Monitor Breakfast: Congressman Barney Frank

Monitor Breakfast: Congressman Barney Frank
Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA) sits down for a conversation with attendees of the Monitor Breakfast to discuss the state of the economy, the November midterm elections, and the implications of a Republican-controlled Congress.
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Location: Washington, D.C., St. Regis Hotel, Christian Science Monitor
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/09/24/Monitor_Breakfast_Congressman_Barney_Frank

BEN BERNANKE BEN NELSON BEN QUAYLE BENJAMIN HOOKS

Castle Will Not Try Write-in Campaign

Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE) "has decided not to run a write-in campaign for the Senate, ending a week's worth of speculation and effectively capping 40 years in politics," the Wilmington News Journal reports.

CHRIS GIBSON CHRIS VAN HOLLEN CHRISTINA ROMER CHRISTOPHER COX

Bonus Quote of the Day

"Can't win."

-- New York City Michael Bloomberg, when asked by Fox News' Chris Wallace on why he won't run for president.

ADAM PUTNAM ADRIAN FENTY ADS AFGHANISTAN

Obama Rips Dems, Tells Them to 'Buck Up'

Filed under: News, Politics, President Obama

President Obama ripped Democratic voters even as he set off to beg them to save his Congress in November.

"People need to shake off this lethargy. People need to buck up," Obama told Rolling Stone magazine in an interview published online Wednesday.

"It is inexcusable for any Democrat or progressive right now to stand on the sidelines in this midterm election," Obama said.

Excerpts from the interview came out as Obama embarked on a four-state campaign swing to campuses and backyards aimed at relighting the progressive fires under young voters who helped propel him to the Oval Office.

The White House whine about the enthusiasm gap between Democrats and Republicans came on the heels of polls showing the Republicans are poised to take back the House in November and make major gains in the Senate.

Obama insisted that his administration has forged policies that eventually will turn the economy around, but "if people now want to take their ball and go home, that tells me folks weren't serious in the first place."



Kevin Eason is a freelance editorial cartoonist and Illustrator from New Jersey. His brand of satire covers news events in politics, entertainment, sports and much more. Follow him on Facebook.

 

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CITIZENS UNITED CIVIL RIGHTS COMMISSION CIVIL UNIONS AND DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS CLAIRE MCCASKILL

Why are all of the popular Democrats suddenly in trouble?

For perfectly rational reasons, it's customary in political journalism to slap the adjective "popular" in front of the name of any officeholder who won his or her most recent election by a wide margin or who scores a high job approval rating (or both). The sentence in question typically reads something like this: "If popular Attorney General John Doe agrees to run, Democrats should be well-positioned to win the governorship."

ALBERTO GONZALEZ ALEX CASTELLANOS ALEXANDER HAIG ALEXI GIANNOULIAS

California Senate debate turns on environment

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Republican challenger Carly Fiorina traded jabs over the environment, healthcare and jobs in the second debate on Wednesday of a close campaign.

BRAD ELLSWORTH BRAD SHERMAN BREAKING NEWS BRIAN BAIRD

Congress funding fight may delay Wall Street reforms

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Obama administration may have to wait several months to begin enforcing parts of the landmark Dodd-Frank financial reform law because Congress has delayed funds necessary for its implementation.

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Plouffe Says Palin Will Hurt Republicans

In a CNN interview, former Obama campaign manager David Plouffe spoke about a possible presidential bid by Sarah Palin.

Said Plouffe: "We don't spend much time thinking about her. I think that long term, the more sway and power she has in the Republican Party, the worse off the Republican Party will be."

"If the Republican Party believes that Sarah Palin is their savoir, more power to them. It will be a fascinating primary because no matter whether she runs or not, that Limbaugh-Palin-Beck wing of their party is going to be the most dominant factor in most primaries and caucuses. In Iowa, in South Carolina, in Nevada, so you are going to have to nominate someone that does well in that wing."

