DNC News

Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine today echoed the President’s call for Congress to take swift action to finish the job and deliver hard-working Americans the health insurance reforms they so desperately need.

“Today, the President outlined the way forward on health insurance reform and called on Congress to act with dispatch to pass historic and long overdue reforms to our country’s health insurance system,” said Kaine. “Almost a year has passed since this process began, marking another year that American families and businesses have struggled under the budget-breaking reality of sky-rocketing health insurance costs, another year in which insurance companies have made decisions based on their bottom lines rather than the health of the American people and another year in which millions of Americans lack any coverage at all. Today, the President made clear what most Americans know all too well: we cannot delay any longer. The final march for reform begins now.

“Fortunately, there seems to be widespread agreement across the political spectrum that we must enact reform this year. And, as President Obama’s health care summit demonstrated last week, there are a number of areas of agreement between the parties on what steps must be taken to address critical problems within our health insurance system. Where possible, the President has sought to incorporate Republican ideas into his proposal and I don’t believe anyone could argue in good faith that this President has made anything less than a sincere effort at bipartisanship.

“At the same time, President Obama is one hundred percent right to disagree with the Republicans’ approach of maintaining the status quo which allows insurance companies to call all the shots instead of patients and doctors - leaving consumers vulnerable to discrimination and denial of coverage. Absent the critical consumer protections the President has proposed, insurance companies would still have the freedom to deny coverage to those with pre-existing conditions and to raise premiums on struggling Americans without cause or explanation. That is simply unacceptable.

“Republican leaders from Michael Steele to Mitch McConnell have said that they will hold Democrats responsible for these reforms come November. I hope they do. If Republican leaders want to campaign on the belief that there is nothing wrong with the way insurance companies currently do business, then that’s a fight Democrats are ready to have.

“President Obama has clearly laid out the much needed changes his proposal will make and the American people deserve an up-or-down vote on these critical reforms. And today, I am proud to stand firmly with the President in calling on each and every member of the United States Congress to join us on this final march for reform.”

The President’s plan when signed into law will do three things:

First, it would end the worst practices of insurance companies. No longer would insurers be able to deny you coverage because of a pre-existing condition or drop your coverage because you got sick. And they wouldn’t be able to charge unlimited amounts for out of pocket expenses or arbitrarily raise premiums.

Second, it would give small businesses and people who don’t get insurance at work the same choice of private health insurance that Members of Congress will get. And for those who still can’t afford insurance in this new marketplace, the plan will offer tax credits based on income to purchase coverage.

Third, the President’s proposal would bring down the cost of health care for millions – for families, businesses, and the federal government – and it would extend the life of Medicare and go after waste and abuse while reducing errors and improving care for people.

For Immediate Release
February 24, 2010

Contact: DNC Press (202) 863-8148

KAINE CONGRATULATES THE SENATE ON PASSING A BIPARTISAN BILL TO CREATE JOBS

Legislations Continues The Path To Economic Stability That The President Began Over A Year Ago When He Signed The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act

Washington, D.C. – DNC Chairman Tim Kaine released the following statement in response to the Senate’s vote today in favor of a new bill to create jobs and bolster economic progress:

“Today’s Senate vote marks another critical step on the path to economic stability. This time last year, the economy was shedding hundreds of thousands of jobs each month and the country was in an economic spiral. One year later, the CBO reports that the Recovery Act saved up to 2.1 million jobs in the fourth quarter of 2009 alone and grew the economy by 3.5 percent while holding unemployment to 2.1 percent lower than it would have been without the President’s swift action last year.

“This legislation will support ongoing investments in infrastructure and boost small businesses, both of which are major drivers of job growth. Jobs remain priority number one for the President, for Democrats in Congress and for the Party at-large and I am grateful to those Republicans who joined us in supporting the President’s effort to rebuild our economy through job creation. Nothing could be more central to the American dream than a job. That is why I am urging swift passage of this legislation by the House of Representatives so that the President may sign the bill and we can continue our historic effort to build a 21st century economy.”

