Need for results drives Obama's domestic juggle

[babylonsister]

Daunting agenda; makes me tired just reading this. Kind of illustrates the falsehood that Obama is only concerned with himself, which I read right here on DU yesterday.


Need for results drives Obama's domestic juggle

By BEN FELLER
Associated Press Writer


WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama's intense juggling of domestic issues reflects all the realities he faces: a vast agenda, a smaller window for results this year and a need to keep promises to constituencies that will have a huge say in the fall congressional elections.

Obama is in the heart of a period in which he has pledged to do everything in his power to make the case for health reform, a time-consuming blitz that he hopes will end in a final vote in Congress this month. That's on top of his commitment to make jobs his top priority.

Yet his agenda this week alone signals that Obama is moving - or at least trying to move - Congress on other matters affecting most every American. The coming months likely amount to his best shot to pass the heavy legislation that defines his domestic agenda and that will help drive the midterm elections in November.

At the moment, health care is the chief campaign. Obama pitched his plan in both Pennsylvania and Missouri this week and will again in Ohio on Monday.

The rest of the week, though, provides a revealing snapshot of Obama's balancing act.

A trade speech took precedence Thursday morning. Then he devoted coveted time to lawmakers and activists involved in immigration reform, a far-reaching and sensitive issue that rose and crashed in the second term of President George W. Bush. Friday he meets with his national security team to assess the war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, then assembles his science and technology advisers.

Earlier this week, Obama had 14 senators of both parties to the White House to try to build support for stalled climate and energy legislation. Throw in that twice in recent days Obama promoted his education agenda of boosting standards and graduation rates, with federal money as leverage.

more...

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_OBAMAS_JUGGLE?SITE=CONGRA&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

[JTFrog]

1. I think people who say he is only concerned with himself are usually projecting. n/t

[babylonsister]

2. I don't even know what they'd be projecting besides their

displeasure. It's baffling to me.

[Cha]

3. They're projecting right out of their

inner id.

[goclark]

4. K