SNL Skit: Obama and Hu Jintao at a Press Conference
In the opening skit for Saturday Night Live last night, Fred Armisen plays President Obama at a press conference in China with Chinese President Hu Jintao. Jintao takes the U.S. apart on its spending policies (we borrowed $800 billion from the Chinese to finance the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq). It's quite astute, and the funniest -- and most disturbing, if you think about it -- skit of the night. Take a look:
Katie Couric talks about neology, the invention of new words. The new word she is talking about is "wee wee'd up," which was used recently by President Obama.
The President said, "There is something about August going into September where everybody in Washington gets all wee-wee'd up!"
Press secretary Robert Gibbs says the term has to do with people getting "nervous for no particular reason." The President's word already has several entries in the Urban dictionary.
Al Sharpton: Michael Jackson Helped Make Obama President
Al Sharpton made the grandiose claim at the Michael Jackson Memorial Service that it was Michael Jackson who created the environment that allowed Barack Obama to be elected president.
"It was Michael Jackson that brought blacks and whites and Asians and Latinos together. It was Michael Jackson that made us sing 'we are the world,'" said Sharpton.
"It was that comfort level that kids from Japan and Ghana and France and Iowa and Pennsylvania got comfortable enough with each other so later it wasn't strange to us to watch Oprah on television," the reverend continued. "Those young kids grew up from being teenage comfortable fans of Michael to being 40 years old and being comfortable to vote for a person of color to be the president of the United States of America."
"Michael did that," Sharpton said. "Michael made us love each other."
The most geniune moment at the memorial service was when Michael Jackson's daughter Paris spoke about how much she loved her father.
President Barack Obama and French President Nicholas Sarkozy are both calling for Iran to not develop a nuclear weapons program. President Obama says that Iran's possession of a nuclear weapon would be "profoundly dangerous" to the entire region and the world. He said if Iran gets a nuclear weapon than many countries in the Middle East are also going to want a nuclear weapon.
President Obama recently hit the important milestone of having been president for 100 days. So how did the media cover this event? Well, Fox News saw it as the Apocalypse, MSNBC worshipped all things Obama and CNN totally geeked out. Jon Stewart explains:
U.S. President Barack Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez - a very outspoken critic of the United States - shook hands on Friday at the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad. MSNBC's First Read says President Obama "president walked across the room where all the leaders were gathering and introduced himself to Chavez." MSNBC says Hugo Chavez said a few words in English to President Obama but the administration hasn't provided details about the exchange.
MSNBC reports that polling has started out favorable for President Obama. 68% of those surveyed have a faborable opinion of President Obama and 67% feel "more hopeful" about his leadership. 60% approve of his job.
In the survey, 68 percent have a favorable opinion of the president, including 47 percent whose opinion is "very positive" - both all-time highs for Obama in the poll. Moreover, 67 percent say they feel more hopeful about his leadership and 60 percent approve of his job in the White House.
Yet the percentage of Americans who are confident that Obama has the right goals and policies for the country - 54 percent - is slightly smaller, suggesting that the president is more popular than his policies are. An example: 57 percent tend to support the stimulus, compared with 34 percent who tend to oppose it.
The country knows that Barack Obama inherited the financial problems when he took office so he will probably get a long pass before they started blaming him for not fixing them. He won't get a pass forever but it could last an entire year according to the survey. 84% of those surveyed say this is an economy Obama inherited, and over 66% believe he has at least a year before he's responsible for it.
Republican pollster Bill McInturff told MNSBC that Obama has a "long leash." McInturff says, "It normally doesn't last that long. But believe me, that's a good place to start."
Republican Sen. Judd Gregg Withdraws Nomination as Commerce Secretary
The last think President Barack Obama needed was another resigning cabinet member but that's just what he got today. Republican Sen. Judd Gregg of New Hampshire withdrew his nomination as Commerce Secretary Thursday saying that he was withdrawing because he disagreed with the stimulus plan among other things. Gregg says he realized that it "really wasn't a good fit and that he wouldn't be comfortable doing this." The Atlanticsays Gregg's decision caught the White House by surprise.
Barack Obama is Stressed Out on Mad Magazine's Cover
President Barack Obama has been on the cover of thousands of newspapers and magazines lately but Mad Magazine's new cover is probably the least flattering. The cover shows the new president looking extremely stressed now that the inaugural fun is over. CNN's Jeanne Moos reports on the latest cover. She says Mad has received some criticism for not making Obama's ears big enough.
