News Headlines
Gates Says Afghans Should Lead Corruption Fight
NPR - US News. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
The defense secretary said the U.S. will still work to prevent millions of American dollars flowing into the nation from underwriting bribery and graft. Afghan President Hamid Karzai pledged to work against corruption, which is undermining trust in his government.
EPA to issue more rules in climate fight
Reuters: Politics. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Environmental Protection Agency will roll out more regulations on greenhouse gases and other pollution to help fight climate change, but they will not be as strong as action by Congress, a senior administration official said.
Elizabeth Warren schedule shift fuels talk on U.S. consumer job
Reuters: Politics. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A last-minute change in the fall course schedule of Harvard law professor Elizabeth Warren has fueled speculation the White House might soon nominate her to head the newly created U.S. consumer financial agency.
Mideast peace talks to resume in Washington
CNN: Politics. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
Direct peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians will start Thursday as President Barack Obama urged both sides to come up with a peaceful solution to the long-running Mideast conflict.
WATCH: Joe Biden on the Iraq Handover
ABC News Politics Headlines. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
Vice President Joe Biden says Iraqi troops are ready and capable of providing security in Iraq. Iraq - Joe Biden - United States - Vice President of the United States - History
WATCH: Washington Post's Anne Kornblut on 'Top Line'
ABC News Politics Headlines. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
Anne Kornblut discusses Obama Iraq address on "Top Line." Washington Post - Barack Obama - United States - Anne Kornblut - President
California Senate Debate Turns on Economy
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
Senator Barbara Boxer and her opponent, Carly Fiorina, met Wednesday night in a heated forum focused on jobs.
State Department Hosts Formal Mideast Peace Talks
NPR - US News. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
Israeli and Palestinian negotiating teams are getting down to work at the State Department Thursday -- with low expectations and amid more violence in the West Bank. President Obama hosted a dinner Wednesday night for the visiting Israeli and Palestinian leaders and other would-be peacemakers. The President challenged them to walk the path of peace.
National Brief | Midwest: Ohio: Disgraced Ex-Congressman Back on Ballot
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
James A. Traficant, a former Democratic congressman who served time in prison, will run again for a House seat as an independent.
White House Memo: For President and Predecessor, a Chill Returns
New York Times - Washington. Thu, 2 Sep 2010
Relations are, at best, awkward between President Obama and George W. Bush.
Obama 'Hopeful, Cautiously Hopeful' About Mideast Direct Talks
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
From Sunlen Miller After a day of separate meetings in the Oval Office, President Obama, Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, President Abbas of The Palestinian Authority, King Abdullah II of Jordan and President Mubarak of Egypt walked together in a... Oval Office - Abdullah II of Jordan - Prime minister - Egypt - Middle East
Clinton Heading Back to Arkansas for Lincoln
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Former President Bill Clinton will appear at an event celebrating Blanche Lincoln's first anniversary as chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
On Eve of Mideast Peace Talks, Obama Says Without the Attempt 'Failure Is Guaranteed'
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
ABC News' Sunlen Miller reports: Flanked by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, President Obama emerged after his series of bilateral meetings on Palestinian-Israeli peace admitting that while the upcoming negotiations are... Middle East - Hillary Rodham Clinton - Israel - President of the United States - Barack Obama
Egypt might host second round of Mideast peace talks
CNN: Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
If this week's Mideast peace talks brokered by the Obama administration go well, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak is offering to host a second round of talks later this month in his country, according to two officials close to the talks.
Was Obama's speech 'Mission Accomplished'?
Washington Post - Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
At critical turns in his political career, President Obama has used his substantial rhetorical skills to enhance his political standing or deflect problems. That's why the tension inherent in his Oval Office address on Tuesday night spoke volumes about the political condition of his administration. Barack Obama - United States - President - George W. Bush - Iraq
FEMA Chief: Katrina Lessons Aid Hurricane Earl Planning
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
FDA's Safety Role in Question After Egg Recall
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Jumpstarting Mideast Peace Talks: Will It Work?
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Leaders Call for Peace as Mideast Talks Begin
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority appeared together with President Obama.
