The First Draft: urgent care
President Obama takes on healthcare reform at a 1:00 p.m. White House forum today, hoping to design an overhaul of a costly and inefficient system he believes is threatening the economy. About 120 participants from industry and government will gather to discuss potential fixes to the $2.5 trillion system.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in Brussels, said it was time for NATO to make a new start with Russia after formal ties were suspended when Moscow sent troops into Georgia last summer.
The House is expected to approve a bill that would allow bankruptcy judges to slash mortgage payments for homeowners as a last resort.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner testifies for a second day on the budget at 10:00.
Actor Brad Pitt is in town to tout post-Katrina rebuilding efforts in New Orleans. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is the lucky lady who gets the photo-op at 3:30.
Photo credit: REUTERS/Issei Kato (A mustachioed Pitt at the Japan premiere of his movie “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” in Tokyo, Jan. 29)
For more Reuters political coverage, click here.
Obama mourns loss of Richardson beard
When Barack Obama unveiled a newly shorn Bill Richardson as his Commerce Secretary pick on Wednesday, Obama praised the man but pointedly criticized his grooming decisions.
“We’re deeply disappointed with the loss of the beard,” the president-elect said.
“I think it was a mistake for him to get rid of it. I thought that whole Western, rugged look was really working for him.” Obama said of the New Mexico governor.
Richardson grew the beard when he dropped out of the presidential race in March, recalling another Democrat who ditched his razor when he fell short of the presidency — 2000 candidate Al Gore.
The facial fuzz also had the added benefit of hiding the corpulent governor’s double chin.
“For some reason, maybe because it was scratchy when he kissed his wife, he was forced to get rid of it,” Obama said.
Richardson was not given a chance to explain his decision.
I am living in Arizona and have lived in New Mexico, Our two great Southwestern states will miss their excellent governors who are going to be in the President’s cabinet and stepping down prematurely. They will serve the country well.
Anne
Bob Barr: the man, the mustache
Libertarian presidential candidate Bob Barr has crashed the Republican convention.
Barr, a former Republican congressman now running for president on the Libertarian ticket, was spotted inside the Xcel Center on Wednesday morning, near the talk-radio jocks on “Radio Row.”
What was he doing here? How did he get in? What did he think of Sarah Palin?
Barr said it wasn’t a good time for questions.
“I have to visit the men’s room,” he told Reuters.
Some analysts believe Barr could serve as a spoiler candidate by pulling votes from Republican John McCain in states like Georgia.
But Barr is significant in other ways.
- Posted by William Dalton (above)
Barr, whose platform also includes repealing the Patriot Act and laws against marijuana . . .
Barr has NEVER said he would repeal the Patriot Act. He is for eliminating certain “provisions” of it.
Barr has only gone on record for eliminating laws against “medicinal marijuana”. Oh lordy, we can’t have anyone using it for personal pleasure, now can we!
Plus I point out that Barr, in supporting ONLY medicinal marijuana, believes that only “experts” in the cartelized, heavily government regulated medical industry can “approve” marijuana for use. But Bob, we already have that! Where is your “radical libertarian” program? Oh, I forgot, you aren’t a libertarian at all . . . just another run of the mill conservative with the slight possibility of a few libertarian leanings.
