President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev held a joint press conference today in the Kremlin. Medvedev speaks fluent English, but is translated here in this Moscow event.
** OBAMA TOMORROW. President Barack Obama is in Moscow July 6-8 for a major summit with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. Moscow time is 11 hours ahead of California.
At 10 PM Pacific (tonight), Obama meets with Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and has a working breakfast at Putin’s dacha.
This is a meeting in which sticking points such as Iran and missile defense in Eastern Europe will be discussed. While Medvedev is the president of the Russian Federation, he served as Putin’s chief of staff and deputy prime minister, and Putin is chairman of United Russia, the ruling political party.
At 12 midnight Pacific, Obama meets with former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev at Gostinny Dvor.
At 12:15 AM Pacific, Obama delivers the commencement address at ceremonies for the 2009 graduating class of the New Economic School at Gostinny Dvor.
This will be Obama’s major address regarding his view of relations between America and Russia.
At 2:40 AM Pacific, Obama meets one-on-one with President Medvedev at the Kremlin.
At 3:10 AM, Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama attend a reception and luncheon hosted by Medvedev at the Kremlin.
At 4:25 AM Pacific, Obama and Medvedev participate in the Parallel Business Summit at the Manezh Exhibition Hall.
At 5:20 AM Pacific, Obama participates in the Parallel Civil Society Summit at the Metropol Hotel.
At 6:35 AM Pacific, Obama meets with Russian opposition leaders at the Ritz Carlton Hotel.
** CALIFORNIA BUDGET CRISIS UPDATE. Here’s the latest on California’s chronic-turned-chaotic budget crisis. Not much to report. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held an event this morning with some country district attorneys promoting his idea to crack down on potential fraud in the now massive, and heavily unionized, in-home health service program. He says it can save hundreds of millions, public employee unions and Democrats say no, with legislative leaders saying they’re open to some reforms, but after the budget. Not unlike a previous pledge by another set of Democratic legislative leaders to get change the redistricting system.
Assembly Speaker Karen Bass boycotted this morning’s Big 5 gathering of Schwarzenegger and legislative leaders, complaining that he is jamming the process with new items. Bass had said, according to former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown, that she wouldn’t push for new taxes in the guise of fees, but did just that. Only to see it, predictably, fail once again.
I think people have a process to go through to get where this is going. Will Schwarzenegger get these other things he wants? Maybe a few. Will the public employee unions — whose TV ad campaign against the special election package was on the basis that its state spending limit, which they oppose in all circumstances, was too weak — get another round of tax increases to stave off massive cuts? No. Will President Obama save the day for the way things are by stepping in with a big federal bailout for the state government? Don’t bet on it.
President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev have wrapped up today’s summit meetings in Moscow.
** NEW COLUMN COMING UP … OBAMA DOES MOSCOW, AND VICE VERSA.
** LIEBERMAN OUT OF MIDDLE EAST PEACE TALKS. US special envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader, met in London today with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak to try to jump-start movement on peace between Israel and Palestine. The Obama Administration is opposed to continued settlement by fundamentalist Israelis in the disputed West Bank area.
Meanwhile, Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, a far right figure in Israeli politics, has taken the remarkable step of removing himself from talks with the US. Why? Because Lieberman is himself a West Bank settler.
I predicted that it would be a long time before we saw Lieberman in Washington, if in fact he ever comes. Lieberman is the head of a very far right Israeli party whose support was necessary for Bibi Netanyahu — himself the head of the very conservative Likud — to become prime minister. Lieberman demanded and got the foreign minister post. But it’s an odd portfolio for him, as he and his party are widely regarded as anti-Arab, making it difficult for him to be much of a diplomat with the rest of the world.
On the 4th of July, President Barack Obama welcomed military families to the White House for a barbeque on the South Lawn and a fireworks show. You can enjoy a medley of service anthems played by the Marine Corps Band.
MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK
President Barack Obama has another huge week on the international stage. And California politics plods on, with the state’s chronic-turned-chaotic budget crisis still unresolved (though, tellingly, with no change in the underlying, almost inexorable, reality), a very one-sided Democratic gubernatorial race, and a mostly unsettled contest on the Republican side in this sky-blue state.
