President Obama yesterday unveiled new fuel standards for cars. Reporting on "the toughest" fuel standards "in US history," NBC Nightly News showed Obama saying, "Ending our dependence on oil, indeed ending our dependence on fossil fuels represents perhaps the most difficult challenge we have ever faced."
The CBS Evening News added that "the new national standards will replace a patchwork of regulations enacted by individual states." The Financial Times notes that "after decades of discord over improving environmental standards, executives from companies including Toyota, Honda, BMW and Nissan joined...Obama at the White House to support the scheme."
CNN's The Situation Room reported that "this was one example where" Obama "was able to bring together some parties that had been warring for a long time and took some dramatic action." The AP says the "deal among long-warring states, carmakers and environmentalists is the most dramatic evidence yet of what...Obama is hoping to brand -- and eventually sell to voters -- as his signature governing style."
The New York Times says the carmakers fell "in line behind the tough new nationwide mileage standard" because "they had no choice. The auto industry is flat on its back, with Chrysler in bankruptcy, General Motors close to it, and both companies taking billions of dollars in federal money. Foreign automakers are getting help from their own governments."
Obama claims plan would save: 1.8 billion barrels of oil over the next five years." The AP says "Obama is asking consumers to put their money -- up to $1,300 per new vehicle by 2016 -- behind his plan for higher efficiency standards for cars and trucks and tougher rules on their greenhouse gas emissions."
USA Today reports that "the plan would effectively end a feud between automakers and states over emission standards - with the states getting tougher standards they want, but automakers getting the single national standard they've been seeking." The Wall Street Journal reports "green groups applauded the administration announcement as a significant step toward addressing global warming and achieving energy independence."Senate Blocks Funds To Close Gitmo
In what's being described as a setback for the Administration, the AP reports President Obama's "promise to close the Guantanamo Bay prison suffered a blow Tuesday when his allies in the Senate said they would refuse to finance the move until the administration delivers a satisfactory plan for what to do with the detainees there." Democrats "reversed course and said they would deny the request for $80 million for the Justice and Defense departments to relocate the 240 detainees at the US base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba."
Democratic leadership sources admit Republicans have been successful in their relentless campaign, accusing Democrats of jeopardizing American safety, playing up fears that suspects could be imprisoned or tried in your backyard."
"Obama administration officials have acknowledged that if the Guantánamo camp closes, as scheduled, more than 100 of the prisoners will likely need to be moved to the United States, including 50 to 100 that have been described as 'too dangerous to release' but likely cannot be prosecuted."
Senate Passes Credit Card Overhaul 90-5
Senate passage of a credit card overhaul bill led all three network newscasts last night, and is featured on major newspapers this morning. The coverage tends to strike a favorable tone on the legislation. NBC Nightly News, for example, reported, "It seems cruel during a time when most folks are suffering in either big ways or small," but "the credit card companies have been jacking up their rates. The problem is, their customers noticed, and so eventually did Washington."
The CBS Evening News reported, "The bill requires companies to explain everything in plain English, including how much interest card holders will owe if they only pay the minimum balance. But credit card companies say the bill goes too far and will force them to cut back on credit at a time when many Americans desperately need it."
USA Today notes that "banks say new restrictions, when credit already is tight, will cause them to clamp down even more." The CBS Evening News noted that "when it comes to credit cards, Americans still owe $945 billion in revolving debt. But that's down from $980 billion just six months ago. Tighter lending standards may be one reason. Another? Americans finally may be starting to pay down their credit card bills." The Financial Times notes "the Federal Reserve issued similar but less onerous regulations for the credit card industry in December which were expected to cost issuers $10bn a year in interest payments, according to industry estimates."
Bill Reverses National Park Gun Ban CNN's The Situation Room reported that the credit card bill the Senate approved includes "a provision that would overturn a gun ban in national parks. ... Sen. Tom Coburn "is pushing the provision." In the Senate, "27 Democrats, including leader Harry Reid signed on to the change, but Democrats for gun control...are incensed."
Latest From Late Night Comedians
Jay Leno: "Hey, there was a private screening of 'Star Trek' at the White House over the weekend. And President Obama said he really liked the film. The best thing about private screenings, because we get to do them – it's not like seeing it with the public, you know, where there might be some moron talking through the whole movie. In fact, that's why they didn't tell Joe Biden."
David Letterman: "You know Vice President Joe Biden? ... Now they're saying...that he apparently had a couple of drinks and he was shooting his mouth off. And he announced the location of Vice President Dick Cheney -- the old Vice President -- his hiding place. ... And Joe Biden says, 'Well, I know where the heck it is. He had, like, a bunker under his house.' And I was thinking...if you're going to reveal secrets about something, why don't you reveal a secret about where bin Laden is hiding."
Jimmy Fallon: "Joe Biden accidentally revealed the location of the Vice President's top secret bunker. ... The guy can't help it. But he did apologize. He said, 'I am so sorry for the mistake. The launch code is 85334. It will never happen again. It will never happen again. My Gmail password is robot23. What am I doing? The house key is under the plant near the doorstep.'"
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