President Obama

Your Take On The News

Weekday — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

We'll get live updates from the scene of the bridge collapse in Skagit County from KUOW reporter Derek Wang.

In a major policy speech Thursday, President Obama defended his administration's use of unmanned drones, but vowed to scale back their use in the future. He also renewed efforts to close the prison at Guantanamo Bay. What are the unanswered questions about President Obama's counter-terrorism policy? What can we expect from the President moving forward?

The Seattle Mayor's race got a big shakeup recently when Tim Burgess abruptly dropped out of the contest. How will this affect the rest of the candidates? Who does it help and who does it hurt?

And on his first day on the job, interim Seattle Police Chief Jim Pugel made some changes to his staff. Does this signal more changes to come at the SPD?

What stories that caught your attention this week? Call us at 800.289.5869, email weekday@kuow.org or send us a tweet @WeekdayKUOW.

Obama To Address Drones, Guantanamo Bay In Security Speech

The Associated Press — Thu, 23 May 2013 17:03:23 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is set to at least partially bring out into the open some of the US-directed drone program, a key component of counterterrorism strategy, as he outlines the contours of the continuing threat to American security.

Kenneth Bae Convicted For Christian Mission To North Korea

Phyllis Fletcher and Lisa Brooks — Fri, 10 May 2013 22:00:08 +0000

North Korea said through its government news agency Friday that Kenneth Bae of Lynnwood, Wash., used his tour company as a front to bring a Christian mission within its borders. Bae was arrested in North Korea in November 2012 and was sentenced last week to 15 years of hard labor on charges of subverting the North Korean government.

Seattle Times Writer "Shocked" That Dennis Rodman Answered Kenneth Bae Challenge

Phyllis Fletcher — Wed, 08 May 2013 23:31:35 +0000

Thanh Tan says she was serious when she challenged former NBA star Dennis Rodman to get Kenneth Bae of Lynnwood, Wash. released from a 15-year hard labor sentence in North Korea.

State Department to North Korea: Free Kenneth Bae

Carolyn Adolph — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:32:46 +0000

The State Department is asking that North Korea free Kenneth Bae, a man from Lynnwood, Wash. who was sentenced to 15 years hard labor Wednesday. North Korea had accused Bae of plotting to overthrow its government.

Electric Cars, Isabel Allende, And President Obama's Sister

Weekday With Steve Scher — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Electric Car Company Under Congressional Scrutiny
Fisker Automotive is the latest beneficiary of the Obama Administration’s push for renewable energy to flounder. The electric car startup recently fired 75 percent of its workforce and hired bankruptcy advisers. Congress is asking questions about the propriety of federal loans to the politically well-connected company.

A Conversation With Writer Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende is a world-renowned writer, with 19 books in 35 languages. Her latest is "Maya’s Notebook," a tale that revolves around a descent into addiction and a rebirth through the love of family and place.

A Conversation With President Obama’s Sister, Maya Saetoro-Ng
A famous sibling can be a blessing or a burden. Maya Saetoro-Ng is the half-sister of President Obama. She uses her perspective as a history teacher to analyze how her brother’s presidency will be remembered.

Seattle Theater’s Power Couple
Seattle theater audiences know R. Hamilton “Bob” Wright from his long career onstage acting and of late, directing. Wright’s wife, Katie Forgette, is also a fixture on Seattle stages as an actress and now a playwright. Forgette’s newest play has opened at ACT Theatre directed by husband Bob Wright.

Senate Approves Nomination Of John Brennan As CIA Chief

editor — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 20:57:00 +0000

After an epic filibuster by Sen.

Obama Taps Nominees For EPA, Budget Office And Energy Department

Mark Memmott — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 15:39:00 +0000

Calling them "three outstanding individuals" who will help him tackle some tough problems, President Obama on Monday morning nominated:

-- Gina McCarthy, currently an assistant administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency, to lead that agency. She would succeed the departed Lisa Jackson.

-- Ernest Moniz to be the next secretary of energy, replacing Steven Chu, who like Jackson decided not to stay for Obama's second term.

Mapping The Human Brain

Producer — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:00:00 +0000

In his State of the Union address, President Obama proposed a massive scientific endeavor to map the human brain. It's a multi-billion dollar, multi-year project that's meant to do for neuroscience what the Human Genome Project did for DNA. How will scientists actually achieve it? We talk with Dr. Christof Koch from the Allen Institute for Brain Science and Dr. Patricia Kuhl from the UW Institute for Learning and Brain Science.

It's A Trap! 4 Possible Presidential Pitfalls

Linton Weeks — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 20:41:00 +0000

You are Barack Obama and you find yourself hacking away in the weeds of sequestration — and some frustration. What's going on?

After all, you won a second term as President of the United States. You withstood the hooks and slices of a nasty campaign. Your approval rating is on the rise. Over President's Day weekend you played golf with Tiger Woods.