Following their long and bitter primary battle, President-elect Barack Obama first joined forces with Secretary of State-designate Hillary Clinton at this June 26th event in Unity, New Hampshire.
** COMING UP … NEW COLUMN ON OBAMA’S NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AND THE CHALLENGES THEY FACE, IMMEDIATELY.
** CALIFORNIA’S CHRONIC BUDGET CRISIS. As I wrote he would early this morning, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of fiscal emergency and set new special legislative sessions for the new Legislature on adjustments to the state’s downsliding budget and on economic stimulus and mortgage relief.
So far, reactions are predictable. Which is to say that there is no, as we say, immediate action. I’ll focus in more, as I have in the past, when I think something is actually going to happen. Meanwhile, SEIU is running a new TV ad featuring stirring footage of Barack Obama talking about change, interpolated with the union’s call for more revenues.
** LOW RATINGS FOR PAULSON. Treasury Secretary Hank Paulson, the man in charge of the Wall Street bailout, gets very low ratings from the public in a new Rasmussen poll. Just 12% say he’s doing a good or excellent job of managing the financial crisis. 42% say he’s doing a poor job. Paulson is actually slightly more unpopular amongst Republicans than with Democrats and independents.
** CHAMBLISS HOLDS LEAD IN TOMORROW’S GEORGIA SENATE RUN-OFF. Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss holds a 7-point lead over Democrat Jim Martin in the final Public Policy Polling survey before Tuesday’s run-off election, 53% to 46%. Chambliss had a 4-point lead on November 4th, but fell just short of the majority needed under Georgia law.
Chambliss leads amongst white voters, 71-28, meaning that the black turnout would have to be bigger than it was with Barack Obama on the ballot in order for Martin to win.
** FROM OBAMA’S REMARKS ON HIS NATIONAL SECURITY LEADERSHIP TEAM. The national security challenges we face are just as grave – and just as urgent – as our economic crisis. We are fighting two wars. Old conflicts remain unresolved, and newly assertive powers have put strains on the international system. The spread of nuclear weapons raises the peril that the world’s deadliest technology could fall into dangerous hands. Our dependence on foreign oil empowers authoritarian governments and endangers our planet.
America must also be strong at home to be strong abroad. We need to provide education and opportunity for our citizens, so every American can compete with anyone, anywhere. And our economic power must sustain our military strength, our diplomatic leverage, and our global leadership.
The common thread linking these challenges is the fundamental reality that in the 21st century, our destiny is shared with the world’s. From our markets to our security; from our public health to our climate –we must act with the understanding that, now more than ever, we have a stake in what happens across the globe. And as we learned so painfully on 9/11, terror cannot be contained by borders, nor safety provided by oceans alone.
Last week, we were reminded of this threat once again when terrorists took the lives of six American among nearly 200 victims in Mumbai. In the world we seek, there is no place for those who kill innocent civilians to advance hateful extremism. This weekend, I told Prime Minister Singh that Americans stand with the people of India in this dark time. And I am confident that India’s great democracy is more resilient than killers who would tear it down.
And so, in this uncertain world, the time has come for a new beginning – a new dawn of American leadership to overcome the challenges of the 21st century, and to seize the opportunities embedded in those challenges. We will strengthen our capacity to defeat our enemies and support our friends. We will renew old alliances and forge new and enduring partnerships. We will show the world once more that America is relentless in defense of our people, steady in advancing our interests, and committed to the ideals that shine as a beacon to the world: democracy and justice; opportunity and unyielding hope – because American values are America’s greatest export to the world.
To succeed, we must pursue a new strategy that skillfully uses, balances, and integrates all elements of American power: our military and diplomacy; our intelligence and law enforcement; our economy and the power of our moral example. The team that we have assembled here today is uniquely suited to do just that.
