Media reports are casting President Obama's move to close down the Guantanamo prison one of three executive orders he signed yesterday dealing with terrorism suspects in a positive light and as an indication that he is wasting no time in reshaping Bush-era policies. In a front-page story titled "Bush's 'War' On Terror Comes To A Sudden End," for example, the Washington Post reports, "Key components of the secret structure developed under Bush are being swept away." The Los Angeles Times reports Obama's orders were "designed...to show a dramatic break with the Bush administration," and the Financial Times says closed "the book on the Bush administration's controversial 'war on terror' policies." Along similar lines, AFP to "a sharp reversal of the controversial Bush administration 'war on terror' policies."
The AP reports that with the three orders, "Obama said he was signaling that the US would confront global violence without sacrificing 'our values and our ideals.'" The story led two out of three network newscasts last night. ABC World News reported Obama's orders "mark the most sweeping changes in national security policy, arguably since immediately after 9/11 and they represent a huge break with the policies of the Bush Administration." The CBS Evening News said Obama is working "just as he said he would, to undo what he believes his predecessor did wrong, dealing with terrorism and more." NBC Nightly News also reported Obama has started "to reverse the controversial Bush Administration policies in the war on terror."
In its lead story, Fox News' Special Report reported, "The National Security Council told Fox that for now even Usama bin Laden or a high-ranking terrorist planner would be shielded from aggressive interrogation techniques that the CIA says produced lifesaving intelligence from 9/11 co-conspirator and Guantanamo detainee Khalid Sheik Mohammed."
On CNN's The Situation Room interviewed Sen. Jay Rockefeller, outgoing chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, who said he is "leaving open the option of possible criminal investigations for some Bush Administration officials."
The story was also reported by USA Today, the Christian Science Monitor, Bloomberg News, and the AP.
Orders Contain "Significant Loopholes" The Los Angeles Times reports "there were significant loopholes with both the orders to close the Guantanamo detention center and to overhaul the interrogation program." The Washington Post similarly reports the orders "left maneuvering room on some Bush policies that have long drawn disapproval," and notes Obama "did not prohibit renditions." The New York Times reported on its Website that Obama "postponed for at least six months difficult decisions on the details." In its print edition, meanwhile, the New York Times says the members "of Mr. Obama's national security team have expressed a wide variety of views on interrogation and detention policy, and there is likely to be robust internal debate before the questions are resolved." The Washington Post also reports the story.
GOP Questions Obama's Orders The AP reports House Minority Leader John Boehner "was among a group of House Republicans who quickly filed a bill seeking to bar federal courts from ordering Guantanamo detainees to be released into the United States." The Financial Times notes "several top Republicans raised concerns that Mr Obama was giving too many rights to detainees and had not explained how he would protect Americans from terrorism suspects brought to the US."
The Politico notes Sens. John McCain and Lindsey Graham offered "support" for Obama, while John Cornyn warned "that he doesn't want to see any terrorists released into Texas."
Meanwhile, the New York Times reports on its front page this morning that "the emergence of a former Guantánamo Bay detainee as the deputy leader of Al Qaeda's Yemeni branch has underscored the potential complications in carrying out the executive order President Obama signed Thursday." Said Ali al-Shihri "is suspected of involvement in a deadly bombing of the United States Embassy" in Sana in September after he "was released to Saudi Arabia in 2007."
McClatchy reports, "The Senate Finance Committee on Thursday approved the nomination of Timothy Geithner to be Treasury secretary, but his final confirmation could be delayed until next week as Republicans seek to delve deeper into his personal finances." The panel "voted 18-5 to send Geithner's nomination to the full Senate for consideration. All five 'no' votes came from Republicans." The AP says the full Senate vote "was expected to take place on Monday." The Wall Street Journal, The Politico and Washington Times also report on the committee vote.
USA Today notes "Geithner's tax issues dogged him Thursday. Sen. Jim Bunning, R-Ky., released an e-mail to Geithner from his accountant in March 2004 flagging issues with his returns."