Israeli, Palestinian Leaders Look for Common Ground in Direct Talks
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Biden: After U.S. Combat Exit, Iraqi Government Ready to Take Shape
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Gates: History Will Judge Worthiness of Iraq War
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
As Mideast Peace Talks Start, D.C. Think Tanks Overfloweth With Analysis
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
It's been 20 months since Israelis and Palestinians sat down across a table with each other, and that has meant quiet times for the dozens of Middle East analysts and advocates in Washington's think tank world. But the Wednesday-Thursday meetings at the White House and State Department have prompted a flurry of briefings and background sessions as these analysts position themselves for appearances on newspaper op-ed pages, broadcast and cable interviews and the blogosphere. The Mideast watchers, many of whom have appeared on the five incarnations of the NewsHour over the past 35 years, cover a range of perspectives. Many have served in government and participated in the numerous conferences and meetings that come under the umbrella of the Mideast peace process that has been going on since the end of the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. A few are academics or former journalists. Their institutions support a range of views from the Israeli left and pro-Likud on the Israeli right to centrist American to varying degrees of Arab and Palestinian nationalism. And that chasm of differing views and between optimists and pessimists is wide indeed. For instance, Daniel Levy of the New America Foundation, and a former Israeli negotiator, wrote: "Much of the pessimism surrounding this week's peace summitry derives from the rather stunning lack of originality in the approach being pursued by President Obama and his team. As currently structured, this peace process really does resemble the movie we have seen before -- the one with the unhappy ending" Robert Danin, an American diplomat who worked with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and the Quartet of the U.S., United Nations, Russia and the European Union, made this observation: "The difficulty of getting them to the table, despite nearly two decades of negotiations, illustrates the lack of enthusiasm with which Palestinians and Israelis approach such talks. Clearly the administration and the international Quartet....feel more urgency than the parties themselves." On the Aug. 20 NewsHour, an Israeli and Palestinian analyst took a more upbeat view and asserted the two sides had their reasons for talking now. Gaith al-Omari of the American Task Force on Palestine said several deadlines were approaching in September, among them the U.N. General Assembly and an Israeli moratorium on new settlement construction. "...we need to show progress before these events, so we can maintain a degree of stability in the region and in the political process there," al-Omari said. David Makovsky of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy agreed, saying that President Obama was stirred to action during his July 6 meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He said the president pushed the leaders of Arab nations to get behind Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and support his return to the negotiating table.
Rollins: Obama's lame speeches on economy, Iraq
CNN: Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
In the first two days back from his Martha's Vineyard family vacation, President Obama gave two speeches on two important subjects.
On Wednesday's NewsHour...
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
NEWSMAKER: VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN | Margaret Warner sits down with Vice President Joe Biden in Baghdad to talk about the change in the mission and what's to come. MIDEAST PEACE TALKS | Gwen Ifill talks to the former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former National Security Advisor Steve Hadley about this week's Israeli and Palestinian peace talks. REGULATORY CHALLENGES FACING THE FDA | The latest egg recall that caused a salmonella outbreak raises questions about whether the Food and Drug Administration can handle its job. Betty Ann Bowser looks at how large quantities of imported pharmaceuticals and food are straining the FDA safety net. FEMA MAKES PLANS FOR HURRICANE EARL | FEMA is preparing for Hurricane Earl as it inches its way toward the East Coast. Earl has been downgraded to a category 3 storm but still threatens residents and tourists for the Labor Day weekend. FEMA head Craig Fugate gives an update on emergency preparations for the storm. Wednesday's anchors are Jim Lehrer and Gwen Ifill. Hari Sreenivasan has the day's other top news stories and look at the Web features. On The Rundown, more from our team in Iraq including a slideshow of the Imam Ali Mosque in Najaf. Also, analysis of President Obama's speech on Iraq from Shields and Brooks along with a special annotated version of the address. Plus, read more on the health care reform law and what the changes mean for early retirees who are too young for medicare. We hope you'll join us.
Former Sen. Norm Coleman: "There is No Effort to Replace Michael Steele"
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Rebutting weeks of speculation that he might be eyeing a bid to take over as chair of the Republican National Committee, former Minnesota Sen. Norm Coleman said on ABC News/Washington Post “Top Line” today that “there is no effort to replace Michael Steele” ahead of the November elections. Norm Coleman - Michael Steele - Republican National Committee - United States - Senate
Borger: Will Obama be a Clinton -- or a Carter?
CNN: Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
There are just times, when you are president of the United States, that formally speaking to the American people is part of the job.
Blair memoirs: Bush had 'immense simplicity'
CNN: Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
U.S. President George W. Bush was a "true idealist" who displayed "genuine integrity and political courage" but had a simplistic view of the world, former British prime minister Tony Blair reveals in his memoirs.
Biden marks transfer of U.S. command in Iraq
CNN: Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
After more than seven years of American military operations in Iraq, U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will help mark the transfer of U.S. military command in Iraq on Wednesday.
