Report: Obama Aides Pondering Tea Party Attack

White House advisers are flirting with a campaign aimed at linking the tea party movement with the Republican establishment, according to a story Monday in the New York Times.

The campaign would reportedly seek to capitalize on concerns that the handful of tea party candidates who have won their party’s primaries are out of step with mainstream voters.

The White House has denied giving such a move consideration. Politico reports that an administration official decried the piece as “100 percent inaccurate.”

The Times story comes the week after controversial tea party favorite Christine O’Donnell beat moderate Mike Castle in Delaware’s Republican primary. The unlikely win was widely trumpeted as the death knell for a Republican comeback in the Senate.

President And Cabinet Officials Traveling To Gulf Coast For Katrina Anniversary

President Barack Obama and prominent cabinet officials will travel to the Gulf Coast this week to commemorate the 5th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina.

President Obama will deliver remarks at Louisiana’s Xavier University in New Orleans.

Various administration officials will travel across the region to outline aspects of their agenda. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson will be included on the trip.

Major Garret Leaving Fox, Going To National Journal

Fox News’ White House Correspondent Major Garrett will be leaving the network and joining the staff of the National Journal, according to a statement released from the publication.

“Major Garrett is the embodiment of the new team we’re building here at National Journal,” Editor-in-Chief Ron Fournier said in the statement. “We’re incredibly lucky to be bringing into our newsroom.”

The move comes as the National Journal steps up their efforts to rival Politico for online-news coverage.

Republicans To White House: Fire Economic Team

House Republicans are urging President Barack Obama to fire key members of his economic team, including Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner.

During a highly publicized speech Tuesday, House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) cited the need for a “fresh start” in light of high unemployment and a volatile economy. Boehner also decried the lack of private sector experience within the administration’s inner circle.

Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), the chair of the House Republican Conference, issued a similar call Tuesday.

“The economic policies of this administration have failed and President Obama needs a new economic team,” Pence said in a statement. “This administration is out of ideas to get this economy moving again.”

The White House responded to the calls Tuesday, albeit with what seemed to be a sarcastic tone.

“Very constructive advice, thanks,” Biden said during remarks on Recovery Act funds.

“For eight years before we arrived, Mr. Boehner and his party ran this economy and the middle class into the ground,” Biden added.

White House Responds To Stem Cell Ruling

Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton said the following Tuesday on the recent ruling from a Federal Judge to halt federal funding for stem cell research:

“The President said very plainly when he laid out his stem cell policy that this is important lifesaving — potentially lifesaving research that could have an impact on millions of Americans and people all around the world.  He thinks that we need to do research.  He put forward stringent ethical guidelines, and he thinks that his policy is the right one.”

“We’re still reviewing the decision from this judge, but what we’ve seen so far, from what we can tell, this would also stop the research that President Bush had allowed to go forward early in his presidency.  So we’re exploring all possible avenues to make sure that we can continue to do this critical lifesaving research.”