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links for 2009-01-21

  • CNN has learned Gen. David Petraeus is returning to Washington to attend the meeting President Barack Obama is planning to have Wednesday with the Joint Chiefs and his wartime commanders.

    That meeting is expected to involve discussion of troop levels in Iraq and Afghanistan and the new president is expected to tell commanders he wants them to plan to have combat forces out of Iraq in sixteen months– as he promised in the election campaign.

    Petreaus will have just arrived from Afghanistan and Pakistan and is expected to brief Obama on the latest developments in that troubled region.
    ++++++
    Perhaps or he may wait a while.

  • Address Gun Violence in Cities: Obama and Biden would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent.

    How, precisely, does the Obama Administration plan on "making guns in this country childproof"? Mandatory trigger locks?
    +++++++
    Beats me, Jim

  • Well, isn’t this special? After overstaying her visa, ignoring a federal deportation order for years, escaping apprehension in Boston, and taking refuge in Cleveland, the destitute illegal alien aunt of Barack Obama somehow found her way to Washington, D.C., today for her nephew’s inauguration.

    Federal immigration officials couldn’t find her, but she was spotted by several media outlets and partygoers around the Beltway.
    ++++++
    But, ICE could not find her. Snort

    (tags: barack_obama)
  • U.S. stocks sank, sending the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its worst Inauguration Day decline, as speculation banks must raise more capital sent financial shares to an almost 14-year low.

    State Street Corp., the largest money manager for institutions, tumbled 59 percent after unrealized bond losses almost doubled. Wells Fargo & Co. and Bank of America Corp. slumped more than 23 percent on an analyst’s prediction that they’ll need to take steps to shore up their balance sheets. The Dow’s 4 percent slide was the most on an Inauguration Day in the measure’s 112-year history, according to data compiled by Bloomberg and the Stock Trader’s Almanac.
    ++++++
    The stock market does not have much faith in Obama.

    (tags: barack_obama)
  • How about objective, Helen?
  • Waving cardboard red, white and blue "W"s, thousands welcomed George W. Bush and his wife on Tuesday to their post-presidential home in Texas. "The presidency was a joyous experience, but as great as it was, nothing compares with Texas at sunset," Bush said to cheers from the crowd of about 25,000 as former first lady Laura Bush stood at his side. "Tonight I have the privilege of saying six words that I have been waiting to say for a while — it is good to be home."
    (tags: GeorgeWBush)
  • Frustration Mounts After Many With Tickets Wait Hours, Only To Learn They're Not Allowed In
    (tags: barack_obama)
  • The crowd packed on the west side of the Capitol grounds serenaded President Bush in mocking fashion when he took to the inaugural stage alongside Vice President Dick Cheney.

    "Nah nah nah nah, hey hey, good-bye," a section of the crowd chanted.

    The crowd packed immediately below the podium received Bush in stony silence when he took his seat on the stage surrounding the podium where Barack Obama was scheduled to take the oath office to become the 44th president of the United States.

    The jeers are among the final public feedback Bush will receive as president.
    +++++++
    Some folks have no class. But, remember President Bush was termed out and won two terms despite their jeers.

    (tags: GeorgeWBush)