Scott Horsley

Obama Begins European Trip: G-8 Summit Then Stop In Berlin

Scott Horsley — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 07:26:00 +0000

President Obama is in Northern Ireland Monday — the first stop on a three-day European visit that includes a G-8 summit meeting and a side trip to Berlin.

The president begins his tour with a speech in Belfast, celebrating Northern Ireland's peace process and urging young people in the country to keep it moving forward.

Later, Obama joins leaders of other industrial countries at a remote golf resort in County Fermanagh for talks on Syria, trade and the global economy.

The G-8 leaders have a working dinner Monday night, and Syria is likely to dominate the discussion.

How Rock 'N' Roll Can Explain The U.S. Economy

Scott Horsley — Sat, 15 Jun 2013 09:24:00 +0000

White House economic adviser Alan Krueger took some ribbing from his boss this week. President Obama noted that Krueger will soon be leaving Washington to go back to his old job, teaching economics at Princeton.

"And now that Alan has some free time, he can return to another burning passion of his: 'Rockanomics,' the economics of rock and roll," the president said.

Obama Urges Congress Not To 'Block' Immigration Bill

Scott Horsley — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:05:00 +0000

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne. The U.S. Senate has opened debate on a sweeping immigration bill. And President Obama says it's the best chance in years to fix what he calls a broken immigration system. The measure took a step forward yesterday when a big, bipartisan majority of senators voted to take up the bill.

Susan Rice To Take Over As National Security Adviser

Scott Horsley — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 10:50:00 +0000

Transcript

LINDA WERTHEIMER, HOST:

This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. I'm Linda Wertheimer.

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

And I'm Renee Montagne.

When President Obama meets with the president of China tomorrow, he will have his National Security adviser at his side. Tom Donilon set the stage for this summit during a trip to Beijing last week. Now he's stepping down.

NPR's Scott Horsley has this look at his legacy and the woman Obama has tapped to replace him.

SCOTT HORSLEY, BYLINE: Tom Donilon keeps a relatively low profile in Washington. He rarely shows up on the evening news.

Obama's D.C. Court Nominations Heat Up Battle With Senate

Scott Horsley — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 22:22:00 +0000

President Obama fired a warning shot Tuesday in the battle over Senate confirmations: He nominated three new judges to the powerful federal appeals court in Washington, and he challenged Senate Republicans not to stand in their way.

Obama complained about procedural roadblocks that have tied up many of his previous nominees — sometimes for years.

But Republicans are looking to sidestep the confirmation fight by downsizing the appeals court itself.

Obama To Challenge GOP With 3 Federal Appeals Court Picks

Scott Horsley — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 09:30:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
President Obama will nominate three new judges this morning to the powerful Federal Appeals Court in Washington D.C. The announcement is expected to come in the White House Rose Garden, and as NPR's Scott Horsley reports, there could be a few thorns.
SCOTT HORSLEY, BYLINE: On their face, none of the nominees is particularly controversial. Patricia Millett is a veteran appellate lawyer who worked in both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations.

Obama To Press Congress On Student Loan Rates

Scott Horsley — Fri, 31 May 2013 07:23:00 +0000
President Obama surrounded himself with college students at the White House on Friday and warned that the cost of student loans is about to go up.
Interest rates on government-backed college loans are set to double July 1 — unless Congress agrees on a fix before then. Obama has threatened to veto a House-passed bill that would let the cost of student loans go up and down with the market.
If the alarm bells over rising student loan rates sound familiar, that's because the same thing happened last year.

White House Economic Advisers To Leave

Scott Horsley — Wed, 29 May 2013 09:29:00 +0000
Transcript
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
One of President Obama's top economic advisers is leaving the White House later this year, to return to his teaching job at Princeton.

Powerful Tornado Struck Moore, Okla., 1 Week Ago

Scott Horsley — Mon, 27 May 2013 08:47:00 +0000
President Obama toured the wreckage Sunday, promising federal help for the people of Moore during what's sure to be a long rebuilding process. The president's message was not overtly political. He did, however, take the opportunity to highlight the important role the government can play — and not just when disaster strikes.

Unclear Laws May Have Contributed to Tax-Exempt Controversy

Scott Horsley — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:13:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
Let's turn to another story for now: The acting head of the IRS has resigned, but is still facing questions about the agency. Lawmakers continue their probe into the federal tax agency targeting Tea Party groups seeking tax exemption.
Late last week, the House Ways and Means Committee demanded answers from top IRS officials to find out why the agency singled out conservative groups for scrutiny. Well, now, the Senate Finance Committee gets its chance to grill the outgoing commissioner.

