President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan Sunday, after a non-stop overnight flight from Andrews Air Force Base.
** NEW COLUMN COMING UP … 24: DOWN FOR THE COUNT.
** OBAMA TODAY – SUNDAY. President Barack Obama is in Afghanistan.
In one of the great change-ups in presidential scheduling, Obama used the cover story of a weekend at the presidential retreat at Camp David, Maryland to actually fly on Air Force One to Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.
After landing at the U.S. base there, once the main base of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, Obama then flew by helicopter to the presidential palace in the Afghan capital of Kabul.
Here are pool press reports from the ground in Afghanistan.
WH pool – Aghan #1
POTUS helicopter touched down shortly after 8pm local time at presidential palace in Kabul in unnanounced visit to Afghanistan.
POTUS arrived aboard AF1 at 7:25pm local time (10:55am DC time) at Bagram Air Base after 12hr, 46min nonstop overnight flight from Andrews AFB. Met by Gen Stanley McChrystal and Amb. Karl Eichenberry after walking off AF1 10mins after landing in darkness.
Pool and POTUS immediately transferred to helos for 15min flight into Kabul.
WH pool – Afghan #2
Pool was briefed on AF1 shortly before landing by NSA James Jones and LTG Doug Lute, top AfPak official at NSC.
Jones said POTUS would “engage” with Karzai on benchmarks. Please check against transcript, but some quotes:
POTUS will “engage President Karzai…to make him understand that in his second term, there are certain things that have been not paid attention to, almost since day one. That is things like…a merit-based system for appointment of key government officials, battling corruption, taking the fight to the narco-traffickers, which fuels, provides a lot of the economic engine for the insurgents.” He also said they would dicuss the importance of the reintegration and reconciliation process. More to come.
WH pool – afghan 3
Potus and Karzai emerged from palace along red carpet to parade grounds in middle of palace complex. Men were talking, but unheard by pool.
Men proceeded to raised platform in front of Afghan color guard where national anthems were played. After anthems, presidents stepped down from platform and reviwed troops. Walked shoulder to shoulder, Potus on Karzai’s left. No words spoken. Presidents have reurned inside palace. Whole welcoming ceremony lasted about 10mins.
WH pool – Afghan 4
Pool now holding as presidents meet in palace. Before arrival, staff said Karzai and Potus would meet for a 1 on 1 first. Staff said Potus would be joined by NSA Jones, Amb. Eichenberry and deputy NSA McDonough.
Following that meeting, session is broadened for 45min meeting with Karzai’s cabinet. In that meeting, US side to include NSA Jones, CoS Rahm, deputy NSA Donilon, LTG Lute, Amb. Eichenberry, Gen. McChrystal, Deputy Amb. Riccardoni, deputy NSA McDonough.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE – SUNDAY. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Los Angeles.
He has no planned public events.
In his weekend video/radio address, President Barack Obama described what he calls “an historic week for America,” reforming the nation’s health care system and making student aid for higher education work for college students, not banks and middle men.
** OBAMA TODAY – SATURDAY. President Barack Obama is at Camp David today.
Obama has received his daily intelligence briefing.
He has no planned public events today.
He and Russian President Dmitri Medvedev struck a final agreement by phone yesterday on a new treaty to greatly reduce both countries’ nuclear weapons arsenals.
Obama and Medvedev will hold a U.S/Russia summit meeting in Prague on April 8th, where they will sign the nuclear arms reduction treaty. The signing will come nearly a year to the day from the Prague address in which Obama laid out many of his geopolitical goals, including the reduction of nuclear weapons.
Planning is now ongoing for this event.
Congress is off for spring recess.
Obama is also monitoring geopolitical crises in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Iraq.
Preliminary results of the March 7th Iraqi national parliamentary elections were delayed several times; they are out now.
Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki lost in the national popular vote. Maliki has called again for a manual recount of the national vote. But the elections commission has again turned him down.
So now he is threatening legal action.
Former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi’s more secular slate finished first in the vote and in parliamentary seats.
Allawi is now proposing to form a government with coalition partners.
The Tea Party crowd shows up in Searchlight, Nevada, home town of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, to try to defeat him this November.
Senator John McCain reunited with his former running mate Sarah Palin at a rally in Arizona Friday where McCain is fending off a primary challenge from the right and facing the toughest re-election campaign of his Senate career.
John McCain and Sarah Palin are back together again. This time the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee is coming to the rescue of the 2008 Republican presidential nominee.
