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Politics News
for 02/08/2010

(last updated 7:30am EST 02/08/2010)

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• Super Bowl: three moments that changed t... Super Bowl: three moments that changed the game
02/07/2010
The New Orleans Saints beat the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17, in Super Bowl XLIV by outplaying and outcoaching the Colts at the key moments of the game. (12 h ago)

• Super Bowl: 10 things to watch Super Bowl: 10 things to watch
02/07/2010
Will Dwight Freeney bound back? Will Terry Tate: Office Linebacker make an appearance? Here are 10 things to watch for in tonight's Super Bowl: (16 h ago)

• Saints colors: the history behind the un... Saints colors: the history behind the uniform choice
02/07/2010
The Saints colors in Super Bowl XLIV Sunday will be white jerseys. The Colts’ decision to wear blue is significant. (17 h ago)

• Middletown explosion: was power plant bl... Middletown explosion: was power plant blast caused by gas leak?
02/07/2010
The Middletown explosion at an under-construction power plant in Connecticut may have been caused by a natural gas leak, according to officials. The blast is reported to have killed two people and injured several more. (17 h ago)

• Ukraine exit polls: Yanukovich wins pres... Ukraine exit polls: Yanukovich wins presidential election
02/07/2010
Ukraine exit polls show Viktor Yanukovich won Sunday's vote by a small margin. If the result survives fraud allegations, it would be a huge comeback for the pro-Russian candidate who was sent packing during the 2004 'Orange Revolution.' (19 h ago)

• Super Bowl 2010: when the best defense i... Super Bowl 2010: when the best defense is a good offense
02/07/2010
It used to be said that defense wins championships. Super Bowl 2010 highlights how much that has changed: both the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints rank pretty low in defense. (19 h ago)

• Sarah Palin hints at presidential run in... Sarah Palin hints at presidential run in 2012
02/07/2010
GOP superstar Sarah Palin said in an interview Sunday that she was open to a presidential bid in 2012, and that President Obama wouldn't win if elections were held today. (20 h ago)

• Costa Rica election: Why the left is lag... Costa Rica election: Why the left is lagging
02/07/2010
Three of the four main candidates in Sunday's presidential race tilt toward the right. Among them, front-runner Laura Chinchilla could become the nation's first woman president. (21 h ago)

• Cloudy weather delays NASA shuttle launc... Cloudy weather delays NASA shuttle launch
02/07/2010
The Sunday morning launch of space shuttle Endeavour was called off after the weather turned cloudy. NASA has rescheduled lift-off for early morning Monday. (23 h ago)

• 'Run, Sarah, run': Sarah Palin's tea par... 'Run, Sarah, run': Sarah Palin's tea party speech a hit
02/07/2010
Light, folksy, and full of jabs against President Obama and the Democrats in Washington, Sarah Palin’s tea party speech in Nashville, Tenn., marked a possible milestone for her future presidential plans. But will the tea party movement help or hurt her plans in the long run? (23 h ago)

• Daschle rescued by local FOX News affili... Daschle rescued by local FOX News affiliate in DC snowstorm
02/07/2010
(23 h ago)

• Will Yemen rebels accept a fresh cease-f... Will Yemen rebels accept a fresh cease-fire plan?
02/07/2010
Yemen's government – under pressure from the US to focus on Al Qaeda-linked groups operating within its borders – is stepping up efforts to solve a separate pressing issue: five years' worth of fighting with Shiite rebels. (1 d ago)

• Classic review: A. Lincoln Classic review: A. Lincoln
02/07/2010
Biographer Ronald C. White traces the spiritual and intellectual evolution of Abraham Lincoln. (1 d ago)

• Obama wants Super Bowl decided by negoti... Obama wants Super Bowl decided by negotiation?
02/06/2010
President Obama is hosting a Super Bowl party tomorrow and former Senator Fred Thompson said Obama wants it decided by negotiation. (1 d ago)

• Endeavour to deliver Space Station 'a ro... Endeavour to deliver Space Station 'a room with a view'
02/06/2010
Space shuttle Endeavor will bring a new seven-window module to the International Space Station. It'll be used as a utility room for air and water purification and for exercise equipment. It'll also give astronauts a spectacular view of Earth and space. (1 d ago)

• DuPont Circle snowball fight erupts as W... DuPont Circle snowball fight erupts as Washington, DC blasted by snow storm
02/06/2010
A DuPont Circle snowball fight becomes national news as the nation's capital received more than two feet of snow on Saturday. (1 d ago)

• As counter-media fuels tea party movemen... As counter-media fuels tea party movement, main stream media catches on
02/06/2010
The mainstream media ‘can no longer control the narrative’ of American culture, contends counter-media mogul Andrew Breitbart in a fiery speech to Tea Party Conventioneers. But that doesn’t mean tea partiers are saying ‘no comment’ to establishment reporters. (1 d ago)

• Ending 'don't ask, don't tell' seems ine... Ending 'don't ask, don't tell' seems inevitable. But not soon.
02/06/2010
US society and the Pentagon are moving toward ending the ban on gays serving openly in the military. But powerful lawmakers want to keep the 1993 law, and it may be other conservatives who convince them that times have changed. (1 d ago)

• Harnessing ‘tea party’ spirit won’t be e... Harnessing ‘tea party’ spirit won’t be easy. Convention is proof.
02/06/2010
There’s no doubt that the tea party movement is having political impact. But activists at the Tea Party Convention in Nashville have very different ideas about how to proceed, and there's internal struggle. (1 d ago)

• 'First Dude' Todd Palin heavily involved... 'First Dude' Todd Palin heavily involved in governing Alaska
02/06/2010
More than an 'unpaid advisor' to former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, 'First Dude' Todd Palin seemed to have his hands on the machinery of government and politics. Then there was the tanning bed. (1 d ago)

• Fidelity now a player in exchange traded... Fidelity now a player in exchange traded funds wars
02/08/2010
TERRY SAVAGE Sun-Times Columnist Even as stock market uncertainty grows amid volatile days like we had last week, there is a stealth war for retail investors' trading dollars. And it's heating up -- ... (4 h ago)

• TenantAccess Delivers Tenant Protection ... TenantAccess Delivers Tenant Protection Response Program to Help Financial Institutions Manage Tenants and Properties under PTAFA
02/08/2010
Announces Program to Assist Financial Institutions to Improve Tenant and Property Management with Data Driven, End-to-End Services Austin, TX ( (4 h ago)

• Dealers Work Overtime On Toyota Recalls Dealers Work Overtime On Toyota Recalls
02/08/2010
February 8, 2010 Toyota dealerships are working long hours on that massive recall involving the gas pedals on millions of cars. Yesterday, Toyota said it was working on plans to resolve another possib... (4 h ago)

• Larsen and Toubro Finance to extend micr... Larsen and Toubro Finance to extend micro finance facility in Orissa and Gujarat
02/08/2010
Mumbai, Feb 8 : L and T Finance, a financial arm of construction and engineeing giant Larsen and Toubro, will soon extend its microfinance lending facility to Gujarat and Orissa. (4 h ago)

• Larsen and Toubro Finance Rupees 500 cro... Larsen and Toubro Finance Rupees 500 crore NCD Issue to open tomorrow
02/08/2010
Mumbai, Feb 8 : L and T Finance, the financing arm of the engineering and construction giant Larsen and Toubro, will offer a three year non-convertible debenture issue (A Series) to raise Rupees 500 c... (4 h ago)

• Iran establishes fund for energy investm... Iran establishes fund for energy investments
02/08/2010
(MENAFN) Iran's Oil Minister, Massoud Mirkazemi, announced setting up an energy fund backed by the central bank and other Iranian banks, aiming to boost the country's oil industry and finance its inve... (4 h ago)

