Gallup: Hillary Clinton more popular than Obama, Biden

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton holds a higher favorability rating than either President Obama or Vice President Biden, according to a survey released Tuesday by Gallup.

Sixty-four percent of those surveyed had a favorable impression of the former first lady. By contrast, 55 percent said they had a favorable impression of President Obama, and 45 percent said the same for Vice President Biden — Clinton's potential foe in a 2016 Democratic primary. Former Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry, who assumed Clinton's job at the State Department, was seen favorably by 44 percent of those surveyed.

The survey was conducted before last week's bombing at the Boston Marathon, and the subsequent capture of a suspect following a daylong manhunt. It is not clear how the terrorist attack and its aftermath could affect the president's popularity rating.

Nevertheless, Clinton's edge is indicative of the conventional wisdom in Washington — if the former New York senator chooses to run for the White House, she should have a relatively easy path to the Democratic nomination. The survey found that a staggering 91 percent of Democrats had a favorable impression of Clinton, versus just 76 percent for Biden. "At a time when many political analysts are floating former Secretary of State Clinton's name as a potential contender for the Democratic presidential nomination, her favorability rating outshines those of current Obama administration officials, including the president himself," said Gallup's Andrew Dugan in a statement. "Vice President Biden is also reportedly considering running in 2016, but as of now, his favorability rating is not nearly as high as that of his possible competitor, among rank-and-file Democrats and among the public in general."

That said, Clinton's popularity is likely due, in part, to the political advantages of retirement and having previously worked as the nation's top diplomat. Clinton's approval rating hovered around 50 percent in the years preceding her appointment to Obama's cabinet, as she served in the U.S. Senate and campaigned for the Democratic presidential nomination.

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President Clinton: Some Disenfranchisement Efforts Today Are ‘Even More Determined’ Than 48 Years Ago

In the wake of conservative Justice Antonin Scalia’s claim that a key provision of the Voting Rights Act amounts to a “perpetuation of racial entitlement,” former President Bill Clinton offered a very different vision of the law in an exclusive statement emailed to ThinkProgress today:

The Voting Rights Act is one of the most powerful tools Americans have to fight injustice, and its protection is fundamental to our democracy. Since the Act’s enactment in 1965, disciplined, systematic efforts to undermine its safeguards by disenfranchising younger, poorer, minority, and disabled voters—some even more determined today than they were 48 years ago—are reminding us of the fragility of this very precious right. As America becomes younger, more diverse, and more vibrant, our response must be to embrace our common humanity, to widen the circle of opportunity, and to build a country where every American has a voice in the future—a voice that our vote provides and our government must protect. This is not the time to weaken those protections, but rather an opportunity to redouble our efforts to affirm them.

President Clinton previously described efforts by Republican governors and lawmakers to undermine voting rights the most determined effort to restrict the franchise ” since we got rid of the poll tax and all the other Jim Crow burdens on voting.”

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Remarks by the President in Presentation of the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

East Room

1:40 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  And on behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.

Every day at the White House we receive thousands of letters from folks all across America.  And at night, upstairs in my study, I read a few.  About three years ago, I received a letter from a mom in West Virginia.  Her son, Stephan, a Specialist in the Army, just 21 years old, had given his life in Afghanistan.  She had received the condolence letter that I’d sent to her family, as I send to every family of the fallen.  And she wrote me back.  “Mr. President,” she said, “you wrote me a letter telling me that my son was a hero.  I just wanted you to know what kind of hero he was.”

“My son was a great soldier,” she wrote.  “As far back as I can remember, Stephan wanted to serve his country.”  She spoke of how he “loved his brothers in B Troop.”  How he “would do anything for them.”  And of the brave actions that would cost Stephan his life, she wrote, “His sacrifice was driven by pure love.”

Today, we are honored to be joined by Stephan’s mother Vanessa and his father Larry.  Please stand, Vanessa and Larry. (Applause.)  We're joined by the families of the seven other patriots who also gave their lives that day.  Can we please have them stand so we can acknowledge them as well.  (Applause.)  We're joined by members of Bravo Troop whose courage that day was driven by pure love.  And we gather to present the Medal of Honor to one of these soldiers -- Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha.

