With all due respect, I really do not see how Didier Drogba, fantastic football player that he is, can be classified as influential or for that matter Youssou Ndour, much as I love his music.

BBC: African viewpoint: Fame and influence

Beyond that, there are a lot of ways to get to compromise here and that is what the American people, I think, really want us to do is to compromise, not stick it to anybody, not score political victories and see who can be blamed for the economic damage that would be done by the fight here.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing