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Obama: "The International Community Is More United Than Ever Before" On Iran
In this weekend's YouTube address, President Obama spoke of international cooperation at the G-20 Summit -- including on the crucial issue of dealing with Iran's nuclear program:

"On this, the international community is more united than ever before," said Obama, later adding: "Iran's leaders must now choose - they can live up to their responsibilities and achieve integration with the community of nations. Or they will face increased pressure and isolation, and deny opportunity to their own people."

Isakson Blasts Dems For "Demonizing Regular Citizens" On Health Care
In this weekend's Republican video, Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA) criticized the Democrats on health care, accusing Democrats of a "heavy-handed approach" that has involved "demonizing regular citizens":

"Americans are rightly concerned about the rush to pass a massive overhaul that will raise their taxes, lower their quality of care and put government between them and their doctor," said Isakson. "They also are concerned about the heavy-handed approach the Democrats have taken, such as demonizing regular citizens for asking questions about their plans and imposing a gag order on insurers for suggesting anyone might lose benefits under the Democrats' plan."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama and the First Lady will attend the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's Annual Phoenix Awards Dinner. President Obama will deliver remarks at 8:10 p.m. ET.

Report: Gitmo Closing Goal Of January May Slip
The Associated Press reports that the Obama administration's goal of closing the Guantanamo Bay prison camp by January could be delayed: "Senior administration officials acknowledged for the first time Friday that difficulties in completing the lengthy review of detainee files and resolving other thorny questions mean the president's promised January deadline may slip."

Ahmadinejad Rejects Obama's Charges On Nuclear Efforts
In an interview on CNN's Larry King Live, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad fired back at the allegations that his country is violating nuclear agreements -- and said that President Obama has broken his own commitment to international unity. "We did not expect Mr. Obama within less than 48 hours, to basically violate the commitment that he spoke of at the United Nations," said Ahmadinejad.

Iran: We Will Allow Inspection of Nuclear Site
Iranian Vice President Ali Akbar Salehi has announced that the country will allow the International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect the newly-revealed uranium enrichment facility, though no specific date has been scheduled yet. Salehi also maintained that they have not violated any rules: "Under (NPT) rules, we are required to inform the IAEA of the existence of such a facility 180 days before introducing materials but we are announcing it more than a year earlier. Still, we see there is controversy. We are astonished," he said.

Bill Clinton: "I Decided I Was Wrong" To Have Opposed Gay Marriage
In an interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Bill Clinton explained his recent change of mind to support gay marriage. "So I said, you know, I realized that I was over 60 years old, I grew up at a different time, and I was hung up about the word," said Bill, the president who signed the Defense of Marriage Act into law. "I had all these gay friends, I had all these gay couple friends, and I was hung up about it. And I decided I was wrong."

McDonnell Ad Stars Daughter, An Iraq Veteran
Bob McDonnell, the Republican nominee for Governor of Virginia, has this new TV ad aimed at rebutting attacks over his hard-right grad school thesis, in which he criticized working women. The ad stars his grown daughter, Jeanine, talking about her own service in the Army:

"When dad was elected Attorney General, I was a platoon leader in Iraq," says Jeanine McDonnell. "Whenever I called home, he always said how proud he was of me. Well, I'm proud of my dad. Raising three daughters, he encouraged us to be independent, and achieve our goals."

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24 comments

Recommend Recommend (1)

September 26, 2009 1:47 PM   

Where was Sen. Isakson's concern when anybody speaking out against the Iraq war was deemed unpatriotic and/or a traitor?

And there is a difference between asking serious questions and simply disrupting town halls with their out bursts and theatrics. Republicans don't want an honest discussion because they will lose it so they resort to pushing distortions and outright lies.

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September 26, 2009 1:59 PM   

Thanks Democrats. All you had to do was vote to fund the Obama administration's plan to close Gitmo and agree to send a few dozen terrorists to Supermax prisons (which would create jobs, incidentally). And instead you decided to let NIMBYism and jingoism cow you into voting to block the plan. I can't tell you how inspiring it was to watch you work.

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September 26, 2009 2:15 PM   

Frankly, "regular" is not a word that would have come to my mind to use to describe the typical teabagger.

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September 26, 2009 3:22 PM    in reply to Zell

Exactly.  "Constipated" is more like it.

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September 26, 2009 2:36 PM   

"They also are concerned about the heavy-handed approach the Democrats have taken, such as demonizing regular citizens for asking questions about their plans and imposing a gag order on insurers for suggesting anyone might lose benefits under the Democrats' plan."

I see Johnny's continuing the wonderful Republican tradition of either engaging in serious projection or outright lying, or some combination of the two, every time a Republican says anything about Democrats. What a farce that party has turned into.

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September 26, 2009 3:37 PM   

Someone needs to ask the GOP to define "RUSH". Is there a difference between the GOP sponsered bill, HR3571 - the defund acorn bill" and HR 3200. Not reading a bill, even a 1000 pg bill that has been available since July 31st should have been read by everyone now (Sept 26). Oh, sorry, they were off fund raising money...and goodness, everyone knows that that is certainly more important than legislation!

Get a grip GOP, you were elected to work for the public...and complaining without reading a bill is not an excuse to slowwalk a bill. Do your homework or be ignored! As many polls have shown that even Republican Voters approve of Health Care Reform. All these complaints may have had an impact back in August, but now, it sounds like WHINING!

