The new pope, Francis I, is mostly dazzling the media with his personal frugality and down-to-earth, as it were, approach.
** OBAMA TODAY – SUNDAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Obama received the intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
He has no scheduled public events.
The annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) ended Saturday.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Florida Senator Marco Rubio were the big winners, in terms of audience response and in terms of running first and second in the 2016 straw poll.
Sarah Palin also was a major winner with the crowd, getting a big response.
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, in contrast, fell flat with what was reported to be a rather stolidly read speech. He’s too moderate for this red-hot crowd, anyway.
Congressman Paul Ryan’s star seems to have fallen as well, despite or perhaps in part because of his presence on the 2012 ticket. He only came fifth in the straw poll.
Karl Rove was a major pinata, of course.
Meanwhile, the new president of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, made his first address as China’s president today to the National People’s Congress in Beijing. There he pledged “a great renaissance of the Chinese nation.”
This is a phrase he’s used before, and he’s still not very specific about it. But he did talk about scaling back ostentatious lifestyles among the leadership and pursuing rather vague reforms to avoid corruption. And he is very close to China’s armed forces, a champion of the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier force projection program. He called for the strengthening of the military’s ability to “win battles.”
Here’s what Obama’s week ahead looks like, dominated of course by his big trip to the Middle East, principally Israel.
On Monday, Obama will attend meetings at the White House.
On Tuesday, Obama will welcome Prime Minister (Taoiseach) Enda Kenny of Ireland to the White House. In the morning, Obama will meet with the Taoiseach in the Oval Office, then the two will attend the traditional St. Patrick’s Day lunch at the U.S. Capitol. Obama will also meet with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Northern Ireland at the White House. In the evening, the Obamas will host a reception to celebrate their fifth St. Patrick’s Day at the White House.
Late on Tuesday evening, Obama will depart for Israel on Air Force One.
On Wednesday, Obama will have separate meetings with Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. He will also hold a joint press conference with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
On Thursday, Obama will meet with President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority and will tour a youth development center with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Later in the day, Obama will deliver an address to the Israeli people at the Jerusalem International Convention Center. He will also hold a joint press conference with President Abbas.
On Friday, Obama will meet with King Abdullah II of Jordan, one of the most stable countries in the Middle East and America’s longstanding Arab ally, and later will hold a joint press conference with King Abdullah II.
On Saturday, Obama will return to Washington, DC.
Obama is monitoring several geopolitical crises involving the Arab Awakening, Iran and Israel, Syria, Iraq, AfPak, and the South China Sea.
Military Crisis Zone Times: The Persian/Arabian Gulf is ten hours ahead of Pacific time, and Afghanistan is eleven and a half hours ahead of Pacific time. The time in Manila, on the South China Sea, is fifteen hours ahead of Pacific time.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES – SUNDAY. Governor Jerry Brown is in Northern California.
He has no scheduled public events as of this morning.
Although courted by Republican leaders, moderate conservative former Fresno Mayor Alan Autry has decided not to run in the May 21st special election for the Central Valley state Senate seat recently vacated by Democrat Michael Rubio. He reportedly says he’ll take a look at it again next year, when the district will be somewhat altered by reapportionment. But the best low-turnout scenario was this year.
Click here for my compendium of articles laying out the re-emergence of Jerry Brown as governor of California.
Click here for my compendium of articles providing a narrative of his governorship.
In his weekend video/radio address, President Barack Obama discusses energy and the need to reduce our dependence on oil and develop alternative energy systems, calling for a $2 billion Energy Security Trust to invest in research to help the nation protect the environment, build new industry, and lessen its dependence on Middle East oil.
** OBAMA TODAY – SATURDAY. President Barack Obama is in Washington.
Obama received the intelligence and economic briefings in the Oval Office.
He has no scheduled public events.
As Obama prepares for his trip next week to Israel — which finally, more than seven weeks after a very divided election, came up with a new coalition government still, for now, with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu — he does so with a new poll showing he’s not well liked there. The poll for the Israeli daily Maariv has 38% saying Obama has revealed hostility to Israel, 33% believe he is supportive of Israel, and 14% saying he is indifferent to the Jewish state.
Ironically, quite a few of those who think Obama isn’t for Israel would have died without the Iron Dome missile defense he had funded and helped develop, as we just saw a few months ago during the rocket attacks of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Obama will see an Iron Dome battery not long after landing in Israel. At the insistence of the Israelis, reportedly.