WATCH: Oval Office Gets a Makeover
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
President Obama's White House office gets a new look. Oval Office - President - White House - Barack Obama - United States
Biden on Iraq: 'It's Not Like We’re Walking Away'
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
The Iraqis have been tested and they are ready to assume control of their country -- that was the message from Vice President Joe Biden the morning after the president declared an end to the combat mission in Iraq. "They have... Iraq - Joe Biden - United States - Vice President of the United States - History
Wednesday: Mideast Peace Talks Begin, Hurricane Earl Downgraded
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Hours after a primetime address marking the end of combat operations in Iraq, President Obama pivots Wednesday to another complex and vexing Mideast issue: Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. President Obama will host talks in Washington with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as leaders from Egypt and Jordan. The talks formally begin with a dinner at the White House Wednesday night. David Sanger of the New York Times looks at the president's attempts to take on three big Mideast tasks: Iraq, Israeli-Palestinian peace and Iran as part of his foreign policy push: History shouts that all the odds are against him. White House officials, eager to show concrete progress on the hardest foreign policy challenges at a time when Mr. Obama is struggling with a variety of domestic issues, contend that that the president has changed the political climate in all three arenas and has the best shot in years at creating positive and interlocking results. The fatal shooting of four Israeli settlers near Hebron Tuesday may cast an early shadow on the talks. Hamas took responsibility for the shooting, a reminder that they remain an important force in Palestinian politics, reports the Christian Science Monitor . And Josh Rogin of Foreign Policy magazine explains the while the first direct peace talks may be kicking off today, in reality many discussions have already begun - and there are apparently no prearranged deals on settlements or other key issues. On the topic of Iraq, be sure to check out the Morning Line , which has a preview of Margaret Warner's interview with Vice President Biden this morning in Baghdad. Hurricane Earl Downgraded Hurricane Earl has been downgraded to a Category 3 storm, but still threatens parts of the East Coast. Vacationers and residents of some of the islands off the North Carolina coast have been told to evacuate . Still, any ocean-side businesses along the Mid-Atlantic hoping for a last blast of summer tourism dollars over the Labor Day weekend may find their hopes quashed by the storm. The Washington Post looks at satellite images of the storm here . And here's the Wednesday morning update from NOAA . And among other stories we'll be watching this Wednesday: The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission opens two days of hearings on systemic economic risk in the U.S. system and how the government decided which institutions to bailout during the 2008 meltdown. Auto sales figures are due to be released. And continued fallout from the arrests of two U.S. residents of Yemeni origin after a flight from Chicago to Amsterdam .
Obama's mission: Pivoting from the war
Washington Post - Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
The president's first problem was that the timing was off. Barack Obama - United States - President - History - Oval Office
The Morning Line: Biden Grudgingly Gives Bush Administration Credit for Iraq Surge Success
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Updated with video 11:00a.m. ET Vice President Biden went further, albeit grudgingly, than President Obama did in his Tuesday night Oval Office address in crediting the surge of troops into Iraq ordered by President George W. Bush in January 2007 with providing the political space for Iraq to arrive at this moment in the country's post-Saddam history.
Obama's speech on August 31 declares combat in Iraq over
Washington Post - Politics. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Saying it is "time to turn the page" on one of the most divisive chapters in American history, President Obama declared the U.S. war in Iraq over Tuesday night, telling the nation that he was fulfilling his campaign pledge to stop a war he had opposed from the start. Iraq - United States - Barack Obama - Warfare and Conflict - President
WATCH: Obama Calls Bush a Patriot
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
President Obama talks about conversation with President Bush in address. George W. Bush - Barack Obama - President - United States - History
WATCH: America's Future in Iraq
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Barack Obama explains the U.S.'s continuing commitment to supporting Iraq. Barack Obama - United States - President - Iraq - Iraq Barack Obama
WATCH: Iraq Handover: View From the White House
ABC News Politics Headlines. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Press Secretary Robert Gibbs previews President Obama's primetime address on Iraq. Robert Gibbs - White House Press Secretary - Iraq - United States - President
Nobel Winners Sign Letter Backing Obama Space Plan
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
The letter expresses support for the president’s proposed strategy for NASA and criticizes cuts contained in a NASA authorization bill now before the House.
Aspiring Politician to Sue 2 Florida Papers
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Jeff Greene, a real estate developer, claims articles in The St. Petersburg Times and The Miami Herald cost him his bid for the United States Senate.
News Analysis: Trying to Buck Odds, Obama Takes On 3 Big Mideast Tasks
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
President Obama is looking for simultaneous progress on Iraq, Iran and Israeli-Palestinian peace, a triple play that has eluded his predecessors for decades.
In Wisconsin, an Incumbent Holds Tight
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Senator Russ Feingold’s tight race suggests that Republicans have a better opportunity to win the Senate than they imagined.
Economic Scene: Tax Cuts That Make a Difference
New York Times - Washington. Wed, 1 Sep 2010
Republicans and President Obama are open to tax cuts. The question is what kind can put people back to work.
