Midwest Monday News 01.02.06
Posted by Steven Bellah on 01.02.2006
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!
What a shock!! It can't be the guy in charge, can't it?
From MichaelMoore.com, via The Washington Post:
"The White House spokesman will spin on a new stage next summer.
With the administration moving ahead with plans to renovate the dirty and decaying press room off the West Wing of the White House, spokesman Scott McClellan -- or his replacement, if he steps aside before then -- intends to start briefing the world from historic Jackson Place, across Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, as early as July.
This means the television, print and radio reporters and crews will be booted from the White House for at least seven months as the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room is modernized. To the casual viewer of McClellan's briefings, the pressroom might look ready for prime time. It's not.
The room is, quite literally, a fire hazard, with wires fraying and cameras, cords and equipment piled throughout. It has all the comforts of a 1970s schoolroom: cramped, ergonomically challenged desks and seats for reporters, and no high-speed Internet access. If this sounds like whining from a pampered reporter, here's more to stew over: The renovation will be paid for largely by taxpayers.
"You will pleased to hear since this project is at the government's initiative, the government will bear the great bulk of the cost," Mark Smith, president of the White House Correspondents Association, wrote to reporters last week.
A cost estimate was not available.
If you think the press should pay a price for all of this, don't worry: The cost includes the removal of cancer-causing asbestos. Media companies will pay to wire the new and improved press room and the temporary shelter, which is off the west side of Lafayette Square.
As part of the makeover, the government plans to rip up the wooden floor that covers the famous swimming pool built for President Franklin D. Roosevelt in the 1930s. In its place will be a steel-and-concrete floor designed to accommodate wiring and equipment below -- without the fear of setting the place on fire. The goal is to bring into the 21st century a room ordered by President Richard M. Nixon and opened in 1970.
The White House starting kicking around the idea early in the spring, but, like most government projects, the press room's makeover has been slowed by delays.
Reporters, who have resisted previous efforts by the White House to kick the media off campus, are not objecting to the changes, though some fear that the White House could make the temporary move permanent. There's reason for fear. As first lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton proposed ousting the media and opening the swimming pool, according to George Stephanopoulos's memoir. It's also no secret the Bush people don't care much for the Washington press.
"As to opposition, I'd say there hasn't been much," Smith said. "In fact, the only outright 'no' I've heard has been from [CBS reporter Mark] Knoller, who says after all the time, effort and money is spent, within a few weeks we'll have turned it into the same old dump."
----Well, it's certainly an interesting story, and if the press room is THAT bad, it does need a makeover. But who else thinks that they will go overboard and spend like, 500 zillion dollars on the thing? I hope McClellan steps aside before then. He is the most boring Press Secretary I've ever seen. At least Ari Fleisher would joke around a bit. McClellan acts like a sniper will shoot him if he cracks a smile.
Slowly taking your freedom away......
From Yahoo:
"President Bush strongly defended his domestic spying program on Sunday, calling it legal as well as vital to thwarting terrorist attacks, and contended the leak making it public had caused "great harm to the nation."
"This is a limited program designed to prevent attacks on the United States of America and, I repeat, limited," Bush told reporters after visiting wounded troops at Brooke Army Medical Center. "I think most Americans understand the need to find out what the enemy's thinking."
----Well, spying on Frank Jenkins of Cincinnati will not stop terrorism. We had the intelligence to stop 9/11 before, well, 9/11. We don't need to expand everything to the point where Bush can drive to your house and watch you eat dinner.
Hoo boy
Again, from Yahoo:
"Donald Trump is considering running for governor, a leading Republican said Friday. Senate Majority Leader Joseph Bruno on Thursday suggested that a big-name candidate could be flirting with entering the 2006 contest. On Friday, he confirmed to News Channel 10 in Albany that he had been referring to Trump.
Trump's office in New York had no immediate comment. State GOP Executive Director Ryan Moses said neither he nor state party Chairman Stephen Minarik have had discussions with Trump about running.
Said Frank MacKay, state chairman of the Independence Party: "(Trump) is a formidable candidate for anything he decides to run for. We would love to see him run for president of the United States in 2008 as a third-party candidate. I'd do what I could to help give him a strong base here in New York and everywhere else in the country."
Trump flirted with a run for president on the Reform Party ticket in 2000. He has given money to Republicans and Democrats in state races."
---So apparently becoming a billionaire and having a hit TV show gives you the clout to be a governor. Remember last year when Trump unveiled his plan to rebuild the World Trade Center? His genius plan was to rebuild them EXACTLY the same, with each tower being ONE FOOT taller than the previous ones. Hey, it's a better idea than "Freedom Tower"--I think that's overdoing it--but don't act like you are a master of architecture when you don't have something original. Sorry, went off on a rant there.
Trump is an obviously great businessman. But that doesn't mean you can make political decisions about an entire state. Well, look at the Governor of California. I guess ANYTHING's possible.
A Look to 2006
A few predictions on the new year before we go:
----The Democrats will win back seats in the house and Senate, but will not regain control of either house. The big problem? They are spending too much time telling us what the Republicans and the Bush administration are doing WRONG and not telling us what they would do DIFFERENT. It's still the same as it was in 2004.
All Bush or a Republican candidate has to do is hold up a picture of the burning Twin Towers and they would easily win. That's the problem with the Democrats--they play the blame game very well. But what would you do different? To quote John Kerry in 2004: "I have a plan." Too bad we never found out what his plan clearly was.
----Another major scandal involving President Bush will erupt sometime over the summer, because the media won't have anything better to do.
----Natalee Holloway's remains will be found in Aruba. After one night of non-stop reporting on the subject, we will never hear her name again.
----Despite the supposed backlash against the Right this last year, the 2006 mid-term elections will still show that our nation is divided almost 50/50. Michael Moore and Howard Dean would want you to believe that 60 percent of our nation hates George Bush. I think it's the opposite. Our country is still full of clueless people who can't decide what they want. And like I said above, because the Democrats won't give them any good reason to vote for THEM, they'll be voting for the Elephants in November.
----Hillary Clinton will keep a low profile throughout most of the year. Her Presidential Campaign won't kick into high gear until after the mid-terms, because she wouldn't want the state of New York to think she was abandoning them---but they already know that--at least I hope they do.
----Britney Spears and Kevin Federline will split up before the summer is over. Kevin will blame her lack of support for his "rap" career. Britney will blame him for cheating on her with 13 different women.
----And finally, the media will get even more out of control, reporting things without naming ANY sources. I just saw an issue of "Us" magazine that advertised an EXCLUSIVE with Nick Lachey over his divorce from Jessica Simpson. I opened the magazine to discover that it wasn't an interview with Nick himself, but "a person close to him"--aka: The girl who toasts his bagel at Panera Bread. It's only going to get worse, people.
This really made me laugh. Jason Easley captures my attitude towards holiday retail perfectly with the pre-Christmas version of href=http://www.411mania.com/politics/columns/13142/The-Political-Universe-12.23.05.htm>The Political Universe. http://www.411mania.com/politics/columns/13142/The-Political-Universe-12.23.05.htm
STAY CURRENT