Oh my.... I would've been drinking *heavily* if I was on that after it continued to Charlotte. I couldn't have stood the stress of wondering what's next and when. Now it makes one wonder if the bird story was true. Passengers report scare on earlier US Airways Flight 1549 By Abbie Boudreau and Scott Zamost CNN Special Investigations Unit (CNN) -- Two days before US Airways Flight 1549 crashed into the Hudson River, passengers on the same route and same aircraft say they heard a series of loud bangs and the flight crew told them they could have to make an emergency landing, CNN has learned. Steve Jeffrey of Charlotte, North Carolina, told CNN he was flying in first class Tuesday when, about 20 minutes into the flight, "it sounded like the wing was just snapping off." "The red lights started going on. A little pandemonium was going on," Jeffrey recalled. He said the incident occurred over Newark, New Jersey, soon after the plane -- also flying as Flight 1549 -- had taken off from LaGuardia Airport in New York. "It seemed so loud, like luggage was hitting the side but times a thousand. It startled everyone on the plane," Jeffrey said. "We started looking at each other. The stewardesses started running around. They made an announcement that 'everyone heard the noise, we're going to turn around and head back to LaGuardia and check out what happened.' "I fly about 50 to 60 times per year, and I've never heard a noise so loud," he said. "It wasn't turbulence, it wasn't luggage bouncing around. It was just completely like the engine was thrown against the side of the plane. It just -- it didn't shake the plane but it shook you out of the seat when you're drifting off, it really woke you up. And when it happened again, everyone just started looking at each other and there was a quiet murmuring around the plane, and you could feel the tension rising just in looking. "I remember turning to my [business] partner and saying, 'I hope you got everything in order back home, life insurance and everything, because that didn't sound good.' " Jeffrey said he sent a text message to his wife about a "scary, scary noise on the plane. Doesn't sound right. They're flying back to LaGuardia to check it out. I'll call you when we land. I love you." He added, "About 10 minutes later when we never made the turn, we kept going, that's when the pilot came on and explained -- I wish I could remember the words -- I remember him using air, compression and lock -- I'm not sure the right order, but he made it sound like the air didn't get to the engine and it stalled the engine out, which he said doesn't happen all the time but it's not abnormal." Expert Aviation Consulting, an Indianapolis, Indiana, private consulting firm that includes commercial airline pilots on its staff, said the plane that landed in the Hudson was the same one as Flight 1549 from LaGuardia two days earlier. Photo See images from the rescue in last week's crash � "EAC confirms that US Airways ship number N106US flew on January 13, 2009, and January 15, 2009, with the same flight number of AWE 1549 from New York's LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte Douglas [International] Airport in North Carolina," Expert Aviation said in a statement to CNN. The company said it checked with contacts in the aviation industry to confirm that it was the same plane. The National Transportation Safety Board, which is investigating the crash, did not return calls regarding this matter Monday. It has released the tail number of the downed Airbus A-320, which is N106US. The Federal Aviation Administration referred CNN to US Airways. US Airways would not confirm that the Flight 1549 that took off January 13 was the same plane that splashed into the Hudson two days later. Valerie Wunder, a US Airways spokeswoman, said: "US Air is working with the National Transportation Safety Board in this investigation." She would not comment on any other details, including Tuesday's flight, though she did confirm US Airways is looking into it. Jeffrey told CNN that US Airways earlier Monday confirmed to him that the Tuesday incident occurred aboard the plane that crashed. John Hodock, another passenger on the Tuesday flight, said in an e-mail to CNN: "About 20 minutes after take-off, the plane had a series of compressor stalls on the right engine. There were several very loud bangs and fire coming out of the engine. The pilot at first told us that we were going to make an emergency landing, but after about five minutes, continued the flight to Charlotte." In an interview, Hodock said the pilot "got on the intercom and said they were going to have to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport. But then, only five to 10 minutes later, the pilot came back on and said it was a stalled compressor and they were going to continue to Charlotte." A third passenger, who did not want her named used, also said she heard a "loud banging sound" on the right side of the plane. She said she heard the pilot say the "compressor for the engine was stalled" and they needed "to turn around and go back." However, she said, the problem was fixed and the flight continued without incident. advertisement Pilots and aviation officials said that a compressor stall results from insufficient air getting into the engine and that multiple stalls could result in engine damage. However, the officials said, a momentary compressor stall may be less serious and could be corrected in flight by simply restarting the engine. A bird strike could lead to a compressor stall, the officials said. http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/01/19/hudson.plane.folo/index.html?eref=rss_topstories

(Dorine)Now it makes one wonder if the bird story was true. Why wouldn't it be? They'd have no reason to make that up. Possibly the earlier problem made the engine more vulnerable to failure when the birds subsequently flew in.

If it was the same plane, and perhaps it wasn't checked at all or well enough after the first incident and kept flying, and it happened again. The consequences would be expensive at the least. Not disimilar to what happened with the Alaska Airlines crash years ago. I'm not saying I believe that, I'm just saying it's not outside the realm of possibility at all.

"Mrs. Obama has an equally close relationship to her hairdresser, Rahni Flowers, a man she�s known since high school and who has styled her hair for 18 years. Transition aides confirm that Mrs. Obama will be flying in Mr. Flowers to help with her hair and makeup for the inauguration festivities. " http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/01/state-of-the-fi.html *Love* her hairstyle.

Cute. Obama's got a excellent sense of humor. And makes sense!!

Saw bits on TV yesterday. live performance version http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Xkw8ip43Vk&NR=1 animated http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HplZ_taHXLM&feature=related

(Dorine), scenario payback for Gore/Bush? One set was in the same party. Who's getting paid back? Bush POTUS, Gore Nobel Prize/ ;-)))) Not same party, no payback. (Mari), Huge diference, not the same thing at all. In 2000, Gore won the popular vote for President. Hill never got that far. Sheesh. Sheesh, says I. FL and MI. Hill finished as the primary winner, causcus went to O because of all the fraud. Please don't make me get into that again. Take my word for it. Hill was sabotaged by O and the DNC. It's behind us now. I'm over it, but I know the truth. Kumbaya. It's time to feel the love. Cue in new "America" song from Opra's show today. ;-)

Poor baby!....not. http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Inauguration/wireStory?id=6684751

I'm not sure if it's something to brag about when Hillary finished as a primary winner in MI where technically she was the only major candidate on the ballot. That's not saying a lot. Your opinion on this Slate article? http://www.slate.com/id/2188985/pagenum/2 In this, and other pieces I've read, I get the impression Hillary and her peeps got too confident that they were going to win, gambled that things were going to turn out a certain way and when they didn't, weren't equipped to deal with the fallout. Contrast that to Gore, much as I hate what happened to him, ultimately his decisions in the fight after the election sealed his loss. It could've turned out differently had he done some things differently. I can't speak to the caucuses. That whole system baffles me and should be gotten rid of. All states should be on the same playing field in a federal election IMO.

