ThinkFast: May 22, 2009

Last night, the House Energy and Commerce Committee approved “the most ambitious energy and global warming legislation ever debated in Congress,” with Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-CA) joining 35 Democrats to vote for the bill. CAPAF CEO John Podesta praised President Obama and Chairmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ed Markey (D-MA), who “demonstrated tremendous leadership by bringing together states, business, labor, and environmentalists to reach these essential agreements.”

In an interview with Newsweek’s Richard Wolffe, President Obama said he wants to convene a “Muslim summit.” “I think that I can speak credibly to them about the fact that I respect their culture,” Obama said, “that I understand their religion, that I have lived in a Muslim country, and as a consequence I know it is possible to reconcile Islam with modernity and respect for human rights and a rejection of violence.”

In March, Chas Freeman, Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair’s first choice to head the National Intelligence Council, withdrew his appointment amid controversy. Now, Blair has named his named his new nominee for the spot, former 9/11 Commission Deputy Director Christopher Kojm. “Chris is a highly respected national security expert with a deep background in intelligence and foreign policy,” said Blair.

President Obama has met with another potential Supreme Court nominee, the New York Times reports, bringing the number of face-to-face interviews to at least two. Earlier this week, Obama interviewed federal appeals court Judge Diane P. Wood.

Democratic strategist Paul Begala “is circulating a point-by-point rebuttal of GOP consultant Frank Luntz’s widely read strategy memo on health care.” The memo urges “congressional Democrats to push back hard against ‘Republican Orwellian rhetoric.’” “Because they know they cannot win the argument honestly, Republicans are resorting to mendacity,” Begala wrote in the memo. “Democrats must not let them get away with it.”

Stephen Green, a former U.S. soldier, was sentenced to life in prison yesterday for “raping a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and murdering her, her parents and a younger sister in Iraq.” One resident of the town where the crime took place said in response, “I’m happy because at least other American soldiers will see this and think twice before doing acts like this again.”

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today that “the Obama administration had no choice but to order the shutdown of the prison at Guantanamo because ‘the name itself is a condemnation’ of U.S. anti-terrorism strategy.” Gates said Gitmo is “probably one of the finest prisons in the world today” but noted that it had become “a taint” on America’s reputation.

The Senate yesterday passed a supplemental budget measure “which will provide about $85 billion to fund the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan through Sept. 30 and including the addition of an extra 21,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan.” Sens. Tom Coburn (R-OK), Russ Feingold (D-WI), and Bernard Sanders (I-VT) were the only no votes.

“A handful of House Republicans and two Democrats” yesterday introduced a bill “that would put a halt to recognizing same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia.” Earlier this month, the D.C. Council voted overwhelmingly to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states.

And finally: President Obama began his speech on national security by acknowledging “the presence of some of my outstanding Cabinet members and advisors.” He listed Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, CIA Director Leon Panetta, and then Defense Secretary…William Gates (rather than Robert Gates).

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