Clem’s Chronicles: Breast Cancer Controversy/Stimulus Web Site Errors Redux/Sarah Palin

Howdy folks-happy Tuesday. Here's tonight's wrap-up…..

BREAST CANCER GUIDELINES FOLLOW-Americans have had some 24 hours to digest the new breast cancer guidelines announced yesterday, but the initial reaction seems fairly evident.As John McKenzie noted at the top of his WORLD NEWS piece “We thought we might find some confusion about these new guidelines. What we found…was an outright revolt.” Women across the country reacted today to the news and as McKenzie noted “Many women are just not buying it.” And it’s not just the patients. Dr. Tim noted last night that some very respected doctors were agreeing with the task force’s recommendations (Dr. Susan Love for example). McKenzie reports that “perhaps most surprising today, we found so many doctors actively discouraging patients from following the new guidelines.”  Michelle Schlief tells us that Medical Centers across the country have begun issuing statements rejecting the panel’s finding-“ Nearly all say that they’ve reassured their patients that they continue to endorse current recommendations of screening women 40-49 and yearly mammograms for those over 50.”  And McKenzie reminds that the operative word when deciding what to do is choice-“Doctors emphasize: these new guidelines are ‘recommendations’ not ‘rules’, that it’s still up to each woman to decide…when and how often to be screened for breast cancer.” Dr. Tim Johnson was asked by WORLD NEWS anchor Charles Gibson whether his own opinion had evolved in the 24 hours since last night’s show. Dr. Tim reiterating that he understood the public health concerns of too many mammograms and said it was time for  “a very open, honest public debate. In the meantime, I say stick with the current guidelines.”

STIMULUS WEB SITE/THE ERRORS KEEP ON COMIN’-Jon Karl told us all about the recovery.gov website last night which purports to give us all the information we need on jobs created thanks to stimulus money. 640 thousand jobs either saved or created. In his follow-up piece for WORLD NEWS this evening, Karl notes: “in addition to the jobs in non-existent Congressional Districts reported last night by ABC NEWS, in real congressional districts, there are also problems, lots of them.” One of those inaccuracies got some powerful reaction today-Karl: “Democratic Congressman David Obey (WI), the powerful chairman of the House Appropriations Committee was outraged that one sewer project in his district was listed as creating 100 jobs. The real number is five.” Obey’s initial reaction to the inaccuracy? “I wanted to strangle somebody.”  Obey took the time to reiterate on-camera what he had said in a written statement last night after our report-“Fix the problem, the blessed problem, so that we’re getting accurate information.” The Obama Administration says they are working on it, with Ed DeSeve, an Administration adviser, telling Karl “The first time out, we knew there were going to be problems…we don’t think there are a lot of them…less than 1%” And it looks like the fix will begin sooner rather than later-Karl notes that the mistakes concerning non-existent districts will be fixed “by the end of the week”. 

PALIN INTERVIEW/BOOK TOUR:  Former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin told Barbara Walters that running for president in 2012 is not “on my radar screen right now…My ambition is to help our country in whatever role that may be and I cannot predict what that will be, what doors would be open in the year 2012.” It’s not the first time she’s skirted the presidential question since she’s embarked on a series of interviews promoting her book “Going Rogue” (Oprah asked her Monday and got the same “radar screen” response). Today WORLD NEWS featured excerpts of Palin’s interview with Barbara Walters where she discussed foreign policy and domestic issues.  On the situation in Afghanistan, Palin said she believed “the people there, the government there, should be able to take over and to have a more peaceful existence there for the people who live there – without American interference, if you will…”  On how living in Alaska – and its proximity to Russia – has given her significant foreign policy experience: “It’s very significant.  And we are a gatekeeper for the continent.  So for national security reasons, and for…energy independence and resource development reasons, Alaska should be recognized for its strategic location on the globe.”  Palin told Walters her solution for the unemployment problem in the U.S. would be to “start cutting taxes and allowing our small businesses to keep more of what they are earning, more of what they are producing, more of what they own and earn so that they could start re-investing in their businesses and expand and hire more people.  Not punishing them by forcing health care reform down their throats; by…forcing an energy policy down their throats that ultimately will tax them more and cost them more to stay in business.  Those are backassward ways of trying to fix the economy!”
As for Palin’s opinion on President Obama’s work this year on a ratings scale from one to ten? She gives him a four. 
Palin’s “Going Rogue” book tour kicks off tomorrow in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (thanks to Marisa Bramwell for this entry)

