Author: Lynn Sweet

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 25, 2010

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2010

In the morning, the President and the Vice President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and the Economic Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press. Later, the President will meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.

In the afternoon, the President and the Vice President will meet with Secretary of State Clinton in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.

Later, the President will deliver remarks and sign an executive order for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the East Room. This event demonstrates the President’s appreciation for the historic role these institutions have played in educating our citizens and the Administration’s commitment to assisting HBCUs with accomplishing their mission. The event is open press. Non-White House hard pass holders who wish to cover the event should send their full name, date of birth, social security number and country of citizenship to [email protected] by 10:00AM EST Friday morning.

In-Town Travel Pool

Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg

Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP

TV Corr & Crew: CBS

Print: Hearst Newspapers

Radio: ABC

Travel Photo: New York Times

EST

9:00AM Pool Call Time

10:35AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Presidential Daily Briefing

Oval Office

Closed Press

11:05AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Economic Daily Briefing

Oval Office

Closed Press

11:35AM THE PRESIDENT meets with Senior Advisors

Oval Office

Closed Press

2:00PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with Secretary Clinton

Oval Office

Closed Press

4:40PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks and signs an executive order for the White House Initiative on Historically Black Colleges and Universities

East Room

Open Press (Pre-set 3:40PM – Final Gather 4:10PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)

Briefing Schedule

2:00PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

##

WASHINGTON–Legitimate? Says who. Says President Obama.

Obama allowed that the Republicans had a few “legitimate” points or arguments during the Thursday session over stalled health care legislation. Obama peppered his comments with the word. Here are some examples:

1. “This is a legitimate debate, and it actually speaks to the point that Congressman Camp was making earlier about what’s happening in the exchanges.”

2. “The issue here, which we’ve had an honest disagreement about, is how much should government set baseline, versus just letting people decide that, you know, “I can’t really get decent insurance but, you know, maybe this is better than nothing”? And that’s a legitimate argument. I don’t disagree with that.”

3. “I think the cost issue is legitimate, and whether we can afford it or not, we’ll be discussing that. And I think that’s an entirely legitimate discussion.”

4. Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) asked Obama, “Why in the world, then, would we carve out 800,000 people in Florida that would not be — have their Medicare Advantage cut? Now, I proposed an amendment on the floor to say everybody’ll be treated the same. Now, Mr. President, why should we carve out 800,000 people, because they live in Florida, to keep the Medicare Advantage program, and then wan to do away with it?”

Said Obama, “I think you make a legitimate point.”

5. “…Well, I — I — I think that’s — it’s a legitimate point. I would just point out that 80 percent of seniors are helping to pay, in extra premiums, for the 20 percent who are in this Medicare Advantage. And it’s not means-tested, so it’s not as if the people who are in Medicare Advantage are somehow the poor people who can’t afford supplementals. It’s pretty random.”

6. “You can make an argument that whatever savings we get out of Medicare Advantage should not go to filling the doughnut hole, for example. That’s a legitimate argument. You can make an argument that it should go just to deficit reduction. You know, those are all legitimate arguments.”



THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release February 25, 2010

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT PRESENTATION OF THE
NATIONAL HUMANITIES MEDAL
AND THE NATIONAL MEDAL OF THE ARTS

East Room

5:50 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, everybody. Please have a seat. (Applause.) I’m sorry I’m a little late. (Laughter.) I had this thing I had to do. (Laughter.) But I understand that people have been drinking and — (laughter) — and eating the big shrimp around here. And I have to say that the wait will have been worth it, because we are honoring an extraordinary group of individuals.

Before I begin I just want to make a few acknowledgements. First of all, somebody who was busy with me today, and is busy every day on behalf of the American people — we have Speaker Nancy Pelosi who is here. (Applause.)

We have somebody who has been a great entrepreneur of the arts who we’re glad accepted the position of chairman of the NEA, Mr. Rocco Landesman, who is here. Please give him a big round of applause. (Applause.) Another individual who had an extraordinarily distinguished career in Congress and has been a consistent supporter of the arts and the humanities, and is somebody who doesn’t just talk bipartisan, but has always walked the bipartisan walk — we’re grateful to have him here, Mr. Jim Leach, chairman of the NEH. (Applause.) Where’s Jim? There he is.

Two great friends of mine and the co-chairs of the President’s Commission on the Arts and Humanities — Ms. Margo Lion and Mr. George Stevens — and all the commission members who are here, will you please stand and let us give you a round of applause. (Applause.)

And two recipients who were not able to be here today, but I want to make mention of them because obviously their careers have helped to mark the landscape of American culture for decades — Mr. Bob Dylan and Clint Eastwood, who are both recipients but could not make it today. So I wanted to make sure that we acknowledge them.

Now, all of us are here to share a recognition of the importance of the arts and the humanities — pursuits and professions that enrich the mind, and nourish the soul, and strengthen the character of this country. They bring us joy. They bring us understanding and insight. They bring us comfort in good times and, perhaps especially, in difficult times in our own lives and in the life of our nation.

This recognition is what led to the founding of the Committee on the Arts and Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Each of these institutions plays a vital role in preserving and enhancing America’s cultural legacy. They promote works of the past. They cultivate the talent of the future. They deserve our thanks.

It is one of the special privileges of this office that I have an opportunity, from time to time, to take part in award ceremonies like this; to honor individuals and institutions that are important to me, personally, and important to all of our citizens; to celebrate triumphs of the arts and the humanities that bring us closer to an understanding of what makes us American, but also what makes us human.

And one of the most extraordinary features of America’s cultural inheritance is its dynamism and its diversity. It’s a culture that produced Mark Twain and Toni Morrison, John Philip Sousa and Louis Armstrong, Marian Anderson and Alvin Ailey. It’s a culture in which all of us can find a place, in which all of us can take great pride.

The men and women that we honor today are a part of this unique American tradition. In a cultural moment that too often prizes the sensational over the enduring, the trivial over the profound, it’s worth recalling the contributions of the honorees in this room — contributions that at once reflect and rise above the particular moments in which they’re made.

With us are actors and authors, singers and sculptors, conductors, curators, collectors, civic leaders, champions of the arts and the humanities. Each has taken a different path to get here. Each has made the most of different gifts. But all of them have reached the peaks of cultural achievement. And all of them are a testament to the breadth and depth of the human spirit.

It’s through contributions like theirs, as much as anything else, that a nation’s legacy is forged. Ancient Greece and Rome are remembered for the rulers who conquered the known world, but also for the Odyssey and the Iliad, for a forum and a coliseum. Europe — from the Renaissance through the Enlightenment — is remembered for wars of religion and the stirrings of revolution, but also for the Sistine Chapel and the encyclopedia. The China that invented gunpowder and paper is also known for its poetry.

That is the legacy of these civilizations. That’s how they are remembered. And we will be remembered, I hope, for what we do in our time to deliver progress for our people and to advance the dreams of all people. But I hope we will be remembered for something else, as well. I hope we will be remembered for the Metropolitan Museum of Art, for the School of American Ballet, for all that you, the honorees here today, have done to enrich and enhance America’s legacy.

And that legacy will be forged by all of us doing our part. By those of us here in Washington doing what needs to be done to improve the lives of people who are — we were elected to serve. By brave men and women fighting under our flag. By citizens and neighborhood organizations and places of worship that are giving back to the communities. And by scientists that are advancing what we know about the workings of the world and the universe. But also by Americans like you — creators, imaginers, entertainers — helping each of us understand the human experience, and helping all of us recognize that common humanity.

That task is especially important I think right now. It’s easy in times like these, with all the talk about what makes us different and what divides us, what keeps us apart, to lose sight of what holds us together. To forget that no matter what our differences, some things speak to all of us.

It doesn’t matter whether we’re Democrats or Republicans, all of us are profoundly moved by our reflection in black granite. No matter what the color of our skin or what beliefs we hold, all of us can draw lessons from the works of history. No matter what community we call our own, all of us can be moved by a symphony, or an aria; all of us can be moved by a soprano’s voice; all of us can be moved by a film’s score. The arts, the humanities, they appeal to a certain yearning that’s shared by all of us — a yearning for truth and for beauty, for connection and the simple pleasure of a good story.

More than 200 years and 25 — 225 years ago, on February 18, 1784, George Washington sat down at his home in Mount Vernon to write a letter. It was just a month after Congress officially put an end to the war with the British Empire. And it was still years before the Constitutional Convention met in Philadelphia — years before this general ended up becoming President. Years before 13 newly independent colonies became one nation, indivisible under God.

