breaks to expand alternative-energy production.

Of course, even if Republicans and Democrats can agree on the "supply" side of the energy equation, there's still a huge disagreement over the "demand" side, including what steps should be taken to limit greenhouse gas emissions by U.S. businesses and consumers.

But Obama -- first in his State of the Union address last month and then today at his press conference -- is demonstrating that he is flexible about the means to reach the bipartisan end of reduced reliance on imported oil.

"I won't hesitate to embrace a good idea from my friends in the minority party," he said, "but I also won't hesitate to condemn ... what I consider to be obstinacy."

Posted By: Richard Dunham (Email) | February 09 2010 at 11:47 AM

Round Two: Rep. Hensarling blasts Obama (again) on spending, deficits

A week ago, Jeb Hensarling was a generally anonymous backbencher in the House of Representatives, one of hundreds of middle-aged, white, Republican males holding consistently conservative views and expressing unwavering criticism of the Democrats who run Washington.

But with a single question -- some would say lecture -- during a Q&A session with President Obama, the Republican congressman from Texas became a darling of the conservative movement.

This morning, Hensarling, a former aide to ex-Texas Sen. Phil Gramm, was plucked from the pack to deliver the official Republican Party response to the president's weekly web address. And, as you might expect, he was scathing in his remarks on Obama's handling of the budget and the deficit.

AP photo Rep. Jeb Hensarling

"We cannot continue on this reckless path, and the American people know it," said Hensarling, the number two Republican on the House Budget Committee. "But now it's up to Democrats in Washington to listen and change course."

Echoing an emerging GOP election year theme, Hensarling argued that Obama's rhetoric about fiscal responsibility is not matched by deficit-busting action.

"When it comes to budget matters, I usually find myself agreeing with about 80 percent of what the president says," Hensarling said, "but I disagree with 80 percent of what he does.

Tops on Hensarling's list of Obama economic errors was the 2009 economic stimulus package.

"Americans are still asking, 'where are the jobs? Where are the jobs?'" he asked. "But all they are getting from Washington is more spending, more taxes, more debt and more bailouts."

The Democratic National Committee issued an immediate rebuttal, accusing the Texas Republican of hyperbole and committing factual errors.

"Much like we saw in his questioning of the President in Baltimore, Hensarling's comments are misleading, loaded with political rhetoric and simply don't square with the facts," said DNC spokesman Brad Woodhouse.

Posted By: Richard Dunham (Email) | February 06 2010 at 07:45 AM

Tie or no tie, that is the question as Obama meets George H.W. Bush on a snowy Saturday

White House photo Two presidents: a study in sartorial contrasts.

The Presidents Bush, senior and junior alike, had a rule: always wear a jacket and tie in the Oval Office.

A sign of respect, they insist.

George W. Bush, aka 43, was said to have been aghast at photos of Bill Clinton in running shorts in the office his father had spent four years in. During his eight-year tenure, aides were admonished to dress up, seven days a week. Holidays, too.

So it was a sign of change (you can decide on the "hope" thing) when George H.W. Bush paid a visit to President Obama this morning. The two men, along with former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, met in the Oval Office.

The former president was dressed in jacket and tie, as befits a Bush. The current president was in his usual weekend garb, dress casual.

The episode reflects a generational shift more than any political difference. But it was striking nonetheless.

What did the three men talk about? After all, it was a social call by the former president, who had family business in the DC area. But it wouldn't be out of the realm of reality to suggest that Obama was seeking advice on how to break the harsh grip of hyperpartisanship that has complicated political discourse in Washington over the past two decades.

President Bush 41 has been unhappy about the GOP's harsh personal attacks on Obama, just as he was critical of ugly Democratic comments about his eldest son, President Bush 43.

But we'll have to wait to find out exactly what advice George H.W. and Jeb Bush offered.

After the meeting, the only comment the senior Bush offered to the press was "good meeting, good meeting." The White House had nothing to add.

Sunday update: One of our readers pointed out that the Huffington Post has uncovered a photo of Bush, in white shirt but no jacket, speaking with Harriet Miers in the Oval Office. Take a look here and tell us what you think.

Posted By: Richard Dunham (Email) | January 30 2010 at 02:07 PM

Obama talks civility, then gets into spat with GOP critic

Republican Rep. Jeb Hensarling has a reputation as a hard-edged partisan with an abrasive streak that sometimes rubs people, particularly Democrats, the wrong way.

AP photo Rep. Jeb Hensarling: Mister Congeniality he ain't.

Well, today, he rubbed President Obama the wrong way.

At the end of a mostly polite question-and-answer session between the president and House Republicans today in Baltimore, the Texas Republican ticked off Obama when, rather than asking a question, he launched a partisan soliloquy against government spending and debt.

"Jim, I know there's a question in there," the president said, interrupting the man he three times called "Jim" rather than "Jeb."

Obama said that Hensarling's harsh attacks — and faulty command of facts — were a large part of the reason why Washington politics is so polarized.

"The whole question was structured as a talking point to run a campaign," Obama told the House Republicans.

The president took exception to two "facts" cited by Hensarling: that the federal deficit each month is as large as it was in the year before Obama took office and that the federal debt would triple over the next decade.

"That's factually just not true and you know it's not true," Obama said.

The president was the guest of House Republican leaders at the congressional GOP issues conference about 40 miles north of the nation's capital. Hensarling, a prominent critic of federal spending who refuses to take government earmarks for his district, was the final questioner at a lively but generally affable session.

