Russia to build new base for its Black Sea fleet in Abkhazia, the disputed region that Georgia lost control of in last year’s brief war. The fleet is now at the old Soviet-era base at Sevastopol, which the Russians currently lease from Ukraine.
From an internal Random House email earlier this hour …
From: Bogaards, Paul
Sent: Tuesday, January 27, 2009 1:07 PM
To: @Knopf Doubleday Group
Subject: John UpdikeIt is with great sadness that I report that John Updike died this morning at the age of 76, after a battle with lung cancer.
John was one of our greatest writers. He was a part of the Knopf family for over fifty years. We will all miss him terribly.
JOHN UPDIKE
March 18, 1932 – January 27, 2009
About the new Diageo/Hotline poll …
A new poll released today by National Journal Group’s Hotline and its polling partner Diageo finds President Obama enjoying strong support one week into his administration, with Americans also generally backing the $825 billion stimulus package now working its way through Congress.
The Diageo/Hotline poll conducted by FD will be released in two parts, the first today and the second – looking at Congress and its leaders – on Wednesday. It is available to subscribers at The Hotline on NationalJournal.com.
Obama’s favorability rating stands at 76 percent, with a job approval rating of 63 percent. Even Republicans have a generally positive view of the new president, with a plurality saying they approve of his job performance. So far, Democratic approval of Obama is nearly universal.
Overall, Americans are also supportive of the economic stimulus package Obama has asked Congress to pass. After learning the details of its provisions, more than two-thirds of respondents said they at least somewhat supported the package. But partisan rifts do exist. Democrats were inclined to support the legislation – 58 percent of them strongly – while Republicans were split about evenly.
Coleman witness and alleged ‘disenfranchised’ Coleman voter admits absentee fraud on the stand.
And this came out on direct examination.
In today’s press briefing Robert Gibbs said the White House Counsel’s office was studying whether to keep Karl Rove’s executive privilege grant in place in the face of John Conyers’ new subpoena.
Over the last several days the recently impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich made the talk show rounds. If you like Rudyard Kipling, you’ll love this.
Sen. Ensign (R): 2001 Bush tax cut a model of bipartisanship Obama should aspire to.
Obama gives selected Republicans a pat on the head.
From Paul Bedard’s Washington Whispers quoting Republican sources on what Obama said in his meeting with Hill Republicans …
On GOP complaints, “he said that ‘there will be time to beat him up and a time for politics. He said I understand that and I will watch you on Fox News and feel bad about myself.'”