White House ‘Footnotes’ to History

• By Charles S. Clark
• 11:34 AM ET
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It’s a fact of Washington life that current occupants of the White House get to control its website. But after the Obama team on Monday touched up some past presidential bios with current-day “footnotes,” Republicans cried foul.

As noticed first by the Heritage Foundation (and then picked up by Commentary magazine and ABC News) the official Web biographies of Ronald Reagan and Franklin Roosevelt were supplemented with a coda under the heading “Did you know?”

In the Roosevelt bio’s treatment of Social Security, the editors added a statement that “today, the Obama administration continues to protect seniors and ensure Social Security will be there for future generations.”

On the Reagan bio’s treatment of the 1986 tax reform law, the editors added a statement that “in a June 28, 1985, speech Reagan called for a fairer tax code, one where a multi-millionaire did not have a lower tax rate than his secretary. Today, President Obama is calling for the same with the Buffett Rule. “

The Republican National Committee quickly took to Tumblr  with a feature titled, “Obama in History: World Changing Events You Didn’t Even Know Obama Played a Part in.”

Romney: Government Isn't the Hero

• By Tom Shoop
• May 15, 2012
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Mitt Romney stepped up his attacks on President Obama as leader of the federal government Tuesday, calling Obama an "old-school liberal " who sees "government as the hero." Romney said his policies, by contrast, were aimed at creating a "simpler, smaller, smarter" government.

From Romney's remarks at an appearance in Des Moines, Iowa:

Almost a generation ago, Bill Clinton announced that the Era of Big Government was over.

Even a former McGovern campaign worker like President Clinton was signaling to his own Party that Democrats should no longer try to govern by proposing a new program for every problem.

President Obama tucked away the Clinton doctrine in his large drawer of discarded ideas, along with transparency and bipartisanship. It’s enough to make you wonder if maybe it was a personal beef with the Clintons ... but really it runs much deeper.

President Obama is an old school liberal whose first instinct is to see free enterprise as the villain and government as the hero. America counted on President Obama to rescue the economy, tame the deficit and help create jobs. Instead, he bailed out the public-sector, gave billions of dollars to the companies of his friends, and added almost as ...

Happy 150th Birthday, USDA!

• By Tom Shoop
• May 15, 2012
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Abraham Lincoln had a lot on his plate 150 years ago -- the country was in the midst of the Civil War, after all. But he took the time to sign legislation to "acquire and diffuse among the people of the United States useful information on subjects connected with agriculture in the most general and comprehensive sense of the word." In that stroke, he created one of government's most important and lasting agencies -- the Agriculture Department.

Today, that department celebrates its 150th anniversary. "Through our work on food, agriculture, economic development, science, natural resource conservation and a host of issues, USDA still fulfills President Lincoln's vision as "The People's Department" -- touching the lives of every American, every day," said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack when he kicked off the anniversary celebration last fall. "As we commemorate 150 years, we will look for lessons from the past that can help us strengthen USDA in the future to address the changing needs of agriculture and rural America."

Today, USDA may be looking to close and consolidate field offices, but the department still has more than 100,000 employees, and its work on everything from agricultural research  to food inspection has a ...

Obama Praises ‘Pride and Passion’ of Public Servants

• By Tom Shoop
• May 11, 2012
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You might have missed it, because he didn't exactly shout it from the rooftops, but President Obama issued a statement of support for federal employees (and their counterparts at the state and local levels) in connection with Public Service Recognition Week this week. Here's what he said:

I send greetings to all those observing Public Service Recognition Week 2012.

Each day, our country benefits from the efforts of dedicated federal, state and local government employees who do their jobs with pride and passion. So many of these men and women work tirelesly on behalf of their fellow citizens to confront the challenges impacting our communities and our nation. During Public Service Recognition Week, we recognize these committed civil servants and honor their efforts to ensure a brighter future for the next generation.

I wish you all the best as you mark this special occasion.

The statement can be found on the website of the American Society for Public Administration, but if it's on the White House site, I couldn't find it. That stands in contrast to last year, when Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry posted an item on the White House blog about PSRW ...

Petraeus: Likes Fruit, Dislikes Crossing the Street

• By Caitlin Fairchild
• May 11, 2012
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We all have our idiosyncrasies, and agency heads are no different. Retired general and current CIA Director David Petraeus reportedly has a list of requirements for when he travels, according to the blog The Back Channel.

His request list includes fresh pineapple every night before bed, sliced bananas to top his cereal in the morning, and someone to accompany him on his morning runs on a route devised with no street-crossings.

Petraeus’ requests, while specific, are a far cry from the detailed travel demands of bands like Van Halen, which famously had a 53-page list of requests on tour, including a bowl of M&Ms with all the brown ones removed.

CIA spokesman Preston Golson told the blog the list shows a health and safety conscious director.

“The fact of the matter is that Director Petraeus pays a great deal of attention to his health,” he said. “He has a lifelong commitment to physical fitness, and that naturally includes a careful diet.”