News of the Day Report

Sometimes, it's better to just let the news speak for itself...

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/30/placing-blame-on-the-gop-obama-looks-back-in-anger/   He began at the top, calling his predecessor, the former head of the Republican Party, a torturer.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20090429/D97SCPI00.html   FACT CHECK: Obama disowns deficit he helped shape

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124105303238271343.html  The feds have decided they should own a neat 50% of GM, yet that is not the natural outcome of the $16.2 billion that the Treasury has so far lent to the company. Nor is the 40% ownership of GM that the plan awards to the United Auto Workers a natural result of the company's obligations to the union.  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124104678893870699.html   it's hard to know whether this outcome is perversity or poetic justice. The UAW finally will end up having a direct stake in the survival and prosperity of General Motors and Chrysler

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124105268584271249.html   official 100 days talking points steps he has taken to "deliver on the change he promised." During the campaign, Mr. Obama denounced the $2.3 trillion added to the national debt on Mr. Bush's watch as "deficits as far as the eye can see." But Mr. Obama's budget adds $9.3 trillion to the debt over the next 10 years. What happened to Obama the deficit hawk?   Mr. Obama did not publicly utter the phrase "universal health care." Instead, his campaign ran ads attacking "government-run health care" as "extreme." Now Mr. Obama is asking, as he did at a townhall meeting last month, "Why not do a universal health care system like the European countries?" Maybe because he was elected by intimating that would be "extreme"?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124108888773872763.html Russia signed a deal with Georgia's two breakaway regions Thursday giving Moscow the power to guard their borders.  an apparent attempt to legitimize the presence of thousands of Russian troops in the separatists regions, which were at the center of the war. Russia will guard the borders of both regions including Abkhazia's territorial waters in the Black Sea, according to the agreement

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124105482098871505.html   The Obama administration, which wants to send hundreds of additional civilian personnel into Afghanistan, is looking at the Dutch military's operations there for lessons on how to combat the Taliban.  (What could go wrong?) 

http://www.columbia.edu/itc/journalism/nelson/rohde/p-10131.html  Dutch soldiers stood by as about 800 mostly elderly Muslim civilians were rounded up and later killed, according to witnesses.

. http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/04/29/obama_100_days_press_conference_transcript_96261.html

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/story?id=7471217&page=1   the secrets about the CIA's interrogation techniques continue to come out, there's new information about the frequency and severity of their use, contradicting an 2007 ABC News report, and a new focus on two private contractors who were apparently directing the brutal sessions that President Obama calls torture.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/theblotter/cia_secret_prisons/index.html   The CIA's secret prisons for the U.S. "high-value detainee" program existed because of the "secrecy, cover-up and dishonesty" of high-level European officials, Swiss Sen. Dick Marty said today.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gS_wCwVf04MPhiRv1lwDohnZy8gAD97SBFS80  Holder spoke before the announcement that a Spanish magistrate had opened an investigation of Bush officials on harsh interrogation methods. Holder didn't rule out cooperating in such a probe.  "Obviously, we would look at any request that would come from a court in any country and see how and whether we should comply with it," Holder said.  "This is an administration that is determined to conduct itself by the rule of law and to the extent that we receive lawful requests from an appropriately created court, we would obviously respond to it," he said.  Pressed on whether that meant the United States would cooperate with a foreign court prosecuting Bush administration officials, Holder said he was talking about evidentiary requests and would review any such request to see if the U.S. would comply.

http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2009/04/30/100-day_lurch_to_the_left_96260.html    The president is seeking to change the whole relationship between the government and the free-enterprise private sector. He is steering the country away from democratic capitalism and toward his big-government command-and-control vision. We are witnessing a triumph of government bureaucrats over entrepreneurs, investors, and small businesses.  This looks very much like a war against investors, businesses, and entrepreneurs. Shareholder rights are being eviscerated. Political decisions are replacing the rule of law, the rule of bankruptcy courts, and free-market principles.  The latest federal budget would double the debt in five years and triple it in ten. For some perspective, that debt level is higher than the combined debt levels generated under every president from George Washington to George W. Bush. According to the CBO, federal debt held by the public as a percentage of GDP under Obama is projected to rise to 82 percent in ten years. The budget deficit itself never drops below $670 billion and closes the period at $1.2 trillion. That's nearly a 6 percent share of the economy.  

http://www.nypost.com/seven/04292009/postopinion/opedcolumnists/the_obama_doctrine_166684.htm   the "Obama Doctrine" for our foreign and security poli cies has emerged. And it's terrifying.  The combination of dizzying naivete, dislike of our allies, disdain for our military, distrust of our intelligence services and distaste for our own country promises the worst foreign policy of our lifetimes.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvnewser/ratings/april_ratings_fnc_beats_cnn_and_msnbc_combined_115179.asp?fark  How's this for cable news domination - Fox News beat CNN and MSNBC combined in every hour from 6amET to MidnightET in both Total Viewers and the A25-54 demo for April 2009. FNC had the top 11 cable news programs in Total Viewers and 12 of the top 15 in the demo. FNC is the #2 network in Total Viewers on all of cable.

