Swag Award December 21-27

In the wee hours of Christmas Eve, Senators on Capitol Hill took a landmark vote on the health care reform bill that they had been debating for months. It was the first Senate vote to take place on Christmas Eve since 1895. The House of Representatives voted and passed their version back in November, and the Senate vote was one of the remaining barriers that needed to be overcome in order for the dream of reforming our nation’s health care system to become a reality. The vote was split along party lines with all 60 Democratic Senators voting in favor of the bill, 39 Republicans against and one abstention from Senator Jim Bunning ( R) of Kentucky.

The bill would require most Americans to have health insurance, cover 15 million additional people under Medicaid, and subsidize private coverage for low and middle-income citizens. The budget office estimates that the bill would provide coverage to 31 million uninsured Americans.

Since the monumental vote occurred on Christmas Eve, I thought it would be only fitting to tell this story in a similar fashion as ‘Twas the night before Christmas.’ Enjoy!

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the House
All the Senators were anxious to vote and get the hell out.

The decision was split along party lines like a hair,
and President Obama hoped that health care reform soon would be there.
Two weeks ago, to most the bill was considered dead,
Months ago Joe Wilson wasn’t afraid to say he didn’t believe what the President had said.

Most Americans were off of work and nestled in their beds,
While visions of affordable health care danced in their heads.
A mom in her kerchief, and a dad in his cap,
Dreamed of the day when a routine trip to the doctors wouldn’t take all of their stacks.

When out of Capitol Hill, there rose such a clatter,
The Obama’s were on vacation, but rose to see what was the matter.
I awoke that morning and turned on the TV in a flash,
To see news anchors talking about the new bill that had just passed.

With the Senate Majority Leader looking pleased and content,
I said to myself “I can’t believe they finally passed it.”
So rapid to the microphone all the Democratic Senators came,
And Harry Reid, the leader called them all by name!

Now Specter! Now Kerry! Baucus and Franken!
On Chris Dodd! On Lieberman and the other Senators, he thanked them.
A major victory indeed for the Obama administration.

There’s no public option in the Senate bill,
And it has to be reconciled with the bill from the House of Reps.
But we can all agree that for reform to happen,
These were some important first steps.

Reducing the cost of care, and coverage for millions more,
Leveling the playing field for the average citizen and looking out for the poor.
The Senators rejoiced in unison, and then hopped on their various flights.
“Affordable health care for all, and to all a good night!”

Michelle Obama & her wardrobe..

A lot has been made of Michelle Obama's decision to wear shorts during the family's vacation visit to the Grand Canyon a few days ago. Temperatures in the canyon can reach upwards of 100 degrees this time of year. The shorts look like some standard Old Navy cargo shorts...nothing particularly fashionable about them. I think that she wore for comfort and not fashion, but a debate has sprung up about whether or not she is "too casual" as a first lady.

Michelle already won my 'Swag Award' following the Obama's first trip to Europe, where she wowed the media and other female heads of state while President Obama was meeting with officials at the G-20 Summit.

Personally, I think the shorts are fine and I would be more outraged if she wore a pants suit in the middle of August to the Grand Canyon than these simple shorts. I wanted to pose the question to my readers though. What do we think of her shorts?? Comfortably chic, or crossing the line??

Swag Award of the Week August 3-9

I know it's only Wednesday, but I don't think anyone can take the award from Bill Clinton this week. In a 20 hour trip, Clinton flew to North Korea, met with Kim Jong Il and accomplished a feat the U.S. government had been trying to accomplish since March; broker the safe return of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, the two American journalists who were sentenced to 12 years hard labor after being arrested while crossing into N. Korea from China. Clinton and the journalists returned home today to tearful eyes and open arms of family members and Al Gore, who owns the media company the journalists work for.

View the emotional press conference:

Apparently this trip had been in the works for some time as the White House & the N. Korean Foreign Ministry had been engaging in talks for months. Possible candidates to make the trip included Bill Richardson New Mexico governor Bill Richardson as well as former President Al Gore, but the Koreans let it be known that Bill was their choice to engage in talks.

