Media Gaga For ObamaRama

The Skinny: White House Toe-Dip By Illinois Senator Gets Oodles Of Ink In Nation's Top Newspapers

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There's "a troubling development that could foreshadow an anti-satellite arms race" filling the front pages today, as the New York Times describes it. (Happy Friday!!) "It" is the Chinese military's successful test last week of a ground-based missile that hit and destroyed one of China's own satellites that was orbiting more than 500 miles in space.
You could also refer to it, as the Washington Post does, as "a high-stakes test demonstrating China's ability to target regions of space that are home to U.S. spy satellites and space-based missile defense systems."
The test was greeted with formal protests from the U.S. and several other nations. The U.S. last performed a similar test in 1985, but ended such testing because the leftover debris can "seriously damage" other satellites and even spacecraft.
Security expert Michael Krepon wins quote of the day, explaining the genesis of the test this way to the Post: "The Chinese are telling the Pentagon that they don't own space. We can play this game, too, and we can play it dirtier than you."
The test "was expected to send tremors through the U.S. satellite industry," says the LA Times, because, um, they have satellites floating around in space that control all of those fun daily activities like going to the ATM and paying at the pump.
But it was the Pentagon that was particularly irked by the test, because the US military "is especially dependent on satellites for navigation, communications and missile guidance," writes the Post. However, the Chinese target was 537 miles into space and according to U.S. officials, "many sensitive communications satellites are much higher, at about 22,000 miles above Earth," and the Chinese test "does not prove that China has the capability to disrupt those systems."
Anyway, be sure to hug your ATM machine today.
Congressional Ethics Reforms: So Hot Right Now

Ethics are very trendy these days in Congress and yesterday the Senate passed its ethics overhaul in a 96-2 vote (Republicans Orrin Hatch and Tom Coburn were the stragglers.) From a public relations perspective, it's the "most significant ethics reform since Watergate," writes the Post. (The New York Times called it "a watershed moment in the history of K Street and Capitol Hill.")

But otherwise it’s a real downer for Senators. No more lobbyist-funded gifts, meals and travel. No more cheap rates on corporate jets – they've got to pay those damn charter rates just like the rest of us. And Senators can't put into bills earmarks that would benefit their immediate families. (Which, apparently, was cool to do before.)

What everyone really freaked out about was the provision that would "require for the first time that lobbyists disclose the most valuable favors they do for lawmakers: holding campaign fund-raisers, soliciting campaign contributions and bundling checks from clients and friends." It was the check-bundling disclosures that really irked everyone, because that would "make it harder for incumbent lawmakers to tap K Street lobbyists as surrogate fund-raisers," writes the NYT.

"An Owlish, Cigar-Chomping Extrovert"

Three papers put Pulitzer-prize winning columnist Art Buchwald's obituary on their front pages this morning (the Wall Street Journal includes it in the newsbox.) Buchwald died at 81, of kidney failure, for which he refused dialysis treatment and "continued to write his column, reflecting on his mortality while keeping his humor even as he lost a leg," writes the New York Times, which calls him "the most widely read newspaper humorist of his time" and describes his as "an amiable and wry brand of wit."

The Washington Post invokes the best adjectives, however, describing Buchwald as "an owlish, cigar-chomping extrovert." The LA Times writes that Buchwald "built deceptively simple spoofs of modern life on foundations of indignation."

Former Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee put it this way to the NYT last February: “The joy of his column was not that it was side-splitting humor, but that he made you smile.”

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[barncleaner2]

The Clinton's have already sent their investigators to ferret out Osama Hussein's past. Ole Hill has worked too hard and for too long to let some rock star status newcomer get the better of her. It ain't the Republicans that will try to shred him folks but the Clinton machine.

[nycrudy2008]

I'm from Springfield Illinois. I take pride in my state and that includes Obama. I do not, however, agree with his potential choice to run for president in 2008. Does no one realize he has had 2 years experience in federal government? He is honorable that is true but I would much rather see Rudy Giuliani win. He did so many great things for New York City that were over shadowed by the events of 9/11. I encourage everyone to do their research and then maybe Obama for President 2012 or 2016. Who knows maybe he'll end up being the next Abraham Lincoln?

