News Nuggets 205

A baby Loggerhead Sea Turtle in Florida - from the Chicago Tribune

Former President's Speech Shows Widening Split Among Iran's Rulers from the Economist [of London]

"The fissures at the top of the Islamic regime show no signs of healing. With more senior clerical figures coming out in support of Mr Mousavi, the ruling elite is looking increasingly divided between the clerics and the military."

Rafsanjani Makes His Move from RealClearWorld

"By using the word 'crisis' in front of millions of Iranians, Rafsanjani's biggest target was Ali Khamenei. Sending a direct message to the Supreme Leader, Rafsanjani made it clear that unless a solution suitable for both sides is found, the situation will continue, and this could be dangerous."

Iranian Protesters Galvanized by Sermon from the Los Angeles Times 

"A sermon by powerful cleric and opposition supporter Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani reignited Iran's simmering protest movement Friday, heartening thousands of supporters who braved tear gas and club-wielding militiamen to march and chant slogans across Tehran."

Former Iranian President Blasts Government (Reza Aslan) from the Daily Beast

"Ali-Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani spoke at Friday Prayer and delivered pointed criticism of the handling of the Iranian election and the arrest of protesters. Demonstrators took to the streets. Reza Aslan says the revolution may not be over."

Tehran Losing Iranians' Trust, Ex-Leader Says from the New York Times

"As thousands of protesters chanted Friday in the streets outside, a former Iranian president, Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani, assailed the government’s handling of the post-election unrest, saying it had lost the trust of many Iranians, and called for the release of hundreds of those arrested in recent weeks."

Reset Reviewed (Mikhail Gorbachev) from the New York Times

"The past few years have been a very difficult period in relations between the United States and Russia. ...  The recent visit of President Barack Obama to Russia was a first step toward an exit from the deadlocked state of our relations."

Even at the Vatican, They Love Obama from Newsweek

"President Obama is much more popular at the Vatican than he is with the most vocal American bishops. American monsignori in Vatican City "are all Fox News, Bush-loving Republicans," a Vatican reporter told me on the condition that I not use his name and harm his access. "The Italians, however, are another story. They love Obama.""

Obama: Don't Bet Against Me from Politico

"Obama also tried to quiet naysayers with a bold prediction that he would sign a bill by year’s end, despite the frequent setbacks. “That is why those who are betting against this happening this year are badly mistaken," Obama said. "We are going to get this done. We will reform health care. It will happen this year. I’m absolutely convinced of that.” "

Climate Push Gets Personal from Politico

"Stung by complaints that it did too little, too late in the House, the Obama administration has launched an intense, senator-by-senator effort to push climate change legislation through the Senate."

Health Reform Rises from the Dead (Kai Wright) from the Root

"For those of us who questioned how hard the White House and its congressional allies would fight for health care reform, the answer is here. ... in the last couple of days Barack Obama has put Republicans and conservative Democrats alike "on notice": Get on board or get left behind."

This week has been such a roller coaster concerning health care, going up, down and sideways.  Who knows where the Hell this will end up.

Another optimistic note from:

Health Care's Historic Moment (Timothy Egan) from the New York Times

"Politics is so often a salon sport, with its up-and-down arrows, weekly winners and losers, and reliable hypocrisies providing sustainable entertainment for the permanent class in Washington. But every now and then elected officials do something that has deep and lasting consequences — a generational life-changer."

Losing the Races (Charles Blow) from the New York Times

"In Buchanan’s white-centered Republican world, playing the victim is a route to victory. If Hispanics are offended by Republicans attacking Sotomayor, so be it. After all, he says, there were 10 times more white voters in November than Hispanic ones.  If Republicans buy this “who cares” reasoning, they’re doomed to defeat."

Palin vs. Planet from the Daily Beast

"Congressman Ed Markey, co-author of a new energy bill in the House, fires back at the Alaska governor for her confusion, fuzzy math, and inaction on global warming."

Here again, Palin is the perfect stand-in for a whole faction of the GOP.

