News Nuggets 109

Eyes of the World are on Obama from the New York Times

"The rapid political rise of Barack Obama can be gauged in many ways, but one of the best measures can perhaps be found in London, on the front stoop of No. 10 Downing Street.  Mr. Obama walked through the famous doorway for the first time less than four years ago. A dozen reporters were on hand that afternoon in August 2005, at least half of whom were waiting for someone else.

Breakthrough on US-Russian Relations? (Jake Tapper) from ABC News

This is EXACTLY what Obama said he was going to do during the campaign -- controlling loose nukes and stopping nuclear proliferation.  AWESOME!

"Senior officials with the Obama administration tell ABC News that this morning, after a bilateral meeting between President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, the governments of both countries will make a major announcement relating to U.S.-Russian relations, including arms control, a statement of the future U.S.-Russian agenda, and a U.S.-Russian summit to take place perhaps as early as this summer."

Turkey Awaits its Hero Obama from the Huffington Post

"I have just returned from a eight day visit to Turkey last week and I can confirm that, for anyone who may still question it, Barack Obama, as is true in probably most countries around the world, is now considered in Turkey to be the virtual "president" of our planet."

It's a Bird, it's a Plane, it's Super Prez (Howard Fineman) from MSNBC

"Other than Franklin Roosevelt during World War II, no president in modern history has claimed (or gotten) more power and visibility.  This super president is the product of a number of events and factors, some intentional, others simple twists of fate."

The Price is Not Right (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times

Friedman routinely makes interesting unconventional connections -- this is his latest.

"Just as A.I.G. sold insurance derivatives at prices that did not reflect the real costs and the real risks of massive defaults (for which we the taxpayers ended up paying the difference), oil companies, coal companies and electric utilities today are selling energy products at prices that do not reflect the real costs to the environment and real risks of disruptive climate change (so future taxpayers will end up paying the difference)."

Blame for Economy Not Fixed on Obama from the Washington Post

"The number of Americans who believe that the nation is headed in the right direction has roughly tripled since Barack Obama's election, and the public overwhelmingly blames the excesses of the financial industry, rather than the new president, for turmoil in the economy."

Obama's Tough Love for Detroit (David Corn) from Mother Jones

"Obama tells ailing automakers no more federal funds without better plans. But can he push them to produce not just better cars, but mass transit?"

The Man Who Ate the GOP from Vanity Fair

"In an ailing radio industry, with a graying audience and a pro-government landscape, Rush Limbaugh should be shuffling off into irrelevancy. Instead, his ever more outrageous attacks have everyone debating whether he’s the G.O.P.’s de facto leader, while the party shapes its ideology to fit his needs."

Republicans Disinvite Palin from Major Fundraiser, Trash Her in Private from the Associated Press via Huffington Post

Following up from my post the other day about Palin, it seems like there is a concerted effort afoot both in Alaska (from the Stevens/Young machine who seem to really have it in for her) and by the GOP establishment in DC to end Palin's future as a national Republican leader.  

"A GOP official trashed Palin to Fox News and insisted that her camp wasn't telling the truth. "She was a disaster,""

Putting the Twit into Twitter from Americablog

Like Americablog, I found this story both funny and sad.  The Guardian of London is looking to rewrite the whole of its newspaper's archive, stretching back to 1821, in the form of tweets.

"Major stories already completed include "1832 Reform Act gives voting rights to one in five adult males yay!!!"; "OMG Hitler invades Poland, allies declare war see tinyurl.com/b5x6e for more"; and "JFK assassin8d @ Dallas, def. heard second gunshot from grassy knoll WTF?""

Biden Daughter Cocaine Video was a Setup from Radar Online

I don't take Radar Online's (whoever they are) word as the final word on this.  To be frank this story struck me (at first) as a typical "politician's children gone wrong, see pg. 22" kind of story.  However, if this story is correct, it actually suggests something much more insidious: SETTING UP the children of politicians.  This guy seems to have been just an exploitive shit-heel -- but orchestrated by the likes of Karl Rove, what could this portend?  I'll bet those in the Rove line of work are taking notes.

"The video purporting to show Vice President Joe Biden's daughter Ashley snorting cocaine was preplanned by a man trying to get rich selling the tape, RadarOnline.com has learned exclusively.  The man, who is apparently a friend of Ashley's, even bought the cocaine and the hidden camera, our investigation has uncovered."

What Will Michelle Obama Wear for Tea with the Queen? from the Huffington Post

"First stop for the First couple is London, where Michelle is wildly popular, her every fashion decision breathlessly reported in the press, and where the headline of one newspaper recently cried, "Why doesn't the UK have a Michelle Obama?"  Sorry, Carla Bruni, Michelle is the new Diana."