TV to Watch: Obama vs. House GOP - UPDATED

President Barack Obama spoke at the GOP House Issues Conference in Baltimore, Maryland, January 29, 2010.

The Atlantic's Heather Horn wrote, "The political story of the afternoon is President Obama's address to the House Republican retreat and the riveting Q&A session that followed. Commentators are delighted by the frank exchanges and unscripted debate that unfolded. Several are comparing it to the famous rough-and-tumble of British parliamentary politics. In fact, both liberals and conservatives want to see more, and there's a distinct bipartisan feeling that this may have been one of the president's better moves."

Here's The President's opening remarks:


Watch CBS News Videos Online


Here's the Q&A:

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Salon's Mike Madden wrote,

The whole thing [Q&A] basically went like [this]: Republican asks obnoxious question rooted in Glenn Beck-ian talking points; Obama swats it away, makes the questioner look silly, and then smiles at the end. It got so bad, in fact, that Fox News cut away from the event before it was over. Democratic operatives around Washington watching it had pretty much the same reaction: "Where the hell has this guy been?" One source said GOP aides probably wished they'd spoken to John McCain "about what happened to him in the presidential debates" before they broadcast the event. "It's quite a show," a White House official said, apparently going for the same deadpan tone the president was.

At the conference, The President reiterated his State of the Union address plea for bipartisanship on health care and other economic issues: The confernce transcript; The full video of the conference.


I suspect that the "conservatives" hoping for more of this sort of interaction between the administration and the GOP are thinking conservatives, not the common-sense conservatives ideologues who get their news talking points from Fox. Good night, Mrs. Palin.


Update: Replaced the YouTube intro with CBS' original. Added Q&A from MSNBC.

Update: PolitiFact has fact-checked the Q&A and found Representative Price's assertion that there was a consensus in the administration that Republicans were trying to obstruct healthcare reform — were failing to offer ideas and solutions — was a true statement. PolitiFact did not find that the President's response to Price's initial question was false. The President truthfully answered Price's question. Essentially, after The President smacked-down Price's assertion that in his State of the Union address the President had said that Republicans hadn't offered any ideas or solutions, Price began whining about the administration's characterization of the Republicans' obstructionism during the legislative process.

Update: Andrew Sullivan asks his conservative and libertarian friends to look at the healthcare issue pragmatically rather than ideologically.

FBI/U.S. Marshalls Bust Conservative Activists - UPDATED

Four conservative activists were arrested for attempting to interfere with the telephones in Senator Mary Landrieu's New Orleans office. One of them is James O'Keefe, who posed as a pimp to target the community organizing group ACORN. Another is Robert Flanagan, the son of acting U.S. Atty. Bill Flanagan in Shreveport. A third is Joseph Basel. O'Keefe was in Landrieu's office when Flanagan and Basel arrived, claiming to be telephone repairmen. Stan Dai was not in the Senator's office, but was arrested, later, for assisting the others in planning, coordinating and preparing the operation.

Bill Flanagan has been serving as Acting U.S. Attorney since Donald Washington, who was appointed by George W. Bush, resigned on Monday, January 18th, 2010. President Obama nominated Stephanie Finley to replace Washington on Wednesday, January 20, 2010. She must be confirmed by the Senate before she can take the post.


Talking Points Memo has a story. TPM's rendering of the FBI's affidavit is here.

Andrew Brietbart, whose Big Government site published O'Keefe's pimp video states, "We have no knowledge about or connection to any alleged acts and events involving James O'Keefe at Senator Mary Landrieu's office." But, later, "I pay O'Keefe a salary."

Arrestees share a common experience as young ideologues writing for conservative publications.

The Leadership Institute.

The Pelican Institute.

Update: Bill Flanagan, William J. Flanagan, was a First Assistant U.S. Attorney, before becoming Acting U.S. Attorney in the wake of Washington's resignation. Flanagan is not a presidential appointee. William J. Flanagan, First AUSA. Is he this William J. Flanagan, a partner in a D.C. law firm?

Update: The arrestees were just trying to help. Sure they were.

Update: Full TPM coverage is here.

Update: The Times-Picayune broke the story and may have updates.