• U.S. stock flat to lower after G7 meetin... U.S. stock flat to lower after G7 meeting
02/08/2010
LONDON (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures were flat to lower Monday amid relative calm over European finances and the lack of any sparks at a weekend meeting of top finance ministers. S&P 50... (4 h ago)

• Updates, advisories and surprises Updates, advisories and surprises
02/08/2010
(2:50 AM ET) LONDON (Marketwatch) -- Anglo Platinum said Monday that it will issue around $1.6 billion of new shares in a rights offer that will be used to repay long-term debt. The announcement came ... (4 h ago)

• Ex-Merrill chief Thain lands a new gig Ex-Merrill chief Thain lands a new gig
02/08/2010
Fortune 500 ), the small business lender that emerged from bankruptcy in December, announced Sunday that it had chosen Thain to be its chairman and CEO. (5 h ago)

• PTC Financial raises Rs 100 cr via deben... PTC Financial raises Rs 100 cr via debentures
02/08/2010
PTC India Financial Services (PFS) has raised another tranche of Rs 100 crore through the issue of secured non-convertible debentures, a company statement said. The bond was issued at a coupon rate o... (5 h ago)

• STOCKS NEWS UK-BATM falls, results disap... STOCKS NEWS UK-BATM falls, results disappoint
02/08/2010
STOCKS NEWS Reuters Results diary Europe Real-time Equity News UK Stocks on the move UK smallcaps UK smallcaps news 09:26GMT 08Feb2010-BATM falls, results disappoint ----------------------------------... (5 h ago)

• Heritage Oil, Eni Terminate Ugandan Asse... Heritage Oil, Eni Terminate Ugandan Assets Sale Deal As Tullow Exercises Pre-emption Right - Update
02/08/2010
News ) Monday announced that Italian oil company Eni International B.V. has terminated the sale and purchase agreement with Heritage on its entire interest in Block 1 and Block 3A assets in Uganda wit... (6 h ago)

• Cell Therapeutics - Facing The Big Test Cell Therapeutics - Facing The Big Test
02/08/2010
News ) New Drug Application for Pixantrone for the treatment of relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin's lymphoma on February 10. The company began a rolling New Drug Application submission for Pixantron... (6 h ago)

• Show me the money! - Golding calls for a... Show me the money! - Golding calls for audit of Haiti relief funds - Jamaicans to stay till March 5
02/08/2010
IN THE wake of the mushrooming of thousands of organisations throughout the region soliciting money for emergency aid in Haiti, Jamaica's Prime Minister Bruce Golding has called for an audit of all fu... (6 h ago)

• Thailand to help finance 9-kilometre rai... Thailand to help finance 9-kilometre rail link with Lao capital
02/08/2010
Vientiane, Laos - Thailand has provided 303,000 dollars to finance design work on a railway link between the Thai border and Vientiane, media reports said Monday. Work on the preliminary design of the... (6 h ago)

• Former Merrill chief tapped to head CIT Former Merrill chief tapped to head CIT
02/08/2010
left Bank of America in January of last year amid outrage over the deal as well as reports of lavish spending, including reports that he had spent $1.22 million in early 2008 to redecorate his office ... (6 h ago)

• Temasek Said to Sell S$1 Billion of 3.26... Temasek Said to Sell S$1 Billion of 3.265% Bonds Due in 2020
02/08/2010
Feb. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Temasek Holdings Pte, Singapore’s state-owned investment company, sold S$1 billion ($704 million) of 3.265 percent bonds due in 2020, according to a person familiar with th... (6 h ago)

• Hang Seng Index closes at 5-month low Hang Seng Index closes at 5-month low
02/08/2010
(1 hr 14 mins ago) Hong Kong shares slipped to a five-month low, falling for a third consecutive session on mounting concerns that the euro zone's debt problems will hamper the global economic recove... (6 h ago)

• Custom Brokers, HW St. John & Compan... Custom Brokers, HW St. John & Company Offers Fast Clearance and Brokerage Nationally to Clients
02/08/2010
H.W. St. John & Company, a full service Customs Brokerage Celebrates 106 Years in businessNESCONSET, NY, February 08, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Customs Brokers (6 h ago)

• UAE issues commemorative coin UAE issues commemorative coin
02/07/2010
Abu Dhabi, Feb 7 (IANS) The Central Bank of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sunday issued a commemorative silver coin on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), WAM news agency reported. (1 d ago)

• A Would-Be Spy's Buried Treasure and Unc... A Would-Be Spy's Buried Treasure and Uncrackable Code
02/07/2010
Former Air Force sergeant Brian Regan buried stolen government secrets and encrypted the coordinates, hoping to sell the stash to the highest bidder. Then he had to crack his own code. (11 h ago)

• 21st-Century Shooters Are No Country for... 21st-Century Shooters Are No Country for Old Men
02/07/2010
Can aging gamers compete with twitchy teens on today's increasingly complicated virtual battlefields? War is extra hellish when you're too old, or too busy, to fight off the adolescent hordes in games like MAG and Modern Warfare 2 . (11 h ago)

• Missile Silo Confessions: Living on the ... Missile Silo Confessions: Living on the Edge of Armageddon
02/07/2010
A renovated missile silo in the middle of the Arizona desert is a reminder of more chaotic times. Ex-crew members share their stories as we take a tour. (11 h ago)

• Ad-Network Vets Try to Clean Up Their Ac... Ad-Network Vets Try to Clean Up Their Act
02/07/2010
Do you wonder where those ads for work at home, teeth whitening and so on are coming from, and why they appear on otherwise respectable websites? The answer is complicated, but becoming less so. (11 h ago)

• Feb. 8, 1865: Mendel Reads Genetics' Fou... Feb. 8, 1865: Mendel Reads Genetics' Founding Paper
02/07/2010
An Austrian monk is anything but pea-shy when he explains the principles of heredity. (11 h ago)

• How Movies Activate Your Neural G-Spot How Movies Activate Your Neural G-Spot
02/07/2010
Scott Brown considers the pros and cons of MindSign Neuromarketing's plans to create the "neurocinema," the real-time monitoring of the brain's reaction to movies. (11 h ago)

• Apple iPad's Tiny SIM Is Just There to M... Apple iPad's Tiny SIM Is Just There to Mess With You
02/05/2010
Evidence suggests that Apple's decision to use a smaller-than-usual micro SIM card in the iPad was motivated by business reasons, not a lack of space. The company is likely trying to prevent iPhone customers from using the same SIM cards in their iPads. (2 d ago)

• Ultra-Precise Quantum-Logic Clock Puts O... Ultra-Precise Quantum-Logic Clock Puts Old Atomic Clock to Shame
02/05/2010
Scientists create an atomic clock that uses quantum logic to be precise within one second in 3.7 billion years. (2 d ago)

• Authors Guild: 'To RIAA or Not to RIAA' Authors Guild: 'To RIAA or Not to RIAA'
02/05/2010
The Authors Guild says it supports the proposed Google Books settlement to avoid the same mistakes the Recording Industry of America made in its litigation campaign against music pirates. Namely: if you can't beat piracy, you might as well as join it. (2 d ago)

• 'The People vs. George Lucas' Is Really ... 'The People vs. George Lucas' Is Really a Twisted Love Letter
02/05/2010
Star Wars fans unload on the creator of their beloved franchise in the crowdsourced film, which makes its world premiere in March at the South by Southwest film festival. Writer and director Alexandre O. Philippe talks about weeding through thousands of submissions from passionate fans to concoct his "participatory documentary." (2 d ago)

• Electric Charge Can Change the Freezing ... Electric Charge Can Change the Freezing Point of Water
02/05/2010
An electrically charged surface can change the temperature at which super-cooled water will freeze -- in both directions. (2 d ago)