(Moon)It's behind us now. I'm over it LOL, I've never seen anyone less "over" something. She lost. O ran the smarter campaign. Hill's people put all their eggs into the big state basket, while O quietly went about sweeping up elsewhere. That's why his numbers added up and hers didn't. Her people fucked up.

Hee. http://punditkitchen.com/2009/01/14/political-pictures-obama-th/ Never heard of this site, but some funny things. http://punditkitchen.com/

Poor baby!....not. Cruel. Sad, really :-(((((((((( I'm scrolling through the old stuff folks....Borrrrrrrriing. As the only Republican around, it's from now on that matters. Not 2000-2009. I love Michelle's coat and dress. Pl someone find the designer and description. The fabric looks like it has an overlay of design. Can't tell about her shoes...but kudos for wearing high heels even though she towers over everyone. Earrings , Moon? You're my jewelry girl. Liked the way the Prez took Michelle's hand as they went into the White House. V. endearing. Nice that all the commentators pay tribute to MLK and say BO wouldn't be here today but for his efforts...so true. But pl. someone should say a kind word about his grandmother who brought BO up while his mum was excavating in archeological gigs atound the world. LOL....Let's hear it for grandmothers!!

After being a subscriber for more yrs than I can count and before then I bought them at the newstand in college, I quit both "Newsweek" and "Time"this yr. The constant Bush -bashing was nauseating as was their obvious devotion to lib ideology w/o printing an opposite view. Obviously , other subscribers agree with me. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/01/18/AR2009011802181_pf.html (Washington Post)"The rival editors are turning out weeklies that are smaller, more serious, more opinionated and, though they are loath to admit it, more liberal. "

(Evelyn) Sad, really :-(((((((((( For all the pain he's helped cause other people around the world....not. I was being mild. He deserves no sympathy. it's from now on that matters Sounds like the views of some who wish to sweep all the misdeeds and crimes of the (soon to be) former administration under the rug with no investigation (which should've happened earlier anyway). No consequences. Why have a justice system? Or laws? Or a Constitution? Let everyone who's committed crimes go. Prisons are overcrowded anyway. Can't believe the women are wearing short skirts. And didn't realize Michelle was as tall, if not a bit taller than Bush (with heels)! Interesting to see Dustin Hoffman in the VIP section. Must have a can of hair spray in his bouffant hairdo.

A Latino (Lebanese !) rescues the NY Times with $250M....LOL "The Times Co. reported having about $46 million in cash and $1.1 billion in debt in September. A $400 million loan expires in May." http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/090120/ny_times_slim.html?.v=2

Trying again

(Dorine)Sounds like the views of some who wish to sweep all the misdeeds and crimes of the (soon to be) former administration under the rug with no investigation ... So wrong...so sad. Just someone who is valiantly trying to bring us altogether. As I think the host of this topic would want to do. I could take you on and comment on each of your accusations. But it's not my style.

(Evelyn) Obviously , other subscribers agree with me. I quit them both because I can't keep up with reading them on a regular basis and read them online if at all. The NYT is close to next as I read it online 99.9% of the time. Still wondering why I decided to subscribe to Vanity Fair. Takes forever to read one (but it was $12 a year!). (I did buy my aunt a gift subscription to Time though ;-)).

I'm all for accountability. I'm not sure why that's a dirty word. I mean, my God, they spent over $70 million dollars to go after Clinton for lying about....a blowjob!!! That hurt almost no one (at least physically or economically). And of all the things that have happened over the past 8 years, that hurt so many other people in many ways, virtually nothing was addressed. Isn't that way outta wack? More time was spent on hearings on baseball players taking steroids. :-(( Clinton lied, which was very bad judgement. But had there not been a concerted effort to find anything to get him on, it wouldn't have been found out and he would've been no different than any other cheating husband (who was leader of the country ;-)). I could take you on and comment on each of your accusations. I wouldn't complain. And I have to say, I'm thrilled, yet completely surprised to see Ted Kennedy made it. Looks like he lost a bit of weight.

Michelle Obama wearing Isabel Toledo The Associated Press WASHINGTON - Michelle Obama is wearing a sparkling gold sheath dress with matching coat by Cuban-born American designer Isabel Toledo on the day her husband will be inaugurated as president. Barack Obama is wearing a red tie and white shirt with his suit Tuesday morning. Toledo, who just a few years ago unsuccessfully tried to infuse more modern style into the venerable Anne Klein label, is considered among the more avant garde U.S. designers. Michelle Obama has been noted for choosing unexpected fashion designers, including Narciso Rodriguez, Zero + Maria Cornejo and Chicago designer Maria Pinto.

Just someone who is valiantly trying to bring us altogether. As I think the host of this topic would want to do. I thought this was for discussion and debate. I have no problems bringing people together and I think we're all on the same page of looking ahead and starting a new day, but it's imperative not to forget how we (the US and other parts of the world) got where we are now, too. I am all for hearing other points of view and the reasoning behind it. That's my view anyway.

(Evelyn) As the only Republican around You're not really, just the only one willing to say anything. :-) Well, another one has been to busy to really say anything at all anywhere for quite a while. Can't believe the Supremes are out only in their robes, no coats. Hope they have long johns on. Not even scarves. :-(( Didn't really think about it, but as they just said on CNN, one of the few events all 3 branches of govt gathered in one place. The security must be astronomical.

Ant and I are watching the coverage on BBC News 24. History in the making before us and it sure gives a welcome break from watching wall to wall financial doom and gloom with the British Banks, being reported over here :-(( Congratulations Obama!

Thank you Mari...I'm noticing that she also has complimenting gloves ...(I'm a leather -coordinating -glove -gal, eh Karen?) Shoes???? I do love her hair (which I have copied:-))) Anybody see a fur coat??? LOL Lots of pretty scarves. Where are our little girls?

(Evelyn) I love Michelle's coat and dress. Pl someone find the designer and description After I think the Dem Convention, or maybe the election speech....wherever Michelle wore an outfit not many liked, I met up with a couple of (female) neighbors getting off the train and of course everyone was talking about that night. They were saying how practically appalled they were that people they worked with were talking so much about what she was wearing rather than what a momentous occasion it was. When I said that comments about her dress were about the third thing anyone in our office said about that night, they looked at me like I had two heads. I guess their heads would explode here. Wow, Bush Sr. isn't walking so good. I thought he was still jumping out of planes. He looks pretty bad actually and uncomfortable.

There're the kids. They look great. The one Bush dtr isn't a blonde anymore. Aretha has a windmill attached to her hat, but I like it strangely. Was there always so much bulletproof glass up there before?

I like Hillary's coat...color ..style, not v. flattering. Lovely welcome for the Clintons. 14 degrees...burrrrr. Spectators using feet and hand warmers. Little girls precious. Such poise.

What a beautiful day there (cold not withstanding)! Fabulous speech! Very inspirational and uplifting. Interesting that he became President before taking the oath per the Constitution. Too bad the oath got a bit messed up. Not quite smooth. Wonder if John Roberts was nervous.