In their past service and plans for the future, these men and women represent all of those elements of American power, and the very best of the American example. They have served in uniform and as diplomats; they have worked as legislators, law enforcement officials, and executives. They share my pragmatism about the use of power, and my sense of purpose about America’s role as a leader in the world. …
UPDATE: Due to foggy weather, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger cancelled his late morning Capitol press conference, and instead will make his announcment about California’s chronic budget crisis in a 12:30 PM press conference at his Los Angeles office. The event will be webcast, as described below.
** DUDE, HERE’S YOUR RECESSION. Remember all the deep denial over on the right about the state of the US economy? “Dude, where’s my recession?,” went the refrain. It turns out that the US economy went into recession a year ago. According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the recognized authority, the recession actually started in December 2007. And it’s expected to last until mid-2009. The stock market is tanking accordingly.
Debating in Los Angeles last January, Barack Obama told Hillary Clinton that what’s important is to have “the right judgment on Day One.” President-elect Obama today appoints Clinton to be his secretary of state.
MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK
A big week in presidential politics, with President-elect Barack Obama naming much of his national security leadership and monitoring the explosive situation between India and Pakistan following the stunning series of terrorist attacks in Mumbai. The current president, George W. Bush, is still in charge of America’s geopolitics, and has dispatched Secretary of State Condi Rice to India.
Meanwhile, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger takes another crack at the impasse over California’s chronic budget crisis. He’s expected to declare a state of fiscal emergency and another special session, this time of the brand-new Legislature, to deal with the crisis.
Obama is rolling out his top national security leadership team — see the item below for the high-powered list — this morning in Chicago. Except for the intelligence leadership. Obama needs to appoint the director of national intelligence, who oversees the whole of the intelligence community and its various alphabet soup of agencies, and the director of the CIA. And he needs to select people who are not tied in to the controversial torture policies pursued by the Bush/Cheney Administration.
The week looks to be dominated by discussion of the Obama appointees, and by the highly-charged aftermath of the Mumbai terrorist attacks. The attackers look to have been Islamic jihadists. Determining who precisely was behind the attacks, and why — and how deep the involvement of Pakistani elements — will be critical in averting a major crisis between India and Pakistan.
But the nation’s financial and economic crises will continue to be dominate as well. Obama meets on Tuesday with the nation’s governors in Philadelphia.
** OBAMA TODAY. President-elect Barack Obama and Vice President-elect Joe Biden unveil key members of the nation’s new national security leadership at a press conference in Chicago. The event begins at 7:40 AM Pacific, and will be roadblocked on all cable news nets.
Obama will name Senator and former First Lady Hillary Clinton to be secretary of state; General James Jones, former commandant of the US Marine Corps and commander of NATO, as national security advisor; current Defense Secretary and former CIA Director Robert Gates as secretary of defense; Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as secretary of homeland security; former Deputy Attorney General Eric Holder as attorney general; and former Assistant Secretary of State Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is back in California and holds two events today. He has a press conference at 9 AM in Fontana, joining Southern California Edison officials to announce the first of 150 planned commercial solar rooftop installations.
At 11:30 AM, Schwarzenegger holds a press conference in the State Capitol to discuss the chronic California budget crisis. He’s expected to declare a state of fiscal emergency and push again for major adjustments to the budget.
The events will be webcast live at www.gov.ca.gov.
** HAPPY THANKSGIVING, MR. PRESIDENT-ELECT! While Barack Obama promised “a new and brighter day yet to come” in his Thanksgiving address, an old and darker day yet to leave reminds that events — and perhaps political fate itself — can turn on a dime in presidential politics.
As Obama focuses this week on our grave financial and economic crises, one simmering geopolitical crisis — that between nuclear-armed India and Pakistan, both with shaky governments — is on the edge of flaring into chaos. And another, the question of how to deal with resurgent Russia, has taken on an added dimension with Russian moves this week into Latin America.
For a political operation that prefers to focus on its preferences, it’s a sharp reminder to Team Obama that the presidency can be every bit as reactive as it is proactive. … From my Friday Huffington Post column.