Haitian Earthquake: One Week Later

The devastation caused by the Haitian earthquake of last week is still visible. In this photo, an Israeli team is searching the rubble for survivors in what remains of a reinforced concrete building:

Photos: One Week After The Haitian Earthquake

The U.S. Military is providing humanitarian assistance:

"There is no 'easing' into the day here at the military encampment at the Port au Prince airport. Navy and Marine helos hit the deck here at 0630 sharp. There’s no snooze button on that alarm. You roll out of your cot, put the same uniform on that you’ve worn for the last 3 or 4 days. Does it stink? Who knows, everyone is in the same boat. This ain’t no formal dinner. These are bare base operations. Our focus is mission. Our mission is saving lives." — Chief Master Sergeant Tyler Foster

Dispatch from an Airman in Haiti — "One Life at a Time"

If you'd like more information or would like to contribute to the relief effort, USAID has an information and update page; its site also has information about how $10 can be quickly donated to the American Red Cross by sending a text message. Contributions to the American Red Cross can also be made at its Haiti Relief and Development webpage, which was found at the USAID site.


If you use French postage, collect stamps, or would like to help via La Poste, this stamp has been issued by France's Post Office.

It's an ordinary Marianne stamp with an extra label. Its price is one euro: 0.56 pays for postage; 0.44 is provided to the Red Cross of France. About seven million such stamps are expected to be sold. Via Álbum de Estampillas



Update: Watching Urban Change by Satellite: Google's satellite imagery has helped relief efforts.

Hawaiian Vacation: Obama Style

The Obama family is vacationing in Hawaii. They arrived the day before Christmas. Palin family copycats? No! The Obamas' vacation plans have been known for some time; the Palins slipped out of Alaska unannounced. In Hawaii eyes boost to tourism as Obama's vacation brings attention, we're told that Hawaii's tourism industry is hoping to get a boost from the Obama family's visit. A rush of vacationers isn't expected, but with much of the country experiencing cold weather, photos of the Obamas enjoying Hawaii's warm, sunny weather might appear in the media, reminding people that Hawaii offers great vacation experiences. In Taking Work Home (Even When Home Means Hawaii), we learn that, so far, Obama has been staying out of sight. Yesterday, he went to a Marine base, where Michelle worked-out and he played golf.

Before he arrived, Obama was concerned that he might not be able to go body surfing, like he did last year, due to Secret Service concerns. The President did say, however, "I will definitely be enjoying some sun." The Coast Guard has setup a security zone around the Obamas' vacation home, so there is yet some hope that he will be able to enjoy the water. Obama low-profile on Hawaii vacation, but security isn't, provides additional information about the security implications of the President's visit.

President Obama was born in Hawaii. In June of this year, the Obamas hosted a luau at the White House, and, during an earlier visit to Hawaii, the Obamas enjoyed some Waiola Shave Ice.

The Hawaii Convention and Visitors Bureau has setup a website, Barack Obama's Hawaii, which may post news and links to the First Family's visit. It has an extensive collection of photos and links to stories about his life in Hawaii. The Honolulu Advertiser already has Obama Ohana Comes Home 2009 up, with photos, links and news; it may be the best place to find news and photo updates.

Despite all the gawkers and paparazzi out, trying to get a glimpse of the Obamas, it's doubtful that they'll quit their vacation. We shall see. The vacation ends January 2, 2010.

Lie of the Year

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PolitiFact, a 2009 Pulitzer Prize winner, has given each of these statements a False or Pants-on-Fire rating. One of them will receive Lie of the Year award:

"When one person sneezes, it goes all the way through the aircraft."
-- Joe Biden on Thursday, April 30, 2009, in an interview on The Today Show

Preventive care "saves money."
-- Barack Obama on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, in a speech to Congress

"You lie!" (in response to President Obama saying health reform would not insure illegal immigrants.)
-- Joe Wilson on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009, in the audience at a joint session of Congress

Seniors and the disabled "will have to stand in front of Obama's 'death panel' so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their 'level of productivity in society,' whether they are worthy of health care."
-- Sarah Palin on Friday, Aug. 7, 2009, in a message posted on Facebook

John Holdren, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, "has proposed forcing abortions and putting sterilants in the drinking water to control population."
-- Glenn Beck on Wednesday, July 22, 2009, in his TV program

An amendment to the House health reform bill "puts new restrictions on women's access to abortion coverage in the private health insurance market even when they would pay premiums with their own money."
-- Nita Lowey on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2009, in a speech on the House floor

A birth certificate shows Barack Obama was born in Kenya.
-- Orly Taitz on Sunday, Aug. 2, 2009, in an attachment to a lawsuit

Page 92 of the House health care bill "says specifically that people can't purchase private health insurance after a date certain."
-- Michele Bachmann on Friday, Oct. 30, 2009, in an interview on the Fox News Channel.

The rating for each statement can be found at PolitiFact, along with an explanation of the lie. If you can't decide which is Lie of the Year, here is the spoiler.

Bonus: This story will be on NPR's All Things Considered, which may be available here.
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