Likely Hillary leak disses Obama on Iran

The Bill Clinton administration mastered the art of strategic leaks to the press to get their message out.

Hillary Clinton knows when to reach in to her bag of tricks to advance her agenda--as she likely did by having "administration officials" speak to the Washington Times about the president's handling of the protests in Iran.

Hillary's agenda is herself, by the way.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton urged President Obama for two days to toughen his language on Iran before he did so, and then was surprised when he condemned Iran's crackdown on demonstrators last week, administration officials say.

At his June 23 news conference, Mr. Obama said he was "appalled and outraged" by Iranian behavior and "strongly condemned" the violence against anti-government demonstrators. Up until then, Mr. Obama and other administration officials had taken a softer line, expressing "deep concern" about the situation and calling on Iran to "respect the dignity of its own people."

Behind the scenes, the officials, who spoke on the condition that they not be named because they were discussing internal deliberations, said Mrs. Clinton had been advocating the stronger U.S. response, but the president resisted. When he finally took her advice, the aides said, he did so without informing her first.

This was the first known example of awkwardness between the two former rivals for the Democratic nomination for president since they made up following Mr. Obama's election. The disagreement also gave some insight into the Obama administration's foreign policy decision-making process five months into its term.

Technorati tags: news farsi iran خبر حقوق بشر محمود فتوى Persian Obama Barack Obama Hillary Clinton Hillary

WSJ: Major disparities in stimulus spending per state

Based on an article in today's Wall Street Journal, it's safe to say that Nevada doesn't have as many of those ubiquitous-in-Illinois Barack Obama economic stimulus 2012 reelection campaign signs.

Some of the states worst hit by the recession are getting far less federal economic-stimulus money per person than states faring better.

Nevada, where unemployment stood at about 10% when the plan was passed, is getting $541 for each resident from the stimulus money allocated so far, a Wall Street Journal analysis found. Wyoming, where the 3.9% jobless rate was the lowest in the country in February, is getting $1,074 per person.

Florida, North Carolina and Oregon are among the other states with relatively low per-capita payouts, despite battling double-digit unemployment. North Dakota and South Dakota, meanwhile, are also receiving large quantities of stimulus money relative to their small populations -- even while unemployment remains about half the national average.

Per-capita funding figures, of course, don't give a full picture, and the Obama administration says the stimulus was always as much about investments in infrastructure as it was about targeting short-term unemployment. Still, the results leave some cash-strapped states feeling shortchanged.

The Obama campaign, however, was in such a hurry to get the stimulus bill passed.

Technorati tags: Politics Obama Barack Obama Democrats economy jobs business economy

Obama stimulus "campaign sign" on Chicago's Northwest Side

The amazing thing about the many Barack Obama economic stimulus 2012 reelection campaign signs I've posted on Marathon Pundit is that with the exception of the one in LaSalle, Illinois, every one of them is within a half-hour drive--in good traffic--from my home in Morton Grove.

Here's another one: This advertisement can be found on Sayre Avenue, right next to Interstate 90, on Chicago's Northwest Side.

To paraphrase what Sen. Tom Coburn wrote in his report, 100 Stimulus Projects: A Second Opinion, signs are popping up all around me.

Related posts:

Skokie's second Obama stimulus "campaign sign"
Wilmette, Illinois' Obama campaign sign
Morton Grove, Illinois' Obama stimulus "campaign sign"
Des Plaines, Illinois' two Obama stimulus "campaign signs"
Obama stimulus "campaign sign" in downtown Chicago
Park Ridge, Illinois' Obama stimulus "campaign sign"
Illinois "Obama campaign signs" make Sen. Coburn's waste list
Illinois' Obama campaign signs ranks #3 on Hannity's Waste 101 list
Obama's 2012 reelection campaign and stimulus sign in Libertyville
Obama stimulus campaign sign in LaSalle, Illinois
Obama signs, Obama signs, everywhere Obama signs
Lincolnwood's Obama stimulus "campaign sign"
This stimulus project has been brought to you by the perpetual Obama campaign

Technorati tags: photography photos Barack Obama Obama arra government Illinois Chicago democrat

Illinois sleaze: Attorney general using government spokesperson to comment on political matters

Since becoming Illinois attorney general in 2003, Lisa Madigan has received little scrutiny from the mainstream media.

Maybe that will change.

Madigan is being recruited by the White House to run for the US Senate. No big deal there, she's a politician.

Robyn Ziegler is the spokesperson for the state's top law officer--and a state employee.

But why is Ziegler discussing political matters while on the state's dime?

Even disgraced governor Rod Blagojevich used a political spokesperson to discuss political items. Which is quite ironic--Madigan received national attention when she attempted to have the state Supreme Court remove Blagojevich from office in December.

About her possible Senate run, Ziegler told AP, that "talking to the president is an important part of that process."

She didn't do it just once. Ziegler told Lynn Sweet of the Chicago Sun-Times, "They (Obama and Madigan) met and discussed the U.S. Senate seat."

And Ziegler's name doesn't just pop up in regards to a Senate race. She is referenced in this story from last year about Madigan speaking at the Democratic National Convention.

I imagine Ziegler will claim she's discussing political matters on her own time.

If that's the route she takes, fine. But it will be a crappy excuse.

Madigan has at least $3.5 million in her campaign fund. She can afford a political spokesperson.

Technorati tags: politics Illinois Democrats Chicago Illinois Politics legal senate lisa madigan Blagojevich

Donkey should be on every American's diet

Last month I wrote about the efforts of the South Dakota Republican Party to oust its at-large member of the House of Representatives, Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, in next year's election.

Why stop in South Dakota?

Yesterday afternoon a Tea Party was held at the district office of a self-styled fiscal conservative, Rep. Melissa Bean (D-IL). Bean voted for the national energy tax, better known as cap-and-trade.

Another Democratic congressman who claims to cut from the same Blue Dog cloth is Steve Driehaus of Ohio. He is a first-termer who ousted a longtime Republican last year.

Doug Ross writes about how Driehaus, by voting for the energy tax, is stealing $4,000 from every American household.

The way to devour an elephant is to do it one bite at a time.

But there are three servings in this post.

To be fair, Sandlin was not audacious enough to vote for cap-and-trade.

Related post:

South Dakota GOP looks to defeat Dem congresswoman

Technorati tags: democrats elections South Dakota Politics news Republican Senate energy Ohio Melissa Bean tea party Illinois steve driehaus cap and trade