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 |  Washington Post -
Nov-03-2009Obama and the Europeans face Afghanistan(topic overview)
CONTENTS:
- One year later, an honest evaluation reveals the "other business" Obama has taken care of in the midst of our serious economic crisis, dire health care debate, and the ongoing war in the Middle East. (More...)
- Hey Repubs, the bailout of banks was Bush, the financial crisis was caused by Bush (not poor people), The Iraq war which costs $250 billion per year and counting was start unnecessarily by Bush, the cost of the tax cuts was $1.4 Trillion which of course did nothing, the cost of the unfunded Medicare part D was $847 billion, also by Bush!Let's see that is about $3 trillion and counting of debt by Bush and Obama has had to spend $787 billion over 2 years to keep us afloat and spent $60 billion to keep several hundred thousand autoworkers and peripheral industry worker employed.So please do not throw rocks at glass houses. (More...)
- The House bill "is much tougher on the drug industry than what the Senate is considering. (More...)
- With the first anniversary of Obama now approaching, we are seeing a leader who is far from flawless, but has the capacity for growth. (More...)
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One year later, an honest evaluation reveals the "other business" Obama has taken care of in the midst of our serious economic crisis, dire health care debate, and the ongoing war in the Middle East. Not only has Obama accomplished minor changes but also his legislation and actions have especially spoken to issues of gender in the United States. In less than two weeks his new administration upheld a commitment to women's and equal rights by following through with the Lily Ledbetter Fair Pay Act. This essentially amended the previous Civil Rights Act of 1964 to decipher what kinds of actions are considered discriminatory. It also states that individuals are allowed to receive back pay as a kind of reimbursement for experiencing this unfairness up to two years after filing a complaint. Two months later his administration also announced the creation of the White House Council on Women and Girls. Their purpose is to make sure that females are treated fairly and considered in terms of public policy. "I want to be clear that issues like equal pay, family leave, child care and others are not just women's issues, they are family issues and economic issues," said President Obama when announcing the new council. "Our progress in these areas is an important measure of whether we are truly fulfilling the promise of our democracy for all our people." The President also spent little to no time appointing qualified women to his Cabinet and in other areas of the U.S. government. Judge Sotomayor was a significant appointment because she is the first Hispanic judge, and third female, to hold a seat on the Supreme Court. [1] "There is no magic to us,'' First Lady Michelle Obama says of herself and President Barack Obama -- the one thing they had going for them was families that cared. The first lady was speaking at the kickoff of a girls' mentoring project at the White House on Monday in the State Dining Room, a place, she explained, where "a lot of big, important dinners'' are staged. She wants the place to serve as an inspiration for young people to know that good mentors can be found any place. The program for local high schoolers is putting them in touch with members of the White House staff, including Social Secretary Desiree Rogers, Domestic Policy Adviser Melody Barnes and others who can serve as role models. "One of the things that my mom always said -- because people ask her all the time, 'What did you do to create Michelle Obama?'' Michelle Obama told her audience. She was a child of modest means, an African-American with slavery in her ancestry, Ivy League-educated, trained as a lawyer and living now in the White House. "What did you do?" her mother, Marian Robinson, who also lives in the White House now with her two grandchildren, is often asked. "She says, "here are thousands of Michelle and Barack Obamas all over this nation, in neighborhoods and communities all over the place. She is absolutely right. She is absolutely right.[2]
A White House announcement said the meeting would take place at 2 p.m. EST (1700 GMT) and would include Cabinet officials from Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner to Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Energy Secretary Steven Chu. National Security Adviser James Jones, White House climate czar Carol Browner, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk and senior White House adviser Valerie Jarrett are also among those scheduled to attend. "This is a principals' meeting for the department and agency heads who participate in the NEC process to gather and discuss the state of the economy," said NEC spokesman Matthew Vogel. The Summers meeting will be separate from a gathering that President Barack Obama will hold with his panel of outside economic experts headed by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker.[3] White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett look on as U.S. President Barack Obama holds a meeting with the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB) at the White House on November 2, 2009 in Washington.The meeting is the second full board meeting of the PERAB to discuss long-term, innovation based ideas to sustain growth and continue to create jobs of the future.[4] "I am confident that having moved the economy on the right track, that if we apply some good common sense and reinvigorate that sector of our economy that's based on innovation and dynamism and entrepreneurship, that there's no reason why we are not going to be able to not only create jobs, but the kind of sustainable economic growth that everyone is looking for," said Mr. Obama. The entire meeting was made available for viewing live on the White House website - a sign of the administration's determination to put out its views on the economy. During an exchange with his advisors, the president put an emphasis on trade as a way to spur sustainable growth. He alluded to the example set by Germany - a wealthy, highly-unionized country with an economy that is 40 percent export-based. "It seems to me that there is something we are missing that they are doing right," he said.[5] The white house says the economy has been saved from a full-out collapse, but, has a long way to go, especially with job creation.The administration and lawmakers are looking for new ways to create more good-paying jobs.Still, as President Obama meets with the new economic advisory board, he warns job losses will continue for weeks and months to come.[6]
Today the President refocuses on the economy and will hold a meeting with the President'''s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB). During the late morning meeting, they'''ll '''discuss long-term, innovation based ideas to sustain growth and continue to create jobs of the future,''' the White House says. This is the President'''s second full board meeting with the PERAB. Modeled on the Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board created by President Dwight D. Eisenhower to provide an independent voice on intelligence issues, the PERAB is charged with offering independent advice to the President as he formulates and implements his plans for economic recovery. PERAB provides briefings to the President, Vice President and their economic team. It was established initially for a two-year term, after which the President will make a determination on whether to extend the work of the Board.[7] '''The meeting will focus on the state of the economy as well as Administration efforts to create new jobs and put the country on the path to sustainable, long-term growth,''' The White House says.[7] WASHINGTON, Nov 1 (Reuters) - White House economic adviser Lawrence Summers will lead a high-level meeting on Monday to discuss the state of the economy, job creation and ways to achieve sustainable growth.[3]
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Barack Obama warned Monday that more job losses should be expected in the months ahead despite recent signs of economic recovery. He also called for "new models" of economic growth to help avoid a repeat of what he said was the debt-driven expansion of the past. "We anticipate that we're going to continue to see some job losses in the weeks and months to come," the president said during a meeting with several of his top economic advisers. There is "always a lag of several months between businesses starting to make profits again and investing again and them actually rehiring again." Obama also said, however, he's confident "that having moved the economy on the right track. there's no reason why we're not going to be able to not only create jobs, but the kind of sustainable economic growth that everybody's looking for."[8] U.S. President Barack Obama has told Americans that job losses will probably continue for weeks and months to come. In a meeting with the Economic Recovery Advisory Board, he has agreed hiring lags behind in an economic rebound. He said that building a sustainable economy was still the administration's overriding focus, but would need to be assisted by the private sector, which he said "must take more bold steps to help."[9] Washington: U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday said his administration has been successful in '''pulling the economy back from brink''' but sounded a cautious tone on unemployment, saying he expects job losses to continue for some more time.[10]
Paying White House calls since Obama's inauguration: Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Denzel Washington, and Serena Williams (not to mention scores of business, civic and political leaders, including Microsoft's Bill Gates and former Vice President Al Gore). In an unprecedented move, the White House -- stressing the administration's commitment to transparency -- released a limited list of its visitors since Barack Obama took office, MSNBC.com reports. It's the first time any presidential administration has made such a list publicly available.[11] Obama is one of the ablest politicians to sit in the White House, certainly the ablest since LBJ, who left office in 1969, and arguably the ablest since Franklin D Roosevelt died in 1945. His victory was no landslide. He beat the Republicans comfortably. They were not routed, and they were certainly not disarmed. The past year has seen them bitterly resisting in Congress and their allies in the news media unmercifully shrill. When Obama was inaugurated on 20 January 2009, he articulated what many Americans felt: that it was time to put bitter partisan conflict behind them and face their difficulties together. Several events since then have suggested that those hopes were vain. The near-riotous "townhall meetings" of the summer, the vicious name-calling in the blogosphere (in particular, over the president's comments about the arrest of his friend Henry Louis Gates Jr and the award of the Nobel peace prize) suggest that the national mood is not one of peace and reconciliation. At the very least there is a vocal, furious minority that has no intention of accepting the president, and it is being skilfully exploited by his political opponents. With more than three-quarters of his first year gone, the four problems Obama is expected to solve loom like a mountain-range, each peak steeper than the next.[12] I am glad Obama and the White House are taking a stand against Fox News. Its programming is responsible for circulating a lot of political misinformation. Many conservatives rely solely on Fox News for all their news, and they trust the network to present them with the facts. Fox's bias ends up being repeated verbatim by those who watch it. With people being so busy these days, it's only possible for news junkies like me to find the time to research stories from several angles. This means for most people, if you are a Fox News watcher, the first time you hear about the new provision in the health care plan or the anti-discrimination Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007, you're only ever going to hear the Fox version of events. As you become a more die-hard viewer, you become incapable of hearing other points of view because the outlet you trust has told you for so long those other views are lies.[13] This latest attempt of President Barack Obama to attack a major news organization by attempting to ostracize Fox News from an interview while allowing the rest of the media access is one of the most frightening moves he's made yet and should be ringing bells and whistles of alarm for freedom of press and freedom of speech. This act is akin to what a dictator in Venezuela or Cuba would do: keep your constituents ignorant of information and protect power. While I have a certain amount of respect for the rest of the media for insisting that Fox be given access to the interview, I suspect there was a certain amount of self-preservation knowing, under certain circumstances, they could be next. Apparently, even some of those who are in bed with Obama are not yet ready for this kind of political posturing. I pray they never will be. This was an unwise move for Obama and his cronies, who claimed that Fox isn't really a news network but an opinion network, and thus should not be allowed selected, pertinent information of White House choosing.[14] Recently, President Barack Obama, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, and David Axelrod, senior adviser to the president, all accused Fox News of not being a genuine news agency. The White House even went so far as to try to prevent Fox from interviewing executive pay czar Ken Feinberg, but the other pool networks banded together to allow Fox this interview. This series of events is terrifying. The Obama administration wants do deal with only those news outlets that parrot his policies.[15]
