Newser Story Index from January, 2009
Welcome to the Newser Story Index. Here you find stories written by Newser writers and editors, assembled with supporting photos and videos from the files of the news story.
Thank Portrait for Obama's Success: Hope Artist
Smithsonian
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Jan 18, 2009 12:19 PM CST
(Newser) -
The iconic Hope image of Barack Obama helped get the Illinois senator elected president, says the graphic designer who created the image. “It has exceeded my expectations almost from the get-go,” Shepard Fairey told Smithsonian magazine, adding that Obama’s “unique” look was an inspiration for him and the public. “That...
Pelosi Open to Prosecuting Bushies
Fox News
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Jan 18, 2009 11:50 AM CST
(Newser) -
Nancy Pelosi would consider prosecuting some Bush White House officials, she told Fox News Sunday , even though Barack Obama has signaled that he doesn't favor such a move. "We cannot let the politicizing of, for example, the Justice Department to go unreviewed," says the speaker of the House.
Russia, Ukraine Reach Natural Gas Agreement
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2009 11:05 AM CST
(Newser) -
Russian gas will resume flowing into Ukraine’s domestic market today after the two countries settled their frosty dispute, the New York Times reports. As is customary for Western Europe, Kiev will now pay Moscow rates tied to the price of oil, but will receive a 20% discount, unlike Gazprom’s other European customers. Prices are expected...
Angelou on Michelle: Welcome the 'Real Deal'
Washington Post
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Jan 18, 2009 10:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
North Carolina, the state that gave us Jesse Helms and more than a few Klan members, went wild for Michelle Obama at a September rally as a stunned Maya Angelou watched, the poet recalls in the Washington Post. People of all races gave a thunderous welcome to the next first lady, who Angelou calls “the real deal,” borrowing the phrase...
NYT Courts Investment From Mexican Billionaire
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 18, 2009 10:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
The New York Times is in talks with Mexican telecom billionaire and current shareholder Carlos Slim about making a significant investment in the beleaguered newspaper, reports the Wall Street Journal . One possibility under discussion is a preferred-stock arrangement, which would be similar to a loan. Slim's investment would earn him an annual dividend,...
'Oedipally Oddball W' Makes His Long Exit
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2009 9:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
George W. Bush’s insecurity and aversion to doubt—“the psychological traits of an asphyxiated and pampered son”—led to his botched presidency, Maureen Dowd writes in the New York Times . Rather than being a source of presidential insight on Iraq and Saddam, Bush’s father was relegated “to the status of a blankie,”...
Top Saudi Cleric Backs Marriage of 10-Year-Old Girls
CNN
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Jan 18, 2009 9:27 AM CST
(Newser) -
The top Muslim cleric in Saudi Arabia has issued a statement supporting marriage for girls as young as 10, reports CNN. "Those who think she's too young are wrong and they are being unfair to her," he declared. The statement follows the refusal last month by a Saudi judge to annul a marriage between an 8-year-old girl and a 47-year-old man....
Patient US Has Faith in Obama: Poll
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2009 8:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
Americans are vastly unhappy about the current state of the union—but have widespread faith in Barack Obama to nurse the nation back to health, according to the latest polls. Of those surveyed, 79% of Americans are optimistic about Obama's tenure, a higher figure than findings for the past five presidents, according to a New York Times /CBS...
Kendra 'So Sorry' About Hef Sex Diss
Entertainment Weekly
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Jan 18, 2009 8:25 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hugh Hefner's ex "girlfriend" is now so sorry she blew his playboy cover by revealing she had to sneak sex elsewhere while living with the octogenarian publisher at the Playboy mansion. As for her revelation, Kendra Wilkinson can't "take that back," she admits. But "I'm so very sorry to have hurt Hef," she said. "I...
Palestinians Agree to Ceasefire
Reuters
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Jan 18, 2009 8:03 AM CST
(Newser) -
Hamas and other Gaza militants have agreed to an immediate ceasefire, and will allow Israel a week to pull troops out of the area, a Hamas official said today in Egypt. Israel said it would withdraw if the truce was upheld. It had declared a unilateral ceasefire beginning early this morning, but Hamas had vowed to keep fighting until troops were withdrawn...
