US pulls itself out of recession, but hold the champagneUS government figures show a growth rate of 3.5% in the third quarter, indicating that the debilitating US recession is no more. Too bad consumer confidence is down and so is faith in Obama’s ability to handle the economy.
Barack Obama 
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
leaked 
Democratic donors recieving White House perks
The Washington Times has scored internal documents it claims show Barack Obama has been rewarding major donors to the Democratic Party with exclusive access to the White House, administration advisers and important meetings.
Is Barack Obama sexist?
Following on from the mini furor this week over Obama finally playing golf with a lady, Hadley Freeman explores the PC nonsense and the ridiculous sexist claims bombarding Obama. Sarah Palin may have been the conservatives favourite female, but being a woman is not the same as being good for women.
No more Mr Nice Guy: Obama needs to toughen up
This whole soft and sweet Barack Obama act isn’t working on a global scale, if even Hamid Karzai is ignoring Obama’s “smart diplomacy” writes Mark Steyn. Obama could learn some tough guy lessons from George Dubya.
Arianna Huffington: Barack Obama is doing my job
For a President, Barack Obama makes a great pundit, says Arianna Huffington. He’s very good at uring, advocating, recommending and suggesting, but not so good at actually doing.
Fox News vs. The White House: it’s on
A bloody fight is brewing in the US media. In the blue corner, the White House. In the red corner, Fox News. Will Obama’s message of hope beat the the right wing shock jocks in submission? asks Aaron Flanagan.
Noel Pearson is ‘our’ Obama? Albrechtsen’s swatch politics
Janet Albrechtsen dubbed Indigenous leader Noel Pearson as Australia’s answer to Barack Obama. Is that because they’re both, um, black? asks Guy Rundle.
Oops 
No hope for Obama artist fraud
Artist Shepard Fairey — creator of the iconic Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster — has admitted that he knowingly submitted fake evidence in his legal case with Associated Press in an attempt to conceal his use of a copyrighted Obama photo.
White House vs. Fox News: why Obama can’t win
Fox News may have baited them, but Barack Obama — who has always tried to depict himself as above petty partisan squabbling — should never have allowed the White House to bite, writes David Carr.
Why the US can’t beat the Taliban: their secret finances revealed
It’s no longer just opium poppies funding the Taliban. Fundraising from foreign donations, kidnappings and extortion have created a financial monopoly so strong that the US military have publicly admitted they are struggling to fight it.
revealed Obama’s secret deal with Iran
Iranian nuclear experts and world powers met today to negotiate the future of the country’s uranium stockpiles. But Barack Obama has been personally wheeling and dealing secretly with Iran for four months now, TIME reveals.
The image makeover that Israel didn’t want
Israel is alienating more and more of its traditional allies and its criticism of the Goldstone report — which accuses Israel of targeting citizens in its attacks last Dec-Jen — may further damage its relationship with the US, writes Patrick Seale.
The day Obama popped the question
How did Barack Obama ask Hillary Clinton to be his Secretary of State? Well, Hillary and Bill were strolling through a NY park when suddenly Bill’s phone rang…
Are interracial couples the last political taboo?
Barack Obama broke down racial barriers, but when it comes to interracial families in politics, it’s usually a case of don’t publish the family photos. But the times they are a-changing. It’s not yet post-racial politics, but a politics of racial possibility.
Hillary now more popular than Obama
A new Gallup poll has Hillary Clinton’s popularity at 62% while President Barack Obama’s is only sitting at 56%. Could these new figures see her consider another tilt at the Presidency?
How playing poker made Obama powerful
Poker has long been a game for every race, sex and political persuasion, with many US presidents being poker fans. How is poker so intrinsically linked with power in US society?
Meghan McCain: Man up over Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
Barack Obama may love a stirring speech about his plans to end the controversial ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy for gays in the military, but he is all talk no action, argues Meghan McCain.
The sexiest heads of state
Which heads of state are the biggest babes? The blonde vixen Yulia Tymoshenko of Ukraine grabs top spot, while sexy Barack Obama ranks at 15th. Our smiling Kevin ‘Mr Sheen’ Rudd comes in at a lousy 93rd.
Shhh! Obama sneaks 13,000 extra troops into Afghanistan
The White House publicly announced that 21,000 more troops would be sent to Afghanistan this year — what they didn’t mention was that an additional 13,000 “support” troops were also being deployed. Sneaky semantics.
