Washington News

Biden Confident Justices Will Uphold Healthcare Reform Law The Washington Post reports, "Days after the Supreme Court wrapped up oral arguments on the constitutionality of the national health-care overhaul, Vice President Biden predicted Sunday that the high court will not throw out the Obama administration's signature agenda item." In an interview taped Thursday and shown on CBS' Face The Nation Biden said, "I don't believe it will happen, and so I think we should focus on what is the law doing for people now, and what would happen if, in fact, the Republicans were able to repeal it?"
California Legislators Prepared To Implement Statewide Individual Mandate The Los Angeles Times reports, "As doubts grow about the survival of the federal healthcare law, state officials are considering ways to keep key elements of the legislation alive in California." According to the Times, "Many of its consumer protections, such as guaranteed coverage for children, are expected to survive in California," but a "massive expansion of coverage for...the uninsured would be doubtful without tens of billions of dollars in federal aid." The Times adds that there is "already legislation pending in Sacramento to further implement the federal overhaul," and "crucial to that effort, supporters say, would be ensuring all Californians purchase health coverage in order to spread the risk and lower costs for everyone."

Biden Defends Obama's Energy Policies Vice President Biden said on CBS' Face The Nation, "We're pumping 650,000 barrels of oil a day more than we did when we took office. There are more oil rigs and gas rigs running in the United States today then all of the rest of the world combined. We are importing less foreign oil than we did -- the last time it was this low was 16 years ago." The Washington Times reports that Biden also "accused Republicans of standing in the way of wind, solar and other renewable sources of energy." Biden, on CBS' Face The Nation said, "They're emasculating all the efforts to deal with renewable energy. ... They have no policy."

Ryan Says He "Totally Misspoke" In Criticizing Pentagon's Budget Roll Call reports House Budget Committee chairman Rep. Paul Ryan "walked back criticism of Pentagon brass over the budget this morning, acknowledging errors in comments he made a few days ago knocking generals' testimony about their requested budget." On Thursday, Ryan said, "We don't think the generals are giving us their true advice." But Sunday, on ABC's "This Week," Ryan said, "I totally misspoke. It was not the impression I meant to give."

Fed Division Recommends Fines Against Eight Financial Firms The New York Times reports that the Federal Reserve's Division of Consumer and Community Affairs last week recommended fines against EverBank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC, MetLife, OneWest, PNC Financial Services, SunTrust, and US Bancorp "over home foreclosure practices involving sloppy, inaccurate or forged documents."

Economists Optimistic About Spring Home Season USA Today reports that economists are predicting that the "spring home-selling season could be the strongest in years and may foreshadow which markets will lead a battered housing industry in an anemic recovery." USA Today adds, "Existing home sales in February were up 9% from the same time a year ago, as was the Pending Home Sale Index, which reflects signed contracts leading to sales, says the National Association of Realtors. Meanwhile, Realtors' confidence in the single-family home market is the highest in four years."

Campaign News

Obama Touts Record Before Enthusiastic New England Crowds President Obama traveled to Maine and Vermont to highlight his record and raise funds as the presidential campaign begins to shift into general election mode. The AP reports the President "told an adoring crowd Friday of about 4,500 in Vermont that he needs their help to pursue the initiatives he began when he was elected almost four years ago." The Boston Globe reports the President "vigorously defended his landmark healthcare overhaul," and "outlined a laundry list of accomplishments during his first term, including withdrawing troops from Iraq, ending the ban on gays in the military, reforming student loans to make college more affordable, and rescuing an auto industry on the verge of collapse." The New York Times says the President "promised, 'in the United States of America, no one will go broke because they got sick.'" The Los Angeles Times reports the President characterized the election as "a choice between his policies and Republicans' 'you're-on-your-own economics.'" The Washington Post says Obama "took credit for saving the auto industry, preventing a historic economic collapse and passing a sweeping healthcare overhaul."