But the letter Washington sat down to write that day was not about the recent triumph over the British. It was not about what shape a young America might take. Instead, it was a letter to a bookseller. Before requesting a few volumes, Washington expressed a belief — and I quote — “to encourage literature and the arts is a duty which every good citizen owes to his country.”

A duty of every good citizen. So speaks the father of our country. Even then, amid all the concerns of those heady and dangerous days, Washington took time to reflect on the infinite value of what were then called “the elegant arts.” Even then, he foresaw the essential role that the arts and the humanities would play in the formation of our country’s character. And if Washington were with us today, I think he would agree that all of you have fulfilled your duties; that all of you are good citizens; that all of you have enriched the legacy of the United States of America.

So with that, I now ask the honorees to come up, one by one, as their citations are read.

(The citations are read.)

MILITARY AIDE: The 2009 National Humanities Medal to Elie Wiesel. (Applause.) The 2009 national Humanities Medal to Elie Wiesel, for his unwavering commitment to preserving the memory of the Holocaust and its victims. He has fostered compassion and understanding through his writing, his leadership, and his relentless advocacy for human rights. (Applause.)

The 2009 National Medal of Arts recipients.

Milton Glaser. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to Milton Glaser, for a lifetime devoted to improving the way people communicate through innovation in graphic design, and for memorable visual artifacts that challenge contemporary artists and delight all Americans. (Applause.)

Maya Lin. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to Maya Lin, for her profound work as an architect, artist, and environmentalist. Her vision for the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial emblemizes her deep understanding of the ways in which we respond to the world around us. (Applause.)

Rita Moreno. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to Rita Moreno, for her remarkable achievements on stage and screen. Her performances have served as touchstones to millions of Americans for whom she reflects their own passions, troubles, and joys. (Applause.)

Jessye Norman. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to Jessye Norman, for her contributions to American music as a dramatic soprano, broadening contemporary operatic repertoire and distinguishing herself with the warmth, intensity, and range of her voice. (Applause.)

Accepting for the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, David Stahl. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, for preparing young musicians to become great cultural contributors. As a model of music education, America’s oldest continuously operating conservatory proves that exceptional training enriches artists, our communities, and our nation. (Applause.)

Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., for cultivating Charleston’s historic and cultural resources to enhance public spaces, and for revitalizing urban centers throughout our nation as founder of the Mayors’ Institute on City Design. (Applause.)
Accepting for the School of American Ballet, Peter Martins. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to the School of American Ballet, for shaping the history of 20th century dance by training young dancers under the guidance of the world’s ballet masters to forge a dynamic classical ballet tradition in the United States. (Applause.)

Frank Stella. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to Frank Stella, for his accomplishments as one of the world’s most innovative painters and sculptors. His sophisticated visual experiments — often transcending boundaries between painting, printmaking, and sculpture — are modern masterpieces. (Applause.)

Michael Tilson Thomas. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to Michael Tilson Thomas, for his dedication to elevating American orchestral playing as a renowned conductor, and for his commitment to engaging new artists and audiences in the exciting world of contemporary music. (Applause.)

John Williams. (Applause.) The 2009 National Medal of Arts to John Williams, for his achievements in symphonic music for motion pictures. As a preeminent composer and conductor, his scores have defined and inspired modern movie-going for decades. (Applause.)

The 2009 National Humanities Medal recipients.

Robert A. Caro. (Applause.) The 2009 National Humanities Medal to Robert A. Caro, for capturing the subtle machinations of political influence in America. His biographies of Robert Moses and President Johnson have shown how individuals accumulate and exercise power in local and national settings. (Applause.)

Annette Gordon-Reed. (Applause.) The 2009 National Humanities Medal to Annette Gordon-Reed, for important and innovative research about an American family, the Hemings of Monticello. Her narrative story about Sally Hemings and her relatives, Thomas Jefferson’s slaves, brings to light a previously unrecognized chapter in the American story. (Applause.)

David Levering Lewis. (Applause.) The 2009 National Humanities Medal to David Levering Lewis, for his insightful examinations of W.E.B. DuBois, the Dreyfus Affair, and early Islamic-Christian relations in Europe, which have enriched our understanding of the figures and forces that shaped world history. (Applause.)

William H. McNeill. (Applause.) The 2009 National Humanities Medal to William H. McNeill, for his pedagogy at the University of Chicago and as an author of more than 20 books, including The Rise of the West, which traces civilizations through 5,000 years of recorded history. (Applause.)

Philippe de Montebello. (Applause.) The 2009 National Humanities Medal to Philippe de Montebello, for his vision in bringing great art to an international public and his leadership in revitalizing the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and for fostering arts appreciation among people of all ages. (Applause.)

Accepting for Albert H. Small, Robert Perry. (Applause.) The 2009 National Humanities Medal to Albert H. Small, for his devotion to sharing early American manuscripts with our nation’s cultural and educational institutions, as a philanthropist and collector. His generosity has helped educate countless Americans about those who founded our country. (Applause.)

Theodore C. Sorensen. (Applause.) The 2009 National Humanities Medal to Theodore C. Sorensen, for advancing our understanding of modern American politics. As a speechwriter and advisor to President Kennedy, he helped craft messages and policies, and later gave us a window into the people and events that made history. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Ladies and gentlemen, please give a big round of applause to all the honorees. (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the formal program, but there are some drinks and big shrimp left. (Laughter.) So we expect you to enjoy the hospitality of the White House. And Michelle and I just want to personally again say what an honor it has been for us to be here at this ceremony. Each and every one of these individuals in some way has touched my life.

I think about Robert Caro and reading The Power Broker back when I was 22 years old — (laughter) — and just being mesmerized, and I’m sure it helped to shape how I think about politics.

I think about Maya Lin and the first time I had a chance to see that extraordinary monument to the courage of our young men and women in uniform. I think about the first time I heard Jessye Norman’s voice, or saw Rita in West Side Story. And my great friend Joe Riley — the extraordinary work that he’s done in Charleston. And Ted Sorensen, who used up all the good lines for every President remaining. (Laughter.) And Frank Stella, who obviously is a legend.

I don’t want to mention everybody because each and every one of you in some way have touched our lives. So a personal thanks from Michelle and myself, and I hope all of you have a wonderful evening and continue to enrich the lives of our citizens. It is extraordinarily important. And we will continue to be as big a booster as possible from this office.

Thank you very much. (Applause.)

END 6:19 P.M. EST

On Rahm Emanuel, David Axelrod and Valerie Jarrett, the most prominent Chicago staffers in the Obama White House…

Is Emanuel, the chief of staff on his way out or is he the most important person in the Obama administration? Is Chicago in the running to be the headquarter city for the Obama 2012 re-election campaign? Both these matters have been in the national news these past days.

Item One: On Emanuel and senior advisors Jarrett and Axelrod:

The latest chatter about Emanuel’s tenure and Jarrett and Axelrod was triggered by a Sunday column by the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank. Milbank was very rough on Jarrett and Axelrod and White House press secretary Robert Gibbs in bolstering Emanuel’s tenure as chief of staff. Emanuel has been the subject of some sniping and Milbank provided Emanuel’s strongest defense to date.

“Obama’s first year fell apart in large part because he didn’t follow his chief of staff’s advice on crucial matters. Arguably, Emanuel is the only person keeping Obama from becoming Jimmy Carter,” Milbank wrote.

Milbank goes on: Obama’s problem is that his other confidants — particularly Valerie Jarrett and Robert Gibbs, and, to a lesser extent, David Axelrod — are part of the Cult of Obama. In love with the president, they believe he is a transformational figure who needn’t dirty his hands in politics.”

And this: “Obama’s greatest mistake was failing to listen to Emanuel on health care. Early on, Emanuel argued for a smaller bill with popular items, such as expanding health coverage for children and young adults, that could win some Republican support. He opposed the public option as a needless distraction.”

And this: “The failure of the president’s message also reflects on his message maven, Axelrod, who is an adept strategist but blinded by Obama love. A good example was Obama’s unproductive China trip in November. Jarrett, Gibbs and Axelrod went along as courtiers; Emanuel remained at his desk in Washington, struggling to keep alive the big health-care bill that he didn’t want in the first place.”