Obama is in Moscow July 6-8 for a most consequential summit meeting with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin. He met for hours today with Medvedev, causing a near one-hour delay in the joint press conference, which ran long. Tomorrow Obama has breakfast with Putin, whom he has not met before, and lays out his view of US/Russia relations in a commencement address at Moscow’s New Economic School.
From Moscow, Obama continues on to Italy for the G-8 (group of eight advanced industrial nations) summit, then goes on to Africa.
The Moscow Summit, perhaps Obama’s most important of the year, has already borne some fruit.
Obama and Medvedev today announced that Russia will allow US supplies, military equipment, and troops to be transported through Russia to the war in Afghanistan. The deal will allow 4500 flights a year through Russian airspace. Aside from a couple of test trips early in the year, then suspended for longer term talks, supplies for US forces have never transited through Russia before. And none of those trips involved American troops or weapons.
This is important as supply lines through Pakistan have come under serious attack in the past, and might again should the current offensive against the Taliban fall short.
Obama and Medvedev also announced agreement on cutting American and Russian nuclear arsenals by nearly one-third, and continued cooperation on containing North Korea.
But other matters are still in discussion, including the proposed anti-missile system in Poland and the Czech Republic, the question of NATO expansion, how to contain Iran, and further assistance with Afghanistan.
Speaking of Iran, the anti-regime demonstrations have essentially been tamped down, the movement against the government clearly not in a pre-revolutionary situation. It will be interesting to see how much an issue last month’s Iranian election is at the G-8 summit.
I suspect that G-8 leaders there will be far more interested in the ever so slow recovery from the global financial meltdown than in the state of Iranian democracy.
In California, the various sides continue their gropings towards some sort of solution to the state’s chronic-turned-chaotic budget crisis. Of course, the general shape of this has been fairly obvious for weeks. No additional taxes, massive cuts, some “borrowing” from other pots of money, very little reserve in reality.
Meanwhile, Michael Jackson mania continues. Though obviously not on NWN.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will have his hands full dealing with tomorrow’s massive memorial for the late pop star.
President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin are holding summit meetings in Moscow.
Note on Delay:
MMQB held on the outcome of a very late-starting Obama-Medvedev press conference …
The Obamas arrived in Moscow earlier today.
** OBAMA TODAY. President Barack Obama is in Moscow for his summit with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
Obama, traveling with First Lady Michelle Obama and daughters Malia and Sasha – but not with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, still recuperating from elbow surgery – arrived on Air Force at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo Airport.
Obama then laid a wreath at the Russian Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Alexander Garden.
Obama and Medvedev then met one-on-one and held and expanded meeting in the Kremlin.
Following their meetings, Obama and Medvedev are holding a joint press conference in the Kremlin.
At 8:30 AM Pacific, Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama meet with US Embassy personnel. This event will begin late, due to the lateness of the Obama-Medvedev press conference.
At 9:35 AM Pacific, Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama have dinner with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev and First Lady Svetlana Medvedeva at The Gorkiy. This event will begin late, due to the lateness of the Obama-Medvedev press conference.
Moscow time is 11 hours ahead of California time.
Obama is also monitoring several situations.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger holds private meetings and discussions in and around the Capitol, focusing on California’s chronic-turned-chaotic budget crisis.
At 11 AM, Schwarzenegger will meet in the Council Room with a group of county district attorneys regarding their efforts and suggestions on combating fraud in the state’s In-Home Supportive Services program. Following the meeting, Schwarzenegger will hold a press avail.
Schwarzenegger and others say the program, now heavily unionized, is ripe for fraud and want ID checks instituted. Democratic legislative leaders say they want reform, too, but want to hold off for now.
The event will be webcast live at 11 AM at www.gov.ca.gov.
** OBAMA’S CONSEQUENTIAL FIRST 4TH: NOKO, AFPAK, IRAQ, RUSSIA, PALIN (PALIN?!) Quite a consequential first 4th of July as president for Barack Obama.