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For Immediate Release

February 23, 2010

Contact: DNC Press (202) 863-8148

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Praises New CBO Report Confirming The Recovery Act Created Up To 2.1 Million Jobs In The Final Quarter Of 2009

Washington, D.C. – DNC Chairman Tim Kaine released the following statement today on the news of the latest CBO report further indicating the success of the Recovery Act:

“The report issued today from the nonpartisan CBO could not be clearer in its conclusions. In the fourth quarter of 2009 alone, the President’s Recovery Act was directly responsible for creating up to 2.1 million jobs, holding the unemployment rate to 2.1 percent lower than it would have been otherwise and growing the economy by 3.5 percent.

“The reality of this report is welcome news to the millions of Americans who have a job thanks to the Recovery Act. With each passing month, the list grows of independent organizations that have concluded that the Recovery Act was critical to preventing the next Great Depression and is working as anticipated to stabilize our economy. Yet, there are still too many Americans without a job and we still have more work to do to ensure that our economy is poised for decades of growth. As the President has said many times, we never expected this process to be easy or quick and, in fact, today’s CBO report attributes any delay in recovery to an economy more deeply damaged than initially projected, rather than any deficiencies in the Recovery Act.

“With the release of these definitive findings and as more Americans feel the impact of the Recovery Act at home, the question of whether the Recovery Act worked has been answered in the affirmative. And yes, today’s findings by the CBO confirm that those who supported the Recovery Act were right to do so, and is bad political news for those who opposed it and cheered against its success. But this isn’t about politics. This is about getting the country back on track.

“In light of these definitive findings, we hope Republicans will put aside politics, and will now – as Governors Crist and Schwarzenegger have done - get behind what’s right for the country.”

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For Immediate Release

February 22, 2010

Contact: DNC Press, 202.863.8148

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine Statement on Election of Roslyn M. Brock as the new Chairwoman of the N.A.A.C.P.

Washington – Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement regarding the election of Roslyn Brock as the new chairwoman of the N.A.A.C.P. :

"I am honored to congratulate Roslyn M. Brock on her election as the new Chair of the Board of Directors for the N.A.A.C.P. With her election Chairwoman Brock becomes only the fourth woman to serve in that position and the youngest Chair of this historic and venerable organization. As a former civil rights attorney I look forward to watching the continued success of the N.A.A.C.P. under Chairwoman Brock's leadership as they continue to wage the fight for justice and equality."

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For Immediate Release

February 22, 2010

Contact – DNC Press (202) 863-8148

DNC CHAIRMAN TIM KAINE PRAISES PRESIDENT'S HEALTH INSURANCE REFORM PROPOSAL

KAINE: PRESIDENT'S HEALTH INSURANCE REFORMS WILL PUT A STOP TO UNFAIR AND DISCRIMINATORY INSURANCE INDUSTRY PRACTICES WHILE EXTENDING COVERAGE TO MILLIONS AND REDUCING THE DEFICIT

Washington, D.C. – Please see below for a statement from DNC Chairman Tim Kaine on the President’s new health insurance reform proposal.

“The health reform package offered by the President today responds to the needs of the American people by protecting those who have health insurance, providing a path to affordable insurance for those who don’t have it or are faced with losing it, and puts meaningful controls on health care costs.

“The proposal builds upon existing legislation and includes provisions to cut waste, fraud and abuse while making health care more affordable and available. The proposal would set up a Health Insurance Rate Authority to regulate unreasonable rate hikes. It offers tax credits amounting to the biggest middle class tax cut for health care in our nation’s history. It would help extend coverage to over 31 million more Americans who are without health insurance.

“Every day that passes without real legislation to reform our broken health care system is another day millions of Americans go without much needed coverage or fear a loss of coverage, another day employers must make tough decisions to manage sky rocketing health care costs, and another day that some insurance companies will engage in unfair practices and unreasonable rate hikes. Just this month, a major health insurer notified California residents of premium increases of nearly forty percent.

“We are closer than ever to reforming our broken health care system, and the President’s proposal today is the next big step to arriving at that goal. My hope is that Republicans will now set aside obstruction and partisan games and make a genuine effort to help pass meaningful reform on behalf of the American people.”

