God morgen! Det er tirsdag, våren begynner å melde seg, og den 83. utgaven av «Morgenkaffen» er servert. I dag er det suppleringsvalg i Illinois’ 2. kongressdistrikt, og du følger valget på valgbloggen vår (AmerikanskPolitikk.no/valg – @USAvalg – Facebook).
Vi starter som alltid med et sitat fra gårsdagen:
The issues they say need to be de-emphasized are some of the issues we can actually reach out to Latinos and engage them on when it comes to the family. In the course of the campaign, I always felt the family was key.
Tidligere Pennsylvania-senator Rick Santorum (R), her sitert av CNN, mener partiets nedtoning av sosiale spørsmål har kostet republikanerne seieren ved de siste presidentvalgene. Santorum stilte som presidentkandidat i 2012, og ser ut til å gjøre det samme i 2016. Et eksempel: Tale om sosiale spørsmål til Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition den 15. april.
Dagens #ampol-begrep: «Killer amendment«
En strategi man bruker for å hindre en lov fra å gå gjennom i Kongressen. Man endrer et lovtillegg for å endre intensjonen til loven, slik at den til slutt blir forkastet.
Medlemmet som fremmer dette tillegsforslaget vil uansett ikke stemme for loven, selv om tillegget blir akseptert.
Dagen i dag i 1962: Kennedy kaster det første kastet på «D.C Stadium»
For 51 år siden åpnet det nye stadionet i Washington D.C, «D.C Stadium». President Kennedy hadde æren av å ta det første kastet. Han fortsatte dermed tradisjonen ved at presidenten åpner nye stadioner i hovedstaden. President William Taft gjorde det samme allerede i 1910, da baseball-arenaen «Griffith Stadium» hadde sin åpning.
Presidenter har hatt nære bånd til forskjellige idrettslag også før Kennedy og Taft. Allerede i 1865 ble det første baseball-laget invitert til Det hvite hus, da president Andrew Johnson inviterte the National Baseball Club. Ulysses Grant og Chester A. Arthur fortsatte tradisjonen med å invitere profesjonelle lag, henholdsvis i 1869 og 1883.
Benjamin Harrison var den første presidenten som var på en baseball-kamp. I 1907 fikk president Theodore Roosevelt et slags livstidskort, hvor han kunne delta på alle baseball-kamper han ville. Det er verdt å nevne at Roosevelt ikke var særlig sportsinteressert. George W. Bush ble i 2001 den første presidenten som tidligere har vært samarbeidspartner i et Major League-lag – the Texas Rangers.
I 1969 endret «D.C Stadium» navn til «Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium», etter John F. Kennedys bror som døde året før.
Og med det, her er dagens nyheter:
Margaret Thatcher (1925-2013): Reaksjoner fra Washington
Storbritannias første kvinnelige statsminister Margaret Thatcher døde i går, i en alder av 87. Thatcher var statsminister fra 1979 til 1990, mens Ronald Reagan var president fra 1981 til 1989. Vår ampol-link til Thatcher er dermed Reagan, som en gang beskrev henne som «the best man in England.» Det er også Reagan-linken som går igjen i reaksjonene og uttalelsene vi har samlet nedenfor:
«With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend. As a grocer’s daughter who rose to become Britain’s first female prime minister, she stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered. As prime minister, she helped restore the confidence and pride that has always been the hallmark of Britain at its best. And as an unapologetic supporter of our transatlantic alliance, she knew that with strength and resolve we could win the Cold War and extend freedom’s promise.
Here in America, many of us will never forget her standing shoulder to shoulder with President Reagan, reminding the world that we are not simply carried along by the currents of history—we can shape them with moral conviction, unyielding courage and iron will. Michelle and I send our thoughts to the Thatcher family and all the British people as we carry on the work to which she dedicated her life—free peoples standing together, determined to write our own destiny.»