Clinton's visit was the first visit by such a high-ranking U.S. official since then Secretary of State, Madeline Albright visited with N. Korean officials in 2000. According to the White House "Mr. Clinton went to North Korea as a private citizen, did not carry a message from Mr. Obama for Mr. Kim and had the authority to negotiate only for the women’s release"... Right.. Bill Clinton has had a vested interest in N. Korea and its nuclear capabilities since his time a president and officials close to the matter said “It would be someplace between surprising and shocking if there wasn’t some substantive discussion between the former president, who is deeply knowledgeable about the nuclear issue, and Kim Jong-il."

Whatever was said at that table may never be known by anyone who was not in attendance, but the outcome is clear. Two U.S. citizens have been reunited with their families and have escaped a terrible fate thanks to the efforts of Bill Clinton and other U.S. diplomats.

Eight and a half years removed from office, and Bill Clinton's appeal and effectiveness on a global stage cannot be overstated. The fact that he was sought by the Koreans, made the trip there and came back with the two journalists in under 24 hours says something. Someone told me a long time ago that "you have to be in demand to make demands." President Clinton's successful trip embodies that phrase. SWAGGER !!

President Obama comments on the Henry Louis Gates situation

President Obama addressed the nation again in prime time; this time to garner support, and emphasize his desire to reform America's health care system. I won't bore you with the details of the speech if you missed it. Get the rundown here.

The highlight of the night in my opinion came when President Obama fielded his final question from the throng of White House correspondents present for the address.

A woman asked the president what he thought about the Henry Louis Gates incident that occurred a few days ago. If you haven't heard about it, read up on it here.

President Obama replied by saying that "the police acted stupidly" and "what we know separate and apart from this incident is that there's a long history in this country of African Americans and Latinos being stopped by law enforcement disproportionately."

See for yourself:

Uh oh...so much for being PC. President Obama "kept it real," and gave his honest, unscripted opinion on the matter. I hope there isn't much backlash for those remarks. Obama acknowledged that Gates is a personal friend and that his opinion may be a little biased, but still...

Then again, isn't that what you want from a leader? Someone who will tell the truth and/or make decisions because those are right things to say and do, not because they are popular?

What about the "...here I'd get shot" comment? I laughed at the time when I heard it live as did the press members in the audience. I just hope that news outlets and the GOP don't replay/spin those bytes continuously down the road (re-election time if not sooner) to portray Obama in a negative light.

There is no question that what happened to Professor Gates is an unfortunate situation that probably could have been resolved differently. I hope that President Obama's approval ratings/political initiatives/respect from other politicians and world leaders do not waver in the aftermath of those comments; especially since it was not absolutely imperative that the president address that situation at all. That my friends would truly be an unfortunate situation.

Social media: reporting the news in ways traditional outlets can't

We all know that athletes, celebrities and the 18-32 demographic are huge proponents of social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter & Myspace. These websites are so prevalent in our lives today, that it is almost hard to imagine what life was like before the invention of the "tweet."

There's nothing like reconnecting with your kindergarten crush 18 years later on Facebook to find out she's married with 3 kids at the age of 24, or "tweeting" about the wonderful burger and shake you had for lunch.  

Often times, social media outlets serve a greater purpose and have proven to be valuable resources during breaking news events, providing real-time, raw eyewitness accounts that traditional media outlets sometimes cannot provide. CNN is notorious for its user-generated content called "i-reports." CNN host Rick Sanchez calls his daily show "a national conversation," and he reads and responds to viewers comments through various social media outlets and uses those responses as talking points for his show.

In Iran, protests and violence have filled the streets in the aftermath of the that country's disputed presidential elections. Iranians have been organizing protests and sending photos and video to other media agencies around the world through Facebook & Twitter despite attempts to block such communication by the Iranian government. Cell phone service & text messages have already been severely crippled, but the effectiveness of the Iranian messages and images via Facebook and Twitter cannot be overstated.

The messages have been so effective, that the U.S. government sent a message to Twitter yesterday, asking them to delay their scheduled site maintenance because it would have occurred during a key time in Iran when people were actively "tweeting," posting videos and links. Twitter agreed and delayed the maintenance. 

