robliberal.com » 2004

Dec 31 2004

Democrat Declared Wash. Governor-Elect photoOLY…

Democrat Declared Wash. Governor-Elect photo
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – After three vote tallies and nearly two nerve-racking months of waiting, Democrat Christine Gregoire was declared Washington’s governor-elect on Thursday. But her Republican rival did not concede and wants a new election. “Less than two weeks from today I will take the oath…

Congress to Work on Tsunami Victims’ Aid photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said Thursday he plans to visit India to try to help victims of tsunamis that have left millions of people at risk of disease. “I feel like I’ve been hit in the stomach,” Frist, R-Tenn., said in an e-mail to friends and supporters. “It is like…
Bush to Send Powell, Delegation to Asia photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush announced Thursday that a delegation of experts led by Secretary of State Colin Powell will travel to Asia on Sunday to assess the need for further U.S. assistance. The Bush administration also lent its support to a European-hosted international conference designed…
Hastert Weighs New Ethics Panel Chief photo WASHINGTON (AP) – House Speaker Dennis Hastert is considering replacing the chairman of the ethics committee, which admonished Majority Leader Tom DeLay, who is the focus of a grand jury probe into his campaign finance practices. Hastert has not yet made up his mind about whether to replace Rep….
Bush Signs Order to Raise Fed Workers’ Pay CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – President Bush spelled out in greater detail Thursday the pay raise that takes effect Jan. 1 for federal workers, members of Congress, judges – even Vice President Dick Cheney. Congress passed the pay raises earlier this year, but Bush was required to sign an executive order…
Candidates Want Second Ohio Recount photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Two third-party presidential candidates asked a federal court Thursday to force a second recount of the Ohio vote, alleging county election boards altered votes and didn’t follow proper procedures in the recount that ended this week. Lawyers for Green Party candidate David…
D.C. Mayor to Decide on 3rd Term in Jan. photo WASHINGTON (AP) – By the end of next month, Mayor Anthony A. Williams expects to announce whether he will run for a third term. In a year-end interview Thursday with The Associated Press, Williams also said he is hoping for a good partnership with his predecessor, Marion Barry, who will be…
Texas Prosecutors to Drop Sears Charge AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – Prosecutors agreed to drop an illegal campaign contribution charge against Sears, Roebuck and Co. in exchange for its cooperation in an investigation of contributions to a political action committee associated with House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. A Travis County judge signed…
San Diego Asked to Overturn Mayor Election photo SAN DIEGO (AP) – An attorney for supporters of a maverick write-in candidate for mayor asked the City Council on Thursday to overturn Republican incumbent Dick Murphy’s narrow victory. Fred Woocher, an elections lawyer, said the county registrar’s refusal to count ballots on which voters wrote…
Conn. Governor Released From Hospital photo DANBURY, Conn. (AP) – Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell said she was tired but feeling well Thursday as she left a hospital three days after breast cancer surgery. “I feel great,” said Rell, 58, who underwent a mastectomy and reconstructive surgery Monday. Test results received just before the…
Lieberman: Iraq Election Must Go Forward photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Joe Lieberman, traveling in the Middle East Wednesday, said there is strong support in Iraq for the Jan. 30 election, and postponing it would only be a victory for the insurgents. In a telephone call from Tel Aviv, Israel, the Connecticut Democrat said conditions in Iraq,…

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Nikkei Ends 2004 on High Note Tokyo’s Nikkei share average gained 0.94 percent on Thursday, with carmakers such as Honda Motor Co. buoyed by a weaker yen, while banks extended recent gains as investors cheered progress in their handling of bad loans. The Nikkei ended
Nikkei Firmer Led by Banks, Carmakers Tokyo’s Nikkei average rose 0.89 percent by mid-morning on Thursday with carmakers buoyed by a weaker yen, while banks extended recent gains as investors welcomed progress in their handling of bad loans. There is a growing view that Japan’s
Fannie to Sell $5 Bln in Preferred Stock Fannie Mae , the embattled U.S. home financing company, on Wednesday said it agreed to sell $5 billion in preferred stock to institutional buyers as part of an effort to comply with regulatory demands to increase capital.
Late Surge Boosts Holiday Internet Sales Holiday Web sales are running ahead of forecast as online gift certificates helped give Internet retailers a chance to participate in U.S. consumers’ last-minute shopping spree, Internet research firm comScore Networks said on Wednesday. …
US to Reopen Canada Cattle Trade in March Canada’s cattle and beef industries, battered by the discovery of mad cow disease in 2003, would win new access to the important U.S. market by this spring under a plan Washington announced on Wednesday to relax a trade ban. A new rule…
Fannie May Sell $4 Bln Preferred Stock Fannie Mae, the largest U.S. home funding company, said on Wednesday it may privately sell up to $4 billion of preferred stock this week, which could help it meet higher capitalization standards it faces after regulators found it broke accounting…
Dow Falls, S&P Flat as Oil, Defense Weigh U.S. blue-chip stocks retreated on Wednesday as oil prices vaulted above $43 a barrel while news that China intended to curb overheated growth in its airline sector hurt aerospace and defense stocks such as Boeing Co. . Oil prices rose for
NASD Disciplinary Fines Triple in 2004 The NASD on Wednesday said it has collected a record $102 million in disciplinary fines in 2004, triple the amount collected last year, for infractions including improper mutual fund trading, variable annuity abuses and client overcharges.
Dollar Clings to Small Gains The dollar edged higher against the yen and pound on Wednesday as traders took some year-end profits, although the U.S. currency was still locked in a long-term downtrend, analysts said. Though the euro was flat against the dollar after…
US Treasuries Slip as Debt Auction Flops U.S. Treasury debt prices slipped on Wednesday after an auction of $24 billion in new two-year notes drew only scant demand in a holiday-thinned market. Particularly troubling was the lack of interest from indirect bidders, which include…

