Obama Fully Invested as CEO-in-Chief

Government trying to unwind stock without losing on the deal

(NEWSER) - The Treasury Department has had a tough time selling off some of the stock it took on in exchange for TARP bailout funds, meaning taxpayers are still on the hook for some $132.9 billion—some of which they may never get back, according to a report released today by the government watchdog overseeing the program. Selling the stock has been complicated by swingy stock market prices, and deep dips in some of the bailed out companies, the AP reports. More»

They say NHTSA delayed announcing investigation

(NEWSER) - Congressional Republicans intend to accuse the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of purposely delaying an announcement about the Chevy Volt's battery fire troubles because President Obama is politically tied to General Motors, and the Volt in particular. The Volt experienced its first fire last June, but the NHTSA didn’t announce an investigation until November, the New York Times explains. In a House regulatory affairs subcommittee hearing today, Republicans will outline all the government help the Volt has gotten, implying a link between these facts. More»

First lady has been a powerful player in her husband's White House: Book

(NEWSER) - A new (unauthorized) book by New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor depicts Michelle Obama as an "unrecognized force" in her husband's administration, according to an adaptation of The Obamas in the Times . Though initially reluctant to be a meddling first lady, she began voicing concerns when she felt her husband's big-picture agenda was getting sacrificed to mundane politics and even pushed the president to shake up his team of advisers, writes Kantor. Some highlights:

• Clashes with Rahm: She had a testy relationship with former chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, and he "chafed" at her influence. The president once passed along a criticism of hers to his staff ("She feels as if our rudder isn't set right"), and Emanuel reportedly repeated it with disdain to others. The excerpts also note that Emanuel offered his resignation at one point, when his criticisms about health care reform went public.

His policies have failed, so he's blaming the rich: Charles Krauthammer

(NEWSER) - President Obama's big speech in Kansas this week makes clear that he's going to resort to class warfare to try to win re-election, writes Charles Krauthammer in the Washington Post . With the economy in shambles, Obama is sticking to his simplistic stick-it-to-the-rich theme ("the breathtaking greed of a few," etc.), happily ignoring the fact that his own policies created much of the problem, argues Krauthammer. More»

He wants to address joint session on Sept. 7

(NEWSER) - Congress will hear about President Obama's plan to create jobs directly from the source: He has asked to address a joint session at 8pm EST on Sept. 7, reports the Hill . His plan would be delivered on the same night and the same time as a GOP presidential debate in California, notes the Washington Post , and will follow Jon Huntsman's proposal today and Mitt Romney's on Tuesday. More»