Latest update: 31/08/2012 

- Barack Obama - Mitt Romney - Mohammed Morsi - Republicans (USA) - Syria - US elections 2012


Did you build that? And other peculiar political slogans

Remember when US President Barack Obama told entrepreneurs that they didn’t build their businesses? No, neither does anyone else... but Republicans do! The papers have coverage of the surreal appeal of cheerful propaganda. On the other hand, Obama’s balance sheet fails to convince The Economist. And Syria’s rebels get a surprisingly robust vote of support from Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi in the most unlikely of places: Iran.

By Kyle G. Brown

US President Barack Obama said a few weeks ago that it’s partly thanks to roads, bridges and communications that Americans can build their companies without a lot of obstruction.

Republicans somehow took his phrase, "You didn’t build that” infrastructure, to refer to businesses, and have lambested him for such imagined convictions ever since. The Huffington Post looks at how Clint Eastwood, one of the speakers at the convention, certainly did not "build that" without government help. His highly successful fims were made with the aid of tax credits at home and abroad. 

The New York Times’ Roger Cohen built his very own column to enter the world of surreal Republican propaganda.

The paper also wonders at the Republicans’ aversion to any mention of policy at the circus-like conventions. The answer, says The Times, lies in the fact that the Republican health care plan is deeply unpopular in swing states.

Obama is not out of the woods though: The Economist says he took office when a lot was wrong with the country, but he has not done enough to convince the paper he’s the right man for the White House.

The Christian Science Monitor reports on the summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, where Egyptian leader Mohamed Morsi made a surprising declaration. Hosted by the Syrian regime's staunch ally, Iran, he said: "the bloodshed won't stop unless we intervene."

Greece: the government's dangerous acrobatics
13/06/2013 - IN THE WORLD PAPERS

Greece: the government's dangerous acrobatics

IN THE WORLD PAPERS - 13/06/13: The Greek government shuts down the state broadcaster ERT, Erdogan's crackdown on anti-government protests could strike a blow to Turkey's efforts to revive EU membership talks and Istanbul's bid for the 2020 Olympic Games, and China Daily gives its two cents about the Prism surveillance programme.
Who turned off the TV?
13/06/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

Who turned off the TV?

IN THE FRENCH PAPERS - 13/06/13: French papers react to the Greek government's decision to shut down the state broadcaster ERT. Libération and l'Humanité say the government didn't act democratically, while Le Figaro wonders if this could be the straw that broke the camel's back.
Tibetan monks invited to rock out at Glastonbury
12/06/2013 - IN THE WORLD PAPERS

Tibetan monks invited to rock out at Glastonbury

INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, Weds. 12/06/13: Protests in Turkey continue to grab headlines. The Guardian says Prime Minister Erdogan is taking a page from Vladimir Putin’s playbook in his crackdown. Also, Iran’s last reformist presidential candidate drops out of the race, leaving only conservatives to choose from. And Tibetan Gyuto monks are invited to rock out at the Glastonbury music festival.
Pope Francis and the 'gay lobby' in the Vatican
12/06/2013 - IN THE FRENCH PAPERS

Pope Francis and the 'gay lobby' in the Vatican

FRENCH PAPERS, Weds. 12/06/13: French papers react to the continuing protests in Turkey and Prime Minister Erdogan’s crackdown on protesters. Also; Russia’s Parliament passes an anti-gay law, Pope Francis makes controversial comments about a "gay lobby" in the Vatican and Libération leaks details of EU companies which have branches in tax havens.
Prism: Big Brother or Big Data?
11/06/2013 - IN THE WORLD PAPERS

Prism: Big Brother or Big Data?

INTERNATIONAL PAPERS, Tues. 11/06/13: International papers continue to cover the Prism scandal. Daniel Ellsberg, the "Pentagon Papers" whistleblower, says in the Guardian that this is the "most important leak in American history". The Wall Street Journal, however, plays down the scandal, saying the US programme isn’t as invasive as it could be.

React to the article
Comment this article typing your message in the above text zone. Please note that this is limited to 1500 characters or less.
(0) Reactions
Read more
Close