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Obama Christmas Ornaments From the Navy?
Tweet Share on Facebook November 16, 2009 Comment (10)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
A lot of organizations have cashed in on the new president's image with kitschy trinkets, so why not the Navy? The Navy Secretariat Staff Officers Recreation Association, a service group run by Navy personnel and civilians at the Pentagon, has produced Obama Christmas ornaments for $15 a pop, limited to two per person. The normal Navy image has been replaced for the first time with that of the president. A gold frame surrounds a photo of Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama as he takes the oath of office on Inauguration Day. Too much cheerleading? Some think so—and have said so. In fact, after Whispers asked questions, sales were frozen. Yvonne Peterson, one of those selling the ornaments at the Pentagon, says, "We were told to put a stop on sales. They sold out in about an hour's time." The money raised funds for Navy morale, welfare, and recreation activities.
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Rum Wars as Captain Morgan Sets Sail to the U.S. Virgin Islands
Tweet Share on Facebook November 16, 2009 Comment (3)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
Facing punishing legislation that could kill an economic development deal with the maker of Captain Morgan rum, the U.S. Virgin Islands has fired back on a move by Puerto Rico to keep the rum company on its shore.
In a letter to House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Charles Rangel, the U.S. Virgin Islands governor charged that Puerto Rico is trying to hurt its economy with financial restrictions and is also making false claims about why Captain Morgan's maker, Diageo PLC, is leaving after its 10-year contract with Puerto Rico expired. "Those advocating H.R. 2122 should more closely examine how Puerto Rico lost an important multinational company, rather than propagate falsehoods and obstruct the autonomy of a United States territory," wrote Gov. John de Jongh Jr. His letter was provided to Whispers.
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Congress Approves a Coin for Medal of Honor Winners
Tweet Share on Facebook November 16, 2009 Comment (5)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
There are few organizations in the United States as steeped in tradition as the military. And one of the oldest customs is the giving of "challenge coins," privately made medallions stamped with a unit or service emblem. The ritual reportedly started during World War I, when new aviators were given coins from officers upon joining a squadron. According to one tale, a pilot was saved from execution in France after proving his identity with his coin. In a memorial ceremony this week, President Obama placed the commander in chief's coin in front of the photos of the 13 soldiers slain at Fort Hood in Texas.
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Conservation Group Sees a Win for Obama on Climate Change
Tweet Share on Facebook November 13, 2009 Comment (7)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
Despite pessimistic signs on Capitol Hill and internationally regarding action by the United States on climate change initiatives, the head of the World Wildlife Fund today predicted that the December climate summit in Copenhagen will draw up a framework for action that will prompt Congress to move on the critical issue. "It's time for us step up and play a leadership role," says Carter Roberts, CEO of the WWF, one of the first conservation groups in the nation to begin pushing for action to curb global warming.
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Healthcare Victory Tempered by Afghan Troop Surge Planning
Tweet Share on Facebook November 13, 2009 Comment (3)Pollster John Zogby updates our weekly Obama Report Card with a grade on the president's performance. Zogby uses his polling, expert analysis, and interaction with major players to come up with a grade that captures how he sees the president's week ending.
John Zogby on Week 43:
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GOP Says Harry Reid Not a Shoe-in for Re-election in Nevada
Tweet Share on Facebook November 13, 2009 Comment (7)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
The GOP is pushing back on recent stories that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's re-election isn't going to be tough. Aides and his pollster have said recently that Reid's internal polling isn't as bad as some of the public polls and that he is working overtime to reach out to new Nevadans in meet-and-greets and early campaign ads. His situation has supporters feeling confident that the Democratic-leaning state won't oust him like GOP-leaning South Dakota did to the last Democratic Senate leader, Tom Daschle. Those points were made in a recent Whisper.
But GOP officials working on the race are countering that story line. They claim, for example, that polls show that Nevadans are familiar with Reid, so he doesn't have a name ID problem. And many who say they know him are irked by his partisanship, thanks to his role in pushing through the stimulus, bailouts, and now healthcare reform. And while Nevada is more Democrat-friendly than South Dakota, Reid's polling isn't great, with a recent Mason Dixon poll showing him with a 50 percent disapproval rating. That poll showed him losing to one of the GOP challengers.
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Insiders: GOP Should Lay Off Obama on Global Warming
Tweet Share on Facebook November 11, 2009 Comment (18)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
In a new Pew poll, 77 percent believe in global warming and want carbon emissions cut. So what should GOP critics do? Insiders say: Shift the debate to creating alternative clean energy sources. And stop trying to foil President Obama simply for the sake of handing him a defeat.
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Helen Thomas: Press Needs More Time With Obama
Tweet Share on Facebook November 11, 2009 Comment (12)By Jessica Rettig, Washington Whispers
Having stared down every president since JFK, columnist Helen Thomas, the dean of the White House press corps, isn't about to go soft on President Obama. "He has not taken a stand on anything," says the outspoken scribe, who just cowrote a new book with pundit Craig Crawford called Listen Up, Mr. President: Everything You Always Wanted Your President to Know and Do. While left leaning, Thomas is not a big fan of Obama. She wants action on the wars and healthcare. And she wants more Obama-time, arguing that he needs to do more press conferences. "I think the press is very confused about who is Obama. What are his convictions? Why doesn't he fight?" she asks. For her part, Thomas says she has firm convictions and thinks she could even do a better job in the Oval Office. "If elected, I will serve," she says with a smile.
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Robert Gibbs Chides Press on Afghan Troop Surge Stories
Tweet Share on Facebook November 10, 2009 Comment (6)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
In a classic standoff, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs today stared down the White House press corps over last night's reporting that President Obama had settled on an Afghan war plan to send in 40,000 additional troops—and keep them there for a long time. Aboard Air Force One as Obama flew to Fort Hood, Texas, to address the families of slain troops, Gibbs tried to push the gaggle of reporters back on the troop surge story. He even mocked them as they asked questions that put in doubt what they had previously reported as fact.
The bottom line from Gibbs: There has been no decision, and the president is still reviewing four options. His effort worked, as stories shifted to the line that Obama was still considering his options.
Here's the transcript of the exchange between Gibbs and reporters over news coverage of a troop surge in Afghanistan:
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Republicans Hail the 64 'Pro-Life' Democrats
Tweet Share on Facebook November 10, 2009 Comment (3)By Paul Bedard, Washington Whispers
Blocking government funding of abortions, the major compromise in House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's healthcare reform bill Saturday night, was a significant victory for antiabortion Republicans who have long sought to identify "pro-life" Democrats. "This vote locks in 64 Democrats on this precise pro-life language," a key GOP adviser says of the vote on the Stupak-Pitts amendment.
The amendment bars government funds under the Pelosi healthcare plan for payment for abortion except in cases of rape, incest, or when the mother's life is in danger. The Senate, now beginning to debate its version of healthcare reform, is expected to see a similar fight over the abortion language, and President Obama this week suggested that he doesn't want the restrictive antiabortion language in the final bill.
