News Nuggets 197

The Obamas -- off to Russia!  Image from the Huffington Post.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard Takes Command from the Los Angeles Times

Ominous news from Iran.

"The top leaders of Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard publicly acknowledged they had taken over the nation's security and warned late Sunday that there was no middle ground in the ongoing dispute over the reelection of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in a threat against a reformist wave led by Mir-Hossein Mousavi."

As Obama Visits, Russian TV Alters Take on US from the New York Times

"Opinion polls show a slight thaw in Russian perceptions of the United States, which have been in a long decline. The departure of George W. Bush, who was loathed here, does not fully account for this; it is an expression of hope, or curiosity, about what Mr. Obama will offer."

Obama, Russia and the Question of Color from Time Magazine

"When Obama first entered the race for President, many Russians could not get past his skin color. Prior to his win, tabloids constantly referred to him as "the black-skinned candidate" and the Russian public, not overly concerned with political correctness, seemed happy with the label. But as Obama prepares to visit Moscow on Monday, there are bigger issues at hand, and Russians are starting to warm to the American President as they look beyond his pigmentation and turn their focus to his policies."

Ghana Prepares for Obama Visit from Vibe Ghana [of Ghana in English]

"U.S. President Barack Obama makes his first trip to Sub-Saharan Africa as president this week. He is going to Ghana after stops in Russia and Italy. Our correspondent reports on preparations for this historic visit."

In Ghana, Obama Will Cry for Africa from My Joy Ghana [of Ghana in English]

"One of the greatest historical events to take place in Ghana will be the august visit of US President Barrack Obama. Already on the airwaves and the newspapers one can discern the warm and rousing welcome that awaits him to depict the proverbial Ghanaian hospitality"

Ghana, But Not Forgotten from Politico

"President Barack Obama, ..., is not scheduled to deliver a speech to the general public when he visits Ghana next week. ... Some suspect the reason has its roots in an event that holds a storied place in White House lore"

This story makes a lot of sense to me.

HELP is on the Way (Paul Krugman) from New York Times

Woo, woo!!  GOOD NEWS!

"The Congressional Budget Office has looked at the future of American health insurance, and it works. ...  Last week the budget office scored the full proposed legislation from the Senate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). And the news ... was very, very good. Yes, we can reform health care."

In Historic Fashion, Votes Mostly Go Obama's Way from Congressional Quarterly

More woo, woo! Check this out!!

"As his presidency approaches the half-year mark, Barack Obama is on pace to be the most successful Oval Office occupant in more than half a century when measured by his ability to get Congress to vote his way — even though he shows signs of carefully picking his fights on Capitol Hill."

TV and Obama: Mutual Love Affair from the Los Angeles Times

"There's no denying that broadcast networks and the president have occasionally worked for their mutual benefit: Obama gets public platforms for his ideas and the networks get programming that delivers strong ratings at a time when that's hard to come by."

In a similar vein:

Obama Coverage Pays for Networks from Politico

I had thought that this was the case for some time now.

"For all the talk of liberal media bias, there may be a more prosaic reason for all the airtime the networks shower on President Barack Obama: He’s good for their bottom line. "

Tea Party Movement Loses Steam from the Washington Independent

“I think of the Tea Party Movement as a play in three acts,” said Michael Patrick Leahy, a Nashville activist who has clashed with other Tea Party organizers, but who is speaking at the Dallas event. “Act one was to protest the socialist statism that we don’t believe in. The second act is happening on Saturday when we celebrate the Constitution that we do believe in. The third act will be taking actions to restore limited government.”

Ooooh! I just can't wait for that THIRD ACT!

Palin's Prospects (Fred Barnes) from the Weekly Standard

This is a FIRST -- the first time I have posted a link to the Weekly Standard, a conservative rag of the first order -- but this was an important pronouncement by the editor there.

"Forget about Sarah Palin as the Republican presidential candidate in 2012 and probably ever. She may have no interest in seeking the GOP nomination. But if she does, her chances of winning the nomination have been minimized by her decision to resign as governor of Alaska. She's knocked out one of three legs of the presidential stool and a second one is wobbly."

Palin Resignation Leaves GOP Weaker from the Bloomsberg News Service

"Palin’s decision to resign “just leaves you weaker,” said Eddie Mahe, a Republican strategist who said the party needs to find new political stars. “The hope has to be that there’s some folks out there somewhere who are contemplating getting involved in public life.”"

Palin and Her Enemies (Ross Douthat) from the New York Times

"Now, seemingly, it’s over. Oh, maybe not forever: she’s only 45, young enough (and, yes, talented enough) to have a second act. But last Friday’s bizarre, rambling resignation speech should take her off the political map for the duration of the Obama era."

Palin's Parting Shot (Anne Applebaum) from the Washington Post

"She smugly asserts the right to decide who is a patriot and who is not. It's not about "country," in other words, it's about hypocrisy. And Sarah Palin is full of it."

Odd Palin Lawyer Letter Follows Odd Palin Speech (Joan Walsh) from Salon

"I think Sarah Barracuda has actually been Sarah Barraquitta, as a friend quips, for most of her life, moving through five stays at four different colleges to get her degree, leaving her oil and gas commission post after just more than a year, and now stepping down as Alaska governor because it's no longer fun."

Mama Sarah's Mission to Kick Misery through Football from the Daily Nation [of Kenya in English]

"A lot of people have faith in that the good old lady can move mountains. They are from across the religious divide. They have been seeking her intercession since she assumed celebrity status courtesy of her grandson to highest administrative job on earth. Some of the latest moves have grabbed more international attention."

HISTORY ANALYSIS NUGGET!!

A wide-ranging conversation between Henry Kissinger and Der Spiegel with interesting insight on Obama and contemporary politics.

"Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, 86, discusses the painful lessons of the Treaty of Versailles, idealism in politics and Obama's opportunity to forge a peaceful American foreign policy."

MIDDLE-EASTERN NUGGET!!

Middle-East Views of Obama's Cairo Speech from the BBC

Interesting compilation of M-E opinions on Obama's Cairo Speech from about a month ago.