Obama administration

Posted: Monday, October 05, 2009 9:41 AM by firstread
Filed Under: White House

OLYMPICS FALLOUT: Senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett says she received assurances from folks in Chicago and on the US Olympic Committee that an Obama lobbying effort would put the city over the top. "The intelligence that we had from the U.S. Olympic Committee and Chicago bid team was that it was very close and therefore well worth our efforts," said Valerie Jarrett, a senior White House advisor. "The message was that . . . a personal appeal from the president would make a huge difference."

Many folks will read Jarrett's statement different ways: a CYA for her own credibility inside the White House? A White House message to Chicago officials who may have gone over the line in their attempts to convince the White House to let the president go to Copenhagen. Either way, it’s a fascinating public statement.

Video: A Morning Meeting Panel discusses Obama's declining approval rating as well as SNL poking fun at his agenda over the weekend.

CHINA: The White House has agreed to delay a meeting between Obama and the Dalai Lama until after the president travels to China in November. "The U.S. decision to postpone the meeting appears to be part of a strategy to improve ties with China that also includes soft-pedaling criticism of China's human rights and financial policies as well as backing efforts to elevate China's position in international institutions, such as the International Monetary Fund. Obama administration officials have termed the new policy "strategic reassurance," which entails the U.S. government taking steps to convince China that it is not out to contain the emerging Asian power."

LOBBYIST REFORM: A new Obama administration policy limiting the roles of lobbyists on federal advisory committees is stirring up “absolute fury,” a lobbyist is quoted as saying. K Street veterans argue that because understand policy, Washington politics and business needs, they are the best equipped to sit on the panels, which were created by Congress in the 1970s to “provide private-sector advice to the government... The instructions will decimate the ranks of lobbyists on the trade committees, which help guide U.S. negotiators’ objectives as they pursue trade deals with other countries. One source estimated that about 130 of 330 people on the trade committees are lobbyists. Other federal agencies affected by the new policy continue to consider how they will implement it.”

SUPREME COURT WATCH: This USA Today piece about Sandra Day O'Connor worrying about the direction of the Roberts court should get a LOT of blog play on both sides of the ideological spectrum.

As the Supreme Court begins its new term, “all eyes will be on Sonia Sotomayor,” the newest addition to the high court. Court-watchers will be looking to see how she votes and interacts with her colleagues. Columbia law Prof. Daniel Richman predicted Sotomayor will strive not to be “’pigeonholed from the get-go as being a sure vote for any particular side.’”

EMAIL THIS

Comments

FR--OLYMPICS FALLOUT: Senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett says she received assurances from folks in Chicago and on the US Olympic Committee that an Obama lobbying effort would put the city over the top.
------------------------------

What's the big deal about this anyway? President Obama did what other countries did lobbying for the games. Hell--this is childish and personally I don't see the news here. Rachel Maddow on MTP yesterday was the "only person" that bought this to the attention of those on the panel that wanted to make an issue out of it. You too David, start doing your job.

Anita, Birmingham, Alabama (Sent Monday, October 05, 2009 9:56 AM)

All you Glen Beck tin foil hatter followers leave Valerie Jarrett along. She doesn't run the WH as Hannity, acerbic big mouthed Michelle Malkin, and the tin foil hatter say. Neither is she a communist as you will soon find out.
They are only interested in letting the rag Murdorch has NewsMax.com give you Michele Malkins' and quitter Palin's books free if you sign up for their ANTI-Obama hateful propaganda.

Beverly in Chicago (Sent Monday, October 05, 2009 9:58 AM)

OLYMPICS FALLOUT: Senior Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett says she received assurances from folks in Chicago and on the US Olympic Committee that an Obama lobbying effort would put the city over the top. "The intelligence that we had from the U.S. Olympic Committee and Chicago bid team was that it was very close and therefore well worth our efforts," said Valerie Jarrett,
Here in chicago all the talk is not about the president but the mayor, with the problems we are having here, the way he went all out for the olympics made alot of people here feel like this was the only important thing to him, now after we are out, the questions are where are we going to spent the money the mayor promised for the olympics, the mayor did not realise that to try 1 time and get the games was a pipe dream.
as far as the president, he was doing what HIS mayor asked him to do, lets face it, when barack went to the WhiteHouse, he is still a chicagoan. he roots are in chicago. so to him it was worth it, i'm very upset that the world most popular athlete, Micheal Jordan was not there, i think that hurt more than any thing.
but had the president not goan, there would have been talk, he went and there is still talk.

