Monday, February 3, 2014

Legendary news reporter kicks off SA to DC briefings

CBS News Senior White House correspondent Bill Plante shared presidential stories and his view of Washington as a longtime political reporter that helped to put the SA to DC delegation in the mood for taking our Federal Legislative Agenda to Capitol Hill at the kickoff breakfast meetings on February 3. He told the delegation that he saw that passing immigration reform is an area where "something big" might actually get done this year.

He also talked about how the Republican party continued to lack discipline, making it hard to predict if they would be able to take the Senate in the mid term elections this November. Plante reaffirmed that the number one opportunity they should focus on is the economy and jobs; however, he was not sure the party would.

Looking forward to the 2016 Presidential election, Plante said that there are 15 or more candidates in the Republican party who will take a shot at the primaries. He said for the Democrats, "it is either Hillary Clinton, or it's not. She is certainly the only candidate right now, if she decides to run."

Plante has been a CBS News White House correspondent during the administrations of Ronald Reagan (beginning in 1981), Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama. During the administration of the first President Bush, he was CBS News' State Department correspondent (1989-92). Plante's reports are seen regularly on "CBS This Morning," where he is senior White House correspondent, and the "CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley."

Plante has been based in CBS News' Washington bureau since December 1976. He has covered every Presidential campaign since 1968.He shared several stories at the breakfast that were highlights from his 50-year career covering politics and Washington.

Watch his presentation here.

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