Sunday Breakfast Menu, Feb. 24

Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

With the federal government warning that the across-the-board budget cuts scheduled to take effect Friday could cause air travel delays and other problems, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will join NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday.

A number of state leaders will also be on hand, as the National Governors Association meets in Washington, to offer their perspectives on the spending cuts, known as sequestration, and other budget battles. Gov. Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, chairman of the Republican Governors Association, and Gov. of Massachusetts will also be on NBC.

Gov. Martin O’Malley of Maryland, Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, Gov. Jan Brewer of Arizona and Gov. John Hickenlooper of Colorado will appear on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” Also on the program will be the education secretary, Arne Duncan, Senator Kelly Ayotte, Republican of New Hampshire, and Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, discussing sequestration. And Representative Tim Murphy, Republican of Pennsylvania and a psychologist, will join a panel on mental health, video games and violence.

The conversation about the looming budget cuts continues on “Fox News Sunday” with Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, and Senator Claire McCaskill, Democrat of Missouri and member of the Senate! Armed Services Committee.

Fox also features Gov. Jack Markell of Delaware, chairman of the National Governors Association, and Gov. Scott Walker of Wisconsin, vice chairman of the Republican Governors Association.

Mr. Walker also appeared on Bloomberg’s “Political Capital,” which airs Fridays with repeats over the weekend.

Senator John McCain of Arizona, ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is scheduled to discuss sequestration on CNN’s “State of the Union.” Plus, Senator Patrick J. Leahy, Democrat of Vermont, will weigh in on the state of relations with Cuba after meeting recently with President Raúl Castro of Cuba, and Gov. Dannel Malloy of Connecticut will join the roundtable.

ABC’s “This Week” offers a discussion on foreign policy with Representative Mike Rogers of Michigan, chairman of the House Intelligence Comittee, and Representative Eliot L. Engel of New York, ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs, and a politics roundtable that includes Steven Rattner, former adviser to the Treasury secretary.

Bloomberg’s “Capitol Gains,” a political program that began last fall and airs Sundays at noon, features conversations with Mr. Kaine about sequestration and Rep. Bill Shuster of Pennsylvania, new chairman of the House Transportation Committee, about the state of American infrastructure.

Representative Bob Goodlatte of Virginia, new chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, joins C-Span’s “Newsmakers” to talk about immigration and gun control. The program airs Sunday at 11 a.m. E.S.T. this week.

TV One’s “Washington Watch,” on Sundays at 11 a.m. E.S.T., will include discussions about J! esse Jackson Jr.’s misuse of campaign funds and sequestration.

And Univision’s “Al Punto,” which airs Sundays at 10 a.m. E.S.T., features topics including immigration and the pope’s retirement.

When Moms (and First Ladies) Dance

The first lady, Michelle Obama, won rave reviews on Saturday for her dancing.

Mrs. Obama joined Jimmy Fallon, the host of NBC’s “Late Night,” on Friday for a video titled “Evolution of Mom Dancing.” Moves executed by Mr. Fallon, in a brown wig, and Mrs. Obama, included the “Pulp Fiction”; the “Just the Hands Part of ‘Single Ladies’” and the “Where’s Your Father (Get Him Back Here!).”

The appearance was “to encourage parents everywhere to get up and get moving with their kids,” according to a description posted with the video, and was linked to a campaign by Mrs. Obama, called “Let’s Move,” which encourages healthy eating and physical activity to figh obesity.

In a subsequent interview, Mrs. Obama said that she tried to embarrass her children on the dance floor “as often as possible.” Her husband, she said, fails to match her moves â€" a sentiment echoed among the praise posted on Twitter. “Michelle Obama can certainly dance better than the president,” said one viewer.

Sandberg, Feminism and the Politics of Class

Sheryl Sandberg, perhaps the country’s most prominent female tech executive, aspires to share her secrets through success via a new social movement.

But while her prescriptions for women to “Lean In” to their careers involve personal choices and mind-sets, critics say that her prescriptions, which call for women to learn how to compete better without naming a role for government, reflect a privileged perspective that fails to see beyond the mansions of Silicon Valley, where capitalism is king.

The debate over the politics of class played out on NYTimes.com and Facebook in reaction to Jodi Kantor’s Friday article. Here are some excerpted highligts of the discussion; join in here.

I haven’t read whether or not this woman worked her way through her degrees, or was burdened by college debt. I have no doubt that she’s intelligent but I know a lot of intelligent women who are struggling because of college debt and an economy that makes degrees almost useless. If she wants to create a movement (the ego implication is astounding) she should be setting up something like Pell Grants or other ways to help women become successful. I’m pretty sure that lectures on (once again) what we’re doing wrong, aren’t going to help.
â€" ellen, L.A., C.A.

