In the eyes of Palestinians direct negotiations have become delegitimised, writes Nigel O’Connor writes from Ramallah.
Barack Obama
Obama’s polls remain strong (in Europe)
Barack Obama may be facing falling polls at home but in Europe he remains a very popular president, with 75 percent of surveyed people in 12 EU nations giving his handling of global affairs a tick, reports Breitbart.
The GOP v Obamanomics: ideology or politics?
The only people in the US who claim that stimulus spending doesn’t stimulate the economy are Republicans. Does the GOP oppose Obama’s economic measures for ideological or political reasons? asks Jacob Weisberg.
What difference do political speeches make?
Like Ronald Reagan, Barack Obama is regarded as a great communicator. But to what extent do political speeches make a real difference in terms of passing policy and gathering public support? asks Robert de Neufville.
Video of the Day: Obama’s American Jobs Act address
His poll numbers may be dropping but his oratory skills are still tip-top. Addressing a joint session of Congress, Barack Obama extolled the virtues of his American Jobs Act and implored colleagues to pass the legislation “right away”.
Crikey Says: A pretty grim set of numbers
President Obama take the nation through the numbers of his jobs package plan Thursday night (US time) in his address to Congress. In the meantime, the numbers are in on his latest approval rating, and it’s the worst of his presidency.
Obama hits record low in polls
Barack Obama’s poll numbers have reached an all time low, with an overall approval rating of 44 percent, reports The Telegraph. Still, he’s streets ahead of Julia Gillard…
Gottliebsen: will the US bank crisis reignite?
If Bank of America shares keep falling, then we are facing a very dangerous situation, especially as it will multiply the problems of the European banks, writes Robert Gottliebsen.
Obama going from bad to worse
Barack Obama is off on his bus version of a whistle stop campaign tour and according to Gallup he needs to rustle up a bit of support, writes Richard Farmer.
Political snippets: Obama goes from bad to worse
President Barack Obama is off on his bus version of a whistle stop campaign tour and according to Gallup he needs to rustle up a bit of support.
Fear and greed … the real energy challenge
It’s curious to see how left-wing and right-wing politics have fallen on either side of the clean tech divide, particularly in the US and Australia, writes Giles Parkinson.
Ricky Perry: a rising contender to unseat Obama
Republican Ricky Perry, who comes from a fifth generation farming background, embodies darn tootin’ conservative values and is increasingly being considered as the GOP’s best bet against Obama, writes Toby Harnden
Political snippets: Confidence in Australian economy ebbs again
The Westpac-Melbourne Institute Index of Consumer Sentiment fell by 3.5% in August from 92.8 in July to 89.6 in August.
US needs rehab from its debt addiction
Looking at the spending habits of the US is more reminiscent of a Latin American dictatorship circa 1980 rather than a leading Western democracy, writes Larry Elliott.
Crikey wrap: US debt-ceiling deal done
Crikey media wrap: The deal is sealed: Barack Obama made a special Sunday night announcement that a debt-ceiling plan had been agreed on and signed off by both party leaders.
New Yorker cartoonists solve the debt crisis
The Republicans and the Democrats can’t seem to negotiate a deal to resolve the debt-ceiling in the US. But surely the cartoonists from the New Yorker can?