Evelyn, check out the gloves:

Isn't she stunning? Earlier Laura had purple gloves to go with her lavender suit and coat. I'm looking at the luncheon...they're pouring white wine to go with the seafood puff pastry. I like Michelle's sweater. Her mom has a beautiful pink twead suit. I can see where she gets her sense of style. GW's farewell speech to his staff at the airbase is private; no cameras. Wasn't Rev Lowery's (sp?)invocation inspiring? Imagine he is 87 yrs old...what a day for him. Juan Williams at Fox News became v. emotional recalling Rev Lowry's sentiments and what an era he has lived through. Fox News has the best coverage split sreen. The other network anchors like to hear themselves talk. Chris Wallace is so unpretentious.

I haven't minded some of the talk. I've learned some interesting things today. Just watching Bush's plane take off to TX. It really is a cool sight to see up close, esp since it's so big and know the "Leader of the Free World" is in it. Watched it come in and takeoff with Clinton years ago when he came to Palm Bch's airport to have a rally...right there next to the tarmac! I enjoyed Rev Lowery and the music from Yo-Yo Ma, etc.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/obamas_fashion Ok..Laura's suit and coat were dove grey (not good...she should have had a little color) Michelle's shoes were colored; I hope to match the gloves;-) Hooray! at last ...colored shoes !I'm so sick of mis-matched outfits . Can't wait for tonight's ball.

(Evelyn) The other network anchors like to hear themselves talk. It's not the case with CNN, but started switching around a bit with MSNBC and while Obama's getting his gifts and making his remarks at the lunch, CNN is quiet and on MSNBC KO and Chris Matthews are chattering through the whole thing. And the camera isn't even staying on O. :-((( That was terribly annoying.

Holy crap!! Did Kennedy have a seizure???!!

(Mari), LOL, I've never seen anyone less "over" something. Well to prove my point, I will abstain from commenting again, on things that I have documented throughout the primaries here. C'est fini! I was very happy to see the very nice welcome the Clintons received. I think people were sending Hillary their love. I don't like Michelle's outfit. It's too busy, rhinestones in the morning? Loved the elegant outfit she wore on Sunday at the concert. But 'm n ot a fan of her style. Sen. Kennedy has been rushed to the hospital.

Also, I don't like the new poet laureate. I don't care for contemporary poetry, but Maya was so much better. Can you imsgine what the old poets could have done today? Blake, Dickinson, Frost...

You know, I hope Kennedy makes it. But I was thinking (but didn't post) when I made comments about being surprised that he made it today, that I thought it was sheer will that got him to this day. So the President goes through the parade in the car? He doesn't get out to walk? I guess it would be too tough to secure. But it would be so hard to see him in the car. They should have a Popemobile-like vehicle for events like that. You can see through that and it's secure.

I also want say how happy I am that we have a new President!

