News Nuggets 239

Shooting stars in the Death Valley in California

Obama's Deal with Iran; So Far So Good (Robert Dreyfuss) from the Nation

"Fact is, the results of yesterday's meetings were pretty darned good, for seven hours work: the US and Iran sat down for an extended one-on-one, Iran agreed to allow IAEA inspectors to look at the Qom facility that caused all the hubbub, and Iran also acceded to a plan to ship most of its enriched uranium to Russia and France, where it will be turned into fuel rods for a reactor that is used to medical purposes."

Iran Nuke Deal Details from the Daily Beast

"The Daily Beast's Michael Adler reports that the "steps to build confidence" announced Thursday are more concrete than Obama revealed. Iran has agreed to ship enriched uranium to Russia for processing, leaving it without enough to make a bomb."

Obama the Gambler (Fareed Zakaria) from the Washington Post

"A central task of diplomacy is to explore those areas of agreement, build on them and thus create a more stable world. That's why we have treaties on everything from trade to taxation, adhered to by most nations for their collective benefit. In fact, Obama's approach has already produced remarkable results."

Obama's 'New Era of Engagement" (Bill Schneider) from National Journal

"The pieces of Obama's new foreign policy seem to be falling into place."

Power to Chaos - Tracking Iran's Four-Month Slide from Time Magazine

"Iran heads into talks in Geneva with the U.S. and five other world powers more vulnerable at home and abroad than at any time since the revolution's chaotic early days. Despite defiant talk and a weekend display of military force, the world's only theocracy begins its most important diplomatic engagement in three decades in real trouble."

The End of an Era (Editorial) from Al-Ahram [of Egypt in English]

"The important thing is that a new era has begun. Its characteristics include the policy of openness being pursued by the Obama administration with regard to friends and foes. The "you're either with us or against us" stand of the Bush administration has been consigned to history's dustbin in favour of alternative means of confronting terror and drying up its sources."

Support for Health Care Reform Rebounds in September from Politics Daily

"Support for health care reform during September grew, reversing an August slide."

Some Revolution from the New Republic

"Why the 2010 election will not be a repeat of 1994."

A more expanded conversation is from Larry Sabato:

"Deja Vu All Over Again? Repeat of 1994 Highly Unlikely" from Larry Sabato's Virginia U. Center for Politics

"While there are some important similarities between the current political situation and the circumstances that preceded the 1994 Republican victory, there are important differences between the makeup of the American electorate now and the makeup of the American electorate then, differences that make a repeat of the 1994 outcome highly unlikely."

Palin, Limbaugh, Beck ... Now It's Republicans Seeing the Downside from the Christian Science Monitor

"Some moderate conservatives see danger in the vociferous right, especially among broadcast pot-stirrers. They want to advance the GOP by changing the tone."

Lack of Competitive Open Seats Could Hinder GOP Election Gains from The Hill

This story reeks of Beltway conventional wisdom -- but it has a few good points nonetheless.

"Republicans have touted 2010 as their comeback year, but the GOP lacks one key ingredient that could turn a good election night into a great one: open seats to win."

The Left Aims for Critics' Jugular from Politico

"Liberal allies of President Obama aren’t just getting mad at conservative attackson his agenda. They are getting even in a way calculated to hit conservatives where it counts: their pockets. "

CULTURE NUGGET!!

Can the Muppets Make Friends in Remullah? from the New York Times Sunday Magazine

"Since the inception of “Sesame Street” in the United States 40 years ago, the nonprofit New York City-based organization that produces the show, which is now called Sesame Workshop, has created 25 international co-productions. Each country’s show has its own identity: a distinctive streetscape, live-action segments featuring local kids and a unique crew of Muppets. "