Their exchange began tensely when Obama pointed to Hensarling and said, "Jim is going to wrap things up."

"Jeb, Mister President," Hensarling corrected, tartly.

He then launched a critique of the "unconscionable debt" the Obama administration was piling on their "small children."

Hensarling accused Democrats of ignoring Republicans' input on budget issues in 2009 and dismissed Obama's economic stimulus package as bad for the economy.

"Many of us believe it's part of the problem and not part of the solution," he said.

Obama shook his head at some of the budget claims made by Hensarling and eventually interrupted his conservative critic.

"Jim, I know there's a question in there," he needled.

When Hensarling finished his speech, Obama spent nearly as much time talking about his tone than the substance of his comments.

"The point is, at what point can we have a serious (discussion)...in which we're not simply trying to position ourselves politically?" he asked.

The president said that the White House and Congress are "not going to be able to do anything" if the political discourse is dominated by claims that "the other party is being irresponsible."

"We can't start off by figuring out (a) who's to blame and (b) how we can make the American people fear the other side," he said.

After the retreat, Hensarling was diplomatic in his comments about the president but steadfast in defense of his facts.

"I stand by what I said," he declared.

But he praised Obama for his willingness to reach out to the GOP rank-and-file, something he says House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, has not done.

"I have great respect for President Obama," said Hensarling. "I am grateful he chose to address the House Republicans - and I give him credit for accepting our invitation. But, again, he didn't answer my specific question on whether he would continue us on a path to tripling the national debt and increasing government spending to 24.5 percent of the economy."

Posted By: Richard Dunham (Email) | January 29 2010 at 11:44 AM

Fact-checking the State o' the U

As we clean out our post-SOTU closet -- please, turn your head -- we offer a belated Lies, Half-Truths and Contradictions on the status of the e pluribus unum. President Obama has stopped talking, right?

On Obama saying the Supreme Court "reversed a century of law that I believe will open the floodgates for special interests -- including foreign corporations -- to spend without limit in our elections"....it's a stretch.

Yeah, you've seen the video of Justice Alito saying "Not true" in reference to the SCOTUS decision Obama was referencing. And, he's right to an extent. There is a law preventing foreign corps from spending money on U.S. elections.

Our fact-checking friends at Politifact and Factcheck.org say while the ruling may leave some potential loopholes for foreigners -- or their U.S. subsidiaries -- to drop cash on U.S. elections, the Prez might have been overstating his case here.

Interesting political backstory: Let's not forget that Obama was never a fan of Alito. Then-Senator O voted against Alito's appointment to the Supreme Court for...well, for exactly for reasons like this decision. As The O said in explaining his no-on-Alito vote:

"When you look at (Alito's) record -- when it comes to his understanding of the Constitution, I have found that in almost every case, he consistently sides on behalf of the powerful against the powerless; on behalf of a strong government or corporation against upholding American's individual rights," Obama said.

Moving along, Obama said in the SOTU that "We've excluded lobbyists from policymaking jobs or seats on federal boards and commissions."

No, not true. A couple of former lobbyists got waivers -- don't you just love waivers? -- to be allowed to skirt the rules banning ex-lobbyists. Still, a crew of good gov't groups give Obama good grades for trying to be more transparent.

And finally, when Obama said "because of the steps we took, there are about 2 million Americans working right now who would otherwise be unemployed," he was cherry-picking some facts.

That 2 million figure is based on the juiciest predictions from his own economic advisers.

But that same report also acknowledges that it's "inherently difficult" to predict what would have happened WITHOUT those "steps." "Therefore," the report says, "it must be understood that our estimates are subject to substantial margins of error."

Posted By: Joe Garofoli (Email, Twitter, Facebook) | January 28 2010 at 07:06 PM

Analysis: Amid pleas for unity, President Obama riles both left and right

President Obama's State of the Union speech Wednesday night gave us a preview of the balancing act that will dominate the second year of the presidency.

AP photo Unifying figures: Fort Hood police officers Kimberly Munley and Mark Todd with first lady Michelle Obama

Can the president reach out to fiscally conservative independent voters, court Republican lawmakers and keep liberals in his party happy all at the same time?

Can he win the hearts of the right through business tax cuts and a spending freeze while keeping the loyalties of the left by pushing for health-insurance reform and an end to the military's "don't ask, don't tell" policy?

Can he continue to blame Republicans for the fiscal mess the country's in but win their partnership to clean it up?

Those would be a series of difficult challenges for a politician flush with political capital. But for one who's lost some big battles on Capitol Hill and at the ballot box -- and is facing the lowest job-approval ratings of his presidency -- it's a tall order.

The immediate reaction from the left and right on some hot-button issues indicate that Obama has a big challenge keeping hope alive.

Obama's rhetorical tight-rope walk created some "amusing mixed messages," said University of Virginia government professor Larry Sabato. "Calls for bipartisanship intertwined with partisan attacks, like (the) back and forth of family spats or children's quarrels."

Allan Louden, a communications professor at Wake Forest University, said Obama's proposals "in tone often sounded more 'red' than 'blue.'" That may be one reason why their was an undercurrent of skepticism on the left when the standing ovations in the House chamber ended.

Liberals liked some of Obama's fighting words about the middle class, his harsh words for bankers and companies that export American jobs. But a few of his proposals drew little to no applause on the Democratic side of the congressional divide. Among them:

Read More 'Analysis: Amid pleas for unity, President Obama riles both left and right' »

Posted By: Richard Dunham (Email) | January 27 2010 at 10:57 PM