Bush's Legacy: Conservatives Were Betrayed "This administration has had a good, solid record, and I'm very proud of it. I tell people I leave town with a great sense of accomplishment and my head held high.� �George W. Bush, Jan. 13, 2009 As the 43rd president waves goodbye to Washington, relatively few Americans share his proud assessment of his own presidency. George W. Bush leaves the White House with one of the lowest approval ratings in history. According to Gallup, only Richard Nixon and Harry Truman, who suffered the double whammy of a bad economy and the unpopular Korean War, had lower approval ratings when they left the White House. Today, Bush�s legacy to his successor is two unresolved wars, a global image that is deeply tarnished, and the greatest economic crisis in modern times. Conservatives who backed Bush in two successive elections have little to show for their efforts. Bush, in fact, has decimated the Republican brand. Bush oversaw the greatest increase in discretionary social spending in history as the federal government usurped new powers in its war on terror. He placed the United States on a global interventionist path for the elusive goal of �democracy.� Ronald Reagan would not be able to recognize the party he knew, which espoused limited government, protection of personal liberty, and the idea that the U.S. should lead globally by example rather than by force. The best that can be said of President Bush is that he kept America�s homeland safe. During his watch, we did not experience another terror attack on U.S. soil after Sept. 11. It is a laudable fact, but one that came at enormous financial cost and an erosion of personal freedoms. Still, for all the talk about al-Qaida�s weakened state, Osama bin Laden remains at large despite Bush�s pledge to capture him �dead or alive.� And if a major terror attack were to take place under the new Obama administration, his supporters will be quick to pin the blame on the Bush regime. Voters� bitter memories of George Bush may soften with time. As Truman�s example suggests, presidencies often appear quite different once placed in a historical context. On the other hand, if the economic crisis worsens or another major terror attack happened soon after Bush departs the White House, he may be �Hooverized� � with a generation of Democratic politicians running successfully against his memory as they did against Herbert Hoover whose policies were linked to the Great Depression. There�s no escaping the fact that Bush presided over one of the most tumultuous, and least popular, presidencies of modern times, in large part because of the Iraq war. The U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq have come at enormous cost in terms of blood and national treasure. About 4,200 Americans have died, and more than 30,000 have been wounded. The U.S. has spent more than $800 billion on the Iraq effort, with estimates of the ultimate cost as high as $4 trillion. The war was justified on the legitimate evidence, first offered by the Clinton administration, that Saddam Hussein was intent on developing weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear weapons. Hussein had flouted agreements with the United Nations, and his riddance was a desirable goal. But almost from the beginning, the war was flawed. The American occupiers quickly fired the entire Iraqi military, leaving not only a tremendous vacuum of authority but also turning loose trained military professionals to join terror cells and paramilitary groups who would work to undermine the U.S. efforts. Some Pentagon military advisers suggested the U.S. military force was too light to accomplish the goal of both invading Iraq and stabilizing the country. Bush and Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld strongly resisted deploying a larger force. And as casualties mounted in the early part of the war, the administration continued to resist sending additional troops. Only after the 2006 elections did Bush sign off on the surge that added 30,000 troops in the spring of 2007, under the command of Gen. David Petraeus. The surge helped, as did a more aggressive policy to pay off Iraqi Sunnis who turned against al-Qaida � the so-called �Anbar Awakening.� Another ingredient: U.S. and Iraqi authorities rounded up tens of thousands of likely dissidents and imprisoned them. The effect of this action may be short lived, as many of these agitators eventually will be released. But the immediate impact of the surge has been good. By the end of 2008, U.S. troop deaths dropped to an average of 14 per month, down from 100 a month two previous years. Still, the likelihood is that such calm will not prevail once American troops are removed and the goal of establishing a stable democracy in an Arab state may still prove elusive. It should be remembered that, sometime after the invasion, the raison d�etre of the war changed from removing Saddam from power and stopping his weapons of mass destruction program to a dreamy plan of creating a democracy in Iraq. In Bush�s second inauguration speech, he echoed the thoughts expressed in former Soviet dissident Natan Sharansky�s book �The Case for Democracy: The Power of Freedom to Overcome Tyranny and Terror.� Bush said: �The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands. The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.� Such Wilsonian thoughts are laudable, but have long been discarded by conservatives as dangerous and unworkable. Even Sharansky himself had said that Iraq did not have the necessary cultural and political ingredients to create a stable democracy. In that effort to create a new Iraqi democracy, the Sunni Muslims � more sympathetic to the West � were pushed aside and the Shias ascended to power in Baghdad. The American-backed power shift in Iraq also created a new regional ally for Shia-dominated Iran, a major threat to the region. After 9/11, as the U.S. considered making Saddam�s regime its prime target of revenge, then-Secretary of State Colin Powell reportedly warned the president, "You are going to be the proud owner of 25 million people.� He noted that the U.S. would have little room to maneuver in dealing with other global problems. "It's going to suck the oxygen out of everything," Powell added. "This will become the first term." It also became the second term. Powell�s stunning assessment was accurate. The U.S. became stuck in an Iraqi mire after its successful 2003 invasion, meanwhile elsewhere its enemies grew in power. Shortly after Sept. 11, Bush himself warned of an �axis of evil� and identified not only Iraq but also Iran and North Korea as posing real threats to American security interests. Ironically, as a result of U.S. efforts to occupy Iraq, Iran and North Korea have progressed in their desire to develop weapons of mass destruction. Iran, for example, continues to defy U.N. Security Council demands to suspend its controversial uranium enrichment program, which is key to fashioning fuel for an atomic weapon. A recent report disclosed that Iran could soon have enough enriched uranium to build a small nuclear weapon. That�s a daunting thought considering that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has said Israel should be �wiped off the map.� More disturbing is a recent New York Times report that Bush rejected a plea from Israel last year to help it raid Iran�s main nuclear complex. The Times said Israel was rebuffed after it requested from the U.S. specialized bunker-busting bombs that it needs to attack Iran�s nuclear complex at Natanz. The U.S. also reportedly nixed permission to the Israeli warplanes to fly over Iraqi territory to reach Iran. With the focus in Iraq, the second war, in Afghanistan, almost became a forgotten one. The effort at first appeared to be highly successful, dethroning the Taliban, with the U.S. and NATO seemingly playing ancillary roles to bolster an indigenous government. But the government of Hamid Karzai has weakened increasingly and is rife with corruption. The Taliban has regrouped and has benefited from the Afghan opium poppy trade, which has grown enormously. Now the U.S. is preparing to pour at least 20,000 extra troops into southern Afghanistan to cope with a Taliban insurgency that is fiercer than NATO leaders expected. As the U.S. is bogged down in Iraq and Afghanistan, Russia has aggressively asserted its power over its neighbors. It recently used its �energy weapon� and shut down its delivery of natural gas to Eastern Europe via the pipeline network in Ukraine over a pricing dispute. It shockingly disregarded all international conventions by sending its troops into Georgia. Its strongman, Vladimir Putin, has moved his nation from a nurturing democracy to an authoritarian state. Others, such as Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, also have run amok, thumbing their noses right in our own back yard. Across Latin America, with Chavez financing, leftist, anti-American governments have swept to power. In Mexico, perhaps the most critical nation for the U.S., the political infrastructure has crumbled as it moves perilously close to becoming a narco-regime. A U.S. military report warned that Mexico could face a �rapid and sudden collapse,� and just last week, retiring CIA Director Michael Hayden said Mexico could rank alongside Iran as a challenge for Barack Obama and be a greater problem than Iraq. Perhaps the most calamitous effect of the Iraq war is the decline of the Republican Party�s fortunes. When Bush came to power in 2001, the GOP controlled both the House and Senate. But with the war wearing thin and no clear exit strategy in place, the Republicans lost control of both houses in 2006 after a dozen years in power. The signal from the American people was clear that the Iraq war, at least its prosecution outlined by the president, did not have their support. Rather than act on that signal, Bush refused to offer a practical exit strategy. The Republicans in Congress, who should have read the tea leaves and begun distancing themselves from Bush, continued their unfailing support the president. The results in 2008 were disastrous. Obama, the most liberal candidate ever nominated, not only won the nomination from favorite Hillary Clinton, who had been early supporter of the war, but also delivered a crushing defeat of Republican John McCain, carrying 29 states and winning 365 electoral votes. Republicans in Congress, who could have mitigated losses by becoming an active critic of Bush�s domestic policies, were hit harder. In the House, Democrats gained 21 seats to hold a 257-178 majority, while they picked up seven seats in the Senate for a total of 58, not including the disputed Senate seat that shows Al Franken leading in Minnesota. Bush knew that his unchanging and unyielding course would hurt the party, recently saying he refused to "bail out my political party" by withdrawing troops "during the darkest days of Iraq." He said in an interview: "I had faith that freedom exists in people's souls and therefore, if given a chance, democracy and Iraqi-style democracy could survive and work. I didn't compromise that principle for the sake of trying to bail out my political party." But by failing to modify his desire for long-term democracy in Iraq and to offer a clear exit strategy, Bush not only hurt his own party but also helped his strongest political adversaries, paving the way for Democrats to gain almost complete hegemony over Congress and putting a strident critic of the Iraq war in White House. Obama, while moderating on issues since his election, has stated that he will seek a pullout of all U.S. forces within the first 16 months of taking office. In the end, the result of the Iraq war will likely be no democracy in Iraq, virulently liberal control of all three branches of the federal government, and the threatened extinction of the Republican Party itself. Bush�s preoccupation with Iraq and issues abroad also turned his attention away from pressing domestic issues and contributed to several major problems, including the financial meltdown. The Bush-led federal government�s sluggish response to Hurricane Katrina drew widespread criticism and turned public sentiment against Bush and the Republicans after their post-9/11 rise in popularity. A Vanity Fair article featuring interviews with people close to Bush disclosed that the consensus among his friends and critics alike is that Katrina marked the turning point of his presidency. Dan Bartlett, White House communications director and later counselor to the president, was quoted as saying: �Politically, it was the final nail in the coffin.� And Matthew Dowd, Bush's pollster, said: �Katrina to me was the tipping point. The president broke his bond with the public. Once that bond was broken, he no longer had the capacity to talk to the American public.� Bush had the misfortune of being in office during the bursting of the housing bubble and the financial calamity that followed. At a recent news conference, Bush said it was not his fault that the economy tanked on his watch, as if he were an innocent victim of the meltdown. But Bush is not without blame in the ongoing crisis. During Bush�s tenure, his administration pushed the Federal Reserve for easy money as his administration turned a blind eye to far out banking practices, such as zero percent equity mortgages and Wall Street financial practices that were motivated by greed, not good business sense. Huge amounts of cash flowed into new types of securities following the 2001 downturn, after the Federal Reserve slashed interest rates to essentially replace the tech-equity bubble with a housing bubble. This occurred without the preoccupied Bush strengthening regulatory oversight to reduce risks to the overall economy. The bottom line is that Bush�s overriding focus on Iraq � and his refusal to readjust course as circumstances and facts warranted � became the touchstone of an administration that, in so many areas, seemed unaccountable to principles or good sense. � 2009 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

I wasn't too fond of that poet laureate either. I didn't like her reading much. Thank goodness the Rev after her made up for it.