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AFP reports, "US defense chiefs on Thursday shied away from endorsing a 16-month deadline for withdrawing US combat forces from Iraq, saying they would present President Barack Obama a full range of options." Obama "met Wednesday with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, the US ambassador to Iraq and senior military officers for what the White House said was a session to discuss planning for the withdrawal of US combat troops in 16 months." When "asked whether the accelerated timetable was now the main plan, Gates told reporters that the session was just 'the beginning of a process of evaluating various options.'"
The AP reports outgoing US Ambassador to Iraq Ryan Crocker said "a hasty departure of US troops from Iraq would carry severe risks, including bolstering al-Qaida and threatening Iraqi progress toward a functioning society." McClatchy notes that Crocker "expressed confidence after talks with President Barack Obama that the new chief executive won't make that mistake."
The Washington Post reports, "Iraqi officials have said the United States has yet to convey to them a detailed timetable for a withdrawal. But Iraqi Defense Minister Abdul Qadir Muhammed Jassim, at a news conference Thursday, said the military was prepared for any contingency." The Wall Street Journal and New York Times also reports the story.
Robert Gibbs' first White House briefing is generating media stories that are markedly critical of the Obama Administration. USA Today reports Gibbs "clashed with reporters Thursday over anonymous sources and access to...Obama, just one day after Obama pledged 'a new era of openness' in government." The Politico refers to "a growing media frustration with Barack Obama's team." On CNN's The Situation Room, Republican strategist John Feehery said, "I think the honeymoon is definitely over."
The AP says "Gibbs took some heat over access issues from reporters pressing for more," while the New York Times reports, "Obama may or may not get a honeymoon with the news media, but it only took one day for the new relationship to have its first spat." A second New York Times story offers a more positive view of the briefing. Under the headline "Press Secretary Offers Humor And Even A Little News."
Under the headline "Press's Affair With Obama Hits Bumps," the Washington Times says Obama "enjoyed unprecedented positive coverage on the campaign trail," but "has garnered a skimpy press honeymoon." Journalists also "are weighing in on the new White House press office 'disorderly,' according to Major Garrett of Fox News -- as well as the initial appearance of...Gibbs."
Of the second swearing-in flap, Dana Milbank of the Washington Post said on CNN's The Situation Room, "I think they were trying to solve that one potential headache of somebody filing a lawsuit and wound up creating another one." In his Washington Post column, Milbank notes Gibbs repeatedly used the phrase "out of an abundance of caution." That "repetition caused an abundance of laughter in the briefing room." On Fox News' Special Report roundtable, Mara Liasson of NPR said, "Deciding what to do with the press, and not having a pooler or a camera in when he took this oath of office for the second time, that was clearly a mistake." On CNN's The Situation Room, anchor Wolf Blitzer said, "I think the American people had a right to see the president of the United States being sworn in a second time."
On Fox News' Special Report roundtable, Fred Barnes of the Weekly Standard was critical of the media, "Let's just declare the Obama presidency failed! You know, some of the people in the pressroom couldn't log on their computers, and, you know, there were a few glitches. I mean, geez. I mean, this is ridiculous."
Obama Stops By Press Room CNN's The Situation Room reported Obama made an impromptu tour of the White House press room and he "said that he was very proud of Robert Gibbs and that he gave him a fist pump after his briefing today." Fox News' Special Report also noted Obama "was very, very pleased with his...Gibbs' press briefing today."
NBC Nightly News reported Obama "said he just wanted to say hello to everybody and see the place, which he agreed is smaller than it looks on TV." The AP reports, "When a reporter tried to quiz him about a lobbyist chosen for a top Defense Department job, Obama begged off."
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News of Caroline Kennedy's withdrawal from consideration for the New York Senate seat vacated by Hillary Clinton drew widespread media coverage on Thursday, with reports focusing heavily on conflicting accounts for the reasons behind the political neophyte's decision. And emerging late Thursday were reports that New York Gov. David Paterson selected NY20 Rep. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) to fill the seat. In fact, the New York Times reports that "Paterson has selected" Rep. Gillibrand, "a 42-year-old congresswoman from upstate who is known for bold political moves and centrist policy positions," according "to a person who spoke to the governor early Friday." Paterson "will announce his selection at noon in Albany. An aide to Ms. Gillibrand confirmed that she had accepted the appointment." FoxNews.com similarly reports that "Paterson will name...Gillibrand" to fill the Senate seat, "a Democratic official with knowledge of the governor's decision told FOX News on Thursday night."