Youtube has also been instrumental for Iranians, and users like "iranbefree.com" regularly post videos of the chaos surrounding the protests.

Videos like this one:

The Iranian government has forbidden all journalists from reporting on the protests without permission, severely crippling their effectiveness. The abundance of reporting by Iranians has filled this void, and the methods through which they are sending out their messages is changing foreign diplomacy and news gathering as we speak.

There is an ongoing debate about the effectiveness and necessity of using social media outlets to report and gather news. A great majority of tweets, links, and status updates are nonsensical, irrelevant posts, but that should not devalue the importance of these outlets during breaking news events. We've seen how these outlets, when used for meaningful purposes can provide access and insights that bonafide journalists are prohibited from capturing.

If you devalue the importance of social media then think about this... What if detainees at Abu Gharib in Iraq and Guantanamo could tweet, send facebook updates, and post videos about their time in prison? What do you think the response would have been from the U.S. and other nations around the world?? Something to think about...

Speaking of Rick Sanchez, here is a segment from one of his shows debating the effectiveness/necessity of social media in the news gathering process:

The GOP still doesn't get it..

A few months back I wrote a post on mixed messages the GOP was sending. This was right around the time Michael Steele, chair of the GOP, Rush Limbaugh and Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal were all vying to emerge as the prominent voice of the Republican Party in the post-Bush era. In that post, Michael Steele acknowledged that the GOP has alienated key demographics (younger & more colorful) that voted in favor of President Obama and ultimately won him the election.

Here we are three months later, and it appears as if not much has changed within the party. In a recent survey 47% of those surveyed still could not come up with a name of the party's leader. In addition to still not having a spokesperson and a vision, it also appears as if some members of the the party are still committed to mocking President Obama and making racially insensitive remarks...the exact actions that contradict Michael Steele's hopes of a "hip-hop" makeover to attract those younger, more colorful demographics I spoke about earlier.

This latest fiasco comes out of Tennessee and it involves another email that was never intended to be seen by someone who saw it and the subsequent backlash over the remarks. Sherri Goforth, aide to Sen. Diane Black sent an email out to fellow senators and aides titled "Historical Keepsake Photo" that contained a collage of all U.S. presidents. The image of President Obama was a little off however, as Barack's photo was simply a black square with two oversized eyes...(see photo at the top).

Goforth apologized not for the hurtful nature of the email, but sending it to the wrong people.

“I went on the wrong email and I inadvertently hit the wrong button,” Goforth said. “I’m very sick about it, and it’s one of those things I can’t change or take back.”

Sen. Black has not terminated her aide, but instead issued a written and verbal reprimand...The GOP cannot possibly expect to woo minorities and more open-minded young people on a large scale when images such as these keep surfacing. Judging by Goforth's apology, not for creating the email but for sending it to the wrong people, it appears as if not much of an effort is truly being made.

A shift in foreign policy. President Obama calls for new beginning with the Muslim world

"No single speech can eradicate years of mistrust." This is what President Obama said today as he addressed an auditorium full of Muslim leaders in Cairo, Egypt. While the President acknowledged that the speech he gave alone cannot heal the wounds left from 9/11, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Iraq and Afghanistan, his words have been the strongest breath of fresh air coming from an American president in almost a decade. The president's tone is in stark contrast to the "you're either with us or not" philosophy of the Bush doctrine that for two terms expanded the rift between America and countries in the Middle East. 

President Obama, quoted the Koran, addressed ill feelings towards the west, addressed the Israel-Palestine conflict, and vowed that words alone will not be enough and that ultimately the actions of America and Middle East nations going forward will be the only way to ensure cooperation, peace and success in the years to come.

The importance of today's speech cannot be overstated as President Obama determines the tone of our country's foreign policy and the relationships America will seek to build and maintain with the Middle East. Osama Bin Laden was aware of the speech's magnitude and came out of hiding to release an audio tape accusing the president of "planting new seeds of hatred and vengeance toward Americans" yesterday. 