Bush Denounces Call to Boycott Iraqi Vote photo CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – President Bush on Wednesday denounced Osama bin Laden’s call to boycott the Iraqi elections, saying the balloting offers a choice between free expression and a “dark vision of the world” viewed by the mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks. In an audiotape, bin Laden urged…
Lieberman: Iraq Election Must Go Forward photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. Joe Lieberman, traveling in the Middle East Wednesday, said there is strong support in Iraq for the Jan. 30 election, and postponing it would only be a victory for the insurgents. In a telephone call from Tel Aviv, Israel, the Connecticut Democrat said conditions in Iraq,…
Republican Calls for Revote in Wash. Race photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Republican Dino Rossi on Wednesday urged his Democratic rival in the closest governor’s race in state history to join him in calling for a revote, the latest twist in the topsy-turvy contest. “The uncertainty surrounding this election process isn’t just bad for you and me -…
Agencies Clash on Fingerprint Database WASHINGTON (AP) – More than three years after the Sept. 11 attacks, the Bush administration has failed to create a unified U.S. fingerprint database because of agency infighting, meaning most visitors to the country still aren’t fully screened for terrorist or criminal ties, the Justice…
Ohio Judge to Remain on Vote Challenge photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The chief justice of the state Supreme Court refused Wednesday to remove himself from a case challenging the results of the presidential election. A group of voters had claimed Chief Justice Thomas Moyer “wittingly or unwittingly acquired knowledge of deliberate national and…
Utah’s First Female Governor Says Goodbye SALT LAKE CITY (AP) – Gov. Olene Walker – Utah’s first female governor, and its shortest-serving chief executive – packed up her belongings on her last full day Wednesday. “We are making headway. It’s very slow, though, because I take too much time reflecting on how great it’s been,” Walker, 74,…
Lobbyist Spending Expected to Break $2B WASHINGTON (AP) – Lobbyists spent more than $1 billion in the first half of 2004 promoting their positions in front of the president and Congress, putting the nation on track for its first $2 billion lobbying year. According to an analysis released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Political Money Line…
N.C. Board Orders New Election for Ag Post RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – Following nearly two months of court fights and wrangling over lost votes, the North Carolina Board of Elections on Wednesday ordered a new statewide election for the closely contested race for agriculture commissioner. Republican Steve Troxler leads Democratic incumbent Britt…
Ohio Recount Ends, Shows Vote Closer photo TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) – Election officials have finished the presidential recount in Ohio, with the final tally shaving about 300 votes off President Bush’s six-figure margin of victory in the state that gave him a second term. The recount shows Bush winning Ohio by 118,457 votes over John Kerry,…
Getting Ticket to Inauguration Isn’t Easy photo WASHINGTON (AP) – It’s one of the hottest tickets in Washington this winter, and unlike most of the parties planned for President Bush’s second inauguration, it’s free and the dress is come-however-you-can-stay-warm. But getting one of the 250,000 tickets to Bush’s swearing-in ceremony on the…

Getting Ticket to Inauguration Isn’t Easy photo WASHINGTON (AP) – It’s one of the hottest tickets in Washington this winter, and unlike most of the parties planned for President Bush’s second inauguration, it’s free and the dress is come-however-you-can-stay-warm. But getting one of the 250,000 tickets to Bush’s swearing-in ceremony on the…
GOP Demands Voter List in Wash. County photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – Republicans are demanding a list of voters in Washington state’s most populous county as the party considers a court challenge of Democrat Christine Gregoire’s razor-thin victory in the governor’s race, officials said Monday. A hand recount put Gregoire ahead by 130 votes out…
Mont. Court Breaks Tie in Favor of Dems HELENA, Mont. (AP) – The Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned a decision that determined a disputed legislative race was tied, likely giving Democrats control of the state House of Representatives. The 6-1 decision threw out a lower court ruling from earlier this month that seven contested…
Ethics Committee to Investigate McDermott WASHINGTON (AP) – The House ethics committee will investigate Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Wash., to determine whether he violated standards of conduct when an illegally recorded telephone conversation was leaked to reporters during a committee investigation. Committee Chairman Joel Hefley, R-Colo., and…
Bush Biking, Relaxing at Texas Ranch photo CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – Besides monitoring the devastating earthquake in Southeast Asia, President Bush is biking and strolling around his ranch here and pondering tax reform and other goals in his second term. “He’s clearing some brush this morning,” deputy White House press secretary Trent Duffy…
Acevedo Vila Declared Governor of P.R. photo SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – The Puerto Rico elections commission on Tuesday certified that Anibel Acevedo Vila won the governor race, a victory for a politician who supports the island’s status as U.S. territory. The announcement brought to a close a two-month recount and a court challenge from…
U.S. Accuses Syria of Helping Insurgents WASHINGTON (AP) – The Bush administration accused Syria on Tuesday of helping insurgents in Iraq by giving haven to elements of the deposed Saddam Hussein regime. “And it is a problem that we think Syria needs to act to stop,” State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli said Tuesday. Deputy…
Nev. in Top 10 for Most Women Lawmakers LAS VEGAS (AP) – Nevada ranks in the top 10 in the nation for the number of female legislators it elected this year, according to a new study by the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Nevada had hovered among the top five states for several…
Conn. Governor Recuperates After Surgery photo HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – Gov. M. Jodi Rell was recuperating at Danbury Hospital on Tuesday, a day after undergoing breast cancer surgery. Rell’s staff said the 58-year-old governor was “resting comfortably,” but provided no further details about her medical condition or the extent of her surgery….
Cox Files to Begin Ga. Governor Campaign ATLANTA (AP) – Georgia Secretary of State Cathy Cox announced Monday that she will run for governor in 2006, making her the second Democrat working to deny re-election to Republican Gov. Sonny Perdue. Democratic Lt. Gov. Mark Taylor announced earlier. In an announcement posted on her Web site, Cox…

