Mondale, Walter, 93
monetary stimulus, 58, 89, 103
vs. fiscal, 61, 391, 487
monetizing, 165–66
Moneyball, 47
“Monkeys Get High for Science,” 319
Morning in America, 210
mortgage crisis, 52, 68, 106, 240, 374, 433–34
Moses, Robert, 411
Mount Redoubt, 278–79
Mulcahy, Anne, 78
Munday, Mark, 313
Murkowski, Lisa, 208, 211–12, 219, 220, 348
Murphy, Scott, 283–84, 400
Murphy, Tim, 480
Murray, Patty, 219
Musk, Elon, 373
Nabors, Rob, 127–28, 129, 131–34, 153, 188
Namasté Solar, 242–44
nanophosphate powder, 361
Nasdaq, Obama’s speech at, 51–52, 71
National Association of Manufacturers, 213
National Economic Council (NEC), 80, 100, 107, 405
National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), 181, 182, 185, 195, 198–99, 315
National Governors Association, 125, 225
National Institutes of Health (NIH), 209, 223, 284, 285, 318–19, 443
National Inventory of Structures, 332
National Mall revitalization (Sod on the Mall), 180–81, 184–85, 193, 198
National Taxpayers Union, 183
natural gas, 373, 438
Navistar, 361
Navy, U.S., 366, 440
Nelson, Ben, 212, 220–22, 223–25, 233, 238, 246, 345–46, 348
Nelson-Collins plan, 222
New Deal:
GOP criticism of, 191–92, 289
lessons of, 103, 137, 333
new, 9, 84, 104–5, 121, 191, 243, 292, 302, 397, 447
Obama on, 30–31
projects of, 10, 30, 123, 169–70, 181, 314, 331
Recovery Act vs., 8–12, 14, 237
New Foundation, 291–92, 417, 446, 451, 453
New Jobs Investment Tax Credit, 107
“New New Deal, The,” 104
New START arms reduction program, 403, 405
New York Times, 30, 47, 63, 101, 221, 292, 301, 323, 338
Nissan Leaf, 360, 363, 439
Nixon, Richard, 38, 92, 108
No Apologies (Romney), 450
Nobel Prize recipients, 3, 38, 63, 84, 94, 99, 266, 433
No Child Left Behind, 49, 66, 144
Noonan, Peggy, 105
Normal, Ill., 413
Norquist, Grover, 300
Northeast Corridor, 355–57, 414
notrain.com, 392
nuclear power, 40, 184, 271–72, 382
Nudge (Sunstein), 126
Nutter, Michael, 171
Obama, Barack:
accomplishments of, 345, 349–51, 360, 401, 406, 418, 452–53
approval ratings of, 2, 7, 154, 186, 280, 302, 331, 391, 423
background of, 28–30, 49, 50
bipartisanship of, 29, 50, 71, 151, 205–6, 215, 245, 247–48
Bush inheritance of, 8, 13, 15, 76, 79, 246, 247, 276, 283, 296, 297, 298, 300, 304, 334–35, 397–98, 428, 434
case for reelection of, 452–53, 455
change as vision of, 12, 21, 27, 33
commanding style of, 72, 96
compared to Biden, 256, 258
compared to FDR, 12, 14, 26, 27, 84, 104, 105
as conciliatory, 130–31, 176, 185, 214, 227, 245, 351
counterattack by, 217, 393, 421, 423
counterfactual problems for, 276–77, 294, 298–99, 310, 313, 423–24
as deeds guy, 451–52
Democratic criticism of, 383, 400
determination of, 104, 244
economic constraints on, 430–34
on fiscal stimulus vs. deficit reduction, 333–35, 341
four pillars of, 35–36, 37–56, 291–92, 446; see also specific pillars
GOP criticism of, 97, 127–28, 280
and H. Clinton, 67–78
inauguration of, 25–27, 176, 183
inspirational style of, 1, 20–21, 25, 50–51, 84–85, 154, 248, 446
liberal criticism of, 97–98, 101, 107, 118, 119–20, 342–43, 349–51, 392, 400, 406, 419–20, 432
messaging failures of, 18, 75, 108, 126–28, 202–3, 234, 244–45, 291–92, 294, 298–302, 358, 359, 382–83, 384–87, 400–401, 416–17, 421, 451–52
midterm elections as referendum on, 399–401
misrepresentation of, 27–28
outreach to GOP by, 189–93, 214–16
perceived weakness of, 237–38, 247, 359–60
personal qualities of, 28–30
policies vs. politics for, 35–36, 151, 190–91, 290–91, 381–82
