Hired by Obama to do something
-Headline of the day-
"Obama Wants Journalist Gupta for Surgeon General."
I'm not sure what I think of this because, other than tell people not to smoke, I'm not really sure what the Surgeon General does. When it comes to telling people not to smoke, CNN's health reporter Sanjay Gupta can probably do it as well as anyone else.
"Gupta has told administration officials that he wants the job, and the final vetting process is under way," the report tells us. "He has asked for a few days to figure out the financial and logistical details of moving his family from Atlanta to Washington but is expected to accept the offer."
Will he grow that crazy Captain Ahab beard that C. Everett Koop had? I sure hope not. But he probably does have to wear the weird uniform. Seriously though, what does the Surgeon General do? Anyone out there know? Hell, I don't even know who the Surgeon General is now. The way the Bush administration works, it's probably some nut from the tobacco industry.
Remember kids, don't smoke. (Washington Post)
-Buy American-
The US elections are like a game show; you get a new house, a big 747, a few helicopters, and a brand new car. Barack Obama's new car is the the 2009 Cadillac Presidential Limousine. It's kind of goofy looking, if you ask me. Kind of like a station wagon. It's built on GM’s medium-duty truck platform, runs on diesel, will have at least five inches of armor plating, flat-run tires, bulletproof glass, and a completely sealed interior to guard against chemical attacks. Bonus, it has a 10-disk CD player. You've got to believe it's also got the wet bar and TV.
No word on how expensive this thing is, but it's got to be a bundle. All told, the government is said to be buying "fewer than 25" of the things. Which, also, has to cost a bundle.
Pretty smart of GM to swing this deal. Now Obama has to bail them out. If he doesn't and the company fails, he won't be able to get parts. Ask a Yugo owner how much fun that is. (News 4 2day.com, with video, via reddit)
-Now we're talking real money-
Man, was Bush ever loose with the bucks. Barack Obama warned today that we're facing a $1 trillion deficit that could "last for years to come." That's right, it's trillion with a TR.
"[Office of Management and Budget nominee] Peter Orszag now forecasts that, at the current course and speed, a trillion-dollar deficit will be here before we even start the next budget," Obama said.
I've got an idea. How about we treat presidents like clerks? If your cashbox is short when you punch out, you've got to make up the difference yourself.
So George, you owe us $1 trillion. And, no, we won't take a check. (Politico)