[sbhuff]

Dear Mr. Obama,
I was just wondering did you receive my letters about me wanting to help in your campaign.

[sbhuff]

Dear Mr. Obama,

[kickboxermom]

I'm from an early caucus State . I support Barak Obama. He is smart, committed to social change and has faith-based ethics. Some hate-filled individuals from the Karl Rove school of spin are trying to play up Obama%u2019s name and spread lies that he is a Muslim. Those type of tactics aren't going to work any more. We%u2019ve learned to immediately fire back at the lies and misrepresentations. It's time to move away from the ugly paralysis of fear.

[kickboxermom]

I'm from an early caucus State and I completely support Barak Obama.I've been following him since before he was elected to the Senate.He is smart, a constitutional scholar, committed to social change and has faith-based ethics. There are some hate-filled individuals who are from the Karl Rove school of spin that are trying to make something of his name and spread lies that Barak Obama is a Muslim. Those typeof tactics aren't going to play out anymore. One thing that has been learned from the swift boat incident is to fire back at the lies and misrepresentations. It's time to move away from the ugly paralysis of fear.

[kickboxermom]

I'm from an early caucus State and I completely support Barak Obama.I've been following him since before he was elected to the Senate.He is smart, a constitutional scholar, committed to social change and has faith-based ethics. There are some hate-filled individuals who are from the Karl Rove school of spin that are trying to make something of his name and spread lies that Barak Obama is a Muslim. Those typeof tactics aren't going to play out anymore. One thing that has been learned from the swift boat incident is to fire back at the lies and misrepresentations. It's time to move away from the ugly paralysis of fear.

[hymie2]

I think the media should remind everyone that this man's midlle name is Hussein. They are being lax and dishonest when they fail to publish it EVERY time this man is mentioned in the press. They have published the middle name of every other candidate and criminal in the past, why are they stopping now?.

[hermit22]

"wolf in sheeps clothing"

[annd2302]

Obama Must Be Taken Seriously



is the name of the story, and you can post there. In tyhe "Opinion" section of the paper.

[annd2302]

What is the name of the other Obama story we cannot comment on. By-the-way, just who allows the comments and is there a criteria for selecting a story?

[kailumego1]

No, it's called "anal retentive" disorder.

[elgraz]

I ALWAYS TYPE WITH CAP LETTERS OH FOOLISH HUMANS. I'M A CAPITAL KIND OF PERSON.

[randalds]

Where's singinrick to tell us all that Obama's form of christianity isn't up to his standards? I mean come on! This is a black man professing to be christian! And pro-choice! He must be the spawn of the devil, right?

I wonder how the christian right wingers who have the republican party by the balls are going to go after a genuine man of faith who won't march lock-step with their Nazi-like pronouncements and standards?

[tibu987]

Remember that at this stage of the race these pols will say whatever it is you want to hear.
It would be foolish to believe everything.
I think it would be more helpful to look at their record over the years to get an idea what they truly believe.
Hillary supported the war, and now she doesn't.
Obama, well, he does not have much of a record except that of his time as a State Senator in Illinois. He does have some corrupt friends in his background that helped him to get where he is. Is he beholden? Does he bring bad baggage along?
It is going to be interesting to see all the flip-flops, the contradictions.
Whatever you know, post it on the internet, here or another blog. Facts, truth only, please.

[aisat2666]

elgraz

And I thought I was the only one who noticed the cap lock ! ! !

[annd2302]

elgraz

Take your cap lock off.

[randalds]

Hurry fellow democrats! The great 'elgraz' has permitted us to speak! Oh thank you lord and master! By the way - can you turn your caps lock off?
Posted by hungry1968 at 05:19 PM : Jan 17, 2007

He doesn't know how. He missed that lesson on FOX News called "The Internets, they're sorta like a bunch of tubes and things".

[hungry1968]

LET THE FOOLS SPEAK.................WE ARE WAITING.
Posted by elgraz at 05:12 PM : Jan 17, 2007

Hurry fellow democrats! The great 'elgraz' has permitted us to speak! Oh thank you lord and master! By the way - can you turn your caps lock off?

[elgraz]

LET THE FOOLS SPEAK.................WE ARE WAITING.