• Robotic Spider Melds Legos and 3-D Print... Robotic Spider Melds Legos and 3-D Printing
02/05/2010
A DIY project combines milled plastic pieces with the basic Lego Mindstorms set to create a robotic spider that crawls and turns. (2 d ago)

• Panacea or Poison Pill: Who Gets to Deci... Panacea or Poison Pill: Who Gets to Decide About The $10 E-Book?
02/05/2010
Another publisher denounces Amazon's $10 e-book. The price point has less to do with the inherent value of the content than it does with finding a number most readers cannot resist. But what should an e-book cost-- and who gets to decide? (2 d ago)

• First Look: A Drooling 'Alice in Wonderl... First Look: A Drooling 'Alice in Wonderland' Beast
02/05/2010
Fresh pictures from Tim Burton's madcap 3-D cinematic adaptation of the Lewis Carroll classic show the wicked Bandersnatch and Bayard the bloodhound. Plus, a sketch-to-screen series of images shows the transformation of Tweedledee and Tweedledum, straight out of Burton's mind. (2 d ago)

• Justice Dept to Google Books: Close, But... Justice Dept to Google Books: Close, But No Cigar
02/05/2010
Google’s plan to digitize the world’s books into a combination research library and bookstore has hit another snag: The U.S. Justice Department says that 'despite substantial progress made, issues remain' with the proposed settlement agreement of the class-action suit which would let the project proceed. (2 d ago)

• Leaves Show Looped Networks May Be Bette... Leaves Show Looped Networks May Be Better Than Branched
02/05/2010
Leaf veins show that looped networks may be better at overcoming obstacles than branched networks. (2 d ago)

• Pentagon's New Bag: 'Synthetic Organisms... Pentagon's New Bag: 'Synthetic Organisms' With Self-Destruct
02/05/2010
The Pentagon's mad science arm may have come up with its most radical project yet. Darpa is looking to re-write the laws of evolution to the military's advantage, creating “synthetic organisms” that can live forever — or can be killed with the flick of a molecular switch. (3 d ago)

• Athletes Confused by Olympic Social Medi... Athletes Confused by Olympic Social Media Rules
02/05/2010
Some athletes tell their followers they won't be tweeting or posting photos during the Olympics because of a supposed blackout period for posting. Confusion over what the rules do and don't allow may cause more problems than an outright ban. (3 d ago)

• NYT: Obama, GOP set for TV health showdo... NYT: Obama, GOP set for TV health showdown
02/08/2010
The meeting would mark the first time in the long health care debate that leaders from both sides would be allowed to air their ideas publicly. (5 h ago)

• Questions swirl around N.Y. governor’s f... Questions swirl around N.Y. governor’s future
02/07/2010
Gov. David Paterson met privately with key Democratic leaders about his re-election plans as questions swirl around the state capitol about a variety of unproven accusations involving the Democratic governor's personal conduct. (12 h ago)

• Dem. lieutenant governor candidate exits... Dem. lieutenant governor candidate exits Ill. race
02/07/2010
The Democratic nominee for Illinois' lieutenant governor dropped out of the race Sunday night, less than a week after winning the nomination, amid a political uproar about his past. (12 h ago)

• Palin remains open to White House run Palin remains open to White House run
02/07/2010
Former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said on Sunday that she was open to a possible White House run in 2012 but has not made up her mind. (15 h ago)

• Palin e-mails reveal a powerful ‘first d... Palin e-mails reveal a powerful ‘first dude’
02/07/2010
Nearly 3,000 pages of e-mails that the first gentleman of Alaska, Todd Palin, exchanged with state officials draw a picture of his influence on policy in the Sarah Palin administration. Msnbc.com's Bill Dedman reports. (15 h ago)

• Obama: NYC not ruled out for terror tria... Obama: NYC not ruled out for terror trial
02/07/2010
President Obama says he has not ruled out a New York federal court trial for Sept. 11 planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, but he was taking into account the objections of the city's mayor and police commissioner. (16 h ago)

• Analysis: ‘Tea party’ is democracy at wo... Analysis: ‘Tea party’ is democracy at work
02/07/2010
First, the independent Ross Perot contingent. Then, the liberal "netroots" mobilization. Now, the conservative "tea party" coalition. (19 h ago)

• It’s revolution time, Palin says It’s revolution time, Palin says
02/07/2010
Sarah Palin declared "America is ready for another revolution" and repeatedly assailed President Barack Obama on Saturday before adoring "tea party" activists. (19 h ago)

• Obama adviser: Stop anti-terror criticis... Obama adviser: Stop anti-terror criticism
02/07/2010
President Obama's top counterterrorism adviser says lawmakers and others are using national security to score political points, defending the handling of the failed Christmas Day bombing of a U.S. airliner. (23 h ago)

• New Orleans elects political scion as ma... New Orleans elects political scion as mayor
02/07/2010
Louisiana Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu has been elected mayor of New Orleans, replacing term-limited Ray Nagin and becoming the majority-black city's first white mayor since 1979. (1 d ago)

• Obama: I’m not giving up on health refor... Obama: I’m not giving up on health reform
02/06/2010
President Barack Obama seeks to assure despondent Democrats he would not abandon his commitment to overhauling health care and would work to counter GOP challenges. (1 d ago)

• Obama honors 7 slain CIA employees as pa... Obama honors 7 slain CIA employees as patriots
02/05/2010
President Barack Obama paid somber tribute Friday to the seven CIA employees killed in one of the worst attacks in the history of the U.S. intelligence agency, calling them patriots who "served in the shadows and took pride in it" before paying the highest cost for freedom. (2 d ago)

• 'Tea party' movement faces uncertain fut... 'Tea party' movement faces uncertain future
02/05/2010
'Tea party' activists agree that government is too big, but that's where the consensus ends among the diverse groups of frustrated Americans who count themselves part of the fledgling coalition. (2 d ago)

• Senator: Financial reform is at an ‘impa... Senator: Financial reform is at an ‘impasse’
02/05/2010
Efforts to tighten financial regulation ground to a halt in the Senate on Friday, casting one of the top domestic policy priorities of the Obama administration in a stark political light. (2 d ago)

• GOP's Shelby blocks Dem nominees, draws ... GOP's Shelby blocks Dem nominees, draws ire
02/05/2010
The White House is criticizing a Republican senator from Alabama for putting a blanket lock on Obama administration nominees over spending disputes involving his home state. (2 d ago)

• Obama urges more loans for small busines... Obama urges more loans for small businesses
02/05/2010
Seeking to create more jobs, President Barack Obama on Friday asked Congress to temporarily expand two lending programs for the owners of small businesses. (2 d ago)

• Illinois Dem defiant after arrest histor... Illinois Dem defiant after arrest history surfaces
02/05/2010
A political newcomer who won the Democratic nomination for Illinois lieutenant governor said he has no intention of leaving the race after details emerged about his arrest for allegedly holding a knife to his former girlfriend's throat. (3 d ago)

• Skip Gates on Black History Month Skip Gates on Black History Month
02/07/2010
Skip Gates talks about Black History Month--and what it means to be black today. (19 h ago)

• It's Time for Obama to Tell the Hard Tru... It's Time for Obama to Tell the Hard Truth
02/05/2010
The president needs to tell the truth on taxes, entitlements, and how to really reform health care—before it's too late. (2 d ago)

• The Case Against Layoffs: They Often Bac... The Case Against Layoffs: They Often Backfire
02/05/2010
Our overreliance on downsizing is killing workers, the economy—and even the bottom line. (2 d ago)

