robliberal.com » 2004

Nov 30 2004

Court Rejects Appeal of Gay Marriage Law photoW…

Court Rejects Appeal of Gay Marriage Law photo
WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a challenge to the only state that allows gay marriages, declining to hear an appeal aimed at overturning the Massachusetts law that prompted a national debate on the legality and morality of same-sex unions. The decision ended the legal fight…

Bush Picks Kellogg CEO for Commerce Post photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush picked Carlos Gutierrez, the chief executive officer of cereal giant Kellogg Co., as commerce secretary Monday, working to build a new economic team to help sell second-term overhauls of Social Security and the tax code. The nomination was Bush’s first step in…
Edwards Hints at Future in Farewell Speech photo ASHEVILLE, N.C. (AP) – Beginning a three-day farewell tour as U.S. senator, John Edwards focused on the future Monday, vowing to help his wife during her treatment for breast cancer and carry on his own political activism. “One thing you can count on is that this fight is not over,” the former…
Court Questions Possible Abuse of Pot Laws photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court questioned whether state medical marijuana laws might be abused by people who aren’t really sick as it debated Monday whether the federal government can prosecute patients who smoke pot on doctors’ orders. The stakes are high on both the government level – 11…
Bush Urged to Push for Intel Overhaul photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Democrats and Republicans are urging President Bush to press holdout GOP lawmakers to get compromise legislation overhauling U.S. intelligence agencies passed this year. “I would challenge the president now,” said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif. “He says he has political capital. He…
Nearly a Month Later, Ohio Fight Goes On photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Nearly a month after John Kerry conceded Ohio to President Bush, complaints and challenges about the balloting are mounting as activists including the Rev. Jesse Jackson demand closer scrutiny to ensure the votes are being counted on the up-and-up. Jackson has been holding…
Frost Said to Be Making Calls About DNC WASHINGTON (AP) – Defeated Texas Congressman Martin Frost is among potential candidates for chairman of the Democratic National Committee who are telephoning members about the situation, a leading Democrat said Monday. “The following candidates are making phone calls to DNC members – Howard Dean,…
Poll: Americans Want Roe V. Wade Upheld photo WASHINGTON (AP) – A majority of Americans say President Bush’s next choice for an opening on the Supreme Court should be willing to uphold the landmark court decision protecting abortion rights, an Associated Press poll found. The poll found that 59 percent say Bush should choose a nominee who…
Agency Urges Changes to Disability Act WASHINGTON (AP) – An independent federal agency wants President Bush to propose changes in the nation’s landmark disability act, citing Supreme Court decisions it says have reduced the status of disabled people “to that of second-class citizens.” The National Council on Disability, which advises…
Ala. Recounts Vote on Segregation Remnants MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Election officials began a statewide recount Monday after a measure to remove segregation-era language from the Alabama Constitution was apparently rejected narrowly by the voters Nov. 2. The proposed amendment would delete unenforced sections of the constitution that…
Court Sidesteps Campaign Spending Case WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court passed up a chance Monday to revisit the constitutionality of campaign spending limits in a closely watched case from New Mexico. Justices, without comment, let stand a lower ruling striking down the city of Albuquerque’s spending limits as a violation of free…

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Poll: Most Oppose High Court Life Tenure photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Six in 10 Americans say there should be a mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court justices, according to an Associated Press poll. The survey found public support for an idea that has arisen periodically in Congress without ever making headway. Only one of the nine current…
Rice Confirmation Hearings Postponed WASHINGTON (AP) – At the White House’s request, confirmation hearings for Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state will not begin until Congress reconvenes in January, the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said Sunday. When President Bush nominated his national security adviser to…
Inaugural Speeches Often Don’t Inspire photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Ask not why so few inaugural speeches resonate long after they are given. History always will remember Abraham Lincoln’s appeal to the “better angels of our nature.” History probably has forgotten President Bush’s flowery declaration four short years ago that an “angel still…
Review Finds Fla. Counties Voted for Bush MIAMI (AP) – A newspaper’s review of ballots cast in three north Florida counties where registered Democrats heavily outnumber Republicans showed just what officials reported: The counties’ voters did on Election Day as they often do, voting for a Republican for president. The Miami Herald review…
Newsview: Political Rhetoric Has Price photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush says politicians should say what they mean. But doing so can sometimes be an invitation to disaster, as Arlen Specter, John Kerry, John Snow and Bush himself can attest. Specter, who supports abortion rights, nearly cost himself the chairmanship of the Senate…
Recount to Start on Alabama Amendment MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Election officials will begin recounting votes Monday on a narrowly rejected ballot measure that would have removed segregation-era language from the state Constitution. The amendment was defeated by 1,850, or .13 percent, according to the final vote tally. Alabama law…
Bush Asks Americans to Volunteer, Give photo CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – President Bush issued a holiday-season call on Americans to volunteer and give to charity – “to share our blessings with the least among us.” He singled out for special praise those who have given time and energy to U.S. troops stationed around the world. “The greatest…
New CIA Director Goss Rattles Some Cages photo WASHINGTON (AP) – When former CIA Director George Tenet said his farewells at a two-hour ceremony this summer, a deputy noted that 40 percent of the agency’s staff had worked for just one chief. It was a symbol of Tenet’s endurance, seven years on the job, the second longest tenure of a director….
Son’s Iraq Experience Shapes Lawmaker photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Rep. Duncan Hunter says his son, a Marine artillery officer who has served in Iraq, asked him for two favors. One was to fix his Ford Bronco. The other was to stand firm in opposing an intelligence bill that would strip authority from the Pentagon. Hunter didn’t repair the…
Suit Seeks Provisional Ballots Re-Examined CLEVELAND (AP) – A watchdog group sued Friday to try to stop Cuyahoga County’s elections board from rejecting thousands of provisional ballots until they are hand checked against voter registration cards. People for the American Way Foundation said the board wrongly relied only on computerized…

