As expected, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the only challenger left to Afghan President Hamid Karzai, officially withdrew from next Saturday’s run-off election, citing ongoing massive fraud.
** OBAMA TODAY – SUNDAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey today.
Obama is going all out today to secure the re-election of New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine, who is in a tight race on Tuesday. The Republicans will re-take the governorship of Virginia.
Obama has received his intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
At 8:55 AM Pacific, Obama departs the White House on Marine One en route to Andrews Air Force Base, where he boards Air Force One.
At 9:10 AM Pacific, Obama departs Andrews Air Force Base en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
At 9:55 AM Pacific, Obama arrives in Philadelphia.
At 10:20 AM Pacific, Obama delivers remarks at an event for Governor Corzine in Susquehanna, New Jersey.
At 11:25 AM Pacific, Obama departs Philadelphia on Air Force One en route. Newark Liberty International Airport.
At 11:55 AM Pacific, Obama arrives in Newark, New Jersey.
At 12:25 PM Pacific, Obama delivers remarks at an event for Governor Corzine at the Prudential Center in Newark.
At 1:20 PM Pacific, Obama departs Newark, New Jersey on Air Force One en route to Andrews Air Force Base.
At 2:10 PM Pacific, Obama arrives at Andrews Air Force Base, where he boards Marine One.
At 2:25 PM Pacific, Obama lands on the South Lawn of the White Hose.
Obama is monitoring geopolitical crises in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.
Iran is now saying it wants to continue negotiating on the nuclear deal its negotiators accepted, and which it more recently said no to. The Iranian signals on this are rather chaotic.
In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai’s rival, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, today said officially that he will not participate in the run-off presidential election next Saturday.
This is a serious problem for Obama, who is in the final stages of devising his latest strategy for Afghanistan.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is in Israel this weekend for talks on the Palestinian peace process and the Iranian crisis.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE – SUNDAY. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Los Angeles today.
He has no scheduled public events.
In his weekend video/radio address, President Barack Obama says that, while there is nothing to celebrate until job numbers turn around, the recent dramatic turnaround in gross domestic product is a sign of better things to come.
Happy Halloween!
I’m wearing my Don Draper costume this year …
** OBAMA TODAY – SATURDAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington today.
Obama has received his intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
At 3:35 PM Pacific, Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama greet trick or treaters at the North Portico.
Ah, how did those darn kids get in?
At 4 PM Pacific, the Obamas attend a Halloween reception in the East Room.
Obama is monitoring geopolitical crises in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Iraq.
Iran, which seemed, after a typical stalling tactic, to accept the nuclear deal it negotiated last week in Vienna, albeit with big caveats, has now said no to it.
Strange doings in the Islamic republic.
In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai’s rival, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, says he will boycott the run-off election next Saturday.
Why? He says that Karzai refuses to make the moves necessary to make it a fair election.
One-third of Karzai’s votes in the first election were thrown out due to fraud.
This is a serious problem for Obama, who is in the final stages of devising his latest strategy for Afghanistan.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger joined Vice President Joe Biden and Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley yesterday in Washington to talk up the Obama economic program.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE – SATURDAY. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Los Angeles today.
He has no scheduled public events.
No legislative action yet on the big proposed California water deal.
Schwarzenegger is back from a whirlwind trip to Washington, where yesterday he held a press conference with Vice President Joe Biden to discuss actions to stimulate the economic recovery, and New York, where he participated in a charity auction with Audemars Piguet.
Schwarzenegger holds a private fundraiser today for his friend, Florida Governor Charlie Crist.
Crist is running for the Senate in Florida, and is the favorite.
** AFGHANISTAN, AGAIN: THE THICKET OBAMA’S NOT GETTING OUT OF. President Barack Obama is fixing to reveal his latest strategy for Afghanistan, perhaps after the election a week from Friday. He appears to be preparing to split the difference. Perhaps he should be preparing to split the territory.
Afghanistan has a government, of a sort, but it doesn’t really have a nation. It won’t have a nation unless we build it. And there is no guarantee that, as the saying goes, if we build it, they will come. …
** MAD MEN REVIEW: “THE GYPSY AND THE HOBO.” … From my October 26th review.
** CHINATOWN’S 35TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION AND THE POLANSKI SCANDAL. In one of the great ironies, the 35th anniversary edition of Chinatown came out this month, nearly at the same time that its director, Roman Polanski, was arrested in Switzerland after fleeing Los Angeles over 30 years ago following a guilty plea and brief imprisonment for unlawful sex with a minor.
Chinatown, the tale of a smart, tough detective investigating what he thinks, at first, is a simple case of infidelity in late 1930s Los Angeles, is my favorite film. On the surface, it’s a period detective picture, a big Hollywood movie with the trappings of film noir. Beneath, it’s much more. Armed with an alarmingly intelligent screenplay by Robert Towne, brilliantly cast from stars Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunaway down through the extras, the film creates its own mesmerizing world through evocative music, costuming, and production design.
“You may think you know what you’re dealing with, Mr. Gits. But believe me, you don’t.” (Words to always keep in in mind, which I sometimes have not.) … From my October 23rd essay.
** OBAMA IN THE THICKET OF “AFGHANIRANISTAN.” Considering that he is the most recent winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, President Barack Obama is in a seemingly curious set of positions. He’s spurred major military offensives in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and has been deeply enmeshed in a tense stand-off with Iran.
There are many complex things to be said about each of these situations, which are all interrelated with not only one another, but also US relations with such challenging countries as Israel and Russia. But let’s start with the basic versions. …
Obama is in the thicket of “Afghaniranistan,” a multi-faceted complex of geopolitical crises. He is actively using military force in two of the countries, and has threatened, at the least, tough sanctions in the third. (The Obama Administration also recently accelerated the development of advanced bunker-buster bombs, suitable for use against, say, underground nuclear facilities.)
Which is a seemingly odd place for the most recent Nobel Peace Prize winner to be. … From my October 21st column.
** MAD MEN REVIEW: “THE COLOR BLUE.” … From my October 19th review.
** MAD MEN REVIEW: “WEE SMALL HOURS.” … From my October 12th review.
** WHY OBAMA DOESN’T DESERVE THE NOBEL PEACE PRIZE, OR THE OLYMPICS RAP. … From my October 9th column.
** ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, JERRY BROWN, BILL CLINTON AND THAT CRAZY CALIFORNIA GOVERNORSHIP. … From my October 8th essay.
** MAD MEN REVIEW: “SOUVENIR.” … From my October 5th review.
** IRANIAN CRISIS: PROGRESS, PROBLEMS. … From my October 2nd column.
** IRANIAN CRISIS: RUN-UP TO NEGOTIATION. … From my September 30th 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 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, 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 on July 11th, 2008, crude oil closed on Friday at $77 per barrel. Energy markets are closed on the weekend.
This is up about $43 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity.
Your posts are welcome in the Forum. You can send me a private tip by clicking on the “Contact” button in the upper right.
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| Comments (48) |
Good speech by the Prez, hope he’s right.
Does Biden ever stop talking?
lol
I love it! I think I’ll go as Roy Rogers.
BB:Happy Halloween!
I’m wearing my Don Draper costume this year …
Barack nailed it again. Things are getting better, getting better all the time.
That’s a Beatles song…
Jonas Blane says:
October 31, 2009 at 11:16 am
Good speech by the Prez, hope he’s right.
Hey, behave! We like Biden.
Jonas Blane says:
October 31, 2009 at 11:21 am
Does Biden ever stop talking?
We like Biden, when he stops talking.
Cal is ahead already, 14-0.
We’ll see how that School for Spoiled Children does tonight in Oregon. Hey, Solon, cat got your tongue?
Yeah!
Besides, when people listen carefully to Joe Biden, people generally become better informed, you know.
Capitol Boy says:
October 31, 2009 at 11:47 am
Hey, behave! We like Biden.
Jonas Blane says:
October 31, 2009 at 11:21 am
Does Biden ever stop talking?
Just wanted to say thanks for posting the whole governors/veep press conference!