** OBAMA, ARNOLD, AND THE RENEWED CLIMATE CHANGE FIGHT. From my Wednesday Huffington Post column.
** SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON: MASTERSTROKE, MOUSETRAP, OR BOTH? Potential Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. Masterstroke or mousetrap? Or both? And for whom?
The political world has been all aflutter for the better part of a week at the prospect — initially portrayed as a done deal — that Hillary Clinton will be Barack Obama’s secretary of state. On the Republican side of the aisle, Henry Kissinger calls her “highly qualified” and Arnold Schwarzenegger dubs it “a great move.” The Clintons’ opponents in the Democratic Party have been restrained in their response. The media loves it, running with endless references to historian Doris Kearns Goodwin’s very fine book on the Lincoln Cabinet, an Obama favorite, “Team of Rivals.” … From my November 19th column.
** MIAMI BLUES: PALIN AND NATIONAL REPUBLICANS LOOK LIKE THE SAD CALIFORNIA REPUBLICAN PARTY. … From my November 14th column.
** GLOBAL OBAMA: BIG OPPORTUNITIES, BIGGER CHALLENGES. If he wins, Obama will have the global popularity that no American president has had in a great many years. But what sort of challenges will counter the global opportunity that an Obama presidency might afford America? … From my October 24th Huffington Post column.
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev: “We are back in South America, a region the U.S. has traditionally considered its backyard.”
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM RUSSIA TODAY. Russia has re-emerged as one of the world’s great powers. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer, bringing you English-language, jargon-free, fast-paced coverage of global and Russian news from the new Russia Today channel. You probably already know about CNN International, BBC World, and Al Jazeera. Russia Today, which also features culture, entertainment, and sports, is based in Moscow and is owned and operated by the TV Novosti division of Russia’s state news agency, RIA Novosti.
While it’s quite foolish to expect to see, say, criticism of Vladimir Putin on Russia Today, which I know as a former DemRussia advisor, the channel is very interesting nonetheless. With U.S. cable news chattering away as it does, this sort of respite can be informative. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the channel’s views. It’s presented as an otherwise unavailable new media window.
** SCHWARZENEGGER’S CALIFORNIA. Here is my series of five columns on the governorship of Arnold Schwarzenegger for the Los Angeles Times in debate with Pulitzer Prize-winning former Times reporter/editor Bill Boyarsky, whose columns are also included.
Among them is what I’m sure is the first piece examining Schwarzenegger’s legacy as governor of California. Since he will actually be governor of California until 2011. No technology known to be disruptive to the space/time continuum was used in its preparation.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. After crashing over $147 for yet another record on July 11th, crude oil is trading in the $50 to $51 per barrel range.
OPEC forecasts a 0.6% decline in global oil consumption in 2009. But sees a 2.5% growth in oil consumption in developing nations.
The drop of $97 per barrel since the record high over the summer comes on acknowledgment that the weak US economy will cut future demand and on the easing of geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. It is clear that that, contrary to much chatter, neither the US nor Israel is about to launch a strike against Iran. And the Russian war with Georgia, confounding much speculation and reporting to the contrary, actually decreased the geopolitical risk premium in the oil market.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum.
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| Comments (63) |
“In re #46, that would be playing hardball and so far the Dems haven’t been doing that, as Bill has noted. Yeah, that is what they SHOULD do but do you see any signs ”
Everything looks like #1 to me, but I assume you meant my little rant…
…no, I don’t see the dems getting hardball.
Dems had a chance to knock-back the Republicans and Arnold in the special and didn’t do it. I doubt they’ll do it now.
They’re still working from the playbook of the last decade, even though things have changed.
Who knows, maybe this new crop will change things. Steinberg is a very smart guy — maybe he’s got something up his sleeve…
What new video today?
Obama and the new team.