Iraq Government Won’t Postpone Elections photo BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – The Iraqi government brushed aside Sunni Muslim demands to delay the Jan. 30 election, and a spokesman for the majority Shiite community called the date “nonnegotiable.” Insurgents stepped up attacks, blasting U.S. patrols in Baghdad and killing a U.S. soldier north of the…
New CIA Director Goss Rattles Some Cages photo WASHINGTON (AP) – When former CIA Director George Tenet said his farewells at a two-hour ceremony this summer, a deputy noted that 40 percent of the agency’s staff had worked for just one chief. It was a symbol of Tenet’s endurance, seven years on the job, the second longest tenure of a director….
Oil Spill Threatens Del. River Wildlife photo PHILADELPHIA (AP) – A tanker spilled 30,000 gallons of crude oil into the Delaware River between Philadelphia and southern New Jersey, creating a 20-mile-long slick that killed dozens of birds and threatened other wildlife, federal officials said Saturday. Private contractors were called in to…
Mine Blast in China Traps 187 Workers BEIJING (AP) – A gas explosion tore through a central Chinese coal mine on Sunday, trapping at least 187 miners, the government said. The accident occurred in the state-owned Chenjiashan coal mine in Shaanxi province at 7:20 a.m. when more than 200 workers were underground, the official Xinhua…
Official: FARC Sought Bush Assassination photo BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) – Colombia’s main rebel group asked followers to mount an assassination attempt against President Bush during his visit to Colombia last week, Defense Minister Jorge Uribe said. There was no evidence Saturday that rebels even tried to organize such an attack. Uribe told…
Wal-Mart Lowers Expected Sales Gains photo BENTONVILLE, Ark. (AP) – Weaker-than-expected holiday shopping forced Wal-Mart Stores Inc. on Saturday to cut its projected sales increase for November by more than half, an ominous announcement for retailers as their busiest time of year begins. The world’s largest retailer estimated that the…
Man Gets Extra Fingers and Toes Removed photo TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – For Tirso Furcal, having a sixth finger projecting from one hand and an extra toe on each foot made life in his impoverished country, the Dominican Republic, even more difficult. The condition made walking painful, caused the stone-polisher frequent injuries and blocked his…
Celebs Shun Once-Famed Hollywood Parade LOS ANGELES (AP) – The biggest stars at the Hollywood Christmas Parade this year will be the marble ones under the feet of spectators. The annual parade, which winds past the Hollywood Walk of Fame, was once a tradition as rich and famous as the celebrities who graced its floats: Jimmy Stewart,…
No. 1 USC Pounds Notre Dame, 41-10 photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – Matt Leinart made a strong pitch for the Heisman Trophy, and Southern California overcame a sluggish start to move within one win of a perfect regular season. Leinart passed for a career-high 400 yards and a school record-tying five touchdowns Saturday night, leading the…
Cavaliers Stomp Bulls, 96-74 photo CLEVELAND (AP) – LeBron James scored 26 points to become the youngest player in NBA history to reach 2,000 in a career, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 96-74 victory over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. At 19 years, 272 days old, James is 277 days younger than Kobe Bryant was when he set…

Suit Seeks Provisional Ballots Re-Examined CLEVELAND (AP) – A watchdog group sued Friday to try to stop Cuyahoga County’s elections board from rejecting thousands of provisional ballots until they are hand checked against voter registration cards. People for the American Way Foundation said the board wrongly relied only on computerized…
Newsview: Big Spending Is Congress Habit photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Ronald Reagan, in his 1988 State of the Union address to Congress, hefted a 1,000-page, 14-pound spending bill and warned lawmakers against sending him more “behemoths” like this. “And if you do, I will not sign it.” Last Saturday, Congress passed a spending bill of more than…
Bush Seeks Funds for Abstinence Education photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush’s re-election insures that more federal money will flow to abstinence education that precludes discussion of birth control, even as the administration awaits evidence that the approach gets kids to refrain from sex. Congress last weekend included more than $131…
Wash. Facing Gubernatorial Recount photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – For Dino Rossi, a 42-vote lead was enough to declare victory in the Washington governor’s race. Christine Gregoire, however, begged to differ. And so, with a slim margin and a candidate unwilling to concede Wednesday, the state probably has another recount – a third – to look…
Feds to Investigate Voting Irregularies WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress’ investigative agency, responding to complaints from around the country, has begun to look into the Nov. 2 vote count, including the handling of provisional ballots and malfunctions of voting machines. The presidential results won’t change, but the studies could lead to…
FBI Interviews Halliburton Whistleblower photo WASHINGTON (AP) – An Army whistleblower who raised concerns that the Pentagon improperly awarded business to Vice President Dick Cheney’s former company has been interviewed extensively by the FBI and is gathering documents to help agents. Army Corps of Engineers contract officer Bunnatine…
Top-Giving Action Groups Favor GOP WASHINGTON (AP) – The top-giving corporate political action committees didn’t hedge their bets in the fall elections despite the narrow division between the GOP and Democrats in Congress. They favored Republican candidates 10-to-1. Of 268 corporate PACs that donated $100,000 or more to…
‘Foreigner’ Flier at Issue in N.J. Vote BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) – A native of India who lost a bid for a local township committee seat by 12 votes after fliers accused him and his running-mate of accepting contributions from “foreign nationals” is hoping a recount will reverse the outcome. A recount takes place Monday in the race pitting…
Lawmakers Argue Over Tax-Return Snooping WASHINGTON (AP) – A skeleton crew of lawmakers voted Wednesday to keep the government from shutting down as House Democrats lambasted Republicans over a provision passed last week that both parties agreed was a turkey. The dispute was over language buried in a $388 billion spending bill letting…
Ceiling Collapse Evacuates Ill. Capitol SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – At least four people were injured Wednesday when netting across the open atrium of a six-story government building collapsed and tore down stones that crashed through the ceiling of a room below. The netting was weighed down by snow and ice, the result of a storm that…