A great win for Cal down in the desert. Hope SC does it up in Oregon!
ESPN reports that USC has not lost by more than a touchdown since 2001! Astonishing, likely unprecedented in college football history, save perhaps those teams coached by Wilkinson or Rockne.
Ow! What happened to SC????!!!!
Oregon must be pretty good; their only loss is Game 1 @ Boise.
The amazing thing is how shocking and rare it is for USC to lose like this. Every other program loses big like this at least once every year or two. But this was the first 7+ point defeat for USC in eight years!
I tried to tell Pete that speed kills and that the Ducks were far superior in that area than the Men of Troy, but he wouldn’t listen.
The lads from the rainy Northwest run an innovative offense, much like I did with the I-formation in the early 60′s at USC, and that took away the superior depth of USC while exploiting their weakness…defensive speed.
The lad known as Capitol Boy didn’t realize this when it picked on USC two weeks ago, but it was on the right track. Further proof was submitted last week against Oregon State.
The team I coached to greatness, and that Pete Carroll has returned to that status, is merely a good one this year. The team they lost to this evening must now be considered one of this nation’s best.
I believe Iran will be back on the track.
What new video today?
Abdullah gives a good interview.
I think Dr. Abdullah Abdullah may have made a very smart decision and one that President Obama may have even hoped for. It seemed fairly clear from his interview today that Abdullah is looking toward a new process for political reform that could put Afghanistan at least on the right track toward security and stability. I see a loya jirga in the not too distant future.
If this decision averts the run-off altogether, then that may be a good thing, too, just based on the safety of the voters who would have been brave enough to come out and vote.
The election, however, is going forward. It’s heading into farcical territory.
He does.
> Jonas Blane says:
November 1, 2009 at 9:39 am (Edit)
Abdullah gives a good interview.
Ghosts are always welcome. Even ghostwriters.
That game was painful. It looked like SC gave up in the second half. I had to switch it off.
> The Ghost of John McKay says:
October 31, 2009 at 8:58 pm (Edit)
I tried to tell Pete that speed kills and that the Ducks were far superior in that area than the Men of Troy, but he wouldn’t listen.
The lads from the rainy Northwest run an innovative offense, much like I did with the I-formation in the early 60’s at USC, and that took away the superior depth of USC while exploiting their weakness…defensive speed.
Oregon looks like it’s for real.
> Clutch J says:
October 31, 2009 at 8:51 pm (Edit)
Oregon must be pretty good; their only loss is Game 1 @ Boise.
The amazing thing is how shocking and rare it is for USC to lose like this. Every other program loses big like this at least once every year or two. But this was the first 7+ point defeat for USC in eight years!
That is amazing. The worst loss before with Pete Carroll was by 11.
> Clutch J says:
October 31, 2009 at 8:18 pm (Edit)
ESPN reports that USC has not lost by more than a touchdown since 2001! Astonishing, likely unprecedented in college football history, save perhaps those teams coached by Wilkinson or Rockne.
I think Best has been hurt most of the year.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 31, 2009 at 6:21 pm (Edit)
A great win for Cal down in the desert. Hope SC does it up in Oregon!
You’re welcome!
> Elizabeth Miller says:
October 31, 2009 at 4:39 pm (Edit)
Just wanted to say thanks for posting the whole governors/veep press conference!
It’s a spoofy Beatles song …
> Capitol Boy says:
October 31, 2009 at 11:47 am (Edit)
Barack nailed it again. Things are getting better, getting better all the time.
That’s a Beatles song…
Jonas Blane says:
October 31, 2009 at 11:16 am
Good speech by the Prez, hope he’s right.
He does sleep …
> Jonas Blane says:
October 31, 2009 at 11:21 am (Edit)
Does Biden ever stop talking?
…farcical, indeed!
And, I’m hopeful that reports suggesting that Secretary Clinton believes this new development has no effect on the legitimacy of the run-off or of the Karzai government are entirely inaccurate.
Bill Bradley says:
November 1, 2009 at 10:11 am
The election, however, is going forward. It’s heading into farcical territory.
