The South Korean Navy yesterday lifted the second half of a sunken warship from Pacific waters near the disputed sea border with North Korea, a month after a mysterious explosion split apart the ship and left 46 sailors dead or missing. South Korean Defense Minister Kim Tae Young said today that the most likely cause of the sinking was a torpedo exploding next to the ship.
** OBAMA TODAY – SUNDAY. President Barack Obama is in North Carolina, West Virginia, and Washington today.
Obama has received his daily intelligence and economic briefings.
He will meet privately with legendary evangelist Billy Graham, who lives in a log cabin near Asheville.
At 10:50 AM Pacific, Obama departs Asheville, North Carolina on Air Force One en route to Beckley, West Virginia.
At 11:40 AM Pacific, Obama arrives in Beckley, West Virginia
At 12 noon Pacific, Obama and Vice President Biden meet with family members of miners who lost their lives at Upper Big Branch mine.
At 12:30 PM Pacific, Obama delivers a eulogy at the memorial service for miners who lost their lives at Upper Big Branch mine.
At 2:20 PM Pacific, Obama departs Beckley, West Virginia on Air Force One en route to Andrews Air Force Base.
At 3:20 P Pacific, Obama lands at Andrews Air Force Base, where he boards arine One.
At 3:35 PM Pacific, Obama lands on the South Lawn of the White House.
Prospects are looking up for Obama’s Wall Street reform legislation following his address on Thursday at the Cooper Union in New York City. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled a procedural vote for late Monday.
GOP Senator Bob Corker of Tennessee said today that he wants to reclaim five years of executive pay from bailed-out Wall Street banks.
** 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 the auto industry and financial markets are beginning to stabilize and the government’s emergency interventions can now wind down. He says that real reform, particularly on Wall Street, must now begin.
** OBAMA TODAY – SATURDAY. President Barack Obama is in Asheville, North Carolina today.
He has no planned public events.
Obama has received his daily intelligence and economic briefings.
The Obamas are spending the weekend in North Carolina. The president got in a round of golf after arriving yesterday afternoon.
Prospects are looking up for Obama’s Wall Street reform legislation following his address on Thursday at the Cooper Union in New York City. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has scheduled a procedural vote for late Monday.
In other action …
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton finished talks in Estonia with top officials from NATO nations on the future of the alliance.
Clinton resisted calls by some for removal of the U.S. nuclear arsenal on European soil, reportedly some 200 weapons. She also looked to get more trainers from other NATO members for the Afghan Army and police forces.
She and the other NATO foreign ministers endorsed guidelines for passing control to the Afghans.
In Iraq, the government following national elections over six weeks ago is still not settled. The secular Sunni party headed by former Prime Minister Ayad Allawi surprisingly finished first ahead of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki Shiite-based party. But no one has been able to form a government and the shape of a national coalition government remains elusive.
In Iran, after a show of force last weekend, and after saying it has a new compromise on the nuclear enrichment issue, Iran staged another show of force, this time in the the very strategic Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s oil supply passes.
Yesterday’s exercise included simulated attacks on ships by underwater divers and small fast boats.
All this is designed to dissuade Western nations and Israel from strong sanctions or military action.
It’s also a reminder that at least a modicum of good will from Iran is necessary for the U.S. to stay on schedule in its withdrawal from Iraq, where Iran has had a great deal of influence following the removal of Saddam Hussein.
** FROM THE ARNOLD FILE – SATURDAY. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is in Los Angeles today.
He has no scheduled public events.
** CALIFORNIA STORY: BROWN, BOXER, AND (UN)CONVENTION(AL) POLITICS. Big developments in the past few days make it clear why California has the biggest races in the country this year, with President Barack Obama helping Barbara Boxer defend her Senate seat and Jerry Brown, trying for a record third term as governor, taking on the biggest spending statewide campaign in American history.
At its weekend convention in Los Angeles, the California Democratic Party endorsed Attorney General Jerry Brown as its candidate for an unprecedented third term as governor, in the process embracing him as the party’s “patriarch,” as one newspaper put it, albeit of the decidedly maverick variety. Brown, the two-time Democratic presidential runner-up who I shadowed on and off, reset the governor’s race against billionaire Meg Whitman or super-rich State Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner with a debate challenge and a focus on the excesses of Wall Street.
Senator Barbara Boxer, whose situation is both more straightforward and more problematic than Brown’s, rallied the party at the LA Convention Center, then appeared with President Barack Obama on Monday night for three fundraisers. He’ll be back next month to help Boxer with fundraisers in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Boxer and Brown are alike in that both are strong fighters who have won many statewide races. But they are not alike in other respects. … From my April 21st essay.
** JERRY BROWN’S LONG AND WINDING ROAD. … From my April 15th column.
** OBAMA’S NUCLEAR STRATEGY AND THE RUSSIAN RESURGENCE. … From my April 12th column.
Eleven Somalis accused of attacking two U.S. Navy ships off the coast of Africa appeared yesterday in a federal court in Virginia on charges of piracy.
** OBAMA’S BIG NEW AFPAK PROBLEMS. … From my April 7th column.
** 10 KEY THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT THE HIGH-STAKES CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR’S RACE: WHAT IT MEANS FOR BROWN, WHITMAN, POIZNER, ROMNEY, AND OBAMA. … From my April 1st column.
** 24: DOWN FOR THE COUNT? … From my March 30th column.
** NANCY PELOSI’S TRIUMPH: A LONG TIME COMING. … From my March 25th column.
** THE GHOST(S): OF TONY BLAIR, ROMAN POLANSKI, AND A WAR ON TERROR. … From my March 22nd essay.
** THE MITT & MEG SHOW: “TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS” … From my March 17th column.
** THE CALIFORNIA AS FIRST “FAILED STATE” DEBATE: SCHWARZENEGGER, DAVIS, WHITMAN, AND JERRY BROWN. … From my March 2nd column.