The Israelis, not incidentally, have a big PR effort on for the Obama visit, which is expected to fetch 500 journalists to the show, half of them traveling on the Obama cavalcade.
The Israeli government has come up with the theme and slogan of “Unbreakable Alliance” for the Obama visit, and are further branding it with an intriguing new logo.
Actually, it’s a decidedly cheeky logo which morphs the American and Israeli flags.
As you can see, the combined new flag of the two countries is dominated by the Israeli flag, with just a few of our stripes left in the bargain.
Perhaps telling to state of mind.
Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel produced a decidedly terse read-out of his talk early this morning with Afghan President Hamid Karzai.
Hagel is in the lead role on the Afghan War and America’s disentanglement from it. One of the current sticky issues, which may have prompted some of Karzai’s seemingly bizarre anti-American statements of late, concerns the disposition of prisoners at the Bagram Air Base. The prison, which contains many suspected terrorists who aren’t being brought to trial, was to have been turned over to Afghan control by now but has not been, pending agreement on disposition of those prisoners.
Here’s the Pentagon statement, in all its terseness and studied opaqueness: “Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel spoke with Afghan President Hamid Karzai this morning to discuss issues of shared concern, including detentions. They agreed to use the next week to conduct intensive work with a view to concluding an agreement that fully recognizes Afghan sovereignty and our mutual interests in security of the Afghan people and our respective forces.”
Obama is monitoring several geopolitical crises involving the Arab Awakening, Iran and Israel, Syria, Iraq, AfPak, and the South China Sea.
Military Crisis Zone Times: The Persian/Arabian Gulf is ten hours ahead of Pacific time, and Afghanistan is eleven and a half hours ahead of Pacific time. The time in Manila, on the South China Sea, is fifteen hours ahead of Pacific time.
** FROM THE JERRY FILES – SATURDAY. Governor Jerry Brown is in Northern California.
He has no scheduled public events as of this morning.
Will former Fresno Mayor Alan Autry make a run for the Central Valley state Senate seat suddenly vacated by Democrat Michael Rubio, the new head of California lobbying for Chevron Oil? Perhaps. The former actor and pro football player is certainly personable enough — he co-starred in the hit TV series In the Heat of the Night and played for the Green Bay Packers after starring at the Central Valley’s University of the Pacific — and he may be moderate enough in a relatively low-turnout May 21 special election set by Brown.
We may see how serious conservative Republicans supposedly worried about their party’s precipitous decline are about actually winning an election.
Click here for my compendium of articles laying out the re-emergence of Jerry Brown as governor of California.
Click here for my compendium of articles providing a narrative of his governorship.
In what has to be one of the most unintentionally amusing moments of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin urged Republicans to broaden their message. Palin, of course, achieved her fame with incendiary far right rhetoric.
** PIVOTING, DRONING, AND OUR MAN IN KABUL. … From my March 13th essay.
** FOR CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS, STUNT POLITICS WORKED FOR AWHILE AND THEN BACKFIRED (YET DEMS CAN STILL BLOW IT). … From my March 12th column.
** THE SUDDENLY SCRAMBLING OBAMA. … From my March 8th column.
** CALIFORNIA REPUBLICANS: OUT OF STUNTS. … From my March 6th column.
** WILL JERRY BROWN BE UNOPPOSED FOR RE-ELECTION? … From my March 4th feature.
** SECRETARY HAGEL AND THE SENATE’S MASSIVE WASTE OF TIME. … From my February 27th essay.
** FROM GOVERNATOR TO MOONBEAM. … From my January 3rd, 2011 feature.
** 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.
** 24/7 LIVE TV NEWS FEED FROM AL JAZEERA. With the US entangled in major military operations in the region, and the Arab awakening underway, it’s valuable to keep up with news and perspectives from the leading Middle Eastern-based TV news network. 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.
** 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 from the Russia Today channel. The NWN live link to RT does not constitute an endorsement of the state-run 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 $93.45 per barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Energy markets are closed on the weekend.
This is up about $59 from the low of $34 per barrel prior to enactment of the Obama economic recovery program, reflecting a low point in global economic activity, and down about $21 per barrel from the price at the time of the Osama bin Laden raid.
