| 7:45 AM | The Vice President hosts a breakfast meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Naval Observatory Closed Press |
| 9:00 AM | The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office Closed Press |
| 9:30 AM | The President and the Vice President hold a meeting on Libya Situation Room Closed Press |
| 10:00 AM | Press Secretary Jay Carney will convene an off-camera gaggle James S. Brady Briefing Room Open Press |
| 10:15 AM | The President and the Vice President meet with Congressional Leadership to discuss ongoing negotiations on a funding bill Oval Office Closed Press |
| 11:45 AM | The President meets with President Shimon Peres of Israel Oval Office Pool Spray |
| 12:00 PM | The Vice President delivers remarks at a memorial service for David Broder National Press Club Press Information |
| 12:10 PM | The President holds a working lunch with President Peres Old Family Dining Room Closed Press |
| 2:50 PM | The President meets with CEO of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Daniel Yohannes Oval Office Closed Press |
| 3:00 PM | |
| 3:05 PM | The President meets with President and CEO of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation Elizabeth Littlefield Oval Office Closed Press |
| 4:30 PM | The Vice President meets with President Shimon Peres of Israel Blair House |
Monday, April 04, 2011
Obama's Schedule April 5
Times are ET
Obama Gets No Credit for Avoiding Disasters
Obama's presidency has largely been about averting disasters and responding to disasters. While that doesn't win Obama much political clout, as this article concludes, we need a level-headed, pragmatic, smart, thoughtful and conscious president who can manage disasters without making them worse. For every disaster I think of John McCain and how he might have handled it. Then I think of Newt. Then Michele Bachmann. Then Mitt. Then Sarah Palin. Then... well, you get the idea.
The New Republic recently asked an intriguing question about the U.S. intervention in Libya: Why isn't Obama getting credit for preventing an atrocity? The answer is obvious when you think about it: because he prevented the atrocity. It's hard to get credit for avoiding a disaster when it's impossible to prove the disaster would have happened without you. Social scientists call this the counterfactual problem. There's no double-blind study to show what would happen in an alternative Libya where the U.S. didn't intervene. If you want credit for stopping a disaster, you have to wait until the disaster is already under way to act, like President Clinton did in Bosnia. Read more at Time
White House Press Briefing April 4
Obama will speak on energy twice this week. On Wednesday, Obama will hold a town hall in Fairless Hills, Penn. at Gamesa North America.
On Friday, Obama will travel to Indianapolis to speak at Allison Transmission.
Also, Obama has invited John Boehner, Harry Reid and others to the White House tomorrow to talk about the 2011 budget and avoiding a budget shutdown.
On Friday, Obama will travel to Indianapolis to speak at Allison Transmission.
Also, Obama has invited John Boehner, Harry Reid and others to the White House tomorrow to talk about the 2011 budget and avoiding a budget shutdown.
Obama's Schedule April 4
| 9:30 AM | The President receives the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office Closed Press |
| 3:15 PM | The President meets with Secretary of Defense Gates Oval Office Closed Press |
| 4:00 PM | The President meets with Secretary of State Clinton Oval Office Closed Press |
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Obama's Statement on Afghan Riots
The attacks killed 20 people, inlcuding UN workers.
But this is more than one little man's burning of the Koran. The people of Afghanistan should know that most Americans don't condone burning of sacred texts and that the act of one coward doesn't represent an entire country. But Hamid Karzai's reaction to the riots shows that he clearly doesn't understand this freedom of speech thing we've got going on here:
Petraeus on the Koran burning:
Today, the American people honor those who were lost in the attack on the United Nations in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. Once again, we extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those who were killed, and to the people of the nations that they came from. The desecration of any holy text, including the Koran, is an act of extreme intolerance and bigotry. However, to attack and kill innocent people in response is outrageous, and an affront to human decency and dignity. No religion tolerates the slaughter and beheading of innocent people, and there is no justification for such a dishonorable and deplorable act. Now is a time to draw upon the common humanity that we share, and that was so exemplified by the UN workers who lost their lives trying to help the people of Afghanistan.If "Pastor" Terry Jones wants to burn the Koran, it seems he should go to Afghanistan and burn it in front of the people who value it. What a cowardly, despicable -- and likely mentally disturbed -- man.