From 9amET on, every program grew by more than 60% in the demo. The 5pmET hour, now occupied by Glenn Beck, is up 212% in the demo and up 128% in Total Viewers. Your World with Neil Cavuto is up 102% in the demo and up 60% in Total Viewers. On the Record with Greta Van Susteren is up 75% in demo and up 55% in Total Viewers. Also in demo: FOX Report is up 75%, Special Report 70%, The O'Reilly Factor 74% and Hannity 64%.

Fox & Friends has now been #1 for 90 consecutive months, Studio B with Shepard Smith for 80 consecutive months.

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Former-Barney-Frank-staffer-now-top-Goldman-Sachs-lobbyist-43914907.html  Goldman Sachs' new top lobbyist was recently the top staffer to Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., on the House Financial Services Committee chaired by Frank. Michael Paese, a registered lobbyist for the Securities Industries and Financial Markets Association since he left Frank's committee in September, will join Goldman as director of government affairs, a role held last year by former Tom Daschle intimate, Mark Patterson, now the chief of staff at the Treasury Department.

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2009/04/28/wapost-shocker-obama-staffers-attend-secret-dinners-lefty-media    The Washington Post's Howard Kurtz has let the cat out of the bag in the Post's April 27 issue about a regularly scheduled  secret media dinner attended by some of the top left-wing journalists in the country. But it isn't just the lefty scribblers that have attended these secret, off-the-record dinners for these gatherings have each featured a guest. Rahm Emanuel, Sec. of the Treasury Tim Geithner, and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke have all recently had their chance to schmooze the press and guide them with the spin desired by the White House.  So, not only does Obama's Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel have secret daily phone calls with which to program the media's coverage of the White House, now it is revealed that Emanuel and other Obama staffers have been attending secret dinners to help the press understand what the White House wants reported? As Kurtz says, it all sounds "rather cozy," doesn't it?  What we see from this is more proof of the insular, even incestuous, world the Old Media inhabit. From Emanuel's secret daily phone calls, to the "journolist" -- a secret lefty website message board they all collude on -- now to secret dinners, it all seems "rather cozy," indeed.

http://washingtontimes.com/news/2009/apr/28/baracks-in-the-basement/  at the 100-day mark of his presidency, Mr. Obama is the second-least-popular president in 40 years.  According to Gallup's April survey, Americans have a lower approval of Mr. Obama at this point than all but one president since Gallup began tracking this in 1969. The only new president less popular was Bill Clinton,

http://www.cbc.ca/canada/newfoundland-labrador/story/2009/04/30/seabed-stpierre-430.html  Shades of the Falklands

Obama's 100 Day Press Conference

  View from the Podium

Here's what President Obama saw as he addressed the assembled White House Press Corps:

He was a very happy man.  He knew that there wouldn't be any difficult or "gotcha" questions, just another cake walk with the sheep.

It's amazing!  With the significantly difficult economic environment that currently exists; over a hundred major metropolitan areas experiencing double digit inflation; major banks requiring even more capital; the largest economic stimulus plan ever enacted, and apparently not working yet;  the largest budget ever proposed, $3.5 Trillion, about to be passed and signed; Russia formalizing it's occupation of Georgia's renegade provinces, Abkazia and South Ossetia; even the massive scare that Obama's team dealt New York City; a reasonable person would assume that the Press Corps would play their role in our democracy and ask just a few probing questions.  Instead, we were treated to a fawning and obsequious herd of sheep being lead off to be sheared.....

Here's the questions, if you missed it, or want to review to nonsense that the shepherd sang to the flock, click here for the transcript.

OBAMA: I will start taking some questions.  And I'll start with you, Jennifer.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. With the flu outbreak spreading and worsening, can you talk about whether you think it's time to close the border with Mexico and whether -- under what conditions you might consider quarantining, when that might be appropriate?

OBAMA:  Deb Price of Detroit News. Where's Deb?  Good to see you.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President.