John Reiniers wrote in Tampa Bay'''s Hernando Today that despite controversy, Beck '''is the only one who seems to be breaking new ground revealing the socialist tinge to Obama'''s inner circle.''' Instead of addressing his content ''''' a fact Beck mocks with a red phone on his set that can only be called by the White House to correct false information ''' the administration chooses to attack the whole FOX network. What is it the administration is warning other networks against? Criticizing the president? Sharing information the administration cannot refute? Or, are conservative commentators actually telling the truth? The administration'''s attempt to oust FOX from the media pool was the worst way to respond to its success. Attacking the network, rather than its content, verifies the fears of those who believe the left is trying to silence its opposition.[16]
Jr.Damn listen to you spouting about a Conspiracy Theory to "get president obama" by utilizing H1N1 to do so!! AND you have the nerve to try and discredit those of us that are Smart enough to see through barry soetoro, by calling us "dumbazz birther's" filing vacuous lawsuits in regard to obama's qualification as a NATURAL BORN U.S. CITIZEN!!?? I bought a new roll of Tin Foil last night, the good stuff not the cheap Dollar General Brand that you probably use for your Hats, would you like some? I am a Conservative, and I really don't mind sharing and helping support those that are Mentally Challenged such as yourself. Besides, I won't need the whole roll for the grill during our Tailgate party this coming Sunday. Sorry, but as a Proud Retired Army 1SG that spent 21 years of his life protecting obama's rights and freedom to rise from his Private Hawaii School, through high dollar college's, and be taken under the wing of CORRUPT POLITICIANS like Richard M Daley, "Advisor" David Axelrod, and Selected for the White House by Communist Party members such as George Soros.I have the RIGHT to see his records and proof that he is actually QUALIFIED to be the Commander in Chief!! I would certainly like to know more about barrack II, then what he has told us in his memoirs, especially since their are no "relatives" alive that can CONFIRM his story! Having taken it upon myself to read his 2 "self portrait books" about himself.[17] The White House has been attracting attention recently for posting visitor logs online in an attempt to demonstrate the unprecedented level of transparency that President Obama has promised since his campaign began. This is the first time such information has been posted online. This release is a positive step toward building a system of government transparency that is responsive to the public interest but we would still like to see the administration go further with this effort. The post takes issue with the White House's decision to release only names that have been inquired about publicly and the fact that the original data set is less functional than this version on the social data site Socrata.[18] The list of 481 names includes only those who were the subject of specific inquiries from the public or media. It represents a fraction of the hundreds of thousands of visitors to the White House complex so far this year, but has been presented by Mr Obama as a step towards "our goal of making this administration the most open and transparent. in history". The list is the first in presidential history to give names, dates and times of visits, and the names of "visitees" -- whether POTUS (President of the United States), FLOTUS (First Lady of the United States) or one of their staff. It says nothing about the contents of any discussions, but is still intended as a resource for voters and historians.[19]
ATLANTA, Nov. 3 /PRNewswire/ -- The conviction that a life with so many blessings must be lived to serve one's neighbor is expressed in a sentence that can be read as part of President Barack Obama's biography on an official Government homepage, the White House website, which recently began to offer information in Spanish. Hugo Hernandez, founder of El Club de Comerciantes, says about this, "To include information in Spanish on the White House web page is a friendly gesture that President Obama's staff has made toward Latinos, and I think that many of us Latinos still haven't found a way to communicate with officials of the United States government." For this reason, El Club de Comerciantes recently published on its portal the most up-to-date list of government offices that offer information in Spanish.[20] Oxford Analytica, 11.03.09, 06:00 AM EST The White House positions aren't subject to congressional oversight, which raises concerns about balance of power. The role of White House policy "czars" has come under increased media scrutiny, as these officers are not subject to Senate confirmation and operate partially outside the normal constraints of the U.S. system of separated powers. President Barack Obama has added an extraordinary number of new policy czar positions, and then announced that many of these White House aides are not subject to congressional oversight.[21] President Barack Obama, meeting with a team of outside advisers headed by former Federal Reserve Chairman Paul Volcker, underscored the need to reduce the federal debt. White House Budget Director Peter Orszag is expected to sound a similar theme again on Tuesday, when he speaks in New York.[22]
WASHINGTON: President Barack Obama will soon come up with the most effective strategy for moving forward in the fight against extremists in Pakistan, chief White House adviser David Axelrod said on Sunday.[23] For John Podesta, the rise as one of Washington's influentials is richly deserved. He runs the Center for American Progress, which has become a very influential policy shop for the Democrats. He also was Obama's transition chief. According to the White House list, he met with the president twice and Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel three times. As for the Podesta lobbying husband-and-wife team, their legendary influence has now been stamped with the White House seal of approval.[24] Of the nearly 500 visitors to the White House, the three that appeared most often were Andrew Stern, the president of the radical Service Employees International Union (SEIU), Kim Gandy, the president of the National Organization for Women, and none other than former Clinton chief of staff and president and founder of the far-left Center for American Progress, John Podesta. ''Stern from the SEIU makes perfect sense - Obama had to pay the unions back for helping to vote him into office. ''And Podesta also makes sense; he's about as far-left as you can get. ''Gandy is the one that doesn't make much sense, unless she was redecorating with Michelle.[25] For nine months the White House has been a magnet for household name liberals who felt shut out of it during the Bush Administration. It is no surprise that a newly published list of visitors to the executive mansion since President Obama's inauguration includes Oprah Winfrey, George Clooney, Brad Pitt and Andy Stern. Andy who? Mr Stern does not act, direct or host his own show. Nor is he among those regularly invited to play basketball with Mr Obama. He is head of the fast-growing Service Employees International Union (SEIU), an ardent advocate of universal healthcare and by a long way the most frequent visitor to the Obama White House who does not actually work there.[19]
President Obama begins the week campaigning for embattled N.J. Gov. Jon Corzine. wasn't that last week? No, it's this week, too, as he tries to keep the Garden State from slipping into GOP hands. Tomorrow, he meets with his economic team at the White House, and Tuesday he welcomes German Chancellor Angela Merkel. It's a reunion of campaign donors Wednesday, when Obama holds a credentialing ceremony for new ambassadors.[26] You probably were not fully aware on this first workday morning of a new month just how fully aware the month of November has officially become, thanks to President Obama and his White House proclamations.[27] Marking the first anniversary of the election, CNN "Situation Room" host Wolf Blitzer on Monday landed three White House honchos -- Axelrod, Dunn and Robert Gibbs, key figures in the communications and message team, for a joint interview. Blitzer asked them to "talk a little bit-the first lady and her role in all of this. As his wife, his adviser, his friend." Dunn replied that "as every first lady does, she is creating her own job. She's created her own job description and. obviously, a huge part of that has always been as a mother. "And. when I think of the president's ability to keep in touch, there's nothing like having two elementary school daughters to keep you in touch with reality, and he'd be the first to tell you that." She added that Mrs. Obama, "in the course of the campaign, developed some issues that she was passionately concerned with, with military families and veterans and how we, as a nation. treat the people who have given up and sacrificed the most for us. You know, she's had a longtime interest in healthy families and healthy bodies and child nutrition, which is something she brought to the White House. It's a very unique approach to the job."[17] Michelle Obama launched her mentoring program Monday at the White House, part of what White House Communications Chief Anita Dunn describes as the first lady "creating her own job." Senior Adviser David Axelrod said he's never used Mrs. Obama as a back-door conduit to her husband. By the time the two-year presidential campaign ended -- Wednesday marks one year since the election; time is flying -- Mrs. Obama had a sense of the broad outlines of what her tenure as first lady would be: non-controversial, family-oriented and focused on a few inter-connected issues that she personally related to. One year ago today -- election eve -- was a frenzied day of campaigning for the Obama family and an emotional one for then-Sen. Obama, because his beloved maternal grandmother (her called her "Toot") had just passed away.[17]
The ideas -- some of which echoed Obama campaign proposals -- will likely be considered along with the various job-creation initiatives the White House and Congress are now mulling. The White House and Congress have been weighing a range of short-term tax ideas to spur job growth, such as expanded refunds for big companies that suffered losses; extension of a first-time home-buyer tax credit; and a new tax credit for hiring.[22] A very reliable source tells FishbowlDC that Fox News VP Michael Clemente met with White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and reached what some are calling a "truce." One drawback, which even Obama aides concede, is that Fox is using the quarrel with the White House as a public-relations tool to stir up its own support among conservatives and to boost ratings. "They're still at it," says a senior Obama aide, who adds that White House officials don't expect to fire another shot in the battle unless Fox strikes first.[28] When asked specifically about the White House vs. Fox News feud, 53 percent of respondents agreed that "this is an attempt by the Obama administration to silence dissent," while only 40 percent disagreed. Even among Democrats, 48 percent agreed Obama's staff is trying to suppress dissent in its criticism of Fox News, while only 43 percent of Democrats disagreed.[29] The White House has taken off the gloves in its battle against Fox News' perceived critical coverage of the Obama administration, and now National Public Radio is inviting you to vote for the winner of the bout.[29] The White House has done a brilliant job during the last several weeks of continuing its push against conservative media. In interviews this past week, members of the administration have made the rounds to push forward Communications Director Anita Dunn'''s initiative to no longer have FOX News considered '''actual news.''' White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod said, '''They'''re not really a news station. it'''s pushing a point of view.'''[16] The icy blast from the White House continued when the administration attempted to block Fox News from a round of interviews with "pay czar" Kenneth Feinberg. The other five TV networks included in the White House pool, however, stood up for their snubbed media mate and refused to interview Feinberg unless Fox News was included.[29] The new numbers, as of press time today, show Fox News swamping the White House with over 1 million votes for the news network and roughly 200,000 for 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. A scant 19,000 have voted for neither. NPR blogger Mark Memmott, who originally posted the poll, has admitted he was told a groundswell of Internet chatter among Fox News fans has pushed the poll to its outcome. "I would like to say thanks to all those who were inspired to vote," he writes.[29]
Fox has been running stories about how much the White House has hated the network since the day Obama moved in. Network reps complain about groups and White House officials monitoring their programming for bias. Fox said it is the only news network willing to ask Obama and his allies "tough questions" and the "mainstream media" ignores its "fair and balanced" journalism.[13] "Perhaps some who came here to vote and comment could come back on occasion and contribute again to the discussions? We value your input." The poll was sparked by comments last month from White House Communications Director Anita Dunn, who told Howard Kurtz of The Washington Post and CNN, "Fox News often operates almost as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican Party," and, "Let's not pretend they're a news network the way CNN is."[29] In many respects, the venerable Chamber of Commerce is the face of American business. Its imposing limestone headquarters, with its three-story Corinthian columns, occupies one of the choicest pieces of real estate in Washington, D.C. - directly across Lafayette Park from the White House and a stone's throw from the lobbyists on K Street. Its three million members, including those who belong via their local chambers of commerce, are the U.S. establishment. They are the local bank manager, the stock broker, the department store owner, the factory boss and the landlord. They don't like taxes or regulation. They are overwhelmingly Republican. (The chamber routinely backs GOP candidates at election time). They don't like the way Mr. Obama is running the country.[30] Mr Stern has visited 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue 22 times since January 20th, according to an incomplete but still unprecedented log of guests that also features Serena Williams, George Soros, Denzel Washington and Billy (but not Bill) Clinton. The most startling names on the list are those of William Ayers and Jeremiah Wright, identical to those of the founder of the communist revolutionary Weather Underground movement and the pastor who nearly derailed Mr Obama's presidential campaign with his inflammatory rhetoric on race. Both had ties with the President; neither has visited him in the White House. Aides insist these visitors and Billy Clinton are mere namesakes.[19] Brad has made the trip twice. Oprah Winfrey, a major backer of Obama during his presidential campaign, has also made a pair of appearances at the White House. Other celebs who have made the trip include George Clooney, Denzel Washington, director Michael Moore and tennis star Serena Williams. The White House'''s most popular celeb, though, might be basketball legend Michael Jordan, whose name is listed eight times (as both '''Mike''' and '''Michael''') ''' enough to wonder if the NBA great has gone one-on-one with the basketball-loving president.[31]