political constraints on, 429–30
political ideology of, 27, 30–33, 100–101, 335, 400, 451
political style of, 28–30
as president-elect, 90–112
purported socialism of, 74, 75, 280, 300, 346
as rational and reasonable, 29–30, 40–44, 46, 227, 404
rationale for, 432–34
Recovery Act as representative of, 19–20
Recovery Act lessons learned by, 244–49
Recovery Act road trips of, 234–35
resilience of, 402–3
signing of Recovery Act by, 243–44
sinking support for, 202–4
Solyndra visit of, 384–87
stimulus plan of, see American Recovery and Reinvestment Act; stimulus plan
in 2008 election, 25–36, 37–56, 451–52
of 2008 vs. 2012, 451–52
in 2012 election, 449–50
as unprepared for Republican attack, 184–85
as visionary, 12, 21, 27, 33, 84–85, 123–24, 149, 154, 161, 247–48, 320
Obama, Malia, 91, 360
Obama, Michelle, 30, 247
Obama, Sasha, 91
Obama administration:
2011 status quo of, 418–24
cabinet of, 108–9; see also specific posts
Clinton holdover staff in, 10, 45, 68, 77–78, 81–83, 89, 93, 99, 101–2, 120, 129, 161, 245
first hundred days accomplishments of, 290–91
staff changes in, 402
Washington insiders in, 129–31
Obamacare, see universal health care
“Obama Losing the Stimulus Message War,” 203
Oberstar, Jim, 135, 158, 295–96, 391–92, 400
Obey, David, 118–19, 127, 131–32, 138, 145, 182–83, 185, 188, 320, 400, 475
in battle for passage of Recovery Act, 193, 195, 198, 200, 229, 232
prickly style of, 132, 152–53, 157, 176, 193, 195, 198
and school reform, 152–53, 176
O’Donnell, Christine, 347–48
Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, 17
Office of Federal High Performance Green Buildings, 372
Office of Management and Budget (OMB), 82, 101, 127, 164, 274, 303, 321, 322, 385, 388, 396–97, 415, 445
Office of Weatherization and Intergovernmental Programs (The Turkey Farm), 307–10
oil, 3, 35–36, 40, 467
argument against, 359–60
growing of, 440–41
renewable synthetic alternatives to, 365–69, 440
soaring price of, 420
U.S. production vs. consumption of, 38–39
O’Neill, Tip, 82
One Party Country, 140
OPX, 379
Oracle, 314
Orszag, Jonathan, 78
Orszag, Peter, 45, 63, 77, 78, 110, 163, 173, 340, 402, 420
in battle for passage of Recovery Act, 193, 199, 229, 232–33
in cost debate, 115–17, 121, 123, 124
on deficit reduction, 335–37
in economic team conflict, 339–40
as OMB director, 101, 129, 183, 263, 264
Overhaul (Rattner), 363
“Ownership Society,” 33, 51
Palin, Sarah, 2, 259, 281,
299, 369
partisanship:
polarization and, 64–65, 138
as producing stalemate, 418–24
in response to Recovery Act, 138–39
in Roosevelt era, 91–92
see also Republican obstructionism
Partnership to Improve Patient Care, 173
Paul, Rand, 348, 399
Paul, Ron, 348
Paulson, Henry, 65, 69, 71
Peck, Bob, 370–71
Peeler, Harvey, 289
Pell Grants, 221, 239, 364, 419, 444, 451
Pelosi, Nancy, 60, 63, 71, 72, 75, 92, 117, 141, 152, 156, 185, 247, 338, 399, 474
in battle for passage of Recovery Act, 201, 216, 222, 226, 228, 229, 231–33, 240, 246, 299
Boehner and, 66–67, 145–46
as coalition builder, 65–70
partisanship of, 65, 130, 194
as Republican target, 142–43, 188, 195
stimulus favored by, 76, 81
Pence, Mike, 143, 192, 197–98, 202, 217, 282–83
Penn, William, 416
Perriello, Tom, 133, 400
Perry, Rick, 125, 279, 281, 310, 422–23
personalized medicine, 318–19
Peterson, Collin, 135
PETRO (Plants Engineered to Replace Oil), 440
Pfeiffer, Dan, 92, 184–85, 292, 324, 338, 342–43
“phantom districts,” 320
Philadelphia, 416