• How Public Policy Can Prevent Heart Dise... How Public Policy Can Prevent Heart Disease
02/05/2010
It's time society stopped reinforcing the bad behavior that leads to heart disease—and pursued policies to prevent it. (2 d ago)

• TV Review: Why ‘The Bachelor’ Is Always ... TV Review: Why ‘The Bachelor’ Is Always White
02/05/2010
ABC's matchmaking show features all-white contenders. Why that won't change for a while. (2 d ago)

• For Family of Nikki Catsouras, a Victory... For Family of Nikki Catsouras, a Victory in Court
02/05/2010
When grisly images of their daughter's death went viral on the Web, the Catsouras family fought back. Two years later, a court rules in their favor. (2 d ago)

• What Is a Life Really Worth? What Is a Life Really Worth?
02/05/2010
Research on the cost-effectiveness of medical treatments pits our emotions against our pocketbooks. (2 d ago)

• Why the Olympics and Other Sports Cause ... Why the Olympics and Other Sports Cause Conflict
02/05/2010
How the Olympics and other international competitions breed conflict and bring out the worst in human nature. (2 d ago)

• The Curse of the Great American Novel The Curse of the Great American Novel
02/05/2010
Ellison died trying to finish his last book. That shouldn't stop you from reading it. (2 d ago)

• Q&A: Director Garry Marshall Q&A: Director Garry Marshall
02/05/2010
Marshall directs Julia Roberts—and every other Hollywood actress—in Valentine's Day. He spoke to Ramin Setoodeh. (2 d ago)

• Calderon: We Must Win Battle Against Dru... Calderon: We Must Win Battle Against Drug Lords
02/05/2010
The president of Mexico on organized crime and the economic downturn. (2 d ago)

• Obama's Budget Avoids Hard Choices (Agai... Obama's Budget Avoids Hard Choices (Again)
02/05/2010
Big government's big shortfall. (2 d ago)

• Football Concussions: Lessons From Spine... Football Concussions: Lessons From Spine Injuries
02/05/2010
Concussions are big news in the NFL, college, and secondary schools, but both football and hockey leagues did something right in reducing spinal-cord injuries. What was it, and can it be replicated? (3 d ago)

• Advice for Obama From a Self-Proclaimed ... Advice for Obama From a Self-Proclaimed Cracker
02/05/2010
Advice for Barack Obama from a self-proclaimed cracker. (3 d ago)

• How Pollsters Shape Debate, Make for Bad... How Pollsters Shape Debate, Make for Bad Policy
02/05/2010
Strategists such as Frank Luntz can make governing very difficult. But smart politicians can learn from their insights. (3 d ago)

• (AHN) Kelly Clarkson Lashes Out At Taylo... (AHN) Kelly Clarkson Lashes Out At Taylor Swift's Label Head
02/07/2010
"American Idol" first ever champ Kelly Clarkson is not happy about how Taylor Swift's record label head targeted the Fox reality show when he was defending the young singer. - (AHN) (10 h ago)

• (AHN) Charlie Sheen's Stolen SUV Found C... (AHN) Charlie Sheen's Stolen SUV Found Crashed Off A Cliff
02/07/2010
Charlie Sheen's stolen SUV has been found on the bottom of a cliff in Los Angeles. The "Two and a Half Men" star reported his vehicle stolen on Friday morning after he received a call from in-vehicle security company OnStar to inform him his car was in an accident. - (AHN) (10 h ago)

• (AHN) Space Shuttle Endeavour Lifts Off (AHN) Space Shuttle Endeavour Lifts Off
02/07/2010
Space shuttle Endeavour lifted off Monday with its six-member crew headed to deliver a module to the space station. The launch occurred at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, FL. Weather was a factor in the Sunday's scrubbed launch. The mission is slated to last two weeks. - (AHN) (11 h ago)

• (AHN) Illinois Lt. Gov. Candidate, Scott... (AHN) Illinois Lt. Gov. Candidate, Scott Lee Cohen, Pulls Out Of Race Over Scandal
02/07/2010
Scott Lee Cohen, a pawnbroker who only last week won the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor, said Sunday night that he was quitting the race. - (AHN) (12 h ago)

• (AHN) Obama Sets Public Summit Over Bloc... (AHN) Obama Sets Public Summit Over Blocks On Health Care Reform
02/07/2010
President Barack Obama called Sunday for a bipartisan summit on health care designed to break the impasse on reform legislation stalled on Capitol Hill. - (AHN) (19 h ago)

• (AHN) 5 Dead, Dozen Hurt In Massive Powe... (AHN) 5 Dead, Dozen Hurt In Massive Power Plant Explosion
02/07/2010
At least five workers at a power plant under construction are now reported dead and at least 11 injured in a Sunday morning explosion and fire that was felt and heard for miles. - (AHN) (19 h ago)

• (AHN) Two Killed In Connecticut Power Pl... (AHN) Two Killed In Connecticut Power Plant Explosion, Fire
02/07/2010
At least two people are dead and possibly as many as 100 injured after a power plant exploded in Middletown, Connecticut, Sunday morning. At least 100 emergency vehicles were reported to be on scene at the Kleen Systems plant being built on the Connecticut River. - (AHN) (1 d ago)

• (AHN) Boeing Completes Tests Of New 747 ... (AHN) Boeing Completes Tests Of New 747 Cargo Plane
02/07/2010
Boeing says it completed the last functional test flight of its new 747-8 Freighter jumbo cargo plane last week. Its first flight is scheduled for Monday. - (AHN) (1 d ago)

• (AHN) Palin Says Americans Ready For "An... (AHN) Palin Says Americans Ready For "Another Revolution"
02/07/2010
In what is being billed as the first "Tea Party Convention," former Alaskan governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin on Saturday night slammed Democrats and the Obama administration during a keynote speech in Nashville, TN. - (AHN) (1 d ago)

• (AHN) Taylor Lautner Toys With New Movie... (AHN) Taylor Lautner Toys With New Movie Roles
02/07/2010
Actor Taylor Lautner's latest role will be a bit of a stretch. Actually, it will be a total stretch. The "New Moon" 17-year-old recently signed a deal with Universal Pictures to play a live action version of the iconic toy Stretch Armstrong. - (AHN) (1 d ago)

• Space shuttle Endeavour blasts... Space shuttle Endeavour blasts off
02/08/2010
Set to arrive at the space station early Wednesday, the crew will deliver and install Tranquility, a new room and observation deck. CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Endeavour and six astronauts rocketed into orbit Monday on what's expected to be the last nighttime launch for the shuttle program, hauling up a new room and observation deck for the International Space Station. (5 h ago)

• Defying the West, Iran's presi... Defying the West, Iran's president orders boost in nuclear enrichment
02/08/2010
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad tells his atomic energy chief to increase uranium enrichment from 3.5% to 20% as talks over a nuclear-fuel exchange sputter. Iran's energy chief says it's simply an 'alert.' In a move possibly meant to deflect attention from his domestic political woes, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Sunday ordered the nation's atomic energy agency to begin enriching uranium to a higher level of purity to serve as fuel for a Tehran medical reactor. (8 h ago)

• Saints rally in second half to... Saints rally in second half to win Super Bowl XLIV
02/07/2010
After scoring only six points by halftime, New Orleans recovers an onside kick to start the second half and races to a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The New Orleans Saints, for decades the NFL's lovable losers, used the biggest stage Sunday to answer the question their fans have been asking for 43 years. (12 h ago)

• Palin says 'absurd' not to pon... Palin says 'absurd' not to ponder presidential bid
02/07/2010
Sarah Palin says it would be "absurd" for her not to consider running for president in 2012. (17 h ago)

