Sunday, March 22

Obama VS. Cheney

An article concerning Obama's response to criticism from Cheney appears in both the Los Angeles and New York Times.
In an interview that was taped Friday, the 20th, but broadcasted on Sunday, March 22 on "60 Minutes" on CBS, as well as in both articles, Obama is quoted calling Bush administration policy on detainees at the military prison at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, “unsustainable”, as well as “a great advertisement for anti-American sentiment.”The two newspapers are different in the way they present their stories. In the LA Times, the fact that Cheney has been criticizing Obama's decision to shut down the Guantánamo prison, along with other policies on the treatment of terrorism suspects is included in the lead, as if implying that that was the reason for the remark.




Aaron Tomlinson / Associated Press
In this photo provided by CBS News, Steve Kroft of '60 Minutes' interviews President Obama at the Oval Office on Friday, March 20, in Washington D.C.


However, in the NY Times, Cheney's opinion that Obama has put the nation at greater risk of terrorism isn't mentioned until the middle of the article. Because, there has been growing criticism of the government's handling of the financial crisis, the president also defends Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner who has been under public eye and anger over bonuses paid to Wall Street executives. His joke that if Mr. Geithner offered to resign, his response would be, “Buddy, you’ve still got the job” is present in both articles because of its prominence in our society.


In the Washington Post, an article titled, Obama Plans Anti-Drug Effort on Border to Aid Mexico
, was published. It explains how Obama attempts to help Mexican President Felipe Calderón's campaign against violent drug cartel. Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano will be visiting Mexico City this week with the intention of designing a multi-agency security plan for the Mexico-U.S. border. Napolitano said the government is preparing plans to send more agents and intensify its investigation and prosecution of drug and gun-related activity between the border.



Obama has decided to focus on Mexico because more than 7,200 people have died in drug-related violence, prompting fears in the United States.