Clinton, Biden Criticize Romney On Foreign And Domestic Policy Secretary of State Clinton and Vice President Biden, the AP reports were part of the Administration's "multi-pronged assault on Mitt Romney's values and foreign policy credentials." Both "went after" Romney on Sunday. Biden, in an interview taped Thursday for CBS' Face The Nation said, "I think Gov. Romney's a little out of touch. I can't remember a presidential candidate in the recent past who seems not to understand...what ordinary middle-class people are thinking about and are concerned about." The AP adds that Biden and Clinton "also seized on Romney's foreign policy inexperience," and his "comment that Russia is America's 'No. 1 geopolitical foe.'" Clinton said, "I think it's somewhat dated to be looking backwards instead of being realistic about where we agree, where we don't agree." Biden said, "He just seems to be uninformed or stuck in a Cold War mentality. It exposes how little the governor knows about foreign policy."
Bloomberg News reports Biden also "defended" President Obama's "'open microphone' remark last week to his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev." Biden said Obama "just stated the obvious."
George Will said on ABC's This Week that the open microphone remark "reinforces a narrative, which is that he's kind of slippery, very aloof, and mildly disdainful of those people who inhibit his 'flexibility,' a.k.a., the American public."
Politico said Biden is "suggesting this fall's election boils down to who can best address and empathize with the plight of those still reeling from the aftershocks of the great recession."
The Los Angeles Times reports that Biden's was "a similar line of attack" to one "that Joel Benenson, lead pollster for the Obama campaign, previewed to reporters in Washington this week at a breakfast meeting hosted by the centrist Democratic think tank Third Way."
Obama Leads Romney 51%-42% In 12 Swing States The CBS Evening News reported, "Wisconsin is one of 12 swing states in which a new Gallup poll out tonight shows President Obama opening a wide lead over Mitt Romney. The poll puts Mr. Obama ahead 51% to 42 -- a reversal from mid-February when he trailed by 2 points." USA Today adds that Obama and Romney "are nearly tied among male voters, but Obama trounces Romney among women." That's because "a 12-point gender gap in USA TODAY's Swing States Poll in January and February has widened to 19 points."

Leading In Wisconsin Polls, Romney Picks Up Johnson, Ryan Endorsements USA Today reports Romney "gathered another key endorsement Sunday, this one from Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson." Meanwhile, "Four statewide polls in Wisconsin taken since last week give Romney leads ranging from 5 to 10 percentage points." Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) endorsed Romney Friday.
Johnson, on NBC's Meet The Press said, "I never did intend to endorse anybody but I've had the opportunity to meet with Gov. Romney over the last couple weeks, had long phone conversations with him. I've come away from those conversations fully convinced that Gov. Romney is the person to lead our party, to lead our nation."
Ryan contended on ABC's This Week that "conservatives should coalesce around the Romney campaign and move on to the general election."
Romney Expected To Win Easily In Maryland The Washington Post reports that on Tuesday, "Polls and interviews suggest an overwhelming number of Republicans will vote for Mitt Romney."
McConnell Says It Is Time For Republicans To Unite Behind Romney The Hill reports, "Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (Ky.) on Sunday called for the GOP to unify behind the presidential campaign of Mitt Romney."

Santorum Says He'll Leave Race If Romney Secures Majority Of Delegates Politico reports that Rick Santorum said Sunday that if Mitt Romney secures the "magic number of delegates, he'll leave the race." Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," Santorum said, "If Gov. Romney gets that required number, then without a doubt, if he's at that number, we'll step aside," adding, "Right now, he's not there. He's not even close to it."
Santorum added on NBC's Meet The Press, "He's ahead right now but less than half the delegates have been selected. ... Four years ago, we had a nominee in March. How did that work out for us when we didn't have the right nominee? The Democrats went into the middle of the summer fighting out, slugging it out."
Poll Shows Santorum Leading By 14% In Nebraska The Omaha World-Herald reports, "Rick Santorum is opening a campaign office in Omaha in time to compete for GOP votes in the state's May 15 primary." The story notes that a recent Public Policy Polling survey "showed Santorum leading Mitt Romney...by 14 percentage points in Nebraska." Meanwhile, "Romney has the support of GOP heavy hitters such as Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman and former Omaha Mayor Hal Daub."

Gingrich Says He Won't "Concede" Nomination To Romney Newt Gingrich said on CBS' Face The Nation, "I think we keep campaigning and Gov. Romney...says he has to earn the 1,144. We're not going to concede it to him."
Gingrich Says Romney Will "Probably" Win Delegate Majority The AP reports Newt Gingrich "is acknowledging what has become increasingly clear: Mitt Romney is the likely GOP presidential nominee." Gingrich told a Milwaukee radio station that Romney "'is clearly the front-runner.' Gingrich said Romney 'will probably' get the 1,144 convention delegates he needs to win the nomination, but added that Romney still has to earn it."