• At least 5 dead In Conn. power... At least 5 dead In Conn. power plant explosion, dozens injured
02/07/2010
A devastating explosion that was heard and felt for miles destroyed a power plant Sunday morning as workers purged a natural gas piping system, killing at least five and injuring many more, emergency response officers said. (17 h ago)

• Debris basins again full of mu... Debris basins again full of mud; all evacuation orders lifted in L.A. foothills
02/07/2010
As hundreds of workers prepared to deploy Sunday to empty catch basins once again filled with mud and debris, all evacuation orders were lifted for residents of Southern California's foothills. (17 h ago)

• Afghan police official accused... Afghan police official accused of helping insurgents make bombs
02/07/2010
NATO forces arrest the man in Kapisa province. The case could be one of the most serious instances of a security official collaborating with the Taliban or other militants. KABUL, Afghanistan — NATO forces swooped down on the home of a senior Afghan police official, arrested him and accused him of helping insurgents make and plant roadside bombs, Western military officials said Sunday. (1 d ago)

• Clouds force shuttle launch de... Clouds force shuttle launch delay: next try set for Monday
02/07/2010
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Clouds prevented space shuttle Endeavour from blasting off Sunday on the last planned nighttime shuttle launch, delaying its trip with a final few building blocks for the International Space Station. (1 d ago)

• Washington shuts down, buried ... Washington shuts down, buried in record snowfall
02/07/2010
Flights are grounded and power outages are widespread as the capital slumbers under more than 32 inches of snow. A prolonged blizzard covered Washington, D.C., and the mid-Atlantic states in a smothering canvas of snow Saturday, grounding planes and triggering widespread power outages as people across the region turned to skis and sleds to traverse icy roads. (1 d ago)

• 'Niagara' of mud hits homes 'Niagara' of mud hits homes
02/07/2010
Dozens of houses in La Cañada Flintridge are damaged or destroyed in a storm that defied forecast. An unexpectedly powerful rainstorm unleashed a torrent of mud that inundated more than 40 houses Saturday, leaving La Cañada Flintridge's northernmost neighborhood awash in boulders, dented cars and broken homes. (1 d ago)

• Tebow ad falls short of the hy... Tebow ad falls short of the hype
02/08/2010
Sponsored by Focus on the Family, the antiabortion message takes an understated approach, though some criticize Tim Tebow's 'tackle' of his mother, Pam. Boy tackles mom. That was about it. (8 h ago)

• Obama official accuses GOP of ... Obama official accuses GOP of using terrorism as 'political football'
02/08/2010
John Brennan, deputy national security advisor, says Republicans' criticisms about the handling of the airplane attack suspect are 'not anchored in reality.' President Obama's deputy national security advisor accused Republicans on Sunday of using national security as a "political football" and of being disingenuous in criticizing the treatment of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the suspect in the Christmas Day airliner attack. (8 h ago)

• Sarah Palin won't rule out 201... Sarah Palin won't rule out 2012 run
02/08/2010
In a 'Fox News Sunday' interview, the former Alaska governor says she'd consider running for president if it's 'the right thing to do for our country and for the Palin family.' Fresh off her speech to the Tea Party Convention, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Sunday left open the possibility that she would run for president in 2012 and asserted that President Obama would lose if the election were held today. (8 h ago)

• Fiorina and DeVore appeal for ... Fiorina and DeVore appeal for the women's vote
02/08/2010
Both speak to the Federation of Republican Women as they prepare for the GOP primary and the chance to run against Sen. Barbara Boxer in the fall. Two of the major Republican candidates aiming to unseat U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer made their case this weekend to the party's most active women, arguing that both Boxer's record and anti-incumbent sentiment nationally have put momentum on their side. (8 h ago)

• In Virginia, offshore drilling... In Virginia, offshore drilling a bipartisan goal
02/08/2010
The Republican governor is 'eager to get started,' and the state's Democratic senators are urging the Obama administration to begin selling leases next year. The plan has raised concern from NASA. Virginia could become the first state on the Eastern Seaboard to open its coast to energy exploration since a decades-old federal drilling ban expired more than a year ago. (8 h ago)

• Obama to invite GOP to healthc... Obama to invite GOP to healthcare summit
02/08/2010
The president hopes both parties work out differences in televised talks. Republicans say they will participate but want the health bills tossed. In a high-stakes bid to revive his healthcare overhaul, President Obama announced during a pre-Super Bowl television interview that he would convene a bipartisan summit in which Republicans and Democrats would try to forge a compromise while a national TV audience watched. (8 h ago)

• 'The View' gets political -- v... 'The View' gets political -- viewers love it (and so does D.C.)
02/08/2010
Once, the topic would have been off-limts on daytime TV, but not anymore. And the Beltway's paying attention. It was the morning after President Obama's first State of the Union, which typically wouldn't mean much for daytime television shows and their menu of celebrity interviews, cooking tips and fashion segments. (8 h ago)

• Kindergarten politics Kindergarten politics
02/08/2010
Playing games with Maldonado could backfire for the Assembly. The Legislature is about to decide whether to allow a colleague to become the first Republican Latino to hold statewide office in 135 years. But more important questions also will be answered: (8 h ago)

• California politics are taking... California politics are taking on a surreal tint
02/07/2010
As campaign spots touch upon the bizarre, average people's real concerns fade into the background. Last week brought confirmation of a parallel universe. Or two. (1 d ago)

• Chuck DeVore faces steep climb... Chuck DeVore faces steep climb for California Senate seat
02/07/2010
Despite a lack of funds and name recognition, the Orange County Republican says he's best qualified to carry the party banner this fall against Barbara Boxer. Republican Assemblyman Chuck DeVore was riding high from his party's recent Senate election victory in Massachusetts when he bounded into the town library here. The meeting of the Lincoln Tea Party Patriots was already buzzing over Scott Brown's win in one of the bluest of blue states, and DeVore tried to convince them that with his consistent conservative credentials, he could take incumbent Sen. Barbara Boxer. (1 d ago)

• Better weather allows for shuttle launch Better weather allows for shuttle launch
02/08/2010
Space shuttle Endeavour has blasted off for the international space station on one of the last big construction missions. (5 h ago)

• Doctor finally looks at charge in Jackso... Doctor finally looks at charge in Jackson death
02/08/2010
After months of investigations and a week of trying to surrender, Michael Jackson's doctor appears to be facing a charge in the pop superstar's death. (6 h ago)

• Toyota's once-golden resale value gets d... Toyota's once-golden resale value gets dented
02/08/2010
The quality control issues at Toyota are doing damage to the resale market for the once highly praised cars, thanks to recalls and a bungled response to safety questions. (6 h ago)

• Big Easy celebrating Super Bowl win Big Easy celebrating Super Bowl win
02/07/2010
New Orleans is alive with celebrations after the once-laughing stock Saints became Super Bowl champions. (18 h ago)

• Average gas prices down 5.76 cents natio... Average gas prices down 5.76 cents nationwide
02/07/2010
The average price of regular gasoline in the United States fell 5.76 cents over a two-week period to $2.67. (20 h ago)

• Investigation to begin in power plant bl... Investigation to begin in power plant blast
02/07/2010
Connecticut fire marshals are preparing to start their investigation into an explosion that rocked an under-construction power plant where natural-gas lines were being tested, killing at least five people. (22 h ago)

• Obama adviser confident in Super Bowl se... Obama adviser confident in Super Bowl security
02/07/2010
President Barack Obama's counterterrorism adviser says he's not aware of any credible terrorist threats against the Super Bowl. (1 d ago)

• Mid-Atlantic digs out of snowstorm, rest... Mid-Atlantic digs out of snowstorm, restores power
02/07/2010
The Mid-Atlantic began digging out Sunday from piles of wet, heavy snow in below-freezing temperatures while power crews tried to restore electricity to hundreds of thousands of homes and clear... (1 d ago)