Hey, I kinda like SC. I like it when they do well. Not against Cal, tho. I said they had a big 4th quarter problem against ND two weeks ago.
The Ghost of John McKay says:
October 31, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I tried to tell Pete that speed kills and that the Ducks were far superior in that area than the Men of Troy, but he wouldn’t listen.
The lads from the rainy Northwest run an innovative offense, much like I did with the I-formation in the early 60’s at USC, and that took away the superior depth of USC while exploiting their weakness…defensive speed.
The lad known as Capitol Boy didn’t realize this when it picked on USC two weeks ago, but it was on the right track. Further proof was submitted last week against Oregon State.
He didn’t look as fast as usual.
Bill Bradley says:
November 1, 2009 at 10:15 am
I think Best has been hurt most of the year.
> Capitol Boy says:
October 31, 2009 at 6:21 pm (Edit)
A great win for Cal down in the desert. Hope SC does it up in Oregon!
Did she say that? Possibly boilerplate.
I see she pissed off the Palestinians.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
November 1, 2009 at 10:31 am (Edit)
…farcical, indeed!
And, I’m hopeful that reports suggesting that Secretary Clinton believes this new development has no effect on the legitimacy of the run-off or of the Karzai government are entirely inaccurate.
Bill Bradley says:
November 1, 2009 at 10:11 am
The election, however, is going forward. It’s heading into farcical territory.
Mr. Capitol Boy,
My time here with you is brief as the old coach must be moving on down the road. My words directly towards you were a compliment…as in you were on the right track with your thoughts of two weeks ago. That game, alone with last week’s against Oregon State, should have led you to know that the Ducks would quack all over USC last evening. They did me.
The Ghost of John McKay is now out of here….
Well, I’ve seen some quotes of what she said and it appears that she has little or no understanding of why Abdullah has withdrawn from the run-off.
I’m not sure we or the Palestinians will ever see a freeze to settlement activity in the West Bank and Secretary Clinton is just following in the footsteps of all of her predecessors who ultimately failed in moving the parties to a two-state solution. The time for that, I’m afraid, has come and gone. I think the Palestinians understand that.
Bill Bradley says:
November 1, 2009 at 10:50 am
Did she say that? Possibly boilerplate.
I see she pissed off the Palestinians.
Speaking of former presidents…
I’m back!
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/01/24-scoop-president-logan-returns/
Just saw the latest Mad Men episode and wanted to remind you to make a hard copy after every paragraph, OK?
What is the video today?
I don’t know how I’ll carry-on, now that Gavin has dropped-out…
The thrill is gone.
lol
Indeed.
Less irritating, nonsensical spin …
> Brasky says:
November 2, 2009 at 9:00 am (Edit)
I don’t know how I’ll carry-on, now that Gavin has dropped-out…
A big balloon exploding.
> Jonas Blane says:
November 2, 2009 at 8:01 am (Edit)
What is the video today?
Right-o.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
November 1, 2009 at 10:18 pm (Edit)
Just saw the latest Mad Men episode and wanted to remind you to make a hard copy after every paragraph, OK?
Not dead. Another rocking season of 24.
> Chuck Logan says:
November 1, 2009 at 8:43 pm (Edit)
Speaking of former presidents…
I’m back!
http://ausiellofiles.ew.com/2009/11/01/24-scoop-president-logan-returns/
Geopolitics isn’t her strongest suit.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
November 1, 2009 at 11:42 am (Edit)
Well, I’ve seen some quotes of what she said and it appears that she has little or no understanding of why Abdullah has withdrawn from the run-off.
I’m not sure we or the Palestinians will ever see a freeze to settlement activity in the West Bank and Secretary Clinton is just following in the footsteps of all of her predecessors who ultimately failed in moving the parties to a two-state solution. The time for that, I’m afraid, has come and gone. I think the Palestinians understand that.
Bill Bradley says:
November 1, 2009 at 10:50 am
Did she say that? Possibly boilerplate.
I see she pissed off the Palestinians.
That’s great…a Secretary of State for whom geopolitics isn’t her pant suit…ahem…I mean, strongest suit.
Sorry, I couldn’t resist…I’m not that strong.
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