My thoughts on the inaugural

Been trying to put my thoughts together of what this week has meant to me, to us. Perhaps this video does a better job.



Another video I'm trying to find, and can't, is that wonderful General Electric TV commercial from 1989 about Eastern Europe, where they're dancing in Vienna, or somewhere old Europe-y, at a ball, and the bejeweled elderly woman says to her husband as he swirls her on the dance floor, "I feel young again." That's a bit how I feel this week. Anyone know where we can find that commercial? I can't believe GE doesn't have it online somewhere. Read the rest of this post...

More bad economic news: Unemployment claims "surged last week"

The last weeks of the Bush administration brought even more bad news for American workers:

The number of workers lining up for jobless benefits surged last week, while new housing starts and permits hit record lows in December, pointing at an acceleration in the economy's downward spiral.

First time applications for state unemployment insurance benefits increased to a seasonally adjusted 589,000 in the week ended January 17 from a revised 527,000 the prior week, the Labor Department said on Thursday.

It was the highest level of initial claims since a matching reading in the week of December 20 and beat analysts' forecasts for a rise to 540,000 new claims versus a previously reported count of 524,000 the week before.

The last time claims were higher was in 1982, when they notched a weekly rise of 612,000.

So, can the political pundits now officially agree that the "conventional wisdom" about the GOP knowing how to handle the economy is dead? R.I.P. It never was true, but the GOP sure convinced some voters and some pundits that it was. The new and accurate CW is that the GOP destroys the economy and obliterates the hopes and dreams of American workers.

Now, watch the same Republicans on Capitol Hill who helped Bush destroy the economy try to block Obama's efforts to start fixing the mess. Read the rest of this post...

Blue Dog Dem, with 100% NRA record, picked to replace Hillary

And some of you thought Hillary wasn't progressive enough.:

PIX News has learned Congresswoman Kirsten Gillibrand is the choice of Governor David Paterson to fill the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton. Two Congressional sources tell PIX News that the Governor will make his announcement in Albany at noon tomorrow. He has invited members of the state's Democratic Congressional delegation to join him..

More on Gillibrand:

Politically, Gillibrand, who is 41, is a conservative Democrat and a member of the Blue Dog caucus, which might make her more palatable to some of the more right-leaning areas outside the city. You might call her a bizarro version of Sarah Palin: she proudly touts her 100 percent rating from the National Rifle Association, and has two young children, aged 4 years old and six months old.

On civil rights for gays and lesbians, while Gillibrand has an 80% rating from HRC, the details are a bit more problematic.

On the issue of gay rights, Gillibrand received an 80 out of a 100 rating from the LGBT advocacy group the Human Rights Campaign. That was the lowest score out of New York’s Democratic representatives. According to the Human Rights Campaign, she voted against the repealing of “Don’ Ask, Don’t Tell” legislation, opposed legislation that would grant equal tax treatment for employer-provided health coverage for domestic partners, opposed legislation to grant same-sex partners of U.S. citizens and permanent residents the same immigration benefits of married couples and opposed legislation to permit state Medicaid programs to cover low-income, HIV-positive Americans before they develop AIDS.

There actually was no vote on DADT, she simply didn't cosponsor the legislation. The overall issue is that, for a NY Democrat, she's pretty darn Republican. Read the rest of this post...

Great Flickr comment on my photo of Bush leaving the city

"I'm sure it was just luck, but this is an awesome shot of the entire city flipping Dubya off."

Read the rest of this post...

Condi accidentally scrubbed from State Dept Web site

Now she knows what Gitmo feels like. More from one of Joe's favorite bloggers, Princess Sparkle Pony, who keeps track of Condi's hairdo so you don't have to.

Read the rest of this post...

Obama on Roe v. Wade: "I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose."

Today marks the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision by the U.S. Supreme Court. The White House press office released a powerful statement from the new President:

On the 36th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, we are reminded that this decision not only protects women’s health and reproductive freedom, but stands for a broader principle: that government should not intrude on our most private family matters. I remain committed to protecting a woman’s right to choose.