Clint, this is our nation’s highest military decoration.  It reflects the gratitude of our entire country.  So we’re joined by members of Congress; leaders from across our Armed Forces, including Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marty Dempsey, Army Secretary John McHugh, and Army Chief of Staff General Ray Odierno.  We are especially honored to be joined by Clint’s 4th Infantry Division -- “Iron Horse” -- soldiers, and members of the Medal of Honor Society, who today welcome you into their ranks.

Now, despite all this attention, you may already have a sense that Clint is a pretty humble guy.  We just spent some time together in the Oval Office.  He grew up in Lake City, California -- population less than a hundred.  We welcome his family, including mom and dad, Tish and Gary.  Clint -- I hope he doesn’t mind if I share that Clint was actually born at home. These days, Clint works in the oilfields of North Dakota.  He is a man of faith, and after more than a decade in uniform, he says the thing he looks forward to the most is just being a husband and a father. 

In fact, this is not even the biggest event for Clint this week, because tomorrow, he and his wife Tammy will celebrate their 13th wedding anniversary.  Clint and Tammy, this is probably not the kind of intimate anniversary you planned.  (Laughter.)  But we’re so glad that you’re here, along with your three beautiful children -- Dessi, Gwen and Colin.  Colin is not as shy as Clint.  (Laughter.)  He was in the Oval Office, and he was racing around pretty good.  (Laughter.)  And sampled a number of the apples before he found the one that was just right.  (Laughter.)  

Now, to truly understand the extraordinary actions for which Clint is being honored, you need to understand the almost unbelievable conditions under which he and B Troop served.  This was a time, in 2009, when many of our troops still served in small, rugged outposts, even as our commanders were shifting their focus to larger towns and cities.

So Combat Outpost Keating was a collection of buildings of concrete and plywood with trenches and sandbags.  Of all the outposts in Afghanistan, Keating was among the most remote.  It sat at the bottom of a steep valley, surrounded by mountains -- terrain that a later investigation said gave “ideal” cover for insurgents to attack.  COP Keating, the investigation found, was “tactically indefensible.”  But that’s what these soldiers were asked to do -- defend the indefensible.

The attack came in the morning, just as the sun rose.  Some of our guys were standing guard; most, like Clint, were still sleeping.  The explosions shook them out of their beds and sent them rushing for their weapons.  And soon, the awful odds became clear:  These 53 Americans were surrounded by more than 300 Taliban fighters. 

What happened next has been described as one of the most intense battles of the entire war in Afghanistan.  The attackers had the advantage -- the high ground, the mountains above.  And they were unleashing everything they had -- rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns, mortars; snipers taking aim.  To those Americans down below, the fire was coming in from every single direction.  They’d never seen anything like it. 

With gunfire impacting all around him, Clint raced to one of the barracks and grabbed a machine gun.  He took aim at one of the enemy machine teams and took it out.  A rocket-propelled grenade exploded, sending shrapnel into his hip, his arm, and his neck.  But he kept fighting, disregarding his own wounds, and tending to an injured comrade instead.

Then, over the radio, came words no soldier ever wants to hear -- “enemy in the wire.”  The Taliban had penetrated the camp.  They were taking over buildings.  The combat was close; at times, as close as 10 feet.  When Clint took aim at three of them, they never took another step.

But still, the enemy advanced.  So the Americans pulled back, to buildings that were easier to defend, to make one last stand.  One of them was later compared to the Alamo -- one of them later compared it to the Alamo.  Keating, it seemed, was going to be overrun.  And that’s when Clint Romesha decided to retake that camp.

Clint gathered up his guys, and they began to fight their way back.  Storming one building, then another.  Pushing the enemy back.  Having to actually shoot up -- at the enemy in the mountains above.  By now, most of the camp was on fire.  Amid the flames and smoke, Clint stood in a doorway, calling in airstrikes that shook the earth all around them.  

Over the radio, they heard comrades who were pinned down in a Humvee.  So Clint and his team unloaded everything they had into the enemy positions.  And with that cover, three wounded Americans made their escape -- including a grievously injured Stephan Mace.

But more Americans, their bodies, were still out there.  And Clint Romesha lives the Soldier’s Creed -- “I will never leave a fallen comrade.”  So he and his team started charging, as enemy fire poured down.  And they kept charging -- 50 meters; 80 meters -- ultimately, a 100-meter run through a hail of bullets.  They reached their fallen friends and they brought them home. 
Throughout history, the question has often been asked, why? Why do those in uniform take such extraordinary risks?  And what compels them to such courage? You ask Clint and any of these soldiers who are here today, and they’ll tell you.  Yes, they fight for their country, and they fight for our freedom.  Yes, they fight to come home to their families.  But most of all, they fight for each other, to keep each other safe and to have each other's backs. 

