Obama, Netanyahu to meet July 6, discuss Gaza blockade

June 21, 2010 By Leave a Comment

June 20 (Reuters) – The White House on Sunday hailed Israel’s easing of its land blockade of Gaza and said President Barack Obama would discuss “additional steps” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a Washington visit on July 6.

“We believe that the implementation of the policy announced by the government of Israel today should improve life for the people of Gaza, and we will continue to support that effort going forward,” White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

Israel unveiled new procedures on Sunday to ease its land blockade on Gaza, saying it would start allowing in all goods except for weapons and materials that can be used to make them. Israel has been under pressure to loosen restrictions since a deadly May 31 raid on an aid flotilla bound for the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave. (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick)

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McChrystal in ‘damage control’ mode after US’ ‘tough line’ with Pak post NY plot

May 11, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, May 11 (ANI): General Stanley McChrystal, the top US Commander in Afghanistan, has rubbished media reports that soon after the failed Times Square bombing he met Pakistan Army Chief General Parvez Kayani in Islamabad and asked him to launch a military offensive in North Waziristan.

“Yes, there was an unfortunate news story that came out that was completely inaccurate that represented that I had expressed to General Kayani US policy on doing more, and that just didn”t happen,” said General McChrystal, who commands US and NATO forces in Afghanistan.

“It was a one-on-one meeting and it did not occur. And I”d made it clear to Gen Kayani that I did not represent it that way,” he explained during a White House briefing.

Speaking during the briefing on Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s visit to Washington, White House’ Press Secretary Robert Gibbs tried to tone down the tension between the US and Pakistan, which has seen the Obama Administration openly warning Islamabad over its lack of action against extremists flourishing on its soil.

Commenting on Secretary of States Hillary Clinton’s stern warning to Pakistan that it would have to face “very severe consequences” if militants succeeded in attacking the US, Gibbs said the Pakistan government was also aware about the threat posed by the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which is widely believed to have trained and assisted Faisal Shahzad, the confessed Times Square bomber.

“The Pakistani government recognises the threat that Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan poses to them, just as we recognise the threat it poses to us,” The Dawn quoted Gibbs, as saying.

“I think there is, without a doubt, an alignment of interest in understanding where that threat is and what it poses,” he added, while denying reports of any confrontation between US and Pakistan. (ANI)

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Delaying Polish funeral over ash cloud “last resort”

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Delaying Sunday’s planned funeral for Polish President Lech Kaczynski because of a volcanic ash cloud hanging over Europe would be a “last resort”, an official at the presidential administration said on Friday.

Jacek Sasin, who had earlier mooted the possibility of a delay, said senior officials would meet later on Friday to analyse the situation and would then make a final decision.

The huge ash cloud has spread across northern Europe since the volcano began erupting on Wednesday, closing airports and stranding hundreds of thousands of travellers.

U.S. President Barack Obama and dozens of other world leaders are due to attend Kaczynski’s funeral at Krakow’s Wawel cathedral in southern Poland. Krakow airport was was one of only two in Poland still open on Friday morning because of the cloud.

“A scenario to delay (the funeral), that kind of scenario does not exist. It’s not being discussed… This would be the last resort. For now we’re monitoring the situation,” Sasin told reporters.

“This afternoon there will be a meeting at the prime minister’s office and I believe the decision will be made then.”

Kaczynski, his wife and scores of senior Polish officials were killed in a plane crash last Saturday, plunging Poland into deep mourning.

The White House said late on Thursday Obama’s weekend trip to Poland was, for the moment, expected to go ahead despite the ash.

“It’s something that we are keeping an eye on. Right now, our schedule is still on. We have every intention of making it to Poland,” Deputy White House Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters.

He said he had spoken to U.S. Air Force officials, adding: “They felt confident that they’ll be able to make that trip, but it’s something we’re watching and obviously cognizant of.”

Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of glass and pulverised rock that can damage engines and airframes.

Polish authorities had intended to fly the coffins of the First Couple to Krakow on Saturday afternoon after a planned memorial service in Warsaw. They are currently on public view in the presidential palace.

Apart from Obama, Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Britain’s Prince Charles, Spain’s King Juan Carlos and many other heads of state and government and royalty were due to attend the funeral.

(Reporting by Pawel Florkiewicz, writing by Gareth Jones; editing by Philippa Fletcher)

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Volcanic ash may force delay in Polish funeral

April 17, 2010 By Leave a Comment

A huge ash cloud from an Icelandic volcano that has caused the closure of airports across northern Europe may force a delay in Sunday’s funeral for Poland’s President Lech Kaczynski and his wife, an official in the presidential administration said on Friday.

