The Morning Meeting: Obama’s World Of Change, Terror Haven, Job Nightmare & Blagojevich Bonanza
EmailThe 44th presidency is not yet one week old, and the dismantling of Bush policies continues. (By the way…many of you expressed strong feelings about Obama’s Week One, in response to our Weekend Survey — more on that later). The President is speaking about job losses at the moment — but the focus today is on the environment and energy independence. Today’s reversal of Bush doctrine has to do with those so-called "CAFE standards" — Mr. Obama wants to allow states to set emissions standards and mandate greater fuel efficiency in vehicles. This, along with the "weatherization" of buildings and other measures to improve energy efficiency, are presented as both environmentally friendly and an impetus for job growth.
Also in the conversation this morning — the nightmarish job market. We’re asking correspondents around the nation to look at the problems (and any silver linings) in different parts of the country. We also have a stark and startling story from the Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan — a place not long ago known for its beauty and ability to lure tourists. Now Swat Valley has been all but overrun by the Taliban. Girls’ schools have been destroyed, police officers assassinated, and the place is now known for fundamentalism — and fear. We’ll have a report from there tonight.
Other news — Tim Geithner’s fate (he’s likely to be confirmed at Treasury); George Mitchell starts his work as Obama’s Middle East envoy; a new study finds no link between Thimerosal and autism; Kim Jong Il’s son gets chatty in Japan; and Rod Blagojevich appears for television interviews, but not his impeachment hearing. Stay tuned…
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If I had to pick the top ten priorities for Day 2 of MY Presidency, the terrorists at Guantanamo would not be on it. In fact, releasing them would not make my top 100 “things to do.”
I suppose Obama had a favor to pay back to the islamic terrorists who funneled all those millions into his campaign. Well, he didn’t waste any time paying it back and letting the world know he is a “terrorist sympathizer.”
This is an outrage to victims of 9/11, the police and firefighters, the families of the victims, all the people who suffered from that day and to all Americans.
NO-bama was the correct choice last November.
Posted by: FranklinDeveraux | January 26, 2009, 11:27 am 11:27 am
Mr. Obama obviously doesn’t want to get re-elected. He doesn’t have to worry because the kiddies who voted for him might wise up now.
Posted by: violeteye | January 26, 2009, 11:41 am 11:41 am
As is with a lot of us here in America we will stick to our guns of opinion and let lines drawn in the sand remain. As people have been asking me of what I think of our new President Obama, I have responded with “give him his chance.” Now let us all think of the chance we gave George W for the last eight years. It was the begining of a new century and a new millennium and we got it wrong with George W, now we may have got it right this time. I will say it again “give him his chance.”
Posted by: MMP | January 26, 2009, 12:04 pm 12:04 pm
Closing Guan. has a huge effect on how the world sees us. It sends strong signal on how things will be done from here on out. As for those terrorists-they are not getting realeased. It usually helps to read all the information before passing judgement. The man has been in office less then a week and has already made a huge impact. Give him time for the other fixes. It took Bush 8 years to get us into this mess and it will make more time to get us out!
Posted by: enviro | January 26, 2009, 12:10 pm 12:10 pm
What is Obama planning to do with the
G-Bay prisoners? You can’t just say,
‘Close it’.
There’s a plan, right?
So, they won’t turn around and go bomb innocent people, right? They won’t go to places like Pakistan and kill police officers and destroy girls’ schools and lives, right? Are you sure about that?
Oh, good.
Oh, and the bail-out packages that Obama and the senate pushed for:
nobody else is redecorating their office with mega bucks from the bailout money, right?
EVERY CENT is being monitored, right?
Oh, good.
Silver lining? Hmmm?
Michelle’s lemongrass dress was delightful. She must have seen it in the window, and she had to have it, I suppose. Will they replace the Oval Office drapes now?
Posted by: it would be funny if it wasn't happening to us | January 26, 2009, 12:39 pm 12:39 pm