** 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 on Friday at $85.12 per barrel. Energy markets are closed on the weekend.
This is up about $51 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 (37) |
Good weekend speech by the President.
They’re going to try the Somali pirates here?
Why not? They attack Navy ships for profit. They’ll be tried as the criminals they are.
…Tho they have to be really dense to attack a Navy ship.
lol
The is exactly what Barack needs to be saying now!!
>>>> In his weekend video/radio address, President Barack Obama says that the auto industry and financial markets are beginning to stabilize and the government’s emergency interventions can now wind down. He says that real reform, particularly on Wall Street, must now begin.
He does need this pivot, finally …
Well, YEAH …
> Capitol Boy says:
April 24, 2010 at 11:19 am (Edit)
…Tho they have to be really dense to attack a Navy ship.
lol
Yes. It’s fairly standard for acts of piracy, not war.
> Jonas Blane says: says:
April 24, 2010 at 10:06 am (Edit)
They’re going to try the Somali pirates here?
Go Navy…Get rid of those nasty Pirates!
carole w, good to see you again!
The Fall of Troy, in the NFL draft.
http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10
CB,
Good morning…
Nice to see you sober this time of day. Yes, it is!
Shocker for you…any team that has a coach who signs a 13-year old to a letter of intent deserves to fall. They stopped being my team on the day that happened.
Enjoy your day. And, as I have always said (many times over your protest) GO BEARS!!!!!!
Hey Solon, backatcha!
I’m happy Cal had two first round draft picks, Best was the best! I’m really happy the 49ers got Taylor mays in the 2nd.
Additional video today?
North Koreans torpedoed the ship? Whoa…
14.Capitol Boy says:
April 25, 2010 at 7:46 am
Hey Solon, backatcha!
I’m happy Cal had two first round draft picks, Best was the best! I’m really happy the 49ers got Taylor mays in the 2nd
—–
I’m happy I was able to put on my own shoes this morning. Hey, I’m old…different standards!
Enjoy your Sunday…
Great video of the Korean ship raising.
This American Life (NPR) calls Steve Poizner’s tenure as a teacher “an urban legend.” LOTS of fact checking in this piece and grade A reporting: http://tinyurl.com/22mzc44
You’d think he can buy a clue.
Very interesting, thanks.
As I’ve written, I haven’t read his book.
> Brasky says:
April 25, 2010 at 12:40 pm (Edit)
This American Life (NPR) calls Steve Poizner’s tenure as a teacher “an urban legend.” LOTS of fact checking in this piece and grade A reporting: http://tinyurl.com/22mzc44
Interesting that Best went in the first and Toby Gerhart went in the second …
> Sacramento Solon says:
April 25, 2010 at 11:24 am (Edit)
14.Capitol Boy says:
April 25, 2010 at 7:46 am
Hey Solon, backatcha!
I’m happy Cal had two first round draft picks, Best was the best! I’m really happy the 49ers got Taylor mays in the 2nd
—–
I’m happy I was able to put on my own shoes this morning. Hey, I’m old…different standards!
Enjoy your Sunday…
Was Lane Kiffin for real when he did that?
> Sacramento Solon says:
April 25, 2010 at 7:30 am (Edit)
CB,
Good morning…
Nice to see you sober this time of day. Yes, it is!
Shocker for you…any team that has a coach who signs a 13-year old to a letter of intent deserves to fall. They stopped being my team on the day that happened.
Enjoy your day. And, as I have always said (many times over your protest) GO BEARS!!!!!!
Well, SC had a lot of high picks, only not in the first round.
> Capitol Boy says:
April 25, 2010 at 7:14 am (Edit)
The Fall of Troy, in the NFL draft.
http://espn.go.com/blog/pac10
Indeed.
> larry says:
April 24, 2010 at 6:57 pm (Edit)
carole w, good to see you again!
Yes, go Navy!
Rid the world of especially idiotic pirates …
> carole w says:
April 24, 2010 at 6:08 pm (Edit)
Go Navy…Get rid of those nasty Pirates!
NO TRIALS!
The Navy needs to blow those fools out of the water.
Yah, 4.3 40 vs. 4.5 40 will do it.
Bill Bradley says:
April 25, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Interesting that Best went in the first and Toby Gerhart went in the second …
23.Bill Bradley says:
April 25, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Was Lane Kiffin for real when he did that?
—-
Is he ever for real? Old grumpy thinks USC made a huge mistake in bringing him in. Go Bears!
North Korea is a strange nation.
What new video today?
The Prez on the West Virginia disaster, and Arnold on ed.
Indeed.
> sergei says:
April 26, 2010 at 2:41 am (Edit)
North Korea is a strange nation.
I think Kid Kiffin can be good.
> Sacramento Solon says:
April 25, 2010 at 7:30 pm (Edit)
23.Bill Bradley says:
April 25, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Was Lane Kiffin for real when he did that?
—-
Is he ever for real? Old grumpy thinks USC made a huge mistake in bringing him in. Go Bears!
Two tenths of a second is a world of difference …
> Truth Teller says:
April 25, 2010 at 6:35 pm (Edit)
Yah, 4.3 40 vs. 4.5 40 will do it.
Bill Bradley says:
April 25, 2010 at 3:54 pm
Interesting that Best went in the first and Toby Gerhart went in the second …
That’s one approach …
> Truth Teller says:
April 25, 2010 at 6:34 pm (Edit)
NO TRIALS!
The Navy needs to blow those fools out of the water.
Well, now THAT begs for a follow-up question or two, doesn’t it?
>BB: “the most likely cause of the sinking was a torpedo exploding next to the ship.”