International Relations
By Christine WhitmanLast week was a busy week in international politics, triggered by Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s backward-looking speech on foreign affairs and human rights and capped with the White House conference on climate change.
Ahmadinejad’s speeches at the UN and Columbia University were filled with outlandish interpretations of world history, erroneous claims of Western aggression, and weak defenses of his terrible record on human rights and terrorist financing. His remark that there are no homosexuals in Iran was just one example of his backwards and delusional image of himself and his government’s role in the world. At least through this event the American public was able to see for itself what kind of danger this reckless man poses to the free countries of the world.
In a positive step for our country and for international relations, President Bush and other White House officials have started to move the ball forward on a real and important issue – climate change. Moving past the Kyoto Protocol, which 95 Senators (on both sides of the aisle) opposed, the Bush Administration is now looking for common ground on curbing emissions from the major industrial nations. I am particularly glad to see the message from the conference that we can take reasonable steps to curb emissions while still promoting economic development – the two goals of growth and environmental stewardship are not mutually exclusive. The White House conference was a positive development in the ongoing, international deliberation on this issue and I am hopeful that this group of world leaders will follow the meeting with actionable policies to make a difference in improving the environment around the globe.
Contributors
Wally Edge
Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW), a watchdog group that promotes ethics and accountability, has filed a complaint with the ... >
Bob Torricelli
There's nothing more difficult to see than the history before your eyes. It sometimes takes generations to understand the significance of ... >
Michael Patrick Carroll
OK, he didn't say precisely that, but when the Chairman of the Budget Committee informs us that governmental spending is the key to prosperity, ... >
Debbie Holtz
Score one for the Governor’s public relations team. For the last few weeks, they have been working overtime to fuel speculation Corzine was being ... >
Dr. Joseph Marbach
I am pleased to report the results from the first national poll conducted by Environmental Studies Program in the College of Arts and Sciences at ... >
Rob Tornoe
To view a larger version of this cartoon, click here. >
Michael P. Riccards
The media, which loves headlines and knows little history, is trying to sell President Elect Obama as another Franklin Delano Roosevelt. But that ... >
Joey Novick
When I was eleven, way back in 1965, my family was invited for Thanksgiving to my cousins’ cousins, a Jewish-Italian family who lived in the ... >
Juan Melli
After the entire Star-Ledger editorial board opted to accept the paper's buyout offer, John Farmer, a 26-year veteran of the paper, was tasked ... >
Carla Katz
A couple of weeks ago, my mother, Angelina Katz, did her second debate on behalf of Barack Obama. A debate? My mother? If you knew her, you’d be ... >
Patricia Quattrocchi
A rained out MusicFest this past September has provided Union County with $275,000 in insurance monies. The Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders ... >
Murray Sabrin
Today the Asinine Watch begins. With so many illiterate statements made about the economy by elected officials in recent days and weeks, it was ... >
Hot Topics
| Politicker INTERACTIVE | |
 |
Lawmaker Profile Follow the funding of your representatives |
 |
270 to Win See how Obama got to the magic number |
Most Active Stories
- Lonegan enters race for Republican gubernatorial nomination
- David Crabiel, longtime Middlesex Freeholder, dead at 78
- Lonegan to kick off his second gubernatorial campaign today
- Christie says give him four to six weeks
- Team Lonegan
- Amid economic downturn, mayoral backlash, Lesniak anticipates COAH finetuning
- Ariyan not interested in BCDO chairmanship
- Marra will be Acting U.S. Attorney
- Some county chairs keep their gubernatorial options open -- for now
- Breaking a glass ceiling: will New Jersey get a Latino Secretary of Agriculture?