When I called Clint to tell him that he would receive this medal, he said he was honored, but he also said, it wasn't just me out there, it was a team effort.  And so today we also honor this American team, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice -- Private First Class Kevin Thomson, who would have turned 26 years old today; Sergeant Michael Scusa; Sergeant Joshua Kirk; Sergeant Christopher Griffin; Staff Sergeant Justin Gallegos; Staff Sergeant Vernon Martin; Sergeant Joshua Hardt; and Specialist Stephan Mace.

Each of these patriots gave their lives looking out for each other.  In a battle that raged all day, that brand of selflessness was displayed again and again and again -- soldiers exposing themselves to enemy fire to pull a comrade to safety, tending to each other’s wounds, performing “buddy transfusions” -- giving each other their own blood.

And if you seek a measure of that day, you need to look no further than the medals and ribbons that grace their chests -- for their sustained heroism, 37 Army Commendation Medals; for their wounds, 27 Purple Hearts; for their valor, 18 Bronze Stars; for their gallantry, 9 Silver Stars. 

These men were outnumbered, outgunned and almost overrun.  Looking back, one of them said, “I’m surprised any of us made it out.”  But they are here today.  And I would ask these soldiers -- this band of brothers -- to stand and accept the gratitude of our entire nation.  (Applause.)

There were many lessons from COP Keating.  One of them is that our troops should never, ever, be put in a position where they have to defend the indefensible.  But that’s what these soldiers did -- for each other, in sacrifice driven by pure love.  And because they did, eight grieving families were at least able to welcome their soldiers home one last time.  And more than 40 American soldiers are alive today to carry on, to keep alive the memory of their fallen brothers, to help make sure that this country that we love so much remains strong and free. 

What was it that turned the tide that day?  How was it that so few Americans prevailed against so many?  As we prepare for the reading of the citation, I leave you with the words of Clint himself, because they say something about our Army and they say something about America; they say something about our spirit, which will never be broken:  “We weren't going to be beat that day,” Clint said. “You're not going to back down in the face of adversity like that.  We were just going to win, plain and simple.”

God bless you, Clint Romesha, and all of your team.  God bless all who serve.  And God bless the United States of America.

With that, I’d like the citation to be read.

MILITARY AIDE:  The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March 3rd, 1863, has awarded in the name of Congress the Medal of Honor to
Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha, United States Army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty:

Staff Sergeant Clinton L. Romesha distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Section Leader with Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, during combat operations against an armed enemy at Combat Outpost Keating, Kamdesh District, Nuristan Province, Afghanistan on October 3rd, 2009. 

On that morning, Staff Sergeant Romesha and his comrades awakened to an attack by an estimated 300 enemy fighters occupying the high ground on all four sides of the complex, employing concentrated fire from recoilless rifles, rocket propelled grenades, anti-aircraft machine guns, mortars and small-arms fire.  Staff Sergeant Romesha moved uncovered under intense enemy fire to conduct a reconnaissance of the battlefield and seek reinforcements from the barracks before returning to action with the support of an assistant gunner. 

Staff Sergeant Romesha took out an enemy machine gun team, and, while engaging a second, the generator he was using for cover was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade, inflicting him with shrapnel wounds.  Undeterred by his injuries, Staff Sergeant Romesha continued to fight, and upon the arrival of another soldier to aid him and the assistant gunner, he again rushed through the exposed avenue to assemble additional soldiers. 

Staff Sergeant Romesha then mobilized a five-man team and returned to the fight equipped with a sniper rifle.  With complete disregard for his own safety, Staff Sergeant Romesha continually exposed himself to heavy enemy fire, as he moved confidently about the battlefield engaging and destroying multiple enemy targets, including three Taliban fighters who had breached the combat outpost’s perimeter. 

While orchestrating a successful plan to secure and reinforce key points of the battlefield, Staff Sergeant Romesha maintained radio communication with the tactical operations center.  As the enemy forces attacked with even greater ferocity, unleashing a barrage of rocket-propelled grenades and recoilless rifle rounds, Staff Sergeant Romesha identified the point of attack and directed air support to destroy over 30 enemy fighters. 