The Dems look like they’re working off a touch football playbook.
># Brasky Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 6:58 pm edit
“In re #46, that would be playing hardball and so far the Dems haven’t been doing that, as Bill has noted. Yeah, that is what they SHOULD do but do you see any signs ”
Everything looks like #1 to me, but I assume you meant my little rant…
…no, I don’t see the dems getting hardball.
Dems had a chance to knock-back the Republicans and Arnold in the special and didn’t do it. I doubt they’ll do it now.
They’re still working from the playbook of the last decade, even though things have changed.
Who knows, maybe this new crop will change things. Steinberg is a very smart guy — maybe he’s got something up his sleeve…
Yes. And thanks.
># marcos leon Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 6:35 pm edit
Bill, are you bored by the California budget crisis? … Looking forward to your column on Obama’s team and challenges.
All the best buddy pictures have casting mismatches …
># Brasky Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 6:05 pm edit
“I thought Obama and Hillary looked like a team in June.”
From here, it still looks like an action-comedy with mismatched partners.
Like a cop picture staring Robert De Niro and Don Rickles.
OK, maybe I’m just no good at casting…
All it takes is a couple Republicans. Spend a week or two seriously beating them up, you have your solution.
># Brasky Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 5:28 pm edit
“CALIFORNIA’S CHRONIC BUDGET CRISIS”
First question to Arnold in the presser was “what are you doing to get republican votes?”
If a balanced solution is the end-game, then republicans HAVE to vote for SOME taxes. Since that isn’t going to happen, we might as well make the cuts as painful as we can to their interests. Start by releasing prisoners into their districts. Kill all the ag programs. Raise fire protection fees to maximum. Etc.
Then make them redline the rest of the items from the budget to close whatever is left of the $28 billion deficit and put it to a vote.
Oh, and all republican bills will be killed in committee without a hearing until they come-up with the list of cuts.
And a lot of them are right-wing bloggers …
># Brasky Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 5:20 pm edit
“Just 12% say (Paulson) doing a good or excellent job of managing the financial crisis”
Which confirms my theory that, at a minimum, 12% of the population are idiots.
NWN is much faster now on Safari and Firefox.
I never use Microsoft software, so don’t know about IE first-hand.
I gather the only problem is with numbering of comments …
># Dana Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 4:40 pm edit
A little off-topic, but too surreal not to share: Drew Carey re-runs seen as the savior of CW’s Sunday night ratings meltdown. What the frack? It didn’t even rate a DVD release beyond the first season, and I think it currently wasn’t even running on any cable network. Talk about rummaging through the cupboard in desperation. I bet about now the CW wishes it still had Veronica Mars and Gilmore Girls.
http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_tv_tvblog/2008/11/the-cw-revamps.html
And Bill, I gave up viewing your new site via IE–Mozzila Firefox though works fine…
Well, you can’t listen to people like that.
># Dana Says:
December 1st, 2008 at 5:13 pm edit
BTW, my Dad was ranting to me Obama lacks leadership, has been quiet in re the Mumbia bloodbath, etc. And where did he learn all this? Listening to Michael Savage. These rightwing media nutjobs will not learn a lesson easily, will they?
** ILLINOIS SHOCKER. Governor Rod Blagoevich was arrested early today for allegedly trying to sell the president-elect’s vacated seat in the Senate. He has sole power of appointment. Which will cast his pick beneath a big shadow. The governor has been in hot water for a long time. If he goes to prison, there will be two ex-Illinois governors in the clink, the other being George Ryan.(Source: Bill Bradley, HuffingtonPost.Com)
*** ILLINOIS BUSINESS AS USUAL. Upstate Cook County, Chicago, Machine Politics or Downstate Springfield Illinois politics, Machine Politics, anything is for sale if the price is right, your living in the era or Gerrymandering, The family business of politics, Clinton, Bush, Kennedy (A NY Kennedy Senator) is something new? Or another Hunter in Congress something new? And let’s not forget the Roosevelt family or the Rockerfellers, how many are in government, and Jeb is looking at a Senate seat? Change is one family member taking the seat of another family member, packing your cabinet with blasts from the past. Just Business as Usual.
