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Political Bulletin
       
  
POLITICAL BULLETIN
All the Day's Political News From Newspapers, TV, Radio, and Magazines
 
Bulletin News
MEMORANDUM FOR SUBSCRIBERS

SUBJECT: TODAY'S POLITICAL NEWS

DATE: FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2010 - 8:00 AM
INSIDE
 

At Urban League, Obama Defends Education Reforms, Calls For Race Dialogue   While President Obama's remarks before the National Urban League in Washington dealt mainly with his education reform initiatives, a sizeable segment of the media coverage last night and this morning dealt with the issue of race – which Obama addressed in his speech in the context of the education debate and in later comments on ABC's The View. USA Today, for example, headlines its story on the President's speech "Obama Urges A Dialogue On Race After Sherrod Case," and reports that "Obama said Thursday that all Americans should spend more time talking about a sensitive subject that he has addressed only sparingly since he took office: race."
      Two network newscasts, as well as national print outlets, covered the story – though CBS only mentioned the President's comments on the Sherrod case. As part of a larger story on the Shirley Sherrod controversy, the CBS Evening News reported Obama "accepted responsibility for the rush to judgment over what he called a bogus controversy that prompted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to ask for Sherrod's resignation."
      NBC Nightly News, meanwhile, reported that "Obama made a high profile defense of his approach to improving public education, which is "called Race to the Top" and is a "big and revolutionary approach that's been controversial, even among many of his own allies."
      The Washington Times focuses on Obama's education remarks, reporting that he "credited the $4 billion strategy with turning around failing schools across the country," and "sought to head off arguments that the program is too tough on teachers, as it calls for states to reward good performance but take sometimes drastic action to overhaul failing schools, including firing teachers." The New York Times reports that Obama "acknowledged 'some controversy' about his education initiative, which he attributed partly to 'a general resistance to change, a comfort with the status quo.'"
      The President, says the Christian Science Monitor, "made it clear...that he has no intention of backing down from his education reform agenda, despite criticism from core constituencies in his own party." Politico, meanwhile, reports that "Obama talked about his education plan in a speech before his toughest critics -- and they applauded."
      Civil Rights Leaders Soften Criticism Of Education Program   Politico says that "despite their tough rhetoric earlier this week, civil rights leaders have softened their criticism of the president's education reforms. A 'conflict in schedules' led the coalition to cancel a Monday press conference to air their criticism and tout their 17-page framework for reform."
      Obama Addresses Race Relations On "The View"   Politico says President Obama gave "an uncommonly candid assessment of race relations" during "his appearance on 'The View,' saying Americans still must confront their 'reptilian side' when dealing with people of different races." Said Obama, "There is still kind of a reptilian side of our brain -- that part of our brain that, if somebody looks different or sounds different, that there's part of us that is cautious. And what we have to do is fight against that." He added, "When it comes to race, let's acknowledge that of course there is still tension out there, there is still inequality. ... But we've made progress."
      The Hill reports that "Obama waded into the national race debate in an unlikely setting and with an unusual choice of words: telling daytime talk show hosts that African-Americans are 'sort of a mongrel people.'" On The View, Obama said, "We are sort of a mongrel people. ... I mean we're all kinds of mixed up. ... That's actually true of white people as well, but we just know more about it."
      Sherrod Says Obama Needs History Lesson, Will Sue Blogger   The Washington Post notes that "in wide-ranging remarks in San Diego," Shirley Sherrod" yesterday "talked about the personal toll her firing...had taken. ... When asked if she thought Obama needed a history lesson, she said, 'Well, yes, I think he does, that's why I invited him to Georgia.'"
      The Washington Times reports that Sherrod said "members of her generation who were in the civil rights movement 'tried too much to shield that hurt and pain from younger people. We have to do a better job of helping those individuals who get these positions, in the media, in educational institutions, in the presidency, we have to make sure they understand the history so they can do a better job.'" She added that "Obama is one of those who need a history lesson."

RCP Average Has Obama Job Approval At 46.1%   The RealClearPolitics average of recent polling on President Obama's job approval has the President's approval at 46%, and disapproval at 48.7%. Approval is up 0.1% since yesterday; disapproval is up by 0.2%.
      A Fox News poll of 900 registered voters (7/27-7/28) finds the President's job approval at 43%, and his disapproval at 50%.
      The latest Gallup poll of 1,500 adults (7/26-7/28) shows the President with a 45% approval rating and 49% disapproval. Rasmussen's automated survey of 1,500 likely voters (7/26-7/28) finds Obama's approval at 46%, with 53% disapproving of his performance.