Bush Spends Thanksgiving at Texas Ranch photo CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – President Bush spent a down-to-earth Thanksgiving Day at his ranch eating leftovers and riding his mountain bike – a world away from Baghdad, his secret destination a year ago. Bush also called members of the military stationed around the world, most of them deployed to the…
Wash. Faces Likely Gubernatorial Recount photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – For Dino Rossi, a 42-vote lead was enough to declare victory in the Washington governor’s race. Christine Gregoire, however, begged to differ. And so, with a slim margin and a candidate unwilling to concede Wednesday, the state probably has another recount – a third – to look…
‘Foreigner’ Flier at Issue in N.J. Vote BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) – A native of India who lost a bid for a local township committee seat by 12 votes after fliers accused him and his running-mate of accepting contributions from “foreign nationals” is hoping a recount will reverse the outcome. A recount takes place Monday in the race pitting…
GAO to Investigate Voting Irregularies WASHINGTON (AP) – Congress’ investigative agency, responding to complaints from around the country, has begun to look into the Nov. 2 vote count, including the handling of provisional ballots and malfunctions of voting machines. The presidential results won’t change, but the studies could lead to…
FBI Interviews Halliburton Whistleblower photo WASHINGTON (AP) – An Army whistleblower who raised concerns that the Pentagon improperly awarded business to Vice President Dick Cheney’s former company has been interviewed extensively by the FBI and is gathering documents to help agents. Army Corps of Engineers contract officer Bunnatine…
Top-Giving PACs Favor GOP Candidates 10-1 WASHINGTON (AP) – The top-giving corporate political action committees didn’t hedge their bets in the fall elections despite the narrow division between the GOP and Democrats in Congress. They favored Republican candidates 10-to-1. Of 268 corporate PACs that donated $100,000 or more to…
Lawmakers Argue Over Tax-Return Snooping WASHINGTON (AP) – A skeleton crew of lawmakers voted Wednesday to keep the government from shutting down as House Democrats lambasted Republicans over a provision passed last week that both parties agreed was a turkey. The dispute was over language buried in a $388 billion spending bill letting…
Ceiling Collapse Evacuates Ill. Capitol SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) – At least four people were injured Wednesday when netting across the open atrium of a six-story government building collapsed and tore down stones that crashed through the ceiling of a room below. The netting was weighed down by snow and ice, the result of a storm that…
Bush Wins New Mexico by 5,988 Votes photo SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) – Three weeks after the general election, New Mexico’s canvassing board officially declared President Bush the winner by 5,988 votes, or less than 1 percentage point. The board certified the Nov. 2 election results Tuesday and said Bush received 376,930 votes, or 49.8 percent,…
N.C. Elections Board OKs Most Results RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – The state elections board certified nearly all results from the Nov. 2 election on Tuesday, but withheld approval of the outcome of two statewide races that are the subject of protests. In a five-minute teleconference, board members signed off on the final results for scores…

Bush Wants CIA to Offer Up ‘Diverse Views’ CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – President Bush has ordered up new measures to bolster the CIA in combating weapons of mass destruction and other threats, directing an agency that lawmakers have accused of engaging in “group think” to present “diverse views” to policy-makers. The new steps came as part of a…
Tight Budget Has Room for Special Projects photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Despite soaring deficits, the government spending plan awaiting President Bush’s signature is chock-full of special items for industries and communities. Consider $443,000 to develop salmon-fortified baby food, or $350,000 for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Lawmakers from both…
N.C. Elections Board OKs Most Results RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – The state elections board certified nearly all results from the Nov. 2 election on Tuesday, but withheld approval of the outcome of two statewide races that are the subject of protests. In a five-minute teleconference, board members signed off on the final results for scores…
Judge Denies Demand for Ohio Recount photo TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – A federal judge on Tuesday denied a request by third-party presidential candidates who wanted to force a recount of Ohio ballots even before the official count was finished. Judge James G. Carr in Toledo ruled that the candidates have a right under Ohio law to a recount, but…
Wash. GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Ahead OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Republican Dino Rossi kept a razor-thin lead in the Washington governor’s race as counties raced a Wednesday deadline for recounting 2.8 million ballots – and girded for yet another possible recount. Both political parties were poised to request a hand recount if they do not…
Women Voters Declines San Diego Appeal photo SAN DIEGO (AP) – The League of Women Voters of San Diego said Tuesday that it will not appeal a judge’s ruling in the city’s mayoral election, dealing another setback to Councilwoman Donna Frye’s write-in bid. A retired judge on Monday denied a request by the League to count ballots on which…
U.S. Exporters to Cuba Say Cash Blocked WASHINGTON (AP) – Some companies that sell food and agricultural products to Cuba are reporting that payments are not being credited to their bank accounts in the United States, according to a representative of a group that tracks business between the two countries. John Kavulich, president of the…
Voting Machine Foes Report Problems in Md. ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) – An organization that put more than 400 poll watchers in Maryland precincts on election day reported Tuesday that its volunteers found scattered problems with the state’s electronic voting machines. Among the problems were machines that crashed, incorrect ballots and…
Mrs. Cheney Helps Top Nat’l Christmas Tree photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Lynne Cheney and her three granddaughters rode 40 feet into the sky Tuesday to top the National Christmas Tree, kicking off the White House holiday season. As “Jingle Bells” and “Joy to the World” played below, the vice president’s wife and the three young girls waved to a crowd…
La. Becomes Latest Political Battleground ABBEVILLE, La. (AP) – The swamps, bayous and rice fields of Louisiana’s Cajun country have emerged as the site of the nation’s latest political battleground. Two congressional districts in southern Louisiana will decide runoff elections next month, giving the Republicans an opportunity to extend…