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China Embargos Rare Earth Exports To Japan

Hugh Pickens writes "The NY Times reports that the Chinese government has placed a trade embargo on all exports to Japan of a crucial category of minerals used in products like hybrid cars, wind turbines and guided missiles. China mines 93 percent of the world's rare earth minerals, and more than 99 percent of the world's supply of some of the most prized rare earths, which sell for several hundred dollars a pound. The embargo comes after a dispute over Japan's detention of a Chinese fishing trawler captain whose ship collided with two Japanese coast guard vessels as he tried to fish in waters controlled by Japan but long claimed by China. The Chinese embargo is likely to have immediate repercussions in Washington. The House Committee on Science and Technology is scheduled to review a detailed bill to subsidize the revival of the American rare earths industry and the House Armed Services Committee is scheduled to review the American military dependence on Chinese rare earth elements."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

BARCLAYS PLC BARNEY FRANK BARON HILL BART STUPAK

More than 100 arrested at mountaintop-mining protest [SLIDESHOW]

by Grist.

WASHINGTON—Climate scientist James Hansen was among more than 100 people arrested on Monday at the Appalachia Rising protest against mountaintop-removal coal mining.

The biggest mountaintop-removal protest to date brought together Appalachian residents, retired coal miners, faith leaders, and other activists.

The protest culminated with a sit-in in front of the White House.

Appalachian residents have had their communities destroyed by mountaintop mining.

Arrested for telling the truth: “Blowing up mountains for coal poisons people.”

Longtime activist Larry Gibson, in yellow, rallied the crowd.

Another activist led away in handcuffs.

This sign says it all. Obama, are you listening?

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Depression soars among Gulf residents after oil spill

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BEAU BIDEN BEN BERNANKE BEN NELSON BEN QUAYLE

Peggy Rometo's Star Signs, Week of September 27, 2010

What’s in the stars for you this week?

Star Signs | 09/27/2010 12:00 am

Libra (September 23 ? October 22)
Finance: You will be pleased to discover this week that in spite of the rising costs of doing business or that stack of unpaid bills, you’ll be able to meet your expenses. A new established partner steps up to help you out of your rut. This could be in the form of a cash gift or advice that is priceless.

Work/Life: You’ll have to get a grip on your schedule if you are to maintain and grow your current enterprise. You have lots of irons in the fire and ...

COMMENTARY COMPANY NEWS COMPANY SNAPSHOTS CONDOLEEZZA RICE

Police Call Alleged Seton Hall Gunman a "Coward With a Gun"

Filed under: News

Police have arrested the man they say shot and killed a Seton Hall University student at an off-campus party and injured four others all because he could not gain admittance to the function.

Nicholas Welch, 25, of East Orange, was arrested at his home, just a few doors down from the party where Jessica Moore, 19, a sophomore honor roll student, was shot in the head while trying to tend to a friend who had been shot in the jaw.

Authorities say that Welch was angry at being denied admittance to the party because bouncers thought he might cause trouble. He allegedly obtained a gun from another man and returned to the party and began shooting. Because the area was blocked off, Welch returned to his home a few doors down from the party.

East Orange police director Jose Cordero called Welch a "coward with a gun" The Star-Ledger of New Jersey reported.

"This random and senseless act of violence which took the life of a vibrant young woman and victimized four other defenseless people was perpetrated by what I believe to be ... a coward with a gun," said Cordero.

Police are still searching for the man who allegedly gave Welch the gun, 19-year-old Marcus Bascus, of East Orange.

Welch, as he was being put into a police car bound for the Essex County jail, denied being the shooter.

"I'm innocent. I ain't do it," he said.

Alleged gunman is escorted from East Orange Police Department

Cordero is right. The shooter is a coward. Moore is a hero.

If Welch is the shooter, he should truly be ashamed. If Bascus gave him the gun, he deserves to be charged with murder as well.

Now, one bright light has been lost and another, Nakeisha Vanterpool, 19, of the Bronx, was left with serious injuries. The Star-Ledger reports that other injured include: Nicosia Henry, 18, a freshman from Illinois on the Seton Hall women's basketball team; Yvan Christophe, 25, a former East Orange resident and graduate of New Jersey Institute of Technology; and Daryl Elmore, 20, of New York City.


An incident like this makes you wonder what's going on in the lives of young black men that being denied entrance to a party is such a sign of disrespect that death is the penalty? Instead of going home and going to a club or hanging out with friends, Welch allegedly thought murder was the best way to resolve the problem.

What's even scarier is that he left the party and should have had time to calm down. Instead of allegedly giving Welch a gun, that person should have sat him down and asked him to reconsider, calm down and let it go. It's like there's not even someone to speak the truth to our young black men in times of distress.