Not only did he have 20 of daughter Malia’s schoolgirl friends over for a Camp David sleepover in honor of her 11th birthday on the 4th of July — just wait till her “Independence Day,” Dad — he had a few other things on his plate, as well as the barbeque for military families and the fireworks show. Not counting his inherited worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.
North Korea was to have been the drama of the day. But it turned into a major fizzle. … From my new column.
** THE GOP’S PALIN FOOD FIGHT: WHY NOW? You have to hand it to Sarah Palin. For a sideshow, she’s very good at being the center of attention. Even when she doesn’t want to be.
She had a few big controversies earlier this year — her on-again/off-again headlining of the big GOP congressional fundraiser, her pregnant teenage daughter, the usual Alaska stuff — but she’s hit the jackpot this week with a huge food fight among big name Republicans. What’s unexamined is this question: Why now? … From my July 2nd column.
** TRANSFORMATIVE: LE CINEMA DE MICHAEL BAY. I love the films of Michael Bay. In fact, they are so dramatic and compelling that …
Gotcha! I actually do not love the films of Michael Bay. I don’t hate them, either. And there are a couple that I like. But the fact that it is considered preposterous for a writer — a writer who writes about anything, even wallpaper — to not dismiss Bay’s work in the most vehement of terms points up a dramatic disconnect between the critical community and the movie-going audience.
Bay’s new flick, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, just took in an astounding $200.1 million at the domestic box office in its first five days of release. … From my June 29th essay.
** STAR TREK FIRSTS … 43 YEARS ON. … From my June 23rd essay.
** OBAMA AND THE AYATOLLAH. . … From my June 19th column.
** OBAMA’S CRISIS MANAGEMENT: NORTH KOREA, AGAIN. … From my June 12th column.
** REMEMBERING AMERICA: OBAMA’S D-DAY SPEECH AND TWO DAYS IN JUNE. … From my June 8th column.
** REPOSITIONING AMERICA: OBAMA’S CAIRO SPEECH AS THE ULTIMATE IN EVENT MARKETING. … From my June 4th column.
** TERMINATING THE DARKNESS: HOPE FLOATS, BUT ANXIETY ABIDES. … From my May 31st column.
** THE AVOIDABLE TRAGEDY OF CALIFORNIA’S PROP 8. … From my May 26th column.
** OBAMA: RIDING WITH HISTORY. (NOTE: As Barack Obama was inaugurated as the 44th president of the United States, this column was the featured column on the top of the front page of the Huffington Post.) … From my January 19th Huffington Post column.
** 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.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in two wars in the region, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. Based in the Gulf Arab state of Qatar, Al Jazeera is very influential and more than a bit controversial. Click here for a live TV news feed on your computer. The NWN live link to AJ 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 last fall, prior to the global economic meltdown, 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.
You can listen to my recent video webchat with Schwarzenegger here.
** TRACK GLOBAL AND NATIONAL ENERGY PRICES IN NEAR REAL TIME VIA BLOOMBERG ENERGY MARKET WATCH. Having crashed over $147 for yet another record last July 11th, crude oil is trading around $65 per barrel.
This is up about $31 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum.
Read 
| Comments (52) |
Interesting news clip from Russia Today.
Wow, they are still holding the presser in Moscow!
I like the arrivals in foreign capitals.
That was a fascinating press conference Barack and Medvedev gave in Moscow.
From the RT clip it seems the Russians themselves weren’t sure how much would be announced today.
Neat column for the 4th.
Yeah, very good column on what counted on Obama’s 4th of July.
Too bad you had to even mention that idiot Palin.
Yeah, and I see there’s another one.
Jonas Blane says:
July 6, 2009 at 8:48 am
Interesting news clip from Russia Today.
That one’s dull, no medal at the airport.
Jonas Blane says:
July 6, 2009 at 8:51 am
I like the arrivals in foreign capitals.
Where’s Schwarzeneger?
There he is. He can’t be too late to a meeting in his office.
lol
In theory …
No tent, either.
> Jack Aubrey says:
July 6, 2009 at 10:59 am (Edit)
That one’s dull, no medal at the airport.
