By ,
Published May 08, 2017
On a Silver Platter
Some critics say this is a "czar"-hungry White House and now the president has a new senior policy adviser on the menu, a man who was at one-time the Obamas' chef in Chicago.
29-year-old Sam Kass was quietly promoted last month from a food coordinator to "senior policy adviser for healthy food initiatives," tasked with lowering obesity rates.
While President Obama's hometown paper notes, "It's no joke even though it sounds like a bad one -- this promotion is right in line with the first lady's promotion of healthy eating."
Mrs. Obama's office says Kass' duties have not changed, but the new title more accurately reflects his job. We're told Kass' salary is $92,000, far below other senior policy advisers who make about $170,000.
With Friends Like These
Two of the possible 2012 Republican presidential contenders are already taking off the gloves, albeit through anonymous underlings.
An aide to Mitt Romney told Time magazine that Sarah Palin is, "not a serious human being" doubting her presidential viability, while another Romney aide adds, "If she's standing up there in a debate and the answers are more than 15 seconds long, she's in trouble."
Palin's camp hit back soon after, calling the move immature and chiding, "She's not focused on promoting herself or disparaging other Republicans. We need to all come together in what should be a great year for us in November."
Romney looked to end the dust-up by calling the Palin critics "numbskulls" and tweeting, "She's proven her smarts -- they've disproven theirs."
Texas Two Step
Texas Democratic Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee might want to brush up on her history and geography:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. SHEILA JACKSON LEE, D-TEXAS: Today we have two Vietnams -- side-by-side -- North and South, exchanging and working. We may not agree with all that North Vietnam is doing, but they are living in peace.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Vietnam is one country, unlike North and South Korea. Jackson Lee, who is a senior member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, tells Fox, "I misspoke and did not add... that the 'nation was united as one.'"
https://www.foxnews.com/transcript/new-czar-on-presidential-menu