The Obama Morning News: June 15, 2011

The Obama Morning News: June 15, 2011
by Keith Koffler on June 15, 2011, 8:10 am

More than two years after President Obama took office vowing to banish “special interests” from his administration, nearly 200 of his biggest donors have landed plum government jobs and advisory posts, won federal contracts worth millions of dollars for their business interests or attended numerous elite White House meetings and social events, an investigation by iWatch News has found.

The Obama administration and Rep. Darrell Issa seem to be headed for their biggest showdown yet as the House oversight committee chief prepares for a Wednesday hearing into an undercover, federal gunrunning investigation.

Obama courted the Latino vote with a trip to Puerto Rico. The White House was forced to defend itself from criticism of Obama’s joke that shovel ready jobs were “not as shovel-ready as we expected.”

The White House is pushing back against predictions that Obama’s Middle East policy will prompt many Jewish voters to switch their vote to the GOP nominee.

The Biden group got back to business, focusing on discretionary spending and the Obama administration’s domestic agenda. Some Republican governors want to save money by geting Obama to allow them to tighten Medicaid eligibility requirements, posing a test for the president.

The White House said it will provide Congress with more details about Libya following a demand by Speaker Boehner that it get approval for the war.

Michele Bachmann’s debate performance elevated her candidacy, forcing her rivals to deal with her. Her national security knowlege is becoming a central part of her campaign’s narrative.

New Jersey Gov. Christ Christie says he is certain he will not run.