Vermont: Barack Obama

Gov. Jim Douglas was not inclined to get all googling-eyed about his quality-time in the Oval Office this week. Gubernatorial aide Heidi Tringe, who accompanied him on the trip, was more reflective of the experience. (That's Heidi on the left standing against the wall)

Tringe, who worked in the White House Office of Science and Technology and had been in the Oval Office twice before, still found the situation awe-inspiring.

Not often you get to see the president of the USA up close, in person for a good half-hour or so. The tall, lanky President Barack Obama was an impressive presence with a spocial aura about him, she said.

A Web site done by the Democratic National Committee lists the estimated benefits by state in terms of jobs created of the economic stimulus plan on the table in Washington.

Vermont would save or create 7,170 jobs by the end of 2010, according to the site. The plan would have a -1.8 percent influence on our unemployment rate, they say.

I'm not entirely sure how they make that estimate because it's going to depend on how the states use the money they have coming.

The site also talks about the meeting between President Barack Obama and Gov. Jim Douglas. Obama is quoted as saying:

"People are being laid off, and that means that governors like Jim are
having to not only deal with declining revenue, but increased social services to
provide support for people who are unemployed as they're seeking work."

You can check it out:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/community/post/obamaforamerica/gGxHSt

- Terri Hallenbeck

Gov. Jim Douglas will shortly take a seat on a sofa or chair in the famous Oval Office to talk with President Barack Obama -- one-on-one -- about the economic stimulus package. WOW.

He was going to DC anyhow to meet with Vermont's congressional delegation about the package and to make the rounds with a few other senators, I think, to talk up the need for a stimulus package -- now -- with as few strings attached as possible. He's also giving a speech on electronic technology in health care.

Douglas is the vice chairman of the National Governors Association. He noted last week that he and most other governors, regardless of political party, support the various versions of stimulus under consideration because they could help states get out of some big troubles.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Burlington) announced Monday that he will introduce legislation to prevent the release of the remaining $350 billion available to the Bush Administration under the Wall Street rescue package passed in early October.