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Sunday, April 12, 2009

News Nuggets 119

A cave near the ancient city of Petra in Jordan -- another 
amazing photo from the folks at National Geographic.

End of the Clash of Civilizations from the Editorial Board of the New York Times

"On his visit to Turkey last week, President Obama made important progress toward recalibrating America’s relations with the Islamic world."


Obama Seeks New Relationship with Latin America from Reuters News Service

"Obama travels to Mexico on Thursday for his first visit to the region as president and heads to Trinidad and Tobago on Friday for the Fifth Summit of the Americas. As he did at the G20 summit of major economic powers in London this month, the president plans to emphasize listening to regional leaders and working on shared goals."


Awake and Sing! (Frank Rich) from the New York Times

"No one is better placed or more philosophically suited than Obama to construct the new counternarrative as we go forward in our new New Deal. But many masters of the old universe, including quite possibly his chief economic adviser, can’t recognize that the world has changed or should change."


Obama's Best Friend: A Seething, Sniping Right (Andrew Sullivan) from the Times [of London]

Interesting analysis of the hyper-ventilating from the right these days -- I suspect he's on to something here.

"A poll indicating a sharply divided US proves Obama has won the fight for the centre."


Republicans Tripping (Terence Samuel) from American Prospect

Somewhat in the same vein as Sullivan above.

"Conservative critics used Obama's recent diplomatic trip to demonize the president. Unfortunately for them, their histrionics don't seem to be working."


Right's Rage at Overbearing Obama from the Times [of London]

I don't buy the 'overbearing' part of the headline, but the article is a pretty fair assessment.

"The torrent of ideas flowing out of the White House is raising hackles across the US."


We Still Can't Read Obama from the Globe and Mail [of Canada]

A very telling editorial from someone looking for familiar ideological tips and nods from Obama -- and not getting them.

"What are the most important issues for Mr. Obama? What are the cornerstone beliefs of this new President? What does he have "within which passes show"? He glides from one part of his mammoth agenda to the other, smooth, cool and charming all the way. But his effortless equanimity poses the question: If it were another agenda, a contrary agenda even, would he glide equally smooth, cool and charming over it? I don't think we know."


Community Organizing Never Looked So Good from the New York Times

What a great development!

"Once thought of as a destination for lefty radicals committed to living lives of low pay, frustration and bitter burnout, community organizing is now seen by many young people an exciting career."


Building a Nation that Thinks Locally from the Congressional Quarterly

An interesting domestic policy development.

"Now that he’s the president, Obama wants to dramatically reshape the relationship between the federal government and cities. In fact, many mayors are optimistic that this White House will foster the strongest federal-local relations seen in decades."


The War Within Islam (Jim Hoagland) from the Washington Post

"The struggle against al-Qaeda and its associates is not a war of religions with a monolithic Christianity fighting a unified Islam. But it is a religious war in significance and origin. Fanatical Islamic sects have framed their battle in holy terms and seek to destroy their faith's mainstream values. It is not a war on Islam but a war within Islam."


BOOK NUGGET!

This new book sounds very interesting!

A good review of Underground: My Life with SDS and the Weathermen by Mark Rudd from the Washington Post


HISTORY NUGGET!

From a cutting edge historian, a concise and well-written examination of FDR analogies in today's political context and recent books about Roosevelt!

The Hundred Days War: Histories of the New Deal (Thomas Sugrue) from the Nation

"Barack Lincoln. Barack H. Kennedy. Barack Carter. Barack Reagan. None have captured the imagination of editorialists, bloggers and journalists like Barack Delano Roosevelt."


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