I didn't like her reading much. But I liked her hair;-) And Cindy McCain's coat: Aqua with patent leather boots. What style.

Cindy McCain has loads of style. Don't like what Mrs. Biden is wearing either, with those boots and shot skirt she looks like a go-go dancer. Very out of place.

Isn't DC impressive? I love the architecture and the history.

It's a shame they're running so behind. The sun's getting blocked by buildings in quite a number of places along the route.

What's the deal on Mrs Biden. They keep calling her "Dr"...Phd in what? (Moon)...short skirt she looks like a go-go dancer. She's how old? "Mutton dressed -up as a lamb";-) He's walking up Penn Ave with Michelle!!!

"Biden later returned to school for her doctorate degree, studying under her birth name, Jill Jacobs.[16] She received a Doctor of Education in educational leadership from the University of Delaware in 2007.[6][22] Her dissertation Student Retention at the Community College: Meeting Students' Needs was published under the name Jill Jacobs-Biden.[22]" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jill_Biden

Michelle's shoes are great. They are my type: pointy toes and med. styletto heel. I have lots like that, even small styletto heel like the ones she wore on Sunday.

So the parade's going to be practically in the dark.

I thought this was kinda cool. The spot that look like dirt spots are masses of people. Hope this comes out.

Actually, this is kind of fun. You can scan back and forth across the mall and zoom in. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2009/44.president/inauguration/mall.satellite/

I hope this is not what we're in for.... ....because I do like him

Coolest National Anthem version evah! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRvVzaQ6i8A

Thought the same re: bling in the morning, plus what kind of looked like a hideous brocade...or couch fabric as some are calling it: Michelle Obama picks yellow for inauguration dress Tue Jan 20, 2009 5:27pm EST By Jill Serjeant LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Michelle Obama, hailed by many as America's new style icon, officially took her place on the world stage on Tuesday wearing an outfit in the nontraditional color of yellow and set fashionistas atwitter. The new U.S. first lady, 45, chose a sparkling sheath dress and matching coat in a yellow-gold hue by Cuban-born American designer Isabel Toledo for the presidential swearing-in ceremony. She matched it with a wide diamante necklace. What she will wear to the formal inaugural ball later on Tuesday remained a tightly held secret. But her choice is expected to provide clues to her future balancing act as glamorous first lady in a time of deep recession. Michelle Obama, a former lawyer, has been credited with bringing a chic, youthful style to U.S. politics and for mixing comfortable chain store garments from the likes of Gap and J. Crew with edgier new designers like Chicago's Mario Pinto and Narciso Rodriguez. Initially seen as slightly aloof, she won hearts in June by wearing an affordable $148 black and white off-the-rack dress for an appearance on the popular female TV chat show "The View." It sold out nationwide overnight. Her swearing-in outfit was a departure from the red, white or blue tones often adopted by U.S. female politicians on high-profile occasions. Yellow is traditionally seen in many parts of the world as a symbol of hope and optimism, style experts said. 'RADIATED HOPE AND OPTIMISM' "Yellow is the color of optimism and confidence and hope ... The whole ensemble radiated hope and optimism," Mandi Norwood, a former editor at Mademoiselle magazine who is writing a book on Michelle Obama's style, told Reuters But Obama's choice did not get a universal thumbs up. An online poll on the Us Weekly celebrity magazine site showed 55 percent of readers hated the outfit and 44 percent loved it. Bonnie Fuller, former editor in chief of Glamour magazine, called it "bold" but wondered, "Is she walking around in inaugural upholstery?" Fuller wrote in a blog on the www.huffingtonpost.com Web site that she had heard one observer quipping that the first lady was "wearing a couch." New York-based designer Toledo said the coat and dress were made of Swiss wool lace, backed with netting for warmth on the bitterly cold Washington morning, and lined in French silk. "I wanted to pick a very optimistic color, that had sunshine," Toledo told New York Times fashion critic Cathy Horyn on Tuesday. "I wanted her to feel charmed, and in that way would charm everybody." With home foreclosures and layoffs plaguing Americans across the United States, fashion commentators expect Obama to go for understated glamour at the 10 inauguration galas she will attend, wearing nothing too glitzy or frivolous. Dressing down too much could attract as much criticism as extravagance. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter was criticized during the 1970s oil crisis for wearing her previously worn, off-the-rack gown to the 1977 inaugural ball. In 1981, Nancy Reagan was deemed "too Hollywood" with her white, one-shoulder, lace satin sheath with crystal beads. Los Angeles Times fashion critic Booth Moore doubted Michelle Obama would take the Rosalyn Carter line for her inaugural ball dress. "At least for one night, we want our first lady to be more glamorous than the rest of us. We don't want her to be Secondhand Rose, but we don't want her to be Marie Antoinette either. The secret to Obama's sartorial success so far has been walking the line between the two. Here's hoping she continues to do so," Moore wrote on Tuesday. Obama is already considered an ambassador for American fashion. She was listed in Vanity Fair's magazine's "10 of the World's Best Dressed People" in both 2007 and 2008 and has drawn numerous comparisons with Jacqueline Kennedy. "It's not only about the way she dresses, but also the way she will conduct her life. The eyes of the world will be on her. She will have a big impact," designer Oscar de la Renta told U.S. fashion bible Women's Wear Daily.

an affordable $148 black and white off-the-rack dress That kind of item isn't called affordable in my world. Question for tonight is....hair up or down? I happened to be watching when this when it occurred. Al Roker was like a kid. Very cute. http://www.dailykostv.com/v/000159.html

(Dorine)I happened to be watching when this when it occurred. Al Roker was like a kid. As I remember Barbara Bush broke ranks to go over and hug Al Roker. Obama just gave him a wave. I don't care what anyone says...I thought she looked stunning today and bling is fine anytime of day, IMO. "Swiss wool lace, backed with netting for warmth on the bitterly cold Washington morning, and lined in French silk. " And just for the record I don't want my first lady to buy off the rack. That's for peasants like me.

I've been reading the text of the inaugural address. I had a problem with some of the comments, but I'll get to them at a later time.Today is a time to be positive;-) The best part IMO was his references to God and scripture. This is a man who is comfortable with religion in the public aquare. I admire that;shows self assurance and core values, IMO

She's wearing a white off- the -shoulder gown...hair down. But he keeps preaching...hey, Barack...lighten up...Time to party! Designer???

