Obama Speaks about Senator Ted Kennedy

Russian Submarines Patrol US Coast

From the AP:

A top Russian general says two nuclear-powered Russian attack submarines that have been spotted off the U.S. East Coast are part of regular patrols.

Anatoly Nogovitsyn, the deputy chief of staff of Russia's armed forces, says the patrols are not newsworthy.

Nogovitsyn said Wednesday Russia resumed the submarine patrols after restarting strategic bomber patrol flights in 2007.

U.S. defense officials said Tuesday that the Russian submarines had been patrolling in international waters for several days. While the activity was reminiscent of the Cold War, the U.S. officials said the submarines had done nothing to provoke concern.

Nogovitsyn said the patrols were "a normal thing" and suggested the U.S. also has submarines patrolling near Russia.

Comedian of the Day: Mara Liasson!

How exactly is the Cash-for-Clunkers program like a mini-Katrina?

What Kim "Got"

Simply amazing. You'd think that the safe return of two jailed Americans from North Korea would be the larger point in the last two days. I'm all for analyzing the situation, but at the end of the day, WE GOT OUR PEOPLE BACK.

Still, the WSJ has this to say:

In return, Mr. Kim scored two propaganda victories -- a chance to show North Koreans that he cuts a big figure by dining and getting his picture taken with Mr. Clinton, and a chance to show the world that he's not such a bad guy by freeing two reporters who didn't deserve their sentence of 12 years of hard labor.

Externally, the event allowed North Korea to provide a counterpoint to months of belligerence in the form of weapons tests, which other nations penalized with new economic sanctions against the country.

Meanwhile, North Korea's biggest newspaper, Rodong Shinmun, covered its front page Wednesday with five large pictures of Mr. Kim and Mr. Clinton. A small article accompanying the pictures said the pair discussed issues of common concern between the two countries. A small article on the third page described Mr. Kim's decision to free the two reporters.

North Korean officials "convey the impression of one of the [world's] most senior statesmen paying tribute to Kim Jong Il without mentioning he came for the sake of the two reporters," said a person familiar with the patterns of the nation's media.

The meeting -- and the photos of a smiling, standing Mr. Kim -- could also help address concerns about his health abroad, as well as address any potential doubts at home. Analysts noted North Korea's belligerence in recent months followed reports that Mr. Kim suffered a stroke a year ago, raising questions about a leadership vacuum.

Taking On the Mobs

Obama on Journalists Freed from North Korea

From the AP:

President Barack Obama proclaimed the U.S. government "extraordinarily relieved" Wednesday over the release of two American journalists from North Korea and praised former President Bill Clinton and former Vice President Al Gore for their roles.

Speaking on the White House lawn just before leaving on a trip to Indiana, Obama said, "The reunion we've all seen on television, I think, is a source of happiness not only for the families but also for the entire country."

Obama made no mention of the overall tense relationship between Washington and the regime headed by Kim Jong Il, and he said that "all Americans should be grateful to both former President Clinton and Vice President Gore for their extraordinary work."

Obama said that he had spoken with the families of Laura Ling and Euna Lee once the pair was safely on aboard Clinton's private jet en route to the United States from North Korea. He also said he'd spoken with the former president.

Speaking to reporters earlier, press secretary Robert Gibbs had said the former president would brief Obama's national security team at some point on what transpired during his high-level meeting with Kim as a private envoy representing the United States.

At the same time, Gibbs reiterated that the former president did not carry a message from Obama to Kim. "If there wasn't a message, there certainly couldn't have been an apology," the spokesman said.

When asked whether the release of the journalists could lead to a breakthrough on other issues like North Korea's nuclear program, Gibbs said that will depend on the actions of the communist regime.