Democrats have pretty much thrown in the towel on the Roland Burris appointment: he will be allowed to take his Senate seat. But he shouldn't
expect a warm welcome.
Democratic leaders say they have no hard feelings toward Burris and that they're willing to put aside their concerns with his appointment if he proves himself to be a loyal Democrat, keeps his word and shows a willingness to work with committee chairmen and to vote with his party.
But within the party, tensions are still lingering over how the whole episode played out and how Burris a 71-year-old former state official who lacks Washington experience outmaneuvered and embarrassed some of the savviest politicians in the country.
Burris has until October to file the paperwork needed to become a candidate for 2010, but hed have to start laying the groundwork for his campaign almost instantly. He would need to hold fundraisers, create an infrastructure with offices throughout Illinois and seek support from party leaders.
Burris declined to be interviewed about his plans. Privately, his advisers acknowledge that he has an uphill task in winning over his Senate colleagues, even as they insist that he's up to it.
Unless Burris has previously unknown depths it's hard to see how he'll be more than a placeholder for Barack Obama's vacated senate seat. The entire incident is an embarrassment for the Democratic party.
The Congresswoman Who Hung Up on the President Elect
Politicians are paranoid about phone calls after Governor Sarah Palin was prank called by a radio station disc jockey who claimed to be the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. They recorded the call in which Palin listens to the fake Sarkozy saying all kinds of awful and inappropriate things. The incident horrified politicians. So it's perhaps natural that when Republican congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida received a phone call purportedly from Barack Obama, she hung up on him. Then when Rahm Emanuel called back, she hung up on him too. She thought it was one of the notorious south Florida radio stations pranking her. But it really was President-Elect Obama.
According to Ros-Lehtinen's flack Alex Cruz, the congresswoman received the call on her cell phone from a Chicago-based number and an aide informed her that Obama wanted to speak to her. When Obama introduced himself, Ros-Lehtinen cut him off and said, "I'm sorry but I think this is a joke from one of the South Florida radio stations known for these pranks." Then she hung up.
Moments later, Obama tried again, this time through his soon-to-be chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel.
"Ileana, I cannot believe you hung up on the President-Elect," Emanuel said. And then--yes, you know what's coming--she hung up on Emanuel saying she "didn't believe the call was legitimate."
A short time later, Ros-Lehtinen received an urgent call from Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee, who informed her that she indeed hung up on Obama.
So, Obama tried again and this time he was successful. (Phew!)
"It is very funny that you have twice hung up on me," Obama said. Ros Lehtinen responded by telling Obama that radio stations in South Florida always make these sorts of jokes. Obama said similar pranksters reside in Chi-town.
"You are either very gracious to reach out in such a bipartisan manner or had run out of folks to call if you are truly calling me and Saturday Night Live could use a good Obama impersonator like you," Ros-Lehtinen joked with the president-elect.
Ros-Lehtinen then congratulated Obama on his victory and pledged to work together on behalf of all Americans. She also asked Obama to call Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Rep. Albio Sire (D-NJ) to discuss Cuba policy.
No word yet as to whether Menendez or Sire hung up on the President-Elect.
Gallup: Most Americans Back Hillary for Secretary of State
This will be devastating news to Chris Matthews: a new Gallup poll shows that most Americans are in favor of Hillary Clinton becoming Barack Obama's Secretary of State.
A new Gallup Poll finds a majority of Americans (57%) in favor of Barack Obama appointing Hillary Clinton as the secretary of state in his administration. Thirty percent oppose it.
The poll, conducted Nov. 18, was taken as the political world buzzed with the possibility that Obama will bring his chief rival for the Democratic presidential nomination into his cabinet in a high profile role. As secretary of state, Clinton would be the top U.S. official for conducting foreign policy.
Democrats strongly endorse the idea of Obama making this move, with 79% in favor of it. Most Republicans, not surprisingly, oppose the idea, while a majority of independents (57%) favor it.
Prominent Republicans such as Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Jon Kyl (Arizona) and former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger have praised the idea, saying that she would do a great job. The question is: does she want to give up her Senate Seat? Given the fact that Ted Kennedy and Tom Daschle have staked out leadership claims on the healthcare issue, Hillary may feel she can do more for the country as Secretary of State. I think she's do a fabulous job. And with Bill Clinton vowing transparency with his international speaking and Clinton Global Initiative activities, there seems to be nothing to get in the way. One way or another, we'll know before Thanksgiving.
Will Hillary Clinton be Obama's Secretary of State?