My take: Emanuel has said he only promised to stay in the White House for two years. Axelrod has talked about only staying two years. Jarrett is in for the long haul.

The Obama presidency is a lifetime achievement for Axelrod and Jarrett, the realization of their own dreams and aspirations. They have been with Obama since the early days of his political career. Emanuel, on the other hand, was not part of the presidential campaign, was drafted for the Obama White House and he–unlike Jarrett and Axelrod–gave up something that was very important to him–his House seat and his independence as a political figure on track to being Speaker of the House–in order to answer the call for a second stint in the White House.

Axelrod and Jarrett have hit a career high with President Obama. For Emanuel, this tour of duty in the White House is a sidetrack from a path he was on to realize his own ambitions. The Emanuel camp I am told sees all this back and forth about his standing as absurd.

Item Two: Politico’s Mike Allen wrote, “President Barack Obama’s top advisers are quietly laying the groundwork for the 2012 reelection campaign, which is likely to be run out of Chicago and managed by White House deputy chief of staff Jim Messina, according to Democrats familiar with the discussions.”

I asked Axelrod and White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer about this.

Axelrod e-mailed me in reply, “Honestly, we have not had one discussion about this or any aspect of 2012. It’s nuts.”

“It was news to us,” said Pfeiffer in an e-mail to me.

Jarrett was asked about Allen’s story during a Fox News interview on Wednesday with Fox White House correspondent Major Garrett. Here’s the exchange:

GARRETT “Before I let you go, Mike Allen, somebody I know and respect, somebody I know and respect, someone I know you know, has a piece in Politico today saying that conversations and plans, though, incremental, have begun for the 2012 campaign. He mentioned your name and several others who were prominent in the 2008 campaign.

At what stage is the reelection campaign, if at all, underway?

JARRETT: Not at all. Not at all. And I actually said that to Mike Allen yesterday. You just — we just spent the first part of this interview talking about health care and regulatory reform and job creation and all of the challenges that we’re facing here in government. We aren’t even beginning to think about the election.

We’re thinking about tomorrow.

GARRETT: You’re not even planning for it?

JARRETT: Not at all…

GARRETT: Because most presidents, in a first term, at least initially, plan for their reelection, because it’s something that you can’t not think about once you’re here in this building.

JARRETT: With the magnitude of challenges facing our country right now, I can assure you that the very last thing President Obama is thinking about is planning an election campaign. That’s not what he was elected to do. He has plenty on his plate and he is determined — he wakes up every morning focusing on the American people, not an election that’s two years off. My goodness.

WASHINGTON–Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez testified Wednesday at a Senate Judiciary panel hearing on titled “In Our Own Backyard: Child Prostitution and Sex Trafficking in the United States”

There is “no more heart breaking problem than the sexual exploitation of children,” said Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a member of the panel.

Alvarez highlighted a new approach her office is taking on human trafficking crimes.

She told the panel, “I created an Organized Crime / Human Trafficking initiative last July as part of the Special Prosecutions Bureau within my office. Along with our
law enforcement partners, both state and federal, my human trafficking prosecutors have been conducting long-term, proactive investigations into these organized crime targets. Suffice to say, this covert work is proving fruitful, even though I cannot, of course discuss any details of these pending investigations.

Additionally, I have taken advantage of the size of my office – the second largest in the nation – and developed new methods for collection and centralization of intelligence regarding human trafficking offenders. Given the daily interaction between local law enforcement and those forced to work in the sex industry, crucial leads arise on a recurring basis within the various parts of my office, including misdemeanor cases, domestic violence, auto theft, sex crimes, felony review, cold case murder and financial crimes and public corruption.

PREPARED TESTIMONY OF COOK COUNTY STATE’S ATTORNEY ANITA ALVAREZ
SENATE JUDICIARY SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND THE LAW
FEBRUARY 24, 2010

Thank you Senator Durbin and members of the Committee for inviting me to be
here with you today to discuss this extremely important issue.

As all of you know, human trafficking is an increasing problem in the United
States and the sex trade is one of the most lucrative areas of the trafficking
industry. Over the years, criminal enterprises have made a fortune in my county
and in states across the nation exploiting women and children and destroying
lives and communities in the process.

Last year the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority funded a study of
young women involved in the sex trade industry in the Chicago area. Seventy-
three percent of participants surveyed reported that they had started in the sex
trade before the age of 18. Almost one-third of those surveyed stated that the
reason they started in the sex trade industry was because they owed the
individual who had recruited them because of the provision of food, clothing or
gifts.

One survey respondent related that she turned to prostitution as a freshman in
high school and that she would turn tricks after school because her mother was
addicted to drugs and she needed the money to buy food and clothing. In a
prostitution case that my office handled recently, one juvenile related that she
did not wish to pursue criminal charges against her pimp because, and I quote,
“He gets me a Subway sandwich whenever I want one.”
It’s clear that when vulnerable young women are equating the trade of sex for
a deli sandwich, we all must realize the agonizing human toll this problem is
taking on our young generation and potentially generations to come. These
juveniles are engaging in “survival sex,” —- exchanging sex for food, clothing or a safe place to sleep.

Cases such as this also demonstrate the challenges that we face on the local level in prosecuting juvenile prostitution and sex crimes.

First and foremost — from the perspective of the criminal offender — the
economic gain of child prostitution or trafficking greatly outweighs the risks.
There is very low overhead in terms of cost for offenders and this crime is rarely
detected because it is difficult for law enforcement to identify minors engaged
in juvenile prostitution or trafficking.

Another challenge that law enforcement faces in prosecuting these cases is
that most children will not self identify or cooperate with police and they identify
with their pimp or purveyor as someone who they rely on and even love. They
are typically young girls from troubled backgrounds who have been sexually
victimized, have low self esteem and essentially a total lack of options in their
lives.

All of which makes this crime a potential “perfect storm” for street gangs or
other organized crime entities.

As a career prosecutor who has tried countless gang-related homicide cases
that have occurred on the streets of Chicago, I understand fully the nature,
scope and influence of street gangs. They are increasingly sophisticated and
profit oriented and human trafficking fits well into their criminal repertoire. In
addition to being able to intimidate the victim and her family, the gang
member can also control the victim through sex and drugs.

An extremely disturbing example of this occurred in the state of Illinois in an
investigation that originated out of Ottawa, Illinois, in LaSalle County. The
LaSalle County State’s Attorney tried and convicted four people in 2008 on
criminal drug conspiracy charges in connection with a gang controlled heroin
and crack cocaine distribution ring that was operating between Chicago and
the LaSalle – Peru area in our state.

My office assisted in the investigation and helped to prepare the conspiracy
indictment as well as the search warrant executed at a Chicago home where
the drugs were being cooked, cut and prepared for distribution. In this
particular case the gang leaders were using 17 and 18 year old girls to “body
pack” the narcotics for smuggling from Chicago to LaSalle County. During the
course of their involvement the girls became addicted to heroin and were
videotaped having sex with the gang leaders. In a particularly disturbing and
chilling video seized in the investigation, one of the gang leaders is shown
removing a bag of heroin from the vagina of one of the teenaged victims.

When it comes to prosecuting child prostitution, my office, in practice, does not
charge juveniles who are arrested on prostitution-related charges. We
understand this child is not a criminal but rather a victim who needs support,
services and a safe future.

All too often, making them safe has proved to be
particularly challenging because, in the past, the traditional prosecution of
juvenile sex trafficking was reactive and far too dependent upon victim
testimony.

As a career prosecutor and a newly elected State’s Attorney, it has occurred to
me that the traditional approach we have taken with juvenile prostitution has
simply not been effective on many levels. We are not convicting the organized
groups of individuals who are perpetuating this industry and – even more
importantly – we are not able to effectively offer the services that these young
women need to help them, keep them safe, and empower them to leave the
sex trade industry once and for all. It seems to me that the premise of removing
one child from the situation only to have another step in and fill her place is not
a good one.

With this in mind, I created an Organized Crime / Human Trafficking initiative last
July as part of the Special Prosecutions Bureau within my office. Along with our
law enforcement partners, both state and federal, my human trafficking
prosecutors have been conducting long-term, proactive investigations into
these organized crime targets. Suffice to say, this covert work is proving fruitful,
even though I cannot, of course discuss any details of these pending
investigations.