In Sonia v. Sarah, GOP is Doomed (Editorial) from the [Toronto] Globe and Mail

"The Democrats have Sonia Sotomayor. The Republicans have Sarah Palin. That's all you really need to know. Between them, these two women explain why the Republicans are doomed."

Birther Movement Dogs Republicans from the Washington Post

"The Republicans who appear to be willing to listen to “birthers,” even to debunk them, have to walk a tightrope. ... In early July, a small group of “birthers” walked the halls of Congress handing “grand jury presentments” over to the confused front desk assistants of members of Congress; the activists rushed online to report the latest member who had been “handed” the information."

More evidence (if you needed any) of how far off the deep end the GOP has gone!

News Nuggets 204

UP-FRONT "HEALTH CARE-SEEMS-TO-BE-HAPPENING" NUGGETS!!

Four encouraging items on health care reform all came out yesterday.  This starts to look like "momentum."  I wonder if Obama has been kicking some lawmaker ass since coming back from overseas!   

1.  Reid Says Healthcare Reform Possible Week of July 27 from The Hill

2.  Max Baucus: Bipartisan Health Care Deal Close from Politico

3.  Pelosi says Health Bill to Move to the Floor in Two Weeks from NBC News

4.  AMA Backs House Health-Care Bill from MSNBC

A related item:

The Fabled Obama Machine Tests Itself - and Fellow Dems - on Health Care from Politics Daily

"For a while, the fabled grassroots troops that powered Obama to the White House appeared to be AWOL. It seemed that the "movement" and its massive 13 million name e-mail list had been lost in transition.  Well, they're back, and the next three crucial weeks should give us some indication of whether Team Obama has successfully transformed an election campaign operation into an issue advocacy shop."

This is important.  We'll see how it fares.

Obama's Consensus Diplomacy Put to the Test (Editorial) from the Moscow Times [in English]

"Following U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to Russia, most political commentators focused on two themes: the fact that nuclear arms reductions have returned to the agenda and the problem of democracy in Russia. In both areas, Obama performed a political balancing act that was nothing short of miraculous."

Very interesting look at Obama as a clear post-Cold War leader.

Morning Again (John Barry) from Newsweek

"Obama—easily the most eloquent President since Reagan—wields words as his predecessor did. Obama's speech on race in America in the middle of last year's election campaign changed how the issue can be discussed. Similarly, on the question of health care, it's clear that Obama set out to change the terms of the debate with his rhetoric. The operative presumption is now that there will be health-care reform. That's Obama's doing."

Despite Barry's overdone love affair with Reagan, I agree with his larger points on what Obama is bringing to the international table.  I would say that Obama does it even better than Reagan ever did.

Illegal, and Pointless from the Editorial Board of the New York Times

"Two things seem disturbingly clear. First, President Bush and his top aides panicked after the Sept. 11 attacks. And second, Mr. Cheney and his ideologues, who had long chafed at any legal constraints on executive power, preyed on that panic to advance their agenda."

No Size Fits All (David Brooks) from the New York Times

"Most people in government, think tanks and the news media didn’t go to community college, and they don’t send their children to them. It’s a blind spot in their consciousness. As a result, four-year colleges receive three times as much federal money per student as community colleges. ...  Which is why what President Obama announced this week is so important. He announced a $12 billion plan to produce 5 million more community college grads by 2020."

The Dick Cheney Diversion (Terence Samuel) from American Prospect

"Cheney's reemergence in the media spotlight can only make Obama look good."

Former GOP Congressmen Accuse Republicans of Putting Party Above the Constitution from the Huffington Post

"Two former Republican members of Congress have accused their GOP colleagues of putting party politics over the Constitution during the Bush years, arguing that they failed dramatically to check the White House's use of executive powers."

VIDEO HUMOR NUGGET!!

Cute/Ridiculous Animal Thing of the Day: Live Squirrel Cam from Huffington Post

Hilarious video and pictures from the Bad Manors Squirrel Diner in California!

