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20 Dec 2009 21:55

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Politics: Obama’s got a buddy on the right with massive muscles

  • When it comes to effort,
    [Obama] should get a straight A. He’s out there with tremendous energy and he’s selling his ideas. And he has great enthusiasm there. He’s a great speaker, a great  communicator.
  • California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger • Stretching his big, muscular arm across party lines in giving Obama a pat on the back for his first year in office. Schwarzenegger says that Obama has to “be tough, just continue on, never give up, eventually he’s going to get all those things done.” You know, like the Terminator does when he’s trying to save Sarah Connor. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2009 11:18

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Politics: Poll: Do you think Obama is too quick to compromise?


Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2009 10:40

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Politics: Fox News’ angle on Ben Nelson: He sold his vote for his state!

  • Do the twist! Saying that the abortion concessions weren’t enough, Fox News claims that Nelson sold his vote for health care to win kickbacks. “It’s pretty obvious votes have been bought,” Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia said. Nelson did get Reid to agree to help pick up his state’s future Medicaid tab, at a cost of $45 million. Most other states will get their tab picked up, but only over a short period.
  • Fair & balanced Politico covers the issue differently – they note it’s the kind of concessionary agreement made with legislation like this. Nelson’s fellow Democratic Nebraska senator, Tom Harkin, makes a good point: “… it is going to be the impetus for all the states to stay at 100 percent. So he might have done all of us a favor.” That’s right, the Feds might pay the balance of Medicaid for everyone eventually.
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

20 Dec 2009 08:30

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Politics: Obama will take his victories, no matter how symbolic they are

  • Mr. Obama has put a high value on process and keeping things moving, recognizing that history generally does not remember the to and fro, only the big sweep of presidential accomplishments.
  • New York Times reporter Peter Baker • In an analysis piece on the recent pushes he’s made to get stuff done, even if it’s meant that the ends – particularly on climate change, although health care is the same way – don’t look anything like the means. The downside of this, of course, is that he’s had to compromise to achieve basic goals instead of more complex ones. Are these victories worth the paper they’re written on? We’ll find out. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Dec 2009 10:28

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Politics: Copenhagen: Did Obama save the day or dilute the deal?

  • He came. He did a quick deal. He left. That was how US President Barack Obama intervened in the global warming conference in Copenhagen and whether he saved it from total deadlock or condemned it to issuing a powerless piece of paper depends on your point of view.
  • BBC Correspondent Paul Reynolds • Discussing the nature of Obama’s quick deal-making in Copenhagen. A few interesting things about the conference: Obama dealt with China and a few other large but unexpected countries – India, Brazil, South Africa – but left Russia and the EU out of it (shockingly). Also, the forum may have just been the wrong choice for something this monumental. Family reunions this big tend to fall apart due to lots of infighting. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

19 Dec 2009 10:07

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Politics: Twitter’s reaction to Ben Nelson strong enough to trend a topic

Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

18 Dec 2009 22:06

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Politics: Al Franken’s smackdown of Joe Lieberman: Actually rather modest

  • There have, of course been famous exceptions. Dick Cheney, who as vice president was also president of the Senate, told Patrick Leahy to (#&! himself, which qualifies as a breach of comity, to say nothing of biology.
  • Slate columnist John Dickerson • Regarding the state of decorum, which Sen. Al Franken famously broke last night when it came to Sen. Joe Lieberman. But it’s by no means the only time it’s happened, nor the harshest. Now if Al Franken said this, it’d be the greatest thing in the history of ever. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 2 Comments • Permalink
 

18 Dec 2009 19:13

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Politics: Let’s use a metaphor to explain the climate change deal

  • Like riding a bike Let’s say you gave yourself two weeks to learn how to ride a bike, hoping you’d be able to ride around the neighborhood with your friends. But your mom was scared you might ride too far away, so you rode around the block a few times using training wheels. You’d been working on it, hoping you could eventually take off your training wheels.
  • Hopes dashed A couple weeks later, you ask your dad (who’s been absent lately, on account of work) if you can ride your bike around the neighborhood. Your dad said no. However, he’ll let you take off the training wheels and said things will change “someday.” Problem is, by the time “someday” comes, your friends won’t be around anymore.
  • Metaphor to realityThe “bike” is climate change. The “training wheels” are the deal in Copenhagen. “Mom” is the U.S. and other western powers, and “Dad” is Barack Obama. Your “friends” are other, less powerful nations who were held at the G8’s mercy. And, well, the “neighborhood” is how far we can go with emissions. We failed today, guys. Badly. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Dec 2009 22:36

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Politics: Health care: Al Franken shuts freedom-hating Joe Lieberman down!

  • This is one of those videos that gives us hot flashes. Joe Lieberman, currently looked at as an evil bastard by the left for his blatant about-face on the health-care bill, does not get any love from Sen. Al Franken, who’s totally in “Stuart Saves His Family” hero mode. John McCain has Joe’s back, but you know, this is almost as good as Joe Wilson’s “You Lie” comment for pure entertainment value. We’re gonna let this one stand.
    Update: TPM makes a really good point about the shutdown. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink

17 Dec 2009 10:42

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Politics: Sarah Palin’s yammering on about some silly hat incident

  • I am so sorry if people took this silly incident the wrong way. I adore John McCain, support him 100 percent and will do everything I can to support his reelection. As everyone knows, I was honored and proud to run with him. And Todd and I were with him in D.C. just a week ago. So much for trying to be incognito.
  • Sarah Palin • Yammering about how her decision to wear a hat with a covered-up McCain ’08 logo wasn’t a slight on her former running mate. That’s the great thing about Sarah – her life turns into a vapid media slideshow when she isn’t even trying. source
Posted by Ernie Smith • 0 Comments • Permalink
 
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