President Obama's speech in Cairo yesterday is receiving extensive, and largely glowing, media coverage. NBC Nightly News remarked on "a wave of positive reaction swept across the Islamic world," adding that "surprisingly, on broadcasters like Syrian TV, the President's speech received little criticism, and the same even on Hamas' hard-line Al-Aqsa TV station." ABC World News similarly said that "even the militant groups Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza welcomed the change in language. Moderate Muslim politicians were impressed as well," while the Financial Times reports that "even Saudi Islamists expressed their satisfaction after Mr Obama spoke on Thursday,"
The New York Times reports, "Again and again, Muslim listeners said they were struck by how skillfully Mr. Obama appropriated religious, cultural and historical references in ways other American presidents had not. He sprinkled the speech with four quotations from the Koran and used Arabic greetings." He "structured his speech almost like a Friday Prayer, blending a political, social and religious message." The Washington Post reports the "55-minute address electrified many Muslims in the Arab Middle East," and praises the President's use of "spare language and a measured explanatory tone," while the Los Angeles Times says "few world leaders today can match Obama's eloquence and charisma," adding that although the speech "didn't provide enough concrete solutions to wipe away doubt...it did suggest...that the president is a conciliator, not a warrior, and that America, especially in Iraq, had made mistakes."
USA Today said the "soaring" speech "sought to challenge stereotypes on all sides after a decade of violence and misunderstanding," adding that "the only disruption during the speech came when someone from the audience shouted, 'We love you.' Obama did not respond as he often does at home with, 'I love you back.' He smiled and said, 'Thank you.'"
English-language outlets in the region offered positive portrayals in the speech. Under the front-page headline "Muslims See Obama Shifting Attitude, Policy," the Saudi Gazette says Muslims greeted Obama's speech "as a mark of a changed American attitude toward them and a new policy on the Middle East." The Jordan Times reports that "several intellectuals" it interviewed yesterday said Obama's speech "was marked by courage and balance, adding that it will help push peace efforts in the Middle East forward as he renewed commitment to creating a Palestinian state and assured the Israelis of continued US support at the same time." The Egyptian Gazette says the President received "thunderous applause" from the audience as he "sought to share the blame for tense relationships between the US and some Muslims" in his address.
The Wall Street Journal notes that "Obama didn't use the word terrorist, in marked contrast to his predecessor, George W. Bush, who defined much of his foreign policy as a 'war on terrorism.' But Mr. Obama noted a common enemy in extremism of all stripes." The Politico also notes that "Obama managed never to utter the one word that comes to mind most often when many Americans think about Islam: terrorism."
Under the headline "Nominee's Criminal Rulings Tilt To Right Of Souter," the Wall Street Journal writes that while Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor "stands in the liberal mainstream on many issues, her record suggests" she could "sometimes rule with the top court's conservatives on questions of criminal justice. The Supreme Court's five conservatives in January held that it was acceptable for prosecutors to use evidence seized by police who mistakenly thought they had a warrant to arrest a suspect." Retiring Justice David Souter and "the other liberals on the court" dissented, but Sotomayor "ruled in favor of the police in a similar case 10 years ago."
The AP reports, "The White House delivered a huge portfolio of Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's writings, speeches and rulings to Capitol Hill Wednesday, with details about the federal judge that will shape the debate over seating her on the court." The "massive parcel of documents" came in response to the Senate Judiciary Committee questionnaire sent to all federal court nominees. The CBS Evening News reported the committee "received five boxes of paper today detailing her records and finances. In a questionnaire, Sotomayor said the White House first contacted her four days before Justice David Souter announced his retirement." ABC World News reported senators "began studying a mountain of material" submitted, which "includes writings from her years on the bench, past speeches, and personal financial records." The "focus is on her opinions and speeches, which reveal statements that will deepen an already existing controversy, including a 1994 speech in Puerto Rico, where she said that "'a wise woman with the richness of her experiences would, more often than not, reach a better conclusion than a man.' ... Sotomayor made a similar point in 2001 when she said, 'I would hope that a wise Latina woman would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life.'"
The Washington Post reports the speech drafts included show a "strong-willed jurist who has exacting expectations of herself and those who come before her -- and who is driven by a powerful ethnic pride and a belief that she has an obligation to lift up fellow people of color." The New York Times reports, "In speech after speech over the years," Sotomayor "has returned to the themes of diversity, struggle, heritage and alienation." Meanwhile, McClatchy reports Sotomayor "keeps confronting questions about whether she tilts her judicial rulings to fit her background, but a new study suggests that she doesn't." Sotomayor "sided with racial-discrimination complaints only 10 times out of the 96 complaints she considered as an appellate judge, the Scotusblog.com study found."
The Washington Times reports the documents showed Sotomayor "had $1.16 million in assets but $418,350 in debts." McClatchy reports the nominee "owns a condo valued at $1 million in New York's Greenwich Village but otherwise is a woman of fairly modest means." The Wall Street Journal reports Sotomayor "earns about $170,000 a year, plus about $26,000 in teaching compensation."