- Correction: Weiner departure was not his own idea
- Torricelli on COAH
- Two N.J. super delegates go to Obama; Norcross backs Obama; key Clinton supporters endorse Obama
- At energy policy meeting, Rose fights with cabinet and walks away
- Sixteen Democrats are on Norcross' short list for Andrews House seat
- Roughneen in court today on signature challenge
- Jackson will be Corzine's new Chief of Staff
- Obama bundler says he lost $25 billion of N.J. pension funds
- New Jersey's Most Powerful Law Firms
- Amid economic downturn, mayoral backlash, Lesniak anticipates COAH finetuning
Quote of the Day
"Because he had to dress for his speech immediately, he had to purchase an entirely new set of clothes. The campaign credit card used to pay for the clothing was reimbursed in total by the airline, which wrote a check for $952.04 to the congressman on July 20, 2007. The congressman then endorsed the check over to the campaign account on July 20, 2007. Thus, the campaign incurred no expense for the clothing." -- Francis Tagmire, a spokesman for U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews, on why Andrews used campaign funds to pay for clothing. A Washington, D.C. watchdog group has filed a complaint against him.
Recent Press Releases
In the News
Read the expanded Wake Up Call, our summary of today’s news media coverage.
Today’s Must Reads:
James R. Lambert: Convicted Felon, Head of Authority― ONLY IN NEW JERSEY...AND PENNSYLVANIA
Why can't we find a role for Christie in Washington? ― MIKE KELLY
Christie Gives Notice, and G.O.P. Gains Hope ― DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI
Christie's legcy― THE BERGEN RECORD
Corzine for Treasury? Don't Bet on It.― WASHINGTON POST
Immigrants still in New Jersey― THE BERGEN RECORD
Syndicate
No I won't fall for it.
Talking about how rotten the Iranian leader is and then by contrast casting Bush in a positive light does not work. Even on the issue of global warming it was like pulling teeth. To me, it just shows how hard it would be to cast Bush in a positive way. I don't think it can be done.
Environment
I find it a tough pill to swollow having Christie Whitman who was terrible for the Environement as NJ Gov, and used the EPA as a political arm of thw White House tell me that GWB is pushing forward new ideas about how to save mother Earth. TOo little too late. Bush allows his friends in the oil industry to regulate their own pollution, lip service to the issue simply wont cut the mustard. And her justification for war with Iran is thinly veiled and surprising
I really don't know the inside story
I really don't know the inside story of Whitman resigning from her appointed post by Bush at the epa. But, she did resign! She did write a book, I Want My Party Back. We can't overlook Colin Powell either! And all the others. But I don't think we can expect Powell to write an uplifting article about Bush. I am surprised Whitman used this tactic. The telling point is that in order to make Bush appear OK you have to contrast him with the likes of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
SJRed
"Christie Whitman who was terrible for the Environement as NJ Gov"
You don't know what the HELL you're talking about idiot..........
SJRED/MadMax Did your pen
SJRED/MadMax Did your pen run out of ink? Please explain
Whitman
While Governor-she may have talked the talk-but she slashed the budget and staff NJ dept of env protection. She reduced the number of water, and soil testing. She calimed that beach closings were fewer than previous years-but that is because fewer tests were conducted. And amazingly fines assesd for polluters dropped severly, despite the same level of emissions...That list could go on. She was a typical GOPer when it comes to the environemnt
clarification
i believe the translator was incorrect. from what i was told, he said Homosexuals are not recognized as a legal entity. they are not allowed to get married. this is the case in many US States as well. <p>
Mayor's Council, North Brunswick Township
Columbia College, Columbia University Class of 2009
Ahmed, if you really want to
Ahmed, if you really want to be a Congressman,
1. Stop defending Iranian dictators
2. Stop posting your resume on a blog, its a little pathetic
Just some advice any campaign consultant in the country would give you
SJRed
I recognize you for what you are, SJRed, even you can figure this out.
All that Garbage you spilled above, no pun intended, above is just another uninformed BOZO who reads to much DEMOCROOKS fed information and LIES from those who think they know and YOU DON’T.
Everyone knows that was a UNION / DEMOCROOK cry but as usual the NJDEP is still a bunch of out dated Tree Huggers with NO PLACE TO GO.
So try and get you facts straight but I know you can’t because:
“YOU DON’T KNOW”
Get rid of Whitman
How ridiculous to give Whitman a public platform. She was a terrible governor who cost the taxpayers plenty with all the deals and lawsuits (remember that she stuck the taxpayers with Chuck Hytian (sic)legal bills. She was also a terrible presidential cabinet member. PoliticsNJ should just let her go and stay home . If she has anything to say, let her call all the flukies she put on the payroll and force them to listen.