Bush Spending Last Week of 2004 in Texas photo CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – President Bush began his post-Christmas vacation Sunday contemplating a hefty second-term agenda on both global and domestic fronts, including expectations of continued violence against U.S. troops in Iraq. “This week is going to be about thinking about what he wants to tell…
Rumsfeld Says Iraqis Must Stop Insurgents photo BAGHDAD, Iraq (AP) – In his Christmas eve encounters with U.S. military commanders and hundreds of their troops, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld heard – and said – little about armor or troop shortages, issues that have made him a political target in Washington among both Democrats and…
Bush Sends Condolences to Asia, Offers Aid photo CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) – President Bush expressed his condolences Sunday to the victims of the massive earthquake and tidal waves that hit southern and southeast Asia. The State Department said three Americans have been identified as being among those killed. State Department spokesman Noel Clay…
Salazar Calls for Bipartisan Cooperation photo DENVER (AP) – Sen.-elect Ken Salazar on Sunday predicted a “bloody fight” if the Senate’s Republican leadership tries to change rules that allowed minority Democrats to block votes on judicial nominees they considered unacceptable. The Colorado Democrat, who appeared on CBS’s “Face the Nation”…
Washington Governor’s Race May Not Be Over photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – The exhausting, exasperating, excruciatingly close Washington governor’s race might be the worst thing to happen to democracy since Florida’s pregnant chads. Or, it might be no big deal. The votes are in (for now) after being counted three times since Election Day. The courts…
Feds Take Aim at Government Corruption photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland’s guilty plea Thursday to a felony charge makes him only the latest in what is a steadily growing number of federal corruption prosecutions focusing on government officials. Although totals have not yet been released, the number of such…
Bush Calls for Compassion on Christmas photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush on Saturday urged Americans to help the neediest among them by volunteering to care for the sick, the elderly and the poor in a Christmas day call for compassion. “Many of our fellow Americans still suffer from the effects of illness or poverty, others fight cruel…
Brothers Elected to Congress Head to D.C. MANASSA, Colo. (AP) – Ken and John Salazar sat on a sofa with their 82-year-old mother in the living room of the modest ranch that has been home to their family for 150 years. Four siblings and extended family members huddled under bookshelves packed with family photos, religious mementos and…
U.S. Hopes for Fair Ukraine Election WASHINGTON (AP) – The Bush administration expects a cleaner election on Sunday in Ukraine and while it professes to be above the contest for president, it is hoping for a pro-Western outcome. That would mean a victory for Viktor Yushchenko and his Orange Revolution, which is pledged to fight…
Fla. Said to Have Few Election Challenges ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – The horde of partisan lawyers dispatched to Florida in anticipation of widespread Election Day voter-eligibility challenges wound up with precious little to do: Only a relative handful of challenges were posed statewide, according to a newspaper report. Only 63…

Powell Advised Beefing Up Iraq Security photo WASHINGTON (AP) – As insurgents stepped up their pressure in Iraq, Secretary of State Colin Powell advised President Bush and British Prime Minister Tony Blair in November that Iraqi security forces should be increased to counter attacks in the embattled Sunni Triangle. Powell, a former four-star…
Politicians’ Ad Campaigns Face Criticism WASHINGTON (AP) – New York Gov. George Pataki implores businesses to relocate to lower Manhattan in a taxpayer-funded ad campaign. In Maryland, Gov. Robert Ehrlich pitches tourism, energy-efficient homes and the state motor vehicle administration. Across the country, governors and other elected…
Bush Calls Service Members to Thank Them photo Stationed on the farthest island in Alaska’s Aleutians, Coast Guard Fireman Michael Joseph feels like he’s living at the end of the earth. But he wasn’t too far away to receive a Christmas Eve greeting from President Bush. “First thing he said was, ‘Michael, Merry Christmas,” said Joseph, 24, of…
Feds Take Aim at Government Corruption photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Former Connecticut Gov. John G. Rowland’s guilty plea Thursday to a felony charge makes him only the latest in what is a steadily growing number of federal corruption prosecutions focusing on government officials. Although totals have not yet been released, the number of such…
Fla. Said to Have Few Election Challenges ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – The horde of partisan lawyers dispatched to Florida in anticipation of widespread Election Day voter-eligibility challenges wound up with precious little to do: Only a relative handful of challenges were posed statewide, according to a newspaper report. Only 63…
Bush Inauguration Fund Drive Breaks $8M photo WASHINGTON (AP) – More than $8 million has been donated by corporations and individuals to fund President Bush’s reinauguration ceremonies, according to figures released Thursday. The team handling the festivities announced more than 20 new contributors, including seven who donated $250,000, the…
Bush to Renominate 20 for Judgeships photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Refusing to be brushed off by Democratic opposition in the Senate, President Bush plans to nominate for a second time 20 people who did not receive up or down votes on their nominations for federal judgeships. The Democrats’ ability to stall certain White House picks for the…
Acevedo Vila Wins Puerto Rico Gov. Race photo SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) – Puerto Rico’s congressional envoy who favors the island’s status as a U.S. territory narrowly won a recount in the governor’s race, election officials announced Thursday. Anibal Acevedo Vila of the Popular Democratic Party garnered 961,512 votes compared to 958,328…
Schwarzenegger, Shriver Give Troops Gifts SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – California soldiers serving in Middle East hot spots are getting a special gift from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and his wife, Maria Shriver: prepaid phone service home. California National Guard members stationed in Afghanistan, Kuwait and Iraq are getting up to 66…
Former Conn. Governor Pleads Guilty photo NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) – Six months after being driven from office by scandal, former Gov. John G. Rowland pleaded guilty to corruption charges Thursday, admitting he traded his office for more than $100,000 in flights to Las Vegas, Vermont vacations and repairs to his vacation cottage. Rowland,…

