Posts Tagged ‘Afghanistan’
LiveBlog for Monday, November 16, 2009
Monday, November 16th, 2009
• The Rude Pundit (Lee Papa) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about moving Gitmo detainees to New York, and the media’s shoddy treatment of women.
• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.
• Joe Decker, founder of GodHatesShrimp.com, calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about how ridiculous religious arguments against homosexuality are.
• Politely but firmly pressing for greater freedoms on China’s own turf, President Obama spoke in Shanghai this morning against censorship, saying tough criticisms of political leaders should be allowed and the free flow of information on the internet “should be encouraged.”
• While President Obama’s decision about sending more troops to Afghanistan is primarily a military one, it also has substantial budget implications that are adding pressure to limit the commitment. Governmental estimates place the cost of adding 40,000 troops at $40 billion to $54 billion a year.
• Today’s Commerce Department report on October retail sales is likely to set the tone for the rest of the week on Wall Street. Economists polled by Reuters predict retail sales rose 0.8 percent in October after at 1.5 percent drop in September. Stronger consumer spending is needed for any rebound, and disappointment is likely to send stocks falling today.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Eric Boehlert, God Hates Shrimp, Joe Decker, Lee Papa, Media Matters for America, Retail Sales, Rude Pundit
Posted in liveblog | 230 Comments »
LiveBlog for Thursday, November 13, 2009
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
• Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) calls in at 6:05am Pacific to talk about health care reform and the economy.
• Mikey Weinstein, President of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to discuss the Ft. Hood shootings.
• Feminist and SuperLawyer Gloria Allred calls in at 7:30am Pacific to tell us why she thinks that Carrie Prejean has done something illegal.
• Paul Fitzgerald joins us in studio at 8:05am Pacific to talk about his new movie, “Forgiven.”
• Kelly Carlin-McCall calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about her father, George Carlin’s, posthumous book, “Last Words: A Memoir.”
• Senate Majority leader Harry Reid is considering a plan for higher payroll taxes on upper-income earners to help finance health care reform legislation he intends to introduce in the Senate in the next several days, Dem officials said yesterday.
• President Obama does not plan to accept any of the Afghanistan war options presented by his national security team, pushing instead for revisions to clarify how and when U.S. troops would turn over responsibility to the Afghan government.
• Lou Dobbs, the longtime CNN anchor whose anti-immigration views have made him a TV lightning rod, said last night that he is leaving the cable news channel effective immediately.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Chris Van Hollen, Gloria Allred, Harry Reid, Health Care Reform, Kelly Carlin-McCall, Lou Dobbs, Mikey Weinstein, Paul Fitzgerald
Posted in liveblog | 331 Comments »
LiveBlog for Monday, November 2, 2009
Monday, November 2nd, 2009
• The Rude Pundit (Lee Papa) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk rude about the news of the day.
• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:30am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.
• Morgan Hurley, reporter for SDGLN.com (San Diego Gay and Lesbian News), calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about her story regarding a proposed ban on divorces in California.
• Afghanistan’s Election Commission announced this morning that Saturday’s runoff election between Hamid Karzai and Abdullah Abdullah has been cancelled. Abdullah dropped out of the race yesterday, and the Obama administration said it was prepared to work with Karzai to combat corruption and confront the Taliban insurgency.
• GOP nominee in New York’s 23rd Congressional special election tomorrow, Dede Scozzafava, announced this weekend that she’s suspending her campaign. Her exit leaves Conservative Party nominee Doug Hoffman as the favorite to win the formerly hotly contested 3-way race. Scozzafava threw her support behind Dem Bill Owens.
• The Congressional Budget Office has estimated that just 2 percent of Americans younger than 65 would sign up for the public option plan under the health care bill that Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is steering toward House approval
• The New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 last night to take a 3-1 lead in the World Series.
Tags: Abdullah Abdullah, Afghanistan, Bill Owens, Dede Scozzafava, Doug Hoffman, Eric Boehlert, Hamid Karzai, Health Care Reform, Lee Papa, Media Matters for America, Morgan Hurley, Nancy Pelosi, Rude Pundit, SDGLN
Posted in liveblog | 158 Comments »
LiveBlog for Friday, October 30, 2009
Friday, October 30th, 2009
• Rep. Diana Degette (D-CO) calls in at 6:05am Pacific to talk about The Affordable Health Care for America Act.