News Nuggets 203

Baby Fennec Foxes -- from the Chicago Tribune

Is Obama Changing Arab Public Opinion? (David Pollock) from RealClearWorld

"Several new polls suggest that the United States is gaining ground in the "Arab street," and that President Barack Obama's latest overtures, specifically his June 4 speech in Cairo, were well received by some important Arab constituencies. Although a great deal of skepticism remains, students of Arab public opinion would regard these numbers as surprisingly encouraging."

Obama Takes Small Steps in Moscow (Editorial from former Indian diplomat) from the Asia Times

"Something seems to have changed on two tracks, which might provide an impetus to the relationship. The first steps have been taken towards a new strategic arms limitation treaty. They are small steps and they are not very confident ones, but the fact is they have been taken. The second track is the agreement on Afghanistan."

An interesting examination of the Russia-US relationship -- from the perspective of a third party.

Ahmadinejad 'Must Be Offered Something' from the Gazeta [of Russia in English]

"Concerning improved relations between Iran and the U.S. and what role Russia might play, Victor Kremenyuk, the deputy director of the Institute of the USA and Canada at the Russian Academy of Sciences, spoke to Gazeta."

For Our Own Good (Editorial) from the Jerusalem Post

"The unwritten understanding between these leaders went more or less as follows: Because of the structure of Israeli politics and the influence of right-wing elements, it is easier for a government to negotiate peace than to remove settlements or even freeze their growth, especially when no final status agreement appears likely in the near term."

Kenyans Appreciate Obama's 'Slap in the Face' from the Handelsblatt [of Germany in English]

"Worried that the country might be drifting toward civil war, many Kenyans appreciate seeing their deeply-divided 'unity' government reprimanded by the one man who, by virtue of his ancestry, already commands an unprecedented level of respect."

May Obama Herald Era of 'Peace and Honest Dealings' from Modern Ghana [of Ghana in English]

"Mr. Barack Obama, you are most welcome to Ghana. We hope, along with [President] Professor Mills, you find the right distance to keep in relations between Ghana and the U.S., which will maintain real mutual benefit for both of our peoples for years to come."

For Clinton, '09 Campaign is for Her Turf from the New York Times

"Mrs. Clinton has told colleagues about a recent phone conversation with Henry A. Kissinger, a secretary of state who was not sidelined, in which he told her he could not recall a time when there appeared to be less friction between the State Department and the White House. Mr. Kissinger confirmed the account. At the same time, however, the White House has exercised a tight grip on critical foreign policy issues, particularly Iran."

The White House Strikes Back from Politico

"On the defensive over the economy and health care, the White House is shooting back with a double-barreled message for its critics and skeptics. To Republicans who say the stimulus isn’t working: Back off.  To moderate Democrats wary of health care reform: We’re watching you. "

Socialized Medicine? Bring it on (Richard Cohen) from the Washington Post

"How things could be worse than they are now, I cannot imagine.  In the past two months, I have spent many hours accompanying a loved one to hospital emergency rooms -- all of them privately operated. The rap on what is sometimes called socialized medicine is that if the government ran the system, the wait would be interminable. Well, I am here to tell you that even when the government does not run the system, the wait can be interminable."

Cohen nails the reality of health care today.

Health Care Arises From the Dead (Editorial) from The Root

"For those of us who questioned how hard the White House and its congressional allies would fight for health care reform, the answer is here. The devil remains in the details, of course, but in the last couple of days Barack Obama has put Republicans and conservative Democrats alike "on notice": Get on board or get left behind."

Now I'm Pissed (Editorial) from The Root

"As I watched the second day of confirmation hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor, I grew closer and closer to the stereotype. Angry-black-woman syndrome—hard to get along with, excitable, overly aggressive, difficult, a bully and a badgerer—began to set in."

Down the Mississippi: Barack Obama Effect Ends White Rule in Deep South Town from the Daily Telegraph [of London]

"A tiny Mississippi delta town has elected its first black mayor after the white incumbent, unopposed for 30 years, faced a young challenger inspired by President Barack Obama's feat in winning the White House."

Whose Identity Politics (Eugene Robinson) from the Washington Post

"The only real suspense in the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor is whether the Republican Party will persist in tying its fortunes to an anachronistic claim of white male exceptionalism and privilege."