NO Jo, maybe you should run for congress or the senate, because the way you talk, you Know EVERYTHINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Jeff Evanston IL. (Sent Monday, October 05, 2009 10:04 AM)

President and Mrs. Obama need to be very careful of Valerie Jarrett's influence. I know she is their personal friend and all, but this is the big time, this is the national scene, they mustn't let Chicago interests trump their reputations. I'd like to see Michelle travel to West Virginia and visit schools in those areas, encouraging better school nutrition, etc. She's done a great job opening the White House to Black urban kids, and that's long over due, but she needs to reach out to rural whites as well. She's gotta show she's First Lady of the country, not just of Chicago.

Amy B Portland, ME (Sent Monday, October 05, 2009 10:07 AM)

We can't piss off our banker's in China now can we? Thanks to the capitalists pigs who keep feeding at the corporate trough along w/ the unregulated free markets. Lets continue to enrich the 1% population at the expense of 95% of the population. Thanks to the the Shrub and Darth Vador who squandered a surplus, promised to put it in a "lock box", USED 911 for nefarious/political wedge issues and enriched corporate America. Obama is trying to clean up the colossal mess left over by them; however; the kool-aid drinkers regurgitate negativity when Democrats are running the show. I guest they have a amnesia when Ronnie had over 10% unemployment in 1983 and were still saying garbage that it was inherited from Carter. Stop pointing fingers at Obama and blaming the unemployment mess he inherited, two wars, and a enconomic disaster left by supply-siders.

Juan,Ft Lauderdale,Fl (Sent Monday, October 05, 2009 10:11 AM)

Well, at least they tried to get the Olympics for Chicago. The leaders of the other countries were in Denmark too and only one was successful. Congrats Brazil and Rio. This will be the first time the games will be in South America.

Since much of our money and our business is in or has to do with China it is good to make nice with the Chinese. By handling things right the Chinese will get a taste of capitalism and freedom, want it for themselves and the Communist regime will eventually fall.

Lobbyists actually have been running this country. In order for the people to take back our country we need to put a leash on lobbyists. Personally I would like to see them banned altogether thus forcing the pols to listen to the people not those perported to represent the interests of the people but only represent the interests of certain special interests.

Sonya Sotomayor seems to be a strong willed and sure minded person and I doubt she will let herself be pigeonholed but play a significant role in the workings of the United States Supreme Court.

eagle1776 (Sent Monday, October 05, 2009 10:12 AM)

OLYMPICS and CHICAGO TIEs
The President is the Chief Executive, Commander-in-Chief, and Cheerleader in Chief (if there was one).
It goes with the Bully Pulpit TR spoke about. Instead
of imperialism or jingoism, it's promotion and rightly so.
I do think the President went against some of his better instincts for his friends, his loyalties and his role for America.
The good part? Maybe the last bolt has slammed in on the transition door from Chicago to D.C.
It is totally appropriate for hometown friends and colleagues to ask a friend for a favor, and for that friend to do it. It is not always in the best interest of the Office that friend now occupies.

Toto, we, really, really are NOT in Chicago anymore.

Deborah Greenlawn, NY (Sent Monday, October 05, 2009 10:32 AM)

SEND A COMMENT

PLEASE READ: All comments must be approved before appearing in the thread; time and space constraints prevent all comments from appearing. We will only approve comments that are directly related to the blog, use appropriate language and are not attacking the comments of others.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):

Your name, city and state (John Doe, Seattle, Wash.):

Your e-mail address (jdoe@msnbc.com):

Your website (it's okay if you don't have one):

Remember me? (We'll keep it private) Remember me?

TRACKBACKS

Trackbacks are links to weblogs that reference this post. Like comments, trackbacks do not appear until approved by us. The trackback URL for this post is: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/trackback.aspx?PostID=2089557