John Harwood on Obama's 'Jackass' Comment

15 Sep 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in Playground, Television, 0 Comments

CNBC’s Chief Washington Correspondent John Harwood, a Duke alum, weighed in on ABC leaking President Barack Obama’s now infamous “jackass” comment about Kanye West at the VMAs over on Michael Calderone’s Blog on Politico. Harwood said he deemed the comment off the record.

“The custom in television, as I understand it, is that when you have an interview of this kind, the little chit-chat when you are getting ready to sit down to do the real interview is off the record,” Harwood said.

“It’s one of those things that’s like an understanding, as people have understandings with sources,” he continued. “And if you have a relationship of trust with someone, as I feel I do with the White House and the president, specifically, I felt like I should honor it.”

Law professor Christopher Schroeder picked to head the Office of Legal Policy as assistant AG

21 May 2009, Posted by Eugene Wang in Faculty and Staff, National Politics, News, 0 Comments

Christopher Schroeder, Charles S. Murphy Professor of Law and Professor of Public Policy Studies, has been named assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Policy by President Barack Obama, according to a White House press release.

“I’m grateful that such experienced and dedicated individuals have joined my administration at a time when our nation faces great challenges,” Obama said in the press release, which also announced several other administrative appointments. “Their deep commitment to their individual areas of work gives me confidence that they will help us put America back on a path to prosperity and security.”

David Levi, dean of the School of Law, said Wednesday night at a Duke alumni event in Chicago that Schroeder would be picked to lead the OLP.

“Chris Schroeder is a brilliant legal scholar and a gifted teacher,” Michael Schoenfeld, Duke’s vice president for public affairs and government relations, wrote in an e-mail. “His selection for this critical position means that President Obama will have the best possible person working on legal policy issues.”

The Legal Times, a legal newspaper in Washington, D.C., reported in mid-April that Schroeder was under consideration.

The White House had initially planned to tap Mayer Brown partner and Duke alumnus Mark Gitenstein to the post, the Blog of the Legal Times reported, but thereafter reconsidered the nomination following opposition to his potential nomination, according to Roll Call.

Schroeder previously served as acting assistant Attorney General in the DOJ’s Office of Legal Counsel during the Clinton administration. He was also a member of Obama’s transition team. Schroeder has taught courses on constitutional law, environmental law and civil liberties.

Kevin Jones is currently the acting assistant attorney general for the OLP.

Schroeder will continue to have a relationship with the University if he is confirmed by the Senate, Schoenfeld said.

If confirmed, Schroeder will be the second Duke law professor to head to Washington this year. Sen. Ted Kaufman, who was appointed to Vice President Joe Biden’s vacated Senate seat in January, is also a senior lecturing fellow in the School of Law.

Be sure to check out the Thursday, May 28 issue of The Chronicle for more coverage.

Duke U. Press to publish book by Obama’s mother

04 May 2009, Posted by Chelsea Allison in National Politics, News, Tidbits, 1 Comments

In December, Duke University Press will publish a dissertation by Ann Dunham, President Barack Obama’s late mother, DukeNews announced.

Dunham completed “Surviving Against the Odds: Village Industry in Indonesia,” for the University of Hawaii in 1992, after a frequently interrupted span of 14 years. The thesis focuses Javanese craftsmen in the village of Kajar in Indonesia. Dunham examined, in 1,000 pages, how metalworking provided an economic alternative for an area dependent on rice production. Between 1988 to 1992, Dunham also worked with Bank Rakyat Indonesia to build a microfinance program.

Dunham died of ovarian cancer three years later. She was 52.

Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama’s half-sister and Dunham’s daughter, enlisted the help of Dunham’s graduate adviser and a student who had performed research alongside her. Alice Dewey, University of Hawaii professor emeritus of anthropology, and Nancy Cooper, adjunct professor and lecturer in anthropology, revised and edited the dissertation.

Richard Wagoner resigns as CEO of General Motors at Obama’s behest

29 Mar 2009, Posted by Naureen Khan in Alumni, Breaking News, National Politics, News, 0 Comments

Duke Trustee Richard Wagoner resigned today as chairman and chief executive of General Motors at the request of the Obama administration, several news outlets reported.

Wagoner served at the helm of the America’s largest automaker since 2000. His departure comes the day before President Obama is set to unveil his plan to rescue the struggling industry and appears to be “part of a broad agreement with the Obama administration to funnel more government aid to the ailing auto giant,” the New York Times reported.

Two years ago, Wagoner delivered the commencement speech before 2007 graduates, in which he reflected on his experience at Duke (Trinity ’75) and at G.M.

Read full coverage about his resignation from:

The full story will be available in tomorrow’s Chronicle.

Where the Wild Things Are

25 Mar 2009, Posted by Andrew Hibbard in Playground, 1 Comments

I really want to see Where the Wild Things Are. I hope it doesn’t go the way of some adaptations of pictures books. In Spike Jonze’s hands, I don’t think it will. The trailer looks great. Totally trippy. But what’s with the Obama overtones? Seriously?