NSBC.COM Wedbesday February 28th 2007
NSBC.com? Is that a fictional newssite? Anyways, it tried to upload a trojan onto my computer, so anyone reading this should
not try going there.
Anyways...
Drudge Report, Saturday, February 28, 2009
Economic Team Leaves for Jakarta
Secretary Vinick's bipartisan economic team left this morning for Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, for an emergency summit to settle the budgetary impasse that led to the Indonesian government's shutdown on Wednesday.
Vinick is accompanied by six senior statesmen and economists:
- President Jed Bartlet - Former President and Nobel Laureate in Economics
- Governor Andrew Wu - North Carolina Republican Governor noted for making economics his top issue
- Dr. Yosh Takahashi - Nobel Laureate in Economics and one of the leading minds in modern conservative ideology
- Dr. Harold Washington - Chief Economist at the Manchester Institute and proponent of minority rights
- Patricia Calhoun - Republican Chairman of the Federal Election Commission and former Director of the Office of Management & Budget under President Lassiter
- Hon. Lesley Cryer - Deputy Secretary of Commerce and one of the Economic Advisers to President Santos
Former President Bartlet has maintained close ties to the Indonesian government since a state dinner with President Siguto ten years ago. Vinick has stated that he will let Bartlet lead the negotiations, which will be joined by teams from the UK, France, and Japan.
Bartlet's trip to Jakarta, which interrupts a publicity tour to promote his soon-to-open Presidential Library, has been criticized from some top Republican politicians. Governor Ray Sullivan, who was Vinick's running mate in 2006, stated that "most of our economic woes date to the Bartlet years. He has quite the gall to try to force our economy on the Jakartans."
Congressman Jeff Haffley, the former Speaker of the House known for his rivalry with Bartlet during his second term, has stated that "backing down from the US shutdown was my biggest failure, and this 'Chairman Kharis' should learn from my mistake and not bow down to the 'magnificent Bartlet' and his political cronies."
The timeline of the negotiations are unclear, as the Indonesian government has refused to set any time tables. Presumably, Bartlet will be back in the states to attend the opening of his Presidential library next Wednesday.
Rolling Stone, March 2009 Edition
Hoynes On Hollywood
11 years ago, to the day, Rolling Stone officially endorsed Senator John Hoynes of Texas for the United States Presidency. Although the endorsement didn't quite work out, John was always ready and willing to provide us with his insight and views in the six interviews he has provided to our magazine.
While his political career isn't quite the center of the conversation, Hoynes is still a national figure, with charitable work, his recent novels, and an up-and-coming screenwriting career. We met with John at his home in Dallas.
Rolling Stone [RS]: Good afternoon, Mr. Vice President. How are you doing today?
John Hoynes [JH]: I'm doing just great, Susan. How's Rachel doing?
RS: She's doing good. Tell us a little bit about your upcoming movie,
The Oval.
JH: Right to the point, I like that. Well,
The Oval is the story of a grassroots movement to elect a young Democratic idealist and his fight against pragmatism once he arrives at, "the Oval." The movie is very closely based on my novel, released two years ago. And available in bookstores near you. [
laughs]
RS: The movie focuses on the first African-American president. Was the novel and the film based on the ascendancy of President Santos?
JH: I'd be lying if I said there weren't any fictionalized versions of real-life events. The President in
The Oval is a conglomeration of myself, President Santos in a way, and many other recent political figures. Much of the novel was written before President Santos became a serious contender for the Presidency, so it was something of an coincidental prelude to that election. In fact, I probably wasted too much of my time writing the novel and not enough time running for the nomination. [
laughs]
RS: Some say you've been ostracized from Washington politics, that you're running away to California to salvage your reputation.
JH: I'm surprised, Susan. 'Ostracize' is a very strong word. I've known Matt Santos for well over ten years now and we're both of the new generation of Texas politicians. I made Josh Lyman's career, and he's made President Santos'. I'm the kingmaker in this situation, and I'm taking my much deserved retirement. The simple, Susan, is that I won. I may not get 'The Oval,' but a young, moderate Texas Democrat is in there. I guess it just took eight years longer than some expected.
RS: You seem to be ignoring President Bartlet's legacy in all this.
JH: Listen, Jed Bartlet is, and always has been, my greatest friend and ally. I still receive calls from him and Abby, and Suzanne was up in Manchester not two weeks ago. As I stated in my autobiography,
Full Disclosure, the President felt that only I had the ability to serve as his Vice President. My decision to do the right thing and resign is the only tarnish on our friendship.
RS: Your relationship with your wife Suzanne has been reported in the media as being 'on the rocks' since your film deal came through. Do you care to elaborate?
JH: My life is an open book. Suzanne and I have had our problems, and I have been more than fair in letting those problems known to the world. I met Suzanne around the time of my divorce from my first wife and it was her love and support got me through my second term in the Senate and my Vice Presidency. I have made mistakes, I have been unfaithful in the past, and I only have myself to blame. Suzanne's a saint, and I couldn't imagine a world without her.
RS: In 2003, as everyone knows, you resigned following the leaking of classified information to socialite Helen Baldwin. Neither of you were charged with any crime following this incident. In 2006, you were critical of former White House Communications Director Toby Ziegler, and his leaking of classified material to the press. How do you reconcile this?
JH: Susan, what I did, over six years, was a stupid mistake, but it was nothing more than that. Mr. Ziegler purposefully and willfully broke the law and breached national security to save a few lives. As noble as it may have been, he had many other options and it was fair that he at least faced punishment for his deed.
RS: Let's cover some recent news. The beginnings of the 2010 election seems to be forming. Is it too much to wonder if you might throw your hat in the ring one more time?
JH: Didn't you just say I was ostracized? [
laughs] No, I'll probably give Santos a few more years before deciding. We Texans stick together.
RS: What do you think of the Republican field?
JH: Well, I'm a Democrat, so all those guys aren't really on my RADAR voting wise. I'm a little sad at Speaker Jim Hohner's death. I sat next to him at three States of the Union, and he always whispered the funniest, dirtiest little jokes. I wish I could tell you some, but as a Methodist, it wouldn't feel right.
RS: Well, thank you for this frank, candid, interview. Is there anything else you wish to add?
JH: Just to say that I will be attending the opening of the Josiah Bartlet Presidential Library on March 4th, the opening of 'The Centre,' a Vice Presidential Library a little after that, and my movie will be hitting theatres before Summer. That is, unless they move the date around again. You know us Hollywood types. [
laughs]