President Barack Obama demonstrated exactly why he will be a one-term president not once, not twice, but three times this week. He would not let me into the White House press room.[32] It's hard to believe that an entire year has already passed since the election of President Barack Obama into the White House.[1] The star is one of several celebs who have visited the White House since President Barack Obama took office, according to White House records released on Friday.[31] George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey were among the first to score visits with President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle or top aides at the White House, newly released records show.[33] George, a UN messenger of peace, met with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden on February 23 to discuss the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Darfur region, while Oprah, who campaigned for Obama, interviewed the first lady on February 17 and was on the guest list for an inaugural reception. George has said he asked Obama to appoint a full-time regional envoy to report directly to the White House.[33]
'''We have pulled the economy back from the brink,''' Obama said during a meeting of the President'''s Economic Recovery Advisory Board at the White House.[10] RUSH: President Obama, you gotta hear this, folks. He had a little press conference at the White House. Actually was meeting with his Economic Recovery Advisory Board and they let cameras in there.[34] President Obama will meet at the White House on Tuesday with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and economic issues of all sorts are likely to be high on the agenda.[5] In Washington, meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel visits. She'll meet with President Obama at the White House before heading to Congress to speak to a joint session.[35]
Axelrod said no. On the mentoring front, Mrs. Obama is pairing some top White House women -- among them pals Susan Sher, her chief of staff, and Desiree Rogers, the social secretary, with young girls from the Washington area. In her remarks Monday, Mrs. Obama said that "mentoring has been something that has been important to me forever, probably as long as I can remember. The one thing that I knew I wanted to do was to use this platform as first lady to expand the mentoring role. "It's something that I wanted to do, it's something that I thought that we should do.[17] In the afternoon Mr. Obama will meet with Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt of Sweden in the Oval Office. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs says their meeting will '''build on the discussion begun in Prague on April 5th and to consult on a broad range of strategic issues of mutual concern, including climate change, the global economy, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iran.'''[7] Obama will be making the case Tuesday in a series of White House meetings with visiting European leaders, beginning with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in the Oval Office. Merkel won reelection in September after a campaign during which her rival proposed withdrawing some of Germany's 4,500 troops in Afghanistan by 2011.[36]
Signaling the end to the deepest recession since the 1930s Great Depression, the government last week said U.S. gross domestic product grew at a robust 3.5 percent pace in the third quarter. Obama trumpeted the GDP numbers in his weekly radio address on Saturday but said, "we have a long way to go before we return to prosperity." The White House has credited the $787 billion economic stimulus package passed earlier this year with helping to bring about the rebound.[3] Obama cited the report in underscoring the urgency of enacting a stimulus package. 'These numbers are a stark reminder that we simply cannot continue on our current path,' the president-elect said. 'If nothing is done, economists from across the spectrum tell us that this recession could linger for years and the unemployment rate could reach double digits.'" None of this has happened. Here's the second clip we have of Obama this morning at the White House with his Economic Recovery Advisory Board. OBAMA: (camera shutters throughout) How do we get what I call a post-bubble growth model, uh, one that is sustainable? That's what, uh, we're going to be discussing here today. RUSH: This is unbelievable.[34] The White House can claim that congressional Republicans haven't been eager to work with Obama on big issues. Only three GOP senators signed onto the economic stimulus package earlier this year.[37]
We are thrilled to have you." Sher explained the mentoring program to the girls gathered -- boys will be added later -- at the White House: "We're also hoping there's a little bit of skill-building, so if there are areas that you think -- whether it's financial literacy or how to apply to college or other issues like that that you're interested in, you should let us know, because we'd be delighted to try to be helpful." Mrs. Obama explained the routine she envisioned: "We want to expose you to the wide breadth of women who work in government.[17] I'm very excited. I really want kids, young people in this nation to know that when they think of the White House, that they think of a place that is open to them; you know, a place where there are folks who really care about your development and want to listen and be a part of your growth and want to invest in you as a resource. "You should know that there are people like this all over this country -- not just in the White House, but in every part of government, in private sectors.[17]
''But wait! ''Is that terrorist Bill Ayers and anti-Semite Jeremiah Wright on the list? ''It is! ''However, the White House is 'claiming' that different people with the same names were the visitors and not the controversial figures who've surrounded Barack Obama for much of his life.[25] The Obama campaign plane started in Jacksonville, Fla., and landed finally in Chicago, as Obama led massive rallies in Jacksonville, Charlotte, N.C., Cleveland and Manassas, Va., attended by some 90,000 people. At the very last event of his long quest for the White House, he said, "Even if we're successful tomorrow, we will be facing bigger challenges than probably any administration since FDR. But you and I know, you can feel in your gut, something's happening here."[17] The White House is not calling for the channel's programming to be pulled off the air, and the administration still interacts with correspondents from Fox. It's just that Obama and his administration are simply through with all the abuse.[13] Recently, even the other TV networks stood up for Fox, saying Fox too must be included in the White House news pool. CNN reporter Campbell Brown has even been courageous enough to ask tough questions of this so-called transparent and inclusive administration.[38] I find it very interesting that the White House would try to discredit and quiet the voice of the press and trample on First Amendment rights by coming against Fox News.[39] Six days into the voting, Tim Graham of NewsBusters reported only a little over 300,000 people had voted, and the White House was in a statistical dead heat with Fox News.[29] "The White House on this one; Fox News isn't 'fair and balanced.'" "Fox News on this one; it asks questions others don't and the White House should be able to handle them."[29] Fox News keeps the public apprised of what's really happening. When those in the White House are gone, the media will still be here, hopefully still able to do what they should do: Report the truth, regardless of ow unpopular it might be with our leaders.[14] The revolt apparently worked, for the White House relented and permitted the Fox News interview.[29] The White House has attempted to marginalize Fox News, the only TV outlet that has alternative views to those of the Democratic Party.[15]
Anita Dunn made the statement all were invited from the White House press pool but Fox. I commend the other news stations for telling the White House if Fox were excluded they would not come.[39]
Senator Joe Lieberman, an independent lawmaker who heads the powerful Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs, backed the two White House officials, telling the CBS audience that the main purpose of the new U.S. policy should be to prevent the Taliban and Al Qaeda from coming back into control in that region. Al Qaeda'''s revival, he said, '''will destabilise Pakistan and the whole region'''. The remarks indicate the widespread concern in the United States over Al Qaeda'''s presence in Fata and show why U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton minced no words in admonishing Pakistan over its alleged reluctance in rooting out the terrorist group.[23] When the new policy of releasing visitors' names was announced in September, Mr Eisen posted on the White House website nine pages of guest lists to what appear to have been White House Christmas parties hosted by Mr Cheney and his wife in 2002 and 2006.[19]
"Americans have a right to know whose voices are being heard in the policy-making process," Norm Eisen, a White House special counsel, explained. His remark was a pointed reference to voices allegedly heard -- but never publicised -- in policy-making by Vice President Dick Cheney early in the Bush Administration. Mr Cheney invited oil industry executives to secret White House meetings while he was drafting an energy Bill in 2001. He never released the executives' names despite repeated Freedom of Information Act requests, citing the doctrine of executive privilege.[19] Thursday, the president hosts the Tribal Nations Conference with 564 recognized Native American tribes at the White House.[26]
Expanding presidential power. Over time, as the system moved away from one of legalistic constraints to one of power personalized and often concentrated in the presidency, White House aides came to see their roles as advocates of the president--oftentimes against the will of Congress. White House aides have their primary loyalty not to congressional programs and statutory missions but to what they see as the "mandate" from the president's election.[21] The following information is from a White House report to Congress on White House office staff. It does not include staff members of the Office of Management and Budget, household staff or military attaches. The Office of Vice President refuses to submit its staff list to Congress, although those staffers who are on the Congressional payroll, by virtue of the vice president's mostly ceremonial role as president of the Senate, are listed here.[17] The constitutional design of the president's corps of assistants was shared between the executive branch and Congress. Crucially, the staffing of the executive branch was not intended unilaterally to be accomplished by the president--as both the appointments clause and the "lesser officers provision" of the Constitution demonstrate. The absolute authority of the legislative branch to control funding for the executive staff suggests that presidents were intended to have only limited control over the form of help that they received in the White House.[21]
Washington Bureau Chief Jane Sasseen and other BusinessWeek writers peel back the curtain on the economy, business and money matters at the White House, Congress, and federal agencies.[40] The White House has openly questioned whether the chamber really represents the business community, as it once did. "They're very good at this, because that's how business has been done in Washington for a very long time," Mr. Obama said last month of the chamber's efforts to block the creation of a consumer financial regulator.[30] WASHINGTON -First lady Michelle Obama launched a mentoring program Monday to give local high school girls access to women at the White House.[17]
The White House hinted Obama would send more troops to Afghanistan, but fewer than what the generals want. That didn't stop the resignation of Matthew Ho, a senior U.S. diplomat who opposed the war in Afghanistan, where he said al-Qaeda no longer operates.[26] Obama's overt partisanship has been no accident. The White House early on decided to start picking fights with those opposing its plans. Rush Limbaugh was an easy target, although declaring him the Republican Party's "leader" might have been laying it on thick.[37] Don Stewart, spokesman for the Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, encouraged reporters to "get out your calculators" and divide the spending by the jobs. Using a somewhat lower cost figure than the White House reported, he came up with $230,769 per job.[41] WASHINGTON -- A top White House advisory committee Monday recommended ways to expand jobs in exports, energy-efficient buildings and infrastructure, but in an apparent nod to the U.S.'s growing debt, stopped short of suggesting such policies be promoted by large federal spending.[22]