Vilsack Won’t Seek Chairmanship of DNC DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said Monday that he will not seek the chairmanship of the Democratic Party. Citing his responsibilities as governor, Vilsack said “these challenges and opportunities require more time than I felt I could share. As a result I will not be a candidate for…
Lawsuit: NYC Created ‘Guantanamo’ at RNC NEW YORK (AP) – Saying the city had created its “own little Guantanamo on the Hudson” during the Republican National Convention, a lawyer Monday filed a lawsuit on behalf of nearly 2,000 people arrested at demonstrations. The federal lawsuit claims protesters and bystanders alike were rounded up…
Third-Party Candidates Seek Ohio Recount photo CINCINNATI (AP) – Two third-party presidential candidates filed a federal lawsuit Monday to force a recount of Ohio ballots, and a spokesman for the state Democratic Party said it intends to join the suit. The lawsuit was filed Monday evening in U.S. District Court in Toledo, according to Blair…
Judge Stays Out of San Diego Mayor Race photo SAN DIEGO (AP) – A retired judge refused Monday to intervene in the city’s mayoral election, where Mayor Dick Murphy has claimed victory over a maverick city councilwoman who mounted a surprising write-in bid. The judge said he was unlikely to grant a request forcing the county registrar’s office…
GOP Congressmen Defiant on Intel Bill photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Defying President Bush, Reps. Duncan Hunter and James Sensenbrenner – who led opposition dooming legislation based on the Sept. 11 commission’s recommendations – said they won’t change their minds without Senate concessions. “It’ll be tougher now because the well got even more…
Wash. GOP Gets Court Date in Recount Suit SEATTLE (AP) – A federal judge scheduled a hearing next week to hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by Republicans aiming to block the recount of some ballots in the cliffhanger governor’s race. The Nov. 30 hearing would come two days before Washington is to certify results of the statewide recount…
Bush Budget May Not Count Social Security photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush isn’t likely to include costs for overhauling Social Security in the 2006 budget he presents to Congress in February, which some supporters say could hurt the White House drive to pass bipartisan legislation next year. Chad Kolton, spokesman for the White House…
Ill. State Police Probe Governor Security CHICAGO (AP) – Illinois State Police said Monday they are investigating the practices of Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s security detail, including the conduct of some bodyguards and their use on private trips. State troopers who guard the governor allegedly allowed friends and family to travel in police…
Jet Crashes Before Picking Up Elder Bush photo HOUSTON (AP) – A private jet that was en route to Houston to pick up former President Bush clipped a light pole and crashed Monday as it approached Hobby Airport in thick fog, killing all three people aboard. The Gulfstream G-1159A jet, coming into Houston, went down about 6:15 a.m. in an…
Yucca Foe’s Aide to Decide on Its License WASHINGTON (AP) – In a deal to let 175 of President Bush’s nominees take office, an adviser to new Democratic leader Harry Reid, the Senate’s staunchest opponent of a nuclear waste dump in Nevada, will be named to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission. For months Senate Republicans had refused to take…

Bush Tries to Mend Ties With Latin America photo SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – President Bush, trying to mend relations with Latin America, pledged Sunday to make a fresh push for stalled immigration reforms and defended the U.S. invasion of Iraq, saying that “history will prove it right.” While the Iraq war is widely opposed in Latin America, Bush…
Bush Job Plan Features Tax Cuts, Drilling photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Hiring is picking up and President Bush is on track to preside over job growth in his second term, shedding the Herbert Hoover label of being the first president since the Great Depression to lose jobs under his watch. But don’t expect a revival of the booming 1990s. Bush’s…
Colombia Deploys 15,000 Troops for Bush photo CARTAGENA, Colombia (AP) – The Spanish colonialists who fortified this Colombian seaport 400 years ago to guard against pirates and rival imperial powers could only have dreamed of the security being implemented for President Bush’s visit here Monday. About 15,000 Colombian security forces -…
McCain Not Ruling Out Run for President photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Sunday he is not ruling out a run for the 2008 presidential nomination, but that he is not a candidate now. A decision to run, if one should come, would not be made for at least two years, said McCain, speaking only a few weeks after the 2004…
Congress Approves $388B Spending Measure WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans whisked a $388 billion spending bill through Congress on Saturday, a mammoth measure that underscores the dominance of deficit politics by curbing dollars for everything from education to environmental cleanups. The House approved the measure by a bipartisan 344-51…
Rehnquist’s Status Still a Mystery photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist’s health is shrouded in mystery, the extent of his thyroid cancer a closely guarded secret. Several coming events could give the public an idea about the seriousness of his condition. Since announcing his illness in a statement on Oct. 25, the…
Judge Denies GOP Recount Request in Wash. photo SEATTLE (AP) – A federal judge Sunday denied the state Republican Party’s bid to force Washington’s most populous county to stop counting some ballots in the recount of the governor’s race. In a conference call with lawyers, U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman denied the GOP’s request for a…
Bush Signs Bill to Keep Government Going SANTIAGO, Chile (AP) – President Bush on Sunday signed a stopgap spending bill that keeps the government running while Congress sorts out remaining issues related to a more permanent federal spending package. Congress on Saturday approved the temporary legislation, which finances almost every…
Grandson Thinks Governor Is Women’s Work BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – With his grandmother as an example, 4-year-old David Boulet sees the state’s top job as women’s work. Gov. Kathleen Blanco told The Advocate of Baton Rouge that her daughter, Monique Blanco Boulet, recently asked David what he wants to be when he grows up. He wasn’t sure,…
House Passes Space Tourism Bill photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Paying passengers would be able to blast into space aboard privately operated rocket ships under legislation the House passed Saturday. Propelled by last month’s successful flights of a privately financed manned rocket over California’s Mojave Desert, the bill by Rep. Dana…

