President Bush took heat from environmentalists for deciding not to take global warming into account when managing endangered species, but the Obama administration is keeping the rule in place. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said last week that global warming is a problem for polar bears but that “the Endangered Species Act is not the appropriate tool for us to deal with what is a global issue.” The act was intended to protect animals from close-by threats, such as hunting, but environmentalists have argued that the act also should be used to help protect endangered species from larger threats.
President Obama had some fun with his reputation as a media darling and a teleprompter addict during his remarks at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. Among the sometimes blistering laugh lines:
– “Most of you covered me; all of you voted for me. Apologies to the Fox table.”
– Republican National Committee chairman “Michael Steele is in the house tonight. Or as he would say, ‘in the heezy.’ Wassup? Where is Michael? For the last time — the Republican Party does not qualify for a bailout. Rush Limbaugh does not count as a troubled asset. I’m sorry.”
– “Dick Cheney was supposed to be here but he is very busy working on his memoirs, tentatively titled, ‘How to Shoot Friends and Interrogate People.’”
– “Happy Mother’s Day to all the mothers in the audience. I do have to say, though, that this is a tough holiday for Rahm Emanuel because he’s not used to saying the word ‘day’ after ‘mother.’”
– “During the second 100 days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first 100 days.”
– “My next 100 days will be so successful, I will complete them in 72 days. And on the 73rd day, I will rest.”
Late-night comics have wondered why Congress, instead of bailing out auto manufacturers and big banks, doesn’t give money to the public to pay down mortgages or to help buy new cars. Turns out that Sen. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., likes the idea. Brownback is co-sponsoring “cash for clunkers” legislation that would offer up to $4,500 to consumers who trade in cars getting 18 miles per gallon or less for a higher-mileage vehicle. Though Brownback has been a critic of government intervention in the marketplace, he sees the auto industry as a victim that deserves help. “The overall economic landscape has just fallen out from underneath them,” he said.
Some questions and answers from a New York Times Magazine interview with Sen. Arlen Specter, D-Pa., in which he also expressed support for Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., in his re-election fight against Democrat Al Franken:
Q: You and Bob Dole share a hometown, Russell, Kan. What do they put in the water there?
A: Debaters’ tonic. Russell is famous for its high school debate championship teams.
Q: Did you know Dole in your Kansas days?
A: No. When I moved to Russell in the eighth grade, he was much older, but in the intervening years I’ve pretty much caught up to him.
Q: I assume this was before he was appearing on television in Viagra commercials.
A: From reliable sources, he did not need Viagra then.