U.S. President Barack Obama says innovation will be the key to creating the jobs of the future. Mr. Obama says he is looking for new ways to recoup the jobs lost during the economic recession. With a new round of dismal job loss figures expected later the week, President Obama says he is searching for ways to create new employment opportunities. "This is my administration's overriding focus," said President Obama.[5] In the face of increasing heat from Congress for decisive moves to create jobs, President Barack Obama on Monday pushed his economic advisers to come up with job-generating ideas that can be hustled up to Capitol Hill. With unemployment rising and expected to be in double digits as lawmakers run for reelection next year, Obama conveyed a sense of urgency as he met with business executives, labor officials and economists who sit on his economic advisory board.[42] WASHINGTON — As the prospect of double-digit unemployment looms, President Barack Obama on Monday sought to set expectations for the nation, saying job losses will likely roll on "for weeks and months to come" because hiring always lags behind in an economic rebound. "We just are not where we need to be yet," Obama said as he met with a panel of economic advisers.[43]
OBAMA: (camera shutters throughout) Need for us to make up a whole lot of job loss is going to require, I think, some bold, innovative action on our part and on Congress' part and on the private sector's part. RUSH: Stop this a second! What the hell was the stimulus? Some bold, innovative action on our part, on Congress' part, on the private sector's part? Mr. President, you told us the stimulus would make sure that unemployment did not rise above 8%. OBAMA: (camera shutters throughout) It's also gonna require that we look at new models for where future job growth is going to come from. Because one of the, I think, key understandings coming out of this past financial crisis is that a lot of our growth was debt driven -- credit cards maxed out, home equity loans being taken out to finance, uh, a lot of purchases. Businesses are going to be more cautious in terms of how they approach taking on a lot of debt.[34] In the afternoon, starting at 2 PM, the President's full economic team will be attemding a meeting of the National Economic Council led by NEC head Larry Summers. They, too, will be mulling over the state of the economy and debating Administration efforts to create new jobs and put the country on the path to sustainable, long-term growth. Both meetings have an all star roster.[40] There will also be a principals-level meeting of the National Economic Council in the Roosevelt Room at 2:00PM. The meeting will focus on the state of the economy as well as Administration efforts to create new jobs and put the country on the path to sustainable, long-term growth.[44]
As the economy moves beyond crisis and into recovery, the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB) will hold a meeting with the President to discuss long-term, innovation based ideas to sustain growth and continue to create jobs of the future.[44]
'''But I want to emphasise I am confident that having moved the economy on the right track, that if we apply some good common sense and reinvigorate that sector of our economy that'''s based on innovation and dynamism and entrepreneurship, that there'''s no reason why we'''re not going to be able to not only create jobs, but the kind of sustainable economic growth that everybody is looking for,''' Obama said.[10]
"We are not going to be able, through government spending, replace business investment," Mr. Obama said. "The most important thing we can do is create an environment in which business investment is triggered and they are leading us on this path of economic growth." On exports, members of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board proposed a goal of sharply increasing such overseas sales as a percentage of gross domestic product.[22]
Obama has shown that campaigning and governing are two different realities. To some, he may seem to be tackling too many issues and spreading himself too thin. With government involvement growing under his watch, the hope among conservatives and the Republican party is that people will reject his agenda as too ambitious and out of step with the mood of America. This has led right-wing commentators to suggest Obama is vulnerable and could lose control of Congress to the GOP in 2010, and become a one term president. Obama is usually at his most surprising most when his detractors begin to write his obituary. He is extraordinarily resilient and resourceful. If he succeeds in getting meaningful healthcare reform within his first year in office, makes some progress in Iraq, Afghanistan and Iran, and the economy continues to show signs of revival, then it will not be surprising to see Obama climb in the polls.[45] The president is caught between opposite dangers. Does he pull back in Afghanistan, and risk leaving it to the tender mercies of the Taliban? Or does he pour in more troops until domestic opinion rebels, as it did over Vietnam? If he chooses the first option, he opens himself to the charge that yet another Democrat has lost yet another piece on the international chessboard. If the second, he risks losing control of his own party. This is the case against Obama: that he came into office determined to end the bitter ideological divisions in America by forging a new centrist coalition, and that he has got it wrong, that the country is still as deeply divided as ever. In a remarkably revealing comment to the veteran Washington Post political reporter, David Broder, the president said he would rather have seventy votes in the Senate for 85% of what he wants, than win 60 votes (the minimum needed to break filibuster) for 100%. It was a clever way of expressing his centrist instinct. It does not bear close analysis. It is highly doubtful that he can get more than sixty votes in the Senate for anything: that's how wide the ideological divide now is, and that's also how many conservative "blue dogs" in his own party don't like one aspect or another of healthcare reform.[12] "The first anniversary of Obama now approaching". John, when does anniversary of Obama approach in any given year? Is it like right after Halloween, the Christmas decorations go up in stores only now, as this post suggests, the Obama anniversary memorabilia and tributes start pouring in at the same time, and with a similarly increasing intensity until Obama anniversary eve? For that matter, what is the Obama anniversary? His inauguration? Election?The day he was elected to the Senate? His birthday? His wedding anniversary? What about the anniversary of when he visited Canada? Parisellas posts are actually a symptom of the malady which they purport to diagnose, namely, the hyper-partisanship and cloistered worldviews which characterize American politics. Parisellas posts are expressed in different language, but theyre so laughably gushing, myopic, and exhibit such tunnel vision and thereby exhibit such implicit contempt anything from outside Parisellas small little liberal island of Obama anniversaries that they serve as a sad omen for the future of politics, if theyre taking as any more seriously than the latest political ramblings from, say, Pink on the middle east or the Jonas Brothers on whatever.[45]
One year ago, the nation elected a seeming agent of reconciliation -- not just across racial lines, but ideological and political ones, as well Perhaps the nation was a bit naive to believe that all partisanship would suddenly come to an end. The president could have done more to work to that goal and help fulfill the public's belief in him. With three years to go before his re-election, Obama still has time to bring about the policy changes that he promised. It's already too late to fulfill the change in atmosphere.[37]
The United States continues to use more energy than it produces, and pollutes more than any other country. It is dependent for well over half of its energy needs on imports of oil and gas, much of them from potentially unfriendly regions such as the middle-east, Russia, and Venezuela. The George W Bush administration had seemed a captive of the oil industry, and Obama had a great opportunity to please both foreigners and a substantial "green" lobby in the United States by coming out boldly for measures to reduce America's carbon-emissions. He went for a carbon-trading option. This is liked by the oil-and-gas industry and by the ideologues of unregulated free-market capitalism. It has little chance of ensuring that the United States achieves the comparatively modest targets it ostensibly accepts for carbon emissions. And most acute of all as the anniversary of President Obama's election approaches, is the disappointment of his foreign policy. Before and after his election, Obama thrilled millions beyond America by the promise of a new approach to the world.[12] President Obama needs a new approach with FOX News. If the administration'''s goal is to correct what they deem false information, then engaging that content is a sure plan. Their current actions, however, suggest a less favorable outcome.[16] The article went into detail about the tense back-and-forth between President Barack Obama's administration and Fox News Channel.[13] Fox News Channel playing victim? Not hardly. The reality is it's President Barack Obama and his staff who are playing the victims.[38]
Today, if you criticize the current administration, you are labeled as "fringe" or "fascist." The media have great power to persuade people of their views. They should report, not spin, the news. If Americans allow Obama to discredit Fox News and millions of others who disagree with his policies, we will become like the Soviet Union and Venezuela, which have single-media mouthpieces.[15] There's not been another presidency that has acted the way it has towards FOX NEWS or any news agency the way the Obama clan has. Why? THE TRUTH HURTS!!! Yes I voted for him & I'm Afro American. WOW mel! Less educated and can't discern lies and propaganda? That's what you think of FOX viewers? How bout Charlie Gibson denying any knowledge of the ACORN scandal over a week after the news was broken on FOX and others? Obama's sins will "FIND HIM OUT" and Americans will suffer for his lack of leadership.[14]
"While Obama talks almost daily about green jobs and green technology, one panel member argued that such a transition may not benefit the United States unless policies spur American companies to become stronger competitors in the area." Is it possible for this guy put his ideology aside for five seconds to consider taking a common-sense approach to tackling critical problems for the good of his country, rather than the relentless pursuit of his own personal dreams and goals!?!?! It's not that I think his ideas are all bad, but his priorities are totally screwed up. I'm not a wing-nut anything, but the man has surrounded himself with people who share his progressive goals and dismisses all dissent even if it is the eptimone of common sense. I was opposed to some of his policies, but thought he was capable to being a good President; now, I'm increasingly frightened by him, as well as profoundly disappointed that he just another pol.[42] The long game, Obama-watchers say, is the president's instinct. It is possible that he has waited so far before letting the country know clearly what he does want, on healthcare and on Afghanistan; that he has been keeping his powder dry and his reserves together. Perhaps, like the Duke of Wellington at the battle of Salamanca (1812), he will wait until he sees the enemy's line extended and throw his forces into the weakest point of a column to break the opposing army with a sudden stroke of strategic genius. It is possible. It is beginning to look more likely that he has already made a strategic miscalculation than that he is about to extricate from the threatening dangers by a strategic cup. That miscalculation may prove to be that the United States is indeed too divided between left and right, or more precisely that the political system is too divided, to be healed by cautious, centrist policies such as Obama's instinct teaches him. At home, as abroad, he faces a series of political dilemmas sharper and more dangerous than any of his recent predecessors. He is by no means without assets. He is a gifted speaker, a brilliantly talented politician, and there is a substantial element of the electorate that shares his conviction that radical reform - on many issues beyond healthcare - is needed. People like him, more than they like this policies.[12] The Obama administration has still not resettled the prisoners from Guantánamo. It has shown itself more concern about the morale of the CIA than about the "rendition" and torture of its victims. Obama is keeping his promise to pull most American troops out of Iraq. As I write he is deep in conclave with his advisers about whether or not to accede to his commander, General Stanley A McChrystal, in Afghanistan's request for another 40,000 troops. McChrystal has told him that the United States is not winning in Afghanistan, and almost half of Americans tell pollsters they think Afghanistan is like Vietnam. The United States looks like losing not only Afghanistan, but its far bigger and strategically more important neighbour, Pakistan.[12]
