Monday 29th of April 2024

too much water in the beer...

civility

The University of Arizona — whose Tucson campus President Obama used for his nationwide address on civility after the shooting of Representative Gabrielle Giffords last month — will announce on Monday that it is establishing an institute to promote compromise among opposing political parties and views, the organization’s director said on Sunday.

The honorary chairmen of the foundation, to be called the National Institute for Civil Discourse, will be President Bill Clinton and President George H. W. Bush, said the director, Brint Milward, who also leads the university’s School of Government and Public Policy.

Dr. Milward said the institute would focus on political disagreements “from the grass roots all the way to the top.”

“In a great democracy, it’s important for people to hold fast to principles, but at the same time to understand where they might be able to compromise,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/21/us/politics/21civility.html?hpw=&pagewanted=print

 

not a good start, mr bush...

Former US president George W Bush has cancelled a scheduled appearance at a business leaders' conference in Denver after learning that organisers also invited WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

WikiLeaks and Mr Assange, who is under house arrest in Britain while he fights extradition to Sweden in a sexual misconduct case, have drawn the ire of US officials by leaking hundreds of thousands of secret government documents.

"Upon learning that Julian Assange had recently been invited to address the same summit, president Bush decided to cancel his appearance," spokesman David Sherzer said in a statement.

Mr Assange also will not attend the summit, according to Geoffrey Robertson, a British lawyer helping represent him in his extradition battle.

Mr Assange was granted bail in December on condition he stay at a country estate north of London.

The US Justice Department is conducting an investigation of the WikiLeaks cables, though officials and legal experts say it would be difficult to bring a successful criminal prosecution against Mr Assange for the leaks.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/02/26/3149728.htm?section=justin

see toon and story above...