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Snow fights back
New White House Press Secretary Tony Snow has challenged major news
organizations about their news biases according to the
Examiner:
Until this week, Bush administration officials rarely issued detailed
rebuttals of articles they considered unfair. But Snow, who is expected to
give his first public briefing Monday, has taken a more combative stance.
This week he has hit back at The New York Times and USA Today. On Thursday,
he criticized the AP for a story headlined: "Army Guard, Reserve fall short
of April recruiting goals."
The White House countered: "The Army National Guard, Air Force Reserve, and
Marine Corps Reserve all have exceeded or achieved their year-to-date
recruitment goals."
Americans like spying on terrorists
The
Washington Post-ABC News Poll shows that Americans like their government
spying on terrorists:
A majority of Americans initially support a controversial National Security
Agency program to collect information on telephone calls made in the United
States in an effort to identify and investigate potential terrorist threats,
according to a
Washington Post-ABC News poll.
The new survey found that 63 percent of Americans said they found the NSA
program to be an acceptable way to investigate terrorism, including 44
percent who strongly endorsed the effort. Another 35 percent said the
program was unacceptable, which included 24 percent who strongly objected to
it.
McCain
helps Nussle
Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has written a message of support for Rep. Jim Nussle
who is running for Iowa governor that has been e-mailed to Republican
activists. Here is part of the message:
I had the opportunity to visit Iowa recently to help out Jim Nussle in his
gubernatorial campaign. I saw firsthand that Iowans need a principled leader
who has the positive vision and bold ideas to energize Iowa's future.
Having worked with Jim over the years and seen him deliver time and again, I
know he's the right person for the job. Jim is a reformer because he
cares about getting results.
Speaking from experience, I can tell Jim knows how important it is to put
straight talk above politics. He has a proven record of reaching across
party lines to deliver real results for Iowa's workers, families and
seniors. Jim's constant commitment to delivering common-sense solutions is
the reason why he's been elected by Republicans, Independents and Democrats.
Representing and winning in a typically Democratic district, it's clear that
Jim Nussle's priorities are Iowa priorities. He has put Iowa above party
politics every time.
It's clear Jim has the positive vision to energize Iowa's future.
With Jim Nussle as governor, Iowa will achieve world class education; create
jobs and foster entrepreneurial growth; provide affordable health care, and
improve Iowa's strong quality of life.
Democrats take aim at Jackson
The Democrat Party has taken aim at the HUD secretary hoping to drive him
from public service for doing what the Clinton administration did. Here is
part of their recent e-mail to party acrtivists:
Alphonso Jackson, the Republican Secretary of Housing and Urban Development,
told a story recently during a talk he gave in Dallas. Here's what he said,
according to the Dallas Business Journal:
Jackson closed with a cautionary tale, relaying a conversation he had with a
prospective advertising contractor.
"He had made every effort to get a contract with HUD for 10 years," Jackson
said of the prospective contractor. "He made a heck of a proposal and was
on the (General Services Administration) list, so we selected him. He came
to see me and thank me for selecting him. Then he said something ... he
said, 'I have a problem with your president.'
"I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'I don't like President Bush.'
I thought to myself, 'Brother, you have a disconnect -- the president is
elected, I was selected. You wouldn't be getting the contract unless I was
sitting here. If you have a problem with the president, don't tell the
secretary.'
"He didn't get the contract," Jackson continued. "Why should I reward
someone who doesn't like the president, so they can use funds to try to
campaign against the president? Logic says they don't get the contract.
That's the way I believe."
Hillary and Murdoch
The
Financial Times reports on Sen. Hillary Clinton's (D-NY) friendship with
conservative media giant Rupert Murdoch, who is hosting a fund-raiser for
the Senator this summer:
Mrs. Clinton has worked to tone down the liberal image she won during her
husband's presidency, when she led the failed fight for national healthcare.
She has courted Newt Gingrich, the former House speaker, appearing with him
on a panel on healthcare reform, and Republican senator Lindsay Graham, who
was involved in impeachment charges against Mr. Clinton.
Donna Brazile, a Democratic strategist who managed Al Gore's 2000
presidential campaign, said Mr. Murdoch's decision showed that Mrs. Clinton
had "crossover appeal".
But polls show she remains a polarising figure. A recent ABC News/Washington
Post survey found that while 80 per cent of Democrats had a favourable
impression of Mrs. Clinton, 79 per cent of Republicans had an unfavourable
view, including 64 per cent who said they felt strongly unfavourable. By
comparison, Senator John McCain, the Republican frontrunner, has lower
disapproval ratings, at 20 per cent, in a recent Wall Street Journal poll.
Vilsack to New Hampshire
Governor Tom Vilsack (D-IA) has accepted an invitation to headline the
Manchester City Democratic Committee's annual Flag Day fund-raiser on June
14, said Ray Buckley, vice chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party.
Vilsack was unable to attend an earlier event in deference to Hurricane
Katrina.
Bayh to Iowa
Sen. Evan Bayh (D-IN) is returning to Iowa on May 19 to headline the Polk
County Democrats' spring fund-raiser.
Edwards in New Hampshire
Sen. John Edwards (D-NC) is in Manchester today where he meets privately
with people struggling to make ends meet and hold a media availability with
reporters afterwards.
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