Clinton on Bahrain, Soros on Bush and Egypt, Rumsfeld and More
Clinton fears a Mideast hijacking of democracy, George Soros says Bush would have spurned more Egypt violence, and Rumsfeld wants Obama to stop apologizing. That and more in our roundup.
Clinton: Transition to Mideast Democracy Is Tricky
In an exclusive interview with Christiane Amanpour on This Week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stressed that the violence against peaceful protesters in Bahrain must end now. She warned that transition to democracy, similar to Iran in 1979, is always vulnerable to hijacking.
Wisconsin Governor: Put Up or Shut Up
Some call Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker’s bill to cut collective bargaining rights union-busting. Other high-profile politicians, namely President Obama, have called it an “assault on unions.” On Fox News Sunday, Walker chided the 14 Democratic state senators who ran away from the state by pointing out that for democracy to be effective, you sort of have to be there. The governor thanked prospective Republican presidential hopefuls for siding with him.
Bush’s Egyptian Revolution Would Be Violent
Billionaire George Soros told Fareed Zakaria that if President Bush and Dick Cheney were in charge now, the Egyptian revolution would have been much more violent. But instead, Obama has been successful because he sees the revolution in terms of people asserting their right to freedom and continues to refuse to “instigate” the coming regime change.
How Should Media Cover the Lara Logan Story?
Was there a sexist strain in the coverage of Lara Logan’s assault in Egypt? On Reliable Sources, Salon’s Mary Elizabeth Williams told Howard Kurtz that there has been a backlash because Logan is an attractive woman. As for Nir Rosen’s tweets and subsequent apology, Williams has a problem with his assertion that the story is only getting attention because of the “pretty blond lady.”
Rumsfeld to Obama: Stop Apologizing
Former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld doesn’t think that just because Obama is president, the U.S. is viewed more favorably by foreign nations. “No, and I don't think there's data that supports that,” Rumsfeld said on State of the Union. "I think he had made a practice of trying to apologize for America. I personally am proud of America."
Let’s Keep Government Up and Running, Says Ryan
On Face the Nation, U.S. House Budget Chairman Paul Ryan said that a government shutdown is the last thing he wants. While the Republican said that negotiations are inevitable, he stressed that they are not looking to “rubber stamp these really high elevated spending levels” that Congress passed two years ago.
Does Wisconsin Matter to Obama?
This week on Meet the Press, Senators. Lindsey Graham and Dick Durbin weighed in on whether President Obama should be getting involved with the controversial collective bargaining rights bill in Wisconsin. It seems opinions are split down the line: Republican Graham thought the president should focus on the nation’s budget, while Democrat Durbin thinks it’s a historical moment for workers’ rights.