Congress OKs $388 Billion Spending Bill WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans whisked a $388 billion spending bill through Congress on Saturday, a mammoth measure that underscores the dominance of deficit politics by curbing dollars for everything from education to environmental cleanups. The House approved the measure by a bipartisan 344-51…
Democrats’ Choice: Dig in or Work With GOP photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Outpolled, outmaneuvered and out of power, Democrats are suffering an identity crisis. They could dig in for the long haul as an opposition party similar to many European semi-permanent parliamentary models, and espouse popular positions without worrying about governance. Or they…
Recount Begins in Wash. Governor’s Race photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – The race for governor of Washington was still undecided Saturday as a recount got under way. When all the state’s counties reported their tallies last Wednesday, Republican Dino Rossi had only 261 more votes than Democrat Christine Gregoire, out of some 2.8 million ballots….
Top Senate Dem Calls for Bipartisanship WASHINGTON (AP) – Rallying a party stung by presidential and congressional losses, the incoming Senate Democratic leader reminded fellow lawmakers on Saturday of their shared commitment to help the nation. In his party’s weekly radio address, Nevada Sen. Harry Reid struck a positive message of…
House Passes Space Tourism Bill photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Paying passengers would be able to blast into space aboard privately operated rocket ships under legislation the House passed Saturday. Propelled by last month’s successful flights of a privately financed manned rocket over California’s Mojave Desert, the bill by Rep. Dana…
Missouri Congressman Taken to Hospital WASHINGTON (AP) – Missouri Rep. Ike Skelton, senior Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, fell in the hallway of House office building Saturday and was taken to U.S. Naval Medical Center in suburban Bethesda, Md. Skelton, 72, was returning to his office after a vote on the House floor…
House Condemns Criticism of Boy Scouts WASHINGTON (AP) – The House on Saturday commended the Boy Scouts and condemned legal efforts to limit government ties to the group because of its requirement that members believe in God. A nonbinding resolution, passed by a 391-3 vote, recognized the 3.2 million-member Boy Scouts for its public…
Santorum Unusually Quiet on Specter Fight photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Ordinarily, Sen. Rick Santorum might figure to be Sen. Arlen Specter’s most public of allies in a fierce and ultimately successful battle for the chairmanship of the Senate Judiciary Committee, one Pennsylvania Republican aiding another in a classic Capitol power struggle. But…
Democrats Discuss How to Reset Agenda photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – In the shadow of Bill Clinton and his gleaming new presidential library, leaders of the struggling Democratic Party held informal discussions this week of how to come back from their devastating Election Day losses. Big decisions loom, such as who will replace outgoing…
Clinton Rips Starr, Media on Prosecution photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – In a prime-time television outburst, Bill Clinton ripped old nemesis Kenneth Starr and what the former president portrayed as a gullible media eager to report every “sleazy thing” leaked from a prosecutor bent on bringing him down. The exchange came in an interview with…

White House, Congress Reach Spending Deal photo WASHINGTON (AP) – White House and congressional bargainers agreed to the last details of an overdue $388 billion spending bill late Friday, a measure that would slice President Bush’s priorities and curb a wide range of programs. Leaders were hoping the House and Senate would approve the mammoth…
Clinton Rips Starr, Media on Prosecution photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – In a prime-time television outburst, Bill Clinton ripped old nemesis Kenneth Starr and what the former president portrayed as a gullible media eager to report every “sleazy thing” leaked from a prosecutor bent on bringing him down. The exchange came in an interview with…
Exiting Daschle Appeals for Common Ground photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle bade a poignant farewell Friday to a career in Congress, a soft-spoken appeal for “the politics of common ground” after a historic re-election defeat engineered by Republicans casting him as a relentless obstructionist. “The politics of common…
Republican Governors Hear From Karl Rove photo NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Republican governors wrapped up a low-key, two-day conference Friday listening to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge laud the benefits of federal-state cooperation. But the real star of the show slipped in and out of the meeting at a New Orleans hotel unannounced, without…
Academia Still Fixated on John Kerry SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – John Kerry conceded defeat more than two weeks ago, and President Bush has already revamped his Cabinet. But as states certify final election returns, an academic debate over their accuracy is heating up. None of the experts examining the returns has discovered voting…
DeLay Complaint Said to Be Exaggerated photo WASHINGTON (AP) – House ethics committee leaders say the complaint that led to a rebuke of Republican leader Tom DeLay in October was filled with exaggerations. They warned lawmakers of possible discipline if it happens again. The complaint against DeLay by Rep. Chris Bell, D-Texas, violated a…
GOP Gains Among Registered Voters WASHINGTON (AP) – Republicans narrowed the gap in party allegiance among registered voters during the past election year. The National Annenberg Election Survey found 34.6 percent of those polled between Oct. 7, 2003 and Nov. 16, 2004 said they were Democrats and 31.8 percent said they were…
Complaint Filed Against Rep. McDermott WASHINGTON (AP) – An Ohio congressman has filed an ethics complaint against Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., adding a new twist to a seven-year-old dispute over an illegally taped telephone conversation that McDermott leaked to reporters. Rep. Dave Hobson, R-Ohio, filed the complaint, based in large…
New Lawmakers Rejoice, Cringe at Offices WASHINGTON (AP) – Oh, the decisions a congressman makes. Do you take the large office with new drapes and carpeting a country mile from the Capitol, or the older suite a few strides closer? These choices were on the minds of 37 new House members Friday in the biannual office lottery, a land rush…
Legalities Loom Over Passenger Screening WASHINGTON (AP) – The federal government’s latest attempt to improve security checks of airline passengers is prompting privacy concerns here and abroad. The Transportation Security Administration has ordered U.S. airlines to turn over data on millions of passengers so the government can test the…