Other reports weren't as definitive, however. For example, the AP says that Gillibrand "emerged as a leading contender Thursday night as" Gov. Paterson "closed in on a decision to fill the state's vacant Senate seat, according to party officials," who spoke "on condition of anonymity. ... They stressed that the appointment still could go elsewhere, including to New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo."
Selection Draws Fire From Anti-Gun Rep. McCarthy The New York Times says, "If Mr. Paterson was hoping to quiet the tumult over the selection process by picking Ms. Gillibrand, there were indications that he may not get his wish. Ms. Gillibrand, who has been endorsed by the National Rifle Association, is controversial among some of the party's more liberal leaders downstate." NY4 Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D), an "ardent gun control activist, said Thursday that if Ms. Gillibrand got the job, she was prepared to run against her in a primary in 2010. Ms. McCarthy was elected to Congress after her husband was killed in a gunman's rampage on the Long Island Rail Road in 1993."
GOP Sees Opportunity To Take Her House Seat Roll Call reports that with Gillibrand's (D) apparent appointment to the Senate, Republicans "are already beginning to mobilize to run in a special House election. ... Gillibrand upset then-Rep. John Sweeney (R) in 2006 in a conservative upstate district, and Republicans would dearly love to win the seat back."
The AP reports that Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (D) yesterday "branded his upcoming impeachment trial 'a sham' that won't provide a fair chance to defend himself. 'What the Senate and the House and Legislature is trying to do is to thwart the will of the people and remove a governor elected twice by the people without a fair hearing,'" said Blagojevich. The Chicago Tribune adds that "less than two weeks" after Blagojevich "vowed to fight 'every step of the way,' his legal team announced Thursday that it won't try to block the start of next week's impeachment trial and expects the Senate will vote to kick him out of office."
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The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports that Al Franken's (D) effort to block Norm Coleman's (R) lawsuit over the Minnesota Senate "recount was rejected Thursday by a three-judge panel, setting the stage for a trial to begin Monday on the Republican's claims." However, the AP adds the panel "denied a request by Coleman's lawyers to order counties to ship about 12,000 rejected absentee ballots to the court so that they could be quickly accessible once the court decides whether they should be counted. No explanation was given for the rejection." And while Coleman continues to fight for his Senate seat, The Hill reports that Coleman "has taken a job with the Republican Jewish Coalition while contesting" with whom he will do consulting work, raising questions about his belief in his chances to ultimately prevail.
The Politico reported on its 'The Scorecard' blog that Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias, "one of President Obama's close friends and basketball buddies," is considering primary challenge to Sen. Roland Burris (D), and has begun feeling out leading state Democrats, arguing that Burris can't hold the seat in 2010.
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that MO7 Rep. Roy Blunt (R) "has kept a low profile since" Missouri Sen. Kit Bond (R) "surprised Missourians earlier this month by declaring that he will retire from the Senate" but said yesterday that he is looking "very seriously" at entering the contest.
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Jay Leno: "Well, did you haul hear about this? Because of the flubbed oath of office the other day, Chief Justice John Roberts went over to the White House last night and gave Barack Obama the oath again." Some "legal scholars were concerned that the oath was not given properly, we legally did not have anybody at the helm for 36 hours. Thirty-six hours? We haven't had anybody at the helm for eight years."
Jay Leno: "And the Senate has confirmed Hillary Clinton as secretary of state. That means Hillary will be fourth in line for the presidency. After vice president, speaker of the House, and president pro-tem of the Senate, she is next, which means they're going to need extra security to protect the vice president, speaker of the House, and" the president pro-tem of the Senate.
Craig Ferguson: "Today was Hillary Clinton's first day as secretary of state. She's now in charge of all foreign affairs. Bill Clinton will still handle domestic affairs."
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