Banks Relish Public Funds, Won't Loan to Public
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2009 7:35 AM CST
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Banks are enjoying a public bailout of billions of dollars, but they're not using the funds the way the way they were intended—to loan money to kickstart the economy, reports the New York Times . Banks are using the bucks to pay off debts and, in some cases, acquire companies. “Make more loans?” asked one incredulous bank president....
Gaza Skirmishes Defy Ceasefire
New York Times
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Jan 18, 2009 7:08 AM CST
(Newser) -
Skirmishes have continued in Israel and Gaza after Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire yesterday, the New York Times reports. Militants fired rockets at an Israeli border town, and Israel responded with an air strike. In Gaza, a lone gunman faced off against Israeli troops. Hamas has said it will fight until Israel pulls out of Gaza; Israel has...
Boy, 6, Killed at Monster Truck Show
Seattle Times
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Jan 18, 2009 6:38 AM CST
(Newser) -
A 6-year-old Washington boy was killed when he was struck in the head by a flying piece of metal while watching a Monster Truck show. It wasn't immediately clear what flew off one of the trucks and up over a safety barrier. Another fan in the stands was also injured. The weekend performances continued as planned, despite the death, though the problem...
Boss: 'US Revealed True Heart Election Night'
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 6:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
America has finally shown "its real face" with the election of Barack Obama, and "an exhilaration I've never seen" after a campaign victory, Bruce Springsteen told the Guardian . The singer, who has never worn his politics lightly, ardently campaigned for Obama. "Obama's a unique figure in history," Springsteen said....
Harry Faces Disciplinary Action for Racist Slur
Telegraph (UK)
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Jan 18, 2009 5:40 AM CST
(Newser) -
Prince Harry will likely receive a formal reprimand after a video of him using a racist slur made waves in the British press, reports the Telegraph. Harry has already had one meeting with his regiment commander over his use of "our little Paki friend" to describe a captain in the Pakistani army. The British military has a zero-tolerance...
Most Caffeinated American Cities
Reuters
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Jan 18, 2009 5:13 AM CST
(Newser) -
Tampa residents are the nation’s most caffeinated—and in the deepest denial about their addiction, reports Reuters. Though tops in ingesting caffeine-based pain relievers, "respondents in Tampa rank number one in saying they're least likely to be addicted to caffeine," said a rep for the company that commissioned the poll. The...
Mating Calls Bare More Than Desire
Economist
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Jan 18, 2009 4:52 AM CST
(Newser) -
Like human songs, animal calls are said to spur courtship, but what exactly does each wail and snort signify? To find out, a pair of Tel Aviv zoologists studied the mating songs of furry little rock hyraxes in the Judean desert. The researchers found that male hyrax courtship "songs" not only express desire, but give potential mates...
Plane Is Out; Crew's Story Begins to Emerge
New York Times
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Jan 17, 2009 11:43 PM CST
(Newser) -
Investigators hoisted the US Airways jet out of the Hudson last night as crew interviews and transcripts began to shed light on the fateful flight, the New York Times reports. Among the revelations: Pilot Chesley Sullenberger was not at the controls when the plane hit a flock of geese, but he took over from co-pilot Jeffrey B. Skiles—a...
Don't Eat Peanut Butter Products, FDA Warns
Associated Press
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Jan 17, 2009 9:48 PM CST
(AP) -
Federal health authorities today urged consumers to avoid eating cookies, cakes, ice cream, and other foods that contain peanut butter until authorities can learn more about a deadly outbreak of salmonella contamination. Most peanut butter sold in jars at supermarkets appears to be safe. More than 470 people have gotten sick in 43 states, and at least...
Doctor Didn't Recognize Own Dad After Beating
Honolulu Advertiser
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Jan 17, 2009 8:02 PM CST
(Newser) -
Dr. Shirley Domingo didn’t recognize the savagely beaten man she treated in the Intensive Care Unit Tuesday at Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu. It wasn’t until her brother called later that evening that she realized the truth: It was her own father. “It was a shock,” she said yesterday at a press conference, tears on...