Jonas Blane says:
July 6, 2009 at 8:51 am
I like the arrivals in foreign capitals.
Great, a news clip on the Moscow meetings today. The Russian reporter is gorgeous.
Well, it made for a neat contrast with the other very consequential items of the day.
> Jack Aubrey says:
July 6, 2009 at 10:55 am (Edit)
Yeah, very good column on what counted on Obama’s 4th of July.
Too bad you had to even mention that idiot Palin.
Thanks.
> Len says:
July 6, 2009 at 9:48 am (Edit)
Neat column for the 4th.
Yes, almost too fascinating.
> Capitol Boy says:
July 6, 2009 at 9:27 am (Edit)
That was a fascinating press conference Barack and Medvedev gave in Moscow.
Good. I’ll keep running them.
L Jonas Blane says:
July 6, 2009 at 8:51 am (Edit)
I like the arrivals in foreign capitals.
Talk about throwing my schedule off …
> Capitol Boy says:
July 6, 2009 at 8:48 am (Edit)
Wow, they are still holding the presser in Moscow!
A simple question–just how extensive is Team Palin? Does she have the sort of infrastructure one should have to be taken serious as a contender for the nomination? I mean speech writers, schedulers, a stratgist, etc.
My brother mused to me could someone else wanting to take a run at the nomination have pulled strings to have a corporate six figure soft landing dangled to get her out of the limelight and clear a path for their bid. It is a scenario that isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
To me it is more likely that all on her own she could have seen a book deal and lucrative speeches as more appealing than serving the rest of her term and going through the rigors of re-election. Of course she claims she did it for her children–one of the oldest excuses politicos trot out when they wish to avoid admitting they jumped before being pushed, etc. It sure reeks of incredible egoism but of a piece with her career to date.
If she was smart she’d start working the rubber chicken circuit as a fundraiser for Congressional candidates. Build up chits and influence within the party. Excite the rightwing base that still adores her. And would help keep her in the linmelight. This is the path George W. Bush took, along with an intense course of Political 101 overseen by Karl Rove to make Bush credible on the issues and foreign policy. Unlike Bush Palin has no Rove and by all accounts resists substance. A few years as governor with few accomplishments isn’t enough to be a credible candidate for President, but I don’t see signs she sees the situation that way.
Good 4th of July White House clip.
“A few years as governor with few accomplishments isn’t enough to be a credible candidate for President” — Good thing you weren’t asked for advice by David Axelrod and Plouffe when trying to decide if Obama had credibility as a candidate.
Hap, who previously touted Fred Thompson as the biggest threat to Obama or Clinton, seems to think that this latest Palin escapade makes her even more formidable.
Considering that I accomplished more in local government, as a teenager, than Palin did as an arguable grown-up, I don’t think, well, I’ve wasted enough time on this particular political joke.
She’s got nothing. It’s all ego, no knowledge, her speech reads as an absolutely ridiculous document, and was delivered with all the gravitas of a twit. The only thing she has going for her is an angry backlash constituency willing to swallow any amount of nonsense, and a shallow media eager to exploit her for controversy to avoid reporting actual news.
> Dana says:
July 6, 2009 at 12:43 pm (Edit)
A simple question–just how extensive is Team Palin? Does she have the sort of infrastructure one should have to be taken serious as a contender for the nomination? I mean speech writers, schedulers, a stratgist, etc.
I’d be very angry if I had to spend any time thinking about Sarah Palin.
Fortunately for me I don’t.
You again, with the same bullshit?
Hap Hazard says:
July 6, 2009 at 1:45 pm
“A few years as governor with few accomplishments isn’t enough to be a credible candidate for President” — Good thing you weren’t asked for advice by David Axelrod and Plouffe when trying to decide if Obama had credibility as a candidate.
Quit denigrating Fred Thompson by associating him with me. Palin could be formidable now if she organizes some groundswell in opposition to the Obama-Congressional agenda. Nobody is doing that now, so it would be “formidable” because, compared to nothing, anything is formidable. We’ll see.
I’m starting to think you are a troll.
The Republican Party has been doing what you are saying from the start of Obama’s Presidency.
