Obama: Deficit deal 'remains possible'
June 27th, 2011
02:09 PM ET
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Obama: Deficit deal 'remains possible'

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WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Barack Obama said after his meeting Monday with the Senate majority leader that they believe "a significant deal remains possible" on deficit reduction this year, White House press secretary Jay Carney told reporters.

Obama met with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nevada, in the morning and was to later talk with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, to keep the negotiations going on a possible deficit reduction deal.

The sessions come after talks led by Vice President Joe Biden concluded last week without an agreement and as congressional leaders hardened their positions, making a possible compromise more difficult. FULL POST
Topics: Congress • Deficit reduction • Uncategorized
Obama revives Bidenism in fundraising push
June 27th, 2011
12:26 PM ET
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Obama revives Bidenism in fundraising push

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President Obama’s reelection campaign is ramping up its fundraising push among small donors ahead of Thursday’s second quarter deadline - with a little help from Joe Biden.

The campaign had previously sought to lure donors by entering them in a raffle to have dinner with the president. But if that wasn’t enough of a draw for some on-the-fence supporters, the campaign has now added Vice President Biden’s name to the attendee list.

“We are setting another place at the table for Joe Biden,” Obama announced in web video. “To use one of his favorite expressions, that’s a big deal.”

Sadly, Obama conspicuously left out the key f-bomb modifier that Biden used to make that phrase famous after the health care law was passed last year.

The Obama campaign has said they want to report raising at least $60 million in the second quarter combined with the Democratic National Committee. Obama campaign press secretary Ben LaBolt reports that the campaign has already received donations from 300,000 individuals. That compares to the 180,000 individuals who had donated to the president at this point in 2007.


Topics: President Obama • Vice President Joe Biden
Obama keeps his Bieber promise
June 27th, 2011
09:33 AM ET
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Obama keeps his Bieber promise

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Add another task to President Obama’s job description: matchmaker-in-chief.

There’s word Monday that the president kept a big promise to Payton Wall, a 14 year-old Justin Bieber mega fan whose father was a victim of the 9/11 attacks.

Obama met Wall during his visit to Ground Zero in May and soon learned she was a big fan of the teen idol.

“I know Justin. Maybe I could set something up,” Obama told Wall then.

Turns out he could. Wall met Bieber last week while he was in New York and posed for pictures next to the pop star and a cardboard cutout of the president.

"It was so cool. I couldn't even believe it," Wall told the New York Post, adding Bieber made her more nervous than the president.
Topics: President Obama
Obama's McConnell meeting: Will someone blink first?
June 27th, 2011
08:43 AM ET
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Obama's McConnell meeting: Will someone blink first?

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If President Obama is hoping to at least hash out a blueprint for a debt ceiling agreement Monday with top Republicans that includes some tax increases, he best not look at some of the quotes that came out of the Sunday shows:

From Minority Leader Mitch McConnell:

"Throwing more tax revenue into the mix is simply not going to produce a desirable result, and it won't pass," he told the ABC program "This Week." "I mean, putting aside the fact that Republicans don't like to raise taxes, Democrats don't like to either."

And there was this from Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl:

"What we've said is we're perfectly willing to consider those kinds of issues in the context of tax reform, which we would very much like to do," Kyl said. "But we're not going to have the time to do it or be able to do it in order just to raise revenue as part of the exercise, which should be about reducing spending."

With an August 2 deadline looming to increase the federal debt ceiling or face possible default on debt obligations, pressure is mounting to reach a deal that will prevent market jitters and it may come down to who blinks first.


Topics: The News
POTUS Schedule: June 27, 2011
June 27th, 2011
07:49 AM ET
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POTUS Schedule: June 27, 2011

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Good morning from the White House.  It's a day of two high level meetings for the president - in the morning with Vice President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid followed by a late afternoon get together with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

The issue:  The looming debt ceiling deadline, a subject that appears to have left both parties at an impasse - especially after House Majority Leader Eric Cantor walked out of negotiations last week.  With the clock ticking fast toward the early August deadline, the issue now appears solely to rest on Obama's shoulders.

Also happening at the White House today:  Obama holds a reception for MLS champions the Colorado Rapids.  You may remember the rapids beat FC Dallas in a dramatic overtime final last November.

Full schedule after the jump:

FULL POST
Topics: Daily Schedule