U.S. President Barack Obama and dozens of other world leaders are due to attend the funeral at Krakow’s Wawel cathedral in southern Poland. On Friday Krakow airport was one of only two in Poland still open.

“If this (volcanic ash) could affect events and if some participants are not able to arrive, then such an option (delay) could be considered,” Jacek Sasin, an official in the president’s chancellery, told RMF FM radio.

Kaczynski, his wife and scores of senior Polish officials were killed in a plane crash last Saturday, plunging Poland into deep mourning.

The White House said late on Thursday Obama’s weekend trip to Poland was expected to go ahead despite the ash, but U.S. authorities were keeping an eye on things.

“It’s something that we are keeping an eye on. Right now, our schedule is still on. We have every intention of making it to Poland,” Deputy White House Press Secretary Bill Burton told reporters.

He said he had spoken to U.S. Air Force officials, adding: “They felt confident that they’ll be able to make that trip, but it’s something we’re watching and obviously cognizant of.”

The volcanic ash cloud has caused huge disruption of air traffic across Europe, leaving hundreds of thousands of passengers stranded. It was not known how long the affected airports, including Warsaw, might have to remain closed.

Volcanic ash contains tiny particles of glass and pulverised rock that can damage engines and airframes.

Polish authorities had intended to fly the coffins of the First Couple to Krakow on Saturday afternoon after a planned memorial service in Warsaw. They are currently on public view in the presidential palace.

Apart from Obama, Russia’s President Dmitry Medvedev, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Britain’s Prince Charles, Spain’s King Juan Carlos and many other heads of state and government and royalty were due to attend the funeral.

(Reporting by Chris Borowski, writing by Gareth Jones; Editing by Elizabeth Fullerton)

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U.S. seeks to heal rift with Karzai

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Top U.S. officials sought to repair Washington’s troubled relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, calling him a reliable partner and pledging to treat him with greater sensitivity.

Barack Obama

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both described Karzai as a constructive player in trying to stabilize Afghanistan and distanced themselves from people outside the administration who have described his behavior as erratic. Their comments were made in television interviews taped on Friday but aired on Sunday,

“Some of these outlandish claims that are being made and accusations that are being hurled are really unfortunate,” Clinton told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“This is a leader who is under enormous pressure,” she said. “And I wonder sometimes how anybody can cope with the kind of relentless stress that you face after having been in some military activity or war footing for 30 years, which is what the reality is in Afghanistan.”

Gates told ABC’s “This Week” that the U.S. military had a “very positive” relationship with Karzai and called him “the embodiment of sovereignty for Afghanistan.”

“I think we frankly have to be sensitive in our own comments about President Karzai,” Gates said.

Earlier this month, after a series of comments by Karzai that rankled Washington, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs left open the possibility of a cancellation of Karzai’s planned May 12 meeting with President Barack Obama.

In remarks that U.S. officials now downplay as an effort to seek favor with his domestic audience, Karzai blamed foreigners for perpetrating election fraud in Afghanistan and accused Western governments of trying to weaken him.

Media reports also suggested that Karzai’s meeting with Obama last month had been tense, with the Afghan leader perceiving Obama’s comments about corruption as lecturing. The meeting took place during Obama’s first visit as president to Afghanistan.

In a decision that markedly increased his administration’s stakes in the outcome of the U.S. and NATO-led fight against the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, Obama in December ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000 to Afghanistan.

The Obama administration has had an uneasy relationship with Karzai throughout Obama’s 15 months in office.

The White House began the effort to effort mend fences with Karzai last week when Obama sent a letter to the Afghan president thanking him for his hospitality during the visit and reiterating the importance of the partnership between Washington and Kabul.

White House National Security Adviser James Jones, who briefed reporters on the letter on Friday, brushed off Karzai’s earlier comments and said the Afghan leader “did not intend to create any damage to the relationship” with them.

On CBS, Gates said Karzai had been helpful in an operation to regain control of the southern city of Kandahar, Karzai’s hometown.

“He’s already made a couple of these trips to the Kandahar area with General (Stanley) McChrystal and so he is very much participating in setting the stage if you will for this next phase of the campaign,” Gates said. McChrystal is the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan.

(Additional reporting by Emily Kaiser; Editing by Jackie Frank)

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U.S. seeks to heal rift with Karzai

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – Top U.S. officials sought to repair Washington’s troubled relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, calling him a reliable partner and pledging to treat him with greater sensitivity.