The surly, nationalist aggressivity of the Bush administration would be gone. In a series of speeches that were at once elegant and reassuring, he offered the hand of friendship and sought to restore the feeling that the United States would be the world's friendly leader, not a paranoid bully intent on a "global war on terror". In Berlin, he won the affection of the Europeans. In Prague, he promised concrete steps towards a world without nuclear weapons. In a wonderful speech in Cairo, he offered the open hand of friendship to Islam, "a new beginning between the United States and Muslims around the world, one based on mutual interest and mutual respect". The world loved him for the generosity and the historical wisdom of the new stance. It was no small thing, too, that he had lived as a child in the world's biggest Muslim state Indonesia, that his father came from Kenya, a former colony, and as the child of a white mother and an African father, he had grown up in multicultural Hawaii. The world knew, too, that he had been among the first leading senators to come out against the Iraq war, and that he had promised that is first act would be to close the infamous Guantánamo prison-camp, symbol of injustice and cruelty. It has not worked. Both Binyamin Netanyahu, prime minister of Israel, and Mahmoud Ahmedinejad, president of Iran, lost no time in showing that they did not have to do what an American president wanted. Netanyahu had no intention of freezing Jewish settlements on the West Bank; Iran not only was in no hurry to stop its nuclear programme, but pushed through a rigged election and ruthlessly suppressed all domestic criticism.[12]
The question was no longer when, but by how big a margin? The Obama-Biden ticket swept into power with 365 Electoral College votes to 173 for the McCain-Palin ticket, garnering 53% of the popular vote in the process. It was a clear mandate and the best popular vote performance by a Democrat since LBJ in 1964. Particularly interesting were Obama's victories in key southern states such as Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida. By the eve of his inauguration, the president-elect was riding high in the polls, hitting a plateau with a 65% approval rating. Obama had not yet begun his first year in office and it had become obvious that the eyes of the world were on this new president.[45] According to CBS's Mark Knoller, the unofficial chronicler of all things Obama, the president has played 24 rounds of golf - it took vacation-happy George W. Bush 2 years and 9 months to reach 24 rounds. Here's a way to measure the president's popularity: Does his time on the campaign trail help fellow Dems? Seats to Gov. Patrick's fund-raiser could still be bought at the door, while campaigning for Creigh Deeds has not helped the Virginia Democrat close a double-digit gap in the governor's race. As Obama jawbones about the long wait for swine flu vaccines, the right-wing blogs were burning up with news his daughters Sasha and Malia got inoculated.[26] '''We got good news last week showing that for the first time in over a year the economy was actually growing once again. We have seen some (economic) indicators that manufacturing is beginning to pick up,''' he said. '''That'''s all good news and we are pleased that the actions that we took swiftly through the Recovery Act helped to stem what could have been a disastrous situation for the economy and we are starting to see stabilisation and, indeed, some improvement,''' Obama said.[10] A construction project, for one, may only require a few engineers to get going, with the work force to swell as ground is broken and building accelerates. Hundreds of such projects have been on the books, in which the full value of the contracts is already counted in the spending totals, but few or no jobs have been reported yet because the work is only getting started. To flip the equation politically, it's as if the 10-year cost of George W. Bush's big tax cuts were compared with the benefits to the economy that only accrued during the first year. The package approved by Congress is aimed at more than direct job creation, although employment was certainly central to its promotion and purpose. Its features include money for research, training, plant equipment, extended unemployment benefits, credit assistance for businesses and more — spending meant to pay off over time but impossible to judge in a short-term job formula. Nor do the estimates made Friday include indirect employment already created by the package — difficult if not impossible to measure. Republican lawmakers have been performing their exercise in division for months.[41] "Given the severity of the job losses that took place at the beginning of the year and the need for us to make up a whole lot of job loss, is going to require, I think, some bold, innovative action on our part and on Congress's part and on the private sector's part" to boost employment, the president said. "This is my administration's overriding focus. We will not rest until we are succeeding in generating the jobs that this economy needs."[42] The president spoke at the start of a meeting with economic advisors from inside and outside government. He told them he expects job losses will continue for months to come, noting that traditionally as nations emerge from recession, employment tends to lag behind. He stressed that this time the job losses have been so great, that bold, innovative steps are needed.[5]
Here's another sound bite. OBAMA: (camera shutters throughout) We're also in a era of fiscal constraint, which means that we gotta start finding some more creative, new approaches to, uh, financing, uh, these projects. Those are the discussions we're going to be having, uh, not just today, but, uh, in the weeks and months to come. This is my administration's overriding focus. RUSH: It's like Steve Wynn said: The government does not create jobs.[34] Go back. Here again, this is from January: "President-elect Barack Obama, seeking to quiet concerns that his economic stimulus package would lead to an unsustainable expansion of the public workforce, said today that 90 percent of the 3 to 4 million jobs created or saved by his would be in the private sector. In his weekly radio address, Obama said that nearly a half-million of the new jobs would be created by investing in clean energy, while another 400,000 would be created by repairing schools, roads, bridges and other infrastructure.[34] The chamber now finds itself at odds with U.S. President Barack Obama and the Democratic-held Congress on virtually every major issue - from climate change and health care to overhauling regulation of Wall Street and economic stimulus.[30] WASHINGTON — A senior adviser to President Barack Obama says the government will catch up to the demand for swine flu vaccine within a week. Obama adviser David Axelrod says the manufacturers of the vaccine were wrong when they advised the administration earlier this year that they would have 40 million doses ready near the end of October.[46] A '''truce''' from FNC'''s side makes no sense. No feud however, would be complete without Bill O'rielly chiming in with his opinion, commenting; "I don't have a point of view, I'm basically an independent guy," adding, "I sent Barack Obama, President Obama a fruit basket for all that comments because our ratings are up 20% since he made it. We want him to not like us. Although I like him.[28] A new Obama campaign book suggests that Hillary Clinton was almost picked by Barack Obama as his vice president.[24] In a very early test of President Barack Obama's political influence, two states.[26] President Barack Obama needs to "cut the crap" on the war in Afghanistan, pmcarpenter writes.[47] Some Republican lawmakers critical of President Barack Obama's stimulus package are using grade-school arithmetic to size up costs and consequences of all that spending.[41]
A CNN/Opinion Research poll one year after his election puts President Obama's approval rating at 54 percent. "Obama's approval rating of 54 percent is nearly identical to the 53 percent of the vote he won a year ago," notes CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "And in nearly every demographic category, the percent that approve of Obama today is within two to three points of the percent who voted for him in 2008." "For Democrats, the immediate peril of failing to hang on to some of these swing voters could play out Tuesday in the governor's race in Virginia, a state Mr. Obama wrested away from Republicans last year but where the Democratic candidate for governor has struggled to recreate Mr. Obama's enthusiastic coalition."[35] {"comments":,"media":{"isPublicTaggingAllowed":false,"uploadToAkamai":"","categories":"","pathToMedia":"396489_68836017","adminTags":"cid_68836017,ct_article,sid_396489,sid_396509,sid_396529,sid_522877,sid_522917,sid_522932","uploadedByPhoto":"116995/icons/defaultMember_116995_portrait.jpg?t=1248875781749","views":42,"uploadedByName":"nbc_editor","isAdultContent":false,"updatedAt":"3 Nov 2009 17:24:40 GMT","country":"","pathToPreview48X48":"user/defaultAudio_48x48_C.jpg","inappropriateFlagCount":0,"isRatedByMe":"F","tags":"bored,furious,intrigued,laughing,sad,thrilled","originalFileFormat":"","isFavorite":"F","userId":7918858,"name":"Obama's Broken Promise Of a New Tone","description":"One year after his election, President Obama's report card is filled with "incompletes" on the big issues, and an"F" in creating a new political atmosphere."[37] '''And the question is: what is the most effective strategy moving forward in the context of Pakistan,''' said Mr Axelrod while explaining how would the new strategy deal with the problem of extremism in the Pak-Afghan region. President Obama met his services chief, his seventh such meeting since he began consulting his senior military and civil officials on the proposed strategy, to seek their advice.[23]
Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said that the administration does not want other news networks to '''basically be led and following FOX.''' This, however, raises a question: Why shouldn'''t the other networks follow FOX'''s example? Whatever FOX is doing works ''''' ratings for the network have skyrocketed, and in almost all time slots FOX outperforms the viewership of CNN, MSNBC and CNBC combined. How is FOX causing problems? It is common knowledge that FOX is often the most openly critical of the major networks. This is often accomplished through nothing more than choice of material covered; incidents like the ACORN hidden camera exposure put them at odds with the president.[16] The Obama administration has adopted student-centric reforms in education which have attracted bipartisan support. His approval rating is down from the inaugural period, but remains a respectable 52%. Americans may be divided on the policy directions of their new president, but they seem to maintain their confidence in him. This being said, there are legitimate concerns about the style and the direction of Obama's policies.[45] The health-insurance industry deployed one of the ugliest political campaign in memory, fanned by the expensive efforts of more than 2,000 expensive lobbyists. The Obama administration made numerous tactical mistakes in managing its campaign on what ought to have been on balance a popular measure. More important, the president did not come out and tell the American people precisely what reform he supported, and how vital it was.[12] The stated support has not turned into specific pledges from Europe's political leaders of additional combat forces. In many ways, Obama's ability to persuade European leaders to send more troops to the eight-year-old war is a test of his diplomacy, which emphasizes the international alliances that the Bush administration often ignored. European leaders have praised his departure from the go-it-alone style and policies of President George W. Bush, and Obama enjoys rock-star popularity among the European public. Though, the domestic political calculations of European leaders are outweighing Obama's appeal to their shared interests in creating a peaceful, al-Qaeda-free Afghanistan.[36]
The Obama administration has been weighing options to address ways to try to restart job growth with the unemployment rate now at 9.8 percent.[3] According to the White House, the idea is to discuss "long-term, innovation based ideas to sustain growth and continue to create jobs of the future."[40] The White House released estimates that $160 billion in stimulus spending created or preserved 650,000 direct jobs.[41]
With vaccines so hard to come by, Obama haters were wondering if the first tykes got preferential treatment, but the White House said the children didn't jump the queue.[26] Vice-President Biden was given a premier role as principal counsellor. Add to this a stellar White House staff led by Rahm Emmanuel, David Axelrod, Valerie Jarrett and Robert Gibbs, and all expectations were that this would indeed be a team that could make Obama's a truly transformational presidency.[45] Only about 110 names -- and 481 visits -- out of the hundreds of thousands who have visited the Obama White House were made public.[18]
Most other networks, conversely, have been extremely supportive of the president: ABC featured the White House'''s health-care agenda in what critics called an '''infomercial''' back in June, and CNN'''s Campbell Brown pointed out last week that the White House has been silent on MSNBC'''s openly liberal bias.[16] A president brings into the White House a certain stock of capital accumulated not least in the campaign. What he must do to get and keep the political momentum he needs, is to trade with that capital.[12] While I understand that some visitors must be kept under wraps for diplomatic and national security reasons, I don't see why the White House can't post all other visitors online for all to see. The information is already being recorded and the only thing preventing its release is political concerns. Those same political concerns are exactly why this president will probably choose the same path as his predecessors and withhold the meaningful details of who has his ear. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it does make those promises of transparency ring a little hollow.[18]
