Kevin Sack has an illuminating piece in the New York Times on the conundrum that politicians – especially Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats – face while trying to balance a fiercely partisan political climate against the woes of a sagging economy. Case in point: Medicaid, one of the most expensive programs in every state in the …
More Americans have a negative view of the federal government’s response to the oil spill than they did of the federal response to Hurricane Katrina, according to a just released ABC News/Washington Post poll. According to the survey, conducted June 3-6, 69% of respondents would rate the federal government’s response to the oil spill …
Count me among those who are a little bored with the media narrative that President Obama doesn’t appear “angry” enough about the BP oil spill. Sure, symbolism is important in times like these and the public wants to know that its commander-in-chief is sufficiently engaged and cares about what’s happening. But shouldn’t the media focus …
Those looking for someone to blame for the Gulf oil spill have zeroed in on BP CEO Tony Hayward. Although Hayward is now starring in a new contrite television commercial aimed at calming his critics, he’s not likely to get the metaphorical target off his back anytime soon.
TIME’s Elizabeth Dias filed this report:
BP’s Tony
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The Clinton Library just released online more than 46,000 pages of documents concerning Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan and her work as a White House lawyer in the 1990s. Critics (and supporters) will be combing through these in advance of her upcoming Senate confirmation hearing, but if you want to have a peek on your own, the files are here.
Our colleague Michael Grunwald has a story out today on the likely Democratic candidate in the race for Florida’s Senate seat. Yes, a Democrat is running, despite that much of the political oxygen is being sucked up by Republican candidate Marco Rubio and newly minted independent Charlie Crist. That Democrat is Kendrick Meek and although …
(AP photo)
–President Obama will be in the Gulf again today – his second trip in a week. BP, meanwhile, says its latest attempt to contain the spill may be working, but will be a while until we know if this is really the beginning of the end of the disaster. Any oil that is collected with the cap now in place will be more than a …
George W. Bush, whose memoir “Decision Points” will be released in November, launched a Facebook page today and has already garnered more than 14,000 fans some pretty wistful comments about the days of yore.
A sampling:
You are greatly missed! Thank you for all you did for us, Mr President! Washington needs more help now
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When BP CEO Tony Hayward uttered those words a few days ago, he looked like an out of touch rich guy who’s annoyed that he has to deal with an inconvenient oil spill. “There’s no one who’d like this over more than me,” he said of the largest oil disaster in U.S. history that claimed the lives of 11 rig workers.
Well, now Hayward has …
The Gores announced today in an e-mail to friends that they are separating, just two weeks after their 40th wedding anniversary.
Politico’s Mike Allen, who obtained the e-mail and broke the news, said he confirmed the e-mail’s authenticity with a spokeswoman for the couple. In the e-mail, the Gores said:
We are announcing
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Standing in the sun surrounded by state and local officials, President Obama sought to send a message of resolve to Gulf Coast residents and the American public.
“You will not be abandoned. You will not be left behind,” he said, clearly trying to draw a distinction between the BP oil spill and the federal response to Hurricane …
President Obama, touring the Gulf region today, was due to speak publicly at 1:30 p.m. He’s running late, no doubt still crafting his comments and conferring with local officials. While we wait, here are some questions on the political implications of this disaster we’re sure to come back to in the weeks and months ahead.
In the …
President Obama on Louisiana’s Fourchon Beach today
REUTERS/Larry Downing