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This morning, Dick Cheney once again exhibited breathtaking hypocrisy and convoluted logic to justify attacking the Obama Administration on foreign policy. Cheney repeated his debunked claim that the Obama Administration does not recognize that the United States is "at war" with Al Qaeda, when the President has repeatedly declared we are. The former Vice President also used bizarre logic to assert that the Bush Administration mirandizing Richard Reid was different than Abdulmutallab because Reid later plead guilty - a ludicrous differentiation as it happened well after the fact. Cheney also claimed that waterboarding should have been left open as an option to use on Abdulmutallab, despite the fact that he is giving up information without the United States resorting to torture. But Cheney conceded that he was just as isolated in his opinions regarding torture when the Bush Administration debated it. Just as he was wrong and out of touch then, he remains so now.

Some of Cheney's Outrageous Claims This Morning

• Cheney Claimed the Obama Administration Was Slow to Recognize That “We Are at War”
• Cheney Rationalized Mirandizing Reid…Because He Eventually Plead Guilty
• Cheney Said Waterboarding Should Have Been Left Open as an Option on Abdulmutallab
• Cheney Conceded That Even In The Bush Administration, Most People Didn't Agree With Him On Torture And That He Was A Lone Wolf
Cheney Claimed the Administration Was Slow to Recognize That “We Are at War”

Cheney: What the administration was slow to do was to come to that recognition that we are at war, not dealing with criminal acts. [ABC This Week, 2/14/10]

Obama: “We are At War.” “Over the past two weeks, we've been reminded again of the challenge we face in protecting our country against a foe that is bent on our destruction. And while passions and politics can often obscure the hard work before us, let's be clear about what this moment demands. We are at war. We are at war against al Qaeda, a far-reaching network of violence and hatred that attacked us on 9/11, that killed nearly 3,000 innocent people, and that is plotting to strike us again. And we will do whatever it takes to defeat them.” [Obama Speech, 1/7/10]

Cheney Rationalized Mirandizing Reid…Because He Eventually Plead Guilty

Wallace: Was it a mistake when your administration, took on the Richard Reid case. This is similar. Somebody trying blow up an airliner with a shoe bomb. He was within five minutes getting taken off that plane, read his Miranda rights, and tried through the civilian system. Was that a mistake?

Cheney: He was not tried. He pled guilty. They never did have a trial. Secondly, when this came up, as I recall, it was December of '01. We were not yet operational with the military commissions. Had not yet had the Supreme Court rulings handed down.

Wallace: You still had the option to put him into military custody?

Cheney: We could have. i don't question that. The point is, in this particular case, all of that was not worked out primarily because he pled guilty. [ABC This Week, 2/14/10]


Cheney Said Waterboarding Should Have Been Left Open as an Option on Abdulmutallab

Wallace: If you have somebody in custody like Abdulmutallab, you think he's got information on coming attacks, should the enhanced interrogation techniques been employed?

Cheney: I think the professionals need to make that decision. We had people in our administration who are experts. Many of them are probably still there. They are the ones you ought to turn someone like Abdulmutallab over to. Let them be the judge with whether he's prepared to cooperate and how they can best achieve his cooperation.

Wallace: You believe they should have had everything up to and including waterboarding?

Cheney: I think you should have everything on the table. President Obama has taken them off the table. I think that's a mistake. [ABC This Week, 2/14/10]

ABDULMUTALLAB IS COOPERATING WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES AND PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE

New York Times: “Official Says Terrorism Suspect Is Cooperating.” “Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the Nigerian man accused of trying to blow up a jetliner bound for Detroit on Dec. 25, started talking to investigators after two of his family members arrived in the United States and helped earn his cooperation, a senior administration official said Tuesday evening. Mr Abdulmutallab, 23, began speaking to F.B.I. agents last week in Detroit and has not stopped, two government officials said. The officials declined to disclose what information was obtained from him, but said it was aiding in the investigation of the attempted terrorist attack. ‘With the family, the F.B.I. approached the suspect,’ the senior administration official said, speaking to reporters at the White House on the condition of anonymity because of the pending legal case. ‘He has been cooperating for days.’ The cooperation was first disclosed during a Congressional hearing on Tuesday, as the suspect’s interrogation became the subject of an intense political debate over whether he initially stopped providing information after he was read his Miranda rights and received a lawyer.” [New York Times, 2/2/10]

