In the ArenaUncategorized
Yes, the President was a hoot at the White House Correspondents Dinner, but these words from his commencement address at the University of Michigan–via Andrew Sullivan–are keepers:
“If you’re someone who only reads the editorial page of The New York Times, try glancing at the page of The Wall Street Journal once in awhile. If you’re a
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President Barack Obama talks with U.S. Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Thad Allen and Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, aboard Marine One as they fly along the coastline from Venice to New Orleans, La., May 2, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
–The Obama administration is now taking an “all hands on deck” approach to the …
Our colleague Richard Zoglin files this from Saturday night’s big event:
Jay Leno was a disappointingly safe choice as host of this year’s White House Correspondents’ dinner. Still, there was some logic to it. At a time of bitter partisan rancor in Washington, the press group clearly felt no urge to risk stirring up more ill will with
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The red carpet at the Hinckley Hilton (as it’s dubbed inside the Beltway) is all laid out and this year not only C-SPAN will be covering the celebrity arrivals but CNN as well. Washington is gearing up for the annual White House Correspondents Dinner, also known as nerdprom – I believe the name is fairly self explanatory. This year …
This week’s podcast features Jay and Michael Grunwald talking about the latest in Sunshine State Senate drama. Enjoy:
As my colleague Barbara Kiviat notes over at The Curious Capitalist blog, Goldman Sachs’ legal troubles are deepening. With the firm reportedly mulling settlements with both the SEC and a hedge fund that folded after an ill-fated CDO investment, the Wall Street Journal reported last night that the Justice Department has opened an …
Before heading to Maryland to tour a Secret Service training facility, President Obama gave a 10-minute address in the White House Rose Garden that focused mostly on this morning’s strong economic numbers. As Christina Romer, Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, noted in the post to the White House blog, real GDP grew for the …
From the TIME’s White House Photo Blog. (No need for snark on this one.)
In the ArenaAfghanistan
One of the big changes in the U.S. military over the course of my career has been the diminution of happy talk and propaganda designed to hoodwink the public about the true situation on the ground in war zones. There are no more 5 o’clock follies–a reference only those of us old enough to remember Vietnam will understand (it refers to …
Official White House Photo by Pete Souza
–The economy grew at 3.2 percent the annual rate in the first quarter, “setting the stage for gains in employment that may help the recovery broaden and accelerate,” according to Bloomberg.
–The Goldman case goes from civil suit to preliminary criminal investigation. For all the talk …
Florida Governor Charlie Crist exited the Republican senate primary with much fanfare this evening, announcing his intention to run without party affiliation before a hometown crowd of supporters in St. Petersburg and under the bright lights of a captivated national media. His decision not only launched a fascinating three-way Senate …
In the ArenaUncategorized
Max Boot is right to wonder about the U.S. military’s political strategy in Kandahar Province, but he neglects to mention a rather significant point: According to the New York Times and U.S. government sources, Ahmed Wali Karzai (known to the military as AWK)–the local strongman and President Hamid Karzai’s half-brother–has been on the …
The White House turned its mid-day briefing into a press conference about the massive oil spill in the Gulf. Clues about how the mess will play politically are beginning to seep out. Janet Napolitano, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, said the leaking underwater oil well is a “spill of national significance” as the …
