Both George Weightman, the head of Walter Reed, and Francis Harvey, the secretary of the army, were sacked.

ECONOMIST: The military health-care scandal

Ralph Reed, a former senior adviser to George W. Bush's campaigns in 2000 and 2004, said Clinton's speech was big on rhetoric, but failed to hammer down key issues for the American people.

CNN: GOP cheers Obama's historic stride, but doubts his experience

Microsoft has been criticised for employing Ralph Reed, the former head of the Christian Coalition and an advisor to George Bush, as one of its lobbyists.

BBC: Oracle defends Microsoft spying