Cloudy Forecast for Budget Plan

"The Congressional Budget Office placed a new hurdle in front of President Obama’s agenda on Friday, calculating that the White House’s tax and spending plans would create deficits totaling $2.3 trillion more than the president’s budget projected for the next decade."- Jackie Calmes, New York Times.

There are many against the presidents plan, one of these individuals is Republican Senator Judd Gregg of New Hampshire. He believes this forecast proves the choices the Obama administration has made for the economy are poor ones and will negatively impact future generations.

Calmes also reported that long term predictions have a tendency to be unreliable, but they set a base for debates between the two parties. It basically gives them a reason to argue with each other.

Stacie Ayala

Journalism 311 Student

Obama Reaches out to Iran

President Obama starred on the Late Night with Jay Leno show last night. According to the Wall Street Journal Jay and Mr. Obama discussed everything from bowling to the AIG situation.

The Wall Street Journal also reported that The White House released a video tape which shows President Obama's recent attempts to reach out to Iran. "The president appealed directly to the Iranian government and its people to forge a new relationship with the U.S. The video, which was also posted online, is a sign of his administration's intensifying efforts to use diplomacy to end Tehran's nuclear East-based militant groups."- Jay Solomon, The Wall Street Journal.

The president also timed this message for the Persian holiday Nowruz.

Stacie Ayala

Journalism 311 Student

The President and Jay

Photo Credit: Gerald Herbert, Associated Press

Tonight President Obama will be a guest on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." He is the first president to be interviewed on a late-night show. Edward Wyatt form the New York Times reports, "Asked by Mr. Leno if it was fair to judge him based on just 59 days in office, President Obama said Washington 'is a bit like ‘American idol’ except everybody’s Simon Cowell. Everybody’s got an opinion.' But, he said, the American people are in a place where 'they understand that it took us a while to get into this mess, and it will take us a while to get out of it.'"

Jay and Mr. Obama briefly discussed the recent AIG bonus upset. On a side note: The Wall Street Journal reported today on the recent updates about that issue. Edward Liddy CEO of AIG, announced that some of the employees will be returning their bonuses and some of those bonuses were up to $6.4 million dollars.

The NY Times reported that only once was Mr. Obama speechless tonight during his interview. This was when Treasurer Secretary Timothy Giethner's department came up. The interview was not all seriousness Jay made a few cracks at Mr. Obama, but everyone was excited for his presence on the show.

http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/03/19/heeeeres-barack/?scp=3&sq=president%20barack%20obama&st=cse

Stacie Ayala

Journalism 311 Student

Obama in Orange County

President Obama landed in Southern California today at the Long Beach Airport. He spoke at an Orange County Town Hall meeting today at the Orange County Fairgrounds. Southern California residents were given the opportunity to ask President Obama about issues such as illegal immigration, education and real estate.

Jennifer Muir, Niyza Pirani and Cameron Bird reported from the Orange County Register today, "Ivan Martinez wasn’t sure he’d be able to speak. President Obama was standing on a stage in front of him -- sleeves rolled up from the hot, heavy, stage-lit air -- as a White House aide handed the Costa Mesa High School senior a microphone. 'I want to know what you plan to do about the broken immigration system, and when you plan on doing this,' Martinez said. The crowd erupted in raucous applause, the same hooting and cheering that punctuated much of the president’s first visit to Orange County." Many were on their tip-toes today trying to get attention drawn to them, in hopes of asking President Obama about issues related to their lives.

The Orange County Register also reported today about a gathering of around 35 protesters who were not excited about President Obama's visit to Orange County. Some supported signs saying, " 'Go back home, leave us alone!' said Elisa Mohr, her head titled up. 'Go back to Chicago. We don’t want you here!' " reported Muir, Bird and Pirani.

President Obama's visit to Orange County today uplifted many Southern California resident's spirits, and gave them a better outlook for the future.

Photo Credit: Leonard Ortiz, The Orange County Register

Stacie Ayala

Journalism 311 Student

The AIG Upset Continues

Photo Credit: European Pressphoto Agency

Today the Wall Street Journal reported immense upset and confusion over the bonuses which American International Group deemed acceptable to distribute to its employees, who were the essential cause to AIG’s failure.

President Barack Obama called upon every resource, in attempt to put a stop to the distribution of AIG’s objectionable bonuses. Over the weekend a outburst of rage unfolded as the bonuses became known to the public. In the end the government does not have control over the payments, but they will be more watchful in the future.


According to the OC Register President Obama has come to the OC. President Obama will be landing in Long Beach around 3 p.m. tomorrow and will be speaking at the Orange County Fairgrounds on Wednesday at 4 p.m. At 10 a.m. this morning White House officials began distributing tickets to a roaring and excited crowd.

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/first-president-beach-2337393-event-mallett

Stacie Ayala

Journalism 311 Student

A.I.G. Distributes Bonuses

Photo Credit: Doug Mills/ New York Times

The popular topic of today is the bonuses which were distributed within the American International Group. According to the New York Times today, over the past 6 months AIG received $170 billion from the government in order to stay afloat. Last Friday, it was confirmed that AIG had distributed $165 million as bonuses for company employees.

Edmund L. Andrews and Jackie Calmes reported this morning that, "Mr. Obama ordered the Treasury Department to, 'pursue every single legal avenue to block these bonuses' and the American taxpayers whole."

This entire situation becomes even more unsettling because none of the economic advisers or Chief Executive of AIG, Edward M. Liddy, will take responsibility for the final decision on the bonuses.

Andrews and Calmes reported, "Mr. Geithner, according to Treasury officials, insisted that the bonus plan was 'unacceptable' and called Mr. Liddy on Wednesday to demand changes. AIG executives said they would have never proceeded with the bonus payments before getting approval from the Treasury and the Federal Reserve."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/17/business/17bailout.html?_r=1&ref=politics

Stacie Ayala

Journalism 311 Student

Obama 3/13

Today the New York Times reported that President Obama is considering Texas Governer Rick Perry's request to send troops to the southern border. This is due to the drug violance which has been seriously escalating over the past year. The following link will take you to the New York Times website. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/14/us/politics/14border.html?_r=1
The Wall Street Journal discussed today President Obama's views on protecting the nations food supply. According to Jane Zhang of the Wall Street Journal, "Mr. Obama said he as instructed the Agricultural Detartment and the Department of Health and Human Services 'to work to come up with a plan so that a lot of these different agencies that have some jurisdiction over food safety are interegated in a much more effective way and things areen't falling through the cracks.' He also said there's work to be done 'with food producers so that there are better warning signals of potential problems than we have right now.'"