• Dr. Maya Angelou calls in at 6:50am Pacific to talk about her new book, “Letter to My Daughter.”
• Rep. Robert Andrews (D-NJ) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about The Affordable Health Care for America Act.
• Comedian John Fugelsang joins us in studio at 8am Pacific for “Fridays with Fugelsang.”
• Cheered by President Obama, House Dems rolled out landmark legislation yesterday to extend health care to tens of millions who lack coverage, impose sweeping new restrictions on the insurance industry, and create a government-run option to compete with private insurers.
• President Obama will host the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the White House today as he reassesses his administration’s military strategy in Afghanistan. The meeting will give each branch of the armed services a direct opportunity to tell Obama the effect on the military if a large number of additional forces are sent to Afghanistan.
• Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui hit solo homers off Pedro Martinez to give the New York Yankees a 3-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies and tie the World Series at 1-1 last night.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Diana Degette, Health Care Reform, John Fugelsang, Joint Chiefs of Staff, Maya Angelou, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Robert Andrews, World Series
Posted in liveblog | 192 Comments »
LiveBlog for Thursday, October 29, 2009
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
• Rep. Donna Christensen (D-Virgin Islands) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to update us on health care reform.
• Rep. Earl Perlmutter (D-CO) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to update us on health care reform.
• Christine Romans, host of “Your $$$$$” on CNN, calls in at 7:50am Pacific to update us on the economic recovery.
• House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is preparing to unveil a retooled health care overhaul plan today intended to bridge differences among Dems. She wants to have the legislation on the floor next week with a final vote before Veterans Day, that would give President Obama a bill to sign by year’s end.
• President Obama is considering a scaled-down version of the war plan advanced by his top Afghanistan commander, Gen. Stanley McChrystal, U.S. officials say. The plan would focus on protecting Afghan cities and key infrastructure. One official described the plan as “McChrystal Light.”
• Fox News Channel and the Obama administration are talking. The network confirmed a Politico report that a Fox News executive met at the White House yesterday with Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s press secretary. There were no details given about the meeting.
• The Philadelphia Phillies beat the New York Yankees 6-1 last night in Game 1 of the World Series.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Christine Romans, Donna Christensen, Earl Perlmutter, Fox News, Nancy Pelosi, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Stanley McChrystal, World Series
Posted in liveblog | 279 Comments »
LiveBlog for Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009
• Rep. John Yarmuth (D-KY) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about health care reform.
• Karl Frisch, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.
• Comedian Hal Sparks joins us in studio at 8:05am Pacific for another edition of “Humpdays with Hal.”
• Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-CT) said yesterday that while he’s “strongly inclined” to vote to move Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-NV) health care plan with an opt-out public option to the Senate floor for debate, he would ultimately oppose the measure and join a GOP filibuster because it includes that option.
• The White House said yesterday that President Obama has nearly finished gathering information and advice on how to proceed in Afghanistan. Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that a planned meeting on Friday with the Joint Chiefs of Staff will be among the last events in the decision-making process.
• The FAA has revoked the licenses of the two Northwest Airlines pilots who flew a passenger jet past their Minneapolis destination by 150 miles last week. They had violated numerous regulations, including failing to comply with air traffic control instructions and clearances and operating carelessly and recklessly.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Hal Sparks, Harry Reid, Joe Lieberman, John Yarmuth, Karl Frisch, Media Matters for America, Northwest Airlines, Robert Gibbs
Posted in liveblog | 294 Comments »
LiveBlog for Monday, October 26, 2009
Monday, October 26th, 2009
• The Rude Pundit (Lee Papa) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about Ann Coulter, Pat Buchanan, and Britney Spears.
• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.
• Comedian Sara Benincasa calls in at 8:30am Pacific to tell us about her columns for The Huffington Post and her upcoming tour dates.
• Both House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid are expected to make decisions this week in hopes the long-delayed health care reform bills can come to a vote early next month. Officials familiar with the Senate talks say businesses would not be required to provide health insurance, but large companies would owe significant penalties if any worker needs government subsidies to buy coverage on their own.
• Top lawmakers sparred yesterday over the timing of President Obama’s decision on how to move ahead in Afghanistan, with Republicans urging a quick move to boost troop levels and Dems counseling patience.
