All Politics Daily Training

Daily Training for February 10th: Congressman John Murtha

Democratic Congressman and outspoken critic of the Iraq war John Murtha died this week and today's Daily Training is a NPR report about his long military and political career.

Daily Training for February 9th: Obama's pre-Super Bowl interview

Katy Couric interview President Obama during the pre-Super Bowl show on Sunday. This video is a little longer than most Daily Trainings but since it's Obama speaking, you'll find it easy to understand on the first listen. Note, that Couric mentions, when talking about health care reform "people watch the sausage being made." This is a common expression talking about the often messy process of making legislation. Here are a few more words:

Daily Training for February 8th: Thank You, President Obama

This Op-ed in the New York Times by Justin Vaïsse, senior fellow and the director of research at the Center on the U.S. and Europe at the Brookings Institution has some tough talk for Europe, I'll be very interested to hear your reaction to it.

Daily Training for February 5th: The Spanish Debacle

As I researched the posts I was writing in my blog this week about the National Prayer Breakfast, I came across this article by a Spanish writer, Jaime Pozuelo-Monfort in the Huffington Post and decided it would make for an interesting Daily Training. I really want to hear your opinion on this one, so take the time to read it and write me a note!

Daily Training for February 4th: The National Prayer Breakfast

One of the big news events today will be President Zapatero's attendance and speech (reportedly he will read from the Bible) at the National Prayer Breakfast. This is an old and bi-partisan tradition in the US, but this year there has been some controversy. The Daily Training is a video of Rachel Maddow interviewing Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW). CREW is calling on the President and Congress to not attend this event.

Daily Training for February 3rd: U.S. Decision to Skip Meeting Seen as Slight in Europe

Obama's long awaited and much talked about visit to Spain this May has been called off. In fact, the White House has explained that the visit was never on the president's agenda. Today's Daily Training is a New York Times article about this.

Daily Training for February 2nd: The State of the Union Is Comatose

For me, Frank Rich's weekly New York Times column is required reading and this Sunday's was especially good and a little shorter than usual. Before your read it, take a look at these words:

Daily Training for February 1st: Obama Goes To GOP Lions' Den -- And Mauls The Lions

Obama did a brave thing last Friday, he went to the Republican retreat to talk to them and answer questions. This was an unusual visit but was a successful one for Obama.

Daily Training for January 28th: State of the Union Address

President Obama gave his first State of the Union Address last night and there is no end to the commentary. Today's Daily Training is a very interesting clip of Rachel Maddow talking with Chris Matthews about the speech--both left-leaning journalists but with different perspectives on it. Note, that Matthews refers to George Will, who is a well-known conservative pundit.

Daily Training for January 28th: President's 'off the record lunch'

It's a tradition for the President to have lunch with television news anchors the day of the State of the Union Address and CNN decided to question them after the lunch to see what they learned about it. This segment also includes some State of the Union Trivia.

First, some words:

• elbowed out of the way (pushed aside)
• off the record (remarks that are private and not to be released in the media)
• stake out (follow)
• thrill (something very exciting)
• spill (tell everything)
• dogging (insulting)
• grab the nation by the lapels (to forcefully get the people's attention)

Now, watch the video here.

Tell me: what did you learn from this video?

Extra credit: watch the State of the Union address on the White House website.

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