After receiving reports that seriously injured soldiers were at a distant battle position, Staff Sergeant Romesha and his team provided covering fire to allow the injured Soldiers to safely reach the aid station. Upon receipt of orders to proceed to the next objective, his team pushed forward 100 meters under overwhelming enemy fire to recover and prevent the enemy fighters from taking the bodies of their fallen comrades. 

Staff Sergeant Romesha’s heroic actions throughout the day-long battle were critical in suppressing an enemy that had far greater numbers.  His extraordinary efforts gave Bravo Troop the opportunity to regroup, reorganize and prepare for the counterattack that allowed the Troop to account for its personnel and secure Combat Outpost Keating. 

Staff Sergeant Romesha’s discipline and extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty reflect great credit upon himself, Bravo Troop, 3rd Squadron, 61st Cavalry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division and the United States Army.

(The Medal of Honor is awarded.)  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you, everybody.  Most of all, thank you for Clint and the entire team for their extraordinary service and devotion to our country. 

We're going to have an opportunity to celebrate and there’s going to be a wonderful reception -- I hear the food around here is pretty good.  (Laughter.)  I know the band is good.  And Colin really needs to get down.  (Laughter.) 

So, enjoy, everybody.  Give our newest recipient of the Medal of Honor a big round of applause once again.  (Applause.)

END 
2:10 P.M. EST

Check out all the ways you can get involved with President Obama's State of the Union Address.

With less than three weeks before devastating, across the board cuts - the so-called "sequester" - are slated to hit, affecting our national security, job creation and economic growth, we must make sure we are having a debate over how to deal with these looming deadlines that is based on facts- not myths being spread by some Congressional Republicans who would rather see these cuts hit than ask the wealthiest and big corporations to pay a little bit more.

President Obama urges Congress to act to avoid a series of harmful and automatic cuts—called a sequester—from going into effect that would hurt our economy and the middle class and threaten thousands of American jobs.

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Clinton: America’s Debt Problems ‘Can’t Be Solved’ With Austerity

Former president Bill Clinton urged House Democrats to avoid the push for immediate austerity at a party retreat in Virginia today, pointing to Europe’s failed deficit-cutting experiment that has led to further economic malaise instead of prosperity.

The American economy, bolstered by a major stimulus bill in 2009, has slowly recovered from the Great Recession, but unemployment remains high and growth slower than it should be. The U.S. has already cut more than $2.5 trillion from future deficits, but with the automatic spending cuts brought about by the 2011 debt ceiling deal fast approaching, Clinton pushed Democrats to avoid calls for “conventional austerity measures”:

The debt problem can’t be solved right now by conventional austerity measures, and that’s why Paul Krugman is right when he keeps talking about all these — everybody that’s tried austerity in a time of no growth has wound up cutting revenues even more than they cut spending because you just get into the downward spiral and drag the country back into recession.

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European countries that have attempted to spur growth by rapidly reducing their deficits have failed to accomplish either goal and have instead driven their economies back into recession. The United Kingdom’s deficit has hardly gotten smaller despite its austerity efforts and the country is on the verge of a triple-dip recession. Greece and Spain both have unemployment rates above 25 percent. Even Germany, Europe’s largest economy, is on the brink of another recession. The Eurozone as a whole slipped back into recession in November and its unemployment rate is at record highs.

Still, politicians in the United States have failed to heed Europe’s warnings, pursuing deficit reduction instead of job growth. Republicans blocked the American Jobs Act, which economists estimated would have spurred growth and created more than a million jobs, and have instead pursued damaging budget cuts that would have the opposite effect even amid evidence that the original American push for stimulus worked better than the European approach.

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Clinton: Health won't 'factor in at all' in decision to run for president

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said her recent health issues won't "factor in at all" in a decion on whether or not to run for higher office.

"I have no doubt that I am healthy enough and my stamina is great enough and I'll be fully recovered to do whatever I choose to do," Clinton told "Andrea Mitchell Reports" in an interview posted online Tuesday.

Despite confidence in her health, Clinton continued to insist that she hasn't made any decisions regarding the 2016 race for the White House.

"[I] don't have any decisions made. I have no real plans to make any such decisions. I'm looking forward to some very quiet time catching up on everything from sleep, to reading, to walking with my family. I think it’s hard to imagine for me what it will be like next week when I wake up and I have nowhere to go. Maybe I'll go back to sleep for a change," she said.

