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| Obama diary: The first 100 days | Obama diary: The first 100 days |
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| Barack Obama was elected on a message of change. Now he is in office, change is expected both in foreign and domestic policy. Here the BBC's team in Washington tracks developments in the first 100 days of the Obama presidency. | Barack Obama was elected on a message of change. Now he is in office, change is expected both in foreign and domestic policy. Here the BBC's team in Washington tracks developments in the first 100 days of the Obama presidency. |
| MONDAY 20 APRIL - DAY 91 | MONDAY 20 APRIL - DAY 91 |
| 1751 EDT Reassuring the CIA | |
| James Coomarasamy: On his first visit to CIA headquarters, President Obama told employees that he understands the difficulty they've had over the release of the so-called torture memos. | |
| But he defended his decision to publish them and offered reassurance that there'd be no legal consequences for the officers who'd acted on their advice. | |
| Saying his administration had had no alternative but to release the memos, he went on to praise the agency's unsung patriotism. | |
| He said he understood it was hard to operate against unscrupulous enemies and that the agents must feel as though they were acting with one hand tied behind their backs. But, he said, it was important for US security that they carried out their work to the highest moral standards: | |
| Even if the president's words do help answer the concerns of CIA agents, they're unlikely to silence those who've criticised his decision to release the memos. | |
| His critics on the right say his action will make the country less secure, while those on the left want him to pursue charges against those who may have tortured prisoners in America's name. | |
| 1608 EDT First Cabinet meeting | 1608 EDT First Cabinet meeting |
| Max Deveson: It's only taken 91 days, but President Obama has finally gathered his full cabinet together for a meeting. | Max Deveson: It's only taken 91 days, but President Obama has finally gathered his full cabinet together for a meeting. |
| Of course, his cabinet appointments required congressional approval before they could take up their positions, so it is not really surprising that it has taken so long for the cabinet to meet. Moreover, unlike in countries like the UK, where the Cabinet meets every week, the Cabinet in the US meets less frequently - policy is generally decided at the White House, and Cabinet Secretaries are charged with implementing it. | Of course, his cabinet appointments required congressional approval before they could take up their positions, so it is not really surprising that it has taken so long for the cabinet to meet. Moreover, unlike in countries like the UK, where the Cabinet meets every week, the Cabinet in the US meets less frequently - policy is generally decided at the White House, and Cabinet Secretaries are charged with implementing it. |
| At the meeting, Mr Obama ordered his Cabinet to find cost saving in their departments, in order to cut $100m form the budget. | At the meeting, Mr Obama ordered his Cabinet to find cost saving in their departments, in order to cut $100m form the budget. |
| He acknowledged that $100m was a "drop in the budget", but that the government needed to win back the confidence of the American people by showing that money was not being wasted. | He acknowledged that $100m was a "drop in the budget", but that the government needed to win back the confidence of the American people by showing that money was not being wasted. |
| "We've got to earn their trust," he said. | "We've got to earn their trust," he said. |
| 1530 EDT Round the table | 1530 EDT Round the table |
| Barack Obama used his first cabinet meeting to challenge his Cabinet Secretaries to search for cost-savings in their departments | Barack Obama used his first cabinet meeting to challenge his Cabinet Secretaries to search for cost-savings in their departments |
| Obama diary: Days 1-10 Obama diary: Days 11-20 Obama diary: Days 21-30 Obama diary: Days 31-40 Obama diary: Days 41-50 Obama diary: Days 51-60 Obama diary: Days 61-70 Obama diary: Days 71-80 Obama diary: Days 81-90 Obama diary: Contributors | Obama diary: Days 1-10 Obama diary: Days 11-20 Obama diary: Days 21-30 Obama diary: Days 31-40 Obama diary: Days 41-50 Obama diary: Days 51-60 Obama diary: Days 61-70 Obama diary: Days 71-80 Obama diary: Days 81-90 Obama diary: Contributors |