That's why the availability of guns will be an issue in the deaths of tens of housands of Americans until we recognize this is a safety issue.

Now, both men are likely to spend a major chunk, if not the rest of their lives in prison. No party that I have ever been to is worth the lives of innocent people or my freedom.

 

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DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ DECISIONS AND VERDICTS DEDE SCOZZAFAVA DEFICIT

Senate takes up stopgap spending bill

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Senate on Tuesday took up a stopgap spending bill that must pass Congress by the end of the week to avoid a government shutdown.

BRIAN BAIRD BRIAN MORAN BRISTOL PALIN BUDGET

Ann Coulter: Gay Marriage Not a Civil Rights Issue

By Mark Berman Opposing Views

Left versus right, black versus white, as Marc Lamont Hill and Ann Coulter face off on the "Larry King Show" on whether gay marriage is a civil right:

 

BOB CASEY BOB CORKER BOB DOLE BOB EHRLICH

Enraged Man Kills Estranged Wife, 4 Stepchildren

Filed under: Politics

Natasha Whyte-Dell, who was estranged from her abusive husband (pictured), was killed along with four of her seven children. Her husband shot her to death. Apparently, Whyte-Dell kept allowing her husband back into her life because she felt sorry for him.

The 36-year-old woman married Patrick Alexander Dell in 2006, and shortly thereafter, the honeymoon was over. Court records detail that there were restraining orders against Dell, citing abusive behavior. According to relatives, the out-of-control 41-year-old Riviera Beach, Fla., man had threatened Whyte-Dell several times, and she was afraid that he would kill her. One petition stated:

"I am really afraid for myself and my children. I do not know what my husband will do next."

Whyte-Dell even tried filing for divorce three times between 2007 and 2008, but, unfortunately, withdrew her petition each time. In December 2008, Dell attacked his wife with a knife, because he suspected her of cheating.

At one point, Whyte-Dell was outside of her home (pictured above) conversing with a friend, when her husband suddenly appeared brandishing a knife. He lunged at both women as they ran inside the home. According to a court affidavit, Dell then stood outside the door, screaming violent threats:

"Your family is going to cry today. You will be going to the morgue."

Dell took his anger out on his wife's driveway by scratching out a large "X" on it and then slashing the tires of her SUV.

Dell was arrested on felony aggravated assault charges but was convicted of misdemeanor improper exhibition of a dangerous weapon, which is a lesser offense.

In May, Whyte-Dell pleaded with a judge to protect her, informing him about the knife incident and the fact that her husband had let it be known in the neighborhood that he was looking to buy a gun. The terrified woman also told the judge that her husband had been living out of his car, which was parked right outside of her home. She was granted an injunction 10 days later.

Dell's increasingly violent behavior and death threats culminated on Monday in the wee hours of the morning: He allegedly had been drinking at a local restaurant, when one neighbor later told police that he overheard Dell say he was going to kill his family. At around 2 a.m., the enraged man broke into his wife's home and started shooting. He managed to shoot and kill his wife and stepchildren (Daniel Barnett, 10; Jevon Nelson, 11; Diane Barnett, 13; and Bryan Barnett, 14). He wounded 15-year-old Ryan Barnett, who received a gun shot to the neck. Ryan was said to have always stood up to Dell in the past, after Dell threatened his mother in front of him. The boy is listed in critical but stable condition at a nearby hospital.

Dell's children, 3-year-old Latasha Precious Dell and 1-year-old Patrick Alexander Dell Jr., were staying with Whyte-Dell's sister when the incident occurred.

As a police car approached the scene of the massacre, Dell walked outside, stood before the armed men (and without any fanfare) shot himself in the head.

The case is the worst murder-suicide in Palm Beach County's history. Ironically, the Whyte-Dell home was located directly across the street from a cemetery.

 

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DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ DECISIONS AND VERDICTS DEDE SCOZZAFAVA DEFICIT

8 Secret Mood-Boosting, Weight-Loss Foods (Photos)

Psst! Over here! Add these superfoods to your diet, and watch your mood go up while your weight goes down

Life | Today 12:00 am

The secret’s out! At last, an easy way to boost your mood and burn more calories ? and best of all, and it involves eating more food! Here are some of our favorite get-happy fat-melters. You?ll find more ? and plenty of suggestions on how to get them into your daily regimen ? in Stephen Perrine and Heather Hurlock’s The New American Diet. Click here to read more on this topic.