Senior Administration Official: Abdulmuttalab Has Been Cooperating With Authorities And Sharing Intelligence And His Family Has Been “Instrumental In Gaining Mr. Abdulmuttalab’s Cooperation.” “The family of the failed Christmas Day bomber, Umar Farouq Abdulmuttalab, played a pivotal role in getting their son to start cooperating with federal authorities in sharing information about Al Qaeda, a senior administration official said Tuesday evening. Abdulmuttalab has been cooperating with authorities and sharing intelligence since last Thursday, another administration official told ABC News. The family was ‘instrumental in gaining Mr. Abdulmuttalab’s cooperation,’ said the senior administration official. The information Abdulmuttalab is sharing has been described by other officials as fresh and actionable. ‘It has been very successful,’ the official said, ‘as far as gaining his cooperation that will allow us then to follow up on that information.’ He said the intelligence gained ‘has been disseminated throughout the intelligence community.’” [ABC News, 2/2/10]

Abdulmuttalab Was Talking To FBI Agents At The Same Time That Republicans Were Slamming His Presence In The Criminal Justice System. “Abdulmuttalab was talking to FBI agents on Saturday, at the same time Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, ranking Republican on the Senate Homeland Security Committee, issued the Republican response to the president's weekly address, decrying Abdulmuttalab's presence in the criminal justice system. Collins is just one of many critics questioning why Abdulmuttalab was read his Miranda rights under the criminal justice system instead of being interrogated under military rules. ‘There is a reason why these things are done the way they are done and believe me it frustrated the hell out of me to listen to a lot of the comments being made that were criticizing this process,’ the official said. ‘But the premium that this White House – that this president puts on these operations – is to make sure that we do everything possible to protect the American people.’” [ABC News, 2/2/10]

FBI Director Mueller: Mirandizing Abdulmutallab Did Not Prevent Obtainment Of Useful Intelligence. Yesterday, FBI Director Robert Mueller confirmed that federal agents have been successful in obtaining intelligence from Abdulmutallab: "It is a continuum in which over a period of time, we have been successful in obtaining intelligence, not just on day 1, but on day 2, day 3 day 4 and day 5 down the road." [Robert Mueller, via Adam Serwer, 2/03/10]

Officials With Access To Abdulmutallab: Putting Bomber In Front Of Military Would Have Foreclosed Further Cooperation. The same administration official told ABC that "Those who had access to Abdulmuttalab concluded that 'putting him in front of somebody with a military uniform would have made him even more opposed to any type of cooperation.'" [ABC News,2/02/10]

Cheney Conceded That Even In The Bush Administration, Most People Didn't Agree With Him On Torture And That He Was A Lone Wolf

Wallace: On the question of trying, or dealing with the enemy combatants. I came across this, a document put out by the bush justice department by attorney general Ashcroft. If you go to page one, they out the criminal wos cushions, saying that the department has brought charges against 375 and convicted 195 to date. That was 2005. It seems to make the administration's point that they're not doing it all that differently than you did.

Cheney: We didn't all agree with that. I remember meeting in the Roosevelt room where we had a major shootout to how this was going to be handled. A lot of us wanted to treat it as an intelligence matter, an act of war. We never thoroughly or totally resolved those issues. These are tough questions. You want my opinion of what ought to happen? I think we have to treat it as a war. This is a strategic threat to the United States. I think that's why we were successful for 7 1/2 years for avoiding threats to the United States. I get upset when that's the dominant approach. As it was at times in the bush administration and as it appears to be, at times, in the Obama administration.

Wallace: Did you more often win or lose those battles?

Cheney: I suppose it depends on what once you're talking about.

Wallace: Water boarding?

Cheney: I was a supporter of that.

Wallace: You oppose doing away with water boarding?