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
News coverage of Democrats' progress on healthcare reform described Republican senators as frustrated with the Democrats and opposing a public healthcare plan that President Obama has reportedly shown support for. The New York Times reports GOP "frustration with Democratic plans to remake the health care system boiled over" as Republicans "complained about the size, shape and cost of the emerging proposal." Following "weeks of amiable optimism," Republicans gave "sharp-edged political comments" after a meeting of the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday. The AP reports Republicans "say chances of reaching a bipartisan deal to overhaul health care dimmed."
The Politico reports that while Republicans say "they want the process slowed a bit because there are too many unanswered questions," Senate Budget Chairman Baucus has "reaffirmed his timetable to produce a bill by the end of June, and insisted it must be bipartisan." In contrast, The Hill takes a more optimistic tone, reporting, "Key Democratic and Republican senators emerged from a closed-door meeting Thursday insisting a deal on healthcare is possible despite fundamental differences." Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said on MSNBC's Ed Show, "For those of us who believe in a public option, the fact that the President came out so strongly is a very, very good sign. And I think that there's room to work with the Republicans to come up with a public option that's not founded on government subsidies, but it's founded on a new and better business model for healthcare."
AFP reports lawmakers "dealt another blow" to President Obama's "plans to close the Guantanamo Bay prison, denying a request for extra funds and restricting the transfer and release of detainees." A House Appropriations subcommittee "threw out a request" for $60 million dollars to help close the prison. The Politico reports "White House officials trekked up to the Hill last night to meet with the Senate Democratic caucus about crafting language" in a supplemental bill about the handling of detainees, and White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel, "who is traveling with Obama in the Middle East and Europe, has been making calls to members from abroad." But the Washington Times reports Obama "isn't finding any takers in the US to house" the detainees now being held at Guantanamo, underscoring "the difficulty...in keeping his promise" to close it.
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Top
With just a few days to go before Tuesday's primary, the Washington Times reports a Suffolk University poll of 500 likely Democratic voters taken June 1-3 shows Creigh Deeds leading the Virginia Democratic gubernatorial primary with 29%, followed by Terry McAuliffe with 26% and Brian Moran with 23%. The Washington Post reports a Research 2000 poll "for the liberal blog Daily Kos" shows Deeds with 30%, followed by Moran with 27% and McAuliffe with 26%. A similar poll in late May showed McAuliffe leading with 36%, Moran with 22%, and Deeds with 13%. Meanwhile, The AP reports McAuliffe "has picked up a key endorsement" from Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D), who chairs the Democratic Governors Association and will campaign with him today.
The New York Times reports Rep. Artur Davis' (D) "biography and rhetoric" at the Democratic National Convention last year "inspired a nickname among listeners: the Obama of Alabama," and tomorrow he will kick off a bid to be governor of Alabama. The Times adds that if he is elected, "he would be the first black governor of a Deep South state since Reconstruction." Davis' bid "poses a central question of the Obama era: Has the election of the first black president improved the electability of other minority politicians, even in the nation's most difficult racial terrain?"
The Hill reports that Vice President Joe Biden called Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D) to try to convince her not to challenge appointed New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D) earlier this week, but Maloney "is still considering" making a bid. Meanwhile, Long Island Newsday reports Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D) "on Thursday ruled out a" challenge to Gillibrand in the Democratic primary, citing "personal reasons." CQ Politics adds McCarthy, "who strongly disagrees with Gillibrand on firearms restrictions, previously had said she was willing to take on the newly appointed senator in 2010 if no one else did." The Politico reports that New York Rep. Steve Israel (D), "who bowed out of a primary challenge against" Gillibrand "at the direct behest of President Barack Obama, told an Albany TV station Wednesday that he hasn't ruled out backing either" Rep. Maloney or Rep. McCarthy. Israel said, "Carolyn Maloney and I talked extensively today, and we talked yesterday. I have not discouraged her from running. ... I'm absolutely open to considering her or any other candidates that may emerge.'"
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Top
Conan O'Brien: "Yesterday president Barack Obama met the king of Saudi Arabia, who kissed Obama twice. ... Obama says he hasn't gotten this kind of treatment since he met Keith Olbermann."
David Letterman: "Rush Limbaugh, you know Rush Limbaugh? The new face of the Republican Party, Rush Limbaugh. He says now, listen to this, he says now that he might support Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Yes, depending on how much OxyContin he can get his hands on."
Jimmy Fallon: "The US government accidentally released a confidential list of exact locations of nuclear sites around the country. Authorities have no idea who was responsible -- it was Biden. Okay. It was Joe Biden."
Sign up here to get the US News Political Bulletin emailed to you each morning at 8 a.m.
Top
Click image for larger view.
Smart analysis, insightful reporting, in-depth perspective—in a new, digital format.
Log in | Buy Now | See sample
View sample page 2View sample page 3View sample page 4View sample page 5advertisement
Get your POLITICALBULLETIN
Click image for larger view.
Smart analysis, insightful reporting, in-depth perspective—in a new, digital format.
Log in | Buy Now | See sample
View sample page 2View sample page 3View sample page 4View sample page 5Embed exclusive U.S. News headlines, rankings, columns, and blog postings to your Web site, blog, or social network.
advertisement
Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our Terms and Conditions of Use and Privacy Policy.
