President (or candidate) Obama rallies supporters in Florida
(CNN)— President Obama sounded a lot like candidate Obama on Friday while speaking at a fundraiser for Sen. Bill Nelson and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in Miami at the home of political contributors Judith and Michael Adler. At times, the remarks given to the Democratic supporters sounded like a preview to stump speeches that might be heard on the 2012 campaign trail.
Recalling the first years of his administration, Obama said, “We’ve now gone through two tough years. And some of us are beaten down and worn out. And the last midterm obviously was very tough. And I’m grayer and looking a little older than I did ... but you know, in each of us, I think, that spirit still exists, and that sense of hope still exists.”
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Obama to Florida to help out Nelson
Miami, Florida (CNN) - President Barack Obama teams up with Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida later Friday, to help the state's Democratic senator raise campaign cash for what could be a rough road to re-election next year.
The president, Nelson, and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, will attend two fundraisers in Miami Beach. The first will be held at the Fountainbleau Resort Hotel and the second at the Miami Beach, Florida home of Judith and Michael Adler, large contributors to Democratic candidates and causes.
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Obama to Florida for Nelson fundraiser
Washington (CNN) - President Barack Obama will travel to Florida next month to headline a fundraiser for Sen. Bill Nelson, who could face a rough road to re-election next year.
The president will attend the March 4 event along with Nelson and Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, chairwoman of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, according to a source with knowledge of the event. The dinner and reception is being held at the Miami Beach, Florida home of Judith and Michael Adler, large contributors to Democratic candidates and causes.
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POLL: Nelson under 50 percent in 2012 showdowns
Washington (CNN) - A new poll suggests Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida could face rough road to re-election next year.
The two-term Nelson is under the 50 percent mark against possible Republican challengers in five 2012 hypothetical general election matchups, according to a survey commissioned by Ron Sachs Communications and conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Research.
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Poll indicates plenty of work for Obama in Florida
Washington (CNN) - If the latest poll numbers are any indicator, President Obama may have work cut out for him in the Sunshine State.
A Quinnipiac University poll of 1,160 registered Florida voters was released Thursday, and it appears the swing state is divided over how well the president is doing his job. While 47 percent of voters give Obama a favorable job approval rating, 49 percent disapprove. Furthermore, a slim 48 percent majority say the president does not deserve a second term, compared to the 45 percent who say he does.
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Senator seeks expedited Supreme Court review of health care law
(CNN) - A Democratic senator who faces a potentially tough re-election battle in a political swing state wants the Senate to approve a non-binding resolution urging the U.S. Supreme Court to decide quickly if the new health care law is constitutional.
Sen. Bill Nelson of Florida, who voted for the law when it was approved last year, announced his proposal Wednesday as the Senate debated a Republican resolution to repeal the health care law, which gets mixed reviews in opinion polls. Reflecting the deep divisions over the issue, the repeal is expected to fail in the Democratic-controlled Senate but it easily passed the Republican-led House last month.
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Sen. Bill Nelson formally asks for military help for Gulf spill
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/02/art.bnelson.go.jpg caption="Sen. Bill Nelson sent a letter to President Obama asking for the Department of Defense to become more involved in the Gulf oil spill."]Washington (CNN) – Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, has formally asked President Obama to consider "more fully involving the Department of Defense" to help establish a robust response to the Gulf oil spill. The letter, obtained by CNN, was sent by Nelson to the president on June 1.
Last week, Nelson told CNN that if the "top kill" operation to stem the oil leak did not work, the president must not only take more control, but use the military to do so.
In the letter, Nelson urges the president to enlist the military to "augment the massive public and private response to the growing oil spill in the Gulf."
(Read the full letter here)
"While the Coast Guard, under the Department of Homeland Security, and the National Guard both are involved, it is my belief that the broader assets and command and control capability of the Department of Defense could better translate your directives into prompt, effective action," Nelson wrote in the letter.
"Americans need to feel that their government is taking an all hands on deck response," Nelson added.
An aide to Nelson tells CNN that the senator's office has done a review of previous operations where the military was used in disaster relief missions, most recently in Haiti. Following the earthquake earlier this year, the president signed an executive order saying "I hereby determine that it is necessary to augment the active Armed Forces of the United States for the effective conduct of operational missions."
Democratic senator says Obama may need to 'take charge' of spill
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/05/26/art.billnelson.0526.gi.jpg caption ="Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, said Wednesday that if BP cannot stop the oil spill today, President Obama must step in and ‘completely take over.’"]Washington (CNN) - One of President Obama's fellow Democrats is warning that if BP's latest attempt to stop the oil spill is unsuccessful, the president must take complete control of the increasingly dire situation.
"If this thing is not fixed today, the president doesn't have any choice and he better go in and completely take over, perhaps with the military in charge," Senator Bill Nelson, D-Fla, said in an interview Wednesday with CNN.
"The military has an apparatus, the organization by which it can bring together the civilian agencies of government and to get this thing done." said Nelson.
Nelson's comments reflect growing frustration among lawmakers in Congress – even in the president's own party – that the administration has not done enough to stop the spill and quell the damage.
'Big Oil wants its way,' Dem says
Two senators - one Democrat and one Republican - slammed the oil and gas industry Sunday along with the federal agency responsible for regulating the industry. (Photo Credit: CNN)
Washington (CNN) – A Democratic senator whose state is in the bulls’ eye of the massive oil spill swirling around the Gulf of Mexico said Sunday that the oil and gas industry has used its political muscle to frustrate past efforts to tighten regulations and increase safety precautions.
Watch: Nelson, Shelby slam industry and its regulator
“’Big Oil’ wants its way,” Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, said on CNN’s State of the Union, “They’ve been trying to bully their way to drill off the coast of Florida.” Nelson was responding to a suggestion from CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley that Congress had failed in its oversight responsibility relating to the Minerals Management Service (“MMS”), the federal agency the regulates offshore drilling.
“’Big Oil’ has had its way among the regulators, the senator said. Nelson said the relationship between the industry and MMS is a “cozy” one and the Florida Democrat referenced embarrassing revelations about the MMS which both regulates the safety of oil and gas exploration and manages the federal government’s lucrative leases of federal land to the oil and gas industry.
Related video: MMS in bed with 'Big Oil'?
“But shouldn’t Congress have some responsibility?” Crowley asked Nelson.
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'Big Oil wants its way,' Dem says
Two senators - one Democrat and one Republican - slammed the oil and gas industry Sunday along with the federal agency responsible for regulating the industry. (Photo Credit: CNN)
Washington (CNN) – A Democratic senator whose state is in the bulls’ eye of the massive oil spill swirling around the Gulf of Mexico said Sunday that the oil and gas industry has used its political muscle to frustrate past efforts to tighten regulations and increase safety precautions.
Watch: Nelson, Shelby slam industry and its regulator
“’Big Oil’ wants its way,” Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Florida, said on CNN’s State of the Union, “They’ve been trying to bully their way to drill off the coast of Florida.” Nelson was responding to a suggestion from CNN Chief Political Correspondent Candy Crowley that Congress had failed in its oversight responsibility relating to the Minerals Management Service (“MMS”), the federal agency the regulates offshore drilling.
“’Big Oil’ has had its way among the regulators, the senator said. Nelson said the relationship between the industry and MMS is a “cozy” one and the Florida Democrat referenced embarrassing revelations about the MMS which both regulates the safety of oil and gas exploration and manages the federal government’s lucrative leases of federal land to the oil and gas industry.
Related video: MMS in bed with 'Big Oil'?
“But shouldn’t Congress have some responsibility?” Crowley asked Nelson.
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