State of the Union: Candy Crowley's Crib Sheet for July 25
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/04/04/art.candycribnew0404.cnn.jpg caption="In her Crib Sheet, CNN's Candy Crowley wraps the news from Sunday's political talk shows."]
The Glass Is Either Half-Full or Really Empty
Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner says he’s talked to businesses and the consensus is the economy is “gradually getting better”.
Two mega businessmen have a slightly different take.
“This economy is getting weak” says Obama supporter and U.S. News and World Report owner Mort Zuckerman who ticks off consumer spending -flat or down, housing -“off the edge of the cliff,” and unemployment, well even the administration now says the jobless rate will stay above 9 percent until 2012.
“There are very serious headwinds in the face of this economy,” says Republican Steve Forbes, CEO of Forbes, Inc.. He explained that businesses aren’t hiring because they are uncertain about the cost of health care, financial reform and taxes.
So, Just To End That Uncertainty on Taxes
Geithner re-confirmed his previous confirmation that the Administration wants to let the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire in January, leaving them in place for the middle-class, usually defined by The White House as households making 250-thousand dollars or less.
“The Kinetic Option”: Candor only a “former” can offer
Defiant Iran
Iran continues to balk at sanctions, while still in a seemingly relentless pursuit of a nuclear program, “It seems inexorable, doesn't it?” Michael Hayden, the former CIA director under George W. Bush and former director of the NSA, said. “We engage. They continue to move forward. We vote for sanctions. They continue to move forward. We try to deter, to dissuade. They continue to move forward.” Hayden says military action against Iran is more likely now than ever - and could be justified. “When I was in government, what we would used to mystically call ‘the kinetic option’ was way down on our list. In my personal thinking... I have begun to consider that that may not be the worst of all possible outcomes.”
A “devil of a problem”
Hayden acknowledges home-grown terrorism is “incredibly difficult” to combat in a democracy. He says we can cut down the chances of an attack, but can’t eliminate it.
Don’t touch
The former CIA director warned against slashing the intelligence budget saying it could give Al Qaeda an advantage. “Reducing resources beyond a certain point will make us less able to adapt as our enemy adapts. So I would be cautious about that.”
Who Got Iran and Shirley Sherrod into the same sentence?
One free edition of the Crib Sheet next week to all of you who guessed former house speaker Newt Gingrich.
Also coming next Sunday:
August.
Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, on NBC’s “Meet the Press”
Gregory: “Just to be precise, you do not believe in a double dip recession?
Geithner: No I don't. I think the most likely thing is you see an economy that gradually strengthens over the next year or two, you see job growth start to come back again, investments expanding, manufacturing is getting stronger, exports better, those are very encouraging signs. But we've got a long way to go still.”
Newt Gingrich, on “Fox News Sunday”
“I think a fair case be made that this administration acted with destructing irresponsibility in the way that they fired [Sherrod].”
Newt Gingrich, on “Fox News Sunday”
“If the Obama administration is this afraid of Glenn Beck, how do they deal with the Iranians?”
Abigail Thernstrom, Vice Chair, U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, on CBS’ “Face the Nation”
“Race and politics….have become so entangled, you can't even criticize President Obama without it being - coming off as, you know - you coming off as racially suspect.”
Mort Zuckerman on CNN “State of the Union"
“I'm more or less on the pessimistic side of things. My view is that you have consumer spending, which is either flat or going down; housing, which is falling off the edge of the cliff; employment, which is still continuing to be a serious problem, and I could give you a whole series of statistics that sort of fit into that general group of either flat or down, and that's what leads me to the conclusion that this economy is getting weak.”
Steve Forbes on CNN “State of the Union”
“…there's huge uncertainty out there, Candy, which is why you're not getting job creation. You have a weak dollar. Weak dollar always means a weak recovery. You've got tax increases coming. Tax increases already embedded in this healthcare bill. Massive new regulations coming. Small businesses not knowing what's going to happen. So the tendency is to clutch the cash, stay on the sidelines. So until the president deals credibly with that uncertainty, it's going to be a very subpar economy. There are very serious headwinds in the face of this economy.”
Apparently, Obama doesn't understand that it is the wealthy who invest and create jobs.
