2008/12/11

President-Elect Intelligencer 2008 December 11

Appointments-Announced
Chief of Staff—Rahm Emanuel, former congressman from Chicago area
Deputy Budget Director—Rob Nabors
Secretary of State—Hillary Clinton, senator from New York and former first lady
Social Secretary—Desiree Rogers (West).

Appointments-Anticipated
Attorney General—Eric Holder
National Security Advisor—James Jones
Secretary of Commerce—Bill Richardson, governor of New Mexico
Secretary of Homeland Security—Janet Napolitano, governor of Arizona
Secretary of Veterans Affairs—Anthony Brown, lieutenant governor of Maryland (West).

Foreign Affairs: Cuba
Speculation continues that an Obama administration will seek to improve relations with Cuba (Williams).

Sources
West, P. (2008 Nov. 30). Obama’s picks mirror his multicultural background. Baltimore Sun. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nation/bal-te.west30nov30,0,6641011.story, accessed 2008 Dec. 9.

Williams, M. (2008 Nov. 3). Obama to ease Cuba policy? Austin American-Statesman. http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/world/11/30/1130obamacuba.html, accessed 2008 Dec. 9.

2008/12/03

Russia Intelligencer 2008 December 3

Defense and Foreign Affairs: United States, Venezuela
Russian and Venezuelan naval vessels will be participating in join war games the Caribbean Sea. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev will also be visiting Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba. There is speculation that Russia may establish a naval base in Cuba as a response to U.S. support for a missile defense system in Europe (Halpin).

Energy and Foreign Affairs: India
India is approaching Russia on coordinated energy development (Deora aims to open door).

Sources
Deora aims to open doors to Russian oil. (2008 Nov. 25). Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India_Business/Deora_aims_to_open_doors_to_Russian_oil/articleshow/3752968.cms, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Halpin, T. (2008 Nov. 24). Russia challenges US dominance with Venezuelan wargames. Times. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/article5225275.ece, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Putin Intelligencer 2008 December 3

Defense and Foreign Affairs: United States
Putin hinted that Russian missiles in Kaliningrad could “disappear” if the U.S. dropped support for a missile shield in Europe. The subject could come into play in negotiations over a nuclear arms treated that will expire next year (Putin offers to end stand-off). Putin continues to express his opposition to NATO expansion (Putin voice 3 principles).

Energy
Putin order commencement of construction of a pipeline to the Baltic Sea (Russia’s Putin orders launch; Russian PM Putin signs order).

Financial Crisis
Putin blamed the weakness in stock prices of Russian companies on unfairness in foreign markets. He pledges to develop an investing class within Russia (Current quotes are abnormal; Putin labels markets “unfair”).

Foreign Affairs: Switzerland
Putin met with Swiss Defense Minister Samuel Schmid (Defence minister meets Putin).

Sources
Current quotes are abnormal, Putin said (2008 Dec. 1). Kommersant. http://www.kommersant.com/p-13664/Quote_abnormal/, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Defence minister meets Putin. (2008 Nov. 24). SwissInfo. http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/news_digest/Putin_meets_Swiss_defence_minister.html?siteSect=104&sid=10009693&cKey=1227555455000&ty=nd, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Putin labels markets “unfair.” (2008 Dec. 2). Moscow Times. http://www.themoscowtimes.com/article/600/42/372795.htm, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Putin offers to end stand-off over missiles in Eastern Europe. (2008 Nov. 24). Deutsche Welle. http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,3817848,00.html, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Putin voiced 3 principles of Europe’s security. (2008 Nov. 24). Kommersant. http://www.kommersant.com/p-13631/r_527/Putin_security/, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Russia’s Putin orders launch of Baltic oil pipeline project. (2008 Dec. 1). EasyBourse. http://www.easybourse.com/bourse-actualite/marches/russia-s-putin-orders-launch-of-baltic-oil-pipeline-project-571386, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Russian PM Putin signs order to build Baltic Pipeline System-2. (2008 Dec. 1). RIA Novosti. http://en.rian.ru/russia/20081201/118633533.html, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

President-Elect Intelligencer 2008 December 3

Family Affairs
The Obama girls will be attending Sidwell Friends, a private school associated with the Quakers. Other children of presidents who attended the school include Chelsea Clinton, Amy Carter and Tricia Nixon (Leiby).