Gloom for Democrats as they look to November
Washington Post - Politics. Tue, 31 Aug 2010
New polls and projections say Republicans are heading for a House majority. United States - Democratic - Politics - Parties - Texas
WATCH: Securing the Dream
ABC News Politics Headlines. Tue, 31 Aug 2010
The president urges Americans to stay strong as we fight to restore the economy. dream - Social Sciences - Psychology - Iraq - Interpretation
WATCH: President Obama's Full Address on Iraq
ABC News Politics Headlines. Tue, 31 Aug 2010
President Obama announces the end of America's combat mission in Iraq. Iraq - Barack Obama - United States - President - Oval Office
Murkowski concedes GOP Senate primary in Alaska
CNN: Politics. Tue, 31 Aug 2010
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski conceded late Tuesday to Tea Party-backed candidate Joe Miller in Alaska's GOP Senate primary.
Murkowski Concedes Alaska Senate Primary to Miller
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Tue, 31 Aug 2010
Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski became the latest incumbent to lose a re-election battle this year as she conceded to challenger Joe Miller Tuesday evening a week after their primary. Murkowski had trailed Miller, a Fairbanks attorney who has never held elected office but was backed by former Gov. Sarah Palin and the Tea Party Express, by 1,668 votes. Election officials began counting absentee and outstanding ballots Tuesday. Murkowski gained some votes but was never able to get Miller's lead below 1,100 votes. "We all know that this has been a long week, a terribly long week," she said at campaign headquarters, according to The Associated Press. While there were still outstanding votes, she said "I don't see a scenario where the primary will turn out in my favor, and that is a reality that is before me at this point in time." After last week's primary, Political Editor David Chalian spoke with Jim Lehrer about the close race: DAVID CHALIAN: Well, this is a story we have seen time and again now throughout this primary season on the Republican side, Jim. What happened there is that Lisa Murkowski, an incumbent senator, fell victim to this Tea Party energy that's inside the Republican Party on the right wing. Remember, these primaries are a certain sect of the Republican Party, the activist sect of the Republican Party, that shows up in a primary in the off-year. And the Tea Party has a big pull with those groups. And, so, that's part of what happened here. The other thing that happened here was Palin power. I mean, Sarah Palin, who has a long history with the Murkowski family -- there's no love lost there -- she defeated Senator Murkowski's dad, Frank Murkowski, to become the governor of Alaska in 2006. And she went out and endorsed Joe Miller, the Tea Party candidate. She had her husband out there for him. She had her dad out there for him. She put in a big effort, rallied her troop, and really put him on the map. So, between sort of the natural Tea Party element out there and then Sarah Palin sort of injecting her energy up in Alaska in there as well, I think -- and, again, it's not over yet. Senator John Cornyn, R-Texas, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, released a statement late Tuesday about the race: After a hard-fought primary contest, I offer my sincere congratulations to Joe Miller and offer him my strong support. The NRSC is committed to doing everything that we can in order to ensure Joe Miller's victory this November, and I have no doubt that he will be elected as the next U.S. Senator from Alaska. Voters in Alaska and across the country face a serious but clear choice this November. If they are happy with the reckless spending, higher taxes, and bloated federal government in Washington, then they should vote for a Democrat. But if they believe in restoring accountability and providing checks-and-balances to President Obama's agenda, then they should vote for Republican candidates like Joe Miller. On a personal note, I thank my friend and colleague Senator Lisa Murkowski for her work on behalf of Alaska and our country. In conceding this evening and avoiding a long and costly recount, she has once again put Alaska first, displaying the same selfless service that she is known for in the halls of Congress. While she will leave the Senate later this year, I have no doubt that Lisa Murkowski will continue to serve both Alaska and our country for many years to come. For more on the Murkowski concession, check out The Morning Line here Wednesday on The Rundown.
End of Iraq Combat Mission: Annotating Obama's Address
PBS/NEWSHOUR. Tue, 31 Aug 2010
A key pillar of President Obama's campaign for the White House was the winding down of U.S. involvement in Iraq. On Tuesday, he will announce combat is over for American troops, yet the mission there is far from over. Click the red tabs to see expert commentary, background links and NewsHour video related to the speech. View full content
Obama: US combat in Iraq over, 'time to turn page'
Washington Post - Politics. Tue, 31 Aug 2010
WASHINGTON -- Claiming no victory, President Barack Obama formally ended the U.S. combat role in Iraq after seven long years of bloodshed, declaring firmly Tuesday night: "It's time to turn the page." Now, he said, the nation's most urgent priority is fixing its own sickly economy. Iraq - United States - Barack Obama - Afghanistan - Warfare and Conflict