• Relatives mourn young family lost in RI ... Relatives mourn young family lost in RI blaze
02/07/2010
A mother is grieving after a house fire in Warwick, R.I., claimed the lives of five people, including her daughter, granddaughter and future son-in-law. (1 d ago)

• Obama hasn't ruled out NY trial for 9/11... Obama hasn't ruled out NY trial for 9/11 planner
02/07/2010
President Barack Obama said Sunday he has not ruled out a New York federal court trial for Sept. 11 planner Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, but he was taking into account the... (1 d ago)

Business

Technology

Sports

Entertainment

• Yanukovich presses Ukraine rival to conc... Yanukovich presses Ukraine rival to concede defeat
02/08/2010
KIEV (Reuters) - Ukrainian opposition leader Viktor Yanukovich on Monday pressed rival Yulia Tymoshenko to concede defeat after his slender victory in a presidential election that could tilt the ex-Soviet state back toward Moscow. (3 h ago)

• Iran plans major nuclear expansion over ... Iran plans major nuclear expansion over next year
02/08/2010
TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iran says it will start producing higher-grade nuclear fuel on Tuesday and add 10 uranium enrichment plants over the next year in a nuclear expansion sure to stoke tensions with the West. (4 h ago)

• Shuttle Endeavour blasts off for space s... Shuttle Endeavour blasts off for space station
02/08/2010
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - The space shuttle Endeavour bolted off its seaside launch pad in Florida on Monday, carrying six astronauts on a voyage to install the last two main pieces of the International Space Station. (4 h ago)

• Envoys go to North Korea for nuclear tal... Envoys go to North Korea for nuclear talks push
02/08/2010
SEOUL (Reuters) - A senior Chinese official was in North Korea on Monday and a top U.N. political envoy was slated to arrive a day later in a new push to have the reclusive state return to stalled nuclear disarmament talks. (6 h ago)

• G7 talk on Greece fails to soothe invest... G7 talk on Greece fails to soothe investors, euro dips
02/07/2010
TORONTO/HONG KONG (Reuters) - The euro and growth-linked currencies fell on Monday as investors unwound risky trades amid growing worries about eurozone's debt problems, dismissing assurances from European finance ministers at the weekend. (8 h ago)

• Federal agencies to close Monday after b... Federal agencies to close Monday after blizzard
02/07/2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The federal government announced it would remain closed on Monday and most schools planned to shut down as residents of the mid-Atlantic struggled to dig out from a blizzard that dumped two feet of snow on the region. (13 h ago)

• Haiti protesters denounce aid corruption... Haiti protesters denounce aid corruption, hoarding
02/07/2010
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Hundreds of Haitian earthquake survivors protested in a suburb of the wrecked capital on Sunday, accusing a district mayor of corruption and hoarding food aid provided by relief groups, witnesses said. (15 h ago)

• At least 5 dead in Connecticut power pla... At least 5 dead in Connecticut power plant blast
02/07/2010
MIDDLETOWN, Connecticut (Reuters) - At least five people were killed and 12 injured on Sunday when a massive explosion rocked a large gas-fired power plant being built in Middletown, Connecticut, the town's mayor said. (15 h ago)

• High-profile U.S. case tests Haitian jus... High-profile U.S. case tests Haitian justice system
02/07/2010
PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) - Haiti's quake-shattered justice system, grappling with collapsed courts, destroyed records and homeless employees, would be hard-pressed to hold a high-profile trial for 10 Americans charged with kidnapping children, Haitian lawyers and rights advocates said on Sunday. (18 h ago)

• Taliban, NATO prepare for big Helmand of... Taliban, NATO prepare for big Helmand offensive
02/07/2010
LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan (Reuters) - Taliban militants are digging in ahead of a major NATO operation in Helmand province in southern Afghanistan, in one of the biggest offensives in the eight-year-old war. (20 h ago)

• Understanding Haiti's Catastrophe throug... Understanding Haiti's Catastrophe through a Poet's Eyes
02/05/2010
Michele Voltaire Marcelin, an artist, poet, spoken word performer and teacher, was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Since the earthquake struck that country last month, she has been struggling to make sense of the destruction. (2 d ago)

• Shields and Brooks Assess Power Shift in... Shields and Brooks Assess Power Shift in Congress
02/05/2010
Columnists Mark Shields and David Brooks sort through the top stories of the past week, including a new power dynamic in the Senate, and efforts to repeal the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. (2 d ago)

• Reagan Budget Chief Offers a 'Gunslinger... Reagan Budget Chief Offers a 'Gunslinger' Defense of Obama's Bank Reforms
02/05/2010
With President Obama pushing a bipartisan deal on reforming banking regulations, Paul Solman talks with David Stockman, former Reagan budget chief and Wall Street "gunslinger," about the proposal to tax banks on their size and amount of risk. (2 d ago)

• Health Care Spending Continued Climb in ... Health Care Spending Continued Climb in 2009
02/05/2010
Health care spending grew to 17 percent of the U.S. economy last year. Betty Ann Bowser examines the impact of the figures amid questions on the future of a legislative reform push. (2 d ago)

• News Wrap: Toyota President Apologizes f... News Wrap: Toyota President Apologizes for Recall
02/05/2010
In other news Friday, Toyota's president Akio Toyoda apologized for the brake problems that triggered a worldwide recall, and at least 40 people are dead in Iraq from two bomb blasts targeting Shi-ite pilgrims. (2 d ago)

• Jobless Rate Drops, but Fuller Recovery ... Jobless Rate Drops, but Fuller Recovery Still Appears Distant
02/05/2010
The economy shed 20,000 jobs in January, but there were new hopes of economic growth as the nation's unemployment rate ticked down to 9.7 percent. Jim Lehrer speaks with a pair of experts about the latest numbers, as well as prospects in the labor market. (2 d ago)

• Dispatch from Haiti: Baby Jenny's Journe... Dispatch from Haiti: Baby Jenny's Journey
02/05/2010
Kathie Klarreich, a freelance writer, sent us the story of one child's rescue from the earthquake rubble in Haiti, her transfer to the United States for medical treatment, and her family's eager anticipation of her return. (2 d ago)

• Friday's Art Notes Friday's Art Notes
02/05/2010
A roundup of arts headlines. (3 d ago)

• Sarobi Journal: Afghans Don’t Let a Whit... Sarobi Journal: Afghans Don’t Let a White-Knuckle Highway Slow Them
02/08/2010
A road that runs through a mountain gorge between Kabul and Jalalabad holds its own terrors. (5 h ago)

• Saints 31, Colts 17: Champs? The Saints,... Saints 31, Colts 17: Champs? The Saints, Dat’s Who
02/08/2010
The Saints, long associated with losing and disappointing their fans, defeated Peyton Manning and the Colts in Super Bowl XLIV and gave New Orleans a reason to cheer. (7 h ago)

• For Students at Risk, Early College Prov... For Students at Risk, Early College Proves a Draw
02/07/2010
Early-college schools, once for the affluent and overachieving, are serving more low-income students. (9 h ago)

• A Well-Written War, Told in the First Pe... A Well-Written War, Told in the First Person
02/07/2010
A new group of soldier-writers explore the futility of war — but wars that they for the most part support. (9 h ago)

• Irked, Wall St. Hedges Its Bet on Democr... Irked, Wall St. Hedges Its Bet on Democrats
02/07/2010
Bankers, unhappy at the president’s proposals for tighter financial regulations, are shifting donations to Republicans. (9 h ago)

• Obama Plans Bipartisan Summit on Health ... Obama Plans Bipartisan Summit on Health Care
02/07/2010
The meeting would mark the first time in the long health care debate that leaders from both sides would be allowed to air their ideas publicly. (9 h ago)