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| Comments (33) |
Good weekend address by President Obama on energy alternatives.
Sarah Palin must believe in mass amnesia.
Great message by Barack!!
Jonas says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Good weekend address by President Obama on energy alternatives.
She’s crazy, crazy funny!!! I love it.
Jonas says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Sarah Palin must believe in mass amnesia.
I hope they’re as serious as ever…
BB:We may see how serious conservative Republicans supposedly worried about their party’s precipitous decline are about actually winning an election.
This is really insulting, who do the Israelis think they are??
BB: The Israeli government has come up with the theme and slogan of “Unbreakable Alliance” for the Obama visit, and are further branding it with an intriguing new logo.
Actually, it’s a decidedly cheeky logo which morphs the American and Israeli flags.
Here it is.
As you can see, the combined new flag of the two countries is dominated by the Israeli flag, with just a few of our stripes left in the bargain.
New President of China called for the “chinese Dream” for his people after conference with President Putin in Moscow.
I am sergei.
China Inauguration video today?
I like what I’m seeing and hearing from the new Pope. He’s a breath of fresh air.
If they are the big winners, the Republicans are the big losers!!
BB:Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Florida Senator Marco Rubio were the big winners, in terms of audience response and in terms of running first and second in the 2016 straw poll.
Hmm…
BB: Meanwhile, the new president of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, made his first address as China’s president today to the National People’s Congress in Beijing. There he pledged “a great renaissance of the Chinese nation.”
This is a phrase he’s used before, and he’s still not very specific about it. But he did talk about scaling back ostentatious lifestyles among the leadership and pursuing rather vague reforms to avoid corruption. And he is very close to China’s armed forces, a champion of the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier force projection program. He called for the strengthening of the military’s ability to “win battles.”
Good!
BB:Although courted by Republican leaders, moderate conservative former Fresno Mayor Alan Autry has decided not to run in the May 21st special election for the Central Valley state Senate seat recently vacated by Democrat Michael Rubio. He reportedly says he’ll take a look at it again next year, when the district will be somewhat altered by reapportionment. But the best low-turnout scenario was this year.
Good news video on the new Pope.
No NWN Bracketology?
Heh.
Which just goes to show, once again, that the more you do for people, the less you’re appreciated. Sadly, there are several members of the Obama administration who know this very well.
BB: Ironically, quite a few of those who think Obama isn’t for Israel would have died without the Iron Dome missile defense he had funded and helped develop, as we just saw a few months ago during the rocket attacks of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
From my perspective, this stunt is not at all surprising, given the way some Israeli officials have behaved since Obama/Biden took office. They (the Israelis) have a few things to learn, it appears, about how to conduct effective foreign relations, especially with their most important ally, bar none.
Speaking of which, Vice President Biden had something to say at the recent AIPAC meeting in Washington that puts this Israeli move in its place. I’m paraphrasing but he said that an independent Israel, secure in its borders, recognized by the world is in the practical strategic interest of America. He went further to emphasis the point when he said that this was “in our naked self-interst”.
>Capitol Boy says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:37 pm
This is really insulting, who do the Israelis think they are??
>BB: The Israeli government has come up with the theme and slogan of “Unbreakable Alliance” for the Obama visit, and are further branding it with an intriguing new logo.
Actually, it’s a decidedly cheeky logo which morphs the American and Israeli flags.
Here it is.
As you can see, the combined new flag of the two countries is dominated by the Israeli flag, with just a few of our stripes left in the bargain.
MI6 and CIA withheld evidence there was no WMD in Iraq. How very droll of them.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/18/panorama-iraq-fresh-wmd-claims
What crisis video today?
Israel.
The fakery and deception that drove the Iraq strategy should be clear to even the most undiscerning minds.
> axel white says:
March 18, 2013 at 6:32 am (Edit)
MI6 and CIA withheld evidence there was no WMD in Iraq. How very droll of them.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/18/panorama-iraq-fresh-wmd-claims
It’s really quite annoying for me, as an American, to look at that flag.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
March 17, 2013 at 8:23 pm (Edit)
From my perspective, this stunt is not at all surprising, given the way some Israeli officials have behaved since Obama/Biden took office. They (the Israelis) have a few things to learn, it appears, about how to conduct effective foreign relations, especially with their most important ally, bar none.