No jobs so No money so No spending so we will lose more jobs
Republicans doesn’t want give unemployment befit so less consumer
State wide republicans saying illegal immigrants taking Americans jobs send them back so lot of rental properties are empty so more foreclosures
Republicans attacking stimulus, we know stimulus didn’t create many jobs but it save many jobs
Only solution Jobs
Now we need jobs only way we can create jobs switch to green energy
Leaders must take note of Criticism that is good, scared of Criticism not good . this administration was wrong when its comes Sheryl Sherrod
But who create the problems now blaming Obama administration that ruthless
vic; prove that the stimulus saved jobs. Green energy will cost jobs not create them. Russell you are one of the few on here that realize poor people don't create jobs just wealthy ones that can invest and create jobs. thank you
@Russell N.C., it is true that the wealthy invest and create jobs...in China, India, South East Asia but NOT here in America. All those foreign Medical Doctors, do they invest in USA or do they invest in their homelands in the Middle East as an example? One only has to look at investment firms, you know the ones who handle retirement accounts for the has been middle class. Examine where all that money goes or ends up. How about defense investing? Please take note of the Executive salaries, I've seen a lot 10 million and up annual salaries there. Take a look for yourself, I wonder where all that money gets invested?
@ib Stimulus saved jobs in counties if any one have doubts check there counties how many jobs they saved by stimulus
Rich create jobs that is true but poor don’t work rich won’t make money
CNN stop interviewing CEO that want "The Bush Tax Cuts for the rich. Small business is not scared of this economy this is when they grow for the opportunity that big business pass up. Start talking to all the start up business due to the stimulus.
Some people say that the wealthy invest and create jobs and some say that the small businessman creates jobs. Which is it? All I know is that a lot of bankers got enormous bonuses, but did not bother to take less and create any jobs. Frankly I believe that jobs are purposely NOT being created in line with the conservative agenda to make President Obama fail. The sad part is that the same people who vote for the GOBP are the same really ordinary people who will suffer from the lack of job creation. The only failure will be the American people.
Ah Russell, most small business people are not wealthy and yet they create jobs. Mid-size and large corporations also create jobs but are owned by stockholders, not just the wealthy. Learn some econ please.
Part of the stimulus packages under both Bush and Obama were to make money available to small businesses. They are the ones that create jobs. Not the wealthy. Unfortunately, not enough new businesses are being created. I'm inclined to believe, maybe naively, that going in a different direction as far as powering this nation would create many new jobs. Example: The new battery factory that was in the news recently in Holland Michigan. Granted it is only expected to bring 450 jobs, but it shows what is possible if we concentrate on new innovations and technologies.
WHAT A LIE. Businesses say the economy is on the decline. Thats nobummer and his team practice, tell lies and hope he can fool more than just the dummy liberals.
do they want to send the jobs to India, and Philippines? It is the right to time to pass energy and climate reform and stringent immigration reform. I am glad Health care reform passed so did the financial reform. these dudes do not like those reforms. so they dislike. Target ones who hire illegals, and non-citizens.,
I was very disappointed in SOTU this Sun 7/25 with the oh so many comments that the Obama admin is anti-business, because he disses the multi billion dollar bonuses to bankers.
Obama is anti-rip off bankers-not business in general, which Obama and everyone is for.
I hope next week you'll correct this totally misleading commentary, which Steve Forbes was only too eager to jump on and agree with.
The wealthy USED to invest and share the good times with employees and others in society. Today they reward themselves with more and more money and benefits. If they need to make cuts it will never come out of their income...just lay off the janitor or whomever and make everyone else do more.......with no increase in pay. There is a difference between wealthy and the ultra-wealthy folks around today buying multiple homes, cars and boats etc etc etc. They go on to blame the poor for being poor or sick or not of great intelligence. What a world we live in.
The Bush Tax Cuts were NOT just for the wealthy. They were also for the Middle Class!!
""""So, Just To End That Uncertainty on Taxes
Geithner re-confirmed his previous confirmation that the Administration wants to let the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy expire in January, leaving them in place for the middle-class, usually defined by The White House as households making 250-thousand dollars or less""""
Hmmmm - Maybe we can use those Bushy – Dicky tax cuts for the wealthy to pay for the two wars they started and had no exit strategy from..
And just a word for Russell N.C. -- Are you right-wing extremists still pushing the "Trickle Down" theory that never worked? The wealthy invest in yachts, land, buildings, and provide NO JOBS. That was simply a phony lie contrived under Reagan in order to justify tax cuts for the greedy wealthy.
Sen. Jim Webb calls for the elimination of affirmative action government programs and barely no mention by CNN News.It's no wonder you are losing viewers to your competitors.!!!!
That thing on the wealthy taxation is pure "bunkem class warfare politics" !!