As I remember Barbara Bush broke ranks to go over and hug Al Roker. I guess that'd be about right and then some. He did say he waited for 12 years. It was a cute exchange though. I'm so annoyed they cut off their dance. They were just starting to get into a groove! Great song for the first dance. I thought the gown was a bright yellow. Hmmm. CNN said they were going to have the Michelle Obama fashion show. LOL, they were contrasting Bush and Obama. Said Bush liked to be in bed and O likes to go out a lot and late. Bet the Secret Service is going to love him. They've gotten off easy the past eight years.

Hey, that first ball was a par-tay! O was gettin' down to Stevie Wonder and Sting. On the first dance, he looked like he was afraid of stepping on her gown, which is very long. Beyonce sounded great. "At last . . "

Grrr..... I missed them talking online about the designer of the dress. Not sure I really love, love it though. Jill Biden loves red.

Inaugural gown designer is Jason Wu: http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-the-moment-youve-all-been-waiting-for-michelle-obamas-inauguration-nigh/

LOL at Don King on ABCnews.com! His jacket, Louisa!

It just said on CNN that the Youth Ball cost $75 and most others cost $150. I'd totally pay that to go. I didn't know you could just buy tix. The Neighborhood Ball tix were around $25 they said.

Yeah, the First Couple really got into it at the Neighborhood Ball. Liked the way everyone got on stage and he danced with several people. He really is a good dancer. I like her gown, but she is so tall and slender I think she should have selected a sheath with one shoulder. Goddess-like, LOL. Somewhere I saw an Oscar de la Renta that she was considering. I haven't seen Hill...have you Moon?

Lots of discussion on ABCnews.com with ....I'm not sure who those women are....about Jill Biden's boots. Says there's lots of talk on the internet if they were appropriate for her or not. They say ok. Say she has great legs/body, can get away with it. I had NO idea Jill Biden was 57. Hope I look half that good then. Thanks for the designer, Mari.

Lots of discussion on ABCnews.com with ....I'm not sure who those women are....about Jill Biden's boots. Says there's lots of talk on the internet if they were appropriate for her or not. They say ok. Say she has great legs/body, can get away with it. I had NO idea Jill Biden was 57. Hope I look half that good then. Thanks for the designer, Mari. Wow, how does one (as a Marine) get picked to dance with the Leader of the Free World? God love her.

Michelle's having to pick and adjust the dress bottom too much. I couldn't wear that. I couldn't be bothered to worry about it all night and fuss over it.

Yeah, I noticed that she is constantly adjusting the bottom. Bad choice. Kind of looks like a cotillion dress to me.

Was impressed how they got out of their armoured cars and walked along part of Pennsylvania Ave to acknowledge and wave at the crowd. Must have been a security nightmare though. Feel sorry for Ted Kennedy having a seizure.

Michelle is trying to support the new, young American designers; both she wore are, significantly, immigrants. I applaud her. The old guard designers don't need the help. Jill's boots: I see an increasing number of fashion forward people wearing them around here, and yes, well into their '50s. (Do)I had NO idea Jill Biden was 57. LOL, did you think he'd pick a young trophy bimbo? She *does* look amazing, a very pretty woman. She's Joe's 2nd wife, but they've been married forever; the first was killed in a car crash when the two eldest boys were babies (and in the car with her). Unbearably tragic. Jill has raised those kids from young.

The dress today at church...not so hotsy:-(((

I too applaud Michelle for picking new designers. She looked great in her gown, Cotillion look et al. ;-) I love wearing boots. My comment was on her choice of short skirt with the boots, which made her look like a go-go girl. Not the right choice for the day. She looked great in her red gown. I am less and less a fan of Biden's. I don't trust that smile. (Evelyn), bling is fine anytime of day, IMO. I agree! Bling is fine anytime of day, but that was a big rhinestone piece. I object to rhinestones in the day. Beyonce sang beautifully, but that gown with the pointy breasts, LOL. Now her husband JayZ, can we say no talent/what the hell is the deal? I still don't like Mariah Carey, never got her, that trill in here voice, very smaltzy. Shakira looked fantastic, she has an interesting voice. Dorine, I had the chance to go to two of the Balls. It would have been too much of a hassle. Too many people, all the bridges were closed till 7PM. I don't do crowds very well.

Yeah, I knew about Jill, just had no idea of her age. I didn't see any of the celebrities/singers. I don't blame you, Moon.

(Moon)My comment was on her choice of short skirt with the boots That's the new look, though, short dress or coat with boots, knees exposed. I thought she pulled it off fine: Her red gown at the balls was by Reem Acra, whose work as I recall was worn by several of the celebs at the Golden Globes.

Mari, I like the look. I just did not think it was appropriate for the yesterday. And while on the subject, her coat looked old. ;-D

Old style, or old in her closet for a while? How could you tell the latter? I'd love to know what was on under the coat in detail. I love how she has on an obvious thick wool coat and Michelle's got this thin looking sheath coat in the frigid weather. I love how Michelle and Barack were just striding up the Ave yesterday though she was making me cold just to look at her. Though one commentator made a good point, she is from Chicago. Still....the sacrifices for fashion I guess. ;-)

Yay, welcome to the real world (re the salaries)...... Obama freezes salaries of some White House aides By JENNIFER LOVEN, AP White House Correspondent Jennifer Loven, Ap White House Correspondent � 1 hr 34 mins ago http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090121/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_executive_pay

It's not just the aides that should get the freeze. How about Congress? You can see her outfit at the post inauguration luncheon. Must be a pic somewhere. I think it was a plaid skirt.

How about Congress? He has no authority to do so.

Just the aides? How strange. I almost forgot to mention the biggest faux-pas of the night! Pres. O not wearing tails! He did not wear the jacket. He wore a tuxedo jacket instead. He probably thinks he's updating the "look?" But it did not work. I noticed JayZ had the same wrong look. Please don't touch a classic style, guys. No one in the media has enough style or class to even comment on it. grrrr

I saw on the news how the J. Crew apparel worn yesterday by the Firth Fam is not available in stores or to the public. I had no idea that J. Crew did custom work or haute couture. ;-)

I saw that too. But I like the idea coming from J Crew.

Does that mean J Crew will be having tent shows at Fashion Week now? ;-) Now I understand the origin of the "affordable" J Crew outfits. Congress votes themselves raises...or not.