• President Obama declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, giving his health chief the power to let hospitals move emergency rooms offsite to speed treatment and protect non-infected patients.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Eric Boehlert, Harry Reid, Health Care Reform, Lee Papa, Media Matters for America, Nancy Pelosi, Rude Pundit, Sara Benincasa, Swine Flu
Posted in liveblog | 163 Comments »
LiveBlog for Thursday, October 22, 2009
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
• Christian Weller, Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress, calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about the economy and the progress it’s making.
• Rep. Tim Ryan (D-OH) calls in at 7:05am Pacific to talk about health care reform and the economy.
• Rep. Bruce Braley (D-IA) calls in at 8:05am Pacific to talk about health care reform and the economy.
• Former Vice President Dick Cheney last night accused the White House of “dithering” over the strategy for the war in Afghanistan and urged President Obama to “do what it takes to win.” Cheney said that signals of indecision out of DC “hurt our allies and embolden our adversaries.”
• President Obama unveiled plans yesterday to refocus spending of the government’s $700 billion financial bailout away from Wall Street’s big financial institutions and toward small businesses. He announced initiatives that would make it easier for smaller community banks to provide credit to small businesses.
• Dems launched a drive at both ends of the Capitol yesterday to strip the insurance industry of its decades-old exemption from federal antitrust laws. The change would put an end to “price-fixing, bid-rigging, and market allocation in the health and medical malpractice” insurance areas.
Tags: Afghanistan, Barack Obama, Bruce Braley, Center for American Progress, Christian Weller, Dick Cheney, Health Care Reform, Tim Ryan
Posted in liveblog | 310 Comments »
LiveBlog for Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
• Lester Brown, Founder of the Earth Policy Institute and author of “Plan B 4.0,” calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about the need for immediate environmental action.
• Karl Frisch, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.
• Rep. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) calls in at 7:30am Pacific to talk about health care reform.
• Hal Sparks joins us in studio at 8:05am Pacific for another edition of “Humpdays With Hal.”
• Comedian Margaret Cho calls in at 8:30am Pacific to talk about her upcoming shows and the release of her new concert DVD, “Beautiful.”
• President Obama has sought to spend no more than $900 billion over a 10-year period on health care reform. Yesterday, however, House Dem leaders received a new cost estimate of $871 billion from congressional budget umpires who measured a bill with a a robust public option.
• President Obama spoke with Afghan President Hamid Karzai yesterday and congratulated him for accepting the report of the UN-backed Election Complaint Commission which ruled that he garnered under 50% of the vote in the August election after vote fraud had been factored in, mandating a recount.
• Oprah Winfrey announced yesterday that Sarah Palin will appear on her show on Monday, November 16th.
Tags: Afghanistan, Allyson Schwartz, Barack Obama, Earth Policy Institute, Hal Sparks, Hamid Karzai, Health Care Reform, Karl Frisch, Lester Brown, Margaret Cho, Media Matters for America, Oprah Winfrey, Sarah Palin
Posted in liveblog | 146 Comments »
LiveBlog for Monday, October 19, 2009
Monday, October 19th, 2009
• The Rude Pundit (Lee Papa) calls in at 6:30am Pacific to talk about gays in the military, and the historical inaccuracies at the GOP’s new website.
• Eric Boehlert, Senior Fellow at Media Matters for America, calls in at 7:05am Pacific to co-host Right Wing World.
• Rep. Joe Sestak (D-PA) calls in at 8:30am Pacific to make a major announcement about his campaign to be senator from Pennsylvania.
• Three days after the world watched a giant balloon fly through the air as a tearful family expressed fears that their 6-year-old boy could be inside, authorities announced what millions already suspected: The whole thing was staged. Colorado authorities believe the event was a “publicity stunt” by the family to market themselves for a reality show.
• The White House will not commit to health care legislation that would cap insurance premiums or tax benefits, taking a wait-and-see approach as congressional negotiators seek a deal. President Obama will not demand that a final bill include a public option, though that’s his preference, advisers said yesterday.
• Defense Secretary Robert Gates is undertaking the tricky task of trying to persuade allies to remain committed to the war in Afghanistan even as the Obama administration debates whether to send more troops to fight. Allies like Japan and Great Britain, however, are showing signs of pulling back.
Tags: Afghanistan, Balloon Boy, Barack Obama, Eric Boehlert, Health Care Reform, Joe Sestak, Lee Papa, Media Matters for America, Robert Gates, Rude Pundit
Posted in liveblog | 408 Comments »
