I just had a fascinating discussion with economist David Hale who thinks that the US economy may get a “dead cat bounce” in jobs created in 2010. Hale thinks this relatively optimistic scenario depends on the American consumer coming back to life.
German exit poll results are in. Looks like Germany may have its first out gay German Foreign Minister in Guido Westerwelle, who I think will do an excellent job in the role. Can’t wait until he meets Iran’s President Ahmadinejad in his official duties.
(photo courtesy of the Battle for the Bundestag 2009 Blog of the American Institute for Contemporary German Studies) Voting started this morning in Germany, and polls will close at noon EST and 6:00 pm in Berlin.
I very much hope that the Clinton Global Initiative posts a video link to the outstanding gala dinner celebrating its Global Citizen Awards. It was a stunning event and made even a cynical realist like me feel good about the value of high octane humanitarian gestures made by others.
Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley is a favorite of mine among the nation’s governors. He is serious about policy and curious about both domestic and international matters.
Editor’s Note: Recently, retired 4-star General Anthony Zinni critiqued what he perceives to be an inability of the Department of State and US AID to change their operational dynamics to confront the realities of state-building in conflict areas and to embrace ‘smart power’ in substance rather than rhetoric.
Al Jazeera has just run a provocative but important clip capturing some public attitudes of Israeli Jewish views toward Obama.
This morning, President Barack Obama will chair a head of state-level meeting of the UN Security Council on nuclear nonproliferation and nuclear disarmament. The United States currently holds the Presidency of the Council. I’m up at the UN now, in the chambers getting ready to cover the meeting.
Embedded video from CNN Video CNN.com’s Reggie Acqi hosted a terrific discussion with four bloggers — Adam Kushner of Newsweek; Omid Memarian from Human Rights Watch; Fausta Wertz of Faustasblog.
(Matt Damon speaking about expanding the activities of Water.org to Haiti in the opening plenary meeting of the 2009 Clinton Global Initiative.) Bummer.
