Category — Decision '08

Christina Romer, economic adviser to President Barack Obama, said in an interview today that the fundamentals of the American economy were sound, which is… exactly what Senator John McCain said during the campaign, only to be publicly ridiculed by then-candidate Barack Obama.

The economy is fundamentally sound despite the temporary “mess” it’s in, the White House said Sunday in the kind of upbeat assessment that Barack Obama had mocked as a presidential candidate.
…
During the fall campaign, Obama relentlessly criticized his Republican opponent, Sen. John McCain, for declaring, “The fundamentals of our economy are strong.” Obama’s team painted the veteran senator as out of touch and failing to grasp the challenges facing the country.

But on Sunday, that optimistic message came from economic adviser Christina Romer. When asked during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” if the fundamentals of the economy were sound, she replied: “Of course they are sound.” 

A fifth-grader in Oregon was banned from wearing a Barack Obama mask for his school’s talent show due to its “potentially offensive” nature. The boy planned to perform “I can do whatever I like,” a parody of the popular song “Whatever you like.”

Dru Lechert-Kelly, 11, a fifth-grader at Llewellyn Elementary School in Southeast Portland, decided to dress up like his role model and dance to a popular YouTube song that features an Obama look-alike dancing to a parody called “I Can Do Whatever I Like.”

Dru performed the skit in front of teachers and students during a rehearsal for Llewellyn’s annual talent show Thursday. He wore a navy blue suit, white shirt, red tie, black shoes and an Obama mask purchased at a costume shop. The choreographed routine ended with Dru on the floor in the splits.

Briefly.

President Obama recently gifted Prime Minister Gordon Brown with 25 DVDs of what Obama considers “great American classics,” you might say. This, after Prime Minister Gordon Brown gifted Obama with quite a set of thoughtful presents. Fox News reports:

The first of which is a pen holder fashioned from the oak timber of HMS Gannet, a Navy vessel that served on anti-slavery missions off Africa.

Another treasure given to Obama is a framed commissioning paper for the HMS Resolute, a Royal Navy ship that came to symbolize British-American goodwill when it was rescued by the U.S. from icebergs and given to Queen Victoria. It is the sister ship of the HMS Gannet.

Finally, Brown gave Obama a first edition of Martin Gilbert’s seven-volume biography of Winston Churchill, whose World War II partnership with President Franklin Roosevelt symbolized the U.S.-Anglo alliance.

What are the British saying?

The Daily Telegraph:

British officials, meanwhile, admit that the White House and US State Department staff were utterly bemused by complaints that the Prime Minister should have been granted full-blown press conference and a formal dinner, as has been customary. They concede that Obama aides seemed unfamiliar with the expectations that surround a major visit by a British prime minister.
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A well-connected Washington figure, who is close to members of Mr Obama’s inner circle, expressed concern that Mr Obama had failed so far to “even fake an interest in foreign policy”.
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The [US State Department] official dismissed any notion of the special relationship, saying: “There’s nothing special about Britain. You’re just the same as the other 190 countries in the world. You shouldn’t expect special treatment.” The apparent lack of attention to detail by the Obama administration is indicative of what many believe to be Mr Obama’s determination to do too much too quickly.

Iain Martin (Telegraph Opinion):

Giftgate threatens to take another twist and turn. Alex Massie at Coffee House  flags up a vital and hitherto unconsidered aspect of the row, via one of Mark Hemingway’s readers.

The Mirror:

The White House yesterday denied Obama had not rolled out the red carpet.
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Meanwhile, Obama appears to be going grey just 45 days into the job – just like Bill Clinton and George Bush.

Also, Michelle Obama returned a bust of former Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill given to the United States in memoriam of those who perished on September 11, 2001, and Britain’s longstanding relationship with the United States. Hmph.

To contact the Right Honorable Gordon Brown in order to apologize for Obama’s ignorance, please send letters (as they do not accept e-mail) to either 10 Downing Street or the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. at

10 Downing Street,
London,
SW1A 2AA

3100 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington, DC 20008

… respectively.

You know how liberals just love, love, love to raise your taxes? Maybe it’s because it doesn’t affect them due to the fact that – oftentimes – they don’t even pay them!

Exhibit A: Bill Richardson. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson couldn’t withdraw his name fast enough after financial woes threatened to inpede his nomination.

Exhibit B: Timothy Geithner. Claiming that his TurboTax program missed several thousand dollars in money owed to the IRS, Geithner was nominated by Obama as the Secretary of the Treasury (ironically enough). Senators didn’t think this was problematic enough and confirmed him anyway.

Exhibit C: Nancy Killefer. Allegations that Killefer overlooked some payroll taxes quickly prompted her to remove her name from consideration for a newly-created post in the White House.

Exhibit D: Tom Daschle. Now, where did Tom Daschle put that $128,000 check he made out to the IRS? Who knows. But Daschle quickly withdrew his name from consideration just today.

Need I elaborate further?… I didn’t think so.