McCain has a tough primary fight against far right former Congressman J.D. Hayworth. So Palin, the toast of the far right, is campaigning with McCain yesterday and today. The two appeared together at a fundraiser last night at the same Phoenix hotel from which McCain conceded the 2008 presidential race to Barack Obama.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE – SATURDAY. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Los Angeles today.
He joins First Lady Maria Shriver for the WE Connect Weekend event at the Forum in Inglewood. There families in need will gain access to various forms of assistance.
The state Legislature is off on spring break, which continues next week.
** NANCY PELOSI’S TRIUMPH: A LONG TIME COMING. It’s been a very heady few days for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
New York Times columnist Paul Krugman called her “a Speaker for the ages” after she ramrodded the national health care reform bill through the House of Representatives. “The most powerful woman in American history,” declared The Economist.
Which had not been my immediate expectation when I met Pelosi, whose 70th birthday is tomorrow, three decades ago at a party at her San Francisco home.
While recollections from the age of four (that’s a little joke) can, as we all know, be decidedly hazy, I remember some clear impressions. Though the daughter and sister of Baltimore mayors, Nancy D’Alesandro Pelosi was relatively new to being in politics on her own hook. … From my March 25th column.
** THE GHOST(S): OF TONY BLAIR, ROMAN POLANSKI, AND A WAR ON TERROR. Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer is one of the best films I’ve seen in recent years. It has masterful suspense, wit, humor, excellent casting and acting, fascinating design and music, and a highly relevant story which does not hit one over the head with a message. Yet it seems unlikely, at least in America, to break out beyond the art house hit status of The Hurt Locker and other much-admired and not widely-seen films.
Why? I think the first two words in the lead sentence provide the explanation. It’s a Roman Polanski film. And the distributor either doesn’t know how to market a film made by so notorious a figure that he is practically a pariah, at least now in America, or has found it to be impossible. It’s certainly an intriguing challenge, one that would tax the talents of a Don Draper.
In a real sense, as a filmmaker, Polanski is already a ghostly presence in America. One could note that he hasn’t had a big hit here since 1974’s Chinatown, which not coincidentally was made before his utterly unacceptable encounter with an underage girl. But one could also note that The Ghost Writer is a more commercial film than the films he’s been doing since his exile from the world’s movie-making capital of Los Angeles.
The Ghost Writer is a very well-reviewed, and widely reviewed, film, a roman a clef about former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. Which indicates that it has vibrancy beyond whatever it winds up doing at the domestic box office. It’s that good.
It’s based on the best-selling novel “The Ghost” by Robert Harris, which was bad enough for Tony Blair. But a book is one thing; a film is quite another. The novel by Harris — he was a friend of Blair who broke with him over the Iraq War — is very good. As is the basic story, good enough for me to know the novel well and still enjoy the twists and turns of the film. … From my March 22nd essay.
** THE MITT & MEG SHOW: “TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS” Billionaire Meg Whitman, the seeming political cipher who would be governor of California, is purchasing endless amounts of unanswered advertising. It’s propelled her into a slight lead over Democrat Jerry Brown in the new Field Poll, something which Brown (who’s held, lost, and held again leads in many campaigns) told me weeks ago that he expected.
Yet she has serious problems. At this past weekend’s state Republican convention, she tried to deal with two of them: Her avoidance of the press and her mysterious motivation as a newfound politician.
As a character, Meg Whitman lacks evident psychological credibility. Why is someone with no engagement in public affairs before her sudden leadership role in the 2008 Republican presidential campaigns — someone who couldn’t even be bothered to vote, and can’t say how long she’s lived in California — suddenly running for governor of the state?
Conservative Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, Whitman’s business mentor, provides the answer. It was his idea that Whitman run for governor, and he convinced her to do it. … From my March 17th column.
** MEG WHITMAN’S NEW! IMPROVED! POST-JOURNALISM! POLITICS. … From my March 12th column.
** IS MEG WHITMAN LIKE ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER? YES (IN THE WRONG WAYS) … From my March 9th column.
** IS OBAMA’S AFPAK STRATEGY ACTUALLY WORKING? … From my March 5th column.
** THE CALIFORNIA AS FIRST “FAILED STATE” DEBATE: SCHWARZENEGGER, DAVIS, WHITMAN, AND JERRY BROWN. With Democrat Jerry Brown finally declaring his candidacy for California governor today and billionaire Meg Whitman’s super-rich Republican rival Steve Poizner starting his own TV ad campaign against her, this seems a good time to talk about a big new negative theme about the rather tarnished Golden State. Is California America’s first “failed state?” That’s what a lot of people are saying. So I talked about that with Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; the governor he replaced, Gray Davis; and a famous former governor favored to be the next governor, Jerry Brown. … From my March 2nd column.
