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"Is This Thing On?" Live-Mic Oops Crank Up Bush and Jackson

CitizenSugar — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 08:01:38 -0700

Live microphones are turning controversial remarks up to an "11" this week. Jesse Jackson used the N-word — the one for the dangly part of the male anatomy — when dishing about Obama during a break from taping a segment on Fox & Friends on Sunday. Jackson was, he thought secretly, gossiping with his co-guest about Obama's position on black churches and his support for faith-based charities. Jackson made the rude (and puzzling) remark, "I want to cut his n**ts off," into his live mic, moments before going on air.

Jackson didn't know his words had been picked up at the time, but by yesterday the clip was ready to air on The O'Reilly Factor and Jackson was in full damage-control mode, apologizing at a news conference in Chicago and releasing a statement saying:

For any harm or hurt that this hot mic private conversation may have caused, I apologize. My support for Senator Obama's campaign is wide, deep and unequivocal.

Barack Obama has accepted his apology. His spokesman said, "[Obama] will continue to speak out about our responsibilities to ourselves and each other, and he of course accepts Rev. Jackson's apology."

Not all hot-mic trouble results in hot water. George W. Bush had an uncharacteristically endearing private/public address series of moments at the G-8 Summit this week. To see what everyone heard him say,

Developing Economies Don't Back G-8 Emissions Goal

CitizenSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 08:55:18 -0700

Developing Economies Don't Back G-8 Emissions Goal A day after the G-8 set a goal of halving heat-trapping emissions that contribute to global warming by 2050, a US-led, 17-member group including developing nations issued a final statement: "We support a shared vision for long-term cooperative action, including a long-term global goal for emission reductions, that assures growth, prosperity, and other aspects of sustainable development," though stopped short of supporting the 50 percent reduction by 2050.

George W. Bush Is Getting Results, Even If No One Notices

CitizenSugar — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 06:00:11 -0700

I'm sending around an apology card for everyone to sign — it seems a lot of us have been selling Bush short. In an editorial opinion from the Wall Street Journal (newly purchased by Rupert Murdoch) Bush’s commitment to helping the poor and sick abroad has been largely ignored. The piece asserts that once the G-8 summit, now wrapping up, completes its country tally on who is providing the most money to combat disease and hunger, the US will emerge as the conclusive leader — thanks in large part to Bush.

According to the piece, AIDS relief is booming. Before President Bush launched his Emergency Program for AIDS Relief in 2003, only about 50,000 afflicted in sub-Saharan Africa were getting medical treatments. Since the implementation of his plan, the program has expanded to $15 billion reaching an estimated 1.5 million people. And then there's this big rock we call home. To see how Bush's environmental leadership has been overlooked,

Front Page: G-8 on Energy, Climate, and Africa, Women Bishops Allowed, Free Gas For Life

CitizenSugar — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 06:56:55 -0700

G-8 on Energy, Climate, and Africa:
Amid protests, the leaders of the G-8 economic powers acknowledged today that rising food and oil prices will affect world growth, but they're optimistic that the global economy will snap back. Calling on petroleum suppliers to boost production, they expressed their "strong concern" over commodity prices. Then the G-8 confirmed a goal to cut global greenhouse gases by 50 percent by 2050, with additional goals for developing countries. Divisions came during a meeting with African leaders over the situation in Zimbabwe, with the US and Britain proposing an arms embargo and the African leaders promoting a power-sharing agreement.

Women Bishops Allowed:
The governing body of the Anglican Church in Britain voted yesterday to approve the appointment of women as bishops in the church. It's a step that could risk a schism in the church while still battling the most serious threat to its unity over allowing gay clergy members. The vote in favor of women came 16 years after similar debate to approve the ordination of women as ministers within the British church.
Free Gas For Life:
The Florida Lottery has instituted an attractive second place prize in response to climbing oil prices — free gas for life. Players consider the prize more attractive than the cash grand prize. With the average price over $4 a gallon, one Floridian said we've hit a tipping point where, "gas has become more precious than cash now."

Bush Says "Yo Harper. . . Medvedev's a 'Smart Guy'" Well Said?

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 15:45:09 -0700

The G-8 Summit is well under way — the dominant stories heading out of the talks settle around the speaking style of the Decider in Chief, George W. Bush. Known for his colloquial folksiness and rampant nicknamery, a few such quotes have surfaced today.Bush sat down to meet with Dmitry Medvedev on the occasion of the Russian leader's first face-to-face meeting with Bush. At the conclusion of the hour meeting, the two had agreed on the need for Iran and North Korea to dump their nuclear ambitions — though stopped short of bridging their differences on Bush's proposal to build a missile-defense system in Europe. But the money quote circulating after the diplomatic meeting is this: “You know, I’m not going to sit here and psychoanalyze the man, but I will tell you that he’s very comfortable, he’s confident, and that I believe that when he tells me something, he means it. . . . I found him to be a smart guy who understood the issues very well.”

And then there's the second "yo" heard 'round the world. Reporters are tittering after President Bush slung an arm around the shoulders of the Nigerian President and called out to get the attention of the Canadian Prime Minister, "Yo, Harper. The president of Nigeria." It's not the first time such casual lingo seeped into high-level talks (the first caused quite a stir) but does it make a bigger statement about the perception of the US on the world stage? Do two "yo"s make a right? Source

Bush Says "Yo Harper. . . Medvedev's a 'Smart Guy'" Well Said?

Casual speech like "yo" shows confidence. It doesn't reflect poorly on the US at all.

I see why the media picked up on it, though it's too bad that's the focus of the coverage.

Speaking like that shows a lack of respect for the proceedings and makes me cringe.

Other. I've got a few "yo"s of my own for the comments, smart guy.

The Way We Became the G-8 Bunch: The Summit Episode

CitizenSugar — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 03:00:33 -0700

The G-8 Summit gets underway in Hakkaido, Japan today; a three-day meeting of the leaders of the eight countries invited, plus a representative of the European Union.
Grown from the concept of a forum of the major industrialized democracies after the 1973 oil crisis, more have been invited until 1997 when the last member, Russia, was invited at the initiative of then US President Bill Clinton.

The guest list is at the edge of controversy this year, as major climate issues are at hand, and two of the worst polluters (China and India) aren't invited. Here's who is (top to bottom, left to right):

Marcia Brady: United Kingdom, Gordon Brown
Jan Brady: United States, George W Bush
Cindy Brady: Germany, Angela Merkel
Carol Brady: Canada, Stephen Harper
Ann B. Davis as Alice: European Union, Jose Manuel Barroso
Mike Brady: Japan, Yasuo Fukada
Greg Brady (Johnny Bravo): France Nicolas Sarkozy
Peter Brady: Russia, Dmitry Medvedev
Bobby Brady: Italy, Silvio Berlusconi

What's going to happen in this very special episode of the G-8 bunch? Well, no one's going to find a Tiki idol or Vincent Price in a cave, but some other important stuff instead. To find out,