«With the passing of Baroness Margaret Thatcher, the world has lost one of the great champions of freedom and liberty, and America has lost a true friend. As a grocer’s daughter who rose to become Britain’s first female prime minister, she stands as an example to our daughters that there is no glass ceiling that can’t be shattered. As prime minister, she helped restore the confidence and pride that has always been the hallmark of Britain at its best. And as an unapologetic supporter of our transatlantic alliance, she knew that with strength and resolve we could win the Cold War and extend freedom’s promise.Visepresident Joe Biden:
«Today, Great Britain lost a leader with a strong will and strong convictions, and the United States lost a stalwart friend. I had the privilege of being in Margaret Thatcher’s company numerous times when she was Prime Minister, and she was always forthright in her views and undaunted in her commitment to advancing her nation’s interests. I’m glad I had the chance to know her, and today the Thatcher family is in my thoughts and prayers.»Republikanernes minoritetsleder i Senatet, Mitch McConnell (Kentucky):
“Americans and all freedom-loving people around the world mourn the passing today of The Iron Lady, Margaret Thatcher. A shopkeeper’s daughter from Lincolnshire, Margaret Thatcher rose through the force of her will and the power of her arguments to become the first and only female Prime Minister Great Britain has ever had. Undaunted by the tremendous personal and political obstacles that stood in her path at nearly every turn, including an attempt on her life, Thatcher reshaped Britain from the state of economic and social turmoil in which she found it to a place of opportunity and promise during three terms in office. She boldly reasserted her nation’s strength in foreign affairs, and she became an iconic symbol of the transformative power of conservative ideas. A great ally and admirer of the United States and a trusted partner of Ronald Reagan during some of the most challenging days of the Cold War, Margaret Thatcher never hesitated to remind Americans of their own obligations to the cause of freedom and of the need for political courage and confidence in the face of long odds. A towering figure of 20th century politics and an inspiration to millions around the globe, Margaret Thatcher set a standard of leadership that will be hard to replicate, but which will forever stand as a model for those who wish to change society for the better.”Speaker of the House John Boehner (R-Ohio):
«The greatest peacetime prime minister in British history is dead. Margaret Thatcher, a grocer’s daughter, stared down elites, union bosses, and communists to win three consecutive elections, establish conservative principles in Western Europe, and bring down the Iron Curtain. There was no secret to her values – hard work and personal responsibility – and no nonsense at all in her leadership. She once said, ‘Defeat? I do not recognize the meaning of the word.’ Now this lady who was never for turning goes to rest as grateful friends and allies around the world mourn her passing and pray for her loved ones. Americans will always keep Lady Thatcher in our hearts for her loyalty to Ronald Reagan and their friendship that we all admired. At this difficult hour, I send the condolences of the U.S. House of Representatives to Prime Minister Cameron and the British people.”Minoritetsleder i Representantenes hus Nancy Pelosi (D-California):
She was a relentless force and a steady hand in our fight to win the Cold War, helping to bring down the Berlin Wall brick by brick. She led her country with poise, grace, and an unmistakable iron will that will forever stand as a true testament to her unwavering commitment to public service. We only hope it is a comfort to her daughter Carol, her son Mark, and the entire Thatcher family that so many share in their grief at this sad time.”
“Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher was a commanding political figure, a leader of uncompromising strength, and a public servant who never failed to break down barriers. As the first woman—and longest-serving—British Prime Minister, she possessed a singular resilience that commanded the respect of her colleagues, the attention of a nation, and the awe of women and men across the world.Tidligere presidenter:
Tidligere President George W. Bush:
“Laura and I are saddened by the death of Baroness Margaret Thatcher. She was an inspirational leader who stood on principle and guided her nation with confidence and clarity. Prime Minister Thatcher is a great example of strength and character, and a great ally who strengthened the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. Laura and I join the people of Great Britain in remembering the life and leadership of this strong woman and friend.”
Tidligere President Bill Clinton:
«I was saddened to learn of the death of Lady Margaret Thatcher. The United Kingdom has lost its first woman Prime Minister, an iconic stateswoman, and a fearless leader. The United States has lost one of its dearest friends and most valued allies.
Lady Thatcher understood that the special relationship which has long united our two nations is an indispensable foundation for peace and prosperity. Our strong partnership today is part of her legacy. Like so many others, I respected the conviction and self-determination she displayed throughout her remarkable life as she broke barriers, defied expectations, and led her country. Hillary, Chelsea, and I extend our condolences to her family and to the people of the United Kingdom.»