• Desperate Search for Victims of Explosio... Desperate Search for Victims of Explosion in Connecticut
02/07/2010
Efforts to find survivors were hindered by an absence of information about how many people were working at the site. (9 h ago)

• How the Letterman-Oprah-Leno Super Bowl ... How the Letterman-Oprah-Leno Super Bowl Ad Came Together
02/07/2010
How the Super Bowl ad featuring David Letterman, Oprah Winfrey and Jay Leno came together. (12 h ago)

• The first glimpse of President Palin? The first glimpse of President Palin?
02/07/2010
Sarah Palin may not be running for president. But would it be okay if she flirted with the idea publicly for a few years to help keep her Tea Party-loving fans tantalized by the idea? Oh, you betcha. Appearing on "Fox News Sunday" with Chris Wallace the morning after her aggressive speech to the Tea Party Nation convention in Nashville, Palin didn't do anything to dispel the hopes and dreams of whatever small slice of the electorate still wants her to be in charge of America's nuclear launch codes. "I would," she answered, when Wallace asked her if she'd run. "I would, if I believe that is the right thing to do for our country and for the Palin family, certainly, I would do so." Wallace tried to get her to elaborate, and she did. Sort of. "It's gonna be, thankfully a lot of time to be able to make such a decision," she said, in trademark Palin syntax. "Right now I'm looking at, as I say, other potential candidates out there who are strong; they're in a position of having more information at their fingertips right now, so that the current events that we're talking about today..." Wallace cut her off, saying she certainly sounded like she was considering it. "I think that it would be absurd to not consider what it is that I can potentially do to help our country," she said. "I don't know if it's gonna be ever seeking a title, though. It may be just doing a darn good job as a reporter or covering some of the current events." (Which is funny, because in her Tea Party appearance, she mocked the "lamestream media," and earlier in the interview with Wallace, she joked that she wasn't very good at her job as a Fox News analyst because she had "no idea" how to handicap the current GOP field. "Well, fire me, then, Roger!" she chirped in an aside to the camera and to Fox News boss Roger Ailes.) But Wallace pressed her again, saying she definitely wasn't closing the door to a campaign. "I won't close a door that perhaps could be open for me in the future," Palin said. "I don't want any American to ever close a door in their personal or their professional lives and put themselves in a box and say, 'Heck yeah, I'm gonna do that,' or, 'No way, I'm not gonna do that,' when we don't know what the future holds." There's still something about the scattershot way Palin appears to be picking her schedule -- such a contrast from the kind of strategic, disciplined early work that usually needs to go into a successful presidential campaign -- that makes it seem unlikely she's doing anything more than seeking fame and fortune right now. But she acknowledged that she does have a handful of advisors e-mailing her briefings every morning on what's going on in politics and the world. Is that something other potential candidates might be doing? Golly, don't ask Sarah. "I have no idea how conventionally people do this, how they try to open a door that perhaps isn't even open, and if that involves having a group of advisors send 'em emails every morning, I don't know," she said. The briefings are making her a bit more up to date than she was before she ran for vice president, she said: "I sure as heck better be more astute on these current events." One thing she does know -- whoever gets the Republican nomination should have no problem beating the guy who's in the White House now. Unless, that is, President Obama starts a war. "Say he played the war card," she said, casually name-checking Pat Buchanan, whose column apparently inspired this bit of analysis. "Say he decided to declare war on Iran or decided to really come out and do whatever he could do to support Israel -- which I'd like him to do. That changes the dynamics and what we can assume is gonna happen between now and three years. Because I think if the election were today, I do not think Obama would be elected." It's not so much that Palin thinks Obama would declare war on the 17th most populous country in the world just to win reelection. It's more that if he did do something like that, it would give people second thoughts about his failed presidency. "If he decided to toughen up and do all that he can to secure our nation and our allies, I think people would perhaps shift their thinking a little bit and decide, 'Well I think he's tougher than he is today,'" she said. "And there wouldn't be as much passion to make sure that he doesn't serve another four years." For some reason, she bracketed "serve" with air quotes, as if to say Obama wasn't really serving at all. Which is probably exactly what most of the people who want her to take him on in 2012 would say, anyway. Palin may or may not wind up running for president. But it'll certainly be more entertaining if she does. Unless, of course, she wins. (1 d ago)

• Another classic Michael Steele moment Another classic Michael Steele moment
02/05/2010
Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele means well. But it seems like he just can't help himself --if there's a specific part of the brain that keeps most of us from saying every stupid thing that pops into ouur heads, it just doesn't seem to be working for Steele. The RNC chair's latest gaffe came during a debate of sorts that featured him and former Rep. Harold Ford Jr., D-Tenn. At one point, talking about President Obama's plans for the tax rates affecting families with incomes of more than $250,000 a year, Steele joked, "Trust me, after taxes, a million dollars is not a lot of money." A pretty dumb thing to say, no doubt, considering this economy and the political climate. But on the scale of things, probably not the biggest deal in the world. Of course, American politics being what it is today, Steele's counterparts at the Democratic National Committee couldn't resist hyping the story up a bit. DNC Communications Director Brad Woodhouse e-mailed reporters a link to a Ben Smith post on Steele's comment, and included this statement: This week - we have seen deep into the soul of the Republican Party. First - we learned that the GOP is chasing checks on Wall Street with the promise of protecting banks from regulation and with a commitment to make sure taxpayers don't get all their bailout money back. Now - while millions of Americans are unemployed - while millions can afford to send their kids to college, can't afford to purchase health insurance, can't afford to stay in their homes - Michael Steele - a man who moonlights from his RNC gig by getting paid up to 20k to give a speech - has the audacity to tell the American people - "a million dollars is not a lot of money." We don't know what type of caviar dreams Michael Steele and the GOP are having - but Americans would be shocked to learn that Republicans are selling themselves to the highest Wall Street bidders and that a million dollars is not a lot of money. if you needed more evidence that the GOP is out of touch with middle class Americans - this week should have given you all you need. (Oh - and don't forget the GOP budget that scraps Medicare and turns Social Security over Wall Street)... (2 d ago)

• Dem tensions on healthcare flare up behi... Dem tensions on healthcare flare up behind closed doors
02/05/2010
President Obama’s public question-and-answer session with the Senate Democrats earlier this week was a pretty tame event – especially compared to the spectacular hijinks that went down when Obama addressed Republican members of the House. The President briefly admonished his own party, telling them to “finish the job on healthcare,” but that was the extent of the conversation. None of the senators actually asked Obama a question about healthcare reform. But there are some tensions between the White House and Senate Democrats, and behind closed doors, they're coming out. In a follow-up meeting, Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn., tore into David Axelrod, a senior advisor to Obama, about the president’s lack of leadership on healthcare. According to one Democratic aide quoted in the Huffington Post, the Minnesota senator said that "he really needed to know if the White House was going to lead." Apparently, Franken was not alone in his grievances. As one Democratic senator told Politico, "There was a lot of frustration in there." Obama has long been criticized for his lack of leadership on healthcare -- first by liberal commentators and more recently by leading progressive members of the House, including Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y. The argument stems from frustration that the President hasn't done enough to garner public enthusiasm for reform. Franken and his fellow Democrats in the Senate, however, have been reluctant to blame the White House for their healthcare woes. Obama’s latest comments on healthcare reform don’t seem to indicate that he'll be getting more personally involved anytime soon. At a fundraiser Thursday night, the President voiced concern about whether a bill would pass at all, and suggested that the onus lay on Congress to get something done: So there’s a lot of information out there that people understandably are concerned about. And that’s why I think it’s very important for us to have a methodical, open process over the next several weeks, and then let’s go ahead and make a decision. And it may be that — you know, if Congress decides — if Congress decides we’re not going to do it, even after all the facts are laid out, all the options are clear, then the American people can make a judgment as to whether this Congress has done the right thing for them or not. And that’s how democracy works. There will be elections coming up and they’ll be able to make a determination and register their concerns one way or the other during election time. (2 d ago)

