Seems Kula's still on vacation so I'll give you all a fast wrap up of Reaction points to enjoy this Sunday morning. After all, we know there's going to be plenty of conversation on Kos today. Enjoy the light reading. :D
I awoke early today with a bout of insomnia and a mild headache; but I also found the NYT's Sunday edition on my stoop. No matter how fantastic the internet and information sources have progressed, there's still something wonderful about going to your front door and finding a newspaper there. I digress.
This morning's reaction is all about the same thing like it was a brand new idea. Because this seems to be the main talking points for the GOP, pundits, editors and producers.
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On Saturday, another appointment was made by the Obama-Biden Transition Project to the upcoming administration.
From the press release by the Transition Project:
Philip M. Schiliro is currently the Director of Congressional Relations for the transition team of President-Elect Barack Obama. Schiliro was a senior advisor to Senator Obama's presidential campaign. He has worked in the United States Congress for more than 25 years. Schiliro served as the Chief of Staff to Representative Henry Waxman and the House Oversight Committee in the House, and the Policy Director for Senate Democratic Leader Tom Daschle and Staff Director of the Senate Democratic Leadership Committees in the Senate.
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Screw all that talk of a "Team of Mavericks". Sunday will be all about the "Team of Rivals" a la: President-elect, Barack Abraham Hussein Lincoln Obama (AKA: BAH-LO.)
EVERYONE it seems is going totally gay for speculation on what his cabinet-makeup means, how it will play out, is he really making the right choices... yadda yadda yadda. UK's The Independent is on board. AFPis going off with its predawn conclusions. Even The Wall Street Journal is positively pink with its second-guessing.
You can easily go to the major newspapers or networks like CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, Fixed Noise to get an ample serving of "What I think Obama should do is..." blather.
This has become a time transitioned from celebration and progress to a madhouse where you can't swing a hanging chad without hitting someone's idle thought of who and why and what about Obama's cabinet posts.
You know what that means, right? Yup, the return of one of the most dreaded faux pas terms to originate from the media: "guesstimate".
I'm already imagining the fingernails across the chalkboard.
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The San Fransisco Chronicle is reporting that the two-day, G-20 Economic Summit has accomplished two, specific tasks. That:
- In an 11-page statement to be released sometime in the next few days, details upon the agreements made of those attending the summit will become available. Among the recommendations the leaders agreed that, "interest rate cuts and government spending should be used to restore economic growth."
- President Bush (
the guy who initiated the call for the summit to take place the guy who hosted the summit after French President Sarkozy's call for its convening [h/t to nailbender for the correction]), was the least influential leader in the room. This was mostly due to the other leaders' speculation that, given the fact that the next meeting will take place in April of 2009, they'd be more enthusiastic in coordinating fiscal reforms with the United States with President Obama come the next meeting.
Bottomline: Lame-duck President is lame-duck.
One item that caught my eye was a quote from Brazilian President, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. He said the following just as he headed to start the second day of the session.
"We are talking about the G-20 because the G-8 doesn't have any more reason to exist. In other words, the emerging economies have to be taken into consideration in today's globalized world."
Damn you, Thomas Friedman.
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My pull from today's New York Times Magazine:
Interview with Karl "Turd Blossom" Rove:
NYT Mag.: But what about your great dream of creating a permanent Republican governing majority in Washington?
Rove: I never said permanent. Durable.
Reaction - Me: $%#! you.
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POST-PUBLISHING ADDITION:
President-elect Obama sent a "Thank you" letter to the people of Illinois as a printed in today's edition of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Among the many Lincoln quotes within the letter, the follow struck me as particularly poignant.
"It was long ago that another son of Illinois left for Washington. A greater man who spoke to a nation far more divided, Abraham Lincoln, said of his home, 'To this place, and the kindness of these people, I owe everything.' Today, I feel the same, and like Lincoln, I ask for your support, your prayers, and for us to 'confidently hope that all will yet be well.' "
As do we all, Sir.
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As reported by NASA:
Preliminary analysis showed a small piece of thermal blanket came loose from the aft portion of the orbiter during Endeavour’s ascent yesterday. This area is of no great concern since it is not an area that experiences high heat during reentry.
That report came after the Orbitor's Boom Sensor System spent Saturday in orbit scanning the superior aspect of Endeavour's heat shield.
Today the crew of Endeavour will undertake the now-standard Rendezvous pitch (AKA: the "R-bar pitch" or "backflip") maneuver for detailed photographing of the vehicle's underbelly fuselage by cameras aboard the International Space Station prior to today's docking.
Keep in mind, these are likely to be the final trips by the Shuttle fleet. I'm of the generation that grew up watching these extraordinary "space trucks" launch from the very beginning.
Add to this excitement that Oregonian (from Silverton), Don Pettit, is aboard and you'll be seeing me grabbing the telescope for a glimpse at the night skies. :D
See you in just under two weeks, Endeavour.
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FINAL UPDATE:
30 years ago on this day... take a moment to remember the more-than 900 people discovered dead in the jungle of Guyana at Jonestown.
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Kula's back tomorrow, I'm fairly sure this time. :P
React, respond, and comment away with other items I may have missed on this wonderful Sunday!
Thanks again, everyone. :D