Clinton Unveils His ‘Gift to the Future’ photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – Bill Clinton, America’s first baby boomer president, opened his library Thursday with a rock ‘n’ roll gala that hailed the $165 million glass-and-steel museum as “a gift to the future by a man who always believed in the future.” Despite a steady, bone-chilling rain, nearly…
Some of Bush Fund-Raisers Got Appointments photo WASHINGTON (AP) – One-third of President Bush’s top 2000 fund-raisers or their spouses were appointed to positions in his first administration, from ambassadorships in Europe to seats on policy-setting boards, an Associated Press review found. The perks for 246 “pioneers” who raised at least…
News Groups Will Delay Future Exit Polls NEW YORK (AP) – The consortium of news organizations that runs the election exit polls has voted to delay distribution of data for several hours on future election days. Exit poll data won’t be distributed until after 4 p.m. EST to the organizations that have paid for it: ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, Fox…
GOP Governors Cheer Election Wins photo NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Buoyed by President Bush’s re-election and a political map with coast-to-coast Republican leaders, GOP governors gathered Thursday to cheer their electoral fortunes and discuss solving familiar fiscal problems at home. “We can now travel from the East Coast to the West Coast…
House Ethics Panel Rebukes DeLay Accuser WASHINGTON (AP) – The House ethics committee Thursday night turned the tables on Majority Leader Tom DeLay’s accuser, rebuking Rep. Chris Bell for exaggerating misconduct allegations against the GOP leader. While the complaint by Bell, D-Texas, led to an ethics report that admonished DeLay, Bell…
Bush Salutes Clinton at Library Opening photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – In a cold, drenching rain, President Bush made small talk under umbrellas with former President Clinton after praising the one-time political foe he once scorned as a man who diminished the honor and dignity of the Oval Office. Bush, the 43rd president, described Clinton,…
Group Cites Electronic Voting Problems WASHINGTON (AP) – The record use of electronic voting machines on Nov. 2 led to hundreds of voting irregularities and shows the need for higher standards, a voting rights group said Thursday. The companies that make the electronic machines said their equipment was reliable and had relatively few…
Machinery Gears Up for Wash. Gov. Recount photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Election officials were rounding up workers Thursday to recount 2.8 million ballots by next Wednesday in the closest governor’s race in Washington state history. Republican Dino Rossi, a two-term state senator, finished 261 votes ahead of Democratic Attorney General Christine…
Santorum to Take Kids Out of Cyber-School PITTSBURGH (AP) – Sen. Rick Santorum says he will pull his five school-age children out of an Internet-based school paid for by Pennsylvania taxpayers after coming under criticism because the family lives much of the time in Virginia. In a statement issued late Wednesday, Santorum said he and his…
Specter Wins Support for Chairmanship photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Arlen Specter on Thursday won the backing of Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans to be their new chairman, surviving complaints from abortion opponents after submitting an extraordinary statement underscoring his support for Bush judicial nominees. “I have assured the…

Wash. Governor’s Race Forced Into Recount photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – The closest governor’s race in Washington history was forced into a recount Wednesday as counties finished tallying the ballots and found only a few votes separating the candidates out of 2.8 million cast. Republican Dino Rossi held a mere 261-vote lead over Democratic…
Democrats Question Kerry’s Campaign Funds photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Democratic Party leaders said Wednesday they want to know why Sen. John Kerry ended his presidential campaign with more than $15 million in the bank, money that could have helped Democratic candidates across the country. Some said he will be pressured to give the money to…
Specter Struggling to Maintain Image photo WASHINGTON (AP) – While pledging to help President Bush promote anti-abortion judges to the federal bench, Sen. Arlen Specter is struggling to maintain his proudly cultivated image as an independent thinker and sometime maverick. To salvage the Judiciary Committee chairmanship he’s in line to get…
Miers Picked As White House Counsel photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush on Wednesday named Harriet Miers, a longtime Texas associate, as White House counsel. Miers succeeds Alberto Gonzales, nominated by Bush to be attorney general, said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. “Harriet Miers is a trusted adviser on whom I have long…
Ohio Finds Possible Double Votes, Counts COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Election officials in one Ohio county found that about 2,600 ballots were double-counted, and two other counties have discovered possible cases of people voting twice in the presidential election. Prosecutors were trying to determine Wednesday whether charges should be filed…
Chafee: Reid Sounded Out Joining Democrats WASHINGTON (AP) – Republican Sen. Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island, a moderate often at odds with GOP conservatives, disclosed Wednesday that the leader of Senate Democrats sounded him out about switching parties in the aftermath of President Bush’s re-election. Chafee said he rebuffed the offer…
Women Voters Enter San Diego Mayoral Fray photo SAN DIEGO (AP) – The League of Women Voters of San Diego asked a court Wednesday to require that all votes cast for a maverick mayoral write-in candidate be counted, including ballots on which voters failed to fill in the circle next to her name. The Superior Court lawsuit is the third filed since…
Democrat Slams Kerry on Hispanic Outreach WASHINGTON (AP) – A Democrat whose organization spent about $6 million to get out the Hispanic vote criticized John Kerry’s campaign effort Wednesday and said Democrats risk becoming a permanent minority if they don’t do a better job. “John Kerry did not compete adequately for Hispanic votes,…
Dole Picked to Head 2006 Senate Campaigns photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Republicans on Wednesday narrowly chose North Carolina Sen. Elizabeth Dole to lead their campaign operations for 2006. The race for chairing the National Republican Senatorial Committee pit Dole, a familiar face who led the Red Cross and is married to former Sen. Bob Dole…
Senate OKs $800B Debt Limit Hike photo WASHINGTON (AP) – A divided Senate approved an $800 billion increase in the federal debt limit Wednesday, a major boost in borrowing that Sen. John Kerry and other Democrats blamed on the fiscal policies of President Bush. The mostly party line, 52-44 vote was expected to be followed by House…

