News Nuggets 142

Humpback whales courtesy of National Geographic

The Pope, Obama and the Middle East from Le Figaro [of France in English]

"One cannot imagine a more critical moment in relations between the two countries than a meeting between an American president, whose father was a Muslim and who is determined to make peace with the Arab world, and an Israeli leader opposed to the two-state solution."

Egypt to be Center Stage in Obama's Address to Arabs from the New York Times

"After eight years in which Egypt felt unappreciated and bullied by the Bush administration, Egyptian officials were gleeful about Cairo’s selection last week for the president’s address to the Muslim world. They said that it proved Egypt remained the capital of the Arab world and that it eased concerns that Washington might undermine its Arab allies in exchange for a grand deal with their rivals in Iran."

Arabs Pressure Obama (Tony Blankley) from the Washington Times

"I would argue that perhaps not since Woodrow Wilson sailed off to France in December 1918 to lead the post-World War I peace-treaty negotiations in Versailles has an American president had more personal responsibility placed on his shoulders for a successful diplomatic engagement."

Why Healthcare Providers Joined Forces with Obama from the Christian Science Monitor

"In 1993, they were a major factor in defeating President Clinton's proposals. But this time around, industry leaders sense change is inevitable, and they want a voice."

As Promised, Obama Has Been Tested from Politico

"Obama has already been tested on several international fronts, the results of which are not in yet and might take months or years to play out. But there have been tests, and they continue. "

The Old Faithful of Nonsense (Eugene Robinson) from the Washington Post

"Unrestrained by protocol or objective reality, [Cheney]'s pretty much guaranteed to say outrageous things. He requires no prompting or coaxing. As far as he's concerned, issues have just one side -- his -- and anyone who disagrees must secretly wish to deliver our nation to al-Qaeda."

Sometimes Silence is Golden (Charlie Cook) from National Journal

"Right now, nobody is listening to them and nobody cares what the GOP thinks. As painful as that must be for Republicans, it does provide them with an opportunity to do some thinking, so that when their time-out period is up and they rejoin the class, they will be able to come in with a new approach, some new thoughts and something of a fresh start."

The GOP's Driving Desire to Lose (Michael Gerson) from the Washington Post

"Of the two main American political parties, Republicans are now clearly distinguished by their driving desire to lose. Every faction seems determined to rule the kingdom of irrelevance."

Once More, Without Feeling (Dahlia Lithwick) from Slate

"The Republican war on empathy has started to border on the deranged, and you can't help but wonder to what purpose."