Takeover Opportunities Grow for House Dems from the Hill

"The troubles House campaign committees face when their most vulnerable members run for higher office is a familiar topic for Backroom readers. But, in this cycle, Republicans are getting hit hard. "

A Word to the Wise, Republicans (editorial) from Truth/Slant

"Racism isn’t about what people say. It’s about how people think. And when you look at how some Republicans are thinking about Sotomayor (and the black and brown peoples of this country), that is where they do themselves some real damage."

Poor, Persecuted Sarah Palin (Thomas Frank) from the Wall Street Jornal

"if political figures stand for ideas, victimization is what Ms. Palin is all about. It is her brand, her myth. Ronald Reagan stood tall. John McCain was about service. Barack Obama has hope. Sarah Palin is a collector of grievances. She runs for high office by griping.  This is no small thing, mind you. The piling-up of petty complaints is an important aspect of conservative movement culture. "

I've been struggling to identify why I've still been posting on the Palin meltdown two weeks after the fact.  Frank's analysis captures why: there is so much about her brief time in the spotlight that speak to the fundamental orientation of the GOP these days -- she seems to represent it all.

News Nuggets 202

A swan with its cygnet in the River Exe in Exeter, England from the Daily Telegraph

The Five Pillars of Obama's Foreign Policy from Time Magazine

"What is known now, however, is the outline of Obama's operating philosophy of world affairs, a set of principles and assumptions that were only hinted at during the protracted presidential campaign. So what is the new Obama Doctrine? Here are five of its central pillars:"

Medvedev Under Obama's Charm from the Moscow Times [in English]

"U.S. President Barack Obama’s trip to Moscow was an impressive diplomatic performance. Obama was able to establish what he called a “tone of mutual respect” without yielding any ground on matters of principle. Even though the visit was short on concrete deliverables, it may well prove to be a pivotal event that will define the character of U.S.-Russian relations for the next four to eight years."

Russia is Still a Declining Power (David Ignatius) from the Washington Post

"Russia today often seems to combine the worst aspects of a free market and a command economy. It has the dealmaking and corruption of the new capitalism, and the top-heavy bureaucratic inefficiency of the old communism. The result is an economy that seems stuck in second gear, even as those of the nations Russia sees as its peers -- Brazil, India and China -- continue to accelerate."

Ignatius is very much on-target with this analysis.

In a similar vein:

China's One Hundred Years of Ineptitude from Foreign Policy Magazine

"The unrest in Xinjiang and arrest of a foreign corporate executive show that China is not ready to lead."

The North Korean Nuclear Test: The Russian Reaction from the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists

"There's a growing consensus in Moscow that North Korea's behavior is posing a threat to regional security and Russia's national interests. The following circumstances are making Moscow particularly uneasy:"

Goodbye Iraq and Good Luck (Thomas Friedman) from the New York Times

"Talabani’s joke seemed to have been directed as much to his fellow Iraqis as to Admiral Mullen. My translation: “Everyone here has a history, and it’s mostly painful. We Iraqis love to tell our histories. And the more we do, the better they get. But with you Americans leaving, we need to decide: Do we keep telling our stories, or do we figure out how to settle our differences?”"

Ghana: Obama Visits a Hopeful Nation on a Troubles Continent from the Brookings Institution

"There is perhaps no region in the world in which there is a greater gap between the high expectations of an Obama presidency and knowledge of his administration's intended policies than in sub-Saharan Africa. That gap should narrow when President Obama makes a fleeting visit to Ghana on July 10 and 11."

Ghana's Finest Hour from the Ghanaian Times

"If the official reason given for the choice of this country above all others is anything to go by, then Ghanaians have earned the honour of Obama’s choice. From 1992, the people have practiced democracy the way it is practiced anywhere – add or subtract the few negatives."

The Audacity of the Pope (Ross Douthat) from the New York Times

"The pope is not a Democrat or a Republican, and his vision doesn’t fit the normal categories of American politics.  But Benedict’s encyclical is nothing if not political. ... It links the dignity of labor to the sanctity of marriage. It praises the redistribution of wealth while emphasizing the importance of decentralized governance. It connects the despoiling of the environment to the mass destruction of human embryos."

'Obama is Like the Messiah': Africans React to Obama's visit to Ghana from the [Manchester] Guardian

Africans give their opinions of Barack Obama as he makes his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa as president.

Independent's Day from Newsweek

"Obama doesn't want to look back, but Attorney General Eric Holder may probe Bush-era torture anyway."

The Real Court Radicals (E.J. Dionne) from the Washington Post

"This week's hearings on Judge Sonia Sotomayor's nomination to the Supreme Court represent the opening skirmish in a long-term struggle to challenge the escalating activism of an increasingly conservative judiciary."

The Balance Begins to Tip Against Cheney (John Nichols) from the Nation

"Dick Cheney's accountability moment may finally be arriving.  After years of pulling punches, Democrats in the Senate are throwing them at Cheney, following the revelation that the man who operated as something akin to a co-president during George Bush's first term ordered the CIA to withhold information about a secret counterterrorism program from Congress."

She Broke the GOP and Now She Owns It (Frank Rich) from the New York Times

"No less than 71 percent of Republicans said they would vote for her for president. That overwhelming majority isn’t just the “base” of the Republican Party that liberals and conservatives alike tend to ghettoize as a rump backwater minority. It is the party, or pretty much what remains of it in the Barack Obama era."

Republican Pundits Open Fire on Palin from the Los Angeles Times

"Since announcing her resignation, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been pummeled by critics who have called her incoherent, a quitter, a joke and a "political train wreck."  And those were fellow Republicans talking.

Palin's Long March to a Short-Notice Resignation from the New York Times

"Nick Ayers, arrived with a memorandum containing firm counsel, ... : Make a long-term schedule and stick to it, have staff members set aside ample and inviolable family time to replenish your spirits, and build a coherent home-state agenda that creates jobs and ensures re-election.  Like so much of the advice sent Ms. Palin’s way by influential supporters, it appeared to be happily received and then largely discarded."

Palin Leads the Right into a Reality TV Vortex (Andrew Sullivan) from the Times [of London]

"The reality of Sarah Palin is that politics is a means to her higher goal: celebrity. Every action she takes is designed to make sense . . . if you believe that government is really a version of a reality show."

White House 'Dirty Tricks' Torpedo Palin from the Times [of London]

"Sarah Palin, the former vice-presidential candidate, has accused members of President Barack Obama’s administration of a dirty tricks campaign to derail her political career."

The Art of the Political Comeback from the New York Times

"How far can a major political party fall?  It’s a question Republicans seem determined to test these days."

ON BREAK

The Nuggetsman will be away until Monday.  Be back then.

NM

News Nuggets 201

Molten lava hardening up near a volcano in Hawaii from National Geographic

Obama's Global Audience (Ronald Brownstein) from the National Journal

"Fully 61 percent of those polled outside of the United States said they trust Obama "to do the right thing regarding world affairs." No other leader had the trust of more than 40 percent of respondents outside the leader's home country. In France, Germany, and Great Britain, approximately nine out of 10 respondents said they trust Obama, putting more faith in him than in their own leaders. He ran about as well in Africa and Asia."

Ghana: Obama Visits a Hopeful Nation on a Troubled Continent from the Brookings Institution

"There is perhaps no region in the world in which there is a greater gap between the high expectations of an Obama presidency and knowledge of his administration's intended policies than in sub-Saharan Africa. That gap should narrow when President Obama makes a fleeting visit to Ghana on July 10 and 11."

The GOP's Paranoid Foreign Policy from Newsweek

LOTS of truth in this analysis!

"To the Republicans, everything Barack Obama does is a sign of weakness and a threat to American sovereignty."

New Pew Research Report on the Views of Science and Scientists

VERY interesting findings here.  These are just a few:

"About three-quarters (76%) say a major problem for science is that news reports fail to distinguish between findings that are well-founded and those that are not. ... American attitudes toward science finds that 55% of scientists identify as Democrats, while 32% identify as independents and just 6% say they are Republicans. When the leanings of independents are considered, fully 81% identify as Democrats or lean to the Democratic Party, compared with 12% who either identify as Republicans or lean toward the GOP."