White House Addresses Benghazi Emails, IRS Audits

Scott Horsley — Wed, 15 May 2013 21:57:00 +0000
Transcript
MELISSA BLOCK, BYLINE: This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Melissa Block.
AUDIE CORNISH, BYLINE: And I'm Audie Cornish.
The Obama administration is doing some intensive damage control this evening. Tonight, the president announced that the acting commissioner of the IRS, Steven Miller, is being pushed out over heightened scrutiny given to Tea Party groups and other conservative organizations.
Earlier today, the White House also released 100 pages of emails in hopes of quieting a lingering controversy over last year's deadly attack at the U.S.

IRS Inspector General Faults 'Ineffective Management'

Scott Horsley — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:02:00 +0000
Audie Cornish talks to Scott Horsley about the IRS Inspector General's report on the agency's audit of conservative groups.

President Asks Moms For Help Promoting Obamacare

Scott Horsley — Fri, 10 May 2013 21:45:00 +0000
Transcript
ROBERT SIEGEL, HOST:
From NPR News, this is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Robert Siegel.
AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:
And I'm Audie Cornish. At the White House this afternoon, President Obama enlisted a new ally in his campaign to promote health insurance: moms. Starting this fall, Americans who don't have insurance or who've been buying costly individual policies will be able to shop for coverage through new government exchanges. The White House plans an aggressive campaign to encourage people to sign up.

Democrats Hope For A Bright Future In The Lone Star State

Scott Horsley — Thu, 09 May 2013 07:32:00 +0000
President Obama travels to Texas on Thursday for the second time in as many weeks. He will talk about job training and economic opportunity, but he may have a political opportunity on his mind as well.
Obama lost Texas by more than 1 million votes last year.

The Federal Deficit Is Actually Shrinking

Scott Horsley — Wed, 01 May 2013 20:37:00 +0000
During the housing bust, taxpayers were forced to bail out mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. But thanks to the real estate recovery, Fannie Mae could end up paying tens of billions of dollars back to the Treasury this summer.
That's just one of the factors behind a better bottom line for the federal government.

Online Retailers Take Opposite Sides On Sales Tax Bill

Scott Horsley — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:09:00 +0000
More online retailers would have to collect sales tax under a bill making its way through the U.S. Senate this week. The measure won strong bipartisan backing on a procedural vote Monday, and President Obama has said he would sign it.
The political battle over the bill pits online retailers against brick-and-mortar stores — and, in some cases, against other online sellers.
Nancy Mashragi of Clearwater, Fla., backed in to online retailing.

Obama, Republicans Agree On Tax Loopholes, But Little Else

Scott Horsley — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 09:10:00 +0000
President Obama's newly released tax return shows his effective income tax rate was 18.4 percent last year. He'll likely pay a somewhat higher rate in 2013, and that tax bill would be even bigger if Congress were to adopt the recommendations in the president's own budget, unveiled this week.
The president signed his tax return last Monday, just one week before the deadline, and he's in good company.

Obama Highlights Colorado's Action On Gun Control Legislation

Scott Horsley — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 23:23:00 +0000
President Obama was in Denver on Wednesday to rally support for gun control laws. Colorado has stepped up on both background checks and ammunition magazines, and Democrats there fear backlash next year.

Outrage Alone Won't Advance Gun Control Measures

Scott Horsley — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 08:34:00 +0000
President Obama is trying to regain some traction for federal gun control measures by visiting states that are moving forward on their own.
On Wednesday, the president speaks in Colorado, where lawmakers recently passed a series of bills requiring background checks for all gun purchases and limiting the size of ammunition magazines.
Obama would like to see similar measures adopted nationwide.

Obama Looks For A Spring Thaw With Congress To Start Melting Deficit

Scott Horsley — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 08:05:00 +0000
President Obama is hoping for a spring thaw in White House-congressional relations.
The president had dinner Wednesday night with a small group of Republican lawmakers. He's also planning rare visits to Capitol Hill next week to discuss his agenda with both Democrats and Republicans.
Aides say Obama is trying to locate what he calls a "caucus of common sense" in Congress to tackle the country's long-term budget challenges.
With across-the-board spending cuts now on autopilot, there's a momentary lull in Washington's budget brinksmanship.