The White House posted a list of roughly 480 records in response to questions about whether specific people visited the president's home. It plans to start disclosing comprehensive visitor lists in coming months.[33] We thought that the White House is a good example. If there are great mentors here and people with time, then they are everywhere.[17] I encourage you to visit a dictionary. I will also say that the administration likely does not refute some of Beck's comments because they are baseless, false, inflammatory, and misleading. Why would somebody take the time to respond to a demagogue, when any intelligent person can tell that he is not reporting, but rather spewing partisan mumbo jumbo? The White House does not refute, for example, the charges of socialism because they already have. They're not socialist.[16] Administration justification. Advocates of the use of policy czars maintain that these officials have merely advisory roles in the White House and that they exercise no controlling legal authority. From this standpoint, the czars do not appear to violate principles of government transparency and accountability. The administration has underlined that the czars do not supplant or replace the authority of existing federal departments and agencies; rather, their role is to coordinate the efforts of these many bureaucratic units, providing for more comprehensive planning and decision-making.[21] These presidential aides are not merely "advisers," since they now have the capacity to influence the power balance between the branches of government and have played a role in moving the U.S. federal government from a legal system to a more personalized (presidential) one. There is a legitimate concern that these unconfirmed White House aides may eventually have an even deeper impact on the U.S. constitutional system, which is premised on popular control operating through statutes enacted by elected members of Congress.[21]
Monday's event, Web cast live by the White House, reflected the looming political pressure created by the U.S.'s budget woes.[22] Political coverage and musings on pop culture from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper and the ABC News White House team.[7] The White House, by excluding FOX, was attempting to control which news outlets had access to which information. The media pool recognized this, rejecting the proposal on the grounds that it set a bad precedent.[16] Yeah, the White House, every liberal and most even-headed conservatives think your highly-biased news commentary spills over into your news coverage.[13] The persistent efforts of the left to marginalize or diminish conservative media are nothing new, but the new levels to which the White House is reaching are surprising.[16] With a million new votes added to the tally Graham reported last week, only about 50,000 of the newcomers favored the White House.[29]
The five major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN and FOX) share the costs of covering the White House and thereby share equal access to officials and events.[16] The White House'''s move threatened not only the balance of the pool but also the freedom of the press. There is a second side to the administration'''s efforts: part of its media offensive has been aimed at the other networks.[16] White House spokesman Josh Earnest claimed the network had never requested to be part of the interview, like other networks had, but rather decided last minute to try to cover the story.[13] When the White House proved true to its promise of full disclosure by releasing a list of recent West Wing visitors, the headlines went to the big donors like George Soros, the big movie stars like George Clooney, and the mega-union bosses like Andy Stern of the Service Employees International Union.[24]
When did the White House start to dictate who could cover the news? ''We the people'' need the press to print and tell us the truth.[39] To start the month with appropriate officiousness, the president has signed and the White House has already issued seven presidential proclamations.[27] In recent months, the White House has been actively working to marginalize the chamber, which it sees as a political enemy, as much as policy foe.[30] The White House has highlighted several indicators of economic stabilization over the past week.[8] The White House will continue to make each months visitor logs available online 90-120 days after. ''This is also after the log is significantly reviewed to remove any names that could be of a national security concern. It just seems a little too convenient that these controversial figures appeared on the visitor log. ''But this is what we get with hope and change.[25] In a continuing effort to provide communities with the latest information on health care reform, at 3:30PM, White House Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett will participate in a live online chat session to discuss the importance of needed changes in our health care system for traditionally underserved communities throughout the country.[44]
All White House aides were intended to be answerable ultimately to the lawmaking branch of the government.[21] The latest dispute between the White House and the network began over an interview with "pay czar" Ken Feinberg.[13] Republicans questioned the validity of the White House report, saying it exaggerated the program's effectiveness.[8]
"All told, the plan would spend a whopping $275,000 in taxpayer dollars for every new job it aims to create, saddling each and every household with $6,700 in additional debt paid for by our children and grandchildren," Ohio Rep. John Boehner, the House Republican leader, said back in January. That line of argument continued Friday.[41] The entire purpose of the stimulus bill was to create enough jobs in the private sector so that the $1 trillion would be paid back from the exploding private sector job base. That was sold as an "investment" in the private sector, an investment that would wipe out the deficit, not multiply it. How's that hope and change working for you, folks? This is just stunning. He said we're in a postbubble growth model and that we have fiscal constraint? Discussions we're going to be having not just today but in the weeks and months to come, as my administration's overriding focus, having brought the economy back from the brink. Here, get this last one.[34] 'The jobs we create will be in businesses large and small across a wide range of industries,' Obama said. 'And they'll be the kind of jobs that won't just put people to work in the short term, but position our economy to lead the world in the long term.'.[34] Or. will Obama just hire people in the gov't that don't actually create anything, don't produce a consumable product, and are just a continued strain on the economy. Don't hold your breath that Obama will ever figure out that Employees NEED Employers other than him.[42]
Obama also put Vice President Joe Biden out front to defend the stimulus package - the U.S. economy grew by 3.5 percent, but that was almost all government-stimulus-related growth.[26] Bought honey made in Peru. President Obama and the Congress both Republican and Democrat alike don't get it. Most of the World subsidizes its economy. Germany is a heavily unionized country and they have a healthier economy than we do here in America.[42] President Obama and Congress still don't get it. Republicans are brain dead because they still think that "free markets" exists.[42]
President Obama's poll numbers are falling. They are still respectable, but his overall popularity is lower than that of his wife (by one point) and of his secretary of state and defeated rival, Hillary Clinton (by several points). Even more worrying, the popularity of several of the key measures he is trying to persuade congress to adopt is lower than his own overall popularity.[12]
Nov. 4th, 2008, was filled with exciting thoughts, ideas, and aspirations for the coming years. Many who were once fans of President Obama's proposed change are now speculating that he is a "do-nothing" president, who has accomplished little to nothing that he pledged.[1] KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN: President Obama practices his golf swing before a speech earlier this year in Los Angeles.[26]
A trio of the President's top advisers demurred today when asked what they regret about Obama's first year in office, citing only the President's flubbed oath of office as an embarrassing moment.[47] The broad middle of the spectrum may have the greatest reason to be disappointed in Obama's first year. These folks have been patient on the big issues -- the economy, war, Guantanamo, terrorism, etc. Those issues can't be solved overnight. It is in Obama's biggest promise that he has failed -- that of bringing a change of tone to Washington.[37] We see a leader who, while appealing to the liberal end of the ideological spectrum, is far more complex than a simple ideologue. He has demonstrated a penchant for compromise in a polarized political world and shown a capacity to face adversity with aplomb. Cool and cerebral, he is a pragmatist able to stir crowds of followers while at the same time appealing to uncommitted voters. On the campaign trail, Obama was both sure of himself and audacious. In office, he has been more deliberate, but seems as resolute as ever to achieving his goals. The enthusiasm that brought him to power may have waned, and he will soon have to assume greater responsibility for the economy and the wars he inherited, but he has brought an air of optimism to politics in America and the world with the promise of a transformational presidency.[45] As WND reported, in a related poll taken at almost the same time from Zogby International–O'Leary Report, a clear majority of Americans view recent actions by Obama and Democratic leaders in Congress as "threats to our First Amendment Rights."[29]
"Congress is going to be looking to act," Obama told the committee during an hourlong meeting in the Roosevelt Room. "To the extent that we have very clear, crisp recommendations that we can present before them and do so soon, the better off we're going to be." While the administration has fended off talk of a second stimulus bill, Obama made clear he's concerned that the stimulus legislation passed in February won't do enough to turn the jobs picture around.[42] Dunn concurred with Axelrod's assessment. "I'm a person who can, you know, at the end of every week look back and find about 2,000 things I would have done differently," Dunn said, before adding that Obama "administration has done a pretty good job of executing to get where he wants to go and where he wants to lead the country."[47]
How can you ever win with some Americans, you try to come up with policies to help with job creation and even before they are out you are criticize Mr. President, if sit back and let the free market do it'''s think Mr. President you would be criticized for not doing anything. If you don'''t believe me Mr. President you Just watch the post that would be written on this story. The same people who think it is your responsibility to create jobs also think that you are a Socialist.[42] I am less concerned about someone using this woman as a 'back channel' to the president than her being a front-door conduit straight to Obama's ear. Her vision of America is as clear as his. These people see a deeply flawed country whose character they want to change rather than one whose character made the two of them possible.[17] Sooner or later. you people are going to figure out, that the Republicans are going to try to get President Obama, if they have to kill you to do it.[17] President Obama and his "experts" are giving Americans the same old same old.[42] Regardless of how President Obama decides to proceed in Afghanistan, he will be seeking additional help from his European allies with the fighting, training and building that his top general says is necessary to stabilize the country.[36] On gay rights, some activists are openly critical of the president'''s go-slow approach. On Afghanistan, Obama will likely opt for greater involvement, to the displeasure of the more militant faction of his left-wing base.[45]
I applaud Obama for not giving in to Fox News' bullying. Networks, including Fox, should be allowed to cover what they want, and no one needs to infringe on their right to broadcast what they wish; however, the urban legend of "fair and balanced" needs to be put to rest.[13] The fact that obama attacked Fox News says more about the other networks than it does about Fox.[14]
This is just patently misleading and just plain full of lies. First of all, he neglects to make the distinction between FOX and FOX News, two wholly different networks. Even those 9 hours are consistently tainted by lies, misinformation, and conservative partisanship.[16] FOX News has been on the forefront of spreading lies like the "death panels" hoax and give creedence to the birthers. They are home to inflammatory Republican Glenn Beck.[16]
From the outset, it was clear the new president wanted to hit the ground running. In order to do so, he would have to assemble a diverse and select team that included his main primaries rival, Hillary Clinton, respected Republicans like Defence Secretary Bob Gates and General James Jones, who took over as National Security advisor, and Clinton stalwarts like Larry Summers and Tim Geithner.[45]