In DC, Rash of Wary Tux Renters Ahead of Inaugural
Washington Post
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Jan 17, 2009 8:02 PM CST
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Uninitiated DC men are scrambling to procure tuxedos for the inauguration, and they, luckily, have a few seasoned resources, the Washington Post reports. While inveterate ball-goers frequent Brooks Brothers and such, a younger class of invitees is flocking to the capital’s rental shops, where veteran tailors calm their jitters. “It will...
Israel Quiets Guns in Gaza
Reuters
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Jan 17, 2009 7:05 PM CST
(Newser) -
Israel ended its 3-week assault on Gaza today by enacting a unilateral ceasefire that Hamas has vowed to ignore, Reuters reports. Israeli leaders voted today to halt the offensive, which has killed nearly 1,200 people and incited strong reactions worldwide, MSNBC reports. “Goals have been achieved and even more,” Prime Minister Ehud Olmert...
Sonos Zaps Tunes to All Rooms
Esquire
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Jan 17, 2009 7:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
A Sonos Music System has revolutionized the musical life of producer/director Barry Sonnenfeld. "It may be one of the electronic devices I can't do without," he writes in Esquire . What a Sonos can do: It streams music wirelessly throughout the house, sending different tunes to different stereos in different rooms. Yes, you...
Phoenix Rises as Rapper Joaquin
People
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Jan 17, 2009 6:52 PM CST
(Newser) -
Retired actor and ex-Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix hit a Vegas stage last night in his new incarnation—as a rapper, People reports. "This is me saying this is who I am. This is my story," Phoenix said before performing at LAVO in The Palazzo. Brother-in-law Casey Affleck recorded it for a video doc about Phoenix's transition to music...
Obama Arrives in Washington
Washington Post
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Jan 17, 2009 6:30 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama rolled into Washington tonight on the last stop of his historic whistlestop train journey, the Washington Post reports. Obama retraced the path of Abraham Lincoln and called for a "new declaration of independence" for the nation. To see photos of the trip—which Joe Biden joined in Wilmington, Del.—click on Slideshow....
High-Calorie Diet Makes Moms Have Boys: Study
NPR
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Jan 17, 2009 6:23 PM CST
(Newser) -
In news that may affect diets in China, a recent study says women who down more calories—cereal especially—are more likely to give birth to boys, NPR reports. One statistician questions the survey of 740 moms, saying "the female has nothing to do with the gender of the child." But study author Fiona Mathews says she...
Hit Man May Have Offed Fabled Scholar
Der Spiegel
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Jan 17, 2009 5:45 PM CST
(Newser) -
Seminal Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe died in 1601 of mercury poisoning, a demise that funeral orators called "unexpected" and modern scholars are calling murder, Der Spiegel reports. As they plan to exhume Brahe's body, one specialist says he has uncovered the killer's diary: "It contains the details of the attack and, indirectly,...
North Korea Threatens to 'Shatter' South
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 17, 2009 5:21 PM CST
(Newser) -
North Korea threatened to “shatter” South Korea today as reports surfaced that Pyongyang may have enough plutonium stocks to produce at least four nuclear bombs, the Guardian reports. The North said rising hostilities with Seoul compelled it to take “an all-out confrontational posture” over a disputed maritime border that...
Aussies Are World's Rudest Employees
Reuters
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Jan 17, 2009 4:51 PM CST
(Newser) -
Australian businesspeople are the rudest in the world—or so says a new study, Reuters reports. Aussies are more likely than their peers in other countries to curse, talk loudly, and take personal calls on the job—actions considered grave violations of workplace etiquette in nations like the US and Japan.
Hey Brother, Can You Spare a Job?
Slate
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Jan 17, 2009 4:26 PM CST
(Newser) -
President Bush is looking for work in the worst job market in decades. He might call it unemployment, but his critics call it "poetic justice," Daniel Gross writes in Slate. After leaving Washington, Bill Clinton reported income of $90 million—a figure Bush is unlikely to match given the recession and, well, the spite of the nation....
