On Finance Reform Talks, Dodd Trades Shelby for Corker

What happens if you’re chairman of the Senate Banking Committee and your negotiations with the panel’s senior Republican over finance reform break down? If you’re Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), you recruit Sen. Bob Corker (Tenn.) to be the new lead Republican. Here’s Dodd’s statement explaining why:

What’s Victory in Afghanistan?

That’s the real question, isn’t it? Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) asks it of the witnesses at today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

John Nagl, president of the Center for a New American Security: “An Afghan state able to secure itself against internal threat with minimal external help”; one that “does More…

Take the Money and Run

When Sen. Arlen Specter (D-Pa.) jumped ship on the Republican Party this week, he was quick to note that, at the request of donors, he’d return contributions to anyone who’d given to his reelection campaign under the guise that he’d be representing the GOP in 2010. Among those donors were More…

Chris Hill Confirmation Hearing: ‘I Just Don’t Want To Screw It Up’

An auspicious indicator for Chris Hill as he moves through his hearing. So far two GOP senators have questioned him, Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Johnny Isakson of Georgia. Neither has gone after him on Brownback’s North Korea-based criticisms, and instead have asked substantive questions about security contractors, the More…

CLINTON CONFIRMATION: How Will She Run The State Department?

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) asks how the department will have “the culture, the morale” and the resources necessary to succeed. Back to Adm. Mullen’s point.

Clinton picks up on it. “In consultation with the president-elect, the vice president-elect and the members of this committee” she decided to fill a long-vacant More…

CLINTON CONFIRMATION: What About the Clinton Foundation?

Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) says he thinks Clinton “will succeed.” But he’s the one making the uncomfortable statements about the Clinton Foundation. “It’s a speck in relation to the huge magnitude of efforts you can put forth on behalf of the government,” he says, but “there’s just no need to More…

$25 Billion for Automakers Only Tip of the Iceberg

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) said in no uncertain terms Wednesday that the $25 billion bailout being sought by America’s Big Three automakers would constitute just the first federal offering in what would be a much more expensive rescue plan. Asked by National Public Radio why More…