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President Obama to Hold Ninth Afghanistan Strategy Meeting

Fox News has learned that President Obama will be holding a meeting with his National Security Team today to discuss the War in Afghanistan. An aide tells me: "It is late tonight, usual suspects attending. I don't anticipate a readout."

This will be his ninth meeting with this group on the way forward in Afghanistan. We've been reporting that he would hold this type of meeting before publicly announcing his strategy decision. We've also reported that the President is not expected to announce his new strategy before Thanksgiving.

Here's an update from the White House, just before 10a:

Tonight, the President will meet with his national security team on Afghanistan and Pakistan in the Situation Room. This meeting is closed press. Expected attendees include:

Vice President Biden

Secretary of State Clinton

Secretary of Defense Gates

Ambassador Susan Rice, Permanent U.S. Representative to the United Nations

Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg

Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan

Under Secretary of Defense Michele Flournoy

Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

General James E. Cartwright, USMC, Vice Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff

General David Petraeus, U.S. Central Command

General Stanley McChrystal, U.S. Commander in Afghanistan (via videoconference)

Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry, U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan (via videoconference)

Anne Patterson, U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan (via videoconference)

General James Jones, National Security Advisory

Tom Donilon, Deputy National Security Advisor

John Brennan, Assistant to the President for Counterterrorism and Homeland Security

Lieutenant General Douglas Lute, Special Assistant to the President for Afghanistan and Pakistan

Police Car Assisting VP Biden’s Motorcade Crashes

 

A police car leading Vice President Biden's motorcade crashed last night with a cab in New York City. The car was several minutes ahead of the vice president's vehicle, which was on its way to a studio taping for "The Daily Show." Two officers and the cab driver were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

This is the third incident involving Mr. Biden's motorcade in two weeks.

The vice president spoke by phone with one of the officers last night, according to his office.  "He was very happy to hear reports that the injuries were not serious and that all involved have already been released from the hospital," said Elizabeth Alexander, Mr. Biden's spokesperson.

Secretary Napolitano: Time for These Trials to Start

Responding to criticism from some New York officials and outraged families of the September 11th victims, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano says she's not concerned about protecting the trial for the 9/11 co-conspirators in New York City.   "We will provide security, New York City will provide security.  That coordination, that work will be done publicly," the secretary told reporters outside the White House.  "The public safety of the American citizenry always comes first but it's time for these individuals to see justice, it's time for these trials to start."

Former Presidents Clinton & GW Bush Pull Plug on Radio City Event

Aides to former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush tell Fox an event featuring the two leaders scheduled for February 25th at Radio City Music Hall has been canceled.

David Sherzer, a spokesman for Mr. Bush, tells Fox, "President Bush was looking forward to a joint discussion similar to the Toronto event this past May. We agreed with the decision to cancel due to inaccurate and unauthorized hype by the promoter."

Sherzer told Fox News the promoter broke the terms of the agreement by exaggerating the event without the former presidents' approval.

"The problem for both sides was with billing this as a 'debate.' They have a strong friendship and enjoy exchanging their views, which obviously differ at times. But neither agreed nor has interest in participating in a debate."

While Mr. Clinton and Mr. Bush may have policy and political differences, on this issue they agree.

"This event . . . was supposed to be a discussion between the two former presidents, and has been canceled because it was not being billed as such by an overeager promoter," Clinton spokesman Matt McKenna said.

And while this event has been scrapped, all indications are there may be future public discussions. "President Bush is definitely up for doing events with President Clinton," Sherzer told Fox.

Senator Lindsey Graham vs. The White House

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham (R) is blasting the Obama administration over its handling of Guantanamo Bay. Graham told Fox News' Catherine Herridge...

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)  (AP Photo)

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) (AP Photo)

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Looking Ahead: President Heads to Wisconsin Wednesday to Talk Education

Melody Barnes, Director of Domestic Policy Council, and Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Policy, held a conference call with reporters on President Obama’s trip to Wisconsin Wednesday.

Barnes praised Wisconsin for moving aggressively on education reform modeled after a California plan. She says Mr. Obama will talk about the importance of innovation and excellence as part of his education reform plan. Wisconsin lawmakers are working on a package of legislation designed to make sure the state qualifies for federal “Race to the Top” stimulus money, but the legislative session is due to end Thursday so it is crunch time.

The $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” program provides money to encourage states to increase academic standards, find better ways to recruit and keep quality teachers, track student performance and have a plan to turn around failing schools.

Barnes notes the application process for “Race to the Top” starts in a couple of weeks.

Barnes says the President is going to Wisconsin because of the education reform work going on there. He wanted to speak at a school with a diverse student population, and where there is positive achievement growth and this school has both. Rodriguez says Wright Middle School has been recognized by the Wisconsin Department of Education, and is known for its strong core curriculum and for its well-rounded curriculum in terms of offering enrichment programs such as arts and music.

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President Obama Hosts Spiritual Father of 300 Million Orthodox Christians at the White House

President Obama met privately this morning with His All Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew, who has served in that role for 18 years as spiritual father of the roughly 300 million Orthodox Christians worldwide.

obama patriarch

His All Holiness is known as the "Green Patriarch" for being a leading environmentalist, and hosted a conference on the environment in New Orleans when he arrived in the United States almost two weeks ago.

While the Ecumenical Patriarch and the president discussed the environment, the more complicated issue is the ongoing struggle by Orthodox Christians for religious freedom in Turkey. The Turkish government has refused to recognize Bartholomew as being the worldwide leader of his Church, has insisted on being involved in the selection in future Patriarchs, and has confiscated thousands of properties belonging to the Orthodox Church.

This was their second meeting after Mr. Obama met with Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew in Istanbul on April 7th.

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White House reaction to Congressional Budget Office’s cost analysis of Senate Finance Cmte bill

White House Spokesman Reid Cherlin gave Fox News Channel the following reaction to yesterday's Congressional Budget Office's (CBO) cost analysis of the Senate Finance committee health care bill:

"This is another important step forward for health reform. The analysis confirms that we can provide stability and security for Americans with insurance and affordable options for uninsured American without adding a dime to the deficit - and saving money over the long term."

Van Jones, Special Advisor for Green at the Council on Environmental Quality Resigns

Van Jones, Special Advisor for Green Jobs at the Council on Environmental Quality resigned on Saturday.  Below is the text of his resignation letter:

"I am resigning my post at the Council on Environmental Quality, effective today.

On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me. They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide. 

I have been inundated with calls - from across the political spectrum - urging me to "stay and fight."

But I came here to fight for others, not for myself. I cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past. We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future.

It has been a great honor to serve my country and my President in this capacity. I thank everyone who has offered support and encouragement. I am proud to have been able to make a contribution to the clean energy future. I will continue to do so, in the months and years ahead.”

Obama stumps for health care in Colorado, gets a bit personal

 

President Obama, who was spending quality time with the First Family in Montana earlier today, traveled to Grand Junction, Colorado this afternoon for a rare Saturday town hall on health care.
This is Mr Obama's 10th town hall focusing on health care reform and the effort has taken on a lot of the qualities of a presidential campaign.