Admit It: Bush Was Right (Once)
Washington Post
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Jan 17, 2009 3:32 PM CST
(Newser) -
The surge worked, writes Peter Beinart in the Washington Post, and liberals need to admit it—for their own good. Some 500 Iraqis died in Iraq in November, down from 3,475 in November 2006, a major success by any standard. American deaths fell from 69 to 12. But Democrats are loath to admit Bush was right about anything, because “they...
Winehouse Won't Go to Divorce Court, No, No, No!
People
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Jan 17, 2009 3:07 PM CST
(Newser) -
Amy Winehouse is standing by her man even though he's planning to divorce her, People reports. “I still love my Blake,” the singer said after reports surfaced that her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, told his lawyer to file for divorce to end the rocky marriage. “I won't let him divorce me," Winehouse said. Fielder-Civil...
Second Engine Still Intact in Hudson Crash
Associated Press
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Jan 17, 2009 2:45 PM CST
(AP) -
The US Airways jet that survived a crash-landing in the Hudson River lay in a thickening flow of ice today as the bitter cold complicated efforts to retrieve a jet that now appears to be more intact than previously thought, the AP reports. Federal investigators said the aircraft's right engine, which they initially believed had come off and drifted...
UK Squatters Wait Out Recession in Mansions
Washington Post
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Jan 17, 2009 2:24 PM CST
(Newser) -
In the middle of one of London’s ritziest neighborhoods, a dozen young artists are lounging in the scantly lit living room of a $33 million mansion, eating curry made from ingredients found in the trash. The current recession has reignited England’s passion for squatting, the Washington Post reports. “It’s better for a building...
Mad Men Creator Will Stay On
Variety
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Jan 17, 2009 2:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
The creator of the AMC hit Mad Men will stay on at the show after strained negotiations with the network yielded him a seven-figure deal, Variety reports. Matthew Weiner's two-year commitment, covering the third and fourth seasons of the '60s-era drama, is said to include a commitment to develop a film with Lionsgate, which produces the show. The...
US Choice: Put Money in Startups or Big Three
BusinessWeek
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Jan 17, 2009 1:42 PM CST
(Newser) -
Small upstart Tesla wants to build on the success of its bold electric sports car—the pricey Roadster—by building a tamer sedan for the masses. But to do so, it needs a big infusion of cash from the Obama administration, which is looking to boost clean energy. The situation, notes Devid Welch in BusinessWeek , poses a tricky question for...
Mugabe Acknowledges Cholera Epidemic
AFP
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Jan 17, 2009 1:21 PM CST
(Newser) -
Robert Mugabe has backtracked on his denial of the Zimbabwean cholera crisis, AFP reports. “He is acknowledging there is a problem,” said a UNICEF official who met with him today. “He recognizes there is a problem with the water and the sewer systems.” The admission comes as opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai returned to the...
SOS: Historic Queen Mary Needs Saving
Press-Telegram (Long Beach)
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Jan 17, 2009 1:00 PM CST
(Newser) -
The Queen Mary needs a new lease on life now that a developer is selling its interest in the iconic ship’s lease, the Press-Telegram reports. One of the partners of Save the Queen, which bought the Queen Mary’s lease for $43 million in 2007, is having financial issues, forcing the company to cut its ties to the Long Beach-owned ship....
Obama Will Ban Torture— But Considers a Loophole
Associated Press
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Jan 17, 2009 12:38 PM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama is set to prohibit waterboarding and other enhanced interrogation techniques by mandating the CIA follow the US Army Field Manual when questioning suspects, the AP reports. But as the president-elect debates whether to make the changes through legislation or presidential fiat, the incoming administration is also considering a loophole...
Aussie 'Tough Love' Upends Aboriginal Society
Wall Street Journal
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Jan 17, 2009 12:15 PM CST
(Newser) -
Australia's controversial "tough love" program is toppling the Aborigines' traditional social structure, the Wall Street Journal reports. The government's effort to tackle rampant violence, child abuse, and alcoholism among Aborigines by banning alcohol sales and supplying welfare payments in credit for food and other essentials instead...
