Last Call: Obama Picks Hagel Replacement
A GOP congressman talks impeachment, Hillary rakes it in, and an end to government benefits for Nazis.
The House unanimously passed a bill that would end Social Security benefits for suspected Nazi war criminals on Tuesday.
Today in Obama:
SecDef Nominee: President Barack Obama has settled on Ashton Carter, a former top Pentagon undersecretary and military policy wonk, as his replacement for outgoing Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Some had anticipated the president might smash the glass ceiling by selecting a woman for the Pentagon’s top job, but it stays in place for now.
[READ: Long Read: Run, Ben, Run]
Take This Job: Bloomberg Politics asks a very relevant question: with budget cuts, low pay, White House micromanaging and the messes in Iraq and Syria, why would anyone actually want to be secretary of defense?
John Boehner, Call Your Office: Rep. Walter Jones, a North Carolina Republican, thinks it’s possible to impeach Obama, and says he’s got about a dozen or so colleagues willing to back him up on the matter.
Pain Management: According to a national survey, healthcare consumers are shopping for coverage through the Affordable Care Act websites, but they rate the experience about as enjoyable as a colonoscopy. No word on whether the pain of sitting through an online questionnaire is considered a pre-existing condition.
Wrecking Ball: Incoming Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, speaking before a Wall Street Journal-organized confab of corporate officers, said he expects the latest Obamacare challenge before the Supreme Court to do what he and congressional Republicans can’t - destroy enough of the law for a legislative “do-over” with Republicans in charge.
Game Over: The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank writes that Obama’s executive action on immigration has put congressional Republicans right where he wants them: in a box, struggling to formulate a response that won’t anger voters or Latinos.
Today in 2016:
Say What?: Declaring the world “is on fire” from the Obama administration's foreign policy, Sen. Ted Cruz, a Texas Republican, said he’s got a plan to put it out - chiefly centered around bromides like making the U.S. a “clarion voice of freedom” and “resolutely defending U.S. national security.” .
Veepstakes: Ohio Gov. Rob Portman’s officially dropped out as a Republican presidential contender, but that doesn’t mean he’s not available to take the number-two spot on a Republican presidential ticket.
[ALSO: Three-Minute Briefing: More Ferguson, Congress and Dr. Ben Carson]
Ego Has Landed: Business mogul and reality star Donald Trump, who stumped hard for Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, is said to be seriously considering a White House run of his own in 2016.
Today in Hillary:
Cashing In: Her book sales may be languishing, but Hillary Clinton is as popular as ever on the lecture circuit - and commanding top dollar for it. Bloomberg Politics reports she’s raked in millions since leaving her government job in the Obama administration, charging six figures for a single appearance.
After a noncommittal speech on the environment to environmentalists - during which she gave a thumbs-up to fracking and was silent on the Keystone XL pipeline - and did a fundraiser for Sen. Mary Landrieu in oil-rich Louisiana, the Washington Post asks if Clinton’s liberal street cred on the environment is taking some damage during her slow campaign rollout.
Today in Everything Else:
Camo, Not Cameras: The Daily Beast reports how the police SWAT lobby essentially swatted away Congressional outrage over police militarization in the wake of the Ferguson protests that featured officers in commando gear with surplus military-grade hardware.
Attacking Sexual Assault: A bipartisan group of senators, led by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a New York Democrat, are renewing their push for tougher protections against sexual assault in the armed forces. A similar proposal fell apart in the Senate around this time last year.
Pass/Fail: Mother Jones wins Provocative Story of the Day with a piece on the science of prejudice, hoping to offer insight into the Ferguson protests and the shooting of Michael Brown.
Nein: The House passed a bill that will terminate Social Security benefits for suspected Nazi war criminals. The proposal will close a loophole that allowed Nazis who weren’t deported from the U.S. to still receive Social Security benefits.