We live in a different time than we did during World War II and prior. President Obama understands that diplomacy and negotiations are more effective in this era than isolationism and flexing our militarys muscle. There is much unrest in the Middle East. Some conflicts are a direct result of Americas actions. Others have their roots in struggles that began before The United States became a country. Peace in the Middle East, as cliché as it might sound is a daunting task that will take some time to achieve, if ever. The olive branch that President Obama extended today is a very important first step towards that goal.

 
President Obama's entire address in Cairo:

NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg says Barack Obama doesn't get paid that much..

That's right, he said it. Michael Bloomberg, the mayor of New York, its wealthiest resident and 17th wealthiest person on earth said that the President of the United States does not get paid that much.

Bloomberg was speaking to a group of reporters when he was asked to justify taxpayers footing the bill for the first couple's trip to NYC this weekend for dinner and a Broadway show. 

Bloomberg's response: "The President doesn't make that much, he's on a budget too."

The President's salary is $400,000 annually, with a $50,000 expense report and $19,000 entertainment budget. All told, that's approaching half a million dollars to play around with each year for four years. 

I guess when you're worth $16 billion, and plan on using $80 million of your personal stash to finance your re-election campaign for a third term that you changed the law to allow yourself to be able to run in..$400,000 isn't a whole heck of a lot. Wealth, like beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And when you're as wealthy as Mayor Bloomberg, the standards are high apparently. 

Burning the midnight oil: Larry Summers caught dozing

Larry Summers, Director of President Obama's National Economic Council in a meeting today with other members of the president's economic team and representatives from major credit card companies.

Summers is known to host midnight conference calls about the economic crisis...I  guess all the after hours work caught up to him today. 

Photos shown of soldiers coffin arriving in U.S. for first time in 18 years

Not since the first Bush administration in 1991 have members of the media been allowed to photograph the arrival of fallen U.S. service members. Today, Sgt. Philllip Myers was the first soldier killed overseas to be photographed as his coffin was ceremoniously carried off an Air Force transport plane in Dover, Delaware. 

Video of Sgt. Myers' arrival.

Today's events are a result of a shift in Pentagon policy, introduced by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. In February, Gates ordered a change in the policy that would allow media access to homecoming ceremonies with the consent of that soldiers family. 

Many believe the ban was instituted following a PR blunder by George H.W. Bush in 1989. In a press conference following the U.S. victory ousting Manuel Noreaga in Panama, Bush happily addressed the media. News outlets nationwide broadcasted the press conference simultaneously with the arrival of caskets at Dover, Delaware. The result was the perception that the President seemed to be making light of the situation, as images of the arrival of men and women killed in combat were being shown.

Check out this piece CNN did on the debacle in 1989 and some of the arguments for and against showing these types of images:

What do you think? A picture is worth a thousand words... Should images like these be shown or not? Such images sparked protests and fiery debates during the Vietnam War. In 2004, a military contractor was fired after her photo of flag-draped coffins appeared in the Seattle Times. Critics say that media coverage is only used to politicize the war, while proponents claim the images humanize the war and its costs. 

Sgt. Myers was awarded a Bronze Star in March, 2008 for his service in Iraq. A roadside bomb claimed Sgt. Myers' life on Saturday, April 4 in the Helmand Province of Afghanistan. 

Swag Award of the Week March 30-April 5

This week saw a tremendous dichotomy for women worldwide. In Afghanistan, women's rights have seemingly taken a substantial blow as Hamid Karzai and the Afghani government passed a law that makes it legal for a Shiite husband to rape his wife. According to reports, Karzai passed the law to "bolster re-election prospects," as Shiite Muslims constitute 20% of the Afghan population.

Contrast that with the massive media coverage Michelle Obama has received during the Obama's trip overseas this week. President Obama is at the G-20 Summit negotiating the financial crisis, gathering allies for the fight against terror, changing the way the rest of the world views and responds to America, and mediating disputes between leaders of other nations...that's a lot to get done in a week in your first 4 months on the job.. 

