The forum I attended earlier this afternoon at the New America Foundation was on “Engaging Israelis on the Road to Final Status,” with survey results released that turned conventional wisdom about Obama on its head. For months, including in all the events I’ve attended, the CW was that with the help of the Israeli press, [...] [...more]
The pictures and scene out of Iran today continue to inspire, as Iranians fight for justice by commemorating an historic day, when the Shah of Iran killed three students amidst the beginning Islamist revolution that changed Iran and our relationship with that country since. This plays out in a backdrop that David Ignatius wrote about yesterday, [...] [...more]
“The New Frontier is not a set of promises. It is a set of challenges.” – John F. Kennedy Obama and his team are making a real push to convince people they get what’s happening, but more importantly, that they understand people’s pain. It’s a moment when Pres. Obama could use a little William Jefferson [...] [...more]
Reported live from the White House. “Our core goal is to achieve peace and security for all peoples of the region.” – Pres. Obama The most important thing Pres. Obama said about Afghanistan is that “It is my intention to finish the job.” For more see Jake Tapper, with ABC News having video. When Mark Knoller asked his question [...] [...more]
updated below on interview Palin and Oprah sit down later this afternoon. So, naturally, we’ve got dueling polls on Sarah Palin. Gallup: Still, just 18% of Republicans – and 26% of voters nationwide – see Palin as a divisive force within the GOP. A plurality believes Palin is representative of a new direction for the Republican Party. That [...] [...more]
multiple updates below (Post originally logged @ 8:38 pm) Earthquake in New Jersey, according to Fox News and CNN. On top of the independent voter news, this is huge. But in NY-23, the tea party activist candidate Hoffman is on his way to a loss, with the Dem possibly winning in a district we haven’t won [...] [...more]
–expanded piece cross-posted at Huffington Post– Edited and updated with reporting from the event. “Fueling the drama, there are some in Washington who are willing to toss cheap and easy lines about presidential ‘dithering,’ or alleging the president is ‘afraid’ to reach a decision, in an effort to push him to immediately, indeed automatically, endorse recommendations from [...] [...more]
updated – bumped About the gala event last night… It was wonderful; great food, wine, conversation, and music, compliments of the Jerome Meltzer Jazz Trio, with Steve Clemons coming as Joe Biden! …well, at least he showed up in a Biden mask, all in good fun and with Vice President Biden’s approval. It was a Halloween [...] [...more]
“So I took a fun picture not thinking anything about what I was wearing, but apparently anything other than a pantsuit, I am a slut,” she Twittered. – Meghan McCain twitter photo backlash leads to apology via Twitpic.com After Meghan “Don’t Call Me A Slut” McCain’s Twitter photo fiasco, Kathleen Parker must be so embarrassed. Parker’s column [...] [...more]
“We saw the video this morning and thought, like other parodies, that it was funny. In 20-20 hindsight, we realized it was in poor taste and pulled it down… I don’t want anyone to think we’re comparing Democrats to Nazis and to Hitler.” – via Glenn Thrush via CNN On the same day Republicans launch a petition [...] [...more]
–edited version cross-posted on Huffington Post– The background, as always, is Iran, which will be up front today as world leaders take up the subject of sanctions. Former presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi, Iran’s main political opposition leader, called Ahmadinejad’s foreign policy “wrong and adventurist” this week but came out against new sanctions, saying he worried that [...] [...more]
–updated– via Pew Poll Turns out Pres. Obama’s Kanye is a “jackass” remark was strictly off the record, and Terry Moran’s tweets have been removed. Statement from ABC, via Michael Calderone: In the process of reporting on remarks by President Obama that were made during a CNBC interview, ABC News employees prematurely tweeted a portion of those remarks [...] [...more]
by Paul Szep Both Woolsey and Rep Barbara Lee, D-California, the chairwoman of the Congressional Black Caucus, told CNN that they told the president point blank that they do not believe a health care proposal without a government run option is real reform. [...] A Democratic source close to the process told CNN Friday that the [...] [...more]
–updated– Larger map here, via BBC The voting has begun. Terrific post at World Focus by a Marine regarding the elections, but also check out his blog. Found it via Nick Schifrin on Twitter. These latest entries won’t be current long, but it gives you an idea of what’s happening right now, via Twitter: strickvl Only 25% of the [...] [...more]
The Administration is putting out word that it won’t countenance further troop deployments beyond what it has committed this year. But General Stanley McChrystal’s counterinsurgency strategy for Afghanistan is predicated on safeguarding the civilian population, and that takes boots on the ground. President Obama needs to weigh whether he can afford not to meet his [...] [...more]
