BLITZER'S BLOG: It's hard not to be cynical about debt talks
(CNN) – It's hard not to be a bit cynical in watching politics unfold in Washington.
As you know, the Republicans are all lined up resisting any effort to simply pass an increase in the nation's debt ceiling with a straight up-or-down vote. They insist on large-scale spending cuts.
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BLITZER'S BLOG: Debt ceiling failure would be disastrous
(CNN) – I think President Obama and the Democratic and Republican leaders with whom he's been negotiating an increase in the nation's debt ceiling all fully appreciate the stakes. Based on everything that I'm hearing, they are all convinced that the consequences of failure would be a huge disaster for the U.S. economy and the American people. It probably would make the 2008-09 recession look like child's play.
The warnings have been coming fast and furious in recent days – from the president, his treasury secretary, Timothy Geithner, and, today, from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. And all of this helps explain why Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell came up with his rather complicated, last-minute and very desperate proposal to resolve the issue.
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Blitzer's Blog: Bill Clinton on 'class warfare'
(CNN) – Former President Bill Clinton strongly rejects Republican accusations that President Obama is engaging in "class warfare" when he proposes increasing taxes on the wealthiest Americans.
Clinton is very familiar with the accusation. He was accused of engaging in "class warfare" when he raised taxes on upper-income Americans shortly after he took office in 1993.
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Blitzer's Blog: My interview with former President Bill Clinton
Chicago (CNN) – Former President Bill Clinton says he fully expects that President Barack Obama will be re-elected. He says he likes Republican presidential candidates Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman and says he’s not surprised at Michele Bachmann’s rise in the polls, saying: "She comes across as real."
During a lengthy interview with me in Chicago at his Clinton Global Initiative America conference on creating jobs, he also got emotional when I asked him about his wife, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He says she's "the most gifted person" he knows in public service. "I’m really proud of her."
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BLITZER'S BLOG: Sitting down with Rahm Emanuel and Bill Clinton in Chicago
Chicago (CNN) – I've covered Rahm Emanuel for many years – going back to 1992 when he was a young political aide to then-Governor Bill Clinton who was running for President.
He later joined President Clinton at the White House before heading back to his native Chicago to make some money in the financial investment business. After that, he came back to Washington as a congressman and remained as President Barack Obama's first White House Chief of Staff. But I must say I have never seen him as enthusiastic and excited as he is now as Mayor of Chicago.
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Blitzer's Blog: Has Obama lived up to his 2008 priorities?
(CNN) – With President Obama back in Iowa today, I went back to look at my interview with then-candidate Obama in Des Moines on October 31, 2008 – only days before his election. He reflected on how far he had come in Iowa.
"There were a bunch of people out here who signed up for our campaign when we had almost no money, very few endorsements," he said. "The polls weren't good for us."
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Blitzer’s blog: Odd alliance on Afghanistan withdrawal
(CNN)- There’s an increasingly vocal group of liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans calling for a much more speedy withdrawal from Afghanistan. They are also getting frustrated with the stalemate in Libya. This odd alliance includes folks like Representatives Ron Paul and Jason Chaffetz on the right and Dennis Kucinich and Barney Frank on the left.
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Wolf's Picks: Advice for Rouse
(CNN) - Four former White House chiefs of staff have some specific advice for the new chief of staff, Pete Rouse. I e-mailed them asking for some advice for Rouse, and quickly heard back.
Ken Duberstein, who served President Ronald Reagan, offered this: "Remember you are staff, not chief. The President is elected and you are not. Every time you speak the voice people hear is not yours but the President's. And finally, you have a constituency of one and a half, and do not tell the First Lady who is the half."
Andy Card, who served President George W. Bush, emailed me this:
Blitzer: An inside look at Air Force One
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/15/art.blitzer1.cnn.jpg caption="Blitzer: Tillman gave me a behind-the-scenes look at the famous aircraft."]
Watch Wolf Blitzer's interview with Air Force One pilot Col. Mark Tillman today in The Situation Room at 5 pm ET.
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Maryland (CNN) - Driving to this sprawling base just outside Washington, D.C. this week brought back lots of memories. Covering a president often means traveling with a president aboard this extraordinary aircraft, and as CNN's Senior White House Correspondent during the Clinton administration, I used to come here all the time to board Air Force One.
This week, I had a rare chance to catch up with Col. Mark Tillman, who's been flying the giant Boeing 747 since 1992, the final year of George H.W. Bush's presidency. He continued to fly for President Clinton’s full eight years, and became the chief pilot when President George W. Bush took office in 2001. Col. Tillman, who is now getting ready to retire, agreed to sit down with me and reflect on those years.
Blitzer: An inside look at Air Force One
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/01/15/art.blitzer1.cnn.jpg caption="Blitzer: Tillman gave me a behind-the-scenes look at the famous aircraft."]
Watch Wolf Blitzer's interview with Air Force One pilot Col. Mark Tillman today and tomorrow in The Situation Room at 6 pm ET.
ANDREWS AIR FORCE BASE, Maryland (CNN) - Driving to this sprawling base just outside Washington, D.C. this week brought back lots of memories. Covering a president often means traveling with a president aboard this extraordinary aircraft, and as CNN's Senior White House Correspondent during the Clinton administration, I used to come here all the time to board Air Force One.
This week, I had a rare chance to catch up with Col. Mark Tillman, who's been flying the giant Boeing 747 since 1992, the final year of George H.W. Bush's presidency. He continued to fly for President Clinton’s full eight years, and became the chief pilot when President George W. Bush took office in 2001. Col. Tillman, who is now getting ready to retire, agreed to sit down with me and reflect on those years.
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