Yeah, I suspected as much. The Republicans need to digest the lessons of the debacle Bush Presidency and rethink their philosophy and approach. Instead they seem to be going with the superficial and make noise path.
And the deep steep dive news coverage has taken is beyond sad.
>24.Bill Bradley says:
July 6, 2009 at 1:53 pm
She’s got nothing. It’s all ego, no knowledge, her speech reads as an absolutely ridiculous document, and was delivered with all the gravitas of a twit. The only thing she has going for her is an angry backlash constituency willing to swallow any amount of nonsense, and a shallow media eager to exploit her for controversy to avoid reporting actual news.
Dana I don’t think that any “loyal opposition” is capable of being generated by the republicans. They want in on the accouterments, earmarks and ego stroking that comes with being a Washingtonian. They may make noise, but there isn’t anything there. What it seems that we have in the country nowadays is the party (and the media) of incumbency, position and privilege, and then everybody else. All I can see the republicans shooting for in the near future is a chance to get back into the congressional driver’s seat so they can start tending the pay to play till. What irritates the most for the minority caucus is the fact that they had to give up the keys to these awful democrats
I’m going to watch the press conference from Moscow. Thanks!
Palin to a T.
Hap Hazard says:
July 6, 2009 at 4:13 pm
They may make noise, but there isn’t anything there.
“promoting his idea to crack down on potential fraud in the now massive, and heavily unionized, in-home health service program. ” — have to say Arnold is hitting close to home quite a bit these days. This has been a sewer for many years.
lol
Capitol Boy says:
July 6, 2009 at 4:17 pm (Edit)
Palin to a T.
Hap Hazard says:
July 6, 2009 at 4:13 pm
They may make noise, but there isn’t anything there.
“Ann says:
lol
Capitol Boy says:
Palin to a T.”
Your thoughtful and relevant explanation about congressional republicans is certainly better than mine. Funnier, too, obviously.
“…according to former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown…”
Say it isn’t so, Mr. Bradley! You can’t possibly be taking seriously anything the arrogant, narcissistic washed up former pay-to-play master has to say. He has an insipid column in the SF Chronicle where he ruminates on his own access to parties of the rich and infamous, detailing the thousands of dollars spent on overseas jaunts, and gossiping about his former colleagues. He wrote an absurd column wherein he offered to advise Gov. Blagoyevich about dealing with his corruption. Brown was really just using the Illinois governor’s scandal to draw attention to himself, as he does with all his supposedly insightful commentaries. If he is providing the press with information on what Karen Bass is doing and thinking, then we have really hit rock bottom.
Dana wrote: “A few years as governor with few accomplishments isn’t enough to be a credible candidate for President, but I don’t see signs she sees the situation that way.”
Unfortunately in this age of big money corporate funded campaigns, all it takes is a well-oiled PR machine, and as you point out, a Karl Rove to serve as the brain of a candidate as equally unqualified to be President as the former execution king and current un-indicted war criminal GW Bush. It doesn’t really matter if Palin is as uninformed as a 3rd Grader and has no track record of accomplishments; she will be credible to millions of others who are just as uninformed and kept stupid by our dumbed-down media. With the rest of the Republican contenders mired in scandals and failure, she might be their best hope. But maybe she will end up with a talk show a la Huckabee, or with Huckabee (let’s call it Dumberer and Dumberest).
If Obama succeeds in getting a new deal with Russia that will open so many things for America around the world. America should never have been so at odds with Russia. Certainly not since the fall of the Iron Curtain. Think of all the wastage of the course we have pursued.
President Obama’s visit has gone very very well. It is a new beginning for the two nations.
What new video today?
Obama’s big Moscow speech and Obama with Putin.
It may well be.
> sergei says:
July 7, 2009 at 6:19 am (Edit)
President Obama’s visit has gone very very well. It is a new beginning for the two nations.
She’s going nowhere. Already exposed.
> Paul Burton says:
July 6, 2009 at 9:09 pm (Edit)
Dana wrote: “A few years as governor with few accomplishments isn’t enough to be a credible candidate for President, but I don’t see signs she sees the situation that way.”