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September 26, 2009 3:38 PM   

"Regular" citizens. Whatever could he mean by "regular" citizens? Some distinction from some other kind of citizen is implied, but I'm just not really clear on what an old white Republican guy from Georgia could mean by that phrase. Hmmm. Nope, nothing coming to mind . . .

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September 26, 2009 3:46 PM    in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve

It's the new theme. When Anderson Cooper had that Teabag Nutter on, he repeatedly said (of the Tea Baggers and Town Hallers) "These are working stiffs!"

Working stiffs, regular citizens. "Real Americans", if you will.

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September 26, 2009 4:35 PM    in reply to CT Voter

It was actually the entire basis of Palin's '08 campaign. Of course, these self-proclaimed "real Americans" are always the first caught flirting with secessionism.

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September 26, 2009 7:29 PM    in reply to CT Voter

Dare I say "hard working Americans?"

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September 26, 2009 8:36 PM    in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve

Lest we forget those '08 Appalachian Democratic primaries.

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September 27, 2009 12:38 AM    in reply to The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve

I think he means citizens who carry professionally printed posters at teabag demonstrations instead of irregular ones who make their own.


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September 26, 2009 5:09 PM   

No, Johnny, regular citizens aren't being demonized. Monumental self-absorbed asshats are being demonized, and rightly so. Once they stop being monumental self-absorbed asshats, the demonization stops. See how that works?

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September 26, 2009 6:30 PM    in reply to psyclone

Self-absorbed asshats?. Here's a question for the peanut gallery, are the violent protesters at G20 better or worse than the teaparty people? And why?

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AJM

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September 26, 2009 7:19 PM    in reply to shooter242

Most of the thousands of protesters at the G20 were peaceful and asserting their First Amendment rights: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Those who were violent stepped over a line -- nobody has criticized the tea party people for protesting -- what they have been criticized for is deliberately disrupting the meetings of their political opponents.

They can shout and criticize outside all they want -- what is wrong is to shout inside to the point where a meeting cannot be conducted.

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September 26, 2009 7:30 PM    in reply to shooter242

I also didn't see any of them packing heat.

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September 26, 2009 8:45 PM    in reply to shooter242

The G-20 protesters knew what they were protesting.

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September 26, 2009 10:35 PM   

Since when is calling Obama a Nazi or a Communist or Heath Ledger "asking questions" about health care reform? I also must have missed the policy implications of bringing a gun to a rally while carrying a sign making reference to assassination.

I guess I'm just naive.

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September 27, 2009 1:53 AM   

Those are some pretty good answers. Lets see if I can address them.

They can shout and criticize outside all they want -- what is wrong is to shout inside to the point where a meeting cannot be conducted.

Sorry, but the shouting down of conservative speakers on college campi, set the bar. And Code Pink.

I also didn't see any of them packing heat.
One of the more striking statements I've heard, is the frank admission that black groups are scared for Obama's life. That's totally valid. Demonstrating the second amendment to it's limit is a very bad idea in an emotionally charged setting. However there were no people in Obama's presence, ever, carrying a gun that wasn't protection detail. Conflating Obama and a guy with a gun from hours earlier, is just feeding prejudices. Stop it.
The G-20 protesters knew what they were protesting.
Actually I doubt they did. I have the impression that this is a group of people that have little idea of how the world really works letting out a primal scream that life is unfair and they don't know what to do about it besides breaking windows. Like a two year old. It seems that tea party types aren't political junkies, just scared that Obama is going to make them worse off than they are now, in terms of choices, autonomy, and cost. That's a very valid fear also. After all, Teapartyers seem to actually do stuff, rather than sit around and think of what "other people should do".
Since when is calling Obama a Nazi or a Communist or Heath Ledger "asking questions" about health care reform?
Tsk. Glen Beck mouthing off isn't a town hall on healthcare. Tea Party people are much more polite. More importantly, consevatives don't want to emulate liberals in using the Nazi card. Beck is getting pushback from other commentators for being inflamatory. On the other hand, you folks have The Ed show and Olbermann. That should even things up.
I also must have missed the policy implications of bringing a gun to a rally while carrying a sign making reference to assassination.
I'm not surprised. Especially since Jefferson isn't talking about assassination. Like black groups being afraid for Obama's life, there are a lot of conservative groups the are scared Obama is going to change the American model from West Germany prosperity, to East German oppression and poverty. I'm sure to you, that is non-sensical, but rest assured it's a big deal to voters and taxpayers. I wouldn't worry about it too much though. If Ayers can blow up the Pentagon, some guy leaglly carrying around a gun is okay.

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September 27, 2009 10:35 AM    in reply to shooter242

So you're a blowhard, but what you're saying in far too many words is that you're a McVeighist.

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September 27, 2009 10:51 AM    in reply to Overreach THIS!

Bingo. And a lying coward as well. Exhibit A of the state of the Republican party members. Hateful of America.

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September 27, 2009 12:25 PM    in reply to shooter242

Shorter shooter242: "Well I can think of liberal groups who in my warped way of thinking are just as bad as the Teabaggers. Sure, none of them are elected officials with any actual power, and none of them has ever talked about secession. But they exist, so that makes it ok for conservatives to do the same!"

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September 27, 2009 2:31 PM    in reply to Xantar

Exactly.

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September 27, 2009 1:31 PM   

Demonzng citiens!! He can't be serious! The GOP have spent the summer scaring the elderly that Obama already has the casket door closed and they are to be buried

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