Sarkozy looking forward to meeting his "friend" Obama

Perhaps the most impressive Conservative leader on the world stage today seems to be coming close to endorsing Obama as President. Sarkozy was elected as a Conservative in France and has been mentioned several times during McCain speeches during the Republican primaries. The Conservative leader in the UK David Cameron (who is also likely the next British PM) is also fighting to maximize his photo op today with Obama. I am not sure if this is a generational thing or signs that a new form of Conservatism in Europe is trying to part with the failed legacy of George Bush and his brand of "Conservative" ideology. It will be interesting to see if Obama makes a trip to Canada before the next election.
-Darryl

Quotes from Sarkozy:

"Obama? He's my pal," the president told Le Figaro. "Unlike my diplomatic advisors, I never believed in Hillary Clinton's chances. I always said that Obama would be nominated."

Sarkozy added that an Obama victory "would validate" his strategy of reconcilation with the United States. His embrace of the United States has made him American conservatives' favorite Continental politician, but he doesn't seem to be reciprocating."

Quote from Cameron:

Referring to Mr Obama's speech, in which he warned that absent black fathers were behaving like teenagers and shirking their responsibilities, Mr Cameron said: 'I think he's absolutely right.

' I mean I think it's a very brave thing to do.

'And it will have a huge influence that he has said it.

'I've had a number of meetings with black church leaders who make the same point too.

'They are very concerned about family breakdown and social breakdown and want to see what I call a responsibility revolution take place.

'I think it is a very important part of our responsibility agenda.'

The veteran civil rights campaigner Jesse Jackson has accused Mr Obama of 'talking down to blacks', but Mr Cameron said this was wrong.

He told the Guardian: 'We will never solve the long term problems unless people also take responsibility for their own lives.'

***

Nicolas Sarkozy ready to welcome his 'friend' Barack Obama

With Barack Obama due in Paris for a fleeting stop on his European tour, President Nicolas Sarkozy has boasted that he is "the only one in France" to know the Democrat candidate, who he called "my friend".

By Henry Samuel in Paris
Last Updated: 12:44PM BST 25 Jul 2008

In fact, the French leader met Mr Obama only once, in 2006 at the Congress in Washington, when Mr Sarkozy was interior minister. The President said he had good memories of their encounter.

In his typically outspoken manner, Mr Sarkozy is quoted by Le Figaro as adding that "Unlike my diplomatic advisors I never believed in Hillary Clinton's chances. I always believed that Obama would be nominated."

Despite the warm words, the Parisian leg of Mr Obama's tour is strikingly low-key compared to his Berlin stopover yesterday, when he gave a rousing speech to a crowd of 200,000.

France is the only country in his three-nation tour where he will not be staying the night.

"Senator Obama looks forward to meeting with President Sarkozy and discussing areas of mutual interest, including the common challenges of security, transnational threats, and the global economy," his national security spokeswoman said.

"President Sarkozy has made the bilateral Franco-American relationship and the Transatlantic Alliance a centrepiece of his presidency, and Senator Obama looks forward to discussing how to build on these important initiatives," she said.

But French commentators recognized that despite Mr Sarkozy's pro-American stance, cosying up to France - which opposed the US-led invasion of Iraq - is unlikely to win Mr Obama many votes back home.

John Kerry, the Democratic nominee in 2004, was lambasted by conservatives just because he could speak French.

Mr Obama and Mr Sarkozy will meet this afternoon and hold a joint press conference - something the Democrat declined to do with Gordon Brown when the two meet in London tomorrow.

The Illinois senator heads off to London this evening.

***

No 10 fights Cameron for best Obama photo opportunity

Barack Obama will bid farewell to Europe with a stopover in London that has been causing angst in Downing Street because of fears that David Cameron may steal the thunder from Gordon Brown.

In contrast to Berlin, where-hundreds of thousands of fans turned out to see the Democrat nominee-presumptive, the London leg of the tour will be conducted almost entirely out of the public view. Mr Obama will largely be meeting political leaders, Labour and the Conservatives having been engaged in high-wire negotiations to win the “battle of the photo opportunity”. It looks like the Tories have secured the better photo spot, despite there having been no firm plans for a meeting with the party leader as recently as ten days ago.

Mr Obama, who will arrive from Paris late tonight, will receive Tony Blair, now the Middle East peace envoy, first thing tomorrow morning, talking to the former Prime Minister – who is much better known in the US than Mr Brown – about climate change and the Palestinian situation.

He will then make his way to Downing Street for breakfast with Mr Brown.

