News Nuggets 132

Southwestern Utah again (I think).  What an amazing image!

See Andrew Sullivan's important article below in the Dispatches from the Bush Posse.

Hundreds of Reasons to Keep Pushing from Dawn [of Pakistan in English]

"Predictably, in the run-up to today, the Obama administration’s 100th day in office, there has been a plethora of commentary on its achievements and shortcomings. And one thing on which almost everyone would agree is that there has been plenty to talk about."

This President is No Cable Guy (Walter Shapiro) from Politics Daily

"at the same time he is delivering a camera friendly White House, Obama is simultaneously positioning himself as the first anti-cable-news president. An under-appreciated theme of Obama's first 14 weeks on Pennsylvania Avenue is his obvious distaste for the bickering and snickering that characterizes cable news across the ideological spectrum.

Nothing Wrong with Hillary Obeying Rituals of Lebanon from L'Orient Le Jour [of Lebanon in English]

Interesting to see what our Secretary of State has been doing in Lebanon and how it's been received there.

"From Hillary Clinton's whirlwind visit to Beirut last Sunday, we will above all remember her warm and insistent praise of the virtues of moderation in a country where the most unbridled political passions have been unleashed these past few years. This fact is hardly fortuitous and precisely conveys the amount of change that the advent of the Obama Administration represents for our country."

Churchgoers More Likely to Back Torture, Survey Finds from CNN

This doesn't surprise me -- but I can't say I understand it.  WWJD - Who would Jesus Waterboard?

"The more often Americans go to church, the more likely they are to support the torture of suspected terrorists, according to a new analysis."

Coalition or Club? (Ronald Brownstein) from National Journal

"The GOP is becoming an increasingly monochromatic party, dominated by the most conservative voters and regions. This process enormously accelerated under Bush and Karl Rove, who built their governing strategy on energizing the Republican base rather than on expanding it by courting swing voters."

Let's Go ... Republicans? (Eugene Robinson) from the Washington Post

"At this point, I'm almost ready to start rooting for the Republicans.  No, not really. There's no "mercy rule" in politics.  ...  Input from an effective, constructive opposition party would be good at this pivotal moment in the nation's history. If only such a party could be found."

Meanwhile Back at the Ranch ... from the Guardian [of London]

What has Bush -- yes, THAT Bush -- been up to?

"In a historic 100 days, George Bush has made dramatic inroads in DIY, mountain biking and after-dinner speaking. Luckily, his legacy is already secure."

Michelle Obama's First 100 Days from The Root

"We asked a collection of our favorite leaders, thinkers and talkers to sum up the first lady's impact so far. "

HISTORY-ECONOMY NUGGET!

Current Crisis Shows Uncanny Parallels to Great Depression from Der Spiegel [of Germany in English]

An interesting historical look at the economic situation from the GERMAN perspective.

"The Germans have always had a penchant for looking to America to gain a glimpse into the future.  ...  Now the Germans are looking across the Atlantic once again, but this time they see images that remind them of their own past, images of sad-looking people standing in long lines, hoping for work."