Editor?s Note: Stephen Perrine and ...

BEST EMPLOYERS BEST POLITICAL PODCAST BEST POLITICAL TEAM GRADES BETTY MCCOLLUM

Obama signs $30B small business lending bill

Scoring a prized political victory five weeks before the Nov. 2 elections, President Barack Obama on Monday signed a bill to help small businesses expand and hire by cutting their taxes and creating a $30 billion loan fund.

BOB INGLIS BOB MCDONNELL BOB MENENDEZ BOB RILEY

Congratulations to wOw's Cynthia McFadden

‘Nightline’ hits No.1� in late-night television!

Joni Evans | 09/24/2010 1:55 pm

ABC’s "Nightline" reached No. 1 in late-night television, and we couldn’t be prouder of the show’s co-host, Cynthia McFadden, one of our very own wOw Women. Cynthia’s in-depth reporting and riveting interviews have bumped "Nightline," for the first time in 15 years, to No. 1, topping the "Tonight Show" and "The Late Show With David Letterman." Congratulations, Cynthia!

BP BP PLC BRAD ELLSWORTH BRAD SHERMAN

Delaware's Mike Castle Considering Write-In Effort To Save Senate Bid

Mike Castle, the Delaware Republican who lost his Senate primary to a Tea Party-backed challenger in an upset, is considering running as a write-in candidate.

DELAWARE DELAY DELEGATES DEMOCRAT

Grayson labels opponent 'Taliban Dan'

Incumbent Rep. Alan Grayson, D-Fla., launched a television ad over the weekend in which he labeled opponent Daniel Webster ?Taliban Dan? for his positions on women?s issues.

AFGHANISTAN AFL-CIO AFRICA AFSCME

When the Senate Tried To Ban Dial Telephones

An anonymous reader writes "With the Senate now looking to have the government block access to websites it deems to be bad (which seems to be called 'censorship' in other countries), it's worth pointing out that the Senate doesn't exactly have a good track record when it comes to deciding what technologies to ban. Back in 1930, some Senators came close to banning the dial telephone, because they felt that it was wrong that they had to do the labor themselves, rather than an operator at the other end."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

BILL RITTER BILL SCHNEIDER BILL WHITE BIN AL-SHIBH

Obama says U.S. not in a jobless recovery

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Monday the United States must accelerate job growth, but he said the country was not experiencing a "jobless recovery" as it pulled out of a recession.

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Reason Writers on the Tube: Matt Welch Talks Independent/Third Party Politics on "The Alyona Show"

DAVID OBEY DAVID PATERSON DAVID PETRAEUS DAVID PLOUFFE

Stewart and Colbert Plan Competing D.C. Rallies

Lev13than writes "In a direct retort to Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have announced competing rallies on October 30th. Stewart plans to host a 'Rally To Restore Sanity' on Oct. 30 on the National Mall in D.C. for the Americans he says are too busy living normal, rational lives to attend other political demonstrations. Colbert, meantime, will shepherd his fans in a 'March To Keep Fear Alive.' 'Damn your reasonableness!' Colbert said. 'Now is not the time to take it down a notch. Now is the time for all good men to freak out for freedom!' Stewart, meanwhile, has promised to provide attendees with signs featuring slogans such as 'I Disagree With You But I'm Pretty Sure You're Not Hitler' and 'I'm Afraid of Spiders.'"

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

DEATHS (OBITUARIES) DEBATE DEBBIE HALVORSON DEBBIE STABENOW

Pledging to Follow the Constitution

COLIN POWELL COLLEGE SAVINGS COLOMBIA COLORADO

Monitor Breakfast: DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano

Monitor Breakfast: DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano
U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano sits down for a conversation with attendees of the Monitor Breakfast to discuss increased aviation and transportation security, the DREAM act, recovery from the Gulf oil spill and the current U.S. threat level.
Date: Fri, 17 Sep 2010 00:00:00 -0700
Location: Washington, D.C., St. Regis Hotel, Christian Science Monitor
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/09/17/Monitor_Breakfast_DHS_Secretary_Janet_Napolitano

AIG AL FRANKEN AL GORE AL QAEDA