Additionally, I have taken advantage of the size of my office – the second
largest in the nation – and developed new methods for collection and
centralization of intelligence regarding human trafficking offenders. Given the
daily interaction between local law enforcement and those forced to work in
the sex industry, crucial leads arise on a recurring basis within the various parts of
my office, including misdemeanor cases, domestic violence, auto theft, sex
crimes, felony review, cold case murder and financial crimes and public
corruption. In many cases, the defendants or victims in simple sexual assault or
domestic violence cases possess key information concerning human trafficking
operations. Under my HT initiative, we are now working to develop and funnel
this intelligence to a dedicated team of prosecutors, allowing us to “connect
the dots” and focus our resources in the right direction.

As part of this coordinated approach against human trafficking, my prosecutors
have also continued to work with the Chicago Police Department and other
agencies to reorganize the regional HT task force and specifically train officers
working “vice” to identify and investigate human trafficking – especially those
operations involving the exploitation of children. With the assistance of Chicago
Police, these ongoing efforts will not only view prostituted children as victims,
rather than criminal defendants, but also hold accountable the individuals and
groups truly responsible for these horrific offenses.
Equally as important, my human trafficking team is building direct coalitions with
social service providers and other NGO’s, thus enabling such groups to assist
police during HT takedowns and share their investigative leads with law
enforcement. With due regard for client confidentiality and consent, we are
fostering the lines of communication necessary for social service providers to
share their information with us, not just about human traffickers, but also
concerning potentially corrupt public officials who protect them and their
operations.
Since the formation of this initiative, this networking plan has cast a wide net,
including simple things, such as attending breakfast meetings, to participation in
more formal events, such as the launch of the “End Demand Campaign of the
Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation,” as well as the recent human
trafficking summit held in San Francisco last November by the U.S. Justice
Department, “Building Collaboration to Address Human Trafficking in Domestic
Violence and Sexual Assault Cases.”
Through our HT initiative, my office has also been able to share our expertise and
our NGO connections with federal agencies, including the Department of
Homeland Security, I.C.E., and the U.S. Attorney’s Office. In one very recent
case, we helped to provide information that was instrumental in having a
human trafficking offender detained pending trial in a federal case, and further
helped agents connect victims with temporary housing and social services.
I doubt anyone here would be surprised to hear that our greatest setback to
date has not been a lack of vision or resolve, but rather a lack of funding. Due
to severe financial cutbacks on the county level, our HT initiative currently lacks
the scale needed for true success. As such, we have been and will continue to
pursue new sources of funding.
Our social service partners face the same challenges as we do when it comes
to funding but we all clearly understand and see the need for safe and long-
term shelter, therapeutic intervention and educational development.
Prosecutors cannot solve this problem in isolation and it is my intention to
continue to work in partnership so that we can achieve success together. I think
it is clear to all of us at the local, state and federal levels that this problem is vast
and the need is immediate. Nevertheless, I remain optimistic and I believe we
are on the right track and turning a corner in our efforts to meet these
challenges head-on.

Below, pool report from
Christina Bellantoni, Senior reporter, Talking Points Memo

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) scrum quotes – about 2 mins. News toward bottom.

Pool Q:
“Do you the public option will come up at all today?”

Durbin A: “It might … We’ve kind of been through this battle in the
Senate … and you lose a handful of Democratic votes on the public
option.” (Adds he supports public option)

Q: How do you think it’s going?

A: “I think it’s going well. The president is really doing his very best
to find some basic common ground … He’s identified some key
principles” where there is some agreement

Q: Any surprises so far?

A: “No. Working with these people for a long time, I could give some of
their speeches and they could give mine.”

Q: Expect bipartisan deal to form? Are differences being bridged?
(Paraphrased, off mic)

A: “It’s a longshot.”
“It’s possible.”
“I’m glad the president is trying, the American people want him to try
to find some common ground … I hope we get it done.”

Pool Q: “What happens tomorrow?”

Durbin A: “If nothing comes of this we’re going to press forward. We
just can’t quit. This is a once in a political lifetime opportunity to
deal with a health care system that is really unsustainable …”

Pool Q: Does reconciliation start tomorrow?

Durbin A: “I wouldn’t go that far. We will sit down in leadership and if
we have some helpful Republicans, this could be an easy assignment. But
if not, it could be a little harder.”
***
Christina Bellantoni
Senior reporter
Talking Points Memo

Below, from the White House….

UPCOMING GUIDANCE FOR FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA

Monday, March 1st: The First Lady will address the School Nutrition Association’s Legislative Action Conference to discuss the importance of school nutrition as part of the recently launched Let’s Move! Campaign. Many children consume as many as half of their daily calories at school. With more than 31 million children participating in the National School Lunch Program and more than 11 million participating in the National School Breakfast Program, good nutrition at school is more important than ever. The School Nutrition Association (SNA), which represents food service workers in more than 75% of the nation’s schools, has joined the Let’s Move! Campaign. Working with other education partners, SNA has committed to increasing education and awareness of the dangers of obesity among their members and the students they serve, and ensuring that the nutrition programs in 10,000 schools meet the Healthier US School Challenge standards over the next five years. This 2 pm EST event – held at the JW Marriott in Washington DC – is open press.

Tuesday, March 2nd: First Lady Michelle Obama will join Education Secretary Arne Duncan and National Education Association (NEA) President Dennis Van Roekel at the NEA’s 2010 Read Across America Day to spread the importance of reading and education. In honor of Dr. Seuss’ birthday, Mrs. Obama will read one of his books and then take questions from the audience of children with Secretary Duncan. This 10:45 AM event is open press.

Wednesday, March 3rd: The First Lady will travel to Jackson, Mississippi and be joined by Governor Haley Barbour and Mississippi First Lady Marsha Barbour at a local school to discuss ways to promote healthy schools as part of the recently launched Let’s Move! Campaign. One prong of the initiative focuses on promoting healthy eating, nutrition education, and physical activity in schools – all elements of the USDA’s Healthier US School Challenge program. The First Lady will visit an elementary school and hear from officials and experts about state and local efforts to combat childhood obesity. Media coverage details will be announced next week.

###

WASHINGTON–After President Obama offered opening remarks at the bipartisan health care meeting with GOP and Democratic congressional leaders, Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) took the floor to frame the GOP positions. He made a request for an incremental approach–not the comprehensive overhaul the Democrats want. Alexander’s point: Congress does not do comprehensive well. That’s a big bridge to build between the side. Obama’s track record is to go for bite sized do-able chunks, but will have a challenge getting congressional Democrats to go along. The GOP wants Obama to “start over,” and start with a blank slate, not the Obama proposals posted at www.whitehouse.gov

Alexander also asked Obama to “renounce” a controversial Democratic option of passing a health care bill in a process known in the Senate as “reconciliation,” which would require only a majority vote–not the filibuster proof 60 votes. The election of Sen. Scott Brown (R-Mass.) left Democrats one vote short of 60.

“Renounce this idea of jamming through” a bill on a partisan vote,” Alexander said.

If not, everything at the session will not be relevant, Alexander said.

I doubt the Democrats will ever make that pledge to Republicans and take away what is an important option for them.

“Reconciliation is not something that hasn’t been done before,” said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nv.), in reply to Alexander.

That’s that, it seems.

Obama retold stories about the health travails of his mother and daughters, Malia and Sasha. Obama told the lawmakers, assembled at the Blair House, across the street of the White House:

I can certainly remember Malia coming into the kitchen
one day and saying, “I can’t breathe, Daddy,” and us having to rush
her to the emergency room because she had asthma, or Sasha when she
was a baby getting meningitis and having to get a spinal tap and being
on antibiotics for three days, and us not knowing whether or not she
was going to emerge okay. In each of those instances, I remember
thinking, while sitting in the emergency room, what would have
happened if I didn’t have reliable health care.

My mother, who was self-employed, didn’t have reliable health
care, and she died of ovarian cancer. And there’s probably nothing
that modern medicine could have done about that. It was caught late,
and that’s a hard cancer to diagnosis.

But I do remember the last six months of her life, insurance
companies threatening that they would not reimburse her for her costs
and her having to be on the phone in the hospital room arguing with
insurance companies when what she should have been doing is is —
spending time with her family.

Below, from Schakowsky…

SCHAKOWSKY, SANDERS TURN CROSS HAIRS ON PRIVATE SECURITY CONTRACTORS
Stop Outsourcing Security Act Seeks to Phase Out Security Contractors from Mission Critical Tasks

WASHINGTON, February 23 – Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) today introduced legislation that would phase out private security contractors in war zones.