Many in GOP Wary of Social Security Plan photo WASHINGTON (AP) – If there will ever be a year when the political stars are aligned for President Bush to revamp Social Security, it may be 2005. But he still must persuade wary Republicans in Congress to follow his lead. “To be crassly political, there’s nothing in it for members of Congress,”…
Rumsfeld Passionately Defends Himself photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, stung by criticism that he’s insensitive to the needs of the troops and their families, offered his most impassioned defense Wednesday. The normally stoic Rumsfeld said when he meets wounded soldiers or relatives of those killed in battle,…
N.C. Schools’ Chief Election Under Review RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) – The North Carolina Supreme Court on Wednesday blocked the winner of the state school superintendent race from taking office while the judges examine whether some provisional ballots should have been counted. Democrat June Atkinson leads Republican Bill Fletcher by 8,535 votes…
Apologetic Kerik Quits Giuliani’s Firm photo NEW YORK (AP) – Former police commissioner and one-time Cabinet nominee Bernard Kerik said Wednesday he will leave Giuliani Partners, former Mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s consulting firm. At a news conference in Manhattan, Kerik said he had apologized to Giuliani for being a distraction because of his…
Governors Ask Bush Not to Cut Medicaid WASHINGTON (AP) – The nation’s governors on Wednesday urged President Bush not to shift additional Medicaid costs to the states in his effort to reduce the federal deficit. The bipartisan plea came six days after another letter to Bush from the health-care industry, asking him not to propose…
Bush’s Tax Overhaul May Be Incremental photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush’s campaign to make the tax code simpler, fairer and more pro-growth is likely to involve incremental changes to the current system rather than a sweeping effort to scrap the venerable income tax for a radically new approach, such as a national sales tax. But the…
Ohio Officials Defend Electronic Voting CLEVELAND (AP) – With a recount of the Nov. 2 election results almost complete in Ohio, officials said Tuesday their electronic voting systems worked as promised, despite alleged problems with some machines. With recount results reported in 86 of 88 counties Tuesday, President Bush picked up 438…
Bush Holds First Meeting With NAACP photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush met Tuesday at the White House with the outgoing head of the NAACP, the first meeting of his presidency with the nation’s oldest civil rights group. “It was a very frank and a very open dialogue,” NAACP President Kweisi Mfume told reporters afterward. “We both have…
Groups Plan Week of Inauguration Protests photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Groups targeting President Bush’s economic agenda, the legitimacy of his election and the war in Iraq plan a week of events to counter his inauguration Jan. 20. “Our intention is to show President Bush and the world our movement is energized, mobilized and determined to fight…
Michigan Congressman Seeks Exit Poll Data NEW YORK (AP) – The top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee has asked The Associated Press and five broadcast networks to turn over raw exit poll data collected on Election Day so that any discrepancies between the data and the certified election results can be investigated. Rep. John…

Bush Defends Rumsfeld As ‘A Caring Fellow’ photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Accused of being insensitive to U.S. soldiers in Iraq and their families, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld received a fresh endorsement Monday from President Bush, who called him “a caring fellow.” “I have heard the anguish in his voice and seen his eyes when we talk about…
Ohio Election Agents View Computer Repair photo LOGAN, Ohio (AP) – Election officials watched Monday as a technician repeated a repair he had made to a vote tallying computer, then announced they had found no evidence of any sort of tampering, despite a congressman’s request for an FBI probe. Observers, including a Green Party representative…
Ex-Calif. City Mayor Sentenced for Bribes LOS ANGELES (AP) – A former suburban mayor was sentenced Monday to nearly six years in prison for a scheme in which he and other government officials pocketed tens of thousands of dollars in bribes to steer city business to contractors. Daryl Sweeney was the second ex-mayor of Carson, a city of…
Bush Short on Social Security Details photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush says Social Security’s future financial shortfall is a crisis that Congress must tackle now, repeating Monday his demand for action but refusing to provide details of his top domestic priority that will cost trillions of dollars to implement. “Don’t bother to ask…
Ex-Okla. Lawmaker Enters Plea in Crash STILLWATER, Okla. (AP) – A former congressman pleaded no contest Monday to misdemeanor negligent homicide in a traffic accident that killed a couple and injured their young daughters. He is to serve no jail time. Former Republican Rep. Wes Watkins was sentenced to three months on each of two…
Ex-N.Y. State Senator Ordered Back to Jail NEW YORK (AP) – A former state senator released after serving about three months of a one-year sentence in a bribery scheme must return to jail, an appeals court ruled Monday. A five-judge panel of the State Supreme Court’s Appellate Division unanimously upheld a lower court ruling that Guy…
Ga. Republican to Chair Senate Ag Panel WASHINGTON (AP) – Georgia Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss will chair the Senate Agriculture Committee when the 109th Congress convenes next month, Majority Leader Bill Frist said Monday. As chairman, Chambliss will spend the next several months preparing for the new farm bill Congress plans to…
Bush Renews Call for Guest Worker Plan photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush on Monday renewed his call for a guest worker program for immigrants seeking employment in the United States, saying the Border Patrol shouldn’t be chasing “goodhearted people who are coming here to work.” Bush has wanted such a program since taking office four…
Bush Shows Caution on Mideast Peacemaking photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush called for realism and took the long view Monday on Mideast peacemaking and development of democracy among Palestinians. Bush welcomed efforts by British Prime Minister Tony Blair to travel to the region this week and make plans for a conference to help develop a…
Report: Congresswoman’s Family Profited LOS ANGELES (AP) – Rep. Maxine Waters’ family members earned more than $1 million in the last eight years doing business with candidates, companies and causes she helped, a newspaper reported Sunday. Waters’ daughter and son pocketed fees from campaigns endorsed by the congresswoman while her..