Obama Announces His Picks For EPA, Other Cabinet Posts

Scott Horsley — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 18:02:00 +0000
President Obama rounds out his Cabinet for his second term, nominating three new leaders Monday: Walmart Foundation's Sylvia Mathews Burwell for budget chief, MIT scientist Ernest Moniz to head the Energy Department and veteran regulator Gina McCarthy to run the EPA — a post that's likely be a lightning rod during Senate confirmations.

President Obama To Nominate New EPA, Budget And Energy Heads

Scott Horsley — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:02:00 +0000
President Obama plans to announce three Cabinet-level nominations Monday, including a new administrator for the Environmental Protection Agency, who could be on the hot seat in the looming battle over global warming.
Gina McCarthy, currently an assistant administrator in the wing of the EPA that regulates air pollution, is the president's pick to head the EPA.
Obama will also tap the director of MIT's Energy Initiative, Ernest Moniz, as his new energy secretary, and the president of the Walmart Foundation, Sylvia Mathews Burwell, to head the Office of Management and Budget.
The nominatio

What's The Sequester? And How Did We Get Here?

Scott Horsley — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 23:03:00 +0000
They've been everywhere this week: dire warnings about threats posed by across-the-board federal spending cuts.
Unless Congress acts, the cuts are due to take effect a week from Friday. The administration is trying to drive home the ways that could affect you.
For example, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood warned Friday that air traffic controllers will have to take unpaid days off beginning in April.

Defense Cuts May No Longer Be Political Sacred Cow

Scott Horsley — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 08:06:00 +0000
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned that the automatic spending cuts due to hit the Pentagon and other branches of government next week will damage U.S. national security.
In a letter to Congress, he said those cuts would put the military on a path toward a "hollow force." But the warnings don't appear to be moving the needle with lawmakers or the American public.
The automatic spending cuts don't officially take effect until March 1, but they are already being felt.

In Hometown Visit, Obama Advocates 'Common Sense' Approach To Guns

Scott Horsley — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 12:05:00 +0000
"It's good to be home," President Obama said to a crowd, including uniformed high school students, at Chicago's Hyde Park Academy on Friday.
The school is in the same neighborhood where the Obamas raised their children, but the topic of the president's visit was raising Chicago's children — and the nation's.

Obama's Road Trip To Conclude With Florida Break

Scott Horsley — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:24:00 +0000
President Obama will cap off a busy week of politicking with some R&R in Florida.
Obama plans to travel to the West Palm Beach area for what his spokesman called "some well-deserved downtime."
"He's going to spend Presidents Day weekend relaxing with some friends," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest. "There's no work on the schedule."
The getaway follows three days of campaign-style events building on the president's State of the Union address Tuesday night. Obama visited North Carolina on Wednesday to promote manufacturing.

Latino Voters Help Push Immigration Changes Forward

Scott Horsley — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 10:27:00 +0000
Transcript
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
It's MORNING EDITION, from NPR News. I'm Steve Inskeep.
RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:
And I'm Renee Montagne.
It's that rare week in politics when Republicans and Democrats have been advocating roughly the same thing.
INSKEEP: Some - though by no means all - GOP leaders insist it's time to back changes in immigration laws.

Can An Ex-Prosecutor Make The SEC Tougher On Wall Street?

Scott Horsley — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 19:40:00 +0000
President Obama's choice to head the Securities and Exchange Commission has prosecuted terrorists and mobsters. If she's confirmed, Mary Jo White's next challenge will be tackling reckless behavior on Wall Street.
White, who spent nearly a decade as U.S. Attorney in New York City, would be the first former prosecutor to lead the SEC.

Obama Urges Crowd To Seize The Moment 'Together'

Scott Horsley — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 11:39:00 +0000
Transcript
DAVID GREENE, HOST:
This is MORNING EDITION from NPR News. Good morning, I'm David Greene.
STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:
And I'm Steve Inskeep.
Many inaugural addresses play on themes that President Obama touched on yesterday.
GREENE: He cited the Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, our tradition of self-government and earlier inaugural addresses.
INSKEEP: That's all pretty normal. What is different about each inauguration address is how the president molds those themes into the moment.
GREENE: In this case, the moment is one of severe partisan divisions.

Inflation Index Fix Could Cut Federal Deficit

Scott Horsley — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:42:00 +0000
The Consumer Price Index is one of the most familiar measures in economics and politics. But some in Washington want to change the way the index is calculated to better reflect people's shopping habits.
While the proposed change is described as a technical fix, it could also cut the federal deficit by hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade.
It's a small number, but the inflation measure can make big waves. It's used to adjust Social Security and other retirement benefits.