This Week In The News
This week, the New York Times reported that the US military is researching the use of stem cells to make red blood cells on an as needed basis in the field of combat. The research carried out by The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has surprisingly not drawn the ire of religious conservatives who oppose stem cell research. Curious, TWN reached out to Ron Souzer, President of Every Cell is Sacred, who said, "It is a tough issue for us. While we usually treat stem cells as the absolute equivalent of a human life, their application to warfare is problematic for us. I mean, religious conservatives are a friends to the stem cell community but like a lot of religious folk we have never met a war we didn't like and sometimes we get carried away when you start waving Old Glory around. So we would hate to make it harder for the US to wage wars. I mean, without wars how will be we spread god's gifts throughout the world? "
This week, as Governors John McCain and Sarah Palin continued their campaign, it became apparent to all observers that the GOP had discarded an issued based approach and instead decided to stake their claim entirely on the duo's combined biographies. Whether it be McCain's wartime heroism or Palin's self proclaimed status as a "hockey mom," Republican's have placed a bet that Americans will simply like their pair better than the Democrat's pair. The strategy seems to be working based on our informal sampling. Paul Estehaus of St. Cloud, MN told us, " I am voting for Sen. John McCain. I saw the film at the convention. He overcame great adversity in Vietnam. I mean he is so TOUGH. Can you imagine how TOUGH he is. Everything he says is TOUGH. And all those wimpy Democrats can do is point out that he is lying or contradicting himself." Dana Loverna, from Dayton, OH expressed her admiration for Sarah Palin, "I love her. She is so TOUGH. Did you see that mean Charlie Rose try to trip her up by asking questions the average American cannot answer. But she was TOUGH. She just kept on saying the same things over and over. I mean, she was TOUGH. And that is the most important thing. That and she has lots of babies."
This week, Governor Palin will return to her home state of Alaska to prepare for a much awaited (and heavily negotiated) interview with Charles Gibson. To date, Palin has done more than her share to energize to Republican base and has even enjoyed some crossover appeal. Asked how the McCain camp managed to roll out a virtually unknown politician without a glitch, Ted Myers, a McCain aide noted, "Our strategy is called "Opposite Day." It means we just do the opposite of whatever we did yesterday. For instance, one day we roll out her pregnant child and her child with Downs in front of the whole country. The next day we chastise the media for reporting on them and say that family is private. One day we make a big deal of how tough she is. The next day we castigate anyone who says anything critical of her and call them a sexist. One day we fly her around the country with a prepared speech. The next day we don't let the media near her."
This week, a report from the Department of Interior's Inspector General indicates that the Deprtment has been broken for much of the last six years. According to the report, officials responsible for collecting royalities on oil leases regularly socialized, had sex, accepted gratuities, and shared cocaine with oil industry executives. Numerous officials also steered business to favored companies, engaged in self dealing, and allowed vendors to change their bid documents after a bid had been awarded. While a few officials have already been indicted, further criminal charges against oil industry and Interior officials are expected. At least one Interior official spoke out defiantly, "We were told long ago that government was supposed to run more like a business, that we needed to get rid of the 'regulator' mind set, and that we needed to partner with the private sector. Well, I for one thing we have had a smashing success. I think we are finally getting government out of the way of business."
This week, as Governors John McCain and Sarah Palin continued their campaign, it became apparent to all observers that the GOP had discarded an issued based approach and instead decided to stake their claim entirely on the duo's combined biographies. Whether it be McCain's wartime heroism or Palin's self proclaimed status as a "hockey mom," Republican's have placed a bet that Americans will simply like their pair better than the Democrat's pair. The strategy seems to be working based on our informal sampling. Paul Estehaus of St. Cloud, MN told us, " I am voting for Sen. John McCain. I saw the film at the convention. He overcame great adversity in Vietnam. I mean he is so TOUGH. Can you imagine how TOUGH he is. Everything he says is TOUGH. And all those wimpy Democrats can do is point out that he is lying or contradicting himself." Dana Loverna, from Dayton, OH expressed her admiration for Sarah Palin, "I love her. She is so TOUGH. Did you see that mean Charlie Rose try to trip her up by asking questions the average American cannot answer. But she was TOUGH. She just kept on saying the same things over and over. I mean, she was TOUGH. And that is the most important thing. That and she has lots of babies."
This week, Governor Palin will return to her home state of Alaska to prepare for a much awaited (and heavily negotiated) interview with Charles Gibson. To date, Palin has done more than her share to energize to Republican base and has even enjoyed some crossover appeal. Asked how the McCain camp managed to roll out a virtually unknown politician without a glitch, Ted Myers, a McCain aide noted, "Our strategy is called "Opposite Day." It means we just do the opposite of whatever we did yesterday. For instance, one day we roll out her pregnant child and her child with Downs in front of the whole country. The next day we chastise the media for reporting on them and say that family is private. One day we make a big deal of how tough she is. The next day we castigate anyone who says anything critical of her and call them a sexist. One day we fly her around the country with a prepared speech. The next day we don't let the media near her."
This week, a report from the Department of Interior's Inspector General indicates that the Deprtment has been broken for much of the last six years. According to the report, officials responsible for collecting royalities on oil leases regularly socialized, had sex, accepted gratuities, and shared cocaine with oil industry executives. Numerous officials also steered business to favored companies, engaged in self dealing, and allowed vendors to change their bid documents after a bid had been awarded. While a few officials have already been indicted, further criminal charges against oil industry and Interior officials are expected. At least one Interior official spoke out defiantly, "We were told long ago that government was supposed to run more like a business, that we needed to get rid of the 'regulator' mind set, and that we needed to partner with the private sector. Well, I for one thing we have had a smashing success. I think we are finally getting government out of the way of business."
posted by Jack Reed at 10:34 AM
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