Time Selects Bush As Person of the Year NEW YORK (AP) – After winning re-election and “reshaping the rules of politics to fit his 10-gallon-hat leadership style,” President George Bush for the second time was chosen as Time magazine’s Person of the Year. The magazine’s editors tapped Bush “for sharpening the debate until the choices…
Social Security Tax Limit May Go Up photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Two of President Bush’s top advisers refused on Sunday to rule out the possibility that wealthy people might have to pay more to help cover the cost of his move to partially privatize Social Security. Neither Treasury Secretary John Snow nor Andrew Card, the White House chief of…
Tightest Security Ever for Inauguration photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will be sworn in next month for a second term amid the tightest security in inaugural history, with police planning to search every one of the tens of thousands of people expected to line the parade route. Behind the scenes, thousands of specialized law enforcement…
D.C. Mayor Stakes Career on Baseball Deal photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Mayor Anthony A. Williams said Sunday his political career may depend on whether his plan to bring major league baseball to the capital wins city council approval in the next two weeks. Mayors are elected to lead and not be “a mirror and just reflect what people are saying,”…
Judge Blocks Washington State Ballot Count photo TACOMA, Wash. (AP) – A judge Friday granted a state Republican Party request to block the counting of hundreds of recently discovered King County ballots in the governor’s race, which the GOP’s candidate is winning by just a few dozen votes. Even if the election workers wrongly rejected the…
Democrat Seeks to End Iowa, N.H. Power WASHINGTON (AP) – If Simon Rosenberg decides to run for Democratic Party chairman, he won’t be able to count on much support from Iowa and New Hampshire. “Iowa and New Hampshire should not go first in the primary calendar, and we need to create a system that allows other states to have equal…
Ten Commandments Judge May Run for Gov. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Ousted Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore said Friday he is considering running for governor in 2006. “I’ll be praying about it and considering it,” told reporters. Moore was ousted in November 2003 for defying a federal judge’s order to remove his 5,280-pound…
Bush Vows Not to Ignore Economic Problems photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush, looking to build momentum in Congress for his second-term economic agenda, pledged Saturday not to ignore challenges to the nation’s financial health and “leave them to another day.” “We have a duty to the American people to act on these issues, and we will get…
Bush Takes Risks in Second-Term Agenda photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush’s opponents call him lots of names but they don’t call him timid. When it comes to taking risks, Bush has few peers. His second-term agenda is fraught with politically troublesome priorities, if not for Bush personally then for Republicans on the ballot in 2006 and…
Barack Obama Gets $1.9 Million Book Deal CHICAGO (AP) – U.S. Sen.-elect Barack Obama, whose 1995 book jumped onto best seller lists after his keynote address to the Democratic National Convention, has landed a three-book deal worth $1.9 million. Crown Publishing Group and Random House Children’s Books, divisions of Random House Inc.,…

Ohio Voters Refile Election Challenge photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Voters who claim problems with Ohio voting machines Nov. 2 indicated fraud refiled a request with the Ohio Supreme Court on Friday to overturn the presidential results. The 37 voters cite reports of machine errors, double-counting of some ballots and a shortage of voting…
GOP Senators Spring to Defend Rumsfeld photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The Senate’s top two Republicans voiced support for Donald Rumsfeld on Friday as allies of the defense secretary sought to outflank increasingly vocal GOP critics in and out of Congress. “I am confident that Secretary Rumsfeld is fully capable of leading the Department of Defense…
Judge Blocks Count of New Wash. Ballots photo TACOMA, Wash. (AP) – A judge Friday granted a state Republican Party request to block the counting of hundreds of recently discovered King County ballots in the governor’s race, which the GOP’s candidate is winning by just a few dozen votes. Even if the election workers wrongly rejected the…
Bush Signs Intelligence Overhaul Bill photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush on Friday signed the largest overhaul of U.S. intelligence-gathering in a half century, aiming to transform a system designed for Cold War threats so it can deal effectively with the post-Sept. 11 scourge of terrorism. “Instead of massed armies, we face stateless…
Democrat Seeks to End Iowa, N.H. Power WASHINGTON (AP) – If Simon Rosenberg decides to run for Democratic Party chairman, he won’t be able to count on much support from Iowa and New Hampshire. “Iowa and New Hampshire should not go first in the primary calendar, and we need to create a system that allows other states to have equal…
Ten Commandments Judge May Run for Gov. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – Ousted Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore said Friday he is considering running for governor in 2006. “I’ll be praying about it and considering it,” told reporters. Moore was ousted in November 2003 for defying a federal judge’s order to remove his 5,280-pound…
Barack Obama Gets $1.9 Million Book Deal CHICAGO (AP) – U.S. Sen.-elect Barack Obama, whose 1995 book jumped onto best seller lists after his keynote address to the Democratic National Convention, has landed a three-book deal worth $1.9 million. Crown Publishing Group and Random House Children’s Books, divisions of Random House Inc.,…
Whitman Warns Against Catering to Right WASHINGTON (AP) – Christie Whitman, the former New Jersey governor and Bush environmental official, says in an upcoming book that Republican moderates must speak up or the party could move so far to the right that it will lose its influence and strength. Whitman, who led the Environmental…
Judge Throws Out Special Election in N.C. RALEIGH, NC. (AP) – A judge Friday threw out a special election to decide North Carolina’s disputed agriculture commissioner race, whose candidates are separated by 2,287 votes out of about 3 million cast. The special election was called because 4,438 ballots were wiped out in Carteret County due…
Officials Rap Kerik on Background Check NEW YORK (AP) – Bernard Kerik, who withdrew his nomination for homeland security secretary after disclosing that he had not paid all required taxes for a nanny, did not fill out a background form when he was appointed police commissioner in 2000, city officials said. The Department of…