White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ from Gawker.com

"Reporters from roughly 30 television networks, newspapers, magazines, and web sites celebrated the Fourth of July with Barack Obama at the White House last weekend. Why didn't you know that? Because they were sworn to secrecy."

There is something very Franklin-Roosevelt-like in the way Obama deals with the press corps, and, while I guess I should be upset by this story, I actually find it very amusing -- especially when you consider the terrible evening the ONE POOL REPORTER had.

Young, Gifted and Slack (David Swerdlick) from The Root

Truly one of the most ON-TARGET observations made yet about Sarah Palin!

"Gov. Sarah Palin isn’t using the title “Reverend” yet, but that could be her next move. She’s well on her way to becoming a conservative Rev. Al Sharpton in whiteface. "

A Farewell to Harms (Peggy Noonan) from the Wall Street Journal

""She makes the Republican Party look inclusive." She makes the party look stupid, a party of the easily manipulated.  "She shows our ingenuous interest in all classes." She shows your cynicism"

A Midlife Meltdown for Palin (Ellen Goodman) from the Boston Globe

MAN!  Ellen hits it today!

"There was the frozen smile, the vulnerability, the odd grab bag of unfiltered, unedited, unintelligible un-reasons scattered across the lawn. Palin quit to avoid being a quitter. She cut and ran as an act of self-sacrifice. She left her job to serve her country.  It wasn’t like watching a car wreck. It was like watching a midlife meltdown."

Can Artur Davis Win in Alabama from Politics Daily

A black politician whose career very much mirrors Obama's.

"The question that arises in nearly every conversation about Davis and the governorship in Alabama is, "Can he win?" With few exceptions, nobody seems to know."

Party of Franken, Party of Palin (Joe Conason) from Truthdig.org

"The new senator from Minnesota is a comedian, writer and actor who lived on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and raised a lot of money from friends in Hollywood. The departing governor of Alaska is a hockey mom from a small backwoods town who likes to hunt and fish. Yet today, Al Franken looks wholesomely mainstream, while Sarah Palin seems headed for the tabloid fringe."

Michelle Obama: No Comment on Italian Leader's Escapades from the McClatchy News Service

This story is a little weirder than the headline suggests.  There was a lot here to have "no comment" about.

"First lady Michelle Obama and other spouses came as planned — and found themselves touring with a former topless model-turned-government minister filling in as the official hostess for the prime minister's soon-to-be ex-wife."

News Nuggets 200

A sunset in Hawaii -- from the Daily Telegraph of London

Protesters, Security Forces Gather Across Iran from the Daily Beast

Hold onto your hats -- this could be a tough day in Tehran.

"Protesters and security forces have begun to gather in the streets of downtown Tehran as the nation braces for a potential day of violent confrontations."

Five Leaders Who Miss George W. Bush from Foreign Policy Magazine

VERY interesting item -- says a lot about the global arena Obama is stepping onto.

"Barack Obama might still be overwhelmingly popular around the world, but here are five heads of state who probably wish they could have the old guy back."

Russia No Match for NATO (Editorial) from the Moscow Times

"If Russia cannot even provide regional security in its so-called “sphere of privileged interests,” it is clear that Medvedev’s attempt to redesign the global security architecture is overly ambitious and misplaced, to say the least. He is acting like a pole vaulter who after failing five attempts to jump over 3 meters raises the bar to 6 meters on the sixth attempt."

Interesting perspective on Russia's concerns and policies these days.  There's two more HERE and HERE from the same paper.

US and Russia Negotiate to Lift Trade Restrictions from the Washington Post

"Obama had promised to make a priority of repealing the 1974 Jackson-Vanik amendment, which was originally designed to impose limits on trade with communist countries that restricted emigration but which remains a sore point between Washington and Moscow."

Russians 'Fell in Love' with the Obamas from the Gazeta Wyborcza [of Poland in English]

An interesting, wide-ranging analysis that highlights many cultural aspects of Russia.