Barack Obama

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both described Karzai as a constructive player in trying to stabilize Afghanistan and distanced themselves from people outside the administration who have described his behavior as erratic. Their comments were made in television interviews taped on Friday but aired on Sunday,

“Some of these outlandish claims that are being made and accusations that are being hurled are really unfortunate,” Clinton told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“This is a leader who is under enormous pressure,” she said. “And I wonder sometimes how anybody can cope with the kind of relentless stress that you face after having been in some military activity or war footing for 30 years, which is what the reality is in Afghanistan.”

Gates told ABC’s “This Week” that the U.S. military had a “very positive” relationship with Karzai and called him “the embodiment of sovereignty for Afghanistan.”

“I think we frankly have to be sensitive in our own comments about President Karzai,” Gates said.

Earlier this month, after a series of comments by Karzai that rankled Washington, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs left open the possibility of a cancellation of Karzai’s planned May 12 meeting with President Barack Obama.

In remarks that U.S. officials now downplay as an effort to seek favor with his domestic audience, Karzai blamed foreigners for perpetrating election fraud in Afghanistan and accused Western governments of trying to weaken him.

Media reports also suggested that Karzai’s meeting with Obama last month had been tense, with the Afghan leader perceiving Obama’s comments about corruption as lecturing. The meeting took place during Obama’s first visit as president to Afghanistan.

In a decision that markedly increased his administration’s stakes in the outcome of the U.S. and NATO-led fight against the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, Obama in December ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000 to Afghanistan.

The Obama administration has had an uneasy relationship with Karzai throughout Obama’s 15 months in office.

The White House began the effort to effort mend fences with Karzai last week when Obama sent a letter to the Afghan president thanking him for his hospitality during the visit and reiterating the importance of the partnership between Washington and Kabul.

White House National Security Adviser James Jones, who briefed reporters on the letter on Friday, brushed off Karzai’s earlier comments and said the Afghan leader “did not intend to create any damage to the relationship” with them.

On CBS, Gates said Karzai had been helpful in an operation to regain control of the southern city of Kandahar, Karzai’s hometown.

“He’s already made a couple of these trips to the Kandahar area with General (Stanley) McChrystal and so he is very much participating in setting the stage if you will for this next phase of the campaign,” Gates said. McChrystal is the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan.

(Additional reporting by Emily Kaiser; Editing by Jackie Frank)

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U.S. seeks to heal rift with Karzai

April 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON, April 11 (Reuters) – Top U.S. officials sought to repair Washington’s troubled relationship with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, calling him a reliable partner and pledging to treat him with greater sensitivity.

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton both described Karzai as a constructive player in trying to stabilize Afghanistan and distanced themselves from people outside the administration who have described his behavior as erratic. Their comments were made in television interviews taped on Friday but aired on Sunday,

“Some of these outlandish claims that are being made and accusations that are being hurled are really unfortunate,” Clinton told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

“This is a leader who is under enormous pressure,” she said. “And I wonder sometimes how anybody can cope with the kind of relentless stress that you face after having been in some military activity or war footing for 30 years, which is what the reality is in Afghanistan.”

Gates told ABC’s “This Week” that the U.S. military had a “very positive” relationship with Karzai and called him “the embodiment of sovereignty for Afghanistan.”

“I think we frankly have to be sensitive in our own comments about President Karzai,” Gates said.

Earlier this month, after a series of comments by Karzai that rankled Washington, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs left open the possibility of a cancellation of Karzai’s planned May 12 meeting with President Barack Obama.

In remarks that U.S. officials now downplay as an effort to seek favor with his domestic audience, Karzai blamed foreigners for perpetrating election fraud in Afghanistan and accused Western governments of trying to weaken him.

Media reports also suggested that Karzai’s meeting with Obama last month had been tense, with the Afghan leader perceiving Obama’s comments about corruption as lecturing. The meeting took place during Obama’s first visit as president to Afghanistan.

In a decision that markedly increased his administration’s stakes in the outcome of the U.S. and NATO-led fight against the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, Obama in December ordered the deployment of an extra 30,000 to Afghanistan.

The Obama administration has had an uneasy relationship with Karzai throughout Obama’s 15 months in office.

The White House began the effort to effort mend fences with Karzai last week when Obama sent a letter to the Afghan president thanking him for his hospitality during the visit and reiterating the importance of the partnership between Washington and Kabul.

