Barack Obama’s notorious campaign remark in that “bitter” Pennsylvania blue-collar voters “cling to guns or religion or antipathy to people who aren’t like them” was almost his undoing. Mayhill Fowler provides a fascinating behind-the-scenes insight into why he said what he did.
Politics / The World / United States
Former UK ambassador: CIA sent people to be “raped with broken bottles” in Uzbekistan
The former UK ambassador to Uzbekistan claims the CIA sent terror suspects to the country as part of its extraordinary rendition program, where they were “raped with broken bottles” and were forced to watch their children tortured in front of them, to gather intelligence.
The Tea Party descends on DC
10,000 members of America’s right-wing Tea Party movement have swarmed DC to “scare” members of Congress from voting for health care reform. 10 have been arrested, while an All-Star line-up of GoP Reps showed up. Can they actually “kill the bill”?
New Jersey turns a deep, dark shade of purple
If people still bought newspapers in America, they’d be reading about a Republican resurgence today, with the Republicans winning their first election in New Jersey since 1997, writes Jason Whittaker.
Republicans stage a comeback
On the one-year anniversary of Barack Obama’s landslide win, the winds of change appear to have shifted, with two Republican candidates winning seats in this year’s state elections. Is this a sign that voters are becoming increasingly disaffected with the new President and his party?
Dowd: Rush Limbaugh is immature and narcissistic
Shock jock Rush Limbaugh is one of the key media mouths of the Republican Party and he loves to insult at Obama. Too bad he forgets the actions of his good mate Dubya, because it wasn’t Obama who stuffed the economy or brought about the war in Iraq, notes Maureen Dowd.
weird 
The most bizarre CIA programs of all time
The CIA has funded some odd programs throughout its history. Like, luring men with prostitutes and then drugging them to observe the effects of acid and LSD. And implementing cats with microphones to spy on the Russians. Fun!
Clinton and Bush to face-off
Billed as “The Hottest Ticket in Political History”, former US Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush will face-off in a public debate in February next year. A ringside ticket will set you back US$1250, but the slugfest promises to be worth every penny.
What would Candidate Obama think of President Obama?
It’s been a year since Barack Obama won the US election, and the man who once shouted “Yes we can!” has had to grapple with the reality that, quite often, no we can’t. How would the Obama of a year ago view himself today? muses Arianna Huffington.
leaked 
The lost Sarah Palin speeches
Read the concession speech the Republican Party wouldn’t let Sarah Palin make after the 2008 US Presidential election, plus the victory speech she never got to make.
Half of all American kids receive food stamps
It seems that food stamps aren’t just for those in the ghetto. A new study shows half of all US kids will receive food stamps at some time in their childhood. Even more disturbing, 90% of black children will use them.
The FBI’s 400,000-strong terrorist watch list
Recently released FBI data shows 1600 new names are nominated every day for the agency’s terrorist watch list, which contains more than 400,000 unique names and over a million entries.
Stop sucking up to Israel, America
Israel is spoiled, arrogant and condescending country, says Gideon Levy, and it will continue to behave like one until the US stops flattering and fawning all over it. Washington needs to learn to say “no”.
revealed A new twist in the JFK assasination
A recently declassified oral history by JFK’s former military aide claims that, following the president’s assassination, he found Lyndon Johnson huddled in the bathroom of Air Force One, crying, “They’re going to get us all. It’s a plot. It’s a plot. It’s going to get us all.”
Halloween at the White House
The Obamas greeted about 2600 trick-or-treaters at the door of the White House on Halloween, doling out some highly prized White House M&Ms and… dried fruit?! Oh no, the White House is That House!
Why is the US starving Somalia?
Despite sending 40 tons of weaponry to Somalia earlier this year, the United States is withholding humanitarian aid until relief agencies agree to comply with a set of strict conditions. And the country is going to run out of food within weeks.
What will Obama do with the leftover Gitmo prisoners?
Barack Obama is honouring his pledge to close down the notorious Guantanamo prison, but how and where will the detainees be trialled in a fair manner? NPR explores the options, examining what justice means for Gitmo prisoners.
Crikey Clarifier: The JSF project … the J is for ‘joke’
The JSF or Joint Strike Fighter is a massively hyped, much-delayed defence project by which a single type of jet will supposedly defend the US and its allies from baddies. Think of a super duper X-box with wings. It has got everything. Or has it? asks Ben Sandilands.
US rebound overshadowed by Costco’s food stamps move
So the American recession is over: go tell it to the eight million or more people who have lost their jobs and remain unemployed, the tens of millions more working shorter hours for lower wages, or the 35 million or so on food aid.
The private life of the Obamas
Barack and Michelle Obama are known for having one of strongest and most sickly sweet marriages in US political history. Just think of their date nights! NY Times Magazine is running a 10 page indepth feature on the Obamas’ marriage. Go on, you know you want to.
Shoot first, pay them later: US loses the Afghan drug war
US military are struggling to handle the Afghan drug trade. Although it’s a violation of Afghanistan’s laws, the US military have complied a kill on sight, drug lord hit list. Too bad some Afghan drug lords are on the CIA’s pay roll, writes Jeff Sparrow.
revealed 
Inside Campaign Obama
Get a peak inside Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential campaign from the man pulling all the strings, campaign manager David Plouffe, with this extract from his new memoir, The Audacity to Win
Bush wasn’t dumb, just superficial
A new paper analysing George Dubbya Bush’s psyche says it’s a myth he’s stupid — his IQ is in the top 10% of the population — he’s just “intellectually lazy”, and thus prone to make stupid decisions.
