After months of stonewalling on the issue, the White House today released a report on the allegations that it had offered Congressman Joe Sestak a position in the Obama Administration to dissuade him from mounting a primary challenge to incumbent Senator Arlen Specter, R-Pa. Congressman Sestak, who defeated Senator Specter for the Democratic nomination earlier this month, released the following statement on the White House Counsel’s report: "Last summer, I received a phone call from President Clinton. During the course of the conversation, he expressed concern over my prospects if I were to enter the Democratic primary for U.S. Senate and the value of having me stay in the House of Representatives because of my military background. He said that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel had spoken with him about my being on a Presidential Board while remaining in the House of Representatives. I said no. I told President Clinton that my only consideration in getting into the Senate race or not was whether it was the right thing to do for Pennsylvania working families and not any offer. The former President said he knew I'd say that, and the conversation moved on to other subjects. "There are many important challenges facing Pennsylvania and the rest of the country. I intend to remain focused on those issues and continue my fight on behalf of working families."

President Obama made an unannounced trip to Afghanistan on Sunday, his first trip to the country since becoming president. During his approximately six hour long visit, the president met with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, members of Karzai’s cabinet and U.S. troops stationed there. This past December President Obama announced that he was ordering 30,000 additional troops to Afghanistan. Speaking to American troops today he reminded them why he felt the mission was necessary, “We can't forget why we're here. We did not choose this war. This was not an act of America wanting to expand its influence; of us wanting to meddle in somebody else's business. We were attacked viciously on 9/11. Thousands of our fellow countrymen and women were killed. And this is the region where the perpetrators of that crime, al Qaeda, still base their leadership. Plots against our homeland, plots against our allies, plots against the Afghan and Pakistani people are taking place as we speak right here. (read more)

The following was written by my colleague Julie Kirtz: The big question, unanswered by the White House this weekend, is just what President Barack Obama's own health care proposal will look like. The White House plans to post the President’s proposal on the White House website on Monday, in advance of Thursday’s health care summit with Republicans. In the words of one key administration official, Obama is expected to combine "the best parts" of the House and Senate bills. But not even Obama’s Democratic allies know what that means for huge issues like abortion language and a government run health care plan, or so called “public option.” In his Saturday address, the President called on Democrats and Republicans to keep an open mind. "I don't want to see this meeting turn into political theater with each side simply reciting talking points and trying to score political points,” he said. “Instead, I ask members of both parties to seek common ground." With the bi-partisan summit set for Thursday, Obama is trying to breathe new life into health care reform -- not easy. Speaking for Republicans in their weekly address, Michigan Rep. Dave Camp said people just want the White House and congressional Democrats to scrap "their misguided government takeover of health care." Camp accused Democrats of writing the newest health care bill in secret. (read more)

The Senate and House of Representatives gave themselves a snow day Wednesday, but that wasn’t going to keep your humble blogger from showing up at the Capitol to see what was happening. We journalists are some of the only people foolish enough to go outside in weather like this. Bulldozers and dump trucks have been taking snow from sidewalks and roadways on the Capitol grounds and dropping it at Lower Senate Park. On Tuesday the mound of snow was at least twelve feet tall, and it will be much larger once this is all finished. (read more)

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs released the following statement in response to tonight's Massachusetts special election results. Republican Scott Brown handily defeated the once double-digit favorite Democrat Martha Coakley. He becomes the first Republican to hold this Senate seat since John F. Kennedy beat Henry Cabot Lodge in 1952. His brother, the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy, held the seat for almost five decades. Senator-elect Brown's stunning upset throws the Democrats' plans for health care reform into turmoil as when he is seated, he will take away Senate Democrats' filibuster-proof 60-seat majority. “This evening the President spoke to both candidates in the hard-fought Massachusetts Senate race. The President congratulated Senator Brown on his victory and a well-run campaign. The President told Senator Brown that he looks forward to working with him on the urgent economic challenges facing Massachusetts families and struggling families across our nation. The President thanked Attorney General Coakley for her hard work and urged her to continue her advocacy on behalf of working people.”

First Lady Michelle Obama turns 46 today and although she didn’t join President Obama in Boston to campaign for Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, Mrs. Obama still got a birthday song from the crowd.  (read more)

The President spent his Sunday morning at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church speaking from the same pulpit from which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke from in 1956. Dedicating most of his speech to the works of the slain civil rights leader whose life is celebrated by a federal holiday tomorrow, Mr. Obama said it was part of the progress that Dr. King fought for that allowed him to stand before them as the 44th President of the United States. However, he reminded those in attendance that political realties still exist,

on the heels of that victory over a year ago, there were some who suggested that somehow we had entered into a post-racial America, all those problems would be solved. There were those who argued that because I had spoke of a need for unity in this country that our nation was somehow entering into a period of post-partisanship. That didn’t work out so well. There was a hope shared by many that life would be better from the moment that I swore that oath. Of course, as we meet here today, one year later, we know the promise of that moment has not yet been fully fulfilled.

It was the President’s second visit to a public church since his inauguration almost a year ago. (read more)

President Clinton, the UN Special Envoy for Haiti, has just announced that he will travel to Haiti tomorrow to meet with those suffering from the natural disaster, deliver emergency relief supplies and meet those providing aid there. "As UN Special Envoy for Haiti, I feel a deep obligation to the Haitian people to visit the country and meet with President Preval to ensure our response continues to be coordinated and effective," Mr. Clinton said in a paper statement released today. In an interview with Major Garrett during Fox News Sunday, President Clinton said he would "stay out of the way" if his work called on him to travel down to Haiti. The President will also meet with Haitian President Rene Preval and other members of the government.

President Obama's Day Ahead The President starts off his Sunday by attending church in Washington, D.C. with the the First Lady at a yet to be announced location. He will deliver remarks at the end of the service. UPDATE: President Obama will be speaking at the Vermont Avenue Baptist Church at appx 1200pm. Watch it live on Fox News Channel or online at Row 2 Seat 4: [foxlivestream] In the afternoon, Mr. Obama travels to Boston where he will attend a campaign event at Northeastern University for Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley, who is running to replace the late Senator Ted Kennedy.  The special election, which takes this Tuesday, has become unexpectedly competitive in recent weeks. Vice President Biden's Day Ahead Vice President Biden heads to Naples, Florida to attend an event for the Democratic National Committee. Keep reading for the full schedule: (read more)

The White House released a statement from the President tonight on the House passage of the "Jobs for Main Street Act of 2010." The bill narrowly passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 217 to 212 with 38 Democrats bucking the party line to vote against the bill. A little less than half of the bill's $154 billion price tag would be paid for by redirecting funds from the controversial Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). Statement by the President on House Passage of Jobs Bill All over our country this holiday season, Americans who lost their jobs in the Great Recession are looking for work. Today the House answered with some productive ideas to respond to this great need, offering new initiatives including repairing our roads and bridges, providing relief to Americans who have lost their jobs and preventing layoffs at the state and local level. They complement the proposals I made last week to buttress small businesses with new tax cuts and increased lending and provide incentives to consumers who retrofit their homes. Some may think standing by and taking no action is the right approach, but for the millions of Americans still out of work, inaction is unacceptable.