I welcome Ms. Sandburg’s perspective. So what if she is now rich, or that she is smart. Male CEOs write business self-! help books all the time and no one comes down on them for being too rich or smart. …

Too often women in the workplace lack mentors to help navigate the parts of the workplace that has to do with everything other than doing a good job. We too often work too hard, erroneously assuming that simply doing a good job will earn us the reward. …

Without the support of government, corporations and society as a whole, women can’t hope to achieve what they could without such support. We should work on that also, but it doesn’t obviate the need to be effective in our personal interactions in the workplace as well.
â€" Sandy Lynn, Illinois

Will the consciousness-raising group offer backup childcare And make sure they don’t schedule meetings the same night as mandatory basketball tryouts Even though the McKinsey consultants are helping my husband’s boss compil this year’s ‘yank and rank’ layoff list, I”ll remind him to leave work early so I won’t miss my meeting.
â€" mw, New York

I feel very lucky in that my parents could afford to send me to college, I am white, and I started investing early. All you ladies out there, sexism is bad enough; just wait until ageism is thrown in. References to being “technologically challenged,” when I am the only one in the office able to pick up a phone and sell $50,000 worth of product in one call. Being referred to as a “mother hen,” when the younger women are in tears in the bathroom. Being told “don’t break a hip” when you go out into an ice storm.

Save your money now; max out your (401)k, put aside $50-$100 a month and live within your means if at all possible. That’s my advice.
â€" Marie, Vail

As a 50-year-old woman graduating from college with a Bachelor of Science degree in advertising and public relations this coming May, this article was of particular interest. I am starting a new chapter of my life after raising a family. Sandberg’s insistence that women could get ahead if only they worked harder is reminiscent of views of blacks in the 1970s. This statement rubs women, who work hard, raise families and live well-rounded lives, the wrong way. The fact that Sandberg has “help” to maintain her household and raise her children makes her lifestyle foreign to the majority of women in the United States.
â€" Lori F., Lebanon, Mo.

I can only cheer this on, but the criticism of Freidan was that her movement was, if not elitist, then only for middle class women who could afford theleisure to cultivate feminist philosophy. Sandberg appears even more vulnerable to criticism. It can be said that she followed a male pathway to success, using feminist rhetoric. This proves the efficacy of the male pathway. Those who always thought the equal does not mean identical, will not be accepting. Those who still suffer inequality may not identify with Ms. Sandberg. Perhaps she could relinquish her pinnacle.
â€" welshmx, alaska

I say good for her - I hope these smart, wealthy privileged women keep talking to themselves - and then when they are done talking - do something important - like run for President of the United States and win.

Because I think for women it is going to be “top down” progress or nothing at all…
â€" VJO! , DC

The Weekend Word: One-of-a-Kind

Today’s Times

• President Obama’s re-election campaign is being transformed into a powerhouse national advocacy network with few clear rules, ample potential for influence peddling and no precedent in national politics, Nicholas Confessore reports. The goal is to harness Mr. Obama’s extensive voter database and technological infrastructure in support of his second-term policy priorities, including gun violence, climate change and immigration.

• The White House warned of potentially severe disruptions in air travel if across-the-board spending cuts take effect on March 1, showing that the Obama administration believes that the threat of widespread  problems could sway the public and encourage voters to force Republicans to the bargaiing table, Jonathan Weisman and Michael D. Shear report.

• Advocates for illegal immigrants are demanding that the White House stop what has become one of the most aggressive and efficient efforts in decades to deport those who are in the country unlawfully, Michael D. Shear reports. Activists say they are being forced out at exactly the wrong moment â€" when the promise of eventual United States citizenship could be around the corner.

• Though it fell short of a full state visit, President Obama met with Shinzo Abe, Japan’s new prime minister, at the White House on Friday to discuss their mutual interests in curbing North Korea’s nuclear ambitions, expanding trade and keeping peace among Pacific nations, Jackie Calmes writ! es.

Weekly Address

• President Obama described improving the economy and creating jobs as items that should be topping the country’s agenda. “And yet, less than one week from now, Congress is poised to allow a series of arbitrary, automatic budget cuts that will do the exact opposite,” he said. “They will slow our economy. They will eliminate good jobs. They will leave many families who are already stretched to the limit scrambling to figure out what to do.” He asked for Congress to come to a compromise that would stave off the cuts, and to work together in reducing the deficit “with smart spending cuts, entitlement reform and tax reform.” He said his plan comes with just one requirement: “Democrats and Republicans to meet halfway to resolve the problem.”

Happenings in Washington

• President Obama, Michelle Obama, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Dr. Jill Bide will host the 2013 Governors’ Dinner at the White House on Sunday.