Obama's day: Off to the Jersey shore

Jul 28, 2010 — USA Today

Good morning from The Oval. On this day in 1965, President Lyndon Johnson announced an increase of U.S. troops in Vietnam, from 75,000 to 125,000.

It's a travel day for President Obama, as he heads to Edison, New Jersey, to meet with small business owners at the Tastee Sub Shop. The president will deliver remarks on the economy, and again call on Congress to pass a new small business loan bill.

Obama then moves across the river to New York City, where he will tape an appearance on The View and attend two Democratic National Committee fundraisers before flying back to the White House.

Before leaving, Obama meets at the White House with Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., who chairs the Senate Finance Committee. They will no doubt discuss the newly released Afghanistan war documents, though, as USA TODAY's Jim Michaels reports, Obama and one of his top military appointees say there's nothing new to be found in the once-classified reports.

In the meantime, the House approved a war funding bill, but with signs of rising Democratic opposition. A Pakistani ex-general who supports the Taliban insurgents in Afghanistan says the leak of the war documents is part of a plot orchestrated by the Obama administration to eventually pull out of the war. And Attorney General Eric Holder said his department is investigating the leak.

In other news:

The Gulf Coast oil spill hasn't damaged many beaches, but tourists are staying away anyway, reports our Green House blog.

The oil is dissolving in the gulf faster than expected, but the long-term damage is a mystery. And BP remains under criminal investigation.

Rep. Charles Rangel, D-N.Y., fights for his political life.

Republicans block a campaign finance bill backed by Obama.

And everyone is trying to get details on Chelsea Clinton's wedding this weekend.

There are no secrets here at The Oval as we report on the president's day. Check us out, and have a good day yourself.