Tuesday 4 August 2009 - 22.30 BST - BBC TWO Presented by Kirsty Wark Happy birthday Mr President - it's Barack Obama's birthday, but if the opinion polls are to be believed the American people will not have the bunting out. Why is he tripping up on the domestic front? And who is giving him a hard time over his flagship policies - healthcare reform and climate change? The devil is in the detail and he is apparently short on clarity and decisiveness. Has he failed to stamp his authority on Congress and the Senate? Today the President is attempting to win round opponents of his plans from his own party. Northern Rock is showing some serious cracks with its three quarters of a billion losses on its half year results - and the repayments of nearly 4% of its mortgage book three months behind. Add to that it now owes the government £10.9 billion, do ministers need to intervene on our behalf and do they have a plan for the Rock? Should the Trust that owns the Guardian and the Observer newspapers, ditch The Observer as a Sunday newspaper, which has been printed for 218 years? The Guardian Media Group has failed to deny rumours that its closure is a possibility as the group faces £90 million losses. Will The Observer be strangled to save The Guardian which is perhaps more interested in building up its online presence? Tonight we'll be discussing whether The Observer just doesn't cut it anymore, and whether investigations and campaigns can ever be as effective simply using new media rather than hoary old and young hacks. Will the state of Pakistan survive? Tim Whewell has a unique film from Rawalpindi and Pakistan. Tonight at 10.30 Kirsty |