photosynthesis, 3–7, 21, 365, 379, 440
Pledge to America, 399
Plunkitt, George Washington, 170
Podesta, John, 215
as head of shadow transition, 77–78, 80, 100, 101
Politico, 203, 216, 291
Polyplus, 378
pork, see earmarks
“Porkulus,” 8, 200, 300
Power of Progress, The (Podesta), 77
Prasher, Ravi, 378
prescription drugs, 172–74
“prevailing wage,” 306–7
Progressive Change Campaign Committee, 237
Project Amp, 388–89
“Promises, Promises: Web Site Likely to Fall Short,” 322
ProPublica, 323
Proterra, 381
public opinion:
ambivalence in, 343
on economic crisis, 75, 148, 293
on Obama, 2, 7, 154, 186, 280, 291, 298, 302, 391, 422, 455
on Pelosi, 186
power of, 393
on Recovery Act, 7–8, 126, 128, 186, 203, 301, 302, 321, 325, 416
on spending, 335, 338, 341–42
“public option,” 350
public works, as stimulus, 63, 122–23, 179, 343, 421
see also infrastructure initiatives
PUMAs (Party Unity My Ass), 76
“Quit Doling Out That Bad Economy Line” (Luskin), 70
races to the top, proposed, 446
Race to Green, 446
Race to the Top, 17, 176, 178, 222, 224–25, 239, 263, 292, 451–53
controversy over, 394–95
expansion of, 419
grants in, 325–27, 443–44
Rahm’s Rule, 164, 170, 288, 303–4
Range Fuels, 368
Rangel, Charlie, 142, 169, 170, 188, 232, 282
Rattner, Steve, 363
Rayburn, Sam, 66
Reagan, Ronald, 11, 31, 40, 80, 82, 105, 210, 287, 288–89, 343
recessions, 59, 75, 83, 114
see also Great Recession
Recovery Accountability and Transparency (Rat) Board, 260–62, 320, 445
Recovery Act, see American Recovery and Reinvestment Act
recovery.gov, 17, 319, 321–22
Recovery Summer (2010), 381–82, 390–96, 401
Redford, Robert, 89, 185
regional transmission planning, 167
Reich, Robert, 54–55, 78, 79, 80, 406
Reicher, Dan, 96
Reid, Harry, 63, 67, 71, 75, 76, 110, 130, 134, 152, 156, 166–67, 344, 382, 415, 421
in battle for passage of Recovery Act, 215, 219, 229, 233–34, 241, 246
in Senate outreach for Recovery Act, 209–10, 218, 222, 224, 226
Reid, Rory, 63
Rell, Jodi, 214
Rendell, Ed, 253–54, 285, 310, 415–17
Republican obstructionism, 19, 138–39, 180–204, 205–27, 241–42, 245–46, 341, 344, 345, 350, 362, 391, 392, 397, 398, 404, 441, 444, 447
compared to Clinton budget war, 201–2
GOP unanimity in, 189–98, 200, 202, 207, 210, 287, 300
hostile undercurrent in, 191–92
in House, 142–46, 189–204, 399, 419, 421
hypocrisy of, 282
political appeal for, 210–14
potential GOP mavericks from, 194–97
pressure in support of, 145, 190, 207, 215, 221, 225, 230, 283
in primary debates, 422
public sentiment for, 187
recasting of Recovery Act projects for, 180–85, 195
in Senate, 146–51, 205–27
show of cooperation in, 148
as strategy for GOP resurgence, 140–60, 198–204, 207, 246, 349
Tea Party and, 348–49, 409
Republican Party (GOP):
call for unity in, 144–48, 150, 472
“cash and trash,” 282
criticism of Obama by, 97, 127–28, 298–99, 365, 391–92, 421
derision of Recovery Act by, 7–9, 180–81, 218, 226, 293, 317–19, 371, 396–97, 447
“failed stimulus” message of, 14–15
filibuster threat by, 67, 130, 137, 207, 210, 211, 231, 232, 286, 344–46, 430, 472–73, 482
government interference in economy opposed by, 268–69
internal criticism of, 279–80
as majority party, 399
as minority party, 140–60
minority purpose of, 142–45
move to right in, 143–44, 216, 278–302
Obama’s accommodation of, 102, 185, 214
obstructionism of, see Republican obstructionism
partisanship of, 138–39, 247
resurgence of, 2, 18, 140–60, 198–204, 283, 349, 399–401
turmoil in, 140–41, 143
2008 election repudiation of, 84
