PM NOTE: There's a New Obama in Town
Obama 3.0 - There's a new President in town. But what can he get done?
He's boldly progressive. He's resolute. On gun control and on the debt ceiling he's taking the fight to Congress, telling them what HE wants and how it should be instead of letting them hammer out the details like they did on health reform, Wall Street reform and other first term legislative successes. And he's not negotiating behind closed doors searching for middle ground like he did on first term failures like the grand bargain.
The new Obama's proposals today to curb gun violence had progressives in a swoon. And it had NRA President David Keene telling us his side is readying for "battle."
"All bets are off when a president really wants to go to war with you," he said. "We're gonna be there and we're gonna fight it."
Isolation vs. Society - The new Obama proposed a slate of legislative proposals that will be difficult if not impossible to pass through Congress. In the most inspired portion of his speech he said ensuring the Second Amendment for some Americans is no excuse for others having the power to rob people of "fundamental rights" to religion, life and the pursuit of happiness.
Obama - We don't live in isolation. We live in a society, a government of and by and for the people. We are responsible for each other. You know, the right to worship freely and faithfully, that right was denied to Sikhs in Oak Creek, Wisconsin. The right to assemble peaceably, that right was denied shoppers in Clackamas, Oregon and moviegoers in Aurora, Colorado. That most fundamental set of rights - to life and liberty and the pursuit of happiness - fundamental rights that were denied to college students at Virginia Tech and high school students at Columbine and elementary school students in Newtown, and kids on street corners in Chicago on too frequent a basis to tolerate, and all the families who've never imagined that they'd lose a loved one to a bullet, those rights are at stake. We're responsible. http://abcn.ws/ZZ1UOr
The full wrap of what Obama wants from Jon Karl,Devin Dwyer and the White House team - http://abcn.ws/UsRQgw
Michael Falcone and Shush Walshe round up the liberal swoon - http://abcn.ws/V8FsWJ
Those kids that stood behind the president as he signed the executive "actions" - not orders that carry the weight of law - were available for interviews.
"What made you decide to write the president," ABC's Jon Karl asked Julia Stokes.
"Well, I was so overwhelmed with sadness about the Sandy Hook shooting and I knew as one person I couldn't do anything. I knew president Obama could."
Can he? His legislative agenda on this issue will be extremely difficult in the Senate. How could it come up in the GOP-controlled House?
Obama's proposal didn't get a glowing reception from all the lawmakers in his own party and was met by unanimous derision from conservatives.
Chuck Schumer issued a one paragraph statement suggested that one thing from the President's proposal - Schumer's own proposal for universal background checks - was the "sweet spot."
Schumer - "If you look at the combination of likelihood of passage and effectiveness of curbing gun crime, universal background checks is at the sweet spot. We're glad the President put such emphasis on it, and we look forward to working with him on this and other proposals to make our nation safer from the scourge of gun violence."
Joe Manchin, the conservative, rifle-toting Democrat from West Virginia, who said something should be done after Sandy Hook, didn't watch Obama's event - he said he was busy meeting with West Virginians on the "culture of mass violence that has permeated our society."
But he was disappointed Obama made specific recommendations instead of "setting politics aside" to form a national blue ribbon committee.
Those are the Democrats that will have to vote. Republicans were less kind.
"Criminals aren't going to follow legislation limiting magazine capacity," said Lindsey Graham in a statement.
"When it comes to protecting our schools, I believe the best way to confront a homicidal maniac who enters a school is for them to be met by armed resistance from a trained professional."
A wrap of the conservative anger from John Parkinson - http://abcn.ws/ZZ1eZC
Also - New Obama Reinforced his Desire to Party… with Tim Geithner - http://abcn.ws/V61aa7
Don't Call it Gun Control -From Molly Ball at the Atlantic - Obama and Biden… "didn't use the words "gun control" a single time. Instead, they spoke over and over about "gun violence," "reducing gun violence," and "gun-violence legislation." The terminology is the latest effort by gun-control activists to get rid of the term "gun control," the same way estate-tax opponents always talk about abolishing the "death tax," gay-marriage activists now prefer to talk about "marriage equality," and advocates for the rights of illegal immigrants carefully refer to them as "undocumented workers." Whether you see these terms as laudably neutral or Orwellian attempts at culture-shaping probably depends on your view of the issues involved." - http://bit.ly/XEnJDo
'Flawed' Mark Sanford Plots Run at Redemption-Mark Sanford is running for Congress and, as he makes his debut as a comeback candidate, the disgraced former governor told ABC radio affiliate WTMA in Charleston, S.C., that he's a "flawed man," owning up to his affair that roiled the political world two and a half years ago. http://abcn.ws/XEiFPq (Chris Good)
Presidential Inauguration 2013: Cold Front Expected-Bundle up, folks. It has been a record-hot past year worldwide and in the nation's capital, but it might be a cold one come Inauguration Day if a windy front blows in this weekend. http://abcn.ws/VKFgLJ (Anjuli Sastry)
Politically Dressed: What Coats Will the First Family Wear on Inauguration Day?-President Barack Obama's second inauguration is on Jan. 21 and when it comes to fashion, all eyes will be on outerwear. Coats are critical at the inauguration, which thanks to the 20th amendment is constitutionally required to be held in late January and guarantees cold weather in Washington, D.C. (Shushannah Walshe) http://abcn.ws/11yTMcM
DREAMer Erika Andiola Will Work for Arizona Congresswoman-A high-profile undocumented youth activist will be joining newly-elected Rep. Kyrsten Sinema's staff. http://abcn.ws/XerBJo (Emily Deruy)
The Interior Secretary's $222,000 Bathroom-Maybe the Pentagon's legendary $600 toilet seat was a bargain. http://abcn.ws/13DnNqf (Jonathan Karl)
Former AG Says Obama Risks Impeachment Over Gun Control-Former U.S. attorney general Ed Meese says President Obama will risk impeachment if he goes too far on gun control. http://abcn.ws/XDJzH3 (Chris Good)
Interior Secy Ken Salazar to Step Down-Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is the latest member of the Obama cabinet to depart at the start of the president's second term. http://abcn.ws/UPWyDe (Jonathan Karl)
Better Job Rating, Advantage on Debt Limit Mark the Start of Obama's Second Term-Barack Obama approaches his second term with his highest job approval rating since his first year in office (save for a brief bin Laden bounce) and a clear upper hand over the deeply unpopular Congress - including majority support for his demand to decouple talks on the debt ceiling and budget cuts. http://abcn.ws/ZWIM3J (Gary Langer)