The View From Here

Ryan makes the case for his budget

 

Our exclusive guest this Sunday, House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI), explains his newly released budget in this graphics-rich video. 

Nats Fest and opening day

 

Opening Day is a national holiday as far as I'm concerned. I'm on way way to NATS Park in the rain to watch the retooled Nationals take on the Braves and Jayson Heyward.

I led a discussion with Nats execs and top players yesterday and I'm feeling better about their prospects. Jayson Werth is a great add, defensively the team promises to be stronger which should help shore up the starting rotation which has a lot of question marks. I also like that the Nats have made some big investments in Stephen Strasburg and Bryce Harper. Here's an MLB write up about my support of the Nats.

Finally, I'm from Los Angeles and am a lifelong Dodgers fan. I'm annoyed that all the pundits have failed to mention them as contenders in the NL West. I resent the oversight given the potential strength of the rotation. Don Mattingly as the new skipper will be tested however.

Dodgers v Giants tonight!

 

Nats home openers

Below is an article from MLB.com about my streak of attending Washington Nationals home openers:

Meet the Nats: Gregory a regular at openers

NBC reporter to attend sixth Opening Day in past seven years

When it comes to world affairs, NBC reporter David Gregory is the man to watch. He can be seen as the moderator on "Meet the Press" every Sunday morning.

But one could also add the title of "baseball fan" to Gregory's name. He is a Nationals season-ticket holder and will attend the team's home opener Thursday afternoon against the Braves. It will be his sixth Opening Day involving the Nationals in the last seven years. Gregory missed one Opening Day because he attended his sister's wedding.

Read the rest of the article at MLB.com

 

Reactions to POTUS Speech

See below for a roundup of the roundups of reactions to last night's speech:

• The NY Times Caucus blog compiled reactions from, "Capitol Hill, the Internet, Cable TV and Twitter."
• Dan Hirschhorn of Politico examined potential 2012 candidates' reactions to the President's speech.
• The Washington Post's 2chambers blog put together reactions broken down by House and Senate, Democrat and Republican.
• Here are editorials from the New York Times, The LA Times and The Wall Street Journal that examine the President's address. 
• The National Journal's Michael Hirsh calls President Obama the "No-doctrine President"
• You can watch the speech in its entirety below:

 

VIDEO: Post Show Thoughts: Libya as a vital US interest

 

SUNDAY: Secretaries Clinton and Gates, round table

This Sunday, we'll examine the crisis in Libya. I'll sit down with the two administration officials leading the charge for President Obama: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. As military leadership is being transferred to NATO forces, I think the important question to ask is - to what extent will this administration have to own the outcome in Libya? Is Khaddafy in power a real option as an end to this crisis? Also, did the President overreach his Constitutional authority? This comes as members of Congress from both sides of the aisle have criticized the President's decision to unilaterally send military forces without consulting the legislature.

Plus, perspectives from our roundtable. The question of Presidential leadership looms for this administration as the White House has had to respond to numerous crises throughout the first part of 2011. Joining me will be The Washington Post's Bob Woodward; the BBC's Ted Koppel; senior fellow for the Center for a New American Security and author, Tom Ricks; and NBC News White House Correspondent, Savannah Guthrie.

VIDEO: Discussing Libya on Morning Joe

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

 

VIDEO: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) on our Midweek Press Pass

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

 

 

MTP Press Pass: Rep. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH)

Check out some pictures below from our MTP Press Pass. I sat down for a conversation with Democratic Congressman Dennis Kucinich this afternoon.

Pictures for now... check back for video later.

Libyan intervention and health care one year later

• In his column this morning, Tom Friedman says there are two kinds of states in the Middle East: ones with "long histories in their territory and strong national identities," and then there are the "tribes with flags." He continues to say, "Libya is just the front-end of a series of moral and strategic dilemmas we are going to face as these Arab uprisings proceed through the tribes with flags."
• Four New York Times journalists chronicle their experience of being captured in Libya in an eye-opening article this morning.
• Some lawmakers on the Hill are upset that President Obama did not consult with Congress before sending US forces in to action in Libya.
• Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) gives what he calls, "A physician's check-up on the one-year-old health-care law."
• Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) wrote an op-ed in which he calls health care reform, "the greatest single assault on our freedom in my lifetime."