Blame Game
President Obama spoke to graduates of Kalamazoo, Michigan Central High School Monday night telling them not to make excuses, "Take responsibility not just for your successes, but for your failures as well. When you screw up, it's the easiest thing in the world to start looking around for someone to blame. We see it every day out in Washington, with folks calling each other names and making all sorts of accusations on TV."
That drew ridicule from Republicans and other critics, who say the president often puts blame on the previous administration. A Los Angeles Times headline read, Barack 'Eight Years of Failed Bush Policies' Obama Tells High School Grads 'Don't Make Excuses'.
And Senate Republicans quickly sent out a "best-of" list of instances in which they say the president has used his predecessor as a scapegoat for everything from the deficit to America's image abroad.
I Spy
Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are urging the White House to fill the internal watchdog position at the Central Intelligence Agency more than a year after it became vacant.
Several possible candidates have failed to make the cut for inspector general, despite assurances from the Obama administration that a nominee will be chosen soon.
Missouri Republican Senator Kit Bond said of the vacancy, "there is a real sense of frustration."
Off the Deep End
Canada's conservative government is in deep water after reports surfaced that it is spending $2 million to build an indoor lake for this month's G-20 summit.
Critics are crying foul, citing the numerous natural lakes scattered across the country.
One liberal Parliament member says, "The taxpayers are going to end up at the bottom of the fake lake."
However, government officials tried to drown out the criticism saying the lake itself will only cost $57,000.
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