Cheney: Yes. [ABC This Week, 2/14/10]

Bond, Gingrich Exposed For Ignoring Facts While Playing Politics With Terror Trials

Watch Kit Bond HERE: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bws40OPO__w

Watch Newt Gingrich HERE: http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-february-9-2010/exclusive---newt-gingrich-extended-interview

The last 24 hours of cable television has - to say the least - not been kind to Republican leaders who continue to hypocritically attack the White House's handling of the suspected Detroit bomber. Last night during an interview on the Daily Show, Newt Gingrich attacked the Obama administration over the decision to mirandize the Detroit bomber. When host Jon Stewart pointed out that the same decision had been made under President Bush to mirandize shoe bomber Richard Reid, Gingrich responded that Reid was "an American citizen." The only problem? Richard Reid is actually a British citizen.

Not to be outdone, this morning on MSNBC Senator Kit Bond also attempted to defend the GOP's hypocritical attacks of the White House on national security. When pressed, Bond has no explanation for why Republicans stood by their Commander-in-Chief's decision to mirandize Reid and are now crying indignantly for White House officials to resign.

It's clear from both of these appearances that Republican leaders are offering nothing but outright fallacies in their effort to turn the President's actions on national security into a political wedge. Between comments from Gingrich and Bond, the Republicans have shredded any credibility they hoped to have on this issue. It's utterly pathetic that in their rush to fear-monger and demagogue our national security - not to mention attack our law enforcement officials - Republicans can't even be bothered to get their facts right.

For Immediate Release
February 4, 2010
Contact: DNC Press, (202) 863-8148

DNC CHAIRMAN TIM KAINE CALLS OUT REPUBLICANS FOR SHAKING DOWN WALL STREET IN EXCHANGE FOR POLITICAL FAVORS

KAINE SAYS AMERICANS SHOULD BE DISGUSTED AT GOP’S VOW TO PROTECT WALL STREET IN EXCHANGE FOR CAMPAIGN CASH

Washington, D.C. - Following news reports this morning that Republicans are seeking to raise money from Wall Street and the banking lobby using the pitch that they will stymie financial regulatory reform and protect banks from the type of oversight that could prevent another financial collapse, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine released the following statement:

"The GOP's brazen appeal to Wall Street for campaign contributions in exchange for Republicans' vow to block financial reform is a new low for Congressional Republicans who've already seen their brand deteriorate over the last year as a result of their continued insistence at putting the interests of Wall Street over the needs of Main Street.

“John Boehner’s efforts to cut a deal with Wall Street in exchange for carrying their water in Congress demonstrates what we’ve said all along – that the GOP’s interests extend to no one other than themselves and their special interest friends and they will stop at nothing to win in November. And, this is far from an isolated incident. We’ve seen the GOP grow increasingly dependent on their relationship with the very same people who sent this economy into a tailspin and decimated bank accounts and balance sheets for families and businesses across this country. Less than two months ago, Republicans met behind closed doors with 100 banking lobbyists to strategize how best to block financial regulatory reform and now Republicans are delivering the bill for services rendered.

“But, the real people paying the price for this quid pro quo between Republicans and Wall Street are the main street Americans who are trying desperately to rebuild after eight years of reckless behavior in the financial industry - cheered on by a Republican Congress and the Bush Administration. While the President and Democrats are fighting for them, Republicans are teaming up with the very people whose reckless behavior nearly toppled our economy. The American people have every right to be disgusted by this activity by Republicans.”

For Immediate Release
February 2, 2010
Contact: DNC Press, (202) 863-8148

Small Business Fund Is A Critical Step In The President's Plan To Boost Job Growth, Says Kaine

Washington, D.C. - Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine released the following statement on today's announcement by President Obama of a $30 Billion Small Business Lending Fund:

"I am proud to join President Obama in calling on Congress to approve a new Small Business Lending Fund aimed at further easing the burdens faced by small businesses and increasing their access to credit. Today's announcement is the latest in a series of critical initiatives announced by the White House that will encourage job growth and expansion in the small business sector including last week's announcement of a new $5,000 tax credit for small business that create jobs and increase wages for their employees.

