Morning News
From the New York Times:
President Obama and President Hu Jintao of China met in private off Tiananmen Square here on a frigid Tuesday morning to discuss issues like trade, climate change and the nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, in a session that signaled the central role of China on the world stage…
At a news conference where both presidents appeared, neither took questions from reporters, staying in line with the minutely stage-managed atmosphere of Mr. Obama’s first visit to China. They said in separate speeches that the two nations would work together to stabilize the teetering world economy, contain the dangers of climate change and prevent nuclear proliferation…
Although it was carefully choreographed, the event gave Mr. Obama a little room to prod the Chinese authorities toward more openness. In his initial remarks at the forum, Mr. Obama said the United States was not seeking to impose its political system on other countries, but he called freedom of expression and worship among the “universal rights” common to all people…
From the Philadelphia Inquirer:
Democrats are emailing thousands of people who backed Barack Obama last year in two GOP-controlled Pennsylvania congressional districts, asking them to protest their representatives' recent "no" votes on health care reform legislation.
The email urges supporters to drop by the offices of Republican Reps. Jim Gerlach, of Chester County, and Charlie Dent, of Lehigh County, to complain in person. Both representatives voted against the health overhaul bill on Nov. 7.
Organizing for America, the Obama campaign arm of the Democratic National Committee, is targeting the 32 Republican House members in districts carried by Obama who also voted against the reform bill, including Gerlach and Dent.
"Democracy is not a spectator sport. And right now, we need you in the game," Mitch Stewart, the director of OFA, wrote in the email. Representatives "must understand that caving to the well-heeled lobbyists in Washington, D.C. has consequences at the ballot box back home," the email says…
From Roll Call:
If you’ve got a dog in the health care reform fight, you might want to keep this weekend open for another nail-biter vote — this time in the Senate…
Democratic leaders told staffers Monday they expect that CBO score to be ready today. But even under the most optimistic scenarios, Senate Democratic aides said the chamber would be unlikely to vote on whether to start debate before Friday, and several said a Saturday or Sunday vote was more likely…
“We’re confident Members will have all the information they need to assess this bill before we take it to the floor,” was all one senior Senate Democratic aide would say.
The message leadership has been sending to fence-sitting moderates is that the delay in the debate over the Thanksgiving holiday should satisfy their demands that the American public be given enough time to review the bill before the amendment process starts when Congress returns on Nov. Buy cheap Accutane Online 30.
Plus, aides are making clear that Reid’s mash of a Senate Finance Committee measure and a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee bill is not written in stone.
“It’s really just a starting point for negotiation with some Members to see what they need to secure their votes for final passage,” one Senate Democratic source said…