Strict protocol requires Mr Brown not to appear on the steps of No 10 standing next to Mr Obama, because he did not do the same for John McCain, the Republican nominee, when he was here in May. Instead the handshake and farewell photographs will be taken inside, and Mr Obama will leave No 10 on his own to address the press.

He will then travel by car to the Houses of Parliament for his meeting with Mr Cameron, in the Conservative leader’s office overlooking the Thames.

The choreography of this switch-over caused high tension this week when Mr Obama’s advisers informed Downing Street that Mr Cameron would “collect” him on foot and they would walk the few yards to Parliament. That would provide a huge “spontaneous” photo opportunity that Mr Brown would be unable to match. The Obama team withdrew the suggestion after high-level representations from senior government figures.

The Conservatives are still on course for the better photo opportunity after Andy Coulson, the party’s director of communications, took over the negotiations. Mr Cameron is to be pictured with the presidential candidate walking down the cloister of New Palace Yard in the Palace of Westminster. This is the same shot taken of Mr Cameron and Mr McCain in May – and provides a better backdrop than a Downing Street fireplace.

The Democrat nominee has rebuffed all requests for British media interviews, having also barred nonUS media organisations from travelling with him. Instead he will record an interview with Tom Brokaw, of NBC, for broadcast as he flies back to Chicago.

This announcement is great news for Ontario, Toronto and York Region. Kudos to both the Harper government and the current Ontario provincial government for getting this done. Now lets get some shovels in the ground. The subway extension to York university and funding for Viva transit are crucial to relieving gridlock in York Region.
-Darryl



Feds to invest more than $3B in Ont. infrastructure

Updated Thu. Jul. 24 2008 5:33 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

Ontario will receive about $6.2 billion dollars from federal and provincial coffers to improve infrastructure, Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon announced Thursday.

Cannon said Ottawa will give more than $3 billion to help repair the province's aging roads, bridges and other infrastructure.

The provincial government of Ontario has promised to match the amount, raising the total to the $6.2 billion mark.

The minister, speaking to reporters in London, Ont., said the funding was long overdue for the province.

A large portion of the money will be spent on improvements to the Trans-Canada Highway in northwestern Ontario, rural broadband coverage in southern and eastern Ontario and rapid transit in the Kitchener-Waterloo Region.

"Our government will work with Ontario to identify and deliver upon those infrastructure needs most critical to Ontarians," said Cannon. "We will do that in the spirit of open federalism and co-operation."

The minister said ensuring the "economic and environmental viability and vitality of Canada" was a top priority for the federal government.

"Investments in infrastructure help support a stronger economy, a cleaner environment and a more secure Canada," he said.

Ontario Deputy Premier George Smitherman said Thursday's announcement proves that both levels of government are working together to build a stronger province.

The money is also expected to help create jobs in the province, which has been hard hit by cutbacks in the manufacturing and auto sector.

The federal-provincial deal will stretch until 2014.

With files from The Canadian Press

Full Obama speech in Germany

Barack Obama addresses a crowd of over 200,000 people in Tiergarten, Berlin.

New series, new fandom ...

Watching Torchwood now. A bit haphazardly, actually. First watched "they keep killing Suzie", because it was wanked. *stopwatchsquee!!* Then "Kiss kiss bang bang" because of the Date-Scene, which by the way I finally understood, after I watched it on repeat and read a transsript (really people, would it kill you to speak properly? Last time I was this desperate for subtitles was watching "Sharpe" and "Pamela". Just not Non-English-friendly.) Oh boy, Spike... is not to be messed with. Not even by one Jack Harkness *giggling* Not much of a looker, James Marsters, but does he ever have a menacing presence! Couldn't tear my eyes from him. Though I would have appreciated it, if he dropped the coat (not quite literally) or would pick one less garish. Then I watched "Adrift" because of the hothouse scene. Love how matter-of-factly Ianto was. Can understand the irresistible pull of wanting to rile him up, when he is in full professional mode. That one left me depressed, because the atmosphere was far too reminiscent of one of the last Firefly-eps, where Mal inherits the body of one of his men. The same air of closure. And we all know what kind of closure it meant for Firefly *grumblegrumble*. I fervently hope that die five ep-season planned for 2009 won't get cancelled *praying to all slashy deities out there*. Well, you get my priorities in the watching order, I think. I know, I'm weird :D Now I have worked my way through most of season 2 and beginning with the last third of season one. Will hold out on "Exit wounds" though, 'cause I just know, that it will about kill me.