"Michelle is very popular in Russia. Her beauty, friendliness and, as the Russians put it, “the spark” between her and her husband, are viewed in a sympathetic light. The fact that the president's wife started a garden at the White House, where she grows lettuce and carrots, made her dear to the hearts of millions of Russian women."

Honduras and the 'Little Yankees' from Tal Cual [of Venezuela in English]

A FASCINATING view of the recent coup in Honduras and Obama's response to it.

"For once in its long history of outrages against its 'backyard,' the Empire is behaving with discretion and prudence. But ousted President Zelaya wants to return to power riding a gringo tank."

Obama's Test in Ghana from the Boston Globe

This item provides some insight into what Obama will be walking into when he gets to Ghana on Saturday.

"As the first independent nation in sub-Saharan Africa, Ghana has been a beacon of hope for black people around the world. So it’s particularly disappointing to see Ghana backing the African Union resolution on Bashir, who is allegedly responsible for the murder of thousands of Africans."

The Unemployed Will Roar (Marie Coco) from the Washington Post via RealClearPolitics

"Let's stop kidding ourselves. In no contemporary economic crisis -- not even those that unfolded on the Republicans' watch -- has Congress left the unemployed completely in the lurch. So some sort of spending package -- call it stimulus, call it stopgap emergency aid, whatever works -- is going to have to be passed."

This author I suspect has a clear-eyed and sobering view of where the economy is right now and what needs to happen.

Generation Obama Meets Bill Clinton from Politics Daily

"Although they had seemed mortal enemies during the 2008 campaign, all seemed to be forgiven between Clinton and this crowd of energized Obama devotees at the Campus Progress national conference."

Obama Still Viewed as a Strong Leader, Poll Shows from CNN

Now, I tend to avoid obsessive poll-watching.  It's usually a waste of time -- especially NOW so far out from any election. However, the results from the first two questions of this poll are remarkable given the continuing economic slide and everything else.  

Obama vs. MoveOn from the Daily Beast

"When the White House made noises about compromising on health care, MoveOn.org went on the attack. The Daily Beast's Matthew Yglesias on the political minefield that awaits the president and the Senate."

To the Right of the Pope (E.J. Dionne) from the Washington Post

"Obama will have his audience with Benedict just three days after the release of a papal encyclical on social justice that places the pope well to Obama's left on economics. What a delightful surprise it would be for a pope to tell our president that on some matters, he's just too conservative."

The Republicans' Dwindling Options (David Frum) from The Week

"With Sarah Palin and Mark Sanford out of the running, the GOP has to hope that Mitt Romney shows his good side in 2012."

Some interesting analysis from a GOP insider who I usually don't like.

To Go Forward, GOP Must Snap Out of Its Sarah Palin Spell (Mike Murphy) from the New York Daily News

"Last year, the big wrong idea was this notion that base voters have somehow become the new swing voters. We are now told the party base - those voters who will vote for a bag of cement if it has an R or D attached to it - must be carefully appealed to, romanced and appeased.  Under that funhouse reasoning, Palin was an inspired pick."

Why Sarah Palin Really Quit Us (Dahlia Lithwick) from Slate

"Palin's political skill lies in selling a persona but not a message. And in the end, this may explain why she quit."

Palin's Problem Outside the Base from Pollster.com

TWO POLLS IN ONE DAY! Unheard of at the News Nuggets!

"Palin's problem outside the base. Of all the dimensions on which Palin can be viewed, the one that is most crucial for any national ambitions she may hold is the most fundamental: is she qualified to be president? "

CULTURAL REGRESSION NUGGET!!

Swim Club Accused of Discrimination Sics Cops on Media from RawStory

"More than 60 children enrolled in day-care in the basement of a Northeast Philadelphia elementary school were told to pack up and not return, after the Valley Swim Club in Montgomery County accused them of changing the “complexion” and “atmosphere” of the club."

When I first read this story, my response is "NO WAY!"  There must be some mis-reporting here.  But no ... it's actually worse than the headline suggests.  Incredible.

News Nuggets 199

A starry night in Arches National Monument in Utah.