Ohio Justice Throws Out Election Challenge photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The Ohio Supreme Court’s chief justice on Thursday threw out a challenge to the state’s presidential election results. A lawyer for the voters bringing the case said he would refile the challenge as early as Friday. Chief Justice Thomas Moyer ruled that the request improperly…
Ex-Denver Mayor Announces Run for DNC DENVER (AP) – Former Mayor Wellington Webb formally announced his candidacy Thursday to become chairman of the Democratic National Committee. Webb’s interest in the job was widely known; he made a pitch to the committee on Dec. 10 in Orlando, Fla. “I am running because I believe this historic…
Miller to Honor Swift Boat Vets’ Group WASHINGTON (AP) – For one night only, it’ll be spitballs and Swift Boats together on the same stage – a who’s who of Sen. John Kerry bashing. The American Conservative Union on Thursday announced it has tapped Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga., to present the “Courage Under Fire” award to the Swift Boat…
GOP to Sue Over 573 Found Wash. Ballots photo SEATTLE (AP) – Republicans prepared a lawsuit Thursday to try to prevent King County from including 573 newly discovered ballots in a hand recount that could erase their gubernatorial candidate’s razor-thin margin of victory. The GOP expected to file a motion Friday in Pierce County Superior Court…
Lott: Rumsfeld Should Go, at Some Point BILOXI, Miss. (AP) – Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld should be replaced sometime in the next year, Sen. Trent Lott says. “I’m not a fan of Secretary Rumsfeld,” Lott told the Biloxi Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. “I don’t think he listens enough to his uniformed officers.” Rumsfeld has under…
N.C. Officials Resign Over Voting Problems GASTONIA, N.C. (AP) – Two local elections officials resigned after investigations revealed mishandling of vote tallies in Gaston County, including more than 13,000 ballots that weren’t discovered until after Election Day. Sandra Page, elections director, and Tony Branch, chairman of the elections…
Cahill: Kerry Camp Underestimated Ads photo CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) – The campaign manager for Sen. John Kerry’s failed presidential bid said Wednesday she regrets underestimating the impact of an attack advertisement that questioned Kerry’s Vietnam War record. Mary Beth Cahill, who spoke at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government…
Intel-Overhaul Foe Not Afraid to Hold Out WASHINGTON (AP) – Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, who almost succeeded in scuttling the intelligence overhaul bill, is not one to aim for a partial victory. “If you hold out for half a loaf, you probably end up getting a fifth of a loaf,” the Wisconsin Republican said in an interview with The Associated…
College Political Groups Seeking Members photo ATLANTA (AP) – The College Republicans at Emory University need a new meeting room. A smaller one. They used to draw 50 or 60 students to adrenaline-fueled campus meetings, when the presidential election was just around the corner and first-time voters were pumped to get involved. Now, with the…
Military to Fill Typical Inaugural Role photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Military escorts, marching bands, color guards, honor cordons, firing details and salute batteries will be part of the celebration of President Bush’s second swearing-in next month – just as they have been for other inaugurations. The military’s official ceremonial duties won’t…

Federal Agency Disputes Pill’s Benefits Federal officials Wednesday backed away from the findings of two major studies on birth control pills, saying the research was flawed and that a new analysis shows there is no evidence that oral contraceptives cut the risk of heart disease. The research, presented at a medical meeting in October,…
Wash. Starts Verifying 573 Found Ballots photo SEATTLE (AP) – The King County Canvassing Board decided Wednesday to begin the process of verifying 573 newly discovered absentee ballots that could change the outcome of Washington’s extremely close race for governor. The board has yet to decide whether any of those ballots will be counted, but…
Ohio Recount Resembles Florida in 2000 photo CINCINNATI (AP) – In a scene reminiscent of Florida circa 2000, two teams of Republican and Democratic election workers held punch-card ballots up to the light Wednesday and whispered back and forth as they tried to divine the voters’ intent from a few hanging chads. Observers for the presidential…
Kinky Friedman May Run for Texas Governor SAN ANTONIO (AP) – Texas musician and author Kinky Friedman plans to formally launch his candidacy for Texas governor on live television in February, he announced Wednesday. Friedman said he expects to appear outside the Alamo on MSNBC’s “Imus in the Morning” on Feb. 3 or 4. He plans to be joined…
Okla. Voters Show Fury at Nativity Removal MUSTANG, Okla. (AP) – Voters incensed over a superintendent’s decision to remove a Nativity scene from an elementary school Christmas program took out their anger at the ballot box, helping to defeat bond measures worth nearly $11 million. Tuesday’s rejection of the two measures – one of which…
Bush Planning Inaugural Bash Despite War photo WASHINGTON (AP) – At the height of World War II in 1945, Franklin D. Roosevelt opted for a low-key inauguration to mark the start of his fourth term, with a simple swearing-in ceremony, a brief speech from the South Portico of the White House to a small crowd and a modest luncheon. He was the…
Pauline Gore, Mother of Former VP, Dies photo NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Pauline Gore, whose son Al became vice president and nearly captured the presidency and whose husband had a long and distinguished career in Congress, died Wednesday. She was 92. She had been weakened in recent years by strokes and a heart attack, and died in at her home in…
San Diego Ballots Would Have Ousted Mayor photo SAN DIEGO (AP) – A complete review of disqualified ballots in San Diego’s mayoral race showed Wednesday that write-in candidate Donna Frye would have ousted Mayor Dick Murphy had those votes been counted. The final tally showed that 5,547 voters wrote in Frye’s name but failed to darken the…
Retiring Congressman to Lead Trade Group photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Retiring Rep. Billy Tauzin, who led the House committee that regulates drug makers, will become head of the industry’s top lobbying group next month. Tauzin said his most important challenge will be improving the image of drug companies, which has been damaged by soaring…
US Assails Venezuela’s High Court Scheme WASHINGTON (AP) – The State Department accused Venezuela on Wednesday of “packing” its Supreme Court to ensure a pro-government majority and said the move calls into question the country’s commitment to judicial independence. The Venezuelan Congress, dominated by supporters of President Hugo…