The United States last year employed more than 22,000 hired guns in Iraq and Afghanistan. They protected diplomats, trained military and police officers, repaired and maintained weapons systems. Contractors also were involved with interrogations and intelligence gathering.

“The American people have always prided themselves on the strength, conduct, and honor of our United States military. I therefore find it very disturbing that now, in the midst of two wars and a global struggle against terrorism, we are relying more and more on private security contractors – rather than our own service members – to provide for our national defense,” Sanders said.

“The behavior of private contractors has endangered our military, hurt relationships with foreign governments, and undermined our missions overseas,” Schakowsky added.

The Stop Outsourcing Security Act would restore the responsibility of the American military to train troops and police, guard convoys, repair weapons, administer military prisons, and perform military intelligence. The bill also would require that all diplomatic security be undertaken by U.S. government personnel. The White House could seek exceptions, but those contracts would be subject to congressional oversight.

The legislation also would subject contracts exceeding $5 million to congressional oversight. Agencies with military contractors would have to report the number of contractors employed, disclose the total cost of the contracts, and make public any disciplinary actions against employees.

High pay for contract workers in war zones both burdens taxpayers and saps military morale, Schakowsky and Sanders said. While some soldiers who risk their lives for their country struggle to support their families, private security company employees are paid two or three times as much, sometimes pocketing as much as $1,000 a day.

Military officers in the field have said contractors operate like “cowboys,” using unnecessary and excessive force uncharacteristic of enlisted soldiers. In 2007, guards working for a firm then known as Blackwater were accused of killing 17 Iraqis, damaging the U.S. mission in Iraq and hurting our reputation around the world. Later that year, a contractor employed by DynCorp International allegedly shot and killed an unarmed taxi driver.

Late last year, photos surfaced of lewd and drunken conduct by workers for ArmorGroup North America, a firm the State Department hired to provide security at the U.S. embassy in Kabul.

Some private security contractors have a history of fleecing taxpayers. The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform investigated Blackwater’s employment practices and found that the company classified security guards in a way that may have allowed the firm to skirt paying Social Security, Medicare, and Federal income taxes. A separate Small Business Administration investigation found that Blackwater may have made misrepresentations in order to qualify for $110 million in government contracts set aside specifically for small businesses.

###

WASHINGTON–White House senior advisor Valerie Jarrett gave Fox News an interview on Wednesday, with White House correspondent Major Garrett, signaling, a thawing of icy relations between Fox News and the Obama White House. Last week, First Lady Michelle Obama gave an interview to former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for his Fox News show, in order to publicize her “Let’s Move” anti-childhood obesity drive.

Below, transcript from Fox….

Major Garrett interviews Valerie Jarrett
Fox News Senior White House Correspondent Major Garrett talked with President Obama’s Senior Adviser Valerie Jarrett on the economy, Thursday’s health care summit with Congress, and when the President plans to gear up for the 2012 election cycle. The full transcript is posted below.
MAJOR GARRETT, HOST: Valerie, thank you so much for joining us on Fox.
VALERIE JARRETT, SENIOR ADVISER TO PRESIDENT OBAMA: My pleasure.
My pleasure.
Thank you.
GARRETT: I read a couple of paragraphs from the president’s speech today to John Boehner, because I wanted his reaction. Apparently — especially the parts where the president said it’s not about liberal ideas or conservative ideas, pro-labor, pro-business, it’s about prosperity and the economy.
John Boehner said: “I couldn’t agree more. That’s a great speech.”
JARRETT: It’s a great start.
GARRETT: And he said — exactly. And he said: “But that’s not what’s happening on Capitol Hill.”
His complaint is the uncertainty with Cap-and-Trade, the uncertainty with health care, the uncertainty about future tax policy — the Bush tax cuts, particularly — is creating an environment where small businesses, in his opinion, feel they can’t add jobs right now because they don’t know what’s coming.
How do you respond to that?
And put it in the context of today’s address.
JARRETT: Well, I think today presented an excellent opportunity for the president to set the record straight.
What we’ve done just in this year’s budget is reduce taxes $70 billion for corporations. That’s a 10 percent reduction in the corporate tax rate. We have credits in there for small businesses.
Just today, a bill was passed through Congress to try to help create payroll taxes to induce small businesses to get going again.
And health care reform is designed to help small businesses. Right now, small businesses are seeing their costs of health care escalating at dramatic paces. Just recently, a few days ago, we saw a California insurer raising their rates 39 percent.
A small business needs more certainty than that. Nobody can prepare for that. Large businesses can’t prepare for that.
And so today, the president really said, look, this is about an alignment of interests between business, the business sector, government and the workers. And we should all be working together. We’re just pulling ourselves from, really, the brink of an economic collapse in our country. We all should have learned from that experience.
And what we need to do, work together, is to put in place the kind of — foster the kind of environment where businesses of all sizes — small, medium or large — want to invest, want to do the innovative things that our businesses here in America are known for doing, want to grow our economy and want to create the kind of jobs that will bring — reduce that unemployment rate that it still lagging right now.
GARRETT: In the California case, you would concede that was for individual policyholders who don’t work for a company and are not covered. That’s — that is a separate part of the health care debate.
JARRETT: Well, another whole reason why we need to make sure that people who aren’t covered can participate in a pool that will bring down the cost of insurance, so they don’t have to bear that burden. But right now, small businesses are choosing between covering their employees — and many of them are dropping coverage for their employees.
So they’re — they’re the ones who are — who are suffering from that increase in the policy — in the — in the premium. And so many small businesses can’t add to their workforce because of a lot of the uncertainty.
So what the president said today very clear is he’s very mindful of that. He is looking to foster the kind of economy where businesses can grow. And we have to do that working together.
The Business Roundtable is a good example of an organization that has worked with us very closely. They supported The Recovery Act. They point to that as a way of jump-starting our economy until the private sector has a chance to keep up — catch up. And what the president said today is, look, long-term sustainable growth comes from the private sector. And what government should do is what (INAUDIBLE) to foster an environment where the private sector wants to expand and grow. And that was really his message today.
GARRETT: Speaking of the Business Roundtable, I want to read you something the president said to them last year: “Throughout our history, there have been times when the market has fallen out of balance. There have been moments of economic transformation and upheaval when prosperity, even basic financial security, have escaped far too many of our citizens. And at these moments, government has stepped in not to supplant private enterprise, but to catalyze it.”
Is there a different message this year or is it the same?
Because some at the White House have described today’s speech to me as a recasting or a simplifying of the president’s message to make it sound, to a public who’s grown somewhat skeptical, that he is more — more pro-business.
JARRETT: It’s the same message. I think last year, at the time that he gave his speech, we were losing 700,000 jobs a month. We’ve now reduced that down to just barely losing any jobs and some months we’ve been positive. We made a lot of progress since last month. Last month is when he was proposing The Recovery Act. We’re now — we’ve now created over two million jobs since this time last year. And so this…
GARRETT: Saved or created.
JARRETT: Saved or created. And so the jump start that The Recovery Act was designed to do, we’re well on our way. We still have half the funds to expend. So we still are well on — well on our way on that.
But I think right now, what the president is saying, at this moment in time — and it was passed today through Congress, in one of the houses — is we need targeted investment. There’s still a very important role for — because the economy is still so fragile, there’s still an important role for government to play.
So, small businesses, you started by mentioning them. Now we have a job tax cut that will allow them to hire people who have been unemployed. We need to think of ways of reducing the costs of health care for the small businesses.
The president has been very aggressive in putting pressure on the banks to start lending again, because the ones who really need that money the most are small businesses, and they’re seeing their access to capital is still not opening back up, notwithstanding the fact that the banks have now returned to — to better health.
And so all of these steps are designed to create again this atmosphere where companies can thrive, can grow. But what they do need
— small, medium or large companies — rules of the road. And so that’s why the president is supporting financial regulatory reform, so that with the memory of last year’s disaster so fresh, don’t we all want to make sure that doesn’t happen again?
Don’t we all want to know that we have the certainty, so that everybody knows what the rules are, everybody plays by those rules and those rules are designed very specifically not to squelch innovation and growth, but to create an atmosphere of predictability where companies can grow but cannot take advantage of the — the taxpayer to come in and bail them out if they start to gamble.
So we want to reduce the gambling. We want to reduce the risk to the taxpayers so that they never again have to step in and take the extraordinarily unpopular but necessary steps that were taken last year.
GARRETT: Is part of the takeaway that without health care this year and without regulatory reform this year, the economy simply can’t recover?
JARRETT: Well, I think that if you look — if you’re an average business trying to figure out what is — what is the uncertainty, knowing that they can’t predict what their health care costs are going to be, knowing going they are on a trajectory upwards is a huge disincentive to growing. So I think when you talk about health care and you talk about the importance of investing in education. We have to prepare our workforce so that they can compete in this global atmosphere.
We don’t want to fall behind. The president said very clearly in the State of the Union Address, the United States doesn’t want to come in second to anyone.
So there are a whole host of issues that we need to tackle aggressively in order to create jobs, in order to create the sustainable growth that will come from the private sector, in order to create rules of the road so everybody knows — everybody knows to play by the right set of rules and — and live well within those lines.
GARRETT: But there is an expectation or a feeling right now that both financial regulatory reform and health care are in jeopardy.
Are they both necessary this year and is that the goal — the absolute…
JARRETT: Well, the goal is…
GARRETT: — the absolute legislative goal of the White House?
JARRETT: The goal is absolutely to get them both done as quickly as absolutely possible. And I think that what we have to look at is really look around at the average kitchen table and — and talk to people who are out there struggling, trying to make ends meet.
What they’re talking about is the fact that they are stretched thin. And so talk to someone who has a pre-existing condition and that has to come out of pocket to pay for an illness. Talk to somebody whose premiums are going up or whose out of pocket expenses are going up, who are worried about their homes being foreclosed, who are worried about whether or not they’re going to be able to keep their job.
Those are the things that keep us up late at night. Those are the issues that we’re expecting Congress to work with us to try to solve as quickly as possible. The American people shouldn’t have to wait.
GARRETT: One specific legislative question on health care. Kent Conrad said today if the House doesn’t pass the Senate bill, there can be no reconciliation. It’s over. It’s dead. It’s not even worth discussing. That would seem to suggest that the president’s proposal on the Web site is not really the center of gravity. The center of gravity is what it’s always been — the Senate bill and the House Democrats’
willingness to vote for and pass it and move it along.
Is that possible?
JARRETT: Look, what I think the president has said very clearly is he’s put up on the Web what he thinks is a very sound idea. This has been a very long process. It’s challenging. It’s hard. Seven presidents have tried to get health insurance reform through and they haven’t been able to do it. We are so close right now. So much hard work has been done by both the House and the Senate.
But we’re not there yet. And so what the president said is, look, this is my idea. I’m open to your idea. Come tomorrow with your best ideas for how we can achieve what we all know has to be done. We’ve got to make health care more affordable. We’ve got to cover people with pre-existing conditions. We’ve got to cover people who have never been covered and who are — who we are paying for indirectly anyway. We’ve got to do whatever we can to bring down the costs, because if you look at our federal deficit, the single biggest issue we have is our — these escalating health care costs.
We want to — we want everyone to feel the same sense of urgency here in Washington that people around the country feel each and every day. We want them to feel that intensity.
And so we are optimistic. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy.
It’s going to be hard. But if people come tomorrow prepared to really roll up their sleeves and work hard on behalf of the American people, the people who elected them here, we’re confident that we can make progress.
GARRETT: Do you disagree with Senator Conrad’s procedural analysis?
JARRETT: You know what?
I think that the American people aren’t interested in the procedural analysis. I think what they want is an up and down vote. They deserve an up and down vote on health care. And we are determined to make sure that happens.
GARRETT: Before I let you go, Mike Allen, somebody I know and respect, somebody I know and respect, someone I know you know, has a piece in Politico today saying that conversations and plans, though, incremental, have begun for the 2012 campaign. He mentioned your name and several others who were prominent in the 2008 campaign.
At what stage is the reelection campaign, if at all, underway?
JARRETT: Not at all. Not at all. And I actually said that to Mike Allen yesterday. You just — we just spent the first part of this interview talking about health care and regulatory reform and job creation and all of the challenges that we’re facing here in government. We aren’t even beginning to think about the election.
We’re thinking about tomorrow.
GARRETT: You’re not even planning for it?
JARRETT: Not at all…
GARRETT: Because most presidents, in a first term, at least initially, plan for their reelection, because it’s something that you can’t not think about once you’re here in this building.
JARRETT: With the magnitude of challenges facing our country right now, I can assure you that the very last thing President Obama is thinking about is planning an election campaign. That’s not what he was elected to do. He has plenty on his plate and he is determined — he wakes up every morning focusing on the American people, not an election that’s two years off. My goodness.
GARRETT: Valerie, thank you very much for your time.
JARRETT: You’re welcome.

Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Ok.)travels to Chicago to headline a March 5 fund-raiser for the Republican National Committee at the Drake Hotel. The ticket prices range from $1,000 to $250. The host committee includes Pat Brady, the chairman of the Illinois Republican Party and a member of the RNC national committee, and other Illinois GOP leaders. One of the RNC’s fund-raising committees, the “Young Eagles” are also helping put the event together.

Chicago is fertile territory for GOP fundraising. Sen. John McCain (R-Az.) visited Chicago earlier this month for a funder for Illinois GOP Senate nominee Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-Ill.) and to raise money for himself. McCain is in a contested GOP primary against former Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-Az.) Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.) hits Chicago in April for a funder at the Standard Club.

Glenn Thrush over at Politico has a list of other fund-raisers for GOP senators.

from the White House….

The President will then host a bipartisan meeting at the Blair House to discuss health reform legislation. The President will offer brief opening comments, followed by Republican and Democratic Members chosen by their colleagues. They will then begin discussions around four themes: 1) Controlling costs – introduced by the President; 2) Insurance reforms – introduced by Secretary Sebelius; 3) Reducing the deficit – introduced by the Vice President; and 4) Expanding coverage – introduced by the President. The meeting will be pooled for TV and print in its entirety. There will be a pool still photographer spray at the top of the meeting. The entire meeting will also be streamed live on www.WhiteHouse.gov. The President will be seated in the middle of one side of the hollow square, with the Vice President, Secretary Sebelius, and congressional Leadership seated alongside him at the table. Members will be seated by caucus around the square.

Members of Congress expected to attend the meeting include:

Senator Harry Reid, D-NV, Majority Leader

Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Republican Leader

Senator Dick Durbin, D-IL, Majority Whip

Senator Jon Kyl, R-AZ, Republican Whip

Senator Max Baucus, D-MT, Chairman of the Finance Committee

Senator Chuck Grassley, R-IA, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee

Senator Tom Harkin, D-IA, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

Senator Chris Dodd, D-CT, Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee

Senator Chuck Schumer, D-NY

Senator Patty Murray, D-WA

Senator Kent Conrad, D-ND

Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-WV

Senator Ron Wyden, D-OR

Senator Lamar Alexander, R-TN

Senator John Barrasso, R-WY

Senator Tom Coburn, R-OK

Senator John McCain, R-AZ

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA

Representative Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Majority Leader

Representative John Boehner, R-OH, Republican Leader

Representative James Clyburn, D-SC, Majority Whip

Representative Eric Cantor, R-VA, Republican Whip

Representative Charles Rangel, D-NY, Chairman of the Ways and Committee

Representative Dave Camp, R-MI, Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee

Representative Henry Waxman, D-CA, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee

Representative Joe Barton, R-TX, Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee

Representative George Miller, D-CA, Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee

Representative John Kline, R-MN, Ranking Member of the Education and Labor Committee

Representative John Dingell, D-MI, Chair Emeritus of the Energy and Commerce Committee

Representative Xavier Becerra, D-CA

Representative Louise Slaughter, D-NY

Representative Robert Andrews, D-NJ

Representative Jim Cooper, D-TN

Representative Paul Ryan, R-WI

Representative Marsha Blackburn, R-TN

Representative Charles Boustany, R-LA

Representative Peter Roskam, R-IL

** Note: Senator McConnell and Leader Boehner will designate one additional Republican member to attend.**

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 24, 2010

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2010

In the morning, the President and the Vice President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.