OBAMA IN ASIA:  A meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabo and a visit to the Great Wall top President Obama’s agenda on Wednesday, the final day on his tour of China.  The President has already met with China’s President and Jake Tapper tells us how that went: “On Tuesday, even as one member of the White House National Security Council seemed to signal his belief that President Obama would soon be pushing for economic sanctions against Iran for refusing to cooperate with international diplomatic efforts to end its suspected nuclear weapons program, Chinese President and Paramount Leader Hu Jintao Tuesday signaled he might not be willing to go along if the matter comes up for a vote on the United Nations Security Council. "We both stressed that to uphold the international nuclear nonproliferation regime and to appropriately resolve the Iranian nuclear issue through dialogue and negotiations is very important to stability in the Middle East and in the Gulf region," President Hu said after meeting with President Obama. "During the talks, I underlined to President Obama that given our differences in national conditions, it is only normal that our two sides may disagree on some issues.  What is important is to respect and accommodate each other's core interests and major concerns."  Then there was the matter of the economy, says Jake: “Chinese authorities attacked the US economy. China Banking Regulatory Commission chairman Liu Mingkang blamed falsely inflated assets throughout the world on "massive speculation" caused by a weak U.S. dollar and low U.S. interest rates, which he said prompted "unavoidable risks for the recovery of the global economy, especially emerging economies." Yao Jian, a spokesman for China's Ministry of Commerce, complained of "a protectionist side" of the US economy, a concern President Hu echoed.“  So what does it all mean Jake? “Asked about these incidents, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that President Obama "did not think the waters would part and everything would change as a result of his 2 1/2 day trip to China." But more widely, said a senior administration official, "We came on this trip to try to incrementally move the ball forward on a number of key and important issues."  Also discussed were climate change and human rights.  On the later, President  Obama said this: “"I spoke to President Hu about America’s bedrock beliefs that all men and women possess certain fundamental human rights," President Obama said. "We do not believe these principles are unique to America but rather they are universal rights and that they should be available to all peoples, to all ethnic and religious minorities." President Hu had this reply: “We will continue to act in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and non-interference in each other's internal affairs, and engage in dialogue and exchanges on such issues as human rights and religion in order to enhance understanding, reduce differences and build common ground."  After President Obama’s session with President Hu, he took some time out to play tourist – with a visit to China’s Forbidden City.  Sunlen Miller explains:  “Mr. Obama strolled through the cobblestone courtyards and through the ornate red buildings, the former home to China’s imperial leaders.  Once the "seat of supreme power" for over five centuries (1416-1911) and home to 24 emperors, the Forbidden City’s landscaped gardens and 800 buildings highlight Chinese civilization during the Ming and Qing dynasties.”  President Obama was impressed, calling it “a magnificent place to visit.”  The President’s next stop will be Seoul, South Korea.  (thanks to Ed Bailey for this entry)

JERUSALEM SETTLEMENT PLANS-From Simon McGregor-Wood: “More potential for friction over settlements today with the Israeli announcement of plans for 900 new homes in Gilo nr Jerusalem The US had specifically objected to this plan and George Mitchell reportedly asked for it to be shelved this week. The White House expressed "dismay" today. Gilo is one of those settlements in East Jerusalem which for most Israelis is no longer really a "settlement". 40,000 live there and most do so for economic reasons, not ideology. It is almost certainly going to be part of Israel as and when two states are created. It is however on land occupied in 1967 and included in Israel's redrawing of the Jerusalem municipal boundaries after the war – those boundaries are not recognized internationally. Therefore, technically it is still a settlement. Hence the sensitivity of today's announcement and the negative reaction. It's the timing, given the current crisis in the process and the Palestinian's refusal to talk without a settlement freeze.”

HE’S NO EMPTY SUIT – Sy Syms, the founder & chairman of the SYMS discount clothing chain, died of heart failure in NY.  He was 83.  The Brooklyn-native created the company’s unforgettable slogan, “An educated consumer is our best customer.” The slogan is still used today after its debut in a 1974 television commercial.  Educated consumers from all walks of life can still walk into a SYMS shop & buy a brand new suit off the rack for $159!  In 1987, the Sy Syms School of Business at Yeshiva University was established through a $12.5 million endowment from Syms & other business leaders.  Sy Syms was survived by his wife, Lynn Tamarkin Syms; four children, Marcy, Robert, Richard and Laura; two stepchildren; 10 grandchildren; and three sisters. (thanks to Educated Assignment Editor George Sanchez for this entry)

OTHER STUFF-
–NOW THAT’S A DEFICIT-The total national debt for the United States as of November 16, 2009? $12,031,299,186,290.07 and counting. That’s the first time our national debt has topped the $12 trillion mark. Republicans have been quick to react-with House and Senate party leaders laying the blame at the feet of the Obama Administration and their Democratic Congressional allies “unprecedented spending binge” (Matt Jaffe/Zach Wolf)
–PLAVIX/DRUG INTERACTION WARNINGS-Folks who take the blood-thinner Plavix need to be careful when combining with some heartburn medicines. The Food and Drug Administration said the stomach-soothing drugs Prilosec and Nexium cut in half the blood-thinning effect of Plavix. The Plavix label will be updated to reflect this warning. The label also will warn against combining Plavix with Nexium, Tagamet, Prozac and Luvox, among other lesser-known drugs. (Brian Hartman)
–5TH VACCINE APPROVED TO FIGHT H1N1 VIRUS- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it has approved a fifth vaccine for protection against the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus. The vaccine is manufactured by ID Biomedical Corp. of Quebec, Canada, owned by GlaxoSmithKline PLC. As with the four previous H1N1 influenza vaccines licensed by the FDA on Sept.15, 2009, ID Biomedical Corporation will manufacture its H1N1 vaccine using the established, licensed egg-based manufacturing process used for producing seasonal flu vaccine. Potential side effects of this H1N1 vaccine are expected to be similar to those of the seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines. The most common side effect is soreness at the injection site. Others may include mild fever, body aches and fatigue for a few days after the inoculation. (Lisa Stark)
–ARMY SUICIDES- Army Vice Chief of Staff General Peter Chiarelli said today the 140 confirmed suicides by soldiers this year is equal to last year's total. However Chiarelli says the pace of those deaths has tapered off in recent months following a surge in January and February (when a third of this year’s total took place). (Luis Martinez)
–HOYER:HOUSE DEMS JOB BILL BY END OF THE YEAR- At his pen and pad Tuesday, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer said House Democratic leaders are working on passage of a jobs bill before the end of the year.  He said it would NOT be a second stimulus bill and declined to say how many jobs would be created.  The bill, which would be drafted by multiple House committees, is still under discussion by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her leadership team. (Dean Norland)