Obama won the election only a few weeks after the collapse of Lehman Brothers left no doubt of the gravity of the financial crisis. His response was, first, to turn for help to people like Larry Summers and Tim Geithner, Obama's treasury secretary, both closely associated with the people who made the catastrophe possible by slashing the regulation of Wall Street. He poured unprecedented sums of public money into the banks, in the hope that the supply of credit, for business and for homeowners, would be saved. With insolent assurance, Wall Street pocketed the public money and helped its collective self to much of it in salaries and bonuses.[12] Then you write as if Id referred to Obama as a socialist, which a simple reading of my post will disprove. I was suggesting that Parisella sounds like a certain sort of left-wing caricature, such as the type which is sometimes called a "champagne socialist". Despite your basic inability to read the simple words contained in my posts, youve typed a response referring to me as a "moron", "ignorant", etc. Evidently, your inability to read and/or comprehend simple sentences disqualifies you from serious discussion, however your post does help to demonstrate the problem with people like Parisella: essentially, Parisella wants to pretend that hes a very high-minded, non-partisan sort of guy, and that he supports Obama for those reasons. Parisellas blog posts are so blinkered that they could obviously only have any appeal to hyper-partisan and uncritical ideologues. This point is proven by the fact that his defenders turn out to be as incoherent and debased as janicepager: showing a basic inability to read simple words; wildly distort mild statements for ideological reasons; engage in a series of childish ad hominem insults; incapable of addressing the actual questions raised, and instead flying off into angry tangents, etc. As embarrassing as janicepagers post would appear to the average reader, the sad truth is that their is not a whole lot more substance to that post than to Parisellas. Its just a more debased form of expression. That should be kept in mind the next time Parisella gets back onto his high horse.[45] While shunning the likes of chamber president Thomas Donohue, Mr. Obama has held private chats with the CEOs of IBM, Wal-Mart, Time Warner, Kraft, Eastman Kodak and Coca-Cola.[30] Obama wasted no time acting quickly on Guantanamo and the issue of torture, followed by a significant address in Cairo to the Muslim world. He put in motion key initiatives in hotspots like Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.[45] The next outrage is that Obama wants to give due diligence to Afghanistan. Instead of just firing the general who truthfully tells him his manpower needs -- like George W. Bush did with Gen. Shinseki -- Obama wants to rethink about why we are sending our best and brightest to die in a God-forsaken land with no government. Instead of blindly ignoring history like Bush did, he is actually husbanding the lives of our soldiers.[32]
"The First Anniversary of Barack Obama"? Parisellas blog has gotten like reading some sort of satire of a limo-riding, champagne-sipping, wide-eyed and breathy Hollywood liberal.[45] One year after the exuberant optimism that accompanied Barack Obama's historic election, little has changed except the nation's mood. The man who was supposed to usher in a new tone has drawn fire from conservatives, who say his talk of finding common ground has proven to be mere lip service.[37] There can be no profit, in other words, without risk. It is time for Barack Obama to risk his political capital, or it will dribble away to no purpose.[12]
Hey Repubs, the bailout of banks was Bush, the financial crisis was caused by Bush (not poor people), The Iraq war which costs $250 billion per year and counting was start unnecessarily by Bush, the cost of the tax cuts was $1.4 Trillion which of course did nothing, the cost of the unfunded Medicare part D was $847 billion, also by Bush!Let's see that is about $3 trillion and counting of debt by Bush and Obama has had to spend $787 billion over 2 years to keep us afloat and spent $60 billion to keep several hundred thousand autoworkers and peripheral industry worker employed.So please do not throw rocks at glass houses. Obama is cleaning up the mess that the Repubs made and now you are trying to blame him for not cleaning it fast enough. [47] Many Obamenthusiasts were thrilled by the idea of putting Obama in and getting George W. Bush out. They achieved their goal a year ago. What more is left? Did these people really expend all this energy to reduce the percentage of people without health insurance? "We are the change we are seeking," Obama said during the campaign.[45]
Reports out Monday show improvement in manufacturing, construction and contracts to buy homes. Obama helped push through a $787 billion economic stimulus package earlier this year, and he says the administration, Congress and the private sector must take more bold steps to help. Obama spoke as he met with his Economic Recovery Advisory Board.[43] The war of words isn't just about climate change, Wall Street regulation or health care reform - all of which are facing stiff resistance in Congress. It's also about who will call the shots after next year's mid-term Congressional elections, and beyond that, 2012, when Mr. Obama seeks a second term.[30] A presidency born in hope of change is stuck. "You've got just one year when they treat you right, and before they start worrying about themselves." The speaker was Lyndon B Johnson, laying out the facts of presidential life to his aide, Harry McPherson. 'They'' were first, Congress, and second, the news media.[12]
Obama established four legislative priorities: health care reform, new financial regulations, changes to energy policy, and a focus on climate change.[45] To the extent Obamas change agenda involves imposing socialism on the U.S., hell hit a brick wall. The Americans may be many things, but socialists they are not. Thats Obamas connundrum, he has no mandate to impose socialism and as he tries hell get creamed electorally. He will try because he knows nothing else. It looks like the electoral fallout will start today.[45] For Example Jeffery Immelt of GE who is a partisan Comrade Obama supporter gets all kinds of money for following the party line. Thats how this administration used government power to control the actions and views of all Americans.[39] I also agree that it is unwise to single out fox the way the Obama administration has. It increases the importance of fox and the administration appears weak by seeing fox as a threat.[14] Fox is busy exposing the lies from Obama and his administration (closing Gitmo, more transparency, bipartisanship, no health care to illegals, and no tax increase to 95 percent of Americans).[48]
Like the Bush administration before it, Obama is arguing that any release is voluntary, not required by law, despite two federal court rulings to the contrary. This is unfortunate; part of transparency is knowing who has access to those in power.[18] No one in recent years can top the Obama administration for conscientious issuing of ceremonial proclamations.[27] Longtime Obama champion Winfrey interviewed First Lady Michelle Obama Feb. 17 and also attended an inaugural reception. (Of Pitt's visit, no details have yet been provided.) While far from complete (the list is voluntary, not required by law and excludes many for security reasons) the list's 110 names also include Michael Jordan, Michael Moore and Shawn Carter ( Jay Z's real name)-- but these, MSNBC found, are not the basketball player, filmmaker or hip-hop artist but different individuals with the same names. More names are expected to be released by the end of this year.[11] Hilary had three; Jackie Kennedy one; Laura Bush one; and prior to Mamie Eisenhower, social help came from the President's own pocket. Michelle Obama has 26 - from makeup artist Ingrid Miles and hairstylist Johnny Wright to her "chief of staff" Susan Sher, whose salary is $172,200.00. The First Lady does not get paid to serve as First Lady, and she doesn't perform any official duties. This hasn't deterred her from hiring an unprecedented number of staffers to cater to every whim and satisfy every request in the midst of a great Recession.[17]
Blitzer asked if Mrs. Obama was "an adviser to the president on substantive policy issues."[17] More than one-sixth of the population had no health insurance. Millions more did have insurance, but it did not cover all their needs. The system was policed by increasingly ungenerous "managed care", which steadily depressed the availability of care and raised costs. Rightly, Obama as candidate made healthcare-reform his absolute domestic priority. He did not specify precisely what he would propose. In office, he has allowed policy to be thrashed out by competing committees in Congress because he has not been specific about his own recommendations. His generous assumption that some Republicans would go along with the broad principles of reform was disproved (two women representatives from Maine excepted).[12] There are more worrying realities for Obama to face than the polls. He came into office to face a conjuncture of problems that would have defeated the most brilliant of presidents even with a landslide victory behind him.[12] With sky-high joblessness still a big economic and political problem, the President and his economic advisors will spend a big chunk of the day trying to come up with more effective solutions. The president is meeting for the board of outside advisors known as the the President'''s Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB) he named soon after taking office. This will be the second meeting of the PERAB, whose outside members include GE CEO Jeff Immelt, AFL-CIO head Richard Trumka and Robert Wolf, the head of UBS Group America.[40] I will put up my political IQ against anyone, especially against the Camden author. The fact that any president would viciously attack and boycott any news outlet (like his attacking tea parties, chambers of commerce, insurance companies, oil companies, etc.) scares the hell out of me.[48]
The time to get to work on jobs was months ago. Only now after the failed stimulus and continuing unemployment this adminstration decides it needs to do something? Jobs should have been this presidents priority from day one, or is he just slow out of the gate.[42] It's about time - I hope the administration realizes that this country needs real jobs, not taxpayer money being thrown at the problem. I guess if the easy fix of using others money (stimulus bill) doesn't work, it's time to do some real work on jobs. This should have been the top, top priority of this administration. If the government had spent all the time, energy and $$that they have spent on health care reform, everyone would have a job.[42]
The presidency is a tough job, what with two wars, a health-care crisis, a swine flu pandemic, and a recession. What better way to work out the stress of being president than with a little golf? Well, the Big O set a dubious mark last week when he passed Dubya on the links.[26]
Corporate America has one value and that is the bottom line. If you have a family, house mortgage, kids to put in college, then find a job somewhere else other than with Mr. Freemarket INC. He sells American jobs to the lowest bidder in Asia. Walmart, according to statistics, has 80% of its products made in a foreign country.[42] Germany is also in charge of the training program for the Afghan National Police, an important element of all strategies under discussion in the White House.[36] The session was open to reporters and streamed live on the White House Web site.[43] The left is impatient and feels the White House will not deliver significant healthcare reform unless it includes a public option.[45] More than just a protagonist, the chamber has become a target of the White House.[30] On Oct. 23, the White House gave members of the media pool the opportunity to interview Special Master for TARP Executive Compensation Kenneth Feinberg.[16]
The House bill "is much tougher on the drug industry than what the Senate is considering. That could prove one of the challenges for lawmakers when the legislation eventually reaches a House-Senate conference committee," New York Times reports. "Sen. Joe Lieberman has reached a private understanding with Majority Leader Harry Reid that he will not block a final vote on healthcare reform, according to two sources briefed on the matter," The Hill reports. [35] "While House leaders are moving toward a vote on health-care legislation by the end of the week, enough Democrats are threatening to oppose the measure over the issue of abortion to create a question about its passage," Washington Post reports.[35]
Merkel's address to Congress is at 10:30 am. Outside of that event, the focus on the Hill remains health care, as Democratic House leaders are hoping for a vote on their bill by the end of the week.[35]
Republicans speeches on the House floor yesterday sounded like somnething out of Monty Python, writes watertiger.[47]
Last week, some Democrats predicted that H1N1 could become a new line attack of attack on Obama from Republicans.[17] The other 'news' outlets (CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC, CBS) hardly mentioned ACORN and Van Jones at all. Guess they were in the Obama bag! Hannity and O'Reilly always have liberals on their shows to bring back balance. I will take these three patriots any day over Keith Oberman, Rachel Maddow, Rick Sanchez, Paul Begala, James Carville and Chris ('I felt a tingle all up and down my leg when Obama was elected') Matthews.[48] For shame. I saw on the news this morning that Obama actually got out of bed early, went to Dover Air Force Base and was paying his respects to fallen soldiers returning from Afghanistan before dawn. Bush would have never had the stones to witness the consequences of his decisions. His idea of courage was to censor these images.[32] Obama said that "Germany has been an extraordinarily strong ally on a whole host of international issues." "We appreciate the sacrifices of German soldiers in Afghanistan," he said, "and our common work there to bring peace and stability to Afghanistan and to create the environment in which the Afghan people themselves can provide for their own security."[36] So Obama stands to make the situation even worse by using tax dollars to create artificial demands, busy work, and distorted markets that ulitimately are a drain on the Ameircan taxpayer.[42]
With the first anniversary of Obama now approaching, we are seeing a leader who is far from flawless, but has the capacity for growth. [45] What's troubling, though, is that Ayers and Wright did appear on the list. ''Are the American people really supposed to believe that this is just a coincidence? ''Obama - who has lied about his relationship with Ayers from day one - has gone to great lengths to hide any connection he's had with Ayers, including the writing of his first memoir.[25] As the participants left the grounds, there was an almost Zen-like atmosphere. Few doubted that the next day, November 4, 2008, their fellow Americans would for the first time pick an African-African to be their president.[45] Hopes were high back then and change was in the air. A year later, however, Americans are not as enthralled with their charismatic president.[45] American workers have been sold out by Congress and CEO's over the years. It is not protectionism Mr. PResident, it is about survival.[42]