Tidligere President George H. W. Bush:
«Barbara and I were deeply saddened to learn of Baroness Thatcher’s passing, and extend our heartfelt condolences to her children and loved ones. Margaret was, to be sure, one of the 20th Century’s fiercest advocates of freedom and free markets — a leader of rare character who carried high the banner of her convictions, and whose principles in the end helped shape a better, freer world.»
Tidligere President Jimmy Carter:
«Rosalynn and I are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Margaret Thatcher. A principled leader, she was a strong ally for peace and human rights during my presidency. As prime minister, her government was in the forefront of those who stood with the United States on key concerns, including the need for the SALT treaty, a stronger NATO alliance, majority rule in Zimbabwe-Rhodesia, and efforts to bring the Iran hostages home peacefully. We extend our condolences to her family and the people of Great Britain on their loss.»
Andre:
Florida-senator Marco Rubio (R):
“As someone who grew up in the Ronald Reagan era, I admired the special bond he had with Margaret Thatcher. Through her work with Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher helped deepen and solidify the special relationship between our two countries, which continues to benefit both nations to this day.”
Tidligere Alaska-guvernør og visepresidentkandidat i 2008, Sarah Palin:
“We’re deeply saddened at the loss of Margaret Thatcher. While the Iron Lady is sadly gone, her iron will, her unfailing trust in what is right and just, and her lessons to all of us will live on forever. She was a trailblazer like no other. We lost an icon, but her legacy, as solid as iron, will live on in perpetuity.”
Før vi går videre: «The Fix» har tatt for seg «fem øyeblikk som viser hvorfor Margaret Thatcher betyr noe i amerikansk politikk.»
Mitch McConnell støtter Rand Pauls «våpen-filibuster»
Minoritetsleder i Senatet, Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), støtter nå opp om Rand Pauls (R-Kentucky) trussel om å bruke «filibuster» mot den foreslåtte våpenlovgivningen.
Talsmannen John Ashbrook sier følgende:
“While nobody knows yet what Senator Reid’s plan is for the gun bill, if he chooses to file cloture on the motion to proceed to the Reid Bill (S. 649), Senator McConnell will oppose cloture on proceeding to that bill.»
Det er dermed 14 republikanske senatorer som har sagt at de støtter en filibuster av majoritetsleder Harry Reids (D-Nevada) forslag til våpenlov. Reid har sagt det skal stemmes over forslaget denne uken. Det avhenger imidlertid av at demokratene blir enige om bakgrunnsjekk ved våpenkjøp.
Reid trenger 60 stemmer for å vedta en «cloture motion», noe som vil bevege lovforslaget videre.
Obama i Connecticut: «Connecticut has shown the way.»
President Obama tok i går turen til Hartford, Connecticut for å snakke om behovet for nye føderale våpenlover. Det er snart fire måneder siden skytemassakren i Newtown, Connecticut, og delstaten vedtok i forrige uke nye våpenlover.
Obama kjemper nå for at Kongressen i Washington, D.C. skal vedta noen av de samme lovene som nå er delstatslov i Connecticut, inkludert nye rutiner for bakgrunnssjekk ved våpenkjøp. Republikanske senatorer, med Kentuckys Rand Paul i spissen, har imidlertid truet med filibuster, noe Obama omtalte i talen:
“Some back in Washington are already floating the idea that they might use political stunts to prevent votes on any of these reforms. Think about that. They’re not just saying they’ll vote ‘no’ on ideas that almost all Americans support. They’re saying they won’t allow any votes on them at all. They’re saying your opinion doesn’t matter. And that’s not right.»
Hovedsitatet fra talen, som også er den mest minneverdige one-lineren, er imidlertid følgende: «What’s more important — our children or an ‘A’ grade from the gun lobby?»
Du ser hele talen her:
httpv://youtu.be/g7MYLbOV9fY
Alt i alt: Gode utsikter for ny våpenlov
I går kunne vi lese at noe nytt forslag til våpenlov ikke ville komme før om flere uker, på grunn av uenigheter mellom demokrater og republikanere. I dag ser derimot utsiktene bedre ut. Dette skyldes i hovedsak republikanernes positive holdning til utvidet bakgrunnssjekk, melder Washington Post. Det spekuleres i om det nå har kommet et gjennombrudd i komiteen, som består av fire demokrater og like mange republikanere.