White House National Security Adviser James Jones, who briefed reporters on the letter on Friday, brushed off Karzai’s earlier comments and said the Afghan leader “did not intend to create any damage to the relationship” with them.

On CBS, Gates said Karzai had been helpful in an operation to regain control of the southern city of Kandahar, Karzai’s hometown.(ID:nSGE639039])

“He’s already made a couple of these trips to the Kandahar area with General (Stanley) McChrystal and so he is very much participating in setting the stage if you will for this next phase of the campaign,” Gates said. McChrystal is the top U.S. and NATO commander in Afghanistan. (Additional reporting by Emily Kaiser; Editing by Jackie Frank)

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US may still cancel Obama, Karzai Washington meeting

April 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Apr.7 (ANI): The May 12 meeting between US President Barack Obama and his Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai in Washington could still be cancelled, White House sources said Tuesday.

Obama has asked Karzai to crack down on internal corruption, and according to sources here, his administration is also unhappy with comments attacking the U.S. and its allies.

Over the last several days the White House has maintained that next month’s meeting wouldn’t be compromised as a result of Karzai’s remarks.

However, according to Fox News, in his daily briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs changed his tone. “We certainly would evaluate whatever continued or further remarks President Karzai makes as to whether that’s constructive to have such a meeting.” (ANI)

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White House: no decision on China currency policy

April 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON, April 2 (Reuters) – The White House said on Friday that no formal decision has been made to delay a report on whether to declare China a currency manipulator.

The New York Times reported that the Obama administration, seeking to ease relations with Beijing, was deferring the decision until after a visit to Washington later this month by Chinese President Hu Jintao for a nuclear conference.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said no such decision has been made.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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White House: no decision on China currency policy

April 3, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – The White House said on Friday that no formal decision has been made to delay a report on whether to declare China a currency manipulator.

Barack Obama

The New York Times reported that the Obama administration, seeking to ease relations with Beijing, was deferring the decision until after a visit to Washington later this month by Chinese President Hu Jintao for a nuclear conference.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said no such decision has been made.

(Reporting by Jeff Mason; Writing by Thomas Ferraro; Editing by Sandra Maler)

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US, Israel fail to resolve diplomatic crisis

March 25, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar 25(ANI): The United States and Israel have failed to resolve a diplomatic crisis sparked off by Israel”s housing plans for East Jerusalem, despite a high-level visit to Washington by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu returned to Israel on Thursday, ending a troubled three-day visit, where he held two separate meetings with United States President Barack Obama.

According to reports, the talks failed over Israeli defiance on the issue of settlements and silence maintained by both sides after his three-and-a-half-hour visit to the White House.

The meeting was overshadowed by Israeli approval for 20 homes built for Jews in Jerusalem, a move denounced by one senior US official as “exactly what we expect Prime Minister Netanyahu to get control of”.

However, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said that Obama had asked Netanyahu for confidence-building gestures and clarification of his position on settlements.

He also described the talks as “honest and straightforward”.

In Jerusalem, the Israeli Government press office issued a statement saying that the talks had been held in a good atmosphere.

“They went on longer than expected with the leaders meeting for 90 minutes, then again for half an hour after a long private discussion between Netanyahu and his advisers in the White House Roosevelt Room,” The Times quoted the statement, as saying. (ANI)

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Biden drops the F-bomb after Obama signs historic health reforms

March 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

London, March 24 (ANI): US Vice President Joe Biden let out an over zealous reaction as President Barack Obama signed historic health reform into law.

The gaffe-prone vice president was said to have remarked aside to his boss, “This is a big f—— deal,” meant for Obama”s ears only.

But the expletive was picked up on television microphones and later went on to become a “a big deal” in cable news and channels, The Telegraph reported.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs apparently scaled down the latest faux pas by the vice president.

“And yes, Mr Vice President, you”re right,” he wrote on his Twitter page. (ANI)

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Obama delays Australian trip till June

March 19, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Mar. 19 (ANI): U.S. President Barack Obama has cancelled his upcoming trip to Australia in order to garner support for the healthcare bill – the centrepiece of his domestic policies.

After insisting for the entire week that Obama’s would go ahead to Australia as planned on March 21, White House officials on Friday announced the trip would be delayed until June.

“So it just at that point seemed obvious to us that the best course of business was to reschedule Indonesia and Australia for June,” White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said.

A mid-year visit is likely to coincide with his daughters” summer break, putting an Obama family holiday back on the agenda, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Obama had originally planned to bring his wife Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia on the trip to Asia.

But when administration officials realised they lacked congressional support for the important healthcare vote, they pushed back his trip three days and decided the President would travel alone.