• Cash only for spies Cash only for spies
02/05/2010
The Washington area has more than its fair share of strange places, but the CIA gift shop is surely among the weirdest. As part of the White House press pool, I headed to the agency's headquarters Friday morning in the motorcade accompanying President Obama, who was attending a memorial service for the seven CIA officers killed in a suicide bombing in Afghanistan on Dec. 30. The service was closed to the press, to avoid disclosing the identity of any undercover CIA employees in the audience. So White House and CIA employees held about a dozen reporters, photographers, TV technicians and producers in an entry hall once we arrived at the building. Perhaps to keep us from getting antsy and trying to wander around the area, they escorted the whole group to the gift shop. There, in the middle of one of the most secretive buildings in the world, was a bonanza of CIA schlock. Crystal beer, wine, martini and highball glasses etched with the intelligence agency logo. KGB coffee mugs (I bought one). Enough golf paraphernalia to wonder whether the CIA was secretly behind Tiger Woods's recent troubles. A whole section of scented Yankee Candle items. And by the cash register, the best warning sign I've seen in a long time: "Don't forget! If you are undercover, you cannot charge! It will blow your cover." (2 d ago)

• Tancredo opens Tea Party Convention in s... Tancredo opens Tea Party Convention in style
02/05/2010
The Tea Party Convention that kicked offThursday at a Nashville hotel had, even before it began, been the subject of quite a bit of controversy. The opening speaker at the convention, former Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., did nothing to diminish that. Tancredo -- best known for his vehement opposition to illegal immigration, if not immigration an immigrants generally -- stuck to the subject he really knows. Or at least thinks he knows. The former congressman complained that "people who could not even spell the word 'vote', or say it in English, put a committed socialist ideologue in the White House. His name is Barack Hussein Obama." And he said the reason for this was that "we do not have a civics, literacy test before people can vote in this country." (There's a reason for that , by the way.) Tancredo also had a few things to say about a fellow Republican -- albeit one who doesn't share his views on immigration -- Sen. John McCain. "Thank God John McCain lost the election," Tancredo said. This argument wasn't about the ideological differences between the two men, though; it was about Obama's election having spurred the Tea Party movement and the right generally. For example, he said, if McCain had won, "Sarah Palin would not be free to tell it like it is." One spokesman for the Tea Party Nation, which organized the convention, told CNN he'd had some issues with Tancredo's speech. "It doesn't further the dialogue," he said. (2 d ago)

• Conservative writer compares O'Keefe to ... Conservative writer compares O'Keefe to Schindler
02/05/2010
Writers for Andrew Breitbart's various sites have been working overtime to defend ACORN "pimp" James O'Keefe from accusations of racism this week, ever since an article by Max Blumenthal about a forum O'Keefe attended that featured a white nationalist speaker appeared here in Salon. One of those writers, Jill Stanek, came up with a particularly unique line of defense: "The Left accusing James O’Keefe of being racist against blacks is the equivalent of accusing Oskar Schindler of being racist against Jews," she wrote Thursday. Stanek, best known as a nurse who's become a vocal opponent of abortion -- she's known also a columnist for conspiracist Web site World Net Daily -- argument centers around a stunt O'Keefe pulled before the ACORN videos that made him famous, and the arrest at the office of Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., that got him back in the news. In that operation, O'Keefe called Planned Parenthood offices and pretended to be a racist interested in donating money specifically to abort African-American babies. As in his ACORN sting, O'Keefe did come up with a real story, and did expose people acting, at best, incredibly irresponsibly -- more than one Planned Parenthood employee was caught on tape seeming to encourage the caller's views in order to get the donation. But as with the ACORN videos, the question of how honestly O'Keefe presented the whole thing seems to be debatable. Beyond all that, whether O'Keefe is a racist or not -- and since I haven't been reporting on this, I certainly can't say one way or another, but there does seem to be solid evidence that he at least has some issues with race -- we should at least be able to agree that the Schindler comparison is wildly overblown. Even if you grant the rest of Stanek's argument, Schindler was saving Jews simply to save them. O'Keefe wasn't trying to save black babies' lives specifically; he was using a particular argument to make a case against Planned Parenthood. (3 d ago)

• 'Paranoid' gov going ballistic 'Paranoid' gov going ballistic
02/08/2010
ALBANY -- Gov. Paterson is lashing out at top aides for the growing debacle surrounding what they consider a "corrupt" Aqueduct gambling deal decision -- and suggesting that they'll soon be fired, The Post has learned. "He's become paranoid. He sits gnashing his teeth, looking around for scapegoats... (3 h ago)

• Palin's handy helper Palin's handy helper
02/08/2010
Conservative darling Sarah Palin blasted President Obama over the weekend as "that charismatic guy with a TelePrompter," but during her keynote speech to the National Tea Party she relied on a low-tech assist -- crib notes written on her hand. Photos of Palin speaking at the Tea Party convention in... (3 h ago)

• Paterson botched chance to clean up Aque... Paterson botched chance to clean up Aqueduct bidding process
02/08/2010
ALBANY -- Whether or not you like Gov. Paterson's decision to pick the politically connected Aqueduct Entertainment Group to run video lottery slots at Aqueduct Race Track, it's hard to defend the sleaze-soaked process that led to it. The debacle is the product of a scheme hatched by... (4 h ago)

• Old friends ready to show Ford the money Old friends ready to show Ford the money
02/08/2010
Harold Ford Jr. has a national base of support if he decides to run for the Senate in New York -- a network of donors and friends cultivated over years that could ease the burden of raking in campaign cash. "I have people calling me every day, asking where they... (4 h ago)

• CNBC host is urged to take on Schumer CNBC host is urged to take on Schumer
02/08/2010
With political incumbents quaking in their tasseled loafers, some New York Republicans are hoping that popular CNBC commentator Larry Kudlow can do what would have seemed impossible a mere six months ago -- beat Chuck Schumer in the race for US Senate. No one thinks knocking the hardest-working man in... (7 h ago)

• Slightly Off Color Slightly Off Color
02/07/2010
My stuff first, sports after. A happy viddy from Ray Maxwell w/ Leo Laporte. There is a reason I am leading off with this viddy. My monitor, it fails. I had some kind of malfunction at around noon on Super Bowl Sunday. The power went on my phone, my cable, lost my Internet. Don’t know what [...] (9 h ago)

• Enemy Of The People Enemy Of The People
02/06/2010
That’s me. Enemy of the people. I must be. Why? I watched and listened to the entire Sarah Palin “National tea party” speech. Populism, conservative style, apparently doesn’t touch me the same way that liberal populism does. Why? Well, from what I saw, there were equal parts Ad hominem attacks that were just as untrue as [...] (1 d ago)

• The Rhino’s Superbowl XLIV Pick The Rhino’s Superbowl XLIV Pick
02/05/2010
Seems like it’s been forever since i did my last football picks, to be honest I don’t remember who I picked, and how I did on those picks. Time to take a look… Jaw drops… Ya mean i picked BOTH WINNERS? ME? That is what I call unprecedented success! Lets look at my championship [...] (2 d ago)

• Plato By Dim Light Plato By Dim Light
02/05/2010
It is quarter to 2 in the morning. The room I sit in is in near total darkness, as is my wont this time of night. I have a string of Christmas lights on, but they add little light. I like that, and that is why they are still up. I should have taken [...] (3 d ago)

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