** THE BAND OF THE DECADE: THE BEATLES?! … From my January 1st, 2010 essay.
** HOW JERRY BROWN CLEARED THE DEMOCRATIC FIELD FOR GOVERNOR OF CALIFORNIA. … From my December 9th, 2009 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, 2009 Huffington Post column.
** HELP FOR HAITI.
You can donate to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, www.clintonbushhaitifund.org, by clicking here.
** 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.
** 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 at $80.00 per barrel on Friday. Energy markets are closed on the weekend.
This is up about $46 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity.
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| Comments (45) |
Palin looks silly.
Great speech by Barack on a great week in history!!
Good speech by Obama especially on student aid.
Sarah Palin talks a lot.
It’s all she does.
She’s a real talker, all right …
It’s been a great week for the president.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 27, 2010 at 10:55 am (Edit)
Great speech by Barack on a great week in history!!
She is doing her Sarah thing.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 27, 2010 at 10:51 am (Edit)
Palin looks silly.
It has been pretty sad over the last few years to watch the transformation of Senator McCain from one of the senators I respected most to an average, run-of-the-mill pol who needs the kind of help that only the likes of a Sarah Palin can provide to hold onto his senate seat.
How does this happen? I guess it’s all too easy to understand given the current dysfuntional and toxic media and political culture, to borrow your very apt phrase.
McCain was quite a different figure the second time he ran for president. I was a great fan of his before that …
Do you think Senator McCain will be one of the Republicans who will find a reason to scuttle the Senate ratification of the new START treaty?
He just may be. He’s probably the most anti-Russian major politician in America.
Hasn’t he supported other nuclear arms reduction treaties?
When Georgia attacked the Republic of South Ossetia and Russia came to its aid, John McCain said “We are all Georgians now”.
sergei,
Wasn’t it a bit more complicated than that?
More video of Sarah Palin today?
Am I misreading things, or was what was supposed to be a giant Tea Party rally in Searchlight, Nevada yesterday something of a bust? A couple thousand people to help Sarah bash Harry Reid?
OMG, Barack is in Afghanistan!!
I LOVE IT!
He had to leave the country…his top two picks in the NCAA’s are out of the tournament. It’s all about saving face!!!
Obama to Afghanistan is better than Palin in Nevada.
Yes, it is. I changed out the first video for arrival footage in Afghanistan.
Tournament? You mean F1?
> Sacramento Solon says:
March 28, 2010 at 10:56 am (Edit)
He had to leave the country…his top two picks in the NCAA’s are out of the tournament. It’s all about saving face!!!
It was well under 10,000, like all their giant events …
> larry says:
March 28, 2010 at 9:17 am (Edit)
Am I misreading things, or was what was supposed to be a giant Tea Party rally in Searchlight, Nevada yesterday something of a bust? A couple thousand people to help Sarah bash Harry Reid?
No.
Obama in Afghanistan trumps most things she would do.
> Jonas Blane says:
March 28, 2010 at 8:58 am (Edit)
More video of Sarah Palin today?
I think so, but circumstances are always different in politics.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
March 27, 2010 at 6:50 pm (Edit)
Hasn’t he supported other nuclear arms reduction treaties?
This one is better than the first one.
Jonas Blane says:
March 28, 2010 at 11:10 am
Obama to Afghanistan is better than Palin in Nevada.
Bill Bradley says:
March 28, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Yes, it is. I changed out the first video for arrival footage in Afghanistan.
Saw the Ghost Writer today. It was every bit as good as Bill’s column and the comments here indicated. Well worth seeking out.
I think 24 is ending its TV run on a note of triumph–the new season is hitting on all cylinders. And the long rumored movie follow-up has evidently been greenlit. That could be interesting. Sutherland alone would make it worth seeing.
22.Bill Bradley says:
March 28, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Tournament? You mean F1?
> Sacramento Solon says:
March 28, 2010 at 10:56 am (Edit)
He had to leave the country…his top two picks in the NCAA’s are out of the tournament. It’s all about saving face!!!
—-
What else is there?
