Today’s opinion pick: “We the People” to “King of the World”: “YOU’RE FIRED!” …a letter from Michael Moore
Academy-award winning filmmaker Michael Moore is astounded and elated by President Obama’s firing earlier this week of the chairman of the giant U.S. automaker General Motors. In a blog post on his website today, Moore wrote that Obama’s stunning, unprecedented action has left me speechless for the past two days.
Two excerpts:
Nothing like it has ever happened. The president of the United States, the elected representative of the people, has just told the head of General Motors—a company that’s spent more years at #1 on the Fortune 500 list than anyone else—”You’re fired!”…
This bold move has sent the heads of corporate America spinning and spewing pea soup. Obama has issued this edict: The government of, by, and for the people is in charge here, not big business.
Read the full post here.
(6th) Occasional U.S. news media round-up on presidential race
Defending First Ladies — past and future
A young feminist calls for her mainstream colleagues to show just as much solidariety with Michelle Obama as they did with Hillary Clinton.
Jessica Valenti, the founder of Feministing.com, writes in an essay in the UK’s Guardian that Ms. Obama is offering to be an advocate for women if she becomes First Lady, so women need also to become advocates for her as she faces sexist and racist attacks from the media (“The baiting of Ms Obama” Aug 21 2008).
Speaking of Michelle Obama
Just in case you missed it, Ms. Obama’s widely praised speech last week at the Democratic National Convention, from C-SPAN:
Obama’s mother of all text messages
Nielsen Media estimates that 2.9 million people received Obama’s text message on August 23rd announcing his selection of a vice presidential running mate, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal (“Nielsen: About Three Million Got Obama Text” by Amy Schatz, Aug 25, 2008).
And how the wait drove CNN anchors a bit nuts
See the short video here at 23/6 of how the news media is having to adjust to new technology (“Obama, if you don’t text us soon, CNN will go insane!” Aug 22, 2008).
A chat with Caroline
When it came time to choose someone to help him choose a vice presidential nominee, Obama asked JFK’s daughter Caroline to help. After the choice was made, the famously reclusive Ms. Kennedy sat down with NBC‘s Tom Brokaw to talk about the process (“Caroline Kennedy Speaks On Veep Vetting Process” The Huffington Post, Aug 24, 2008). See a video clip here.
And the vice presidential nominees are…
To read the basics about Obama’s vp choice, go here (“Obama introduces Biden as running mate” CNN, Aug 23, 2008). And look here for info about McCain’s vp choice (“McCain taps Alaska Gov. Palin as vice president pick” CNN, Aug 30, 2008 ).
Crossing paths — a hurricane and the GOP Convention
The hurricane now approaching the area of New Orleans is taking priority over politics as usual. Story here (“Republicans scale back convention due to Hurricane Gustav” by Maeve Reston and Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, Sept 1, 2008).
Michael Moore explains the election
In a new book, “Mike’s Election Guide,” the famous film director offers “the definitive guide” to the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election.
Moore approaches the subject with his usual satiric wit. One chapter title, for example, is “How many Democrats does it take to lose the most winnable election in American history?” A sample chapter is available to read here online.
Blogging the election
A highly regarded and informative blog about what’s happening day to day, and hour to hour sometimes, in the election is written by Marc Ambinder for the Atlantic Magazine.
Polls and pols
One of the most popular go-to blogs for news and commentary on the various political polls is here at Pollster.com. The blogger is Mark Blumenthal, bio here.
Watching Obama and his new running mate
Last night, Obama and his vice presidential running mate Joe Biden sat down for a long interview with the highly rated TV news show, Sixty Minutes. In this short video clip, Obama responds to questions about why he chose Biden, and his reaction to McCain’s vp choice, Sarah Palin:
UPDATE: See more of the interview here and here.
(See previous round-up here)