unanimity against Recovery Act, 189–98, 200, 240–41
see also Tea Party movement
Republican primary debates, 422–23
“Republican Problem, The,” 201
Republican Study Committee, 143, 197
“Rescue Plan for the Middle Class,” 75
retrofits, 369–70, 440, 447
Richardson, Laura, 309
Riley, Bart, 361
Rive, Lyndon, 373, 374, 439
“Road We Travelled, The,” 452
Roberts, David, 42
Roberts, John, 25, 256
Roberts, Pat, 259
Rogers, Matt, 267–72, 303–6, 309, 324, 366, 367, 385, 387, 395–96, 436, 439, 477
Rogers, Mike, 130, 143, 191
Rogoff, Peter, 178
Romer, Christina, 13, 103, 105, 110, 199, 335, 341, 402, 420, 429
as CEA head, 101–2, 103–4, 106–7
in cost debate, 114–17, 121, 129
on depressions, 71, 84, 101
in economic team conflict, 339–40
on election day, 83–85
spending philosophy of, 111, 219, 293, 331–32, 336–38, 391
see also Romer-Bernstein report
Romer, David, 83–85
Romer-Bernstein report, 157–60, 293–94, 325, 331, 335, 423, 426, 476
Romney, Mitt, 58, 62, 376
flip-flop history of, 449, 453
on government spending, 428–29
health care reform of, 299
on poverty, 425
in primary debates, 422–23
vs. Obama in 2012, 449–55
and Tea Party, 347, 454
Roosevelt, Franklin D., 10, 13, 31, 33, 91, 108, 175, 191, 192, 200
&nbs
p; economic policy of, 103–4, 115, 192
Obama compared to, 12, 14, 26, 27, 84, 91–92, 104, 105, 276, 419, 434
Obama inspired by, 37, 51, 121
in shift to austerity, 192, 333, 419
see also New Deal
Roquette, 367
Rouse, Pete, 129
Rove, Karl, 101, 140
Rubin, Robert, 32, 54–55, 69, 78, 79, 93, 101, 335, 451, 487
Rubio, Marco, 286, 375, 399
Ryan, Paul, 142, 202, 282, 421–22, 454
Sadoway, Don, 16
SAFETEA-LU, 56, 135
Salazar, Ken, 129–30
Salt River Project, 312–13
Sandalow, David, 164–65
Sanford, Mark, 125, 281, 286, 287, 333, 382
as fiscal conservative, 287–90, 429
scandal of, 290
“Sanfordville,” 288
Santelli, Rick, 280, 291
Santorum, Rick, 422–23
Saturday Night Live, 226, 247
scandals, 8, 32, 126, 260, 274, 290, 300, 320, 371, 445
Solyndra spun as, 436–37
Schiliro, Phil, 109–10, 117, 128–31, 134, 139, 153, 158, 176, 246
in battle for passage of Recovery Act, 203, 233, 238
S-CHIP children’s health insurance program, 109, 141, 205–6, 208, 213, 215, 291
Schock, Aaron, 235
School Improvement Grants, 239, 326
school reform fund, 152–53
Schumer, Chuck, 182, 219, 383, 392
Schundler, Bret, 395
Schwarzenegger, Arnold, 63, 106, 214, 281–82, 310, 327, 407, 412
Scott, Rick, 300, 348, 392, 400, 407–10
Scozzafava, Dede, 347, 348
“scozzafavaed,” 347–48, 450
Sebelius, Kathleen, 442
second stimulus, 333, 336–39, 341, 350, 402–17, 432
Senate, U.S.:
Democratic disunity in, 154–55
filibuster threat in, 67, 130, 137, 207, 210, 211, 231, 232, 286, 344–46, 430, 472–73, 482
House vs., 67, 232
Obama in, 28, 29, 34, 49, 129, 139
obstructionism in, 146–51, 205–27
Recovery Act in, 207–26, 241–42
Sensenbrenner, James, 247
Serious Materials, 316, 318, 372, 373
Sessions, Pete, 140, 142–44, 282, 283
shadow transition, 76–83, 96
Shelton, James, 327
Shepherds Flat wind farm, 388–89
Shlaes, Amity, 191–92
short-term goals, 154, 161–63, 203, 333, 417, 420, 430, 434
expansion as, 97, 98
recovery as, 9, 16, 61, 83, 108, 123, 426
shovel-ready projects, 253–55, 474
Siddiqui, Arshi, 67
Silver, Jonathan, 388–89, 415
Silver Spring Networks, 312–13, 315
smart grid, 4, 41–42, 95, 123–25, 164, 175, 178, 179, 198, 199, 239, 303–4, 311–15, 318, 378, 441, 446, 447, 474
synchronization problem of, 303–4
The New New Deal Page 59