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Sunday, January 16, 2011

Washington Extra – Star power

It was a bit of a shock to learn on the Internet that a wobbly Earth has put the old Zodiac out of whack, and even added a 13th astrological sign – Ophiuchus (I’m changing my birthday if I end up landing in that one).

Speaking of star power… President Barack Obama showed his last night at the memorial service for the Arizona shooting victims. He connected. The more somber and emotional his speech, the more the audience reacted with approval.

“It’s important for us to pause for a moment and make sure that we’re talking with each other in a way that heals, not in a way that wounds,” Obama said.

Can Washington actually change the polarized discourse that Obama talked about? Well, next week will be a good test. The House of Representatives will resume debate on legislation to repeal Obama’s landmark healthcare overhaul.

The House had intended to act this week on the repeal bill, but the vote was postponed following the Arizona shooting spree. The tragedy led to a national debate on whether political rhetoric has gone too far.

One star from Texas, Republican Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison, the only woman ever elected to the U.S. Senate from the “Lone Star” state, has decided not to seek another term.

The stars will probably still be aligned in favor of a Republican for that seat.

Here are our top stories from Washington today…

Obama on human rights in China: agree to disagree?

When President Obama hosts Chinese President Hu Jintao next week, the only real suspense will be over how forcefully and publicly he takes his counterpart to task for China’s human rights record before they turn to other priorities like currency, trade and North Korea. The consensus: Obama will be more assertive in addressing rights concerns. But mindful of China’s growing economic and diplomatic clout, he will stick to a quieter, more nuanced approach than predecessors like Bill Clinton, who bluntly told the country’s rulers they were on the “wrong side of history.”


See also


(source:reuters.com)

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