Unfortunately in this age of big money corporate funded campaigns, all it takes is a well-oiled PR machine, and as you point out, a Karl Rove to serve as the brain of a candidate as equally unqualified to be President as the former execution king and current un-indicted war criminal GW Bush. It doesn’t really matter if Palin is as uninformed as a 3rd Grader and has no track record of accomplishments; she will be credible to millions of others who are just as uninformed and kept stupid by our dumbed-down media. With the rest of the Republican contenders mired in scandals and failure, she might be their best hope. But maybe she will end up with a talk show a la Huckabee, or with Huckabee (let’s call it Dumberer and Dumberest).
That’s quite a lot of rhetoric downloaded there, Paul.
Which does not detract in the least from the accuracy of the report.
Willie Brown knows what he’s talking about, and he was referring to a conversation with Bass.
> Paul Burton says:
July 6, 2009 at 8:53 pm (Edit)
“…according to former Assembly Speaker Willie Brown…”
Say it isn’t so, Mr. Bradley! You can’t possibly be taking seriously anything the arrogant, narcissistic washed up former pay-to-play master has to say. He has an insipid column in the SF Chronicle where he ruminates on his own access to parties of the rich and infamous, detailing the thousands of dollars spent on overseas jaunts, and gossiping about his former colleagues. He wrote an absurd column wherein he offered to advise Gov. Blagoyevich about dealing with his corruption. Brown was really just using the Illinois governor’s scandal to draw attention to himself, as he does with all his supposedly insightful commentaries. If he is providing the press with information on what Karen Bass is doing and thinking, then we have really hit rock bottom.
Perhaps so.
> Hap Hazard says:
July 6, 2009 at 4:25 pm (Edit)
“promoting his idea to crack down on potential fraud in the now massive, and heavily unionized, in-home health service program. ” — have to say Arnold is hitting close to home quite a bit these days. This has been a sewer for many years.
There isn’t anything there with Palin.
The fact is that everybody on the right has piled on to Obama and it hasn’t made any difference.
They’re talking to themselves. Not unlike …
> Hap Hazard says:
July 6, 2009 at 4:13 pm (Edit)
Dana I don’t think that any “loyal opposition” is capable of being generated by the republicans. They want in on the accouterments, earmarks and ego stroking that comes with being a Washingtonian. They may make noise, but there isn’t anything there. What it seems that we have in the country nowadays is the party (and the media) of incumbency, position and privilege, and then everybody else. All I can see the republicans shooting for in the near future is a chance to get back into the congressional driver’s seat so they can start tending the pay to play till. What irritates the most for the minority caucus is the fact that they had to give up the keys to these awful democrats
Palin is a superficial noisemaker. She can barely even talk. GWB is a genius in comparison.
Not to mention a far shrewder, tougher character.
And the media … Oh, God.
> Dana says:
July 6, 2009 at 2:47 pm (Edit)
Yeah, I suspected as much. The Republicans need to digest the lessons of the debacle Bush Presidency and rethink their philosophy and approach. Instead they seem to be going with the superficial and make noise path.
And the deep steep dive news coverage has taken is beyond sad.
>24.Bill Bradley says:
July 6, 2009 at 1:53 pm
She’s got nothing. It’s all ego, no knowledge, her speech reads as an absolutely ridiculous document, and was delivered with all the gravitas of a twit. The only thing she has going for her is an angry backlash constituency willing to swallow any amount of nonsense, and a shallow media eager to exploit her for controversy to avoid reporting actual news.
That’s right.
> marcos leon says:
July 6, 2009 at 2:30 pm (Edit)
I’m starting to think you are a troll.
The Republican Party has been doing what you are saying from the start of Obama’s Presidency.
Since you are not dissuaded by the facts about Palin — which should have enlightened you for all time last fall — enjoy your fantasy.
> Hap Hazard says:
July 6, 2009 at 2:24 pm (Edit)
Quit denigrating Fred Thompson by associating him with me. Palin could be formidable now if she organizes some groundswell in opposition to the Obama-Congressional agenda. Nobody is doing that now, so it would be “formidable” because, compared to nothing, anything is formidable. We’ll see.