Bush Detractors Plan Quiet Rejection WASHINGTON (AP) – No buttons, signs or unusual dress will distinguish the protesters from the thousands who will line the inaugural parade route next month, but at a set time, they say they will demonstrate against President Bush – by turning their backs on the chief executive. Coupled with the…
Wash. Court Rejects Dems Recount Lawsuit photo OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) – The state Supreme Court on Tuesday unanimously rejected the Democratic Party’s request that previously rejected absentee and provisional ballots be included in the hand recount of Washington state’s contested governor’s race. Republican Dino Rossi won the Nov. 2 election by…
Bush Awards Medal of Freedom to Three photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom on Tuesday to three figures who were central to his Iraq policy, former CIA Director George Tenet, former Iraq administrator L. Paul Bremer and retired Gen. Tommy Franks. Democrats suggested Bush should have looked…
Inauguration Gives GOP Fund-Raising Chance WASHINGTON (AP) – The GOP is hoping to capitalize on President Bush’s swearing-in ceremony next month, offering donors special inaugural packages that include access to lawmakers, a parade and galas. The National Republican Congressional Committee, which raises money for House races, is promising…
Ohio Electors Vote Despite Challenge photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The Ohio delegation to the Electoral College cast its votes for President Bush on Monday, hours after dissident groups asked the state Supreme Court to review the outcome of the state’s presidential race. As members of the Electoral College met across the nation to affirm the…
Write-In Votes Would Tip San Diego Race photo SAN DIEGO (AP) – A review Tuesday of ballots cast in the San Diego mayor’s race showed that a city councilwoman would beat the incumbent mayor if disputed write-in votes were added to the official tally, a newspaper reported. The review, being conducted by representatives of the mayoral candidates…
Roemer May Try for Democratic Chairman WASHINGTON (AP) – Former Indiana Rep. Tim Roemer said Tuesday that he is considering whether to join the race for Democratic National Committee chairman. At least eight other potential candidates have been exploring the job, which becomes available in February when Chairman Terry McAuliffe leaves….
Voter Turnout in Colo. a Record 87 Percent DENVER (AP) – Colorado’s voter turnout in November’s general election that featured hotly contested presidential and Senate races was 87 percent – a record for the state. More than 2.1 million of the state’s 2.4 million active voters went to the polls, according to data released Tuesday by…
McCain’s Steroids Push Puts Him in ‘08 Mix photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. John McCain, the straight-talking Republican who often challenges the GOP establishment, has taken on a headline-grabbing issue – steroids in baseball – and generated talk of a presidential bid in 2008. Amid revelations about baseball’s biggest names, McCain has threatened…
Polls: Europe Negative on Bush Re-Election photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush’s re-election was viewed negatively by a majority of people in several European countries – including those in Britain, America’s strongest ally in the war in Iraq, Associated Press polling found. The president was not the only one viewed unfavorably. Americans…

McCain Has ‘No Confidence’ in Rumsfeld photo PHOENIX (AP) – U.S. Sen. John McCain said Monday that he has “no confidence” in Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, citing Rumsfeld’s handling of the war in Iraq and the failure to send more troops. McCain, speaking to The Associated Press in an hourlong interview, said his comments were not a…
Ohio Electors Vote Despite Challenge photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – The Ohio delegation to the Electoral College cast its votes for President Bush on Monday, hours after dissident groups asked the state Supreme Court to review the outcome of the state’s presidential race. As members of the Electoral College met across the nation to affirm the…
Kerik Problems May Have Gone Beyond Nanny NEW YORK (AP) – Bernard Kerik’s nanny problem might have proved the least of his troubles if he had pressed ahead with his bid to become homeland security secretary. The past few days have seen news reports about a rash of possible personal and professional improprieties on the part of the former…
Ballots Wrongly Denied in Wash. Gov. Race photo SEATTLE (AP) – The election director in Seattle’s King County said Monday that hundreds of absentee ballots were mistakenly rejected in the heavily Democratic stronghold – enough to swing the close governor’s race to Democrat Christine Gregoire. A statewide hand recount is under way across…
Giuliani Apologizes to Bush for Kerik photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani personally offered apologies to President Bush for the abortive nomination of close associate Bernard Kerik as homeland security secretary. The White House said Monday there were no hard feelings between Bush and Giuliani about the former…
Court Hears Bitter P.R. Election Dispute photo BOSTON (AP) – A bitter election dispute that has intensified political divisions in Puerto Rico went before a federal appeals court Monday with arguments over how votes should be counted in the U.S. territory’s still-undecided governor’s race. More than 100 demonstrators rallied outside the…
McCain’s Steroids Push Puts Him in ‘08 Mix photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Sen. John McCain, the straight-talking Republican who often challenges the GOP establishment, has taken on a headline-grabbing issue – steroids in baseball – and generated talk of a presidential bid in 2008. Amid revelations about baseball’s biggest names, McCain has threatened…
Polls: Europe Negative on Bush Re-Election photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush’s re-election was viewed negatively by a majority of people in several European countries – including those in Britain, America’s strongest ally in the war in Iraq, Associated Press polling found. The president was not the only one viewed unfavorably. Americans…
AP: Air Pollution a Top Priority for Bush photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will make air pollution a top priority in Congress early next year, starting with “an aggressive push” to build support for his pollution-cutting plan, senior administration officials said Saturday. At the same time, the administration will hold off until no later…
Democrat Groups Raise More ‘Soft Money’ photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Whatever the reasons John Kerry and the Democrats lost the race for the White House, lack of money wasn’t one. Tax-exempt pro-Democratic groups raising big checks for this year’s election collected almost twice as much money as their Republican rivals in the presidential race, a…

