Obama needs Republican VOTES for Health Care Reform

Fox News: Reports that in the US Senate President Obama will need Republican votes to pass his Health Care Reform. Even if the the Liberal Leadership in House of Representatives can push the Blue Dog Democrats in the House to vote for the Obama Plan, in the Senate its a different matter. In the Senate Obama needs 60 votes, in theory he has the votes but in fact Senators from Conservative states are not going to vote for a bill that costs a Trillion Dollars and has no Republican support. Thus Obama now needs show that he has the political skills of LBJ and Reagan, he needs Republicans, its that simple, no Republicans no Heath Care, no Second Term Presidency. Lets see how good a political operator Obama is, can he make deals, it should be noted that LBJ got his civil right bills through Congress not with total Democratic support but with Republicans putting him over the top, House members from the South could not afford to vote for the LBJ Bill. Ronald Reagan got Democratic support for his economic budget, he rolled the Democratic Leadership. Thus lets see what Obama has learned from Chicago politics.

Tough Talk on Iran and North Korea - Hillary Clinton

Politico: Reports on the appearance of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the Sunday Talk Show, Meet the Press. The Secretary had tough words for Iran and North Korea, on Iran Secretary Clinton stated that Iran would not be allowed to go nuclear, North Korea would not be allowed to blackmail the International System. This is a very canny move by Hillary Clinton, it places pressure on Iran and North Korea but also places pressure on Obama, one thing Hillary Clinton is not going to be is a Neville Chamberlain for Obama, thus he more hawkish Secretary Clinton is the harder it is for Obama. President Obama understands it can be argued that he can be quite Liberal at home, Health Care Reform, environment issues, but the American voter draws the line at another Jimmy Carter. Lets be honest here, Obama is a politician, all politicians want to be loved by the voter, some need the love more, but its part of the package of all politicians. Also when it comes to Foreign Policy he is limited in what he can do, should Israel bomb Iran the Congress will support Israel, no matter what Obama wants or feels. Thus he can plead with Israel, threaten Israel up to a point, the Congress would always override any action to punish Israel. Obama's main worry has to be that should Israel hit Iran, Iran would then hit US Forces in Iraq, thus Obama would have another War on his hands, the Liberal left would of course go bonkers. Thus Obama should follow the JFK and Reagan line on Foreign Policy, talk but first have a hawkish Defence policy, his winning personality will not work with President Ahmadinejad.

India vs Pakistan

BBC News: Reports that that India has launched its first nuclear submarine. This news will go down like a lead balloon in Pakistan, while they are fighting the Taliban/Terrorists on the border between Afghanistan and Pakistan for the Obama Administration, the old enemy has developed a new method in their perception to attack Pakistan. One has to wonder what the Obama Administration has being doing, they need Pakistan as an friend in the region to attack the Taliban/Terrorists, the Army of Pakistan sees India as the main threat, thus did President Obama know about this new development, did he try to talk India out of this move, did he place pressure on Russia not to help India. Lets hope the Elite Media gets around to asking these important questions, Professor Gates and Health are important but not as important as the War on the border between Pakistan and the Taliban/Terrorists and the constant threat of a war between India and Pakistan.

Obama on Race

Rasmussen Report: Reports on how the USA feels President Obama has dealt with the Gates case, not good news, only 26% approve of the way Obama has handled the issue, on the negative side 46% give him a negative grade. The Gates case shows that even a good politician and Obama just might be up there with JFK and Reagan can make a mistake, Obama should have side stepped the issue, he won in Iowa in 2008 because he was not Hillary Clinton and he was seen as the first African - American to be post racial, looking forward not looking back to the 1960s. Then when a African - American Harvard Professor is arrested is in a odd case, the President jumps and blames the white police officer. As stated this might go down well with the Liberal Base and African Americans, it can cause those that supported and voted for him to think that they had been conned. As the statement was made in a press conference about Health Reform it become the major issue not health care, thus the President after seeing the polls came out and said both men had overreacted and invited them to the White House for a beer. Thus Obama has to get the fact, don't get involved in local issues when it comes to race, that is what a Congressman or Senator is for, he is POTUS. The President these days has to cope with a 24/7 news cycle, he can not afford to get caught up in a issue that has nothing to do with him and hurts him on the Hill. A Blue Dog Congressman or woman might think after seeing the Polls that Obama would hurt him or her in the Mid Term Congressional Elections, thus better to vote against his Health Reform Package. The Obama West Wing has to manage the media but make sure their man does not go off message, thus the discipline of the Campaign has to come back to the Obama West Wing.

The Last Veteran of WW1 still battling on, Mr Claude Choules - 108 Not Out

The Times: Reports on the last living World World 1 veteran, Mr Claude Choules formerly of the Royal Navy. Read of the Day.