All of that has seemingly taken a backseat to Michelle, her wardrobe, and the way she and other female heads of state have reacted to one another. From the time she stepped off Air Force One in London, the press has been raving about what Michelle Obama has been wearing. First there was the Michael Kors dress she wore as the Obama's left the White House, and the Jason Wu dress she wore when they arrived. J.Crew loves her, because everything she wears sells out instantly, and the cardigan/skirt combination she donned earlier this week was no different. The company's stock is up↑10.6% as well, and I'm sure she had something to do with it. 

The much anticipated meeting between Michelle and the Queen of England did not disappoint either, as much was made of the embrace the two shared. It is considered a political faux-pas to make contact with the Queen, but by all accounts, the Queen put her arm around Michelle first and Michelle reciprocated. SWAG incarnate. 

The icing on the proverbial cake occurred today when Michelle Obama faced off against Carla Bruni, France's fashionable first lady. Even Bruni, an ex-supermodel, was slain by the fashion beast that Michelle Obama has become. Bruni's Dior dress did not receive nearly the same high marks as Obama's outfit from the fashion experts who care about such things. 

What a week for Michelle Obama. Holding her own with the Prime Minister of England's wife, schmoozing with the Queen of England, standing next to Carla Bruni of France and making the world forget who used to be a supermodel. All of this while hubby is off trying to rally the troops at the G-20 Summit.  

Barack Obama is living the dream right now. Every man to some degree wants what he has; a great job and a beautiful woman by his side. Yes, things at home and abroad are less than ideal, but every man wants to be with a woman that has traits like Michelle Obama. To say she has beauty and brains is an understatement. As President of the United States every move is scrutinized, especially when in front of the world at a summit such as the G-20. The photo-ops and discussions that have taken place at the conference are back page events compared to the photo-ops and discussions that the first ladies have had, largely because of Michelle Obama's impact and presence. Congratulations Michelle Obama for continuing to redefine what it means to be a 21st century woman. Your swag is contagious, not only in America, but around the world.

Boxing legend Jack Johnson to be pardoned?

Senator John McCain is leading the charge to get President Obama to pardon boxing legend Jack Johnson. Sen. McCain appeared with members of Johnson's family and documentarian Ken Burns yesterday to unveil a resolution that calls for a presidential pardon for the former heavyweight champion. 

Before Floyd Mayweather, before Tyson, Holyfield, Foreman, Fraiser, Ali and Joe Louis, there was Jack Johnson. Johnson had a larger-than-life persona, and was ahead of his time. Born in Galveston, Texas in 1878, Johnson grew up in the Jim Crown South and reached his professional peak during one of the most turbulent times in American history.

Between 1912 and 1920, the U.S. Constitution was amended four times, more than any other 8 year stretch U.S. history. Such amendments included creation of federal income tax, women's voting rights, and Prohibition; pretty drastic changes to the landscape. Jack Johnson battled racism and hatred inside and outside of the ring his entire career. Many of his white counterparts refused to fight him A. for fear they might lose, and B. because mixed race fights were illegal in the South.

Johnson became the first African-American heavyweight champion in 1908 after defeating Tommy Burns in a 14 round bout, in front of 20,000 people in Sydney Australia. Almost immediately, a cry came out from whites to find  a "Great White Hope," a white boxer who could challenge and take the title from Johnson. Johnson fought in a series of exhibition bouts against hyped up "Great White Hopes," but a serous contender did not step up until 1910. That year, former heavyweight champion Jim Jeffries, a retired boxer for five years dusted off his gloves and stepped up to challenge Johnson in what has been called The "Fight of the Century."

The fight took place in front of 22,000 people on July 4, 1910 in Reno, Nevada. Think about that for a minute. Independence Day 1910, and a black man as the champion is about to fight the "Great White Hope." Despite the fact that he held the title, Johnson was an underdog by many accounts. The fight, which was broadcast nationwide on the radio had stirred racial tensions, and after knocking Jeffries down twice in 15 rounds, the fight was called and Johnson was delcared the winner. Johnson earned $225,000 for the win, a hefty amount by 1910 standards. Race riots ensued around the nation, and when all the fighting ended 23 blacks and 2 whites had died. Filmmakers documented the fight and produced a widely distributed feature film. As a result, Congress banned films of prizefights from 1912-1940 to prevent images like those of Johnson defeating Jeffries from being seen by a large audience.  