"Upon taking office, President Obama took bold and swift action to reverse the course of our foundering economy and ensure long-term growth and stability. Recently, we have begun to see signs of additional progress. Our economy grew at a rate of 5.7% last quarter - the fastest single-quarter of growth in six years. Consumer confidence is up and the Recovery Act has already saved or created up to 2 million jobs.

"While this news is promising, we must continue to take decisive action to encourage long-term jobs growth in every facet of our economy but especially for small businesses that remain a central lifeline to the heart of our nation's prosperity. Over the past year, I have repeatedly heard Congressional Republicans call for increased resources for small businesses. Accordingly, I am hopeful that Republicans will join the President and Democrats in Congress in passing this critical legislation that will ensure that small business success is a central focus of our recovery and rebuilding of Main Street America."

Contact: DNC Press-202-863-8148

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Calls President Obama's State of the Union Address "A Home Run for the Middle Class"

Kaine Says President's Plans for Restoring the Middle Class, Creating Jobs,

Turning the Country Around and Fixing the Ways of Washington are the Right Prescription for The Challenges we Face

Washington – Tonight, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s State of the Union Address:

“Tonight America was looking to President Obama to lay out a vision to restore the middle class, get the economy back on track, create jobs and to change the hyper-partisan way Washington works and in every respect, he hit the ball out of the park. This speech - and the vision and plans for the country laid out by the President - was a home run for the middle class.

"President Obama laid out a road map to recovery, offering concrete plans to make our middle class strong again, get our fiscal house in order and create opportunities for every American who wants a job to have one.

"President Obama talked about the challenges we face and the frustrations Americans feel about the pace of change they’ve seen so far. The President also reminded Americans that upon taking office just over one year ago, he inherited the worst economy since the Great Depression, two wars, and a highly partisan opposition in Washington.

"And, as the President said tonight, while we still have much work to do, we have made substantial progress in the last year. The Recovery Act rescued the economy from certain collapse and has resulted in nearly two million jobs that would not exist if not for that legislation. We passed 25 tax cuts that have helped families and small businesses in tough economic times and has helped the economy turn from recession to growth. And we've come farther than ever before in passing meaningful health insurance reform - a cause we will see to fruition.

"President Obama gave us a clear and concise plan tonight for getting our economy back on track, creating new jobs, restoring the middle class, making education, health care and energy more affordable, and changing the way Washington works. He offered a hand of bipartisanship to Congressional Republicans who, we hope after a year of obstruction and hyper partisanship, will accept it and work with us to turn this country around.

"Tonight we saw President Obama at his strongest – making the case for families and small business owners over bankers and the special interests, for cooperation over rancor, and honestly addressing the frustrations and concerns of Americans, and calling on us all to unite to tackle the challenges at hand."

For Immediate Release
January 29, 2010
Contact: DNC Press-202-863-8148

DNC Chairman Tim Kaine Says Growth Report Shows Economy is On Road to Recovery, Praises President, Congressional Democrats for Adopting Policies that Have Begun to Turn Economy Around

With Growth on the Rise, Kaine Urges Congress to Adopt President's Proposals for Jobs

Washington, DC –Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement on today’s news that the economy grew at a rate of 5.7 percent in the last quarter - the highest rate of GDP growth since 2003 and the second consecutive quarter of economic growth.

“President Obama and Congressional Democrats took bold and swift action to revive an economy that just a year ago was in free-fall, and today’s news is a sign that these efforts are working. Not only are we seeing growth, but we just experienced the fastest single-quarter of growth in six years – a tremendous contrast to the dire situation that President Obama faced when he was sworn into office a year ago. By enacting the Recovery Act, investing in our nation’s infrastructure, and promoting programs that support working families, President Obama and Democrats in Congress have made clear that they understand the struggles facing Americans and will not rest until our economy has turned around.