*** NOT LISTENING: Well, you can’t listen to people like that. (Bill Bradley, HuffingtonPost.Com)
*** TWO EARS ONE MOUTH: That should tell anyone one thing, it is twice as important to listen than to open one’s mouth without having listened. If you listen, then you can ask an intelligent question, which may clear up basic mis-understandings. Compromise comes from listening not it’s my way or the highway. Or, why should I listen, I’m right their wrong!On (NCIS)Gibbs said the main reason for Divorce is Marriage, maybe he didn’t listen enough, and open his mounth to ask questions, clearing the air and having an honest discussion that bring understanding. Obamas solution to the India/Pakistan problem was to let India perform targeted limited strikes by India against Parkistan, not a good solution.
(US/MIC) CRUMBLING SOUND
OBAMA SAYS: “The real gamble in this election is playing the same Washington game with the same Washington players and expecting a different result.” (Source: President Elect Barrack “Barry” Hussein Obama)
BILL BRADLEY SAYS: That noise you hear is that of California cracking.
TRIATHLON SAYS: That noise you are hearing is the (US/MIC) United States Military Industrial Complex crumbling, down around all our ears, yes a meltdown an economic “Armageddon”.
BILL BRADLEY SAYS: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who’s had his own role to play in the mess, having slashed the state’s unpopular car tax and having resisted tax hikes prior to this year while approving more spending, officially declared it a crack-up today, a fiscal “Armageddon.”
TRIATHLON SAYS: Governor Gray Davis was doing such a great job that in one minute after the polls closed Arnold Schwarzenegger was the new Governor of California, after the first State Recall? Arnold did the peoples will by slashing the state’s unpopular car tax, unless Bill you want to pay my truck tax this year?
BILL BRADLEY SAYS: Right-wing Republicans have systematically made themselves irrelevant in statewide California politics. . However, on account of the state’s two-thirds requirement for passing a budget — which it shares with only two other, very small, states — and because of past partisan gerrymandering (knocked out in the next decade by an initiative narrowly passed by Schwarzenegger, Common Cause, and the League of Women Voters), they have enough votes in the state Assembly and Senate to cause this kind of trouble.
TRIATHLON SAYS: Right-Wing Republican Wing-nuts, and Left-Wing Democratic Wing-nuts, have proven we got the government we deserve. Partisan Gerrymandering is something new? Tom Delay didn’t do the same thing in Texas, and how many other states have Gerrymandering? What did Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger say, there is more change in the Communist System of Government then in the entire (US/MIC) system of government? It’s a family affair, it’s a family affair, The elite families of (US/MIC) Politics, Arnold is married to a Schriever who is part Kennedy, Boxer’s son is married to Hillary nephew, Hillary and Bill, The Bush Clan, The Dole’s, the Hunters Son replacing Father, another Kennedy in the Senate, The Daily’s of Chicago, and the list just goes on, and what did Obama say? “The real gamble (Crime is the continued Gerrymandering) in this election (in this system) is playing the same Washington (Sacramento) game (They meet, debate, posture and do nothing) with the same Washington players (families) and expecting a different result.”
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER SAYS: If that isn’t a shameful performance, I don’t know what is.
TRIATHLON SAYS: Those in the family business are doing a great job for the elite (US/MIC) governing cadre, they meet, debate, posture, do the bidding of Wall St., as their agenda is handed to them by “K” street lobby’s along with fat checks, submit, pass, and place into law legislation good for Wall St., the (US/MIC) and the family business bank accounts, and power base. That’s not a shameful performance its just family business as usual. USMC Gen. Chesty Puller said the mob had nothing over the (US/MIC), and how true he was.
TRIATHLON