Obama agenda: New head of the CDC
Posted: Friday, May 15, 2009 9:17 AM by Mark Murray
Filed Under:
White House, Barack Obama
The New York Times was the first to report on Obama picking Dr. Thomas Frieden to head up the CDC. “Dr. Frieden, a 48-year-old infectious disease specialist, has cut a high and sometimes contentious profile in his seven years as New York’s top health official under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg. He led the crusade to ban smoking in restaurants and bars, pushed to make H.I.V. testing a routine part of medical exams, and defended a program that passes out more than 35 million condoms a year.”
“At the C.D.C., he will inherit a host of immediate and long-term problems, including a looming decision about whether and how to produce a swine flu vaccine. Health experts say the agency must resolve serious morale and organizational issues even as the administration struggles to overhaul the nation’s health care system.”
“President Obama on Thursday declared that ‘enough's enough’ when it comes to high credit card fees and sudden interest rate hikes and called on Congress to immediately protect consumers from abusive practices by credit card companies,” the Washington Post says. “Speaking during a packed town hall meeting here as senators debated credit card legislation back in Washington, Obama used the rhetorical power of the presidency to push Congress along. As he did last week, Obama urged lawmakers to pass legislation that he can sign into law by Memorial Day.”
Politico: “Attorney General Eric Holder was the man in the middle Thursday, pinned down between liberal Democrats chafing at several of the Obama administration’s recent moves and conservative Republicans warning grimly that the president’s actions, particularly on Guantanamo Bay, are putting Americans at risk.”
“President Barack Obama's pick to lead the Census Bureau is ruling out the use of statistical sampling in the 2010 head count, seeking to allay GOP concerns that he might be prone to put politics over science,” the AP writes. “Robert M. Groves, a veteran survey researcher from the University of Michigan, faces questioning in his confirmation hearing Friday before a Senate committee. In prepared remarks obtained by The Associated Press, Groves said he would not pursue statistical adjustment next year -- despite his support for it in previous censuses -- because it is now legally barred for the use of apportioning House seats.”
Get your Jimmy Rollins jerseys ready… The 2008 World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies head to the White House today.
