President Barack Obama’s speech on economic policy Wednesday will be the first in an ambitious series of six addresses laying out a sweeping vision for America’s future. The philosophy at the core of the campaign will be familiar, but there will be “aggressive new ideas.”

That’s according to Cody Keenan, the speechwriter in charge of crafting what may be Obama’s most far-reaching second-term effort to get Americans to sign on to his plans.

Obama’s six speeches will cover education, housing, retirement security, health care, poverty and jobs, Keenan said, lightly tapping a cup of black, unsweetened iced coffee on his desk.

"In the weeks ahead — especially when it comes to college costs, which is something he’s obsessed with — we’ll have some aggressive new ideas,” said Keenan.

1) President Obama really likes Summers. And he’s surrounded by Summers’s longtime colleagues and friends. Conversely, Obama doesn’t really know Yellen, and nor do any of the White House’s economic principals.

2) The Obama administration’s top concern is choosing someone who cares about the Federal Reserve’s mandate to maintain full employment as well as its mandate to keep inflation low. Yellen and Summers are both seen as clearing that bar. So the choice is defaulting to other considerations.

3) This White House, more so than any other in modern memory, knows in its bones that the economy can fall apart at any second. China could suffer a hard landing, Europe could fall apart again. Some London Whale-like trader could blow a hole in JP Morgan Chase. If that happens — particularly given Washington’s dysfunction — the Fed is really the first responder. This White House is very comfortable with how Summers handles a crisis.

Christopher Hayes @chrislhayes

A source close to this says it's "way past that." WH has all but decided on Summers. Unreal.

Hyder Abbasi @HyderAbbasi

Reports from #Iraq that Abu Ghraib prison has been attacked by gunmen.

Charles Lister @Charles_Lister

Other sources: 75 prisoners were freed from Abu Ghraib, including three senior Islamic State of Iraq & al-Sham commanders - #Iraq #Baghdad

Charles Lister @Charles_Lister

Jihadis claim both Abu Ghraib and Taji prisons were bombed and stormed, resulting in the mass freeing of prisoners. #Iraq #Baghdad

Susan Page @SusanPage

Sad news: Helen Thomas, groundbreaking female journalist who became enmeshed in controversy, has died at 92. RIP.

Sources say, Bevin plans to air television commercials next week. An announcement is also planed as early as next week.

Bevin is a partner at Waycross Partners, a Louisville hedge fund. He is the founder and former CEO of Integrity Asset Management in Louisville (the investment management firm was sold to a Michigan firm in 2010).

A former U.S. Army officer, Bevin also owns Bevin Brothers Mfg. Co. in East Hampton, Connecticut. The bell making company was founded by Bevin's great-great-great-grandfather in 1832.

The factory was destroyed by fire in May, 2012. In November, Bevin explained how he decided to rebuild in an interview with CTNow.com.

The following is a statement from Mitch McConnell’s campaign manager:
"Mathew Griswold Bevin is not a Kentucky Conservative; he is merely an East Coast con man. While it is sad to see someone who claims to be a Republican doing Barack Obama's bidding, his campaign is nothing more than a nuisance. Mitch McConnell will never waiver in his fight for our Kentucky values.”

President Obama‘s powerful speech on the aftermath of Trayvon Martin‘s unpunished killing has spawned a panoply of reactions, but one Salon writer’s review of the President’s remarks is drawing molten-hot criticism on Twitter. Demos Senior Fellow and sometime Up panelist Richard Benjamin blasted the speech as a tepid shadow of Attorney General Eric Holder‘s advocacy, and declared that “Some of us have an Inner Child. Others have an Inner N****r. Is Holder the president’s conscience? Or his Inner N****r?”

A Fox News contributor wasted little time in blasting President Barack Obama over a statement he made Friday on the killing of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin.

Moments after Obama's remarks, Todd Starnes, host of the radio program "Fox News & Commentary," took to his Facebook page to brand Obama the "Race-Baiter in Chief. Starnes called the President's statement "reprehensible."