February 9th, 2012
04:56 PM ET
Pushback on potential Obama nomineeBy Barbara Starr The White House is considering nominating a retired general with little recent combat field experience to be the new commander of NATO and U.S. military operations in Europe, a senior administration official has told CNN. Several officials emphasized that no final decision has been made by President Barack Obama but also confirmed that retired Lt. Gen. Douglas Lute, currently a top White House aide, is a leading candidate. "This is a head scratcher," the senior administration official said of a potential Lute nomination. Several civilian and military officials made similar remarks to CNN but none would allow their names to be used because they were speaking ahead of the actual confirmation. "There is a sense inside the Pentagon that there are highly qualified, currently serving four-star officers with combat experience who would be very strong candidates." Read the whole story on CNN's Security Clearance page 
February 9th, 2012
12:29 PM ET
White House tries to avoid Komen-style backlash With an eye towards the public uproar that forced the Susan G. Komen Foundation to reverse its decision to pull funding from Planned Parenthood, the Obama administration is trying to satisfy liberal Catholics who generally support the president without alienating women’s groups and creating a backlash among female voters as it searches for a compromise on the controversial policy governing insurance coverage for contraception. Publicly, White House officials say the timeline for working out a resolution could take months, pointing out that religiously affiliated employers do not have to comply with the HHS ruling to provide contraceptive coverage until August 2013. But privately, many in the administration and close to the White House say the goal is to find a solution as soon as possible, perhaps as early as tomorrow. A source familiar with the Catholic community says the Obama administration talked to at least one progressive Catholic organization Wednesday. The White House would not confirm. Press Secretary Jay Carney said discussions were under way in his daily briefing Wednesday but would not say whether they included parties other than administration officials. “We will press forward with these discussions to see if there’s a way to proceed, to move forward in implementing this policy that allays some of these concerns,” Carney said.  President Obama thanks Education Secretary Arne Duncan Thursday at the East Room of the White House. The president announced waivers for 10 states for the No Child Left Behind standards.
February 9th, 2012
09:20 AM ET
10 states freed from some 'No Child Left Behind' rules (CNN) - Ten states are being granted waivers to free them from parts of the No Child Left Behind law, a White House official told CNN Thursday. President Barack Obama will make the announcement Thursday, saying that the states "that have agreed to implement bold reforms around standards and accountability will receive flexibility from the most burdensome mandates of No Child Left Behind," the official said. The states are Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, Oklahoma, and Tennessee. They will no longer have to meet 2014 targets set by the law. "In exchange for this flexibility, states have agreed to raise standards, improve accountability, and undertake essential reforms to improve teacher effectiveness," the official said. New Mexico also requested such flexibility, and the Obama administration is working closely with that state, the official said. Another 28 states, as well as Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C., have indicated plans to also seek such flexibility, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity in advance of the announcement. 
February 9th, 2012
07:47 AM ET
POTUS' Day Ahead: Ciao!President Obama welcomes a fellow head of state to the White House Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti. The meeting comes at a key time for Italy's economy, which sustained significant GDP declines last year. Monti is likely to ask for support from the Unite States as he tries to avert a further descent into a depression. In the evening, the president will hit the fundraising circuit, set to attend a high dollar reception at a private residence in Washington. Full schedule: |
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