This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/americas/7861299.stm
The article has changed 16 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Obama diary: The first 100 days | Obama diary: The first 100 days |
| (29 minutes later) | |
| Barack Obama was elected on a message of change. Now he is in office, change is expected both in foreign and domestic policy. Here the BBC's team in Washington track developments in the first 100 days of the Obama presidency. | Barack Obama was elected on a message of change. Now he is in office, change is expected both in foreign and domestic policy. Here the BBC's team in Washington track developments in the first 100 days of the Obama presidency. |
| FRIDAY 30 JANUARY - DAY 11 | FRIDAY 30 JANUARY - DAY 11 |
| 1945 EST Middle class empowerment | 1945 EST Middle class empowerment |
| Rajini Vaidyanathan: President Obama has announced the creation of a "Middle Class Task Force" to raise living standards for, as the name suggests, middle-class US families. | |
| It will be led by Vice-President Joe Biden, who himself rose to the top from working class roots in Scranton, Pennsylvania. | It will be led by Vice-President Joe Biden, who himself rose to the top from working class roots in Scranton, Pennsylvania. |
| The task force will host meetings with government agencies, business leaders, policy makers and community groups, to propose new policies and initiatives to help American families. | The task force will host meetings with government agencies, business leaders, policy makers and community groups, to propose new policies and initiatives to help American families. |
| Vice-President Biden says the process will be totally transparent. The href="http://www.whitehouse.gov/Strongmiddleclass/">accompanying website promises to post videos and minutes of meetings and allow people to submit their thoughts. | |
| Despite the promise of greater openness and engagement the task itself is a tough one. | Despite the promise of greater openness and engagement the task itself is a tough one. |
| Will this task force be anything more than a talking shop, or will it be a fertilising ground for new policies? And even then, in uncertain economic times, can these new policies actually make a difference? | Will this task force be anything more than a talking shop, or will it be a fertilising ground for new policies? And even then, in uncertain economic times, can these new policies actually make a difference? |
| 1550 EST Obama and Iran | 1550 EST Obama and Iran |
| Is President Obama being "needlessly defensive and apologetic" in his overtures towards Iran and the Muslim world, as Charles Krauthammer argues? | Is President Obama being "needlessly defensive and apologetic" in his overtures towards Iran and the Muslim world, as Charles Krauthammer argues? |
| Or is he in agreement with Krauthammer's basic position, but choosing to soften his rhetoric? | Or is he in agreement with Krauthammer's basic position, but choosing to soften his rhetoric? |
| The BBC's North America Editor Justin Webb offers his thoughts here. | The BBC's North America Editor Justin Webb offers his thoughts here. |
| 1530 EST X marks the spot | 1530 EST X marks the spot |
| Rajini Vaidyanathan: A treat for all you West Wing fans... | Rajini Vaidyanathan: A treat for all you West Wing fans... |
| Here is a link to the Washington Post's map of the real "Obama West Wing". | Here is a link to the Washington Post's map of the real "Obama West Wing". |
| 1015 EST Staying mobile | 1015 EST Staying mobile |
| President Obama uses a handheld mobile device in the grounds of the White House - the president was a keen BlackBerry user during the election campaign | President Obama uses a handheld mobile device in the grounds of the White House - the president was a keen BlackBerry user during the election campaign |
| Obama diary: Days 1-10 | Obama diary: Days 1-10 |