New Senate Dems Leader Seeks Cooperation photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Newly elected Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid prodded President Bush and Republicans on Tuesday to join him in working across party lines over the next two years and said, “I would always rather dance than fight.” “But I know how to fight,” the 64-year-old Nevadan added in…
Kerry Says He’s Not Ruling Out Another Run photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. John Kerry, who has $45 million left from his record-breaking Democratic campaign, hinted on Tuesday that he may try again for the presidency. On his first workday back in the Senate since losing his White House bid, Kerry remained far from the spotlight, granting interviews…
Activists Worry Election Reform May Wane Sure, there were hours-long lines, temperamental electronic machines and some old-fashioned misplaced ballots, but America’s democracy worked well enough on Nov. 2 to elect a president. Now, some voting activists worry that the pressure that fueled four years (and billions of dollars) of work to…
Specter Gets Hatch Support to Chair Panel photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Arlen Specter gained ground Tuesday toward winning the Senate Judiciary Committee chairmanship, which was thrown into doubt after he said judges who oppose abortion rights would face confirmation problems. “I expect him to have the support of the committee,” the panel’s…
Daschle Bids Democrats Goodbye WASHINGTON (AP) – Tom Daschle bade his fellow Senate Democrats farewell Tuesday with a plea that they seek common ground with Republicans yet continue to fight for the less fortunate. After 10 years as the Senate’s Democratic leader, Daschle congratulated his longtime assistant and now successor,…
DeLay Supporters Move to Protect His Spot photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Supporters of House Majority Leader Tom DeLay proposed a Republican rules change Tuesday that would protect the Texan’s leadership position if he were to be indicted by a Texas grand jury that already charged three of his associates. House Republicans are likely to approve…
Ohio Has Clearer Picture of Ballots Now COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Most of the presidential election provisional ballots rejected so far in Ohio came from people who were not even registered to vote, election officials said after spending nearly two weeks poring over thousands of disputed votes. The vast majority of provisional ballots have…
Bush Seeks to Build on His Education Base photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush is ready to shift his education focus to older students, building on the law he pushed through before terrorism and war came to define his presidency. No Child Left Behind, Bush’s first big domestic legislative victory, orders schools to show yearly gains among…
Bush to Visit Canada on Nov. 30 TORONTO (AP) – President Bush will make his first official visit to Canada on Nov. 30, meeting Prime Minister Paul Martin for talks ranging from security for the world’s longest undefended border to commerce between these major trading partners, officials said Tuesday. The visit will focus on…
Nevada’s Reid Tapped to Lead Dem. Caucus photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Harry Reid of Nevada won election as leader of the shrunken Democratic minority on Tuesday and said he stands ready to cooperate with Republicans or confront them as he deems necessary. “I always would rather dance than fight. But I know how to fight,” he said at a news…

Powell May Be Remembered for Struggles photo WASHINGTON (AP) – For many Americans, Secretary of State Colin Powell eased their doubts and legitimized the decision to wage war with Iraq. But the old soldier with a sterling reputation wound up embarrassed – and wrong about the facts – when the case he presented to the United Nations and to the…
Powell Vows to Work Hard Until Departure photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Secretary of State Colin Powell, widely viewed as the moderate in an administration dominated by hawks, announced Monday he will step down as America’s chief diplomat once a successor is in place. Powell told reporters he has been discussing his departure with Bush in recent…
Reid Poised to Be Senate Democratic Leader photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Democrats are changing management, their ranks reduced to a 74-year low and their longtime leader defeated for re-election back home. Sen. Harry Reid, a soft-spoken Nevadan, is moving in as leader of the shrunken minority, while Sen. Tom Daschle of South Dakota moves out…
Bush Names Campaign Manager to Head GOP photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush’s choice to head the Republican Party said Monday he hopes to extend the GOP’s grip on power in Washington. “Nothing is permanent in politics,” said Ken Mehlman, who managed Bush’s re-election campaign and is now slated to head the Republican National Committee….
Coleman, Dole Each Claim Enough GOP Votes WASHINGTON (AP) – Sens. Norm Coleman and Elizabeth Dole both claimed Monday they have enough votes from their GOP colleagues to take over leadership of the influential National Republican Senatorial Committee. The dueling assertions came two days before Republican senators and senators-elect vote…
N.J. Governor Hands in Resignation Letter photo TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – Gov. James E. McGreevey spent his final day in office Monday out of the public eye, clearing out his belongings from the governor’s mansion and tending to some lingering transition issues three months after his shocking resignation announcement. Senate President Richard J….
Rumsfeld Mum About Future in Bush Cabinet photo QUITO, Ecuador (AP) – In the middle of a major shakeup of President Bush’s Cabinet, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Monday he has not yet discussed his future with the president. Rumsfeld, in Ecuador for a conference of Western Hemisphere defense ministers, told reporters his priorities…
Group Sues Fla. County Over Ballot Glitch TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – Opponents of a measure to add slot machines at south Florida race tracks are demanding a recount in Broward County, insisting there is something strange about a batch of 78,000 absentee votes that helped tip the scales for the proposal. Gambling opponents said 94 percent…
Judge Won’t Halt Vote Count in San Diego photo SAN DIEGO (AP) – A judge on Monday refused to halt the vote count in the San Diego mayor’s race, a victory for a maverick city councilwoman who has mounted a surprisingly strong write-in campaign. The decision came as the vote tally showed the race tightening between Councilwoman Donna Frye, a…
Clinton Library Features Impeachment Area photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – As Bill Clinton’s library is unveiled at a gala opening this week, one thing is certain: His messy legacy will be on full display. One alcove will be dedicated to impeachment, and organizers have promised not to sidestep even Monica Lewinsky or Paula Jones. The 58-year-old…