You're not saving anything, Mr. President. You are destroying it -- and you are going to continue this destruction as you abandon 200-plus years of capitalism, freedom, and growth; and replace it with your whatever you want to call it.[34]
Mr. Obama's divide and conquer strategy has produced some casualties. Under pressure from environmental groups, a handful of large member companies have quit the group this year over its climate change stance, including Apple, PG&E, PNM Resources and Exelon. A number of other members are disgruntled, but for now are sticking with the chamber because of its lobbying efforts in other areas, such as free trade.[30] Obama added that the U.S. must break out of a "debilitating gridlock on trade policy," by ending the false choice between a wide-open, freewheeling import policy or fearful, protectionist approach to trade. He called for a more balanced policy of letting the world know America will compete and trade fairly.[43] Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of the roughly 100,000 U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan, has asked Obama for tens of thousands of additional U.S. troops to quickly turn back the Taliban.[36] By all that's holy, PLEASE don't mention Michelle Obama and "back door" in the same sentence. That's a mental image none of us need.[17]
Recent polls also show Obama has lost significant support among independents who now make up the largest electoral group in the nation. This can be attributed to the slow recovery of the economy, the increases to the government's deficit and debt, and the uncertainty surrounding Obama's real intentions on healthcare. Some critics within his own party complain that Obama is prolonging the shelf-life of Bush-inspired policies and others feel that his cautious and incremental style is not quite what they expected or what they voted for.[45] On the economy, Obama got Congressional approval for the biggest stimulus package in history and proceeded to increase government support to key financial institutions and the auto industry.[45]
Our Economy will continue to be broken - since the economic cycle is broken. Don't Believe Obama, Giethner, Bernanke - all they have done is bandaids - not fixed the real problem.[40]
Now we're out a blown trillion buck, have no economy worth a hoot, no jobs and STILL have 30 million people uninsured.[42] New unemployment numbers due out on Friday are expected to show U.S. employers cut another 175,000 jobs in October, according to economists polled by Reuters.[3] Your too bloated of an ego will not allow anybody's ideas inside your skull. This is insulting. He tells us unemployment is going to continue to rise while saying the economy has been brought back from the brink and that the recession is over and we're going to head north on unemployment, past 10% -- and he's open to new ideas.[34]
Latino Entrepreneurs in the United States create 35 thousand new businesses each month, and the 2.2 million Latino businessmen in the United States generate nearly US$388.7 billion in profits, according to a new report prepared by the company HispanTelligence. A recent study presented by the Small Business Administration (S.B.A.) shows that the average educational level of immigrant business owners is at the high school level, and for this reason, El Club de Comerciantes has begun to offer on its website a large selection of educational videos covering a range of subjects from Steps for Starting a Business, Business Administration, and Computing, to Technology, Electronic Commerce and Learning Basic and Intermediate English. This information is available free of charge to everyone.[20] The prez took the dramatic, and many say overdue, step of adding sexual orientation to the hate-crimes statute and nixing a ban on HIV-positive people from entering the United States. His Justice Department then went out and defended the Defense of Marriage Act - seen as another slap at gays who supported his candidacy. He got some good news on health care, as Congress continued to warm up to a public option.[26]
We have to look at the state of the government in Afghanistan''' before announcing the new policy.[23] Accountability concerns. There are also justifiable worries that if these aides are involved in operations and implementation, congressional efforts to set up a legal and accountable structure (using statutes to create agencies and their programs and confirming the top officials) may be compromised by unconfirmed presidential aides. Current and former executive branch officials usually dismiss these concerns, on the grounds that most czars are far too weak even effectively to coordinate policy between departments--let along subvert congressional oversight. Even a relatively "strong czar," such as the head of the Office of National Drug Control Policy ("drug czar") has a budget and a full time staff (111 permanent employees) that is dwarfed by even the smallest government agencies. Since they also largely operate without statutory authority (except sometimes a vague "coordinating" mandate) and lack budgetary power, they often are rather toothless figures that can be ignored by powerful agency and department heads.[21] I just think hes misguided, terribly misguided in fact. Having a misguided socialist leading the free world in these highly uncertain economic times not to mention the foreign policy challenges faced by the western world at this juncture is most unfortunate. Im keeping my fingers crossed that he doesnt mess it up too badly. He will mess up, thats a foregone conclusion. The only thing that is unclear is the extent that he will. My solace is that we only have 3 more years of this, and three years goes by pretty fast.[45]
In the words of the immortal Popeye: 'I can't stands no more!' In response to an editorial in The News Journal concerning Fox News, the author slams Fox for distortions and misinformation. One would think that the author would proceed with evidence supporting this thesis.[48] With administration officials and representatives now appearing on Fox News programmes, it seems, at least for now, that the battle is over. or at least on pause.[28] Ignoring of the Iran protestors being killed in the street after Iran's fraud election? Flogging of a failed health care reform legislation? Blaming every problem under the sun, on Bush. Constant attacks on people/orgnaizations that disagree with him such as insurance companies, banks, Fox News, Limbaugh, Hannity? The list of mistakes is endless, but yet it's only 9 months worth.[47] Fox News is as much a "news organization" as the National Enquirer is a newsparer.[14] Valerie Jarrett was asked in a CNN why MSNBC did not get the same treatment as Fox News. She of course had no answer.[14] Out of all the multitudes of media from broadcast to print, Fox News is one of the few media that have the courage to practice the principles of free speech.[38] "Let's be clear, we haven't raised up the Cain. It came from the other side of the street," Bruce Josten, the chamber's top lobbyist, told Fox News Sunday.[30]
My first comment doesn't seem to be posting. The bottom line is that FOX isn't just opinion (even in their objective news shows) but that they intentionally lie. It's the lying that really makes them not legitimate as a news source of any kind. MSNBC is lefty, but they don't get away with lying.[14] Be the first to know when there's a new installment of The Trail. This widget is easy to add to your Web site, and it will update every time there's a new entry on The Trail.[36]
The first opportunity, and one where the odds are high, is in Afghanistan. Only a dramatic clatter of chips on to the table will restore the moment he needs as the end of that crucial first year in office approaches.[12] Some past first ladies -- Nancy Reagan is one -- were sometimes used as back channels to the president.[17] Ed Henry interviewed Vice President Biden. On his tendency to go off script: "There's a big difference between me giving the president my advice and having direct access to him on every major issue. and me going out with a policy that is separate and apart from other people in the administration, which you saw with Cheney," Biden said.[35] Conservative commentators like Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck, however, cannot be ignored. Their analysis of the president'''s agenda has been instrumental in FOX'''s success.[16] Just like Beck. Obama, a socialist? Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah, This is the funniest joke I have heard but these right wing wingnuts take themselves seriously.[45] Be it a business or government leader. I get the feeling that they are all going through the motions and hope that everything will take care of itself, as long as they are not affected. Businesses continue to act like they did before, handing out big bonuses (Goldman Sachs) no one has been put in jail for doing what they did to the American people, and even Warren Buffet is investing in China of all places.[40] One can also find information at the Portal of El Club de Comerciantes on manufacturers selling wholesale products from Mexico and South America. As business consultant Max Arrechea comments, "This website is the Google for small businesses; you can find all sorts of practical information to provide fuel for those who want to prevail, as well as excellent wholesale suppliers." Leonardo Lavin, who designed the company Gusthech, had this to share about his experience: "At the El Club de Comerciantes portal you can find anything wholesale, from seeds to technology. Our company manufactures bottling machines, and we use this site not only to sell bottlers, but also to upgrade our own training." Hugo Hernandez, one of the creators of the El Club de Comerciantes portal, notes: "We're interested in helping Latino businessmen to get a solid grounding in the rules of the game when it comes to running a business in the United State; however, we also believe it's essential to help businessmen so they can buy Mexican and South American wholesale products directly from the manufacturer and the farmer in the U.S. and Latin America.[20] Hannity and Beck are egoist jokes, and the rest are hard to take seriously. You have every right to advocate for Faux News, just as sane level headed Americans can point out that they are merely a mouthpiece for the RNC, with the head honcho, Roger Ailes, being Nixon's former chief media advisor.[14] As a blogger for NorCal Blogs, I am a journalist -- I report news -- and that alone gives me the absolute right to get in. This administration did not agree. They said I was opinionated.[32]
If FOX became a more legitimate news network, maybe then I would change my mind.[16]
SOURCES
1. Obama fulfills gender issue promises during first year - Opinion
2. Michelle Obama: 'No magic to us': The Swamp
3. RPT-UPDATE 1-Summers to lead high-level meeting on U.S. economy | Deals | Regulatory News | Reuters
4. President Obama Holds Meeting with President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board in Washington
5. VOA News - Obama Calls for New Ideas to Create Jobs
6. White House Says The Economy Has A Long Way To Go | keyc.tv
7. The Presidential Planner - Political Punch
8. Obama warns of more job losses despite economic uptick - Nov. 2, 2009
9. Job losses to continue says Obama
10. Job losses to continue for some more time: Obama - International News - livemint.com
11. News - Brad Pitt, Oprah, George Clooney Among White House Visitors - Celebrity News - UsMagazine.com
12. Current News | Latest News | Breaking News | Nagaland News - MorungExpress.com - Barack Obama: Reality Time
13. The Maneater - Obama vs. Fox in political tug-of-war
14. Letter: President's attitude toward Fox News scary - Opinion | Reflector.com
15. Letter: Obama administration's attempts to discredit Fox News 'terrifying' » TCPalm.com
16. Taking on the Pack Leader Carries Risk | The Emory Wheel
17. Axelrod Says Michelle Obama Is Never a Back Channel to the President -- Politics Daily
18. The Unreported White House Logs - Tech Insider
19. White House reveals its galaxy of star visitors - Times Online
20. Obama and the White House in Spanish
21. Policy 'Czars' Are Vital, Problematic - Forbes.com
22. Job-Creation Panel Leery of Spending - WSJ.com
23. DAWN.COM | Pakistan | Counter-terrorism plan for Pakistan within weeks: US
24. Podestas Rule Washington and Obama Guest List - US News and World Report
25. White House Releases Visitor Log - They Expect Us to Believe It's Not the Same Bill Ayers?
26. Obama watch - BostonHerald.com
27. Obama's proclamations proclaim November a real proclamations month already | Top of the Ticket | Los Angeles Times
28. Truce in the White House War with Fox News - World Television and Business News
29. Vote for winner: Fox News vs. White House
30. Big Business under siege - The Globe and Mail
31. Brad Pitt, Oprah Winfrey Among White House Visitors
32. Letter: Obama too thoughtful to be president - Chico Enterprise Record
33. The Press Association: George and Oprah visit White House
34. Man-Child-in-Chief on the Economy
35. RealClearPolitics - Politics Nation - Strategy Memo: E-Day 2009
36. Obama and the Europeans face Afghanistan | 44 | washingtonpost.com
37. Obama's Broken Promise Of a New Tone | NBC Dallas-Fort Worth
38. Fox News has courage of free speech
39. 'If you can't be safe, you can't be free' -- themorningcall.com
40. White House Debates Ideas on Jobs, Economy - BusinessWeek
41. The Associated Press: FACT CHECK: GOP math suspect in stimulus debate
42. Obama: Time to get to work on jobs - Josh Gerstein - POLITICO.com
43. The Associated Press: Obama: Hiring last to come as economy rebounds
44. President Obama official schedule and guidance, Nov. 2, 2009. Focus on economy, Swedish Prime Minister - Lynn Sweet
45. The first anniversary of Barack Obama - John Parisella - Macleans.ca
46. The Associated Press: Govt says swine flu vaccine catching up to demand
47. W.H. advisers mum on administration's mistakes - The Hill's Blog Briefing Room
48. Author of piece against Fox had nothing to back him up | Delawareonline.com | The News Journal
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