Obama tells GOP: Don’t listen to Rush
Limbaugh.

post from Think Progress on 23 January 2009 11:57:00 PM. © Think Progress

Today, President Obama met with congressional leaders from both parties to discuss his economic recovery and reinvestment program, though Republicans did not appear to be interested in compromise. According to the New York Post, Obama told the GOP members at the meeting that they have to stop listening to Rush Limbaugh if they wanted to accomplish anything:

“You can’t just listen to Rush Limbaugh and get things done,” he told top GOP leaders, whom he had invited to the White House to discuss his nearly $1 trillion stimulus package.
One White House official confirmed the comment but said he was simply trying to make a larger point about bipartisan efforts.

When Rep. Eric Cantor (R-VA) complained about the spending plan, Obama shot back, ?I won,? adding, ?I will trump you on that.?

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http://thinkprogress.org/2009/01/23/obama-gop-limbaugh/

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Trick or Vote #1 in GOTV

post from Everyday Citizen on 23 January 2009 11:51:41 PM. © Everyday Citizen

Sorry for my miss on the usual Friday blog, I was traveling home from the Inaugural festivities. [...]

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http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2009/01/trick_or_vote_1_in_gotv.html

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Open Thread

post from Crooks and Liars on 23 January 2009 11:30:57 PM. © Crooks and Liars

video details and more

I thought this video from Momlogic.com was too cute to pass up.

What's on your mind? What's the word on the street?

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http://crooksandliars.com/logan-murphy/open-thread-2

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Open Thread and Diary Rescue

post from Daily Kos on 23 January 2009 11:20:05 PM. © Daily Kos

Tonight's Rescue Ranger krewe consists of noddemn, dadanation, HansScholl, grog, and jlms qkw, with YatPundit at the controls of the streetcar.

In a detailed analysis of the issue, JRandomPoster has many Questions to Ponder: The Societal Ramifications of Government Data Mining. (grog)

justiceputnam takes us back to a simpler time with the help of cinema in Movie Palace Matinees and The Drive-In at Midnight. (noddem)

john de herrera's Santa Cruz Island (part 11) brings us current on his struggle with the U.S. Government regarding his effort to turn rubbish into art and a memorial. (dadanation)

Greek Goddess tells these Tales from the Unemployment Front: Our Tax Dollars at Work and hope this never happens to you. (grog)

winter outhouse journeys to freeperland and returns with a report of Itching Powder in the Gop's Jockstrap. (jlms qkw)

dgb offers a wonky statistical look at the 2012 election cycle in More on the 2011 Reapportionment. (YatPundit)

jotter has High Impact Diaries: January 22, 2009.

monkeybiz brings us Top Comments 1.23.09: Aggie Fun.

Please join the Krewe this evening by suggesting your rescue picks in this Open Thread.

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http://feeds.dailykos.com/~r/dailykos/index/~3/va0AglZHxKI/688342

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Situation Room reported on purported
Clinton "power grab" at State, but Obama wants to strengthen State Department

post from Media Matters for America on 23 January 2009 11:08:15 PM. © Media Matters for America

The January 23 edition of CNN's The Situation Room aired a segment featuring the on-screen text "Hillary's Clinton's Power Grab: Secretary of State flexing her diplomatic muscle." Host Wolf Blitzer teased the segment by saying, "Hillary Clinton's power grab -- at least some are calling it that. The secretary of state wants to take back resources that she feels rightfully belong to her department." During the report, foreign affairs correspondent Jill Dougherty stated: "Hillary Clinton is back[...]

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http://mediamatters.org/items/200901230021

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Tom Daschle Watch: Day 43

post from DemConWatch on 23 January 2009 11:01:24 PM. © DemConWatch

Our daily summary of the status of Obama's "stalled" nominees.

It's been 43 days since Tom Daschle was named HHS secretary, the longest of any of Obama's cabinet nominee who hasn't received a committee hearing. As we noted yesterday, Daschle is out-of-town with a sick family member, but there are real politics behind the hold-up:

Dormer Sen. Tom Daschle hasn't even been scheduled for a confirmation hearing as Health and Human Services secretary, a key position as Mr. Obama tackles health care in the budget due next month. Democratic Finance Committee aides say the holdup is in part because the committee has been hashing out the tax provisions of a stimulus package likely to exceed $825 billion. They are also working on the Senate's version of an expanded State Children's Health Insurance Program.

But Democratic leadership aides acknowledge more-thorny problems as well, as Republican Finance Committee aides pore over Mr. Daschle's tax returns, business ties and his connection to an education-loan provider being investigated by the committee.

Hilda Solis, Labor Secretary-designee, had her committee hearing on Jan 9, but her road has gotten bumpy:

The nomination of Rep. Hilda Solis, D-Calif., to become Labor secretary in the Obama administration hit a snag Thursday, as Democrats announced that a Republican senator was using an anonymous hold to delay her confirmation over political concerns.

According to GOP aides, the hold was filed because of Solis' support for card-check legislation and backing for a pay-discrimination measure, and because of what they called her nonresponsive answers during a committee hearing regarding her nomination. Her backing of those issues puts her in good stead with Democrats but at odds with most Republicans.

"They're all radioactive issues that she is going to have to get involved in pretty deeply," one GOP aide said. The hold, if not lifted, would delay Solis from winning Senate confirmation once her nomination clears the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

Attorney General-designee Eric Holder is facing some new questions, but his committee vote still seems on track for Jan 28.

The Obama administration waived the new ethics rules for William Lynn, nominee for deputy Defense secretary:

“After consultation with counsel to the president," said Director of the Office of Management of Budget Peter Orszag in a statement, "I hereby waive the requirements of Paragraphs 2 and 3 of the Ethics Pledge of Mr. William Lynn. I have determined that it is in the public interest to grant the waiver given Mr. Lynn's qualifications for his position and the current national security situation. I understand that Mr. Lynn will otherwise comply with the remainder of the pledge and with all preexisting government ethics rules.”

Other December nominees who have yet to have a hearing include Karen Mills, Administrator of the Small Business Administration, John Holdren, Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Jane Lubchencho, Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.Demconwatchblog.com/diary/640/tom-daschle-watch-day-43

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C&L's Late Night Music Club with Chet Baker

post from Crooks and Liars on 23 January 2009 11:00:29 PM. © Crooks and Liars

Read The Full Article:
http://lnmc.crooksandliars.com/andy-k/cls-late-night-music-club-chet-baker

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Cause the (Inaugural) Bible Tells Me So

So, if you blinked yesterday, you probably missed the ginormous fuss over President Obama's do-over of the oath of office. Apparently, in the rush to conciliate people who didn't realize that he became president automatically at noon while the quartet[...]

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http://firedoglake.com/2009/01/23/cause-the-inaugural-bible-tells-me-so/

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PREZ ZINGS GOP FOE IN A $TIMULATING TALK (Charles
Hurt/New York Post)

Charles Hurt / New York Post:
PREZ ZINGS GOP FOE IN A $TIMULATING TALK — WASHINGTON — President Obama warned Republicans on Capitol Hill today that they need to quit listening to radio king Rush Limbaugh if they want to get along with Democrats and the new administration. — “You can't just listen to Rush Limbaugh …

Read The Full Article:
http://www.memeorandum.com/090123/p166#a090123p166

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The Haqqani Network

It is of grave concern that President Obama is choosing to continue the aerial war in Afghanistan which the Bush Administration in August 2008 extended into Pakistan's tribal areas. From the Washington Post: At least 20 people were killed in northwest[...]

Read The Full Article:
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mydd/~3/mXHVPVHA5xQ/883

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