"Fight of the Century" Johnson v. Jeffries July 4, 1910

When it became obvious that Johnson could not be easily defeated in the ring, efforts were made to defeat him outside of it. Johnson's larger-than-life persona caused him to defy conventional wisdom and mock the social norms of the day. Johnson regularly dated and married white women. Following the suicide of his first wife, Johnson married Lucille Cameron on Decmeber 4, 1912. Cameron was a prostitute, and news of the marriage infuriated many people. The government sought to convict Johnson for violating the Mann Act, which banned interstate transport of females for 'immoral' purposes. To avoid prosecution, Johnson and Cameron fled to France where they lived for seven years until Johnson came back to the states to serve his one year jail sentence. For a long time, Jack Johnson's conviction has been viewed as a racially motivated message from the government to black men regarding their relationships with white women. It is that one year sentence that Senator McCain and others are trying to get pardoned. 

Johnson & wife Lucille Cameron

As I sad before, Jack Johnson was a larger-than-life character. He battled opponents, racial prejudices, and social norms inside and outside of the ring, most times emerging triumphantly. His contributions and sacrifices, while incendiary at times, paved the way for the boxing legends to achieve unimaginable successes in the decades following the early 1900's when Johnson fought. America would not see another African American compete for the heavyweight title again until Joe Louis did in 1937.

The quest for a presidential pardon for Jack Johnson began in 2004, and was revived again in 2008 when resolutions were given to the Bush administration but never voted on. Posthumous presidential pardons are rare, and there have only been two in the last 10 years. If President Obama pardons Jack Johnson, the first African American President would pardon the first African American heavyweight champion. What a difference 100 years makes...

Below is a small feature ESPN did on Jack Johnson's life.

Rod Blagojevich takes his act on the air

Forgot about this guy didn't you? The disgraced former Governor of Illinois who was voted out of office for trying to sell President Obama's Senate seat. Well he's back. Yesterday, Rod Blagojevich sat in for vacationing talk-show hosts Wade & Roma from 7-9 am on a Chicago radio station. 

The governor apparently still has not come to grips with the fact that he committed a crime, disgraced himself and his state, and has an impending court case, because he used his air time to defend himself saying he was "hijacked from office."

Below is a clip from the show where Blago is interviewing cast members from the Second City Comedy Troupe. The group is doing a show called 'Rod Blagojevich Superstar,'  and offered him an acting role in the performance. 

If Rod Blagojevich learned one thing throughout his term in office and ultimately his political demise, it should have been that sometimes it's better to just keep your mouth shut.

My father told me a long time ago, "it's better to not say anything and have people think you're a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.."

The full transcript of the shenanigans is available here.

Dear AIG, I Quit: A resignation letter from the inside

I just read an interesting Op-Ed piece on the NY Times website. It's a letter of resignation from Jake DeSantis, Executive Vice President of AIG's Financial Products divison. The Financial Products group has been singled out as the catalysts behind AIG's financial destabilization. I don't know about you, but this letter expresses sentiments that I had not heard before; those of people inside AIG other than the CEO who have been blamed (some say wrongly) for this mess.

It's a good read, check it out.

President Obama on Leno

Last night, President Obama became the first sitting President to appear on a late night TV show when he graced 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.'

Obama and Leno had a pretty cordial back-and-forth, obviously discussing the financial crisis for the better part of the interview among other topics.

Obama is in California to engage citizens in a series of town hall meetings to discuss the economic crisis and how his financial plan will help. 

There has been a little commotion over one of the President's remarks. When asked about his bowling, President Obama likened it to the Special Olympics. His staff members have already apologized for the remark, and are hoping the fallout from such a comment is minimal. Come on Barack. Let Leno make the jokes. Your street cred already went up just by being the first to appear on Leno. Leave the funny business to the comedians. 