Speaking of which, Vice President Biden had something to say at the recent AIPAC meeting in Washington that puts this Israeli move in its place. I’m paraphrasing but he said that an independent Israel, secure in its borders, recognized by the world is in the practical strategic interest of America. He went further to emphasis the point when he said that this was “in our naked self-interst”.
>Capitol Boy says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:37 pm
This is really insulting, who do the Israelis think they are??
>BB: The Israeli government has come up with the theme and slogan of “Unbreakable Alliance” for the Obama visit, and are further branding it with an intriguing new logo.
Actually, it’s a decidedly cheeky logo which morphs the American and Israeli flags.
Here it is.
As you can see, the combined new flag of the two countries is dominated by the Israeli flag, with just a few of our stripes left in the bargain.
Yes, the level of ingratitude is quite striking.
> Elizabeth Miller says:
March 17, 2013 at 8:06 pm (Edit)
Which just goes to show, once again, that the more you do for people, the less you’re appreciated. Sadly, there are several members of the Obama administration who know this very well.
BB: Ironically, quite a few of those who think Obama isn’t for Israel would have died without the Iron Dome missile defense he had funded and helped develop, as we just saw a few months ago during the rocket attacks of the Israel-Hamas conflict.
Well, don’t really follow college basketball. Or pro, for that matter.
Though I do know who the NBA players are.
>
Jack Aubrey says:
March 17, 2013 at 3:04 pm (Edit)
No NWN Bracketology?
Heh.
Good for the one-party state, at least.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 17, 2013 at 10:59 am (Edit)
Good!
BB:Although courted by Republican leaders, moderate conservative former Fresno Mayor Alan Autry has decided not to run in the May 21st special election for the Central Valley state Senate seat recently vacated by Democrat Michael Rubio. He reportedly says he’ll take a look at it again next year, when the district will be somewhat altered by reapportionment. But the best low-turnout scenario was this year.
He won’t be warm and toasty …
> Capitol Boy says:
March 17, 2013 at 10:57 am (Edit)
Hmm…
BB: Meanwhile, the new president of the People’s Republic of China, Xi Jinping, made his first address as China’s president today to the National People’s Congress in Beijing. There he pledged “a great renaissance of the Chinese nation.”
This is a phrase he’s used before, and he’s still not very specific about it. But he did talk about scaling back ostentatious lifestyles among the leadership and pursuing rather vague reforms to avoid corruption. And he is very close to China’s armed forces, a champion of the Chinese Navy’s aircraft carrier force projection program. He called for the strengthening of the military’s ability to “win battles.”
Neither one is electable.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 17, 2013 at 10:53 am (Edit)
If they are the big winners, the Republicans are the big losers!!
BB:Kentucky Senator Rand Paul and Florida Senator Marco Rubio were the big winners, in terms of audience response and in terms of running first and second in the 2016 straw poll.
He is, at that.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 17, 2013 at 10:50 am (Edit)
I like what I’m seeing and hearing from the new Pope. He’s a breath of fresh air.
Thank you, yes.
>
serg says:
March 17, 2013 at 5:21 am (Edit)
New President of China called for the “chinese Dream” for his people after conference with President Putin in Moscow.
sergei says:
March 17, 2013 at 5:22 am (Edit)
I am sergei.
That was made clear in the Hagel confirmation hearing.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:37 pm (Edit)
This is really insulting, who do the Israelis think they are??
BB: The Israeli government has come up with the theme and slogan of “Unbreakable Alliance” for the Obama visit, and are further branding it with an intriguing new logo.
Actually, it’s a decidedly cheeky logo which morphs the American and Israeli flags.
Here it is.
As you can see, the combined new flag of the two countries is dominated by the Israeli flag, with just a few of our stripes left in the bargain.
Your hopes seem to be upheld.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:32 pm (Edit)
I hope they’re as serious as ever…
BB:We may see how serious conservative Republicans supposedly worried about their party’s precipitous decline are about actually winning an election.
Kind of lost in the shuffle, I’m afraid.
> Capitol Boy says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:27 pm (Edit)
Great message by Barack!!
Jonas says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:04 pm
Good weekend address by President Obama on energy alternatives.
Very nice.
> Jonas says:
March 16, 2013 at 12:09 pm (Edit)
Sarah Palin must believe in mass amnesia.