July 5th, 2011
05:18 PM ET
Obama rejects short-term debt deal, calls leaders to White HouseBy: the CNN Wire Staff WASHINGTON (CNN) - President Barack Obama said Tuesday he invited Democratic and Republican leaders from the House and Senate to the White House for a meeting Thursday to discuss deficit reduction and the need to raise the federal debt ceiling. Obama told reporters he wanted the meeting to "build on the work that's already been done and drive toward a final agreement" that would address expanding federal deficits and bring congressional approval for increasing how much money the government can borrow. 
July 5th, 2011
12:23 PM ET
No 140-character answers for Obama at Twitter town hall The Obama White House, which likes to consider itself pioneers in the realm of social media, will make history of sorts once again Wednesday when it hosts what’s being called the first ever White House Twitter town hall. But those who hope this president, known for his oft- lengthy responses to even the shortest of questions, is confined to Twitter’s 140-character limit will be sorely disappointed. The president is merely answering questions selected from Twitter users, not responding on the social media site itself. Indeed, with the exception of questions coming from Twitter users (or, tweeps), the East Room town hall event will be like many this president has done before: fielding pre-selected questions conveyed via new media technologies while giving “old-fashioned” answers with a microphone. “He's just answering the questions. He's not typing and tweeting,” White House spokesman Jay Carney said of the event Friday. Still the event is a major coup for the five-year old company that was barely on the radar only one campaign cycle ago. White House officials have also said the so-called “Tweetup” is a fresh opportunity for the president to engage with Americans beyond the Beltway. The event will also feature an audience of about 140 individuals (no, not a coincidence that's the number of characters allowed in a tweet) who regularly follow the White House twitter feed and signed up for a chance to attend the event via the White House Web site. 
July 5th, 2011
08:03 AM ET
POTUS' Day Ahead: July 5, 2011Good morning from the White House. Coming off a long holiday weekend, it's a day of closed-door meetings for President Obama. After the president receives his daily briefing at 9:45 a.m. ET, he will sit down with Vice President Joe Biden, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker, and Lt. Gen. John R. Allen. Allen is Obama's choice to replace Gen. David Petraeus as the new commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. Patraeus was confirmed as the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency last week. Later in the day, the president will meet with his new Secretary of Defense, Leon Panetta. Full schedule after the jump: |
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