Bet they feel kinda stupid... Obama takes presidential oath again after stumble WASHINGTON � After the flub heard around the world, President Barack Obama has taken the oath of office. Again. Chief Justice John Roberts delivered the oath to Obama on Wednesday night at the White House � a rare do-over. The surprise moment came in response to Tuesday's much-noticed stumble, when Roberts got the words of the oath a little off, which prompted Obama to do so, too. Don't worry, the White House says: Obama has still been president since noon on Inauguration Day. Nevertheless, Obama and Roberts went through the drill again out of what White House counsel Greg Craig called "an abundance of caution." This time, the scene was the White House Map Room in front of a small group of reporters, not the Capitol platform before the whole watching world. "We decided that because it was so much fun ...," Obama joked to reporters who followed press secretary Robert Gibbs into the room. No TV camera crews or news photographers were allowed in. A few of Obama's closest aides were there, along with a White House photographer. Roberts put on his black robe. "Are you ready to take the oath?" he said. "Yes, I am," Obama said. "And we're going to do it very slowly." Roberts then led Obama through the oath without any missteps. The president said he did not have his Bible with him, but that the oath was binding anyway. The original, bungled version on Tuesday caught observers by surprise and then got replayed on cable news shows. It happened when Obama interrupted Roberts midway through the opening line, in which the president repeats his name and solemnly swears. Next in the oath is the phrase " ... that I will faithfully execute the office of president of the United States." But Roberts rearranged the order of the words, not saying "faithfully" until after "president of the United States." That appeared to throw Obama off. He stopped abruptly at the word "execute." Recognizing something was off, Roberts then repeated the phrase, putting "faithfully" in the right place but without repeating "execute." But Obama then repeated Roberts' original, incorrect version: "... the office of president of the United States faithfully." Craig, the White House lawyer, said in a statement Wednesday evening: "We believe the oath of office was administered effectively and that the president was sworn in appropriately yesterday. Yet the oath appears in the Constitution itself. And out of the abundance of caution, because there was one word out of sequence, Chief Justice John Roberts will administer the oath a second time." The Constitution is clear about the exact wording of the oath and as a result, some constitutional experts have said that a do-over probably wasn't necessary but also couldn't hurt. Two other previous presidents have repeated the oath because of similar issues, Calvin Coolidge and Chester A. Arthur. __ Associated Press writer Phil Elliott contributed to this report. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090122/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_oath_do_over

Way, way, way, way long overdue. Obama to sign order shutting Gitmo in a year By LARA JAKES and DAVID ESPO, Associated Press Writers Lara Jakes And David Espo, Associated Press Writers � 8 mins ago WASHINGTON � President Barack Obama will begin overhauling U.S. national security policy Thursday with orders to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center, review military trials of terror suspects and end harsh interrogations, two government officials said. Together, the three executive orders and a presidential directive will reshape how the United States prosecutes and questions al-Qaida, Taliban or other foreign fighters who pose a threat to Americans. A senior Obama administration official said the president would sign an order Thursday to shutter the Guantanamo prison within one year, fulfilling his campaign promise to close a facility that critics around the world say violates domestic and international detainee rights. The aide spoke on condition of anonymity because the order has not yet been issued. A draft copy of the order, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, notes that "in view of significant concerns raised by these detentions, both within the United States and internationally, prompt and appropriate disposition of the individuals currently detained at Guantanamo and closure of the facility would further the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States and the interests of justice." An estimated 245 men are being held at the U.S. naval base in Cuba, most of whom have been detained for years without being charged with a crime. The administration already has received permission to suspend the trials at Guantanamo for 120 days pending a review of the military tribunals. Two other executive orders and a presidential directive also are expected Thursday, according to the administration official and an aide to a House Republican lawmaker who was briefed on the plans Wednesday by White House counsel Greg Craig. They include: _An executive order creating a task force that would have 30 days to recommend policies on handling terror suspects who are detained in the future. Specifically, the group would look at where those detainees should be housed since Guantanamo is closing. _An executive order to require all U.S. personnel to follow the U.S. Army Field Manual while interrogating detainees. The manual explicitly prohibits threats, coercion, physical abuse and waterboarding, a technique that creates the sensation of drowning and has been termed a form of torture by critics. However, the administration also is planning a study of more aggressive interrogation methods that could be added to the Army manual, a second Capitol Hill aide said. _A presidential directive for the Justice Department to review the case of Qatar native Ali al-Marri, who is the only enemy combatant currently being held on U.S. soil. The review will look at whether al-Marri has the right to sue the government for his freedom, a right the Supreme Court already has given to Guantanamo detainees. The directive will ask the high court for a stay in al-Marri's appeals case while the review is ongoing. The government says al-Marri is an al-Qaida sleeper agent. The House Republican aide was not authorized to discuss the plans publicly and spoke only on condition of anonymity. Where the detainees would be housed if not at Guantanamo has become a point of contention for Obama as he grapples with the already thorny legal issue. The White House late Wednesday said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will host Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and national security adviser James Jones at the State Department on Thursday in a closed-door meeting to be followed by an address by Obama and Clinton to department employees. The Guantanamo draft obtained by the AP requires a review of each detainees' case to decide whether they should be returned to their home countries, released, transferred elsewhere or sent to another U.S. prison. At least three military prisons � at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., Camp Pendleton, Calif., and Charleston, S.C. � could house some of the Guantanamo detainees, according to a second senior administration official who also spoke on condition of anonymity. Also under consideration, the official said, is the Supermax prison in Florence, Colo., which houses convicted 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui and Olympic bomber Eric Rudolph. House Republican leader John Boehner said he's open to options, "but most local communities around America don't want dangerous terrorists imported into their neighborhoods, and I can't blame them." "The key question is where do you put these terrorists," Boehner said Wednesday. "Do you bring them inside our borders? Do you release them back into the battlefield? If there is a better solution, we're open to hearing it." Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., has long contended the U.S. can handle relocating the detainees "just as it has handled the worst criminals and other terrorists before," spokesman David Carle said. Between 60 and 120 Guantanamo prisoners may be considered low-threat detainees and transferred to other countries, either for rehabilitation or release, the second administration official said. Only Portugal so far has agreed to take some of those detainees, the official said, although diplomatic discussions are ongoing. A State Department spokesman did not immediately know which nations had been asked to accept some prisoners. It's also unclear how the detainees would be prosecuted. The Guantanamo order would halt ongoing military commission trials and lawsuits filed by detainees seeking their release, pending a review. Obama's advisers are looking at whether the terror suspects should be tried in federal courts under long-standing military or civilian criminal law. It's possible the administration could call for a new national security court system � a hybrid of the two � although the official described that as "a last resort." John D. Altenburg Jr., a retired Army general who oversaw the military commissions until November 2006, says Guantanamo should stay open and the tribunals should continue. Trying detainees in federal courts is problematic, he says, because the evidence was collected "on a battlefield" and may be inadmissible outside the commissions, although "it doesn't mean the evidence is tainted." But public interest and human rights groups that long have wanted the facility shuttered were quick to urge Obama to be more aggressive than the draft order's proposals. "It only took days to put these men in Guantanamo," said Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights. "It shouldn't take a year to get them out." ___ Associated Press writers Jennifer Loven, Richard Lardner and Pamela Hess contributed to this report. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090122/ap_on_go_pr_wh/obama_guantanamo

