To the Point
Presidential Leadership and Conflict Resolution
President Obama brought the policeman and the professor together for some "conflict resolution" last night. What did the "beer summit" accomplish? Is a similar strategy working with Congress? Will it help to achieve the goals of foreign policy? Also, the recession is worse that originally reported, and Congress finds more cash for clunkers.
By Warren Olney • • 50m ListenPresident Obama brought the policeman and the professor together for some "conflict resolution" last night. What did the "beer summit" accomplish? Is a similar strategy working with Congress? Will it help to achieve the goals of foreign policy? Also, good news in the worst recession since the Great Depression, and a rush of new car buyers burned up a billion dollars in cash for clunkers in less than a week. Congress has extended the program in just one day.
Banner image: Police Sergeant James Crowley (2nd R), shares a beer and speaks with Professor Henry Louis Gates, (2nd L), alongside President Obama (R) and Vice President Biden (L) on the South Lawn of the White House. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images
In this episode
3 storiesGood News in the Worst Recession since the Great Depression
The US economy shrank again in the second quarter of this year, but only by one percent. That can be regarded as good news in the worst decline since the Great Depression. Sudeep Reddy is economics reporter with the Wall Street Journal .
Read the story8 minThe Beer Summit: Race and Reconciliation
Civil rights leaders applauded Barack Obama for saying the Cambridge police " acted stupidly ." The police union demanded an apology. President Obama invited Professor Gates and Sergeant Crowley to have "a drink at the end of the day…for a friendly, thoughtful conversation."
Read the story37 min'Cash for Clunkers' Gets More Cash
" Cash for Clunkers may have run out of cash, but America's consumers haven't run out of clunkers." That's from Democratic Congressman Ed Markey of Massachusetts, on extending a popular program that ran out of money sooner than anybody expected.
Read the story6 min
