Sherrod Puts Ball In Obama's Court

Former U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) employee Shirley Sherrod, forced to resign this week after a video was leaked to the press that appeared to show her making racially biased remarks, told ABC’s Good Morning America today that she is not sure whether she has the full support of President Barack Obama.

“I can’t say that the President is fully behind me,” Sherrod told anchor George Stephanopoulos. “I would hope that he is…I would love to talk to him,” she added.

USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack told reporters yesterday that he acted alone in making the decision to fire Sherrod. However, she told Stephanopoulos this morning that this was not the case.

“The first call I received said, ‘We’re putting you on administrative leave’….The next call was, ‘Shirley, we’re going to have to ask you to resign.’ And then, ‘The White House wants you to resign.’”

Yesterday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs issued a formal apology to Sherrod, and new reports suggested that the President was putting pressure on Vilsack to offer Sherrod her job back, which he did.

It’s Official, Obama Signs Financial Reform Into Law

With a few strokes of several pens, President Barack Obama achieved his second major legislative accomplishment today, signing the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act into law.

Addressing an audience of roughly 400 stakeholders, lawmakers and members of the public, the President praised the architects of the legislation, Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.). He reiterated many of the same talking points he has used to garner support for the bill, and softly chided Republicans for delaying the bill’s passage.

“Passing this bill was no easy task,” he said.  “To get there, we had to overcome the furious lobbying of an array of powerful interest groups and a partisan minority determined to block change.”

However, Mr. Obama did thank Republican Senators Scott Brown (R-Mass.), Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), the only three members of the GOP to vote for the bill.

Throughout his remarks, the President noted what a long journey getting financial reform passed had been. In fact, Mr. Obama spoke about the need to fix the financial system as early as June of last year, and the House passed its version of the bill last December. Yet, progress stalled in the Senate, mainly due to the fact that Democrats could not muster 60 votes in support.

Republicans and other business groups, notably the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the National Federation of Independent Businesses, opposed the legislation on the grounds that it would expand the reach and size of the federal government, and would over-regulate the market. Additionally, some conservative Democrats, including Ben Nelson (D-Neb.), expressed concerns over a proposed Consumer Protection Bureau.

However, Snowe and Collins threw their support behind the bill after they were able to secure favorable language for small businesses in their state, and Brown came aboard after getting Dodd to agree to strike a $18 billion dollar fee on big banks.

Obama's Popularity Decreasing, According To New National Poll

By Linn Grubbstrom - Talk Radio News Service

According to a new national conducted by Quinnipiac University, President Barack Obama’s job approval rating has dropped to 44 percent, his worst net score since he took office.

“New presidents have a honeymoon and that’s to be expected. For instance, a year ago President Obama was getting a fair-able job approval rating from 24 precent of Republicans. Now it’s 12. That’s not unexpected,” said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute at a press conference Wednesday.

Brown said there are several reasons for the low numbers. The economy, fallout from the oil spill and the administration’s public spat with Arizona over its new illegal immigration law have all contributed to negative marks for Mr. Obama. However, said Brown, public dissaproval with the President doesn’t necessarily indicate that Americans believe that Republicans are doing a good job.

“It’s not that the Republicans are doing better, it’s that President Obama is doing worse. And that always leaves a possibility in the end, if voters aren’t happy with their alternative they might not vote or they might stay with what they have,” he said.

The survey was conducted with more than 2,000 voters. 48 percent said they don’t believe Mr. Obama deserves re-election in 2012, and 37 percent responded by saying they would vote for a Republican candidate in two years.

In Ohio, Obama Touts Merits Of Stimulus

By Robert Hune-Kalter
Talk Radio News Service

President Barrack Obama visited Columbus, Ohio on Friday to mark a milestone of the Recovery Act, which he signed into law over one year ago. Later this summer, the 10,000th road project funded by the law will commence in Columbus’s downtown district and, according to the administration, is expected to generate 300 jobs.

After touring the site of the project, Obama made brief remarks, comparing the planned road improvements to those two centuries earlier.

“Our first nationally funded highway, the National Road, was extended across Ohio, bringing a generation of settlers west to this new frontier, paving the way for the automobile that would transform our landscape,” he said.

Columbus small businesses figure to be big beneficiaries of the stimulus later this year. The administration says they will receive between $44 and $53 million worth of Recovery Act funds. In addition, eleven million dollars will be provided to them in Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grants.

“It is with that vision of a brighter future for this city and for the country that we begin this project, and I am looking forward to seeing all that you achieve in the years and months to come,” Obama added.

White House Gaggle With Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

Iraq Bombing:
Gibbs said that the administration condemns the violence and that the leaders in Iraq who have moved democracy forward and who have made elections possible are overcoming those who have caused the violence. Gibbs added that the bombers are trying to send a message that most Iraqis won’t hear because they are focused on electing leaders.


Economy/President’s Speech:
Gibbs said that the administration will continue to look at what options there are and will try to help the private sector create more jobs. Gibbs said that the administration will continue to take in ideas. Gibbs said there is no silver bullet, and that 7-8 million jobs have been lost since the start of the recession. Gibbs said the administration wants to target ideas that can move the country positively in the direction of new jobs. He said the recession is “deep in length” and it’s sad to see “how much we’ve fallen.” Gibbs said the possibility that TARP may be $200 billion less, “gives us flexibility.” Gibbs said the administration will try to create twice as many projects, but without twice as much money. “Even shovel ready projects take time to get underway,” he said. If there are things that can be done in terms of using TARP funds to spur small business lending, that is something the administration will look at.


Supreme Court Ruling On Campaign Laws:
Gibbs said this is an important case for the American people and that the administration is concerned about special interests controlling the political process. Gibbs reminded reporters that the President talked about this issue during his campaign. The administration will wait to see if the high court delivers a ruling today.

Oslo:
On whether or not the President will give away his charity money, there is “no clarity yet on the charity,” said Gibbs. The President will also address sending troops into battle as he accepts the Nobel Peace Prize.


Healthcare:
Gibbs was asked about the reimportation of drugs and said the President still supports the reimportation of drugs, but there are safety concerns that still need to be addressed. “Safety is the number one concern,” said Gibbs.


Iran Sanctions:
Asked who will make the decision about Iranian sanctions, Gibbs said the Iranians will, but added, “we’re not at that point.”


Poll Numbers:
Asked about the latest poll numbers, Gibbs dismissed the Gallup numbers at 47%. He called the Gallup daily trend meaningless. Gibbs also said that if he was a patient and Gallup was his doctor, he would get a new doctor.