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Michael James / Political Punch:
President Obama Jokes About Being a Bad Bowler: 'It's Like the Special Olympics' — The first appearance by a sitting president on “The Tonight Show” may well end up being the last. — President Obama, in his taping with Jay Leno Thursday afternoon, attempted to yuk it up with the funnyman, and ended up insulting the disabled.
Discussion:
Fox News, Stop The ACLU, Fausta's Blog, Washington Post, The Strata-Sphere, Perfunction, Patterico's Pontifications, TBogg, Michelle Malkin, NO QUARTER, Don Surber, Wizbang, Conservatives4Palin.com, NewsBusters.org, The Sundries Shack, Hugh Hewitt's TownHall Blog, Yourish.com, NY Daily News, No More Mister Nice Blog, Riehl World View, protein wisdom, JammieWearingFool, Taylor Marsh and The New Editor
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Michelle Malkin:
Obama's “Special Olympics” joke: The teleprompter made him do it! — Jake Tapper reports that Barack Obama pulled a Joe Biden (or a Barack Obama, for that matter) and ended up mocking the Special Olympics in a lame attempt to make fun of his weak bowling skills.
John / Power Line:
THEY COULDN'T BE THAT DUMB. COULD THEY? — This is absolutely unbelievable. You recall the embarrassment over the Obama administration's incompetent treatment of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown during his state visit to the U.S. The last link in that chain of ineptitude …
New York Times:
President Barack Obama on ‘The Tonight Show with Jay Leno’ — The following is a transcript of President Obama's interview on NBC's “The Tonight Show With Jay Leno,” as provided by the White House. — JAY LENO The 44th President of the United States, please welcome President Barack Obama.
Tim Walker / Telegraph:
Gordon Brown is frustrated by ‘Psycho’ in No 10 — While not exactly a film buff, Gordon Brown was touched when Barack Obama gave him a set of 25 classic American movies - including Psycho, starring Anthony Perkins on his recent visit to Washington. — Alas, when the PM settled …
Discussion:
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The Politico:
Obama struggles as communicator — Of all the pitfalls Barack Obama might face in the presidency, here is one not many people predicted: He is struggling as a public communicator. — The sluggish and unsteady response to the uproar over AIG bonuses highlights a larger problem of his White House …
Ed Morrissey / Hot Air:
Obama insults Special Olympics? Update: Obama thinks Special Olympics are “wonderful” — You know how you can tell when a President has a bad day? When his comparison of an American corporation to terrorists is the second-stupidest thing he said: … Maybe he should have brought his Teleprompter with him.
The Politico:
VIDEO: Obama defends Geithner — President Obama offered an ardent defense of his embattled Treasury Secretary Thursday in a “Tonight Show” appearance that concluded his economy-focused two-day swing through California. — With Timothy Geithner facing fire over bailed …
Todd Venezia / New York Post:
BARACK'S FUNNY BUSINESS — JESTS ON LENO AS GOPERS RIP ECON ‘NEGLECT’ — President Obama last night got comfy on “The Tonight Show” couch, cracking jokes about his bowling, a promised pooch and his job even as critics slammed his appearance, and a foray into basketball predictions, as distractions from a critically ill economy.
Discussion:
JammieWearingFool
Andrew Malcolm / Top of the Ticket:
Obama White House bars press from press award ceremony — We are not making this up: — Barack Obama was elected commander-in-chief promising to run the most transparent presidential administration in American history. — This achievement and the overall promise of his historic administration caused …
Discussion:
But As For Me
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Marian Burros / New York Times:
Obamas to Plant White House Vegetable Garden — WASHINGTON — On Friday, Michelle Obama will begin digging up a patch of White House lawn to plant a vegetable garden, the first since Eleanor Roosevelt's victory garden in World War II. There will be no beets (the president doesn't like them) but arugula will make the cut.
Discussion:
D-Day, Get Energy Smart!, Gawker, The Swamp, Corrente, Jack & Jill Politics, Hullabaloo, MyDD and Balloon Juice
Jane Black / Washington Post:Vegetable Garden Will Be Installed on White House Grounds
Discussion:
TIME.com
CNN:
Geithner: Treasury pushed for bonus loophole — (CNN) — Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner told CNN Thursday his department asked Sen. Chris Dodd to include a loophole in the stimulus bill that allowed bailed-out insurance giant American International Group to keep its bonuses.
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Laura Rozen / The Cable:
In New Year's message, Obama reaches out to Iran — As American audiences tuned into his appearance on the “Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” President Obama tonight issued a notable video message aimed at the Iranian people and their leaders on the occasion of Nowruz, the traditional …
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Alan Cowell / New York Times:
In an Unusual Video, Obama Offers Iran a ‘New Day’ — Invoking art, history and “the common humanity that binds us,” President Obama offered a “new day” in America's relationship with Iran, using an unusual videotaped message to appeal directly to Iranians for a shift away from decades of confrontation.
Alaska_Politics / Anchorage Daily News:
Palin rejecting federal stimulus money — From Sean Cockerham in Juneau - — Gov. Sarah Palin just told reporters that she's accepting only 55 percent of the federal economic stimulus money being offered to Alaska. The governor said that she will accept only about $514 million of the $930 million headed to the state.
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Lynnley Browning / New York Times:
A.I.G. Sues U.S. for Return of $306 Million in Tax Payments — While the American International Group comes under fire from Congress over executive bonuses, it is quietly fighting the federal government for the return of $306 million in tax payments, some related to deals that were conducted through offshore tax havens.
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Jean H. Lee / Associated Press:
NKorea reportedly detains 2 US journalists — SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Two American journalists were missing Friday after they reportedly were detained by North Korea for ignoring warnings to stop shooting footage of the reclusive country. — Journalists Laura Ling and Euna Lee …
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New York Times:
Off With the Bankers — A.I.G. can hardly claim that its generous bonuses attract the best and the brightest. So instead, it defends the payments by arguing they're needed to retain employees who are crucial for winding down transactions that are “difficult to understand and manage.”
Andrew Miga / Associated Press:
Dodd's political stock tumbles in Connecticut — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - Democrats may want to start thinking about a bailout for Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd, whose political stock has slipped amid the financial meltdown.
Discussion:
The Politico
Dina Cappiello / Associated Press:
Report: Energy contributing to birds' decline — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - Energy production of all types — wind, ethanol and mountaintop coal mining — is contributing to steep drops in bird populations, a new government report says.
Philip Elliott / Associated Press:
Obama returns to campaign-style tactics for budget — Featured Topics: - Barack Obama - Presidential Transition — WASHINGTON - Turning to his vast political network for the first time since the November election, President Barack Obama is asking his supporters to use election-style tactics …
Discussion:
But As For Me
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