Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Middle East peace talks are underway.
* Kerry has parameters in mind: “Secretary of State John Kerry said on Tuesday that Israeli and Palestinian negotiators would convene again in the Middle East within two weeks and that their goal would be to work out a comprehensive peace agreement within nine months.”
* Afghanistan: “Following reports in recent weeks that the White House is considering a full withdrawal from Afghanistan when the NATO-led mission ends in December 2014, a Pentagon assessment released Tuesday says significant foreign military assistance and financial support for Afghan security forces will be required long after United States troops are expected to depart.”
* Gina McCarthy: “President Barack Obama’s top environmental official wasted no time Tuesday taking on opponents of the administration’s plan to crack down on global warming pollution.”
* Yesterday, San Diego Mayor Bob Filner (D) said he wants the city to cover his legal fees. Today, the city of San Diego moved forward with plans to sue Filner.
* Oh, for crying out loud: “The South Carolina Republican Party says that ‘if anyone was upset, we certainly regret’ sending out an email referring to the IRS as ‘Obama’s Gestapo.’”
* The Senate last night confirmed James Comey as the new head of the FBI. The vote was 93 to 1.
* A leadership aide said today that there’s significant opposition among Senate Dems to Larry Summers’ possible nomination to lead the Federal Reserve. * Good call: “East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff Sid Gautreaux apologized Monday for a series of sting operations in which his deputies used an unconstitutional anti-sodomy law to arrest men agreeing to have consensual sex with undercover agents. Amid a firestorm of criticism, Gautreaux said he would push to have the unenforceable portions of the law removed from the state’s criminal statutes — an effort some lawmakers said would be an uphill battle.” * No, the Affordable Care Act does not undermine job creation, and the White House has a graph to prove it. * And in case anyone’s forgotten, delaying the implementation of a provision within the law is perfectly legal, far-right apoplexy notwithstanding. Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
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