Jefferson’s Koran...Norton’s New Job...and Your (Broken) Resolutions

PLUS: Generals want you to ask and tell! Do the dishes AND fight cancer! Anorexics in the subways! And the coming surge! It’s January 4th, and this is Mic Check. We’re back, baby.

Celebration Excuse

Hits, brits and and six shooters. Here’s why we’re gleefully obstructing justice:

1847

Stick ‘em up! Samuel Colt sells his first revolver pistol to the U.S. government.

1896

Utah is admitted as the 45th U.S. state. In 2007, they might help DC get the vote by adding another congressional district. [International Herald Tribune]

1936

Billboard magazine publishes the hit parade, predecessor to the Hot 100. Also appearing in that issue: Who’s Swell and Who’s Not.

1970

Now’s the time to say goodnight. The Beatles record as a band for the last time.

1974

Don’t worry, Ford will forgive you. Richard Nixon refuses to hand over materials subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.

Happy Birthday, Mythmakers!

Physicist Sir Isaac Newton bakes a birthday apple pie (take that, apple!). Meanwhile, fairy tale crafter Jakob Grimm and CIA director George Tenet compare storytelling techniques. Grimm likes tall tales about princesses and trolls, while Tenet prefers WMDs (“It’s a slam dunk!”). Also wearing a birthday dress: Canadian comedian-in-the-hall Dave Foley.

Daybook

PRESIDENT

No back massages this time, please. President Bush meets with German Chancellor Angela Merkel at the White House.

OTHER PEOPLE

Governors galore: Dave Heineman (R-NE), Deval Patrick (D-MA), Jim Douglas (R-VT), and John Lynch (D-NH) are inaugurated in their state capitals.

CONGRESS

Pelosi takes the reigns: The House will tackles a new Rules and Ethics package as part of the Democrats 100 hours agenda (for those of you keeping track, that’s working hours, so the agenda will be spread out over about 3 weeks). [The Hill]

The Senate convenes at noon.

 

Eavesdrop

SENDING MORE TROOPS TO IRAQ

His generals are against it. Military experts are against it. Heck, the American people are against it. Nevertheless, rumor has it that next week President Bush will announce his new plan to send a “surge” of new American troops to Iraq. (And by “rumor,” we mean “reports on CNN and the BBC.") Here’s everything you need to know to become an Instant Expert on The Troop Surge. [CNN] [BBC]

Eavesdrop »

Popularity Contest

Oprah’s School for Girls

  • Queen for a day. Buying her audience mini-vans. Here’s Oprah’s newest saintly move: $50 million to create a school for poor girls in South Africa to “nurture a generation of women lawyers, doctors, scientists and engineers.” [The World]
  • Oprah has chosen 150 girls to serve as the first class of this state-of-the-art, 28 building institution. To be chosen out of over 5000 applicants, the girls demonstrated academic and leadership potential and a household income of less than $910 per month.
  • Even Nelson Mandela loves Oprah. Said South Africa’s former president: “It is my hope that this school will become the dream of every South African girl and they will study hard and qualify for the school one day,” he said.
  • The school opened with a gala celebration featuring a roster of high profile celebrity guests including Tina Turner, Mary J. Blige and Mariah Carey and actors Sidney Poitier and Chris Tucker.
  • Said Oprah to the assembled glitterati: “I love these girls with all my heart; I did not think it was possible to have this love for other people’s children. These are my dream girls.” Move over, Jennifer Hudson.

Masthead

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Mic Check is produced every weekday by Christy Harvey, Sara Langhinrichs and Nicole Murphy, and is a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund. Read more about Mic Check.

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