Now, Democrats believe that Obama shouldn’t leaving America at all during such a critical stage for his signature initiative.

Succumbing to that pressure, Obama today decided to stay in Washington until well after the vote, which will likely happen Sunday afternoon.

“Passage of healthcare reform is of paramount importance and the President is determined to see this battle through. The President believes right now the place for him to be is in Washington to see this through,” Gibbs said.

Obama called Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd this morning to explain his delay. (ANI)

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White House aide quits over Manmohan dinner crash

March 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

WASHINGTON: In a demonstration of accountability, White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers, under fire since two wannabe reality TV stars crashed President Barack Obama’s first state dinner for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, announced she is stepping down to return to the corporate world.

Obama and first lady Michelle Obama issued a statement Friday saying they are “enormously grateful” to their long time friend Rogers “for the terrific job she’s done as the White House Social Secretary.”

But the Obamas made no mention of what he had called a “screw up” on Nov 24 night when an uninvited Virginia couple, Tareq and Michaele Salahi, one dressed in a tuxedo and the other in a bright red lehnga choli, slipped past layers of security to crash the dinner.

Rogers admitted that nobody from her staff was working at the gates and check points when the Salahis slipped in. The couple spent up to two hours on the grounds, making it all the way to the Blue Room to shake hands with the president and prime minister.

The US Secret Service, the agency responsible for protecting the president, his family, and visiting dignitaries has taken blame for the incident, but Rogers came under heavy fire for not stationing someone at the gate with Secret Service agents in a break from past practice.

“When she took this position, we asked Desiree to help make sure that the White House truly is the People’s House, and she did that by welcoming scores of everyday Americans through its doors, from wounded warriors to local schoolchildren to NASCAR drivers,” the statement from the Obamas said.

“She organized hundreds of fun and creative events during her time here, and we will miss her. We thank her again for her service and wish her all the best in her future endeavours.”

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs said Rogers had not been asked to leave her position in the administration and said he did not think the gate-crashing incident played into her decision.

The Salahi episode was not a factor in her resignation, Rogers told the Chicago Sun Times Friday. “The incident at the State Dinner was not a deciding factor,” she said. “But it did show me a side of the job and of Washington that I had not seen before.”

“As we turn the corner on the first year,” she told her hometown newspaper, “This is a good time for me to explore opportunities in the corporate world.”

Rogers said it has been “an honour and a privilege to serve this president and first lady, in what has certainly been a historic presidency.”

She summed up her experiences at the White House in a note to CNN: “330 events. Halloween for 3,000. Easter egg roll for 30,000. Music series with perfomances and the performers teaching the students during the day. Latin, jazz, country, civil rights. ”

An Obama administration official told ABC News that the leading candidate to replace Rogers as White House social secretary was Julianna Smoot. Smoot, currently the chief of staff for US Trade Representative Ron Kirk, was the national finance director for the 2008 presidential campaign of Obama, where she headed a record-setting fundraising operation.

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Obama to host tripartite meeting with Israeli PM and Palestinian President

September 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Jerusalem, Sep 20 (ANI): In an effort to renew the peace process in the Middle East, President Barack Obama will host a tripartite meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday.
White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the meeting would take place after Obama meets separately with each of the two leaders.

“These meetings will continue the efforts of President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and Special Envoy George Mitchell to lay the groundwork for the relaunch of negotiations, and to create a positive context for those negotiations so that they can succeed,” the Jerusalem Post quoted a White House statement, as saying.

The meetings will take place in New York on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly conference.

The White House announcement of the meeting comes as something of a surprise, since both Israel and the PA until Saturday continued to blame each other for the current stall in peace talks

And recently, Mitchell had failed to make progress in talks with the two leaders.

On Saturday, Mitchell said: “It is another sign of the president’s deep commitment to comprehensive peace that he wants to personally engage at this juncture.” (ANI)

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Barack’s earful of ‘disappointment’ to Brown over Lockerbie bomber release decision

September 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment

London, Sep. 11 (ANI): US President Barack Obama reportedly blasted British Prime Minister Gordon Brown on the phone for his decision to set the Lockerbie bomber free, indicating that the US-Britain relations have hit a new low.

During his 40-minute telephone call, Obama made it clear that he was “disappointed” that cancer-stricken Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was freed, The Sun reports.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said in a statement: “The United States has expressed regret at the Scottish decision to turn over to Libya the Lockerbie prisoner, but Obama had not done so personally to Brown.

