REVELATION - AT 8:02 A.M. ET:  From The Politico:

President Barack Obama firmly resists ideological labels, but at the end of a private meeting with a group of moderate Democrats Tuesday afternoon he offered a statement of solidarity.

“I am a New Democrat,” he told the New Democrat Coalition, according to two sources at the White House session.

The group is comprised of centrist Democratic members of the House, who support free trade and a muscular foreign policy but are more moderate than the conservative Blue Dog coalition.

Obama made his comment in discussing his budget priorities and broader goals, also calling himself a “pro-growth Democrat” during the course of conversation.

White House officials stressed that Obama was not making any declarations, but rather pointing out that he was in sync with many of the group's principles.

COMMENT:  So, he's a New Democrat?  This will come as a surprise to those who've reviewed the stimulus package, the budget, the naming of ideologists to handle environmental issues and a foreign policy that punishes our friends and rewards our enemies.  But wait.  This meeting was on Tuesday.  By the end of the week there'll be a new statement.

March 11, 2009