På bakgrunn av dette er det ventet at Det hvite hus, med president Obama i spissen, vil kjøre en ny storoffensiv for å få flere amerikanere bak seg i kampen om ny våpenlovgivning. Til tross for at meningsmålinger viser støtte for bakgrunnssjekk for våpenkjøpere, har presidenten foreløpig ikke greid å omgjøre dette til resultater på Capitol Hill.
En viktig faktor nå er at stadig flere senatorer, som er blant de mer konservative i forhold til spørsmål om kjøp av våpen, stiller seg bak president Obama og hans ønske om strengere bakgrunnssjekk. Den viktigste av disse er den demokratiske senatoren fra West Virginia, Joe Manchin III. Han har vært en av de mest aktive den siste tiden, til å få til enighet på tvers av partilinjene i Kongressen.
Prominente demokrater flokker til Colbert-Busch i South Carolina
Stadig flere demokratiske kongressmedlemmer, mange av disse potensielle presidentkandidater i 2016, støtter nå opp om Elizabeth Colbert-Busch og hennes kampanje i South Carolinas 1. kongressdistrikt. Blant de som støtter Colbert-Busch er Maryland-guvernør Martin O’Malley, New York-senator Kirsten Gillibrand og Minnesota-senator Amy Klobuchar. Disse skal blant annet delta på en «fundraiser» (pengeinnsamling) for Colbert-Busch i Washington, D.C. i nær framtid.
Colbert-Busch sin republikanske motstander er tidligere South Carolina-guvernør Mark Sanford, som vi har skrevet mye om den siste tiden. Hennes bror, den mer kjente komikeren Stephen Colbert, har vist seg som en meget verdifull støttespiller, og forventes også å delta på fundraiseren.
Gillibrand har allerede gått hardt ut mot Sanford, og uttalte følgende sist uke:
«This is the same Mark Sanford who, as governor, disappeared from office and used taxpayer money to visit his mistress. I talked to Elizabeth and told her we are going to do everything we can to make sure she wins. Republican Party bosses know they can’t run on Sanford’s record, so they are going to attack Elizabeth. She needs us to fight back.”
Colbert-Busch vs. Sanford går av stabelen 7. mai.
Chelsea Clinton hinter om politisk fremtid
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
Som om det ikke har vært nok snakk om Clinton-familien i det siste så hinter nå Chelsea Clinton, datteren til Bill og Hillary Clinton, om at hun muligens ser for seg en framtid innen politikken.
Hun uttaler følgende i et intervju til «Today» på NBC (hun jobber for øyeblikket for NBC News’ «Rock Center»):
«Right now I’m grateful to live in a city, in a state and a country where I strongly support my mayor, my governor, my president, my senators and my representative. If at some point that weren’t true and I thought I could make a meaningful and measurably greater impact, I’d have to ask and answer that question.»
Og hva sier hun om morens fremtidsplaner?
«I deeply respect and appreciate all of the admiration and respect and gratitude for my mother’s service. As a daughter, I very much want her to make the right choice for herself. I know that will be the right choice for our country, and I’ll support her in whatever she chooses to do.»
Fra valgbloggen: Schwartz stiller til guvernørvalget i Pennsylvania i 2014
«Kongressrepresentant Allyson Schwartz stiller til den demokratiske guvernørnominasjonen i Pennsylvania. Hun erklærte sitt kandidatur [i går] under et intervju med lokalavisen Philadelphia Inquirer, men hun har i praksis vært kandidat i flere uker alt.
Schwartz er den tredje offisielle kandidaten så langt, men er klart mer kjent enn forretningsmann og tidligere skatteminister Tom Wolf og tidligere miljøminister John Hanger. Andre mulige kandidater er finansminiser Rob McCord og tidligere kongressmann og admiral Joe Sestak.»
Du leser mer om valget her.
«Morgenkaffen» brygges av redaktøren i samarbeid med nettsidens praktikanter. Klikk her og abonnér, så serveres den i innboksen din hver morgen.
Marius Bjerknæs er praktikant for AmerikanskPolitikk.no våren 2013.