The President will then host a bipartisan meeting at the Blair House to discuss health reform legislation. The President will offer brief opening comments, followed by Republican and Democratic Members chosen by their colleagues. They will then begin discussions around four themes: 1) Controlling costs – introduced by the President; 2) Insurance reforms – introduced by Secretary Sebelius; 3) Reducing the deficit – introduced by the Vice President; and 4) Expanding coverage – introduced by the President. The meeting will be pooled for TV and print in its entirety. There will be a pool still photographer spray at the top of the meeting. The entire meeting will also be streamed live on www.WhiteHouse.gov. The President will be seated in the middle of one side of the hollow square, with the Vice President, Secretary Sebelius, and congressional Leadership seated alongside him at the table. Members will be seated by caucus around the square.

Members of Congress expected to attend the meeting include:
Senator Harry Reid, D-NV, Majority Leader
Senator Mitch McConnell, R-KY, Republican Leader
Senator Dick Durbin, D-IL, Majority Whip
Senator Jon Kyl, R-AZ, Republican Whip
Senator Max Baucus, D-MT, Chairman of the Finance Committee
Senator Chuck Grassley, R-IA, Ranking Member of the Finance Committee
Senator Tom Harkin, D-IA, Chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, Ranking Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Senator Chris Dodd, D-CT, Member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee
Senator Chuck Schumer, D-NY
Senator Patty Murray, D-WA
Senator Kent Conrad, D-ND
Senator Jay Rockefeller, D-WV
Senator Ron Wyden, D-OR
Senator Lamar Alexander, R-TN
Senator John Barrasso, R-WY
Senator Tom Coburn, R-OK
Senator John McCain, R-AZ
Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-CA
Representative Steny Hoyer, D-MD, Majority Leader
Representative John Boehner, R-OH, Republican Leader
Representative James Clyburn, D-SC, Majority Whip
Representative Eric Cantor, R-VA, Republican Whip
Representative Charles Rangel, D-NY, Chairman of the Ways and Committee
Representative Dave Camp, R-MI, Ranking Member of the Ways and Means Committee
Representative Henry Waxman, D-CA, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee
Representative Joe Barton, R-TX, Ranking Member of the Energy and Commerce Committee
Representative George Miller, D-CA, Chairman of the Education and Labor Committee
Representative John Kline, R-MN, Ranking Member of the Education and Labor Committee
Representative John Dingell, D-MI, Chair Emeritus of the Energy and Commerce Committee
Representative Xavier Becerra, D-CA
Representative Louise Slaughter, D-NY
Representative Robert Andrews, D-NJ
Representative Jim Cooper, D-TN
Representative Paul Ryan, R-WI
Representative Marsha Blackburn, R-TN
Representative Charles Boustany, R-LA
Representative Peter Roskam, R-IL

** Note: Senator McConnell and Leader Boehner will designate one additional Republican member to attend.**

Later, the President will deliver remarks and present the awards for the 2009 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal in the East Room. The First Lady will also attend. This event is open press. Non-White House hard pass holders who wish to cover the event should send their full name, date of birth, social security number and country of citizenship to [email protected] by 11:00AM EST Thursday morning.

In-House Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: ABC
Print: Gannet News
Radio: VOA
Travel Photo: TIME

Blair House Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: CNN
Print: Gannet News
Radio: VOA
Travel Photo: TIME

EST

8:15AM In-House Pool Call Time

9:15AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

9:50AM THE PRESIDENT walks to Blair House
In-House Pool Coverage (Gather Time 8:55AM – Stakeout Location)

10:00AM THE PRESIDENT hosts a bipartisan meeting to discuss health reform legislation
Blair House
Pooled for Blair House TV & Print in entirety// Blair House Pool Still Photographer spray at the top (Gather Time 8:40AM – Stakeout Location)
**Blair House Pool Note: Please wear dark suits

4:00PM THE PRESIDENT walks to The White House
In-House Pool Coverage (Gather Time 3:45PM – Stakeout Location)

4:30PM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks and presents the awards for the 2009 National Medal of Arts and National Humanities Medal
East Room
Open Press (Pre-set 3:30PM – Final Gather 4:05PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)

**NOTE TO THE IN-HOUSE POOL: The President may walk back to the White House during the lunch break at some point between 11:00AM and 1:00PM EST. The walk to and from the White House will be covered by the In-House Pool.

**NOTE TO PRESS: Beginning at 7:00AM tomorrow, Pennsylvania Ave between 17th St and 15th St will be closed for security reasons in anticipation of the health care meeting at Blair House. Closings will last until approximately 6:00PM.

Members of the press wishing to access the White House will be able to enter and exit White House grounds through the Northwest Gate, as usual. However, the access path to the Northwest Gate will be limited to the South sidewalk of Pennsylvania Ave, beginning at the intersection of Pennsylvania Ave and at 17th St and moving eastward to the Northwest Gate. This will be the only access path for reporters to get to the Northwest Gate.

Secret Service will be stationed at the intersection of 17th St and Pennsylvania Ave to direct press. All White House hard pass holders as well as all press appointments (those cleared in for the day) will be allowed to use the designated path.

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Below, releases from Sen. Dick Durbin, White House on President Obama’s nominations to the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois, Sharon Coleman and Gary Feinerman. The court sits in Chicago.

DURBIN: WHITE HOUSE NOMINATES FIRST TWO TO FILL FEDERAL JUDGESHIPS IN NORTHERN DISTRICT

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today announced that President Obama has nominated the first two individuals to fill five pending vacancies on the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of Illinois: Sharon Coleman and Gary Feinerman.

“Sharon Coleman and Gary Feinerman will each bring a great depth of experience and legal ability to the bench,” said Durbin. “I was honored to recommend their names to President Obama, and am pleased that he has nominated them to fill two of the five vacancies in the Northern District of Illinois.”

In April of last year, Durbin established three bipartisan screening committees to assist in selecting Federal District Court Judges, U.S. Attorneys, and U.S. Marshals for Illinois. The screening committees were comprised of 22 distinguished Illinoisans drawn from various aspects of the legal profession and include former judges, prominent litigators, law professors, bar association leaders, former prosecutors and defenders. Former federal judge and Illinois Congressman Abner Mikva chaired the Northern District Screening Panel.

Members of the screening committees met throughout the spring and early summer, reviewing applications and references, and conducting interviews. The screening committees recommended the names of several individuals for each vacancy. Durbin reviewed the screening committees’ recommendations, conducted interviews of finalists, and last fall, in consultation with members of the Illinois Congressional delegation, submitted the names of seven individuals to the President, who made the final decisions on today’s nominees. The names submitted were: Edmond Chang, Sharon Coleman, Susan Cox, Thomas Durkin, Gary Feinerman, Mary Rowland and Maria Valdez. The other five individuals are still under active consideration, and the White House hopes to make further announcements in the coming weeks.

Once the President submits a nomination to the U.S. Senate, it will be reviewed by the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Senator Durbin is a member and the nominee will ultimately receive a vote in the committee. If approved by the Judiciary Committee, the nominee will then receive a vote by the full Senate.

A biographical description of the nominees follows:

Names for District Judge

Sharon Coleman. Judge Coleman serves on the Illinois Appellate Court, following her election in 2008. She served as a judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County from 1996-2008. Before that, she was a supervisor in the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office and an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. She has served on the boards of numerous bar associations and public interest organizations, she has received a Woman of Excellence award from the Chicago Defender, and she has served as a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow. She is a graduate of Washington University law school in St. Louis.

Gary Feinerman. Mr. Feinerman has been a partner at Sidley Austin in Chicago since 2007. From 2003-2007, he served as Illinois’s Solicitor General, and before that he was a partner at Mayer Brown in Chicago. He has argued numerous cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit, and Illinois Supreme Court. He served as a judicial law clerk to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy and to 7th Circuit Judge Joel Flaum in Chicago. He has served on numerous boards and is the president of the Appellate Lawyers Association of Illinois. He has also served as a Leadership Greater Chicago fellow, and he received a “Forty Under Forty” designation from Crain’s Chicago Business. He graduated from Stanford Law School, finishing with the second highest grade point average in the class.

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THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_______________________________________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 24, 2010

President Obama Nominates Three for District Court Bench

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama nominated Justice Sharon Coleman and Gary Feinerman to serve on the United States District Court Bench for the Northern District of Illinois and William J. Martínez to serve on the United States District Court Bench for the District of Colorado.

President Obama said, “Throughout their long and impressive legal careers, Sharon Coleman, Gary Feinerman, and Bill Martínez have distinguished themselves as some of our nation’s best and brightest. I am honored to nominate them for the District Court Bench, and am confident they will approach the job with the utmost integrity and impartiality.”