The big rumor going around political circles today is that Barack Obama has offered the Secretary of State position to Hillary Clinton. Chris Matthews was babbling all kinds of incoherent nonsense this evening: something about she was offered the job but first demanded that Joe Biden wouldn't get in her way and that she know who all the other cabinet positions are. It was absurd. Here's what we know: Hillary and Barack met in Chicago privately today. At a transit gathering in Albany, Hillary said she would be making no comment about the President Elect's selection process: all questions should be posed to the transition team. Period.
It's possible he offered her the job and she wants the weekend to think about it. It's also more plausible that the meeting was to sound her out about her interests over the next four years: that's what ABC is reporting. ABC also reports that no formal offer was made, but that they will speak again. That seems more likely to me. Does Hillary even want the job? That is the question.
Voting turnout today was very high across the nation. Although there were the usual reports of broken voting machines, incorrect voting rolls (activist and actor Tim Robbins was turned away from his polling location), and long lines, generally speaking things went smoothly.
As of 9:26 pm central time, Obama appears to be sailing ahead to an easy victory. Both CNN and Fox have called Ohio for Obama. He's also projected to have won New York, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Connecticut, New Jersey, Maine, Delaware, Maryland and Delaware. With California and the west coast still to be counted, it looks like we have a President-Elect Barack Obama. The Senate races are looking interesting. Elizabeth Dole (R - North Carolina) lost her senate seat to Kay Hagan (despite the Godless ad) and so did John Sununu (R-New Hampshire). It doesn't look like the Democrats are getting to 60 seats. In the House of Representatives, John Murtha did manage to hold on to his congressional seat, despite calling his own constituents a bunch of racists.
CNN has the latest
electoral map
with projections and popular vote counts. As for television coverage, the CNN coverage is competent: we always perk up when James Carville starts ranting. That's always fun. Alex Castellanos looks horribly depressed. The coverage took a sci fi tone when Jessica Yellin beamed in via hologram from another planet to talk about...something. That bit was so odd, I totally missed what she was saying.
Over at Fox News the tone is positively funereal. Bill Kristol literally had his head in his hands at one point. He looks miserable: he can't seem to summon up the energy to make his usual snide remarks. He is, of course, the one who convinced McCain to pick Sarah Palin as his running mate. The other day he was talking about how Palin will be president in 2012, which seems highly unlikely to me.
Fox has a new set and everyone seems confused about where they are supposed to sit and/or stand. Karl Rove predicted the result last week when he said that McCain would need a miracle to pull this off. No miracle today. As for MSNBC, Rachel Maddow appears to be drinking cocktails which surely violates some kind of FCC rule. Then again, it's election night so hey -- go ahead and have a celebratory (or consoling) drink.
Update: Fox News has called the race for Barack Obama, referring to him as the President-Elect as it is now mathematically impossible for John McCain to win.
On the eve of the presidential election Barack Obama learned that his beloved grandmother Madelyn Dunham had died. She passed away early this morning in Hawaii at the age of 86. She has been suffering from cancer. Barack called her "Toot" which is short for Tutu, the Hawaiian name for grandparent. Barack Obama and his sister Maya Soetoro-Ng issued this statement:
"It is with great sadness that we announce that our grandmother, Madelyn Dunham, has died peacefully after a battle with cancer. She was the cornerstone of our family, and a woman of extraordinary accomplishment, strength, and humility. She was the person who encouraged and allowed us to take chances. She was proud of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and left this world with the knowledge that her impact on all of us was meaningful and enduring. Our debt to her is beyond measure.
"Our family wants to thank all of those who sent flowers, cards, well-wishes, and prayers during this difficult time. It brought our grandmother and us great comfort. Our grandmother was a private woman, and we will respect her wish for a small private ceremony to be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you make a donation to any worthy organization in search of a cure for cancer."
What a sad day for Barack and his family. Mrs. Dunham sounds like an extraordinary woman who raised Barack for a large portion of his childhood. May she rest in peace.
Politicians are paranoid about phone calls after Governor Sarah Palin was prank called by a radio station disc jockey who claimed to be the president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy. They recorded the call in which Palin listens to the fake Sarkozy saying all kinds of awful and inappropriate things. The incident horrified politicians. So it's perhaps natural that when Republican congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida received a phone call purportedly from Barack Obama, she hung up on him. Then when Rahm Emanuel called back, she hung up on him too. She thought it was one of the notorious south Florida radio stations pranking her. But it really was President-Elect Obama.