Kerry Lawyer Seeks Ohio Ballot Inspection COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – Democrat John Kerry is asking county elections officials to allow his witnesses to inspect the 92,000 ballots cast in Ohio in which no vote for president was recorded, a Kerry lawyer said Sunday night. The request is one of 11 the Kerry campaign made in a letter sent over the…
Bush Social Security Plan Faces Obstacles photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will confront formidable hurdles in Congress as he pursues an overhaul of Social Security, the New Deal program known as the untouchable, third rail of politics. Add soaring budget deficits to the debate, and his effort becomes even more difficult. Republicans,…
Protesters Urge Delay for Ohio Electors photo COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – As it has done for 200 years, Ohio’s delegation to the Electoral College is to meet Monday to cast ballots for president and vice president – but this time, there are demands that the electors wait until after a recount. A demonstration was held Sunday as about 100 people…
Democrat Groups Raise More ‘Soft Money’ photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Whatever the reasons John Kerry and the Democrats lost the race for the White House, lack of money wasn’t one. Tax-exempt pro-Democratic groups raising big checks for this year’s election collected almost twice as much money as their Republican rivals in the presidential race, a…
White House Looks for New Security Chief photo WASHINGTON (AP) – The White House renewed its search for a homeland security chief Saturday as the candidate President Bush thought ideal apologized for an immigration problem involving a family housekeeper that forced him to withdraw. “I owe the president … a great apology that this may have…
AP: Air Pollution a Top Priority for Bush photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will make air pollution a top priority in Congress early next year, starting with “an aggressive push” to build support for his pollution-cutting plan, senior administration officials said Saturday. At the same time, the administration will hold off until no later…
Bush Hails Troops at Christmas Pageant photo WASHINGTON (AP) – Christmas trees decorated with red bows, gold ornaments and white lights lined the hall at the National Building Museum for a holiday pageant attended Sunday by President Bush and his wife, Laura. The president spoke of the many service members who are far from home during the…
New Congressmen, Brothers, Room Together photo PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) – Colorado’s newest congressmen didn’t have to look far for roommates. Rep.-elect John Salazar and his younger brother, Sen.-elect Ken Salazar, have rented an apartment together on Massachusetts Avenue in Washington. “I think we can get along,” John Salazar joked this past week….
Democrats Gather in Search of a Leader LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – Eight potential candidates to head the Democratic Party pledged on Saturday a renewed commitment to win votes from churchgoers and appeal to people throughout the South and West. The next chairman of the Democratic National Committee will become one of the party’s…
Bush Pushes for Social Security Overhaul photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush made a fresh push Saturday for a new Social Security plan in which Americans would be allowed to channel a small portion of their income into “personal savings accounts,” warning that inaction could end the retirement system. “The system is headed towards…

Bush Is ‘Fit for Duty’ After Physical photo BETHESDA, Md. (AP) – President Bush was found in good health and pronounced “fit for duty” after an annual physical Saturday that also showed that the 58-year-old chief executive is now, as he rather sheepishly conceded, “a little overweight.” “I obviously have gone through a campaign where I…
Democrats Gather in Search of a Leader LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) – Eight potential candidates to head the Democratic Party pledged on Saturday a renewed commitment to win votes from churchgoers and appeal to people throughout the South and West. The next chairman of the Democratic National Committee will become one of the party’s…
Newsview: Bush Plan May Depend on Economy photo WASHINGTON (AP) – In early January 2001, President-elect George W. Bush got a sobering warning from a railroad executive he invited to an economic conference in Austin, Texas. “Mr. President, you’re inheriting a recession,” CSX Inc. chairman John Snow remembers saying. For sure, Bush is hearing…
Bush Pushes for Social Security Overhaul photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush made a fresh push Saturday for a new Social Security plan in which Americans would be allowed to channel a small portion of their income into “personal savings accounts,” warning that inaction could end the retirement system. “The system is headed towards…
AP: Bush Will Make Air Pollution Priority photo WASHINGTON (AP) – President Bush will make air pollution a top priority in Congress early next year, starting with “an aggressive push” to build support for his pollution-cutting plan, senior administration officials said Saturday. At the same time, the administration will hold off until no later…
Daschle Ponders Past, Focusing on Future SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) – Tom Daschle says he might consider writing, lecturing or teaching now that his Nov. 2 election loss has cost him his Senate seat and the job of Senate minority leader. “I do want to affiliate in some way professionally with public policy,” Daschle said Saturday in a…
Doubts Persist About Election Results photo As the Electoral College prepares to certify President Bush’s re-election on Monday, concerns persist about the integrity of the nation’s voting system – particularly in Ohio, where details continue to emerge of technology failures, voter confusion and overcrowded polling stations in minority and…
Kerry Pays Nostalgic Visit to Iowa photo DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – John Kerry paid an emotional return visit Friday to the state that launched him toward his party’s nomination for president, saying he felt “an unbelievable wave of nostalgia.” “This was my home, right here in this hotel,” said Kerry, who stopped off in Iowa on his way to a…
Observers Watch Wash. Recount Closely photo SEATTLE (AP) – Dozens of election observers kept close watch on teams of vote counters in King County as Washington state’s largest county began its tedious hand recount of the governor’s race. Republican Dino Rossi, a real estate agent and former state Senate budget chairman, beat Democratic…
Canvassers Must Register in Pa. Suburb PITTSBURGH (AP) – A federal judge has refused to overturn an ordinance in a Pittsburgh suburb that requires anyone going door-to-door to register with authorities and carry a permit, including people working for get-out-the-vote campaigns. The American Civil Liberties Union sued Mount Lebanon four…

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