Clinton, who is doing a round of exit interviews before she steps down on Friday, told CNN that blood clots are "very common," affecting "millions of people."

"I am lucky because I have been very healthy. I feel great. I've got enormous amounts of energy that have to be harnessed and focused, so I'm very fortunate and I'm looking forward to this next chapter in my life, whatever it is," she said.

Clinton was hospitalized in December after doctors found a blood clot stemming from a concussion she has suffered earlier. The clot was found in her head between her brain and right ear.

She drew attention last week for a rare joint interview, which aired Sunday on CBS's "60 Minutes," with President Obama, a former political rival-turned ally and friend.

“The main thing is I just wanted to have a chance to publicly say 'thank you,' because I think Hillary will go down as one of the finest secretaries of State we've had,” Obama told CBS.

The Senate officially approved Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to succeed Clinton in a 94-3 vote Tuesday.

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Obama, Clinton defend record in Middle East

President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended their foreign policy record in the middle East, saying in an interview aired Sunday that they wisely chose not to “shoot from the hip.”

In a joint interview aired on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” the president and secretary of State said the United States has not retreated from the world stage, a charge made by critics urging the Obama administration to do more to intervene in Syria and take a tougher stance with Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Obama cited both Egypt and Libya as instances where his administration played a leading role, saying that former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi “probably does not agree with that assessment” of U.S. retreat.

“We do nobody a service when we leap before we look, where we take on things without having thought through all the consequences of it," Obama said in the interview.

Gadhafi was deposed from power after a NATO-led air campaign backed rebel forces seeking his ouster.

Obama said that in Syria the U.S. needed to tread carefully.

“Syria's a classic example of where our involvement, we want to make sure that not only does it enhance U.S. security, but also that it is doing right by the people of Syria and neighbors like Israel that are going to be profoundly affected by it. And so it's true sometimes that we don't just shoot from the hip,” the president said.

Obama's critics have argued that the administration should do more to help the rebels locked in a civil war with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces, from providing weapons to creating a no-fly zone. They’ve argued that Obama’s calls for Assad to step down have proven toothless without the support to back up the rhetoric, allowing the death toll to keep rising.

Clinton said the administration has thoughtfully weighed difficult choices in deciding what to do — and not to do —to respond to the civil war in Syria.

“Are there what we call wicked problems like Syria, which is the one you named? Absolutely,” Clinton told “60 Minutes” correspondent Steve Kroft.

“And we are on the side of American values. We're on the side of freedom. We're on the side of the aspirations of all people — to have a better life, have the opportunities that we are fortunate to have here,” she said. “But it's not always easy to perceive exactly what must be done in order to get to that outcome."

Kroft sat down with both Clinton and Obama — at the president’s request — for the interview that aired Sunday, where Obama praised Clinton’s record at State as she prepares to leave the administration.

Both of them played down any questions about Clinton’s potential ambitions in 2016, which have been sparked anew by the joint interview.

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Feinstein: ‘I would love’ Clinton to run in 2016

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) left no wiggle room over who she wanted to be the Democratic nominee for president in 2016.

Feinstein said on CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday that she would “love it” if Secretary of State Hillary Clinton decides to run for president.

“I am a fan,” Feinstein said. “I would love it if she would run.”

Clinton appeared in a joint interview with President Obama on “60 Minutes” that will air Sunday, which sparked new speculation she has an eye toward 2016.

Feinstein touted Clinton’s accomplishments as secretary of State and said she has “unbridled popularity.”

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Hillary Clinton pays off 2008 campaign debt

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has finally paid off the debt from her 2008 presidential campaign.

According to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission, Clinton paid the remainder of her debt in the last days of 2012. Clinton's campaign committee paid a total of $73,000 to polling firm Penn and Schoen on New Year's Eve, ending a debt to the firm that had, at one point, reached $5.4 million, according to CNN.

Clinton's campaign committee at one time reportedly owed $12 million to creditors and over $13 million to Clinton herself after she loaned the campaign money.

Clinton's campaign raised $158,000 in the fourth quarter of 2012 and began 2013 with $205,000, CNN also reported. Those funds can be used for future campaigns for federal office.

Observers have speculated that Clinton might run again for president in 2016. Clinton, however, has repeatedly said she plans to end her career in public office after she finishes her term as secretary of State.

