Obama Strikes Right Cord in Russia from Der Spiegel
"US President Barack Obama is taking pains to massage Russian egos during his visit to Moscow. The charismatic US leader is trying not to overshadow his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev -- even if he is also meeting with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin."
Obama's Russia Gamble from the New Republic
"Perhaps the single greatest fault line between the Putin and Medvedev that has been suggested has been a belief that Medvedev may ultimately be more of a true believer in the rule of law than Putin, and therefore more receptive of the idea of restrained (e.g., liberal) state as a means to fostering prosperity in Russia. Intriguingly, several of President Obama's actions related to his current trip to Moscow suggest that he may share this view of Medvedev--and is conducting his Russia outreach accordingly."
A Good Start on Restarting US-Russian Engagement from the Los Angeles Times
"At the first U.S.-Russian summit in seven years, President Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed to agree. This is a far greater accomplishment than it might seem, given the sorry state of bilateral relations that the two leaders inherited and the high costs of discord. "
Pearls of Wisdom from Barack Obama from the Ghana Graphic [of Ghana in English]
"In “Dreams from My Father”, Obama echoes the following themes: Self-Discovery and Reflection, Imagination, Fear, Passion for Community Work, Mother and Father, Children, and Religion. To improve one’s life is to improve one’s thought. With that in mind, let’s peruse these pearls as we prepare the “Akwaaba” for this maverick who believed that “Yes, we can.” And, “Yes, we did!”"
In Search of Dignity (David Brooks) from the New York Times
Here, here!!
"Whatever policy differences people may have with him, we can all agree that he exemplifies reticence, dispassion and the other traits associated with dignity. The cultural effects of his presidency are not yet clear, but they may surpass his policy impact. He may revitalize the concept of dignity for a new generation and embody a new set of rules for self-mastery."
Russians Intrigued by Michelle Obama's Gardening from the Washington Post
"First lady Michelle Obama arrived here Monday afternoon to an audience more intrigued by and enamored of her gardening skills than of anything else on her résumé."
In Moscow, Sasha Obama Wakes Parents to Chat (Lynn Sweet) from Politics Daily
"President Obama reports that daughters Sasha and Malia are having a great time in Moscow during the second international swing of their summer vacation. Sasha was so excited that she woke her folks up at 4 a.m. to talk about the trip."
Grading Obama's Performance in Russia from Politico
"Joseph S. Nye: "I would give him an A-...To award a straight A, I would have liked to have seen more progress on proliferation in Iran and North Korea ...""
Specter is a Loyal Democrat Since Party Switch, Study Shows from Congressional Quarterly
Surprise, surprise!! Thank you, Joe Sestack!
"Specter, who faces a serious challenge in a 2010 Democratic primary, has demonstrated a higher level of party unity during his brief time as a Democrat than he did as a Republican."
The Republicans and the Politics of Self Destruction (Paul Begala) from CNN
"The Republican Party was once a solid, serious, stable group of people. It was the party of Eisenhower, of Ford -- and not too long ago, the party of Colin Powell. Now it's got more flakes than Post Toasties."
GOP Pols Losing Control of Tea Party Movement? from TalkingPointsMemo
WHO CALLED IT!! I KNEW that the teabaggers were not safe Republicans! These folks are much more in the vein of Huey Long's radical populism than traditional Conservatism.
"On the one hand are the hard-line activists who attend these things, versus the more mainstream politicians who want to win elections and are looking for their votes -- and are running into all manner of conflicts as a result."
The Sins of Sarah Palin (Roger Simon) from Politico
"Sarah Palin is a sinner. She has violated several commandments and thoroughly deserves the savage beating that she is now getting from political mandarins and media elites. "
Simon's on-the-money here.
Palin's Puzzling Move Again Roils 2012 Field from Politics Daily
"It's like a game of Republican dominoes, falling one by one."
Dodging an Alaskan Bullet (Richard Cohen) from the Washington Post
"Naming Palin to the GOP ticket -- a top-down choice by McCain -- was the most reckless decision any national politician has made in the longest time, and while it certainly says something about McCain, it says even more about his party. It has lost its mind."
A Starter, Not a Finisher (Eugene Robinson) from the Washington Post
"There are basically two reasons the political class and the commentariat continue to speak and write about Palin as if she were a substantial figure whose presence on the national stage is anything but a cruel, unfunny joke. The first is fear -- not of Palin and her know-nothing legions, but of being painted as elitist and sexist."
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