Justice Sharon Johnson Coleman: Nominee for the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Justice Sharon Johnson Coleman sits on the Illinois Appellate Court in Chicago, a position she has held since 2008. From 1996 until 2008, Justice Coleman served as a judge of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois. Between 1993 and 1996, she held the position of Deputy State’s Attorney and Bureau Chief for the Public Interest Bureau of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. From 1989 to 1993, Justice Coleman served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Northern District of Illinois. From 1984 until 1989, she was an Assistant State’s Attorney in Cook County. Justice Coleman received her J.D. in 1984 from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and her B.A. in 1981 from Northern Illinois University.

Gary Scott Feinerman: Nominee for the United States District Court, Northern District of Illinois

Gary Scott Feinerman is a partner in the Chicago office of Sidley Austin LLP, where he practices in the general litigation and appellate practice groups. He received his B.A., summa cum laude¸ from Yale College in 1987 and his J.D. from Stanford, where he was a member of the Order of the Coif and the Law Review, in 1991. After law school, Feinerman clerked for Judge Joel M. Flaum of the Seventh Circuit and for Justice Anthony M. Kennedy of the Supreme Court of the United States. After his clerkships, Feinerman worked in the Justice Department’s Office of Policy Development (now known as the Office of Legal Policy). From 2003- 2007, Feinerman served as Solicitor General of Illinois, where he received Best Brief Awards from the National Association of Attorneys General in each year from 2004-2007.

William J. Martínez: Nominee for the United States District Court, District of Colorado

William “Bill” Martínez has been a partner at McNamara, Roseman, Martínez and Kazmierski in Denver, Colorado, since 2001. Between 1997 and 2001, he was a sole practitioner in Denver. Mr. Martínez served as the Regional Attorney for the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from 1992 to 1996 at its Denver district office. He was an associate with Pendleton and Sabian in Denver between 1988 and 1992. From 1980 to 1987, he worked as an attorney for the Legal Assistance Foundation in Chicago, Illinois. Mr. Martínez is a Fellow of the College of Labor and Employment Lawyers. He received a B.S. and a B.A. from the University of Illinois in 1977 and a J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School in 1980.

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First Lady Michelle Obama was in Philadelphia on Friday as part of her “Let’s Move” childhood obesity project, finding out how the city solved the problem known as “food deserts.” Click after the video for Mrs. Obama’s discussion about food deserts with Fox News Mike Huckabee, the former Arkansas governor.

MR. HUCKABEE: When you say “food desert,” define that for me.

MRS. OBAMA: This is areas where there’s no access to a grocery store. So there are places, like in the community that we visited in Philadelphia, they hadn’t had a grocery store in their community in a decade. Now, you think about a decade of a community. So that means that if a mom in that area wanted to make a salad for their kid, right, even if she was geared up to do it, that means she would have to get in a cab, take a bus, get on a train to get to a grocery store to do that.

And you just sort of think of families that are busy, they don’t have resources, they just don’t do it. So we have to eliminate food deserts. And one of the goals of Let’s Move is to eliminate food deserts in this country in seven years. Ambitious goal, but I think we can do it if we work together.

And Pennsylvania, Philadelphia is a model. They essentially have started a healthy food financing initiative, where they take a modest investment and they leverage that to create an incentive for local businesses to locate in underserved communities. And we visited this beautiful store where they did just that. This community that hadn’t had a store in 10 years now has a fresh grocer there, beautiful store. It’s employing local community members. And it’s created an economic engine in an underserved area. So it’s a hub for other businesses to come in.

So the point is, if we can do that in Philly and we do that in Pennsylvania, because they’re implementing this all throughout the state, then perhaps this is a model that we can look at for the rest of the country.

So Let’s Move, a piece of that, is creating a healthy food financing initiative, investing $400 million to try and leverage some additional resources for states and communities that want to replicate that. So it’s giving governors and mayors some support to figure out, how do we attract more grocery stores here? How do we change the mind-set?

Because it’s really not about just what our kids eat, it’s also about what their communities are like. You know, you can’t live in a community that doesn’t have food in it, right? I mean, that’s the basic foundation.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 23, 2010

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 24, 2010

In the morning, the President and the Vice President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing and the Economic Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. The President will then meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meeting are closed press.

In the afternoon, the President will address the Business Roundtable’s 2010 First Quarter Meeting at the St. Regis Hotel, where he will lay out our vision for a more competitive America, where the interests of workers, businesses, and government are aligned around the common goal of ensuring a growing prosperity that is widely shared. The President will discuss the need to continue our recovery by giving small and large businesses incentives to hire new workers, and laying a foundation for long-term growth. This foundation is based on investments in innovation, education, and energy. It involves exporting more of our goods overseas and opening new markets. And it requires us to address the costs and risks that have prevented our economy from reaching its full potential: outdated financial regulations, crushing health care costs, and a growing deficit. Finally, he will talk about the necessity of putting partisan differences and Washington games aside to align around a common interest of addressing the enormous challenges we are facing. This event is pooled press.

After returning to the White House, the President will participate in a credentialing ceremony for foreign ambassadors in the Oval Office. This is closed press.

Later, the President and the Vice President will meet with Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.

In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: NBC
Print: Financial Times
Radio: Talk Radio
Travel Photo: New York Times

EST

9:30AM Pool Call Time

10:00AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

10:30AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Economic Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

11:00AM THE PRESIDENT meets with senior advisors
Oval Office
Closed Press

1:00PM THE PRESIDENT addresses the Business Roundtable
St. Regis Hotel
Pooled press (Gather time 12:35PM – North Doors of the Palm Room)

3:15PM THE PRESIDENT participates in a credentialing ceremony for foreign ambassadors
Oval Office
Closed Press

4:15PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with Secretary of Commerce Locke
Oval Office
Closed Press

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Tammy Duckworth told Gov. Quinn this morning that she was not interested in being the new Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor nominee. Duckworth, a Veterans Administration official and former Democratic House candidate, had talked to Quinn, who was in Washington this week for the National Governors Conference.

While Quinn would not have the power to appoint Duckworth to the ballot slot vacated by Scott Lee Cohen ‹ that would come from the Democratic State Central Committee ‹ presumably his recommendation of a running mate would have great influence over the committee.

NBC5 broke the news that Duckworth did not want to be in the running, and the Sun-Times confirmed with a close associate of Duckworth that she turned Quinn down because she had ³not completed her mission² working on veterans issues.

STATEMENT FROM TAMMY DUCKWORTH
“While I am honored my name has been mentioned for potential consideration by the Illinois Democratic Central Committee for the Lt. Governor candidate position, I have respectfully requested that my name be removed from consideration. I made a commitment to President Obama and our Nation’s Veterans to serve at the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and I want to fulfill my promise before returning home. As an Illinoisan, I’m proud to continue to serve in the Illinois Army National Guard and I know that real work lies ahead as the state recovers economically. Governor Quinn has my full support as he continues to fight hard on behalf of working families across the state.”

First reported by NBC political reporter Mary Ann Ahern who had the scoop on Tammy Duckworth rejecting Quinn’s Lieutenant Governor offer.

First reported by NBC political reporter Mary Ann Ahern who had the scoop on Tammy Duckworth rejecting Quinn’s Lieutenant Governor offer.

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 22, 2010

DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2010

In the morning, the President and the Vice President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing, the Economic Daily Briefing, and meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meeting are closed press.

In the afternoon, the President will have lunch with the Vice President in the Private Dining Room. This lunch is closed press.

In the afternoon, the President will meet with U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk in the Oval Office. The President and the Vice President will then meet with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.

In the evening, the President will have dinner with business leaders, including members of the executive committee of the Business Roundtable, in the State Dining Room. This dinner is closed press.

In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: FOX
Print: Essence
Radio: SRN
Travel Photo: TIME

EST

9:30AM Pool Call Time

9:30AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

10:00AM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Economic Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

10:45AM THE PRESIDENT meets with senior advisors
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:15PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT have lunch
Private Dining Room
Closed Press

3:00PM THE PRESIDENT meets with U.S. Trade Representative Kirk
Oval Office
Closed Press

4:30PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet with Secretary of Defense Gates
Oval Office
Closed Press

6:45PM THE PRESIDENT has dinner with business leaders
State Dining Room
Closed Press

Briefing Schedule

1:30PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs

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