“Though today’s news is encouraging, we are not yet out of the woods, and there is much to be done to create jobs and help strengthen small businesses. The President and Democrats are committed to making sure that every American who wants to work has the opportunity to get a job and we will continue to focus on creating jobs, helping small businesses succeed and helping middle class families afford the highs costs of energy, health care and education. The President’s plan to extend a new $5,000 tax credit for small businesses that create jobs and to reimburse them for Social Security payroll taxes for wage increases will help small businesses succeed and ensure that small business success is a central focus of our recovery and rebuilding Main Street America.”

Contact: DNC Press-202-863-8148

Kaine Says President's Plans for Restoring the Middle Class, Creating Jobs,

Turning the Country Around and Fixing the Ways of Washington are the Right Prescription for The Challenges we Face

Washington – Tonight, DNC Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement regarding President Obama’s State of the Union Address:

“Tonight America was looking to President Obama to lay out a vision to restore the middle class, get the economy back on track, create jobs and to change the hyper-partisan way Washington works and in every respect, he hit the ball out of the park. This speech - and the vision and plans for the country laid out by the President - was a home run for the middle class.

"President Obama laid out a road map to recovery, offering concrete plans to make our middle class strong again, get our fiscal house in order and create opportunities for every American who wants a job to have one.

"President Obama talked about the challenges we face and the frustrations Americans feel about the pace of change they’ve seen so far. The President also reminded Americans that upon taking office just over one year ago, he inherited the worst economy since the Great Depression, two wars, and a highly partisan opposition in Washington.

"And, as the President said tonight, while we still have much work to do, we have made substantial progress in the last year. The Recovery Act rescued the economy from certain collapse and has resulted in nearly two million jobs that would not exist if not for that legislation. We passed 25 tax cuts that have helped families and small businesses in tough economic times and has helped the economy turn from recession to growth. And we've come farther than ever before in passing meaningful health insurance reform - a cause we will see to fruition.

"President Obama gave us a clear and concise plan tonight for getting our economy back on track, creating new jobs, restoring the middle class, making education, health care and energy more affordable, and changing the way Washington works. He offered a hand of bipartisanship to Congressional Republicans who, we hope after a year of obstruction and hyper partisanship, will accept it and work with us to turn this country around.

"Tonight we saw President Obama at his strongest – making the case for families and small business owners over bankers and the special interests, for cooperation over rancor, and honestly addressing the frustrations and concerns of Americans, and calling on us all to unite to tackle the challenges at hand."

For Immediate Release
January 19, 2010

Contact: DNC Press (202) 863-8148

DNC CHAIRMAN TIM KAINE’S STATEMENT ON TODAY’S ELECTION IN MASSACHUSETTS

Washington, D.C. - Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement on the results of the special election in Massachusetts tonight:

“I want to congratulate Scott Brown on running a strong campaign and Martha Coakley on being a strong voice for progressive values.

"It goes without saying that we are disappointed in tonight's result. There will be plenty of time to dissect this race and to apply the lessons learned from it those to come this fall - but in the meantime we will continue to work tirelessly on behalf of the America people and we will redouble our efforts to lay out a clear choice for voters this November.

"I want to thank our state parties and our DNC and Organizing for America staff and volunteers all across the country who have worked tirelessly on this campaign and who will continue to support President Obama and work for the change we all believe is essential to getting our nation moving in the right direction again."

For Immediate Release
January 18, 2010

Contact: Ricardo A. Ramírez, 202.863.8148

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine Releases Statement in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day

Washington – Democratic National Committee (DNC) Chairman Tim Kaine issued the following statement in recognition of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day:

“Today we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and honor his legacy of non-violent social change and justice. While there is still work to be done, we take time to acknowledge the tremendous progress we as a country have made in combating racism, bigotry and intolerance. Dr. King’s timeless values of truth, courage, compassion, dignity, justice, service and humility serve as an example for all Americans to strive to better themselves and their community.

“In a speech delivered shortly before his untimely death, Dr. King challenged each and every American to be a ‘Drum Major’ for justice. Dr. King urged Americans to live up to their ideals and strive to serve their neighbors. This year as we honor the life and legacy of Dr. King let us not just honor his memory but also resolve to recommit ourselves to family and community through service.”

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