TPMDC Morning Roundup
By Eric Kleefeld - July 7, 2009, 9:00AM
Franken Being Sworn In Today
Sen.-elect Al Franken (D-MN) will be sworn into office today by Vice President Biden, at about noon. This ends a Senate race that lasted eight months beyond Election Day itself, and involved six months of litigation after the State Canvassing Board had completed the recount. Franken will take office six months plus one day after he would have been sworn in with the other Senators who were elected in 2008, if not for the sheer closeness of his race and the resulting litigation.
Obama's Day In Russia
President Obama had a working breakfast in Moscow with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, at 1 a.m. ET (9 a.m. local time). At 3 a.m. ET, he met with former President Mikhail Gorbachev. AT 3:15 a.m. ET, he delivered the commencement address for the 2009 graduation of the New Economic School. At 5:40 a.m. ET, he met one-on-one with President Dmitry Medvedev, and he and First Lady Michelle Obama attended a reception hosted by Medvedev at 6:10 a.m. ET. At 7:25 a.m. ET, Obama and Medvedev met with the Parallel Business Summit, and Obama met with the Parallel Civil Society Summit at 8:20 a.m. ET. AT 9:35 a.m ET, Obama will meet with Russian opposition leaders.
Biden's Day Ahead
Vice President Biden will have breakfast this morning with Sec. of State Hillary Clinton, at the Naval Observatory. Afterwards, he will host a Recovery Act Implementation Cabinet Meeting in his ceremonial office. At 12 p.m. ET, he will go to the Senate Floor to swear in Al Franken as the new U.S. Senator from Minnesota. At 1:30 p.m. ET, he will join Sec. of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and Sec. of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, to issue the Food Safety Working Group's key findings. He will spend the remainder of the day in private meetings.
Palin, On Her Decision To Quit: "I Am Not A Quitter"
Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) told reporters that her decision to resign her office was based in large part on a series of ethics complaints against her, which she says are without merit but have distracted from her job. "I am not a quitter. I am a fighter," said Palin, who added that she will continue to work in public service, not ruling out a 2012 run for President or any other office.
Obama, Russia Agree On Arms-Reduction Framework
President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev announced yesterday new agreements on Afghanistan policy and on cutting their two countries' nuclear arsenals. The new framework on nuclear arms reduction -- for which details still have to be worked out -- calls for the number of nuclear warheads to be reduced to between 1,500 and 1,675 within seven years, and the number of ballistic missiles to between 500 and 1,100.
Obama: U.S. And Russia Do not Have To Be Antagonists
Speaking to the New Economic School in Moscow, President Obama said that the U.S. and Russia do not have to be enemies in this new era. "Let me be clear: America wants a strong, peaceful and prosperous Russia," said Obama. He dismissed the old rivalry as an outdated way of thinking: "There is the 20th century view that the United States and Russia are destined to be antagonists, and that a strong Russia or a strong America can only assert themselves in opposition to one another."
GOP Could Try To Delay Sotomayor Hearings
Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), the head Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told reporters that Republicans could try to delay the July 13 confirmation hearings for Sonia Sotomayor, on the grounds that they have been scheduled too early for the GOP to fully review her record. "We're going to try to be ready but if something comes up we'll definitely exercise what options are available," said Sessions.
Dem Centrists Threaten Obama's Agenda
The Hill reports that with Senate Democrats now at 60 seats, the major threat to President Obama's agenda comes not from Republicans but from centrists within the Democratic Party, like Mark Pryor of Arkansas or Joe Lieberman of Connecticut. Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-AZ) said that "it is not all that common to have total party-line votes. If a couple of Democrats don't vote with their party, then it doesn't matter that they have 60 votes."
