Daschle: Conservative Pundits Not Serving The Public

By Brandon Kosters - Talk Radio News Service

Former Democratic Senator Tom Daschle (S.D) hit back at Republican criticism over the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) today, which according to Daschle has large support from U.S. military.

Daschle called on the Senate to quickly ratify the treaty, and added that will improve the nation’s level of national security by allowing the U.S. to continue monitoring weapon development in Russia.

He blasted conservative political commentators who are opposed to the treaty, such as Glenn Beck, Sarah Palin, and Rush Limbaugh. Daschle said that if they are motivated by “a concerted to effort to cause the President of the United States to fail…[then] they are not public servants.”

Today At TRNS

White House correspondent Victoria Jones will be covering the briefing with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

The Washington Bureau will be covering:

The Center for American Progress (CAP) will hold a presentation on “New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty and the Outlook for American National Security.” Participants include former Sen. Tom Daschle, D-S.D.; Ploughshares Fund President Joe Cirincione; and CAP President and CEO John Podesta.

The Heritage Foundation will hold a discussion on “Will Obama’s Arms Control Agenda Stop with New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty?” Participants include Henry Sokolski, executive director of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center; Steven Groves, fellow at the Heritage Foundation’s Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom; and Baker Spring, fellow of national security at the Douglas and Sarah Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at the Heritage Foundation.

The Woodrow Wilson Center (WWC) will hold a discussion on “Iran: Is a Nuclear Deal Still Possible” Participating is Michael Adler, public policy scholar at WWC.

House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence, R-Ind. will hold his weekly pen and pad briefing.

Well “Integrity Test” Will Continue In 24-Hour Increments

by Miles Wolf Tamboli - Talk Radio News Service

Despite BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells’ declaration this morning that the well tests, which have been successful in temporarily stopping the oil leak into the Gulf of Mexico, National Incident Commander Admiral Thad Allen has released a statement telling the press that, “The ongoing well integrity test will continue until 4 p.m. EST [Sunday], with the potential for additional extensions in 24-hour increments.”

Allen released Saturday that the federal government had approved a 24-hour continuation of the well “integrity test,” but assured that, “as a condition of the extension, the US government has required significant new monitoring and periodic evaluation and approval by [its] science team.”

The Deepwater Horizon Response Joint Command has been conducting tests since Wednesday on a 75-ton “stacking cap” capable of either siphoning off crude oil from the broken Macondo well, or possibly of capping the well altogether.

The team has been monitoring the pressure of the oil building underneath the cap, and lower than expected readings are being examined in order to determine whether another leak has sprung elsewhere, or the oil reservoir has simply been depleted by the nearly three month long oil leak, according to the administration’s point man.

“Progress also continues on the two relief wells the federal government has required BP to drill. The relief well remains the ultimate step in stopping the BP oil leak for good,” said Allen.

Axelrod, Farrell Hail Financial Reform Bill

Philip Bunnell - Talk Radio News Service

David Axelrod, Senior Advisor to the president, and Diana Farrell, Deputy Director of the NEC, told reporters in a Friday conference call that they are pleased to see the financial regulatory bill pass the Senate.

Farrell said that the reform bill was almost perfect and contained “90% of what the president wanted.” She also said that the Obama administration’s second major victory of the year will bring financial security to Americans nationwide and will help boost economic recovery.

Axelrod agreed and expressed his approval of the Wall Street bill, but he also admitted he was “surprised” with remarks from Republican members of Congress who have already begun the fight to repeal legislation.  Early Thursday afternoon, House Minority Leader John Boehner told reporters that he believed the bill to be “ill conceived” and suggested it be repealed.

“We’re not moving backwards, we’re moving forwards,” Axelrod said in response to Republican criticism.

Boehner Endorses Moratorium On Federal Regulation

By Rob Sanna-Talk Radio News

House Minority Leader John Boehner told reporters Friday that he would support a year-long moratorium on federal regulations, this coming just one day after the Senate passed a financial reform bill aimed at pulling the country out of its current economic slump.

“Having a moratorium on new federal regulations is a great idea,” Boehner said.

The top Republican said the moratorium would relieve businesses of the fear of new federal mandates, providing incentive for them to hire new employees.

“It sends a wonderful signal to the private sector,” Boehner said. “If the American people knew that there was going to be a moratorium for a year, that the federal government wasn’t going to issue thousands of more regulations, it would give them some breathing room.”