Republicans Big Users of Reconciliation

Reconciliation, by the way, isn't being used to pass the whole bill just pieces. Republicans have used reconciliation, which blocks a filibuster and requires only 51 votes, 16 out of the 22 times it's been used. So, as usual, we have the republicans acting like trolls because it's what they do best.

Republicans are also on a record setting pace for filibusters:

More certain, however: Opposition Republicans are using the delaying tactic at a record-setting pace. "The numbers are astonishing in this Congress," says Jim Riddlesperger, political science professor at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth.

The filibuster, using seemingly endless debate to block legislative action, has become entrenched like a dandelion tap root in the midst of the shrill partisanship gripping Washington.MSNBC

Republicans view themselves as the ruling party when they're in and out of power. It's as if we didn't even vote.

Obama Says Terrorists Don't Have Special Powers in CNN Interview

Obama says terrorists don't have special powers. Exactly. Finally. Republicans act as though terrorists are a special breed of people, when it's exactly the opposite. Attributing special powers of evil to terrorists elevates them. Why is that so hard for people to understand? Obama is also asked by an Internet viewer why our tax money went to banks without any reciprocation from the banks.

Ed Henry asks if Obama is going to read Sarah Palin's book and if Obama will run in 2012.

Fox's Major Garrett Lands Obama Interview in China

People are making a big deal out of Fox landing Obama, given the "controversy. " But Anita Dunn and the rest of the White House staffers have always said they respected Fox's White House reporters. It was the other more dubious "reporters" at Fox they objected to:

FOX News had to go to China to get President Barack Obama.

When the traveling president sits for a round robin of television news interviews in Beijing, FOX's Major Garrett says he'll be in the loop of five that get 10 minutes apiece with the president.

Garrett "tweeted'' this from China: "I will interview POTUS on camera Wed am here in Beijing. 4 other networks will too. 10 mins per. Many had asked. Can say now.''

CNN senior White House correspondent Ed Henry also gets an interview with the president, which will start airing at 6 am EST Wednesday on CNN's American Morning. Swamp

Ed Henry Explains His AIG Question

Huh? This guy's ego is obviously large enough to think that anyone really cares about his behind the scenes thinking strategy. It was a nice shut down by Obama. End of story. But this guy felt the need to explain:

CNN: The pressure was on now because the president had called on me. Someone handed me a microphone, millions were watching, and it's scary to think about changing topic in a split second because you might get flustered and screw up.

But it's fun to gamble and like any good quarterback (though I was never athletic enough to actually play the position), I decided to call an audible.

So I went hard on the AIG question, and took Wolf's advice and followed on a couple of colleagues who got pushback from the president when they asked about how his budget numbers do not seem to add up.

The president, like any good politician, decided to pick and choose what to answer. So he swatted away the budget question and ignored the AIG stuff.

So I waited patiently and then decided to pounce with a sharp follow-up. From just a few feet away, I could see in his body language that the normally calm and cool president was perturbed.

But it's in moments like that we sometimes find out what's really on a president's mind. In this case, he's not happy about the scrutiny on AIG. So he did slap me down a bit.

Anderson Cooper said later half-jokingly that yours truly was "nursing his wounds."

Even more comical to me was the flood of e-mail I got from Democratic and Republican sources.

Invariably, my Democratic friends tweaked along the lines of "how'd you like the smackdown" because they were pleased the president pushed back.

But my Republican friends hailed me by saying essentially, "Thanks for doing your job -- he never answered the question."

Ed Henry's ego is bruised, says Obama had a "flash of anger." Hardly. Irritation would better characterize the moment:

Obama Shuts Down Reporter: I Like To Know What I'm Talking About

Great press conference.
Obama reiterated themes of persistence and incremental change. But for some, change isn't happening soon enough. When CNN reporter Ed Henry, in a candy cane tie, asked why it took Obama 2 days to talk about the AIG bonuses, Obama said: I like to know what I'm talking about. It was rich. Twitterverse loved it.
Obama also gave a thoughtful answer to a Washington Times reporter on embryonic stem cells. Obama said he considers the ethics and that science isn't the final arbiter of what's right and wrong, but in this case, the vast majority agree, the right thing to do is to find cures for diseases like Parkinsons.
Oh yeah, forgot one goodie--Chuck Todd wasted a question and asked Obama why he hasn't asked Americans to sacrifice anything? To which I thought and Obama said: Americans are sacrificing, jobs, work-life balance, 401ks....

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