Former President Bill Clinton is in North Korea to secure the freedom of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, two U.S. journalists who were recently sentenced to 12 years in jail. He is “the highest-profile American to visit since his secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, went in 2000.” White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that the Obama administration would have no public comment to avoid jeopardizing the trip’s success.
Last month, the Obama administration filed a “friend of the court brief” in the Supreme Court that defended the state secrets privilege, saying it is “grounded in the Constitution.” The filing “raised eyebrows and suspicions among liberals already disappointed that the Obama administration has not rejected a number of legal doctrines associated with the Bush administration.”
Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of troops in Afghanistan, has reportedly “suggested a dramatic increase in troops — 4 to 6 brigades during 2010. That’s equivalent to anywhere from 12,000 to 27,000 additional troops deployed to Afghanistan next year.” The increase is in addition “to the more than 20,000 troops already approved by President Obama.”
The White House has launched a “behind-the-scenes offensive” to save the cash-for-clunkers program. But Democratic leaders are hesitant because “they don’t want their carefully planned pre-recess voting schedule to fall victim to procedural delays the Republicans may impose to protest the additional cash.” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “wouldn’t say whether he would potentially delay the start of the August recess.”
Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said yesterday that Senate Democrats are exploring options to pass a health care reform bill, including budget reconciliation, a parliamentary move that would allow the bill’s passage with a simple majority. Reconciliation is “clearly one of the contingencies on the table,” Schumer said. “We want to get a bipartisan agreement, but if we don’t, it’s not going to stop us from moving forward with health care.”
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner “blasted top U.S. financial regulators” — including Ben Bernanke, Mary Shapiro, and Sheila Bair — “in an expletive-laced critique” for their uneasiness in implementing the Obama administration’s U.S. financial regulation overhaul. U.S. regulators are wary of the plan because of encroachment on the financial services industry’s turf. ”[E]nough is enough,” Geithner charged, saying they had ample time to air their concerns.
Yesterday, Obama marked the implementation of last year’s GI bill — the most extensive educational assistance program for veterans since the original landmark GI Bill in 1944. “We do this not just to meet our moral obligation to those who’ve sacrificed greatly on our behalf and on behalf of the country,” Obama said. “We do it because these men and women must now be prepared to lead our nation in the peaceful pursuit of economic leadership in the 21st century.”
After the New York Times reported of a truce between MSNBC and Fox News, Keith Olbermann did his best last night to prove he’s not letting up on the right-wing network. Olbermann used last night’s “Worst Person” segment to blast Fox chief Rupert Murdoch, Bill O’Reilly, and NYT reporter Brian Stelter, author of the original article.
MSNBC has admitted to erring by not revealing guest host Richard Wolffe’s role as a strategist for a top Washington public affairs firm Public Strategies Inc. The criticism against MSNBC was first leveled by Salon’s Glenn Greenwald. Writing on DailyKos, Keith Olbermann stated, “[U]ntil we can clarify what else [Wolffe] is doing, he will not be appearing with us.”
And finally: Rep. Ginny Brown-Waite (R-FL) is looking for “more than the typical exceptional writing, communication and organizational skills” from her staffers. In a new job posting for a legislative assistant, applicants are required to explain, “what you would do to get on [MTV’s] ‘Real World, D.C.’” Brown-Waite’s spokesperson explained that the congresswoman “values a creative staff, and this is a way that we can attract these types of applicants.” In the past, applicants have discussed other quirky topics such as “how bocce ball changed your life.”
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