McChrystal Given Retirement Ceremony

Army General Stanley McChrystal will be given a retirement ceremony tonight at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C.

General McChrystal is a graduate from West Point and a former Green Beret. After serving as commander on the Joint Special Operations Command from 2003 to 2008, he was appointed by Obama as Commander of U.S. Forces Afghanistan (USFOR-A). McChrystal resigned from his position at the end of June after he and staff members were quoted in a Rolling Stone magazine article criticizing administration officials.

For more details, click here.

By Sarah Mamula

Hurricane Bonnie Headed For Gulf Coast

The Gulf Coast just can’t catch a break. As if the region has not had enough problems cleaning up BP’s mess, now meteorologists are reporting that Hurricane Bonnie is headed in that direction. The U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami has said Bonnie could potentially become a tropical storm by the time it reaches the Gulf of Mexico, which is predicted to happen on Saturday. Hopefully not too much damage is done…

By Sarah Mamula

Hoyer Slams Republicans

In a speech on Friday, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) heavily criticized the GOP and their economic policies.

“We know what the Republican economic philosophy looks like in practice: cut taxes for the rich and gut the regulations that guard against everything from Wall Street excess to oil companies’ negligence,” said Hoyer. “We know the record those policies generated, when Republicans had the unchecked chance to implement them, just a few short years ago. They drove our economy into the ditch.”

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By Sarah Mamula

First Lady Visits Gulf Coast

Today, First Lady Michelle Obama, joined by Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and Mississippi first lady Marsha Barbour, visited the Jackson County Emergency Operations Center in Pascagoula, Mississippi for a status update on the Gulf Coast oil spill by the Coast Guard and local officials.

In her remarks, Obama emphasized the administration’s commitment to the recovery of the Gulf Coast region and helping those affected by the disaster. “This administration is going to stand with the people of the Gulf until they are made whole again,” she said.

By Sarah Mamula

Checks En Route To Unemployed

Yesterday, Obama signed into law the Emergency Unemployment Benefits legislation and it is reported that unemployed Americans will start to receive federal checks as early as next week. 

“Americans who are fighting to find a good job and support their families will finally get the support they need to get back on their feet during these tough economic times,” Obama said after signing the legislation.

By Sarah Mamula