Political Punch

Subversive Xmas Tree Ornament Won't Hang from White House Tree

Huma Khan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:19:48 -0500

As first reported in this morning's Washington Post, Washington State artist Deborah Lawrence -- asked to submit an ornament to hang on the White House Christmas Tree -- designed one that featured the text of a House Resolution to impeach...

Obama to Nominate Bill Richardson as Secretary of Commerce

Huma Khan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:53:16 -0500

ABC News has learned that in Chicago Wednesday morning, President-elect Obama will announce that he's nominating New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson to be his Secretary of Commerce. This brings to three the total number of primary opponents Mr. Obama has...

Obama Attempts to Ease Governors' Economic Worries

Huma Khan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 14:21:06 -0500

ABC News' Matt Jaffe Reports from Philadelphia: Just one day after the nation was officially deemed to be in a recession, President-elect Barack Obama met with the nation's governors Tuesday in Philadelphia, pledging to work quickly on an economic recovery...

Charlie's Interview with President Bush

Huma Khan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:42:10 -0500

The esteemed Mr. Gibson sat down with President and First Lady Bush for an interview that ran yesterday on World News. Asked what he was "most unprepared for," the President said, "I think I was unprepared for war. In other...

Oh, That Joe! (No. 45 in a Series): The Loquacious Blue Hen is Gracious to the Spunky Maverick

Huma Khan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:18:36 -0500

Two months ago, all eyes were on vice presidential candidates Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., and Gov. Sarah Palin, R-Alaska, as the two squared off in their St. Louis, Missouri, debate. The blabbocracy wondered: would Biden be demeaning? Say something oafish?...

Louis Caldera to be Director of White House Military Office

Huma Khan — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 10:47:51 -0500

Building on his list of Clinton-era officials, President-elect Barack Obama picked Louis Caldera today to lead the White House Military Office. Caldera was appointed by Bill Clinton to serve as managing director and chief operating officer for the Cooperation for...

Obama Sits Down with State Guvs to Stem Economic Slowdown

Arnab Datta — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 07:26:48 -0500

ABC News’ Matt Jaffe reports from Philadelphia: After unveiling his economic team last week in Chicago, President-elect Barack Obama arrived in Philadelphia Monday for discussions with the nation’s governors on how to fix the country’s ongoing financial crisis. Obama met...

The Spectre of a Senator Chris Matthews (D-Penn.)

Huma Khan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:43:24 -0500

Yes, Pennsylvania, it's true: Chris Matthews thinks he should be your senator. The Patriot News reports the MSNBC host is "continues to talk with top Democrats about the possibility" of running for Senate in 2010 against Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Penn....

Clinton On the Case

Huma Khan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 15:56:41 -0500

A source close to Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, tells ABC News that the moment she landed in Chicago this morning she began making phone calls as part of her process of leaving the Senate and beginning the confirmation process to...

The Unit

Huma Khan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 14:54:31 -0500

Just five days after coordinated terrorist attacks killed nearly 200 people and wounded hundreds more in Mumbai, India, President-elect Barack Obama Monday unveiled his national security team, heralding a "new beginning for American national security." What seemed more new than...

Obama's National Security Team

Huma Khan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:42:31 -0500

President-elect Obama introduced his national security team today. Pending Senate confirmation they will be: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton; Secretary of Defense Robert Gates (already confirmed); Attorney General Eric Holder; National Security Adviser Gen. James Jones (Ret.) (confirmation not needed...

The Handmaid's Employer's Tale

Huma Khan — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:23:22 -0500

Alex Kuczynski wrote an interesting story in the New York Times Magazine about her experiences hiring a woman to carry her child for her. As with many Kuczynski stories, this one has aroused a chorus of critics, including James Wolcott...

'I, Barack Hussein Obama, Do Solemnly Swear...'

dschabner — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 23:02:40 -0500

The President-elect didn't like to be referred to as "BHO," preferring "BO," believe it or not. Such was the sensitivity surrounding his Muslim middle name. (You may recall our blog post "Obama Distances Self from Own Middle Initial." As far...

Obama's Big Test on Education

Tahman Bradley — Sun, 30 Nov 2008 12:13:55 -0500

My former Washington City Paper colleague Amanda Ripley has a cover story in this week's TIME about the DC chancellor of schools Michelle Rhee, who "has promised to make Washington the highest-performing urban school district in the nation, a prospect...

Bill Clinton's New Rules

dschabner — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 22:20:58 -0500

According to people familiar with negotiations between the Obama and Clinton camps, here are the general rules going forward for the former president, as his wife prepares to become the next Secretary of State. Both at the request of President-elect...

Obama's National Security Team to be Named Monday

dschabner — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 18:56:54 -0500

ABC News can report that on Monday morning in Chicago, President-elect Obama will officially announce some key members of his national security team, many of whom will be in attendance. Pending Senate confirmation, the President-elect's national security team will include:...

The Return of Samantha Power

Lee Speigel — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:04:06 -0500

An eagle-eyed AP writer caught the fact that Samantha Power -- the highly acclaimed, Pulitzer prize-winning Harvard professor booted from the Obama campaign in March for calling Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-NY, a "monster" in an interview with the Scotsman newspaper...

The 'One-Mistake Rule'

Huma Khan — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 15:35:44 -0500

In an interview with Bloomberg News, Obama Transition Team co-chair John Podesta was asked about President-elect Obama’s nominee to be attorney general, Eric Holder, and his role in the Marc Rich pardon. "In my judgment, it was a mistake," said...

Thanksgiving 2008

jaketapper — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:35:39 -0500

I'm sitting here in Kansas City with my wife, baby, and in-laws. Alice, 15 months, is eating toast, sitting on my lap. Grandpa just asked Grandma what the name of the green muppet in the trash can is. (Oscar.) We're...

Cabinet Thoughts

jaketapper — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:45:27 -0500

Writing at Slate, Fred Kaplan likes the idea of PEBO keeping on Defense Secretary Robert Gates -- "the move is a stroke of brilliance—politically and substantively," Kaplan writes. "In his nearly two years at the helm of the Pentagon," Kaplan...