While this is a sensitive and often divisive issue, no matter what our views, we are united in our determination to prevent unintended pregnancies, reduce the need for abortion, and support women and families in the choices they make. To accomplish these goals, we must work to find common ground to expand access to affordable contraception, accurate health information, and preventative services.

On this anniversary, we must also recommit ourselves more broadly to ensuring that our daughters have the same rights and opportunities as our sons: the chance to attain a world-class education; to have fulfilling careers in any industry; to be treated fairly and paid equally for their work; and to have no limits on their dreams. That is what I want for women everywhere.

The times have surely changed. This is a very respectful statement. We have NOT heard respectful language from the White House for eight years. Read the rest of this post...

Obama, Clinton name George Mitchell as Special Envoy for the Middle East

Big announcements at the State Department this afternoon.

The President and Secretary of State also named Richard Holbrooke as the Special Envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan. But, I have to highlight Mitchell because my sister, Sharon, is visiting and she worked for George Mitchell for 14 years, including his campaigns in 1982 and 1988. Mitchell was appointed to the Senate in 1980 by then-Governor Joe Brennan. The opening occurred after our long-time Senator Ed Muskie became Jimmy Carter's Secretary of State in the midst of the Iran hostage crisis. That happened after Carter's then-Secretary of State, Cyrus Vance, resigned following a failed attempt to rescue the hostages. At the time of his appointment to the Senate, Mitchell was a federal judge. So, he gave up a lifetime job for an uncertain future in the Senate. Back then, the GOP really thought this seat would be an easy pickup when Mitchell ran in 1982, but George won big. Big. Four short years later, Mitchell was the Majority Leader after he led the Democrats back into control of that body. In 1988, he secured 81% of the vote in his re-election bid. He retired from the Senate in 1994.

Mitchell is a legend in Maine (and in our family) and deservedly so. He's also a great diplomat having worked on the peace initiative in Northern Ireland among other hotspots.

At the event, the President said, to extended applause:

I can say without exception or equivocation that the United States will not torture.

Clearly and thankfully, the grown ups are back in charge of our nation's diplomacy:

Read the rest of this post...

So much for the lie that Bush always required a jacket in the Oval Office

Chris reported yesterday on the chatter about Obama not wearing a jacket in the Oval Office. CNN noted that the Bush White House had a strict rule, no one was permitted in the Oval without a jacket. Well, a reader just sent me the following:



The lies are subtle, but they're still meant to rewrite history, and make failed Republican politicians seem grander than they actually were. Read the rest of this post...

Microsoft "stunned its investors": Will layoff 5,000

Et tu, Microsoft?:

Microsoft stunned its investors on Thursday, announcing the first broad layoffs in its history and offering a pessimistic forecast for the second half of its fiscal year.

Rather than issuing its second-quarter results in the customary fashion after the market closed, Microsoft rushed out the news Thursday morning that it will lay off up to 5,000 of its 94,000 employees over the next 18 months, including 1,400 people Thursday. The layoffs span across research, sales, finance and technology roles, the company said.

“We will continue to manage expenses and invest in long-term opportunities to deliver value to customers and shareholders, and we will emerge an even stronger industry leader than we are today,” said Steven A. Ballmer, Microsoft’s chief executive.

Bush damaged the new economy, too.

This is all very scary. Read the rest of this post...

Obama signs order to close Guantanamo in a year

Why does Barack Obama love the Constitution?

President Barack Obama began overhauling U.S. treatment of terror suspects Thursday, signing orders to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, review military trials of suspects and ban the harshest interrogation methods.

With three executive orders and a presidential directive signed in the Oval Office, Obama started reshaping how the United States prosecutes and questions al-Qaida, Taliban or other foreign fighters who pose a threat to Americans.

The centerpiece order would close the much-maligned U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, within a year, a complicated process with many unanswered questions that was nonetheless a key campaign promise of Obama's. The administration already has suspended trials for terrorist suspects at Guantanamo for 120 days pending a review of the military tribunals.

The White House Press Office sent out more info on all of these:

Executive Order regarding Guantanamo Bay detainees

Executive Order requires closure of the Guantanamo detention center no later than one year from the date of the Order. Closure of the facility is the ultimate goal but not the first step. The Order establishes a review process with the goal of disposing of the detainees before closing the facility.

