That’s one way to get our money back from the banks. A year after being handed one of the worst financial crises to ever hit the U.S., Obama’s considering his options for making something back on that $700 billion investment that George W. Bush made back in the day. The one that’s standing out? Charging fees to companies like AIG and Bank of America. The nature of that fee hasn’t been decided yet, but we bet taxpayers might enjoy the just desserts. source
I’m blacker than Barack Obama. I shined shoes. I grew up in a five-room apartment. My father had a little laundromat in a black community not far from where we lived. I saw it all growing up.
Disgraced Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich • In an Esquire interview, saying the kind of thing that makes the Harry Reid thing seem tame. He also made claims in the interview that Obama campaign mastermind David Axelrod tapped him as a presidential candidate in 2008 before Obama. This is the guy that apparently tried to sell Obama’s seat, remember. Blago’s next career move? “The Celebrity Apprentice,” where he’ll be able to share haircare tips with The Donald. source
Harry Reid called me today and apologized for an unfortunate comment reported today. I accepted Harry’s apology without question because I’ve known him for years, I’ve seen the passionate leadership he’s shown on issues of social justice and I know what’s in his heart. As far as I am concerned, the book is closed.
President Barack Obama • Regarding the controversy around Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid reportedly saying something racist about him. Obama forgave quickly, but Fox News is portraying it as an orchestrated campaign to downplay the comments’ impact. And RNC chairman Michael Steele, our generation’s Carlton from “Fresh Prince of Bel Air”, says Reid should resign. Should he? source
We know what happened, we know what didn’t happen, and we know how to fix it. That should be an encouraging aspect. We don’t have to reinvent anything to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
National security adviser James Jones • Regarding the soon-to-be-released security report. The report, out today, will note that a lot of things were missed. And they need to fix them. “That’s two strikes,” said Jones, regarding the Fort Hood shooting and the Underwear Bomber. source
We dodged a bullet but just barely. It was averted by brave individuals, not because the system worked, and that is not acceptable.
President Barack Obama • Speaking with his staff today in the White House just before he made a speech on the Christmas terror attack – the one where he got the Underwear Bomber in his stocking. Obama pulled no punches and totally admitted it was a screw-up by his staff, one that they’re working on. source
Talk about killer PR for James Cameron and crew. The First Family went to go see Avatar today, which has made $268 million already in box-office receipts in less than three weeks. But so as not to disrupt filmgoers surprised by the sight of the president, they got their own screen in Honolulu to watch it on. The president gets some pretty sweet treatment, guys. souce
criticism Former veep Dick Cheney’s take on Obama: “He seems to think if he gives terrorists the rights of Americans, lets them lawyer up and reads them their Miranda rights, we won’t be at war.”
smackdown The administration’s take on Dick Cheney: “It is telling that Vice President Cheney and others seem to be more focused on criticizing the Administration than condemning the attackers.” Ouch. source