After the final version of the stimulus bill passed through both houses of Congress on Friday, it was announced today that President Obama will sign the bill into effect Tuesday while he is traveling through Denver. Obama had initially said that he had hoped to sign the bill before President's Day tomorrow, but he has decided to delay it until departing from Washington, where hearings on the bill have led to a fierce partisan war both on the floors of Congress and in the press. On Face the Nation today, Obama's Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said, “He wants to get out of Washington and show people all across America the benefits of what’s inside this economic recovery and reinvestment plan." The president is scheduled to talk about his economic agenda in Denver, the city where he accepted the Democratic nomination for president in August. Governor Paterson has said that New York expects to see at least $24.6 billion over the next two years from the bill. more ›

President Obama met with Democratic and Republican leaders yesterday to gather support for his economic stimulus plan. According to Politico's sources, Obama listened to the GOP's issues—which include the scope of the plan, the refundable tax credit, and their desire for more middle class tax cuts—but added, "I won." And the Post reports that the new President also told Rep. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) "I will trump you on that" and zinged, "You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done." He probably has his STFU Face on, too! A White House official explained, "There are big things that unify Republicans and Democrats. We shouldn't let partisan politics derail what are very important things that need to get done." In his weekly address—with a video posted on the White House website—the President said of his $825 billion plan, "If we do not act boldly and swiftly, a bad situation could become dramatically worse." more ›

In between returning to Chicago from his weeklong vacation in Hawaii and his imminent move to Washington, President-elect Obama took a moment to drop his weekly address, where the focus was the economic stimulus package that he is putting together to present before Congress. more ›