The Order sets up an immediate review to determine whether it is possible to transfer detainees to third countries, consistent with national security. If transfer is not approved, a second review will determine whether prosecution is possible and in what forum. The preference is for prosecution in Article III courts or under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), but military commissions, perhaps with revised authorities, would remain an option. If there are detainees who cannot be transferred or prosecuted, the review will examine the lawful options for dealing with them. The Attorney General will coordinate the review and the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Homeland Security as well as the DNI and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff will participate.

The Executive Order directs the Secretary of State to seek international cooperation aimed at achieving the transfers of detainees.

The Order directs the Secretary of Defense to halt military commission proceedings pending the results of the review.

Finally, the Executive Order requires that conditions of confinement at Guantanamo, until its closure, comply with Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions and all other applicable laws.

Executive Order regarding Detainee Policy

Executive Order creates a Special Task Force, co-chaired by the Attorney General and the Secretary of Defense, to conduct a review of detainee policy going forward. The group will consider policy options for apprehension, detention, trial, transfer, or release of detainees. Other Task Force participants include the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Director of National Intelligence, the Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Special Task Force must submit its report to the President within 180 days.

Executive Order regarding Interrogation

Executive Order revokes Executive Order 13440 that interpreted Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions. It requires that all interrogations of detainees in armed conflict, by any government agency, follow the Army Field Manual interrogation guidelines. The Order also prohibits reliance on any Department of Justice or other legal advice concerning interrogation that was issued between September 11, 2001 and January 20, 2009.

The Order requires all departments and agencies to provide the ICRC access to detainees in a manner consistent with Department of Defense regulations and practice. It also orders the CIA to close all existing detention facilities and prohibits it from operating detention facilities in the future.

Finally, the Order creates a Special Task Force with two missions. The Task Force will conduct a review of the Army Field Manual interrogation guidelines to determine whether different or additional guidance is necessary for the CIA. It will also look at rendition and other policies for transferring individuals to third countries to be sure that our policies and practices comply with all obligations and are sufficient to ensure that individuals do not face torture and cruel treatment if transferred. This Task Force will be led by the Attorney General with the Secretary of Defense and the Director of National Intelligence as co-Vice Chairs.

Presidential Memorandum on Review of the Detention of al-Marri

The President instructed the Attorney General, the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Homeland Security, and the Director of National Intelligence to conduct a review of the status of the detainee Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri who is currently held at the Naval Brig in Charleston, South Carolina. This will ensure the same kind of legal and factual review is undertaken of the al-Marri case that is being undertaken of the Guantanamo cases.

Read the rest of this post...

A new day at the State Department: A Raucous Welcome for Hillary

(NOTE FROM JOHN: You have to watch this video. It's like the allies landing in occupied Europe. These are US diplomats. Not the most exuberant of people. One might even call them nerdy. Today, they're simply out of control. I'm half expecting Hillary to join the crowd in toppling a statue of Condi.)

Clearly, the diplomats at the State Department are happy with their new leadership. Watch the welcome she received from the normally reserved professionals at Foggy Bottom. This reaction is more important than the words spoken -- and Obama is heading over to the State Department later today to signal that we've got a new foreign policy:



Also, yesterday, Senator David "DC Madam" Vitter was one of only two Senators to vote against Hillary Clinton's confirmation in the full Senate. The other was wingnut Jim DeMint from South Carolina. Last week, Vitter was the only "NO" vote in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. I get that Vitter has been anointed as the titular leader of the GOP, but it seems like he has a personal vendetta against Hillary Clinton. I keep going back to the words of his wife:

His wife, Wendy, was asked by the Newhouse reporter: If her husband were as unfaithful as Livingston or former President Bill Clinton, would she be as forgiving as Hillary Rodham Clinton?

“I’m a lot more like Lorena Bobbitt than Hillary,” Wendy Vitter told Newhouse News. “If he does something like that, I’m walking away with one thing, and it’s not alimony, trust me.”

“I think fear is a very good motivating factor in a marriage,” she added. “Don’t put fear down.”

Just putting it out there. I mean, what else explains Vitter's obsessive behavior towards Hillary. Read the rest of this post...