Clinton Library Features Impeachment Area photo LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) – As Bill Clinton’s library is unveiled at a gala opening this week, one thing is certain: His messy legacy will be on full display. One alcove will be dedicated to impeachment, and organizers have promised not to sidestep even Monica Lewinsky or Paula Jones. The 58-year-old…
Cheney Health Scare Just a Cold, Wife Says photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Dick Cheney, back home after a brief hospital visit, has nothing more than a bad cold and his heart is fine, his wife and an adviser said Sunday. Also doing well is former President Clinton, who had heart surgery in September, a former aide said. Cheney, who has…
Intel Agencies Blamed As 9/11 Bill Stalls WASHINGTON (AP) – Intelligence agencies came under sharp attack Sunday from lawmakers, as did Congress, where a bill to put in place recommendations from the Sept. 11 commission has stalled heading into this week’s postelection session. Rep. Jane Harman, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence…
Obama Balances Stardom, Local Interests photo ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) – In the days since he was elected to the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama has chatted by phone with President Bush, had his picture in People magazine and appeared several times on national television. He’s also been quizzed by the likes of 17-year-old Abby Longbottom, who joined her…
Florida Panel Approves Election Results photo TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) – It was a wish come true Sunday for Florida’s elections officials: no cameras, few questions and a clear decision. Unlike four years ago, when scores of television satellite trucks and hundreds of reporters camped outside the Capitol, the state canvassing board quietly…
N.J. Gov. McGreevey’s Successor Sworn In photo WEST ORANGE, N.J. (AP) – State Senate President Richard Codey on Sunday took the oath of office as New Jersey’s acting governor, a role he will assume Tuesday after Gov. James E. McGreevey’s resignation becomes official. The transfer of power caps a transition period that began with McGreevey’s…
Does Backlash Loom Against Opinion News? NEW YORK (AP) – Is it time to turn down the volume on TV news? A handful of developments this fall suggest a brewing backlash against opinionated news, most personified by those cable segments that set people up to argue political points, or outshout each other. One event drew a lot of attention:…
Frist Eyes Return to Medical Practice WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, near the top of most lists of possible GOP presidential candidates in 2008, said Sunday he still sees himself as a physician and suggested that medical work rather than politics could be in his future. The 52-year-old Tennessee Republican,…
Bloggers Still Tracking Votes in Wash. SEATTLE (AP) – Washington’s super-close governor’s race may be hell on the candidates, but it’s a special sort of heaven for political bloggers. They are glued to their computers, wearing out the “refresh” button on the Secretary of State’s web site, creating color-coded spreadsheets and generally…
New Mexico Election Winner Still Undecided photo ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) – Nearly two weeks after John Kerry conceded the election and President Bush laid out his agenda, New Mexico is among several states that have yet to determine the incumbent’s margin of victory. Bush was declared the state’s winner by The Associated Press and maintained a…

Cheney Leaves Hospital After Tests photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Vice President Dick Cheney, who has a history of heart trouble, went to a hospital Saturday after experiencing shortness of breath. Tests found no abnormalities, an aide said, and Cheney left after three hours. “I feel fine,” the 63-year-old vice president said as he walked out…
Bush Paints Rosy Picture of Iraq Situation photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush painted a rosy picture of the situation in Iraq, claiming significant progress Saturday in the U.S. military’s battle in an insurgent stronghold. In his weekly radio address, Bush praised the assault on Fallujah, west of Baghdad. About 80 percent of the city was…
Ads to Back Schwarzenegger for President photo SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Californians will soon see advertisements urging them to help give Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and other foreign-born citizens the chance to run for president. The cable television ads, set to being running Monday, are from a Silicon Valley-based group that wants to amend…
Conference Studies Blogs’ Impact on News photo LOS ANGELES (AP) – The woman who writes Wonkette! needed no introduction and offered no apologies Saturday, telling her peers in online journalism that Web logs like hers have spurred a quicker response to breaking news by major media outlets. Ana Marie Cox and others who maintain “blogs” were…
Congress to Return for Lame-Duck Session photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Republicans’ election triumph behind them, members of Congress return Tuesday for a lame-duck session amid hope they can finish a huge pile of spending bills stalemated all year. Legislators also must vote on raising the government’s tapped-out borrowing limit, now at $7.4…
Gay Marriage Fight Goes On, One Year Later photo BOSTON (AP) – The fight for gay marriage appeared to be gaining ground a year ago. Although dozens of states had passed laws defining marriage as a heterosexual institution, advocates took heart in state-sanctioned civil unions in Vermont, expanded domestic partnership benefits in California, and…
Incoming N.J. Governor a Veteran Lawmaker photo TRENTON, N.J. (AP) – New Jersey’s incoming governor is an old hand at the Statehouse who has been in politics for 35 years. But many people outside state Senate President Richard Codey’s home district don’t recognize the name of the man who is inheriting the governor’s job after fellow Democrat…
Election Season Still Going in Louisiana WASHINGTON (AP) – The candidates are still running, the accusatory ads still airing in Louisiana, where the final two seats in the new Congress will be filled Dec. 4 in run-off elections. Retired heart surgeon Charles Boustany Jr., a Republican, and Democratic State Sen. Willie Mount are rivals in…
Hotels Court Inaugural Guests With Luxury photo WASHINGTON (AP) – As the capital gears up for President Bush’s second inauguration, some of its finest hotels are dreaming up ways to lure big-spending Republican Party loyalists and Bush supporters to their properties. Don’t have a room yet? The Ritz-Carlton offers four nights in a luxury suite,…
Dems Say More Funding Needed for Veterans photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Democrats and Republicans in Congress must set aside partisan differences to adequately fund health care services for active U.S. troops and military veterans, Rep. Chet Edwards of Texas said Saturday in the weekly Democratic radio address. At the same time, Edwards scolded Bush…

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