My friend and I were talking about Obama tonight when all of a sudden he asked a question about "Sarah". I asked Sarah who? He LOL and said I'd already forgotten about her (sorta true). I told him about her recent whining over people "using her" to further themselves (Katie Couric/Tina Fey) and I remarked that we'd not heard the last of her yet. She should've taken her own sage advice to Hillary and man up on that. Now this... Palin to media: Leave my kids alone By RACHEL D'ORO, Associated Press Writer � Wed Jan 21, 6:31 pm ET ANCHORAGE, Alaska � Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is going on the offensive against news organizations and bloggers she says are perpetuating malicious gossip about her and her children. But political observers say the former Republican vice presidential candidate can't have it both ways: trotting out the children to showcase her family values, then trying to shield them from scrutiny. Palin's criticism also raises questions about her motivations because she has said she is open to a presidential run in 2012. "I think she's positioning herself. She's attacking the media as a way to generate support among a base she hopes will support her," said Leonard Steinhorn, a professor of communications at American University in Washington and an expert on the presidency. Palin shied away from interviews during the campaign, although her children often accompanied her on her travels, including her oldest daughter, Bristol, who was pregnant at the time. But in recent weeks, she has personally reached out to media outlets such as People magazine and The Associated Press to complain about information she claimed is wrong. She slammed reports that 18-year-old Bristol Palin and the teen's fiance are high school dropouts. The governor insists the two are not dropouts because they enrolled in correspondence courses. The couple last month had a son � the governor's first grandchild. The governor said she is speaking out to set the record straight, not because of any political aspirations. "It's all about the family," she said. "I'm wired in a way that I can take the criticism. I can take the shots. But any mother would want to protect their children from lies and scandalous reporting." In a Jan. 5 interview with conservative filmmaker John Ziegler, Palin also questioned whether Caroline Kennedy's quest for a New York Senate seat was as heavily scrutinized as her vice presidential campaign. When her comments were reported, she chastised journalists for taking her remarks "out of context to create adversarial situations." Steinhorn is not alone among experts who believe the first-term governor is trying to keep her name in the spotlight. A newcomer to national politics when she was nominated, Palin energized the Republican base but also attracted intense criticism that she had little substance. Palin "does seem to have ambitions, and this is one way of staying in the public eye," said Janis Edwards, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Alabama and an expert on women candidates. One of Edwards' classes monitored Palin's role in a project called "The Palin Watch." Palin's grievances include what she calls "false stories" such as a talk show host's suggestion that she helped Levi Johnston get a job in Alaska's North Slope oil fields, circumventing eligibility rules since he does not have a high school diploma. Johnston's father, an engineer for an oil-field services company, has said his position accounted for any help Levi received in getting the apprenticeship job. Palin also lashed out at bloggers and others perpetuating Internet rumors that her 9-month-old son, Trig, is actually Bristol Palin's child from a secret previous pregnancy. Her decision to strike back at news organizations seems to contradict the governor's earlier statements on how politicians should respond to media coverage. Months before she was named John McCain's running mate, Palin attended a leadership forum in Los Angeles and was asked her opinion on then-Sen. Hillary Clinton's allegations that she was being unfairly treated by the media during the primaries. Palin said Clinton did herself a disservice to even mention it. The governor said it bothered her to hear Clinton "bring that attention to herself on that level." Palin said her opinion has not changed since the March 2008 event and insisted that defending her children is her only motivation. "I'm not whining about the treatment of the press, but I am calling reporters on the family aspect of this," she said. "I think it's unprecedented in some respects what I have seen with my children." It's not unprecedented. The children and spouses of high-profile politicians always draw attention. Early in President George Bush's first term, his twin daughters, Jenna and Barbara, made headlines after an embarrassing run-in with the law for underage drinking. So did Kitty Dukakis, the wife of former Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, when she was treated for alcoholism after her husband's unsuccessful presidential campaign in 1988. She later suffered a relapse and was hospitalized after drinking rubbing alcohol. Two weeks before President Obama's inauguration, his daughters Sasha and Malia were escorted to their new schools past a line of waiting photographers. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090121/ap_on_re_us/palin_media

"AP But any mother would want to protect their children from lies and scandalous reporting." What's wrong with that. What *is* painful, is that AP report. The only people quoted are the ones who want to continue to denegrate Sarah Palin; never These people are still consumed with hate ...it has become a part of their DNA. As it has for many ....not quoted. They are to be pitied;-D

Apparently, she wasn't going to be appointed by Gov Patterson.. CAROLINE'S KAPUT QUITS SENATE BID AFTER GOV SOURS ON HER TO REPLACE HILL http://www.nypost.com/seven/01222009/news/politics/carolines_kaput_151351.htm

Ah yes, St. Sarah the Hypocrite. Am I a saint? Of course not, but I don't pretend to be someone I'm not. Do I hate her (such a strong word)? No, I can't be bothered to care that much about her. And I don't agree with picking on her kids now that she's out of the spotlight, but then again, I'm not sure she's taking the right tack in dealing with it either. I mean, does anyone really care how her SIL got his job regardless if it's being reported on or not? I had just about forgotten about her, but it seems she won't let me. ;-) Last night I heard the excuse was because of her uncle, though the first thing I said when my neighbor told me was it's probably because he was going to pick Cuomo. I wish he'd pick already, though have got to hand it to him for keeping his cards very close to his vest.

(Dorine) Last night I heard the excuse was because of her uncle In what way? (SP) "I'm not whining about the treatment of the press, but I am calling reporters on the family aspect of this," she said. "I think it's unprecedented in some respects what I have seen with my children." LOL at how the AP gave specific examples.

"I think it's unprecedented..." I LOL too at the AP saying flat out.....No, it's not. Caroline said she was going to spend more time with her uncle, which then led me to believe that (not surprisingly) the seizure was indicative of a grave condition and he'd be not long for this world. Esp if he had as bad a seizure as some have said. But now, just reading AP/Yahoo today, they've reversed saying it was personal *not* related to him. I almost posted last night's story, then didn't obviously. I should have. It seems her myriad of PR people can't get their stories straight.

Caroline said she was going to spend more time with her uncle Not a reason anyone should believe. It seems her myriad of PR people can't get their stories straight. I saw reports earlier from an unauthorized source that she was going to withdraw her name. Then there was a more affirmative statement or comments from Patterson that she was still a candidate. So I didn't bother to post the first. Her PR people haven't issued anything until this a.m.

So who put out last night she was withdrawing because of her uncle? I only skimmed it and didn't pay attention to who was being sourced.

I didn't totally buy the uncle story, but it was plausible as I noted above. Maybe he told her not to use him as an excuse if she wanted to drop out for whatever reason she is.

What I saw yesterday had an "unnamed" source, someone close. Also, I don't recall it mentioned the uncle at all, just that she was planning on withdrawing her name. No reasons given.

It will be interesting to see where the detainees at Guantanamo are re-located. Kansas said:"No thank you". Ft. Leavenworth has too many children and families on the base. I say send them to Vermont; I am sure Senators Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy would win re-election on that move.

When I got in at 9:30 last night, the uncle story was going around. Like I said, I should've posted it.

Not a new article, but am amazed but how little support there is for his comments. Actually, no I shouldn't be surprised. Yet it will be interesting to see if there is any outcry to appoint another woman to that seat, analogous to the crap that Bobby Rush (IL) mumbled. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17399.html