Meeting with Governors
Obama met with the National Governors Association. The governors are calling for economic stimulus, particularly through a large federal investment in infrastructure, which they claim will create jobs (Viser).

Sources
Leiby, R. (2008 Nov. 22). Obama girls will go to Sidwell Friends. Washington Post, p. C01. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/11/21/AR2008112103248.html, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Viser, M. (2008 Nov. 26). Patrick, other governors to see Obama. Boston Globe. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2008/11/26/patrick_other_governors_to_see_obama/, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Blogspeak 2008 December 3

Defense and Foreign Affairs: Europe, Russia
Russians Again Signal to Obama They Want to End Disagreement Over Missile Defense Shield (Tapper, J., Political Punch, ABC News, 2008 Nov. 24)

Vice President-Elect Joe Biden
A Low Profile Birthday for Joe Biden (Cook, D., The Vote Blog, Christian Science Monitor, 2008 Nov. 20)

Policy & Food Updates 2008 November

Policy & Food Update 2008 November 3
Policy & Food Update 2008 November 4
Policy & Food Update 2008 November 11
Policy & Food Update 2008 November 17
Policy & Food Update 2008 November 19
Policy & Food Update 2008 November 25
Policy & Food Update 2008 November 26
Policy & Food Update 2008 November 29

Palin Intelligencer 2008 December 3

Endorsements
Palin is using her political capital to support Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia in a runoff election (McAffrey; Steinhauser; Tharpe & Sheinin).

Potential Book Deal
After her run for the vice presidency, the Alaska governor has caught the eye of publishers and literary agents and can potentially make millions for a book deal (Palin no loser).

Pro-Life Groups Encouraged by Palin Example
Pro-life legislators and groups have taken courage from the example of Governor Palin in her choosing to bear her son, Trig, who was diagnosed with Downs Syndrome before birth. An estimated 90 percent of such children are aborted (Wood).

Unusual
Palin is in demand in the media (Blood). A wrestling-entertainment organization has invited her to attend one of their events, promising to pay $50,000 to a charity of her choice if she makes an appearance. The offer included a chance for her to be an ostensible—maybe ex officio—member of a female wrestling team (Verzub).

OI Comment: I love America. Palin probably shouldn’t make a spectacle of herself in this manner. However, it might be fun to see elected officials settling lesser disputes in inflatable sumo suits. Its safer than the guns and swords our representatives used on each other in our nation’s early days.

Sources
Blood, M. R. (2008 Nov. 22). Oprah, Leno, Letterman: What’s Palin to do next? Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5iQ6mzZ4_GHxu-nRBQzapi0zy4aKAD94K1N500, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

McAffrey, S. (2008 Dec. 2). Palin urges Ga. voters to back Chambliss in runoff. Associated Press. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hHW-ZJ03DLcUGUM9z9p2nkbRAG-QD94Q92T00, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Palin no loser with “$11m book deal.” (2008 Nov. 17). Canberra Times. http://www.canberratimes.com.au/news/world/world/general/palins-no-loser-with-11m-book-deal/1362216.aspx, accessed 2008 Nov. 19.

Steinhauser, P. (2008 Dec. 1). Palin makes a Peach State sweep for GOP senator. CNN. http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/01/palin.chambliss/, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Tharpe, J., & Sheinin, A. G. (2008 Dec. 1). Runoff vote today will end fast, furious Senate campaign. Atlanta Journal-Constitution. http://www.ajc.com/services/content/metro/stories/2008/12/01/palin_chambliss_runoff.html, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Verzub, R. (2008 Nov. 24). Palin to participate in wrestling event. Cauldron. http://media.www.csucauldron.com/media/storage/paper516/news/2008/11/24/News/Palin.To.Participate.In.Wrestling.Event-3559907.shtml, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.

Wood, E. (2008 Nov. 24). Palin encourages special needs families. Baptist Press. http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/BPnews.asp?ID=29399, accessed 2008 Dec. 3.