Bin Laden Son Leaves Iran for Pakistan
New York Times
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Jan 17, 2009 11:43 AM CST
(Newser) -
American officials say Saad bin Laden, a son of Osama and an al-Qaeda operative, is free from years of house arrest in Iran and is now in Pakistan, the New York Times reports. The circumstances of his enforced stay in Iran are unclear, as are those surrounding his release, or possible escape. The US believes he and other al-Qaeda fighters were held...
Huckabee Keeps On Running
Esquire
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Jan 17, 2009 11:31 AM CST
(Newser) -
Almost a year removed from the presidential campaign trail, Mike Huckabee is as busy as ever, with a Fox News show, a book tour, and a crowded speaking schedule. Tagging along with "the most likable politician I've ever met" as he visits suburban New Jersey, AJ Jacobs of Esquire finds the former Arkansas governor a paradoxical package....
Inaugural TV Deals Bring Big Bucks, Controversy
Washington Post
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Jan 17, 2009 11:07 AM CST
(Newser) -
Barack Obama’s inaugural organizing team has struck the most lucrative series of TV deals ever seen for its slate of inaugural events, raking in more than $5 million from various networks, the Washington Post reports. HBO landed the juiciest prize, paying $2.5 million for exclusive rights to tomorrow’s concert at the Lincoln Memorial....
Tea Bubble Bursts, Leaving Chinese Broke
New York Times
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Jan 17, 2009 10:51 AM CST
(Newser) -
Thousands of people in China's Yunnan province were left in the cold when the country's red-hot tea market collapsed last year, the New York Times reports. The newly affluent nation went wild for the Pu'er region's distinctive fermented tea—said to reduce cholesterol and cure hangovers—during its decade-long boom. Investors rushed in...
He's a Good Pilot; Let's Leave It at That
Gawker
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Jan 17, 2009 10:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
Chesley Sullenberger's skillful landing on the Hudson has made him America's latest hero, but let's not catapult the man into celebritydom, pleads a Gawker essay. Press-ganging the pilot into endless TV appearances (or book deals, parades, whatever) smacks of exploitation and will slowly separate the man from the actual act of heroism. "The...
Obama Embarks on Symbolic Train Ride to DC
Associated Press
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Jan 17, 2009 10:30 AM CST
(AP) -
Barack Obama undertook the final leg of his inaugural journey today, embarking on a whistle-stop train tour from Philadelphia that retraces Lincoln's journey to Washington a century and a half ago. Big crowds are expected along the way, and VP-elect Joe Biden comes aboard in Wilmington, Del. "Only a handful of times in our history has a generation...
Why This Recession Won't Be Another Dot-Com Bust
Economist
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Jan 17, 2009 10:03 AM CST
(Newser) -
The tech industry is going through tough times, including widespread layoffs, but it's not going to be another dot-com bust, predicts the Economist, laying out the differences between 2001 and 2009 . In 2000, technology companies grew nearly 16%, only to contract by 6% a year later. “The IT industry simply imploded,” says one vet. “It...
Right Groups Cite Evidence of Israeli Phosphorus Use
Guardian (UK)
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Jan 17, 2009 9:46 AM CST
(Newser) -
Witness accounts are adding weight to accusations by human rights groups that Israel is violating international law by using white phosphorus as a weapon against civilians, the Guardian reports. Palestinians say the incendiary shells were used to set their homes on fire and doctors report treating patients with injuries clearly caused by white phosphorus,...
Vatican Goes Viral With YouTube Channel
Reuters
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Jan 17, 2009 9:35 AM CST
(Newser) -
The Vatican is teaming with Google to get more tech-savvy: It will soon have its own YouTube channel, Reuters reports. Visitors to the page will have a front-row seat to church events and papal appearances. More details will emerge at a Friday press conference with Vatican leaders and a Google director. The Vatican already boasts a Television Center,...
Bush's Biggest Error: He Asked Nothing of Us
Washington Post
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Jan 17, 2009 9:33 AM CST
(Newser) -
Soon after 9/11, a reporter asked George Bush how much ordinary Americans would be expected to sacrifice. Bush’s reply? “People may not be able to board flights as quickly.” That was it. Bush declared a war without asking anything of anyone save the enlisted and their families, and that, in David Broder’s mind, was “the...