On the domestic auto industry, have you determined that bankruptcy is the only option to restructure Chrysler? And do you believe that the deep cuts in plant closings that were outlined this week by General Motors are sufficient? 

OBAMA:   Jake? Where's Jake? There he is.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. You've said in the past that waterboarding, in your opinion, is torture. Torture is a violation of international law and the Geneva Conventions. Do you believe that the previous administration sanctioned torture?

OBAMA: Mark Knoller?

QUESTION: Thank you, sir. Let me follow up, if I may, on Jake's question. Did you read the documents recently referred to by former Vice President Cheney and others saying that the use of so-called "enhanced interrogation techniques" not only protected the nation but saved lives?

And if part of the United States were under imminent threat, could you envision yourself ever authorizing the use of those enhanced interrogation techniques?

OBAMA: Chuck Todd.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. I want to move to Pakistan. Pakistan appears to be at war with the Taliban inside their own country. Can you reassure the American people that if necessary America could secure Pakistan's nuclear arsenal and keep it from getting into the Taliban's hands or, worst case scenario, even al Qaeda's hands?

OBAMA:  OK, Jeff Mason?

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. One of the biggest changes you've made in the first 100 days regarding foreign policy has had to do with Iraq. But do the large-scale -- there's large-scale violence there right now. Does that affect the U.S.'s strategy at all for withdrawal? And could it affect the timetable that you've set out for troops?

OBAMA:  Chip Reid?

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. On Senator Specter's switch to the Democratic Party, you said you were thrilled; I guess nobody should be surprised about that.

But how big a deal is this, really? Some Republicans say it is huge. They believe it's a game-changer. They say that, if you get the 60 votes in the Senate, that you will be able to ride roughshod over any opposition and that we're on the verge of, as one Republican put it, "one-party rule."

Do you see it that way? And, also, what do you think his switch says about the state of the Republican Party?

OBAMA: 

QUESTION: Is the Republican Party in the desperate straits that Arlen Specter seems to think it is? OBAMA:  Ed Henry?

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. In a couple of weeks, you're going to be giving the commencement at Notre Dame. And, as you know, this has caused a lot of controversy among Catholics who are opposed to your position on abortion.

As a candidate, you vowed that one of the very things you wanted to do was sign the Freedom of Choice Act, which, as you know, would eliminate federal, state and local restrictions on abortion. And at one point in the campaign when asked about abortion and life, you said that it was above -- quote, "above my pay grade."

Now that you've been president for 100 days, obviously, your pay grade is a little higher than when you were a senator.

(LAUGHTER) Do you still hope that Congress quickly sends you the Freedom of Choice Act so you can sign it?

OBAMA:  Jeff Zeleny.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President.  During these first 100 days, what has surprised you the most about this office? Enchanted you the most from serving in this office? Humbled you the most? And troubled you the most?

OBAMA: Now let me write this down.

OBAMA:  OK. Lori Montenegro?

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. Mr. President, when you met with the Hispanic Caucus a few weeks ago, reports came out that the White House was planning to have a forum to talk about immigration and bring it to the forefront.

Going forward, my question is, what is your strategy to try to have immigration reform? And are you still on the same timetable to have it accomplished in the first year of your presidency?

And, also, I'd like to know if you're going to reach out to Senator John McCain , who is Republican and in the past has favored immigration reform?

OBAMA: Andre Showell? There you go.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President.  As the entire nation tries to climb out of this deep recession, in communities of color, the circumstances are far worse. The black unemployment rate, as you know, is in the double digits. And in New York City, for example, the black unemployment rate for men is near 50 percent.

My question to you tonight is given this unique and desperate circumstance, what specific policies can you point to that will target these communities and what's the timetable for us to see tangible results?

OBAMA:  Michael Scherer of TIME?

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. President. During the campaign, you criticized President Bush's use of the state secrets privilege, but U.S. attorneys have continued to argue the Bush position in three cases in court. How exactly does your view of state secrets differ from President Bush's? And do you believe presidents should be able to derail entire lawsuits about warrantless wiretapping or rendition if classified information is involved?

STAFF: Last question.

OBAMA: Jonathan Weisman, you get -- you get the last word. Where are you? There you are.

QUESTION: Thank you, sir. You are currently the chief shareholder of a couple of very large mortgage giants. You're about to become the chief shareholder of a car company, probably two.

And I'm wondering, what kind of shareholder are you going to be? What is the government's role as the keeper of public -- public trust and bonds in -- in soon-to-be public companies again? Thank you.

OBAMA:  Thank you, everybody.