"I have been on this high wire of national and international politics and leadership for 20 years," Clinton said in October. "It has been an absolutely extraordinary personal honor and experience. But I really want to just have my own time back. I want to just be my own person. I'm looking forward to that."

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Clinton Scolds GOP Senator For Focusing On Whether Protest Sparked Benghazi Attack

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton shot back at a Republican senator during today’s Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on the Benghazi terror attacks, arguing that the Republicans’ focus on whether there was a protest against in anti-Muslim video at the time of the attack is irrelevant.

Much of the politicization surrounding the Benghazi affair centered on Republicans attacking the Obama administration’s initial assessment that the Benghazi attacks may have been sparked by the video protest, a determination that the administration later backed away from.

When Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) asked Clinton why she didn’t make “a simple phone call” to the evacuees to find out, the Secretary of State shot back: “With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans!” she said, “What difference does it make?”:

JOHNSON: Madam Secretary, do you disagree that a simple phone call to those evacuees to determined what happened would have ascertained immediately there was no protest? That was a piece of information that could have been easily, easily obtained. within hours if not days.

CLINTON: Senator, you know, when you’re in these positions, the last thing you want to do is interfere with any other process.

JOHNSON: I realize that. I realize it’s a good excuse.

CLINTON: No it’s a fact. [...]

JOHNSON: Again, we were mislead there was supposedly protests and something spraying out of that, assault spraying out of that. That was easily ascertained that was not the fact and the american people could have known that within days and didn’t know that.

CLINTON: With all due respect, the fact is we had four dead Americans! Was it because of a protest or was it because of guys out for a walk one night decided to go kill some Americans?! What difference at this point does it make?! It is our job to figure out what happened and do everything we can to prevent it from ever happening again,

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Clinton finds warm reception for Organizing for Action comments

Former President Bill Clinton spoke to President Obama's national finance committee and other Democratic officials Saturday afternoon at the Newseum to discuss the newly launched Organizing for Action initiative, sources tell The Hill.

Organizing for Action is targeted at reaching out to past supporters of Obama's campaign and is the restructured version of the Obama for America organization. 

The former president talked about having courage to stand by Democratic leaders when dealing with hot-button issues this year, specifically mentioning the upcoming battle in Congress over gun-control legislation and comprehensive immigration reform. Clinton was received warmly by the crowd, which gave him a standing ovation following his comments. 

Clinton played a major role in helping Obama get reelected in November, despite the two having an tense relationship from the 2008 election. The former president gave a rousing speech at the Democratic National Convention about Obama's track record during his first term and even traveled to key swing states to campaign for him.

Clinton was joined by former Obama campaign manager Jim Messina, according to sources in the room, which had an overflowing crowd. In a recent email to supporters, Messina said the group would host discussions aimed at strategizing how to use the campaign's infrastructure and voter database to support the president in his second term.

"Issues like immigration, climate change, and gun violence will be debated over these next four years, and President Obama is ready to take them on — but he needs us by his side," Messina wrote in the email. "Our goal is to help him get things done, but also to help change how things get done in Washington in the first place."

First lady Michelle Obama launched the restructured organization in a video posted on Friday. The group is expected to be registered as a 501(c)4 organization, meaning it's barred by federal law from having politics as its main purpose. 

“The relationships you’ve made, the tools you’ve built and the lessons you’ve learned have already begun to change our politics. And in the coming years, they can change our country. And that’s the mission of Organizing for Action,” the first lady said in the video.

"In terms of the specifics of what this organization will look like, a lot of that will be up to you. It will be determined by your energy and ideas and feedback," she added. "Because after all, this is your movement."

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Chelsea Clinton to headline Inaugural service event

Chelsea Clinton will headline the first event of President Obama’s Inaugural weekend, the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) announced Tuesday.

Clinton will be the honorary chairwoman of the 2013 National Day of Service on Saturday, in a weekend full of events leading up to Obama’s second swearing-in ceremony on Monday.

“We are thrilled that Chelsea Clinton will play such a critical role in mobilizing Americans across the country to take part in the National Day of Service,” PIC President and CEO Steve Kerrigan said in a statement. “Through her work with the Clinton Foundation and her recent efforts to help communities impacted by Hurricane Sandy, Chelsea sets a remarkable example for serving and strengthening our country. As honorary chair, she will be instrumental in helping lead the president’s call to service and growing this important tradition.”

The summit will take place on the National Mall. The president and first family and Vice President Biden and his family will also be on hand.