Both of Poizner’s ads are odd. His first started with a huge “Borrowing from Ronald Reagan’s playbook”. Swell, just what we need, more debt. This time we have a playbook as our lender. Playbook or something like that. “Borrowing” in a huge font is shocking.
This last one attacking Meg on illegal immigration highlights her several times saying that illegal immigrants must go to the back of the line. Then Poizner’s TV ad asserts that as amnesty. Perhaps she as governor does want amnesty, but whatever. Illegal immigrants should be at the back of a line containing both legal and illegal immigrants. Who does not want that? The immigration debate is very stale now. People who had very strong opinions on this on both sides back in the day have drifted to other concerns. Let’s see how this year’s MayDay Amnesty Parades compare to years past.
Poizner would be much better at being governor than Brown or Meg; he’s lying about being so so-called conservative because that’s his only option at this point. His asking Jerry Brown to prosecute Meg for asking him to leave the race, and his few weird commercials put his political agility into question. That’s sort of important too.
That said, there is no way in hell I’m voting for that AB32 lover Brown. What a complete disaster that law has become.
Ghost Writer is excellent. Thanks for recommending it.
How obnoxious do my comments have to be to evoke responses? Come on! What kind of blog is this?! BORING
Sam,
It’s Sunday. Some folks go to sleep early…others might still be in church…and there just could be a couple of us who have better things to do than response to your comments. Let’s see…I’m awake, not in church, and am responding. That can only mean that I’m bored as hell.
Hope you’re having a good evening…and good luck with your chumming.
Sacramento Solon – Respond to my #30 comment, which I actually spent several minutes typing. I’m did not chumm. Honest.
Sam,
I’m too old to respond at this hour of the day. I’ve already taken my drool towel down and am about ready to sit in my easy chair. Sparring with someone as quick as you could only hurt me. Sorry.
However, I do have an idea…you could have another drink and discuss it with yourself. Works for me, might work for you!
Why can’t Bill Bradley put the “Comments(32)” link in a huge font up at the top of the page? As it appears on my browser this is a tiny 1/8 inch link clickable area about 2 feet down on each article. It is a totally ridiculous web page design.
What an idiot.
Georgia was the aggressor against Ossetians.
sergei says:
March 28, 2010 at 5:12 am
When Georgia attacked the Republic of South Ossetia and Russia came to its aid, John McCain said “We are all Georgians now”.
Elizabeth Miller says:
March 28, 2010 at 5:59 am
sergei,
Wasn’t it a bit more complicated than that?
What new video today?
Obama at Bagram, and at Andrews.
Oh, probably because it would be ugly and ridiculous …
> Sam Loomis says:
March 28, 2010 at 10:56 pm (Edit)
Why can’t Bill Bradley put the “Comments(32)” link in a huge font up at the top of the page? As it appears on my browser this is a tiny 1/8 inch link clickable area about 2 feet down on each article. It is a totally ridiculous web page design.
It’s a blog on which people have other things to do on a Sunday night and are weary of trolling …
> Sam Loomis says:
March 28, 2010 at 8:42 pm (Edit)
How obnoxious do my comments have to be to evoke responses? Come on! What kind of blog is this?! BORING
You’re welcome.
> Sam Loomis says:
March 28, 2010 at 6:47 pm (Edit)
Ghost Writer is excellent. Thanks for recommending it.
F1 is all.
Now, what can we say about a Final Four with Maid University in it?
> Sacramento Solon says:
March 28, 2010 at 5:40 pm (Edit)
22.Bill Bradley says:
March 28, 2010 at 12:16 pm
Tournament? You mean F1?
> Sacramento Solon says:
March 28, 2010 at 10:56 am (Edit)
He had to leave the country…his top two picks in the NCAA’s are out of the tournament. It’s all about saving face!!!
—-
What else is there?
Thanks, glad you enjoyed The Ghost Writer. I thought you would. I’m listening to the score now.
24 can seque into a great film. But it could have continued as a series. It’s viewership hasn’t recovered from the Winter Olympics. And I think the Dana Walsh story grew very wearisome.
And NOW it turns out that she’s a …
> Dana says:
March 28, 2010 at 3:23 pm (Edit)
Saw the Ghost Writer today. It was every bit as good as Bill’s column and the comments here indicated. Well worth seeking out.
I think 24 is ending its TV run on a note of triumph–the new season is hitting on all cylinders. And the long rumored movie follow-up has evidently been greenlit. That could be interesting. Sutherland alone would make it worth seeing.