Seriously wondering if I should give a John/Jack/Ianto a chance, just because I feel so sorry for John and want to pet him (it is like caring for one of those scraggly meanspirited fighter cats, who would gladly scratch your eyes out and bite the hand feeding them and be so unbearably cute while doing it. Though more deadly. *snickering* ). If not for feeling that John Hart doesn't exactly strike me as a sharing type. And I  am not going to discard of Ianto like an old rag, not even Jack is that superficial. Ianto would probably good for John. They can commiserate together. Would take the focus off Jack a bit, distract them. John could use a constant presence in his life and Ianto is nothing if not constant. Maybe then he would be less tempted to go on killing spree and maybe watch a movie instead and learn cooking, I do not know. Aah, ok, ok, Im a hopeless romantic, ok. I KNOW that love is not the end to all means. But do not you wish it were? And fanfic can let it happen ... I think I need to ReWatch some episodes.

Jack Harkness A nice photo for me, to rest my eyes upon: D

Recent news reports have touched on the division in the Liberal Caucus between the leader, Dion, and many of the MPs - Dion does not want to take steps to have an election now, when the Tories are vulnerable, but to spend the summer marketing his carbon tax concept.

But that is not what causes me alarm. Rather, Dion is reported as not being in favour of adding a cap and trade element to the Liberal Party's global warming policy plank.

He is reported as saying that this 'confuses' the issue.

Dion is wrong. Harper's Tories have already started to brand his global warming as a tax increase. To roll out half a policy on global warming is not politically wise.

Nor is it wise political leadership.

Dion should roll out a comprehensive energy policy, including a cap and trade initiative.

Come to think of it, Dion should, as leader, roll out a series of political policies, so as to give Canadian voters reasons for voting FOR the Liberals, not just against Harper's Tories. Leaders should have policies.

Where are Dion's?

RR: rhubarb and other uncertainties of life

I'm really a remarkable man.

added me some devil ridden rhubarb buy. With a stick I would have been even handle, I actually like eating it. But in the business it was packed with four rods, and even a bit faded in places. Now I think about everything I should do with that because rhubarb. A bar I've eaten raw, but he happens to be sour, this is not an alternative for the rest a bit, I tried a vegetable soup to shave - no chance. It tastes like soap flakes and also has a similar consistency. To cook jam I'm first lazy and b. to untalented. Have now cut a rod as a salad addition. 'm Curious. Why rhubarb but I really wanted to have me 24 hours later, remains a mystery.

I've found that I the company of other people, if not work-related or caused birthday can endure for a limited time. Something like 2-3 hours. Then it's like an itch, I keep seeing on the clock and wants to leave. For my privacy and it works wonders sarcastic * must * cried, I can say. I think my new friends think I'm cranky for a bit and not particularly interested in friendship, but because I know I'm slightly paranoid, I do not know the extent to which it corresponds to reality and in which only the imagination. My old friends have become used to it, but I've also mostly an excuse ready. God, what a mess ...

did this I had yesterday a half-hour fit of laughter, because I blog from the William Gibson had read the entry in which he chased one of the newer medical library by the Babel Fish. The problem I have known for some time, and I've already read the Terry Pratchett Discworld series completely, my latest pick-me-the translation of any English-language interview by Google's Language Tools. I mean, how difficult it is to teach a translation engine that has the word Kid has been forever and a bit more than just the importance of kids ... Works every time, I can then usually quit for at least fifteen minutes not laugh and giggle.

Good thing the Keystone Cops have already been invented, or we would be calling Dion and his merry band of disappearing fighters the Dionstone Cops.

Does anyone in the current leadership team of the Liberal Party really understand how pathetic an excuse it is to not cause an election before the Easter weekend? But perhaps, later?

Pathetic is too mild a word. Somebody, somewhere, please give Dion and his close advisers a lesson in Communications 101.

Didn't anyone amongst the Liberal Leaders think through what they were doing when they slipped in a bill to amend the Tory government budget? What did they expect the Harperites to do? Play dead?

Haven't they learned that Harper and his boys are sharper than they are when it comes to gaming the opposing party? That Harper has consistently out thought, out planned, out smarted, and out fought the Liberal pack for some two years?

Does Dion and his advisory group think this was a fluke?

If so, then it's time for them to wake up, smell the coffee, search for the Easter eggs, beat the bushes to flush out the Easter bunnies, and get some intestinal fortitude.

Why on earth should voters vote for a party whose leaders show such obvious stupidity, by not thinking through what they are doing?

It is time to come out with some sound policies, give the voters reasons for supporting the Liberals. If the Liberals don't do it, then it might be time for voters who oppose the Tory rightwing agenda to take a fresh look at the Green Party, or the NDP.

Support has to be earned from voters.