“There is no more fitting way to mark a presidential inauguration than a day of service,” Clinton said in a statement. “Coming together as a country to strengthen our communities has always been part of the American spirit. I am deeply grateful that President Obama and his administration have put service at the center of the inauguration weekend and I am proud to be part of a nationwide service effort, honoring the service and legacy of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and building a brighter future for all of us.”

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Reid, Pelosi and Clinton are right: POTUS can act to avoid a debt-ceiling crash

If America is faced with a national default because of Republican obstruction against raising the debt ceiling, in my opinion President Obama has authority under Article 4 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to act unilaterally if necessary to avoid a debt ceiling-induced default. If default is the only other option, the president should exercise this authority.

Unilateral presidential action to avoid a debt-ceiling default is the second worst option, and should be avoided if at all possible. Unilateral action sends an awful message to financial markets. While I believe such action would be reluctantly approved by a narrow Supreme Court majority after an inevitable challenge, judicial approval is not certain. Bipartisan and comprehensive budget, spending and revenue negotiations on all outstanding issues is a far more desirable outcome.

Former President Bill Clinton has championed the option of presidential authority if needed. House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) has also championed this authority. And now Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), Senate Democratic Policy Committee Chairman Charles Schumer (N.Y.) and Democratic Conference Secretary Patty Murray (Wash.) have supported this authority in a recent letter. I applaud them all.

President Obama is right in stating that America is not a deadbeat nation and that Republicans should stop holding the good faith and credit of the United States hostage. I would add that America must stop acting like a banana republic on matters of budgets, spending and taxes. These constant last-minute fiascos, the abuse by both parties of creating intense fear among Americans as a political tactic and the constant dangers of both real and self-induced catastrophes are unworthy of the United States and must end.

President Obama has expressed doubt about unilateral presidential action. To the degree he prefers to avoid this option, he is right. To the degree he may be forced to choose between unilateral action and default, he should state as soon as possible, as firmly as possible, that unilateral action may be the second worst choice but default would be, by far, the worst choice.

The proper solution is a bipartisan budget deal that is significant and moves far beyond the debt-ceiling issue. The president won the 2012 election. Senate Democrats were huge winners in the 2012 election. House Democrats gained seats and won more national popular votes than House Republicans in the last election. Democrats have won three out of the last four national elections. So any bipartisan agreement should be tilted toward the Democratic position.

At the same time, all House Republicans also won their seats in the 2012 election, which gives them some moral and political right to some concessions from Democrats, in proportion to the will of voters, expressed in elections, to achieve an agreement.

The president and Democrats should avoid the danger of hubris and overreaching. The Republicans must end the use or threats of legislative blackmail, extortion, obstruction, hostage-taking and willingness to force a default that could cause a crash because of an extremism and distemper that threatens to make the GOP a minority party for a generation.

Bipartisanship is preferable to constitutional confrontation. But if the only alternatives are to submit to legislative blackmail by Republicans or accept a disastrous national default, the authority of the president is constitutionally locked and loaded. The president would be supported by a large majority of voters if he chooses to use it, and if necessary, he should.

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Hillary Clinton Discharged From Hospital

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Hillary Clinton admitted to hospital after doctors discover blood clot

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was hospitalized on Sunday after doctors found a blood clot.

Clinton is receiving treatment at Presbyterian Hospital in New York where doctors will monitor her for the next 48 hours, her spokesman Philippe Reines said in a statement. 

The clot, resulting from a concussion she suffered earlier in December, was found during a follow-up exam on Sunday, according to the State Department.

"Her doctors will continue to assess her condition, including other issues associated with her concussion. They will determine if any further action is required," Reines said.

Clinton fainted and suffered a concussion earlier in the month when she was suffering from a stomach virus. At the time, the State Department said that she would continue her recovery at home and was being monitored by her physicians.

The illness forced the secretary to cancel a trip to the Middle East and an appearance before Congress.

Clinton was due to testify before Congress on Dec. 20 about the investigation into the September attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, which killed four Americans.

Two senior aides to Clinton testified on her behalf, but Republicans, who have been sharply critical of the administration’s handling of security for the Benghazi mission, have said they still expect Clinton testify in person.

Clinton has said she will step down from her post as the nation’s top diplomat, and President Obama has nominated Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to succeed her.

— Amie Parnes contributed to this report.

— Updated at 10:03 p.m.

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