Here is Leno's interview with President Obama in its entirety:

Swag Award of the Week March 16-March 22

It is with a great deal of cynicism and a bit of remorse that I announce this week's winner of the 'Swag Award,' but I think the actions taken by Treasury Secretary, Timothy Geithner, Senator Chris Dodd & AIG CEO Edward Liddy over the last few days warrant an award of some sort. 

In my first post, I said that swag was a loosely used term which has a different interpretation depending on whom you ask. The First Swag Award went to Manny Ramirez for turning down a substantial contract with the Dodgers, despite the fact that no other team was bidding for his services. The following week, Kurt Warner won for doing the polar opposite; agreeing to take less money to finish his career with the Arizona Cardinals. Last week, the Syracuse Orange basketball team won due to the tremendous amount of heart they displayed winning 3 games in 4 nights, 2 in overtime, as they nearly walked out of New York City with another Big East Championship. 

Tim Geithner, Chris Dodd, & Ed Liddy had that kind of swag this week that makes you say "I can't stand that ______(your choice of expletive). The kind of swag that makes you say "I can't believe they did that." Well guess what? They did it.

Over the weekend, it was announced that AIG intended to pay $165 million in bonuses to some of its top executives. This news coming 2 weeks after the government agreed to give the insurance giant $30 billion to stay afloat following its reporting the biggest quarterly losses in the history of American business.

The backlash from that move was widespread and extremely vocal. Leaders on Captiol Hill and average Americans alike were outraged that AIG, which has received a substantial amount of government dollars to stay afloat would then turn around and give bonuses to members of its financial products division; the same division that made the decisions that ultimately lead to the demise of AIG's financial stability. Tim Geithner's capacity to do the job has come in question, and many ask if he is a liability to the Obama administration. There have been protests on Wall St., and AIG executives and their families have been accosted near their homes by furious citizens.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has been taking heat since this news came out, because ultimately it is his job to make sure something like that does not happen. Prior to becoming Secretary of the Treasury, Geithner was President of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York where he made inroads and built relationships with all of the execs and firms he is now criticizing for their frivolous policies.

Senator Chris Dodd, (D) Connecticut, is the chair of the Senate Banking Committee, and his group along with Geithner's bunch worked together to draft and pass the huge spending bill that was signed into law a few weeks ago.

When journalists began to dig to find out who inserted the loophole to allow AIG to distribute bonuses, Chris Dodd's name surfaced as someone who may know more. When questioned originally, Chris Dodd denied having anything to do with it, saying when he left the bill that language about bonuses was not in the bill. The very next day, he recanted those statements and accepted responsibility for the loophole saying he did it at the behest of the "administration" which he qualified as the Treasury Dept (Tim Geither & Co.) 

Watch Dodd's denial and correction here:

Chris Dodd is not the only one who has not been completely truthful this week. Originally Tim Geithner claimed that he was not made aware of the bonuses until last week, but we have since found out that the issue was raised on March 3 in a meeting with the House Ways & Means Committee.

As a result of all of this, President Obama has had to go on the defensive for Tim Geithner and his economic plans. He expressed his outrage over the bonuses earlier this week, and implored Congress to do what it could to try and recoup some of that money. Congress overwhelmingly passed a 90% tax on bonuses paid to execs at AIG and other rescued firms. Future rescues have also been placed in jeopardy as a result of Geithner & Dodd's actions, as congressional leaders may be wary of approving large amounts in the future.

I also have to bring Edward Liddy, CEO of AIG to the stage as well. After the bill had been signed into law, it was his decision to go ahead and approve doling bailout money for executive bonuses because they were contractual. Yes it was legal, but morally, was it really the right thing to do? The moral compasses of Geithner, Dodd and Liddy are about as accurate as Christopher Columbus' compass when he landed in the Dominican Republic & called it America.

As I said at the beginning of this post, I gave these guys the award with cynicism and remorse. There is a fine line between having swag and being an a$$ho!e. The brazenness, insensitivity, and irresponsibility Geithner, Dodd and Liddy have displayed over the last few days towards the American people is astonishing. Despite their shortcomings, every a$$ho!e has some redeeming qualities. America, and the rest of the world hopes that these men redeem themselves sooner rather than later.