New Showdown in Iran? (Robert Dreyfuss) from the Nation

"Thursday could be the start of a new street confrontation, if reports of a planned march that day are true. The Los Angeles Times reports that the opposition has called for a protest march on Thursday, to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the 1999 regime crackdown on student protestors."

Obama's Eloquent Moscow Speech (Katrina Vanden Heuval) from the Nation

"In this one speech, Obama did as much as any recent US leader to address -- and begin to overcome -- Russian's resentment about the US's misguided triumphalist mindset, which has dominated relations since the end of the Cold War."

I don't know what speech she was watching.  As an aficionado of Obama speeches, I found this one to be one of his most leaden, forgettable efforts.  I hope Vanden Heuval is correct though.

Obama in Russia: Symbolism Between Unequal Partners (Editorial) from Gazeta [of Russia in English]

"The first visit to Moscow of President Barack Hussein Obama was saturated to the limit with symbolic events. Because essentially, the Russia and United States of today have nothing to talk about. In terms of global politics, the two countries are in different leagues."

Obama to World: We're Back and Ready to Ratify from Politics Daily

"In Russia and Italy this week, President Obama is taking steps on nuclear weapons and climate change that are in line with his pledge to rebuild U.S. alliances around the world. It's a window on what we could see in the next four to eight years: The birth of new treaties and the revival of old ones that have long been stalled, some for decades."

Barack Obama Offers to Scrap Missile Shield from the Times [of London]

"President Obama put the Kremlin to the test yesterday by offering to scrap a missile defence shield in Eastern Europe if it helped to stop Iran building a nuclear bomb."

An Obama Doctrine Emerges in Moscow from the Huffington Post

"Just as significant as the nuclear accords and the reset of US-Russian relations may be the worldview that Obama elaborated in his Moscow speeches. He deftly buried the deeply flawed strategic doctrine that launched an unnecessary war with Iraq and posited military force as the chief tool of US statecraft."

In Russia, Obama's Star Power Does Not Translate from the New York Times

"In the background is the question of race, which Russians view through a complicated prism. For decades, Soviet propaganda hammered home the idea that the United States was an irredeemably racist country, as opposed to the Communist bloc nations. But Russia in recent years has been plagued by racist violence against people from the Caucasus region and Central Asia, as well as other immigrants."

Obama Gives Africa Tough Love from Politico

"Ahead of a historic visit to Africa later this week, President Barack Obama is warning government officials there that it's time for "African leadership to take responsibility and be held accountable" for the performance of their governments. "

Palin's Peculiar Family Values (Sally Quinn) from the Washington Post

"Sarah Palin should live up to her self-proclaimed Christian "family values" and do what she says is the moral thing to do: put her family first and help those who cannot help themselves."

Gold Rush in Alaska (Kathleen Parker) from the Washington Post

"When you're up to your waders in barracuda, blame the media.  And quit your job.  And say you did it for the people.  And hire an agent.  And try to keep a straight face.  On your way to the bank."

Republicans: A Threat to the Republic? (Robert Parry) from In These Times

"As Palin's bizarre resignation made clear, the GOP was excited over possibly handing the reins of power to someone clearly unstable and unfit for high office."

Gov. Palin, Welcome to the Club (Cynthia Tucker) from the Atlanta Journal Constitution

"She’s angry that so many — TV comedians, feuding political consultants, unnamed media “sources” — have taken aim at her and her family. How dare they?  How, indeed? Where was the governor when conservatives spent eight years ripping Hillary Clinton to shreds, even making foul jokes about her young daughter? Where was she when the right-wing attack machine went after Michelle Obama, blasting her as angry, unpatriotic and anti-white?"

An Obama Family Portrait, Courtesy of J. Crew from the Washington Post

"The media have managed to work themselves into a tizzy because the clothing company J. Crew issued a press release in which it noted that Malia and Sasha Obama were wearing clothes bearing its label and that of its children's line, Crewcuts, when the first family arrived in Moscow on Monday."

News Nuggets 198

A newborn elephant at a zoo in Sydney, Australia.  The little guy weighs in at 265 lbs.!

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."