The White House rarely releases details of phone conversation with British PM.

Downing Street tried to play down the call. It said the leaders’ conversation was “warm and substantive”, adding: “The leaders concluded the special relationship was as strong as ever.”

However, the optimism of the ruling party was not shared by the Tories, who claimed that the decision had caused irreparable damage to relations between the two closest allies.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said last night: “The decision to release Mr al-Megrahi has damaged our relationship with our closest ally.” (ANI)

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Obama’s green jobs czar resigns over 9/11, Bush statements

September 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Sep.6 (ANI): Van Jones, President Barack Obama’s green jobs czar, has resigned amid a furor over his past statements regarding the Bush administration and the September 11 terrorist attacks.

In a resignation letter released by the White House just after midnight on Sunday, Jones said he was the victim of a smear campaign.

“On the eve of historic fights for health care and clean energy, opponents of reform have mounted a vicious smear campaign against me. They are using lies and distortions to distract and divide,” he wrote

The Washington Times quoted Jones as saying that while he was getting encouragement from both political parties to “stay and fight,” he “cannot in good conscience ask my colleagues to expend precious time and energy defending or explaining my past.”

“We need all hands on deck, fighting for the future,” he said, adding in the letter for Council on Environmental Quality Chairman Nancy Sutley that he has been honored to serve the president.

Sutley issued a short statement thanking Jones for his work and calling him a “strong voice for creating 21st century jobs that improve energy efficiency and utilize renewable resources.”

Politicians had been calling for Jones to resign after it was revealed in recent days he signed a petition supporting 9/11 conspiracy theories and has made other unflattering statements caught on video.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs offered a less-than-stellar endorsement of Jones on Friday.

The holiday weekend release was used by many politicians to lessen bad publicity. (ANI)

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Obama to observe 9/11 anniversary at Pentagon

September 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Sep 2 (ANI): President Barack Obama plans to observe the anniversary of the September 11 terror attacks with a visit to the Pentagon.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters about Obama’s plans on Tuesday. Obama, however, has no plans to visit New York in the eighth year since the World Trade Center was destroyed.

“I believe he will go to the Pentagon that day, and go to the memorial there and speak after that,” Gibbs said in his morning gaggle.

“But we have not announced more details than that,” Politico quoted him, as saying.

Asked after the gaggle if the president has any plans to visit New York City for the occasion, a White House official said he does not and that is unlikely to change.

President George W. Bush marked the 9/11 anniversary with visits to lower Manhattan in 2002 and 2006.

Last year, Obama and Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.), then Obama’s rival for the presidency, both attended a memorial ceremony at the World Trade Center site as Bush dedicated a memorial at the Pentagon. (ANI)

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Obama’s upcoming vacation threatened by Hurricane Bill in Atlantic Ocean

August 22, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, August 22 (ANI): U.S. President Barack Obama’s vacation plans this coming week in Martha’s Vineyard may be spoilt, with a satellite image released by NASA on Tuesday showing Hurricane Bill in the Atlantic Ocean.

A report posted on Accuweather.com says that the hurricane will not make landfall along Cape Cod, instead passing by to the east.

However, adds the report, the storm may bring large amounts of wind and rain to the area this weekend, and possibly into early next week.

Gusts of wind between 30 and 60 mph are expected to be experiences in the region.

Forecasts suggest that rainfall may reach as much as two inches in some areas of New England.

Given that the Obamas are scheduled to arrive at Martha’s Vineyard on Sunday, the White House is closely tracking the hurricane.

“We are obviously watching that. Certainly it’s our hope that the storm will avoid reaching the United States and turn back out into the Atlantic,” the Politico quoted White House press secretary Robert Gibbs as saying during his daily briefing. (ANI)

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Obama gets partisan while taking on GOP on financial crisis

August 9, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Washington, Aug.9 (ANI): President Obama, it seems, wants to be seen as presidential and not a partisan combatant, but there are times when exceptions can be made.

At a campaign fundraiser Thursday evening for Virginia gubernatorial candidate Creigh Deeds, Obama shed the cloak of bipartisanship and fired a verbal barrage at Republican critics and opponents of his economic policies.

Without naming names, he portrayed them as hypocrites with selective memories.

“That bank crisis didn’t happen on my watch. I don’t want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I want them to just get out of the way so we can clean up the mess,” CBS quoted Obama, as saying.

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs described Obama’s outburst at the GOP as a liberating experience in the sense that inside the White House Obama “gets free advice every day from people that took the bus and rode it into the ditch.” (ANI)

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