D.C.'s Inauguration Head Count: 1.8 Million

That's around the amount I estimated from the pictures. It's a very inexact science, counting a gathering on the mall. The article gives varying estimates:

- A journalism professor says he counted 750,000 people in a satellite photo (a journalism professor?)
- The Washington Post's analysis is that 1m people were on the mall (but as Joe and others have made clear, thousands, if not tens of thousands, or more, didn't make it on to the mall).
- A retired asst chief of the US Park Police, who counted crowds back in the day, says 1m to 1.2m.

Then we have this:

"The British defense and security company IHS Jane's announced an estimate of 1.27 million to 1.65 million people, excluding the parade route. That figure, like The Post's, assumed that all 240,000 ticket holders accessed the reserved areas near the Capitol."

Well, according to the Washington Post's front page, not everybody made it in, by a long shot, so why assume that?

Then there's the DC Police estimate, which puts the crowd at 1.8m.

According to a security official, the D.C. Police Crowd Management Division estimated internally that 1.4 million people were on the Mall at the crowd's peak, another 300,000 to 400,000 on surrounding streets and 72,000 on the parade route.

Whatever the number, it was clearly the largest crowd we've had since I've been here almost 25 years. It is impossible to fill the mall, and Obama did it. Read the rest of this post...

Caroline Kennedy pulls out of consideration for Senate seat

Last night, before I went to bed, there were conflicting reports over whether Caroline Kennedy had withdrawn her name from consideration for the New York Senate seat. (NY politics being as raucous as they are, one sometimes doesn't know about those early reports.) But, it's true, she's out:

Caroline Kennedy announced early Thursday that she was withdrawing from consideration for the vacant Senate seat in New York, startling the state’s political world after weeks in which she was considered a top contender for the post.

Ms. Kennedy on Wednesday called Gov. David A. Paterson, who will choose a successor to Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, to inform him that she was no longer interested.

“I informed Governor Paterson today that for personal reasons I am withdrawing my name from consideration for the United States Senate,” Ms. Kennedy said in a statement released by her public relations firm.

Never a dull moment. Read the rest of this post...

Thursday Morning Open Thread

Good morning.

I'm starting to get used to the term "President Obama." It has a nice ring.

So, the big snafu over the oath of office has been resolved. Or has it? Who was the president if Obama wasn't? Biden? No one? The wingnuts will still be in a frenzy. Maybe, they'll make a federal case out of it by challenging something Obama did on Tuesday or Wednesday, claiming he really wasn't the president. Then, the case can go all the way to the Supreme Court and all of Roberts' colleagues can rule on his mistake. (This is what lawyers do for fun.)

Anyway, let's get it started... Read the rest of this post...

Cheap food is back

Nothing promotes pasta like a recession.

As struggling consumers turn to casseroles, soup, pasta salad and good old macaroni and cheese to stretch their food dollars, the nation's pasta makers are returning to a rolling boil after many years overshadowed by the low-carbohydrate fad.

Sales of pasta products in the United States — including frozen and refrigerated pasta, canned pasta, soup mixes and prepared dinners — rose 5 percent last year to $6.4 billion, according to Kansas City-based American Italian Pasta Co., the nation's largest manufacturer of dry pasta.

Read the rest of this post...

Citibank CEO graciously forgoes 2008 bonus

What a great human being. So thoughtful and considerate because who would have been upset with the CEO of a bank that is bleeding billions and requiring billions of federal dollars, asked for a multi-million dollar bonus? It wouldn't be fair to hold an executive accountable for their failures because then they might pack up their golden parachute and drop in elsewhere. Then what would happen? We should be thankful that we have such an understanding executive in the corner office of such a large bank.

Key Citigroup executives, including CEO Vikram Pandit, declined incentive or retention awards in stock or cash, a Securities and Exchange Commission filing showed Wednesday.

Other members of Citigroup's executive committee received stock awards that vest if the price of common stock meets specified price targets during the next four years. Half of each award has a price target ot $17.85 and half has a price target of $10.61, the document showed.

Read the rest of this post...

We all did

From Ben Smith:

A well-placed Republican operative emails: "As I watched Biden take the oath of office, I thanked God that it was not Sarah Palin up there."

Read the rest of this post...