But this is more than one little man's burning of the Koran. The people of Afghanistan should know that most Americans don't condone burning of sacred texts and that the act of one coward doesn't represent an entire country. But Hamid Karzai's reaction to the riots shows that he clearly doesn't understand this freedom of speech thing we've got going on here:
President Hamid Karzai expressed regret for the 20 protest deaths, but he also further stoked possible anti-foreign sentiment by again demanding that the United States and United Nations bring to justice the pastor of the Dove Outreach Center in Gainesville, Florida, where the Quran was burned March 20. Many Afghans did not know about the Quran-burning until Karzai condemned it four days after it happened. APThe riots say it's time to get out of Afghanistan and chalk up all of our losses there -- and there are many. We failed big time. We need to get out and accept the consequences, whatever they may be.
Petraeus on the Koran burning:
Saturday, April 02, 2011
Obama to File Re-election Papers
The only republican candidate I'd like to see run against Obama (for the sake of a decent republican option) would be Mitch Daniels. But Obama likely will be running against one of the bottom of the barrel republicans, such as Michele Bachmann or Newt, which means the campaigning will be especially skeezy. I'm not looking forward to that.
That widely anticipated but formal step of registering with the FEC will free Obama to start raising money for the re-election effort, which, like his 2008 campaign, will be run from Chicago.
That fundraising already has begun. Obama netted $1.5 million at a Democratic fundraiser in New York's Harlem this past week. He's also scheduled to travel in the week ahead to headline events in Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Obama raised an eye-catching $750 million in 2008. Read more at AP
Friday, April 01, 2011
Obama Sends Envoy Lyman to Sudan
Earlier today, the President met with newly appointed Special Envoy for Sudan Ambassador Princeton Lyman at the White House. The meeting comes at a critical time with only 99 days remaining before the end of the interim period of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. The President expressed his gratitude for Ambassador Lyman’s long service on Africa, for his willingness to lead U.S. efforts on Sudan, and told Ambassador Lyman that he has the full support of the White House. During the meeting, the President outlined his serious concerns over the situation in Abyei and the impact that increased bombings are having on civilians in Darfur. The President underscored his commitment to the establishment of two viable states in northern and South Sudan in July. They discussed the urgency of all parties joining the new opportunities in the Doha Peace Process and of elevating the level of international engagement on Darfur. The President charged Ambassador Lyman, working closely with his Senior Advisor for Darfur Dane Smith, to increase efforts towards achieving a lasting ceasefire and political settlement at Darfur peace negotiations in Doha.
At the President’s behest, Ambassador Lyman will make two trips to the region in the next month—one focused on Comprehensive Peace Agreement implementation and the other dedicated to Darfur. Ambassador Lyman leaves on the first of these trips this weekend and will provide the President with his findings and recommendations upon his return.
Obama Will Host Israel's Shimon Peres April 5
From the White House:
The President will welcome Israeli President Shimon Peres to the White House for a working lunch on April 5, 2011. The President looks forward to discussing with President Peres the full range of issues of common concern, including U.S.-Israeli security cooperation, recent developments across the Middle East, and the pursuit of peace between Israel and its neighbors. The President last received President Peres at the White House in May 2009.
What is the Debt Ceiling?
A great explainer on the debt ceiling, which absolutely has to be raised but no doubt will be the next political football:
Las Vegas Casino Mogul Digs Deep for Newt
... Gingrich’s financial angel is the publicity-shy Sheldon Adelson, chairman of the Las Vegas Sands Corp., and the fifth wealthiest man in America as recently ranked by Forbes Magazine.
Adelson, who has an estimated net worth of over $23 billion, has personally pumped $7 million over the past five years into Gingrich’s main political advocacy organization, American Solutions for Winning the Future. His contributions account for more than ten percent of all the organization's funds and have helped the former speaker promote his conservative causes and stay in the public eye. NBC
March Unemployment Drops to Two Year Low of 8.8%
The U.S. economy added more jobs than forecast in March and the unemployment rate unexpectedly declined to a two-year low of 8.8 percent, a sign the labor- market recovery is gathering speed.
Payrolls increased by 216,000 workers last month after a revised 194,000 gain the prior month, the Labor Department said today in Washington. Economists projected a March gain of 190,000, according to the median estimate in a Bloomberg News survey. The jobless rate dropped from 8.9 percent in February, the fourth straight decrease. Bloomberg
Obama's Schedule April 1
Times are eastern:
| 10:30 AM | The President and the Vice President receive the Presidential Daily Briefing Oval Office Closed Press |
| 11:00 AM | The President meets with senior advisors Oval Office Closed Press |
| 12:00 PM | The President tours Landover UPS Facility Landover, Maryland, UPS Travel Pool Coverage |
| 12:20 PM | The President delivers remarks at UPS Facility Landover, Maryland, UPS Live audio stream. Travel Pool Coverage |
| 2:35 PM | The President meets with Sudan Special Envoy Ambassador Princeton Lyman Oval Office Closed Press |
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