THURSDAY’S MINI-REPORT…. Today’s edition of quick hits:
* Former President Bill Clinton was hospitalized this afternoon in New York City, reportedly for a condition related to his heart.
* Tehran: “Iran’s president boasted Thursday that his nation had the capacity to make weapons grade nuclear fuel if it chose to, in a speech designed to rally the nation as it marked the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution.”
* Unrest in Iran: “A massive Iranian security presence, including riot police and gangs of motorbike-riding militia, appeared to snuff out attempts Thursday by anti-government protesters to orchestrate counter-demonstrations on the anniversary of the revolution that created Iran’s Islamic republic.”
* Preventing a Greek tragedy: “European leaders, facing a crucial test for the credibility of their common currency, promised ‘determined and coordinated action’ to safeguard the euro as they sought to persuade jittery bond market investors that Greece would not be allowed to default on its government debt.”
* Some more encouraging economic news: “The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected last week, welcome news for the White House as it predicted more than a million jobs will be created this year.”
* Concerns about the “bipartisan” jobs bill: “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is rewriting a jobs bill after Democrats complained of too many concessions to Republicans.”
* A serious economic warning: “Over the next several years, failed commercial real estate loans could litter American cities with empty stores and office complexes, cause hundreds of bank failures and weaken the economy, a watchdog report says.”
* It’s the kind of news that hasn’t generated a lot of attention, but many colleges were able to stay open last year due to the stimulus package.
* John McCain’s willingness to humiliate himself is almost limitless. The senator who used to take global warming seriously now claims to not understand the very phenomenon.
* For now, marriage equality in Iowa and New Hampshire appears safe.
* I think it’s a shame Marvel Comics felt the need to apologize for mocking the Teabaggers.
* A right-wing state senator in Missouri opposes gay servicemen and women serving openly in the U.S. military because it might “offend the